Chapter 10: On A Rooftop

"So, Connor, what news have you discovered of the Templars as of late?"

The Assassins had gathered around the kitchen table for breakfast- a brief window of calm between their training and other activities around the homestead. Connor looked up from his meal at his mentor's question, answering it with a sullen look of frustration.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," he spoke irritably, clearly not in the mood to be pressed on the matter.

Achilles sighed, regardless. "After all this time?"

"I have tried, Achilles. As I have said, my efforts seem only to reward me with false leads and dead ends." The young man returned to his breakfast- this explanation seemingly all he was willing to part with.

In begrudging acceptance of the fact, Achilles turned to Kira instead. She was lost in thought. Her eyes were trained downwards, to where she pushed her food around her plate, clearly ignorant of all that had just been said. She had been unusually pensive recently. It had been a while since she had reported anything to him, in fact; he wasn't sure at all of what she'd been up to.

"How about you, Kira?" he began in an almost accusatory tone. "Surely you have been able to discover something of value?"

The woman looked up at the sound of her name, suddenly an unwilling focal point of the discussion. Both her companions were looking at her expectantly, and she straightened, giving the impression of confidence. "Yes," she affirmed to their surprise. "I do not have much to divulge, but I have made some small progress, at least."

"Well, out with it," Achilles pressed fervently, whilst Connor leant forwards in his chair, intrigued by the new development.

Kira hesitated. She had no intention of revealing the entirety of her recent activities, but surely she could salvage something from them to share with her mentor. She'd heard the accusation in his previous words and hadn't liked it.

"I was able to locate Haytham yesterday," she explained cautiously, "and I tailed him to the docks. He met a man there-" she paused- "a man I did not recognise. He had come from a ship bearing cargo: weapons, ammunition, medicinal supplies. If there's anything we can be certain of, it is that the Templars will not be lacking provisions."

Connor's eyes widened with understanding. "So that is where you went yesterday," he mused. "Why did you not tell me?"

Kira smiled fondly. "Because you would have wanted to come with me. I could not risk having the two of us following your father. Achilles is right, he's a careful man. It was easier to do on my own," she lied.

The younger Assassin nodded, appreciating the logic but disheartened by how it had cheated him of some excitement. Achilles, meanwhile, had been distracted as he considered Kira's story. Now, he turned to address her.

"That makes sense," he said, withdrawing a small, neatly-folded piece of paper from the inside pocket of his coat. "I have a note, here, from one of the recruits. They had been tracking William Johnson, and had unearthed a plan of his to meet tomorrow with Haytham and an unknown man. I had disregarded it, but this- we might assume- is the man you saw at the docks, Kira."

"That seems likely," she agreed with a curt nod. "Did he say where they would be meeting? Or at what time?"

"Outside of Hardy's General Store. There's no specific time, but he has determined it will be in the late evening. Do you know the place?"

"I do. If I leave tomorrow morning, I will make it there with plenty of time to spare."

Feeling increasingly as though he were being neglected from the plans that were taking shape, Connor leant further across the table. "Wait," he interjected. "I should go."

Achilles raised a hand to dissuade his efforts. "No. With all her experience, I believe Kira better suited to this task. I will, however, allow you to accompany her." He turned his attention to Kira, before adding: "I shall leave it to you to decide if you'd like Connor to go with you."

She nodded, pausing indecisively. She didn't particularly want to take her friend along; for all his skills, he was still young and impatient- driven to accomplish things in his way, and she couldn't be entirely sure that would coincide with her own. Still, he was looking at her with such hopeful eagerness.

She caved. "Of course you can join me, Connor."

The man grinned from ear to ear as Achilles graced the plan with a sage nod of his head. "Connor," he began, "you must remember to do what Kira asks of you- nothing more, and nothing less. You follow her orders as if they were my own, understood?"

Connor swallowed his pride. "Yes, of course," he insisted calmly- excitement infringing on the tone.

"Excellent," Achilles clasped his hands together. "Everything is settled then. You will both set off tomorrow morning- I suggest the two of you spend the rest of the day preparing for the trip."

…

"Is there any sign of them?" Connor asked impatiently as he watched his companion glance around the cover she'd found behind a chimney. He too was concealed behind the slant of the general store's roof, and he rose slightly in order to survey the street below.

