Vera
The world seemed to shake as Vera lifted her head. She took a trembling breath in and coughed almost immediately. Her lungs expanded finally, in their normal way. But her spine screamed.
She looked around, squinting in her spotty vision. There were two figures ahead of her. One of them she recognised from before.
Before she was hit.
Vera dragged herself up, wincing at the pain in her chest.
"Stay fucking still! Don't make me warn you again!"
Finn's voice came from one of the figures. She blinked—the one standing.
Then he was looking at her. Someone else slapped handcuffs onto the murderer.
Hank.
Finn clasped his hands on her arms. "Vera? Vera, are you okay?"
Her eyes narrowed at him. Focusing.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. What the hell happened?"
She closed her eyes against the spinning. Finn's hot breath was on her forehead.
"He landed on you. From the tree above. I heard a thump and twigs snapping from behind me. You stopped him. He didn't recover from the fall before I grabbed him."
"Fuck you!" The human spat from the ground.
"What did I just say?!" Finn growled. "Want another shiner? Then shut up!"
Vera shook him weakly. "Where is everyone else? Where's Connor?"
"Probably coming back around by now. We've spread the word that we've found him. Connor is probably looking for the other android."
"Lieutenant!"
The shout echoed through the trees. Hank's head snapped up.
"Connor!" Hank ran in the direction of Connor's voice, dropping his gaze from the guy on the ground.
Vera's eyes scoured through the rest of the trees for Connor, but she couldn't see him from here. She turned to Finn.
"We have to go. What if he's in trouble?"
Finn glanced between her and the assailant. Another police officer, the woman from earlier, nodded to them as she reached them.
"I'll take him to the van," she told them. "We'll interrogate him later." She dragged him up and out of the trees.
Finn and Vera ran as fast as they could over to where they'd heard Connor shout. Blue blood stained the bark in a spotted fashion. Slippery handprints and droplets showed them the rest of the way. They almost collided with Hank as they rounded some trees.
Connor was sitting in a clearing, holding an android on his lap.
The second victim.
He was gasping. Gulping at the air as deeply as he could muster. Three jagged gashes lay deep in his chest, showing the biocomponent beating blue inside him. Blue blood leaked from his mouth and Connor wiped it away delicately.
Vera drew in a shaky breath.
"Is there anything we can do?" she asked softly. Connor shook his head. Hank placed a hand on his shoulder.
The android on Connor's lap spluttered. Connor frowned, leaning down with his ear to the android's mouth.
The victim breathed in and whispered something that no one else could hear.
Vera waited with bated breath. Hank and Finn stood stiffly, watching.
But they didn't have to wait long.
The android exhaled long and slow, closing his eyes as he did so.
Connor stared at the calm android in his lap, his eyes scanning over the lifeless body. Hank helped him up once he'd come out of his daze.
"It's not your fault, Connor," Hank told him gently.
"I couldn't save him," Connor replied. "If I'd been faster—"
"We can't save everyone. It's part of the job. It's always unfortunate, but now we have to focus on getting justice for them both."
Connor continued to stare at his feet, blinking away tears that swam in his eyes. Hank guided him away, promising to ask someone to collect the victims and give them a special burial.
Vera sighed, opening her mouth to speak. Finn's phone rang, cutting her off. He moved away and Vera found herself kneeling next to the android.
The gashes were strange. Like claw marks almost. They were jagged and diagonal. She frowned but Finn's raised voice distracted her.
"Really? Where?"
She stood quickly. "What's going on?" she asked, but he turned slightly away from her, pressing the phone firmly to his ear.
"We'll find him. Don't worry. We will report back once it's done." Finn put the phone down and turned back to Vera finally. "There's a Templar Grand Master nearby. He's been conducting raids and ambushes to find the piece. We have to put a stop to him before he finds the Assassins."
Vera scoffed. "He wouldn't find them. The Templars aren't that smart—"
"They're getting pretty close, Vera. I think that constitutes enough."
"Then where is he?"
Finn showed her his phone screen. It had a small map on it.
"Here. In these abandoned buildings. They've converted these two homes into their 'lair'. It was all meant to be homes for sale, but the people couldn't afford it."
"And when are we supposed to be taking him down?"
"Tonight."
5:45pm- Gavin's House
Ruby
Outside, Gavin leant against the back door, smoking. He had instructed Ruby and Nines to stay inside. Away from him.
His house, or bungalow really, was simplistic. But Ruby was impressed by what Gavin had done to make it homely. As homely as Gavin wanted it to be anyway. As soon as you came into the house, the small blue couch sat ahead of you with the television facing opposite. To the left of the door was the table that Ruby sat at. In the far corner sat the small kitchen, and at the back of the house were the two bedrooms and the bathroom.
