It was 1869. London could breathe peacefully once more since being freed from the Crawford Starrick corporations. The account of the death of the Templar master was the cover story of almost, if not all, newspapers. The free city is in an uproar with its daily routine:
"Crawford Starrick! The big businessman, dead?!" Shouted a child under a porch holding out a sign. A hand takes a newspaper adding.
"I'll take one! Here you are, keep the change!"
"Thank you sir."
The former hand now gains a body, the newspaper covers the face but the top hat facilitated its identity.
"Crawford Starrick! Owner of major industries Starrick was found dead last Sunday, December 29, next to Buckingham Palace. Although the causes are unknown, it is thought that it was the work of a secret order of homicidal mercenaries who, together with Starrick, claimed the lives of all his collaborators. " Ah! Secret order huh?"
"Crawford Starrick had never been more famous in his life" 'replied the killer's twin sister, looking at the free city around him.
"Right! But the bastard got all the credit for it!" Jacob expresses discontented. "Secret order of homicidal mercenaries, I even feel offended." Turning another page.
"We were very clear about our position when we spoke to the queen."
"Yes." Jacob gives someone the newspaper and the two start walking towards the train station. "Imagine how they would react if they knew who we really are, not only were we the authors but we were also decorated by the queen herself "Sir" and "Dame"."
"They would find us bloody anarchists who intend to deconstruct and crumble society." Evie looks at Jacob." Only the right people should know who we are and that's enough. Our anonymity is necessary, I can risk saying that it is mandatory."
"Let me guess, was it our father who taught you that?"
"It's logical Jacob, I don't need anyone to tell me something obvious." Evie smiles, Jacob realizing that he was being confronted chooses to fight back.
"Congratulations, little sister. You know how to use your brain." The two enter the station.
"Unlike you." Jacob just laughs.
The two enter inside Bertha.
"Good morning Agnes." says Jacob as he raises his hat.
The twins go to the second carriage where they meet Henry Green. While Jacob wanders around the room and helps himself to a glass of wine, Evie notices Henry, his face is in discomfort, it looked like something was going through his conscience.
"Henry, is everything okay?" Evie asks, approaching Henry. Evie places her hand on Henry's forearm, while the other hand is resting on his lover's chest. Henry, for his part, kisses Evie's cheek.
Jacob, who was stretched out on the couch while drinking, looks away, rolling his eyes.
"More or less, Ronald presses to rebuild the brotherhood of London with new assassins. He thinks that the success of Starrick's defeat will bring many candidates." Henry was now circling the carriage as he explained what was going on.
"Didn't you tell him it's complicated now?"
"Well, I insisted, I even added that London for now was safe, that there is no need to bet on more assassins, but he argues and replies that he is not sure if it will always be so."
Jacob says, still on the couch. "This Ronald doesn't believe in the strength of my "Rooks"."
"That's not it. What he intends is to re-establish an order of assassins here, as well as there is in other cities. He says that now is the right time." Jacob breathes and lets out a "hum" while looking at his face and chooses to drink another sip of his wine. He decides not to add anything else, but this matter has stayed in his head.
"Well, we'll deal with that later. Now changing the subject, I need to talk to you, I think that yesterday's discussion wasn't nearly over and there is still a lot to do if we really consider it." Said Evie, addressing Henry.
"Okay, let's go to the first carriage."
Jacob seemed to have lost himself in his own thoughts, holding the glass with his left hand while the right held the back of his neck.
"We'll be right back, we need to talk by ourselves."
As if he was waking up from a dream, Jacob asks. "What? Where are you going?"
"I told you. We're going to the next room, we have some private matters to discuss."
Jacob removes his hand under his head and sits down. "And what kind of "matters" are those, may I ask?" Jacob asks putting the glass on the floor and emphasizing the word "matter" while adding some quotes that he makes with his hands.
"If it is private, it means that it does not concern you."
Jacob looks at Evie and Henry with his elbows resting on his legs. "I don't know if I like this idea very much."
"Bad to you. Believe whatever you want." Evie and Henry make their way to the first carriage before Jacob can stop them.
Jacob overhears the conversation but fails, going back to the couch again and continues to think about what Henry mentioned.
Jacob was already quite satisfied with the gang he had formed, but there was something about the idea of brotherhood that seemed not to leave his mind. Behold, he hears Evie on the other side of the door, in a higher tone, exclaiming "But he is not capable of that." And Henry replying, "Well, give it a try. He is the same age as you, he is not a child "the silence settles again and Jacob cannot hear anything any more, continuing to weigh himself, he gets up and drives to the table, looks at everything that was at the top.
In the first carriage, Evie, with her arms crossed, discusses with Henry about a trip they planned to take to Crawley in order to deal with matters related to the creed.
"So it's settled. Tomorrow afternoon we leave."
"Yes. Now we need to warn your brother."
The two leave the carriage for the second one with Evie following, just to find an empty room.
"Dammit, where did he go again."
Jacob, who was already out of the station, intended to go to Ronald's in order to ask more questions about the brotherhood, at that very moment he passed a street where two boys, dressed in green, danced and clapped while a third, also a member of the gang, hummed a song of his own while playing on a lute that belonged to him.
"Im Crawford Starrick
And I pinch the key
Now Im going seat back there
And have a cup of tea.