"No," Kira said, focused on observing the same spot. She was already regretting bringing the younger Assassin, for it must have been- what felt like at least- the hundredth time he'd asked the question in the last half-hour. "For heaven's sake Connor," she murmured, under her breath, "please be patient."

He frowned, simply wanting for something- anything- to happen. He turned his attention to the night sky above, and to the ocean of stars he had already spent an hour regarding and growing tired of. There was only so long you could study something, no matter how expansive it was, and still find it interesting.

He sighed as his mind turned to the subject of his father. It had been a long time since he had last seen him, and he pondered over how it would be to see him again. Haytham always fascinated him; he struggled to even perceive him as his father, for he seemed like such a different man from himself. How would things be if Haytham was an Assassin, though? It was a question that often-

"Connor, they're here," Kira whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear.

He crept closer to her. "Who?"

Her eyes didn't move from the street below. "Your father, and the man from the ship," she said. It was Shay, though she was careful not to say so. "No doubt Johnson will be here soon."

She was right, for a few minutes later, William Johnson joined the small assembly. Kira turned to Connor, placing a finger to her lips and gesturing with the other hand for him to come forwards.

He moved to join her behind the chimney, and like her, peered around it to watch the Templars greet each other below. The street was devoid of any other life, and despite the quietness with which the men spoke, both Assassins could hear them clearly enough.

Kira could feel her heart drumming rapidly in her chest. Her targets were cautious, and it would only take one of them glancing up at an inopportune moment for her and Connor's position to be revealed. She paid special attention to Haytham; if anyone would detect them, it would be him.

A heartbeat later, Haytham made a customary assessment of his surroundings, but Kira had been ready. She'd tugged Connor further behind the chimney- out of sight- and she waited on high alert until she was convinced they had not been seen.

The air was so still. The tension was getting to Connor, too.

Satisfied that Haytham would have finished his study of the rooftops, Kira resumed her own surveillance. Carefully, she listened in on the conversation taking place below.

…

The Templars had been discussing things of little importance for almost ten minutes; it had become clear they were not going to reveal anything significant in their exchange. Kira listened on, regardless- still ready to duck behind the chimney should someone look up. Beside her, Connor's growing lack of interest was almost palpable.

"So, how fares our progress here in America?" Shay was asking the others, having recounted a fair number of his travels.

"I am satisfied we have things under control," Haytham replied, "despite the trouble the revolutionaries are stirring up. With the new supplies, I am certain we can maintain our influence."

Shay shifted a little on his feet, beaming. "Always good to hear," he said, adding: "and you're welcome for that last part." There was a second of silence as he warmed his hands with his breath. "What of the Assassins?"

Above, both Kira and Connor tensed. The latter's attention had been momentarily recaptured.

Haytham smiled. "Likewise," he reassured. "Under control. For now, at least."

Connor sighed impatiently, turning to his companion. "We are achieving nothing here."

The words went ignored; Shay was speaking, again.

"What about Kira Lawrence?"

The question hung on the brisk night air, and Kira felt herself freeze over- becoming impossibly more still. Shay was asking about what had occurred two days before. She inwardly cursed, and made a silent prayer that neither man would say anything to incriminate her.

Below, Haytham smiled again. "Miss Lawrence is the very least of our concerns."

An exaggeration- Kira liked to believe- but a miraculously vague one. She released a sigh of relief, until Connor rose slightly, as if to stand, and her anxiety was back tenfold. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "Get down!"

He huffed quietly. "We will learn nothing this way. I am going down there."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Don't be ridiculous," she spat, "get back here, Connor- now."

Her voice had raised with the order, which still thankfully went unheard by the gathering below. It went unheard by Connor too, apparently, for now he approached the edge of the rooftop, preparing to jump down. "Connor!" she gasped. Instinctively she lurched forwards, seizing his arm to stop him.

Her contact surprised him. His balance disturbed, he misjudged a step, and his foot landed heavily on a loose roof tile. The pair could only watch, despairingly, as it tumbled out of their sight.

In the second before it landed, Kira tugged Connor violently behind the chimney's cover. Her breath caught in her throat, and she grimaced as she heard the tile shatter against the cobblestone street below. The Templars' voices came to a sudden stop. She winced, squeezing her eyes shut.

The whole street had fallen silent, and each moment to Kira seemed like an hour.

"Miss Lawrence?" came a low voice from beneath them- Haytham's, of course, and it was unbearably smug. "It is awfully kind of you to join us."