Ruby sighed from where she was sitting at the round off-white table by the window. She glanced up from the laptop as Gavin came back into the house. His shoulders slumped as he saw his two guests still sitting there.
"You should see this," she said, turning the laptop around. He frowned, leaning on his fists as he bent over it.
"What's this?" he asked, gruffly.
"A map. Of every assault on androids that has happened thus far in the past few days. And since Markus won android rights." Nines interjected. He paused, looking down for a moment before continuing. "We thought it might lead us to the next one if it's happening more in a certain area."
Gavin's eyes narrowed. "How are we supposed to narrow down human behaviours like that?"
"Look. It's happening around this one area for one reason," Ruby told them, pointing to a specific area in the middle of the dots. "This is the new Jericho. They're waiting for the androids to come away from the others and then attacking them."
Nines remained silent, watching for Gavin's reaction.
The gruff detective scratched his head.
"Well, I can't say it's a bad tactic—"
"Gavin—" Ruby snapped.
"—But it's going to be fucking dangerous to find them if they're on the lookout." He grinned fleetingly. "Don't worry, I know how to do my job."
"It's not something to joke about, Detective Reed," Nines said flatly.
Gavin's head whipped round. "Listen, Nines, I'm not thrilled about any of this. I hate androids, okay? But I'm gonna do my fucking job, and you're gonna stay out of my way." He prodded Nines hard in the chest before turning and flopping onto the couch.
The silence was gripping. Gavin sniffed and picked at his nails, Nines stared at the wall, unmoving and Ruby glanced between the two. She was eager to say something, but their expressions warned her not to.
She sighed. This was going to be a long night.
Later…
Gavin rubbed his eyes and squinted at the computer screen. A coffee sat half drunk on the table which Gavin took a sip of, immediately grimacing at the cold contents. He pushed it away, slouching back into the chair.
Nines grabbed it immediately.
"Would you like another, Gavin?"
The detective squinted at him for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Sure."
Nines did as he was asked, glancing round at Gavin every so often who was rubbing his eyes tiredly. Ruby strained a smile.
"Here, why don't I take over? You take a power nap."
Gavin stared blankly at her for a moment before nodding and sluggishly moving to the couch.
He was snoring in seconds.
"That's that sorted," Ruby whispered to herself. She grabbed her jacket.
"Where are you going?" Nines asked, still holding Gavin's hot coffee.
"To stop this. You stay here with Gavin. I'll be back soon."
He stared at her a moment, hesitant. Then finally nodded.
Ruby knew he would watch over the grumbling detective as best as he could. She had a job to do.
She shivered as she stepped out into the late November night. Clutching herself for a moment, she prepared herself to run through the snow-blanketed streets.
11:07pm
Vera
Crouched on the rooftops of the buildings opposite, Vera squinted in the low light of the streetlamps. The rain was beginning to come down in icy sheets. She shivered.
"There." Finn pointed as two figures came out of one building, one of them holding a flashlight. "There's more in the building."
"How many?" Vera asked, slightly impatient.
But Finn was silent, scanning the building and watching the two figures carefully.
After a few minutes he shrugged.
"Vaguely… At least twenty inside. Not including those two."
"What's our plan of attack?"
"Our main man won't be alone. He'll probably be in an enclosed space of some sort with at least three cronies around him. He's very likely to be at the top somewhere. And watch out for any alarms."
"There are snipers on both buildings. How they can stand this rain…" Vera shook her head. "I'll get them. You go from the ground up and I'll meet you at the Templar's door."
Finn grinned. But Vera interrupted him sharply.
"No! It's not a race. Don't be reckless."
He shrugged. "I'll do whatever it takes." Then he took off down the side of the building and into the shadows.
Pulling her hood further over her head, she descended too, making her way over to the side of the building where she could climb in cover. Luckily, the roof had old chimneys still attached so Vera could hide behind them.
A sniper stood on the wet roof just beyond the chimney, a gun held tightly in both hands. She panned it around as she glanced at every part of the yard down below.
The sniper was too close for Vera to sneak around and the roof too slanted. If only she'd turn around…
Vera didn't need to wait long.
A clatter from the ground near the entrance to the other building made the sniper whip around. Away from Vera.
Vera moved before the Templar became too close to the edge. Striking quickly, she held her right had over the sniper's mouth and splayed her left hand near the Templar's back.
The sniper made a small noise and dropped the gun which clattered in place onto the roof. She collapsed in Vera's arms. Vera pressed her lips tightly together and dragged the Templar to the other side, dropping her body into a bush where it wouldn't be seen.
