Shout outs:
Eowyn41: I'm glad you liked the first chapter!!! Cookies for you!!!
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I lay Claim to NOTHING. Anyone who wants to sue me can KISS MY PENNYLESS ASS. The Guild of Assassins belongs to Terry Pratchett and I am only using it because it sounds suave. Same goes for the Thieves' Guild.
Chapter two
The league was dotted about the drawing room again. They all sat while Katrina stood. The young woman paced heavily, her boots making hollow thuds on the floor while she moved. If it were not for the noise they were making, her movement would be entirely smooth. Katrina moved gracefully, as if her limbs were flowing like water. Her steps had the precision of a hunter. It was clear that she was in pain but also too tense to sit. Her body and mind were at stalemate. When the company was settled she began.
"There is a group just outside the Village, called the Guild of Assassins. A crowd of people who make a lot of money in the long run. Some of the best and most well trained Assassins work for the guild, and they get posted all over the world to do rich people's bidding. The Guild has bases all over the world but here is home and they always end up coming back." Katrina paused, took a deep breath and continued "Lately I stumbled upon another Guild who also has many headquarters all over the globe. These people call themselves the Thieves' Guild. Therein lie some of the best thieves, crooks and criminals ever forged."
"Somewhere you're familiar with, Skinner?" Sawyer asked the floating glass of Brandy.
"This is all very interesting Ms. Quatermain-"
"Katrina."
"Katrina, but I'm afraid I do not see how you wish the league to help." Mina spoke quietly, a small frown wrinkling the ivory skin on her forehead.
"I was getting to that." Mina glanced at Sawyer and motioned for Katrina to go on.
"Recently The Thieves' Guild performed a robbery on the Guild of Assassin's Base in Paris. They stole something very precious and unique. Not surprisingly, The Guild of Assassins want it back. The head of the Thieves' Guild is Boris Rotislav and he's not going to give it up without a fight. I need your help to recover what the Thieves' Guild stole before that happens."
"And Return it to a Company of murderers?" Nemo stood abruptly "I will not allow it."
"Katrina, how can you be sure that whatever it is belongs to The Guild of Assassins anyway? Is it not entirely possible that they stole it from somebody else?" Jekyll asked reasonably. Katrina glanced over at the young-ish doctor.
"No it is not. This is the Guild of Assassins. They do not steal. They do their job. What was stolen from them is something that was bestowed upon them as a gift and is rightfully theirs."
"What is this thing anyhow?" The floating glass of Brandy asked. Katrina looked around anxiously. She crept to the door and opened it a crack, making sure nobody was listening. Turning back to the league Katrina lowered her voice to a murmur.
"It's a box that holds a collection of items that were bestowed upon the Guild over seventy years ago by a very rich man who had enlisted their services. It holds an assortment of spells, curses and enchantments to aid them when times are hardest. Only one has ever been removed from the box and I believe it still resides here in Kenya with an Alliance of The Guild. Alongside the spells is an artefact called Il Orb degli Angeli, which is translated from Italian into The Orb of Angels. It's a priceless relic and the only one of its kind. It's said to have magical powers and The Guild of Assassins will do anything to get it back."
"Isn't this a fight between two parts of the underworld?" Mina mused "surely it does not concern us?"
"It doesn't now, but in the long run it could lead to a world war. After studying both guilds for a long time I've come to the conclusion that between them they have over two million members all over the world. Two million of the strongest fastest, most able men-one group of which have something the other want. Something the other half would die for. Both Guilds have immensely powerful resources at their disposal which they are not afraid to use and take innocent lives in the process." Katrina looked collectively at the league "Will you help me?"
Captain Nemo stood nobly in the dimming light "I will help you."
Mina stood "And I."
"Yeah, me too." The Glass of Brandy managed a half salute. Jekyll nodded his consent and the rest of the room looked to Sawyer for approval. The young man looked torn like he wanted to decline the offer to help killers, but that might mean world war.
Mina crossed to him and laid a hand on his arm.
"For Mr. Q?"
Sawyer paused for a moment and then nodded. From across the room Katrina allowed him the rarest of smiles in gratitude.
OK, this is where I'm going to leave this off because I want the next chapter to start fresh. Please review!
Take care
Officer BudBabe