Now you!
His Crawford Starrick
He stole the key
Now his going seat back there
And have a cup of tea. "
The show seemed to attract immense spectators and to create even more impact the boy showed his skills by doing pirouettes and somersaults, all outlined in an improvised choreography at the time. The party ends with people applauding.
Jacob just laughs while shaking his head from side to side without ever stop walking.
Here Jacob arrives at his destination, enters the store where Henry used to be housed before moving to Bertha:
"Ronald?" Shouts, no one answers. "I hope I'm not making a fool of myself."
"Yes?" said a voice from the corridor at the end.
"It's me Jacob Frye!"
Ronald drove to the entrance hall.
"I had the opportunity to meet your sister, only you were missing. What brings you here?" Opening his hands.
"I came to talk about the proposal you made to Henry ..."
"And that he refused." addressing Jacob. "I know that Jayadeep refused because he didn't think it was necessary, but I believe that on the one hand he is afraid. So he changed his mind?"
"No, but it left someone thinking about that proposal." Jacob said, smiling from end to end.
"Well, I was hoping that was your answer." expressing contentment. "I was already aware of your audacious deeds, and The Rooks are the living proof that you can do this." Jacob could not hide the excitement he felt with all these praise for his notorious work. "London is the capital and needs to be reborn, I myself am offended knowing that there is no strong brotherhood capable of overcoming the rest scattered throughout the country, Britannia." said Ronald while playing with his hands explaining things. "What do you say? Are you the man for that?"
"That and much more Ronald." smiles.
"I knew I could count on you Jacob, now we just need to recruit newbies, if you want I can even suggest someone."
"Okay."
"Excellent, come to me tomorrow around five in the afternoon."
"I'll be there." Jacob drives to the exit and heads back to the train station.
In this, when he returns he enters Bertha again, passes by the third carriage where members of "The rooks" greet him while raising their glasses of beer. Jacob returns the length by raising his hand in the shape of a fist. Now go to the second carriage where Evie and Henry are waiting for him, Henry standing, and Evie leaning against the table with her arms crossed. Jacob understood that their faces pointed to something he did but Jacob had no idea what it would be:
"What have I done now?" Dryly.
"Nothing." strangely. "Nothing, no, Evie and I have news to tell you."
"Really?" For Evie. "I go out for a few minutes and I already know that I'm going to be an uncle."
Evie takes a deep breath trying to contain herself. "No, Jacob. Henry and I will leave tomorrow for Crawley." Says Evie addressing Henry.
"What? How so?" Stunned.
"Evie has business to do there and I have dedicated myself to keeping her company and helping her with whatever is necessary."
"Alright, fine. And for how long are you going to stay there?"
"A month and a half, maybe two months."
"Two months?!"
"At most."
"And who keeps guarding London during that time?" Evie, still with her arms crossed, and Henry exchange looks.
"You!"
"Me?" Incredulous, does install silence for a few seconds.
"Don't you say anything?" With a face that expressed something like "I expected this".
"I mean... Yes! Yes, I do." nodding. "Evie would you mind stepping outside for a few minutes? I need to talk about something with Henry."
"And what is that, if I may ask?"
""If it is private, it means that it does not concern you."" Says Jacob, remembering his sister's answer and repeating just to provoke her.
"Okay." And leaves.
"Can't you bare taking responsibility over London?"
"Yes Henry, I can do it, but that's not it, listen. I went to talk to Ronald and told him that we are willing to rebuild the London brotherhood."
"What? But I already said it was out of the question! I am not able now."
"And who said anything about you?"
"Do you want to be responsible?"
"Oh yes, Greenie!"
"So what name are you going to give the brotherhood, "The rooks" too, maybe "The Parrots"?" Laughs, but when he sees Jacob's reaction his laughter fades.
"You know, I had already started to gain a certain respect for you until you said that to me." says Jacob with a dry look and eyebrows curved, Henry knew that Jacob had not said that in his literal sense so he proceed.
"Well, I'm glad for you, but try not to do anything bad."
"On top of that, you don't trust me. Look, I would think twice about your vacation in Crawley." He says wryly. "But seriously now." He hands over his index finger on his mouth and then withdraws to be able to speak. "Don't say a word to Evie, I don't want to hear her impositions."
"Not one." Opening his arms, then pointing with his left index finger. "But you are responsible for explaining it later."
"As you wish." Putting both hands behind the back of his neck and heading towards the sofa, lying down again.
Henry opens the door.
"Can I come in now?" leaning against the door.
"Please." Extending a hand towards the carriage.
"You are very relaxed knowing you've just became responsible for the guarding of London." Looking at Jacob.
"Hey, this is Freddy's responsibility, I'm just here to murder Templars." Jacob smiles as he curls up on the couch.
"And take care of the order while we're gone." Pointing his right arm at Henry.
"Oh! And that too." Winks.
Evie crosses her arms again and then brings her right hand to her face and rubs it as a sign of impatience. Jacob gets up and grabs Evie's shoulders.
"Calm down little sister, everything will be fine, you two have fun on your vacation."
"This is not a vacation, it is work."
"Well, of course, as I said, have fun." says Jacob, already moving to the first carriage.
"I hope this is the best solution."
Henry addresses Evie. "And it is, believe me." Evie looks at the door that gives access to the first carriage.