Now for the other one…
Keeping low and ducking behind the unused chimneys, Vera made her way over to the other building.
But the sniper had gone!
Vera gave an exasperated growl. Where could they have gone?!
She suddenly heard a small whoosh behind her. She ducked under the butt of the gun that flew towards her head.
Grabbing it, she snapped:
"You could've just shot me!"
The Templar snickered. "Other than your tendency to dodge bullets, why shouldn't I have a little fun? Besides, I think we have something of yours that you can trade for something we want!"
"You have nothing of mine!" Vera retorted. "And I certainly am not giving you anything!"
"Really? Not even for the male assassin we found?"
Vera's heart skipped a beat.
"You're lying. There's no one with me. I work alone."
"Kill me then," the Templar said, shrugging. "But he'll still be there. Ready for torture."
She saw red this time and struck the sniper once with her blade.
Why isn't anything going right?
"I'm always saving his ass!" Vera muttered to herself as she made her way between the two buildings, dropping down into the alley.
An angry shout arose from the building on her left. Gritting her teeth, she shook her cold, wet hands and pushed on towards the entrance.
Two blighters stood there, leaning against the doorframe with their arms crossed. They were snickering quietly, unaware of Vera's presence.
Another shout came from inside followed by a loud thump. Vera hissed quietly and shot forward, attacking them both at the same time with her knife and blade. Other than a small gurgle, the only other noise were their bodies hitting the floor. Then Vera marched into the dank, grey house.
It wasn't decorated. It was cold and damp, lit only by lamps and candles that were dotted around. As she wiped the rain from her forehead, she creeped towards the room where the sounds were coming from. It was a large room- possibly the living room? Someone sat on a chair in the middle of the dark room, lit only by the fire, head bent. A group of Templars stood around him, the Grand Master grinning at the helm. Blood dripped from the victim's mouth but still he snarled.
"You think that'll make me talk? Do you scum never learn?" Another whack! This time by the Grand Master himself, who leant in and hissed.
"Tell me where the piece is! Where do you have it hidden?"
The victim raised his head and spat blood in the Grand Master's face earning a slap from one of the blighters.
Vera realised, without much surprise, that the man in the chair was Finn. But barely recognizable already in the short time they'd been there.
She glanced around the room. Seven of them, including the Grand Master.
Easy! She thought, with a twist of her lips.
Her knives were strapped on a belt at her waist, and she pulled out two. Carefully, she aimed one at a time, at the two blighters who were out of sight of the others. Hidden in the shadows.
They crumpled swiftly, knives sticking out of their skulls.
But one of the blighters noticed and turned around.
Too late! Vera had spotted him and spun a knife in his direction.
A loud bang and a sharp pain in her back sent the rest of them staring her way. Vera whipped her head around, clutching her wound.
A Templar moved his gun further towards her as he slowly moved forward. Vera flew towards him, moving past the swift bullets he fired. His aim wasn't entirely wrong. Vera could hear the bodies thumping to the ground, groaning and crying out.
But then she was upon the Templar, swiping with her blade and pulling out her own gun with the other hand.
He froze as she pulled the gun back and Vera pushed him to the floor with a grimace. Without a second glance, she turned around. Towards Finn and the blighters.
He was standing. Barely. The rest of the blighters were either on the ground or aiming for her. She made quick work of them.
Then she realised something.
"Where has the Grand Master gone?"
Finn pointed weakly to the open window. He was on his knees now, breathing heavily. She grunted. He would be long gone by now.
So, she hurried to Finn as he sat almost still on the floor.
"What the hell happened?" She asked, voice wobbling slightly.
"They… they just caught me. I didn't realise how many would overpower me. A mistake."
She half-scowled, resisting the urge to give him a lecture. Her own wound was overbearing, and she could barely concentrate.
"Come on," she said, pulling him up, "let's find a doctor."
In a safehouse in an alcove, Vera had brought Finn to an assassin doctor who could help them. That way, there would be no questions, no fees and they'd be able to leave safely.
Outside, Vera left a message with Ruby and then with Hank to tell them what had happened.
She would have to find the Grand Master alone.
Finn was sleeping so she told the assassin, Verush, where she was going.
He frowned. "Are you sure? You look kinda pale."
"Thanks!" She snorted. "It is November and bloody cold!"
Verush rubbed his dark hand over his face with a small scowl.
"Whatever you say. I don't know why I even bother with you people…"
Vera laughed as he went to check on Finn. Shaking her head, she went to leave.
Black spots came into her vision. She leant against the doorframe. Breathing heavily.
Vera stumbled out into the freezing November night…
And collapsed in the snow.