Kira opened her eyes slowly, glaring at Connor as he stared apologetically back.

"What do we do?" he asked quietly.

"We are not doing anything. You are leaving. Go back to the manor as soon as you can get away unnoticed. I'll…" she trailed off; she couldn't for the life of her think of a way out of her predicament. "I'll think of something."

"But I can-"

"Go, Connor," she commanded, her gaze hardening. "That is an order. For both our sakes, follow it this time."

The man nodded softly, understandably hurt- but she needed him to listen. Having issued her instructions, she stood, raising herself into the sight of all three men below. Nervously, she made her way down the building, and soon found herself standing awkwardly in front of the small assembly.

Haytham regarded her with a slight tilt of his head as she approached. "Discover anything of interest, did you?" he enquired with a painfully arrogant tone.

Kira granted him a look of annoyance, having little patience for his mockery. It was hardly an act she could take pleasure in: claiming responsibility for something as foolish as dislodging a roof tile. "Nothing out of the ordinary," she breathed, making a show of being exasperated. "Templars are plotting bad things, and I- as always- am left to put a stop to it."

The man was entertained by the response. "I am sorry to inconvenience you in such a way," he said.

She sighed. "Oh, that's quite alright. I would have little else to do if you didn't."

Kira tried to ignore the fact that he was by now smiling amusedly at her. Knowing that Connor could only hear her- and not see her- she allowed a similar smile to play across her lips.

Shay watched the exchange between his Grand Master and old friend, grinning himself, whilst William appeared thoroughly bemused. Still listening to the conversation from above, Connor was in awe of how remarkably well Kira was handling herself.

The older Assassin had determined from her past meetings with Haytham that the man was unlikely to attack unprovoked. Such knowledge in no way lessened her desire to provoke him, but for now, she decided, the theory was better left unchecked.

"In all severity, Mr Kenway," she began, rewarding the situation with at last the respect it warranted, "you know as well as I do that nothing you have said here today will be of any use to me."

"I do."

She frowned, put off by his cooperation. "Good," she tested, warily. "Then if you'll excuse me…"

Connor didn't wait around to see what happened next. Deciding there had been more than enough opportunity for him to take his leave, he cast a last glance towards Kira and the Templars below, before swiftly fleeing the scene.

Kira, however, despite her best efforts, would not make such an easy escape.

"Hold a moment," Haytham spoke with an assumed authority.

Kira had turned her back on them to walk away, but now stopped. "What?" she replied, without turning around. She wondered if they would try to stop her if she simply ran away.

"Perhaps, before you go, you would be interested in hearing news of Miller's journal?"

She spun around to face Haytham again, her curiosity aroused. "What of it?"

"See for yourself." He withdrew it from his pocket and offered it to her.

Feeling as though she should need to hesitate, Kira took a few tentative steps closer, before reaching out to take it from him. She flicked through the journal's contents; loose pieces of parchment were interspersed throughout, all presenting different interpretations of existing passages. Each sentence seemed to have been analysed meticulously. Though the Templars had clearly been working hard to make sense of it all, the Assassin could find no new information of importance.

She held it out to Haytham and watched as he took it, tucking it carefully back into his pocket. "There isn't much to see," she said critically.

"Not yet-" it was William who stepped forward to address her remark- "it is, however, a start."

Kira gathered from his tone that he had been charged with deciphering the journal, and realised she had likely offended him. "Indeed," she agreed sceptically, not wishing to injure his pride any further. "You will tell me if you discover anything of note?"

William seemed unsure of how to reply, and turned towards Haytham for guidance. On receiving a firm nod of approval from his Grand Master, he turned back to the woman with a reproachful sigh. "Apparently so."

She could hardly blame him for being unwilling to share the prospects of his research. Though Haytham had assured her the journal posed no threat, she largely suspected that neither man was truly confident in knowing what they were in possession of.

She made a conscious decision not to fret over it. "Good," she said. "I may take my leave, then?"

The question was targeted at Haytham, though it came across as more of a courtesy than any genuine request for permission. Nevertheless, he granted it with another nod of his head.

Kira was desperately relieved, but determined not to show it. She flashed a quick smile to Shay in farewell, before setting off at as reserved a pace she could manage. It was the second time Haytham Kenway was letting her walk away, and she wasn't going to linger long enough for him to retract the decision.

The three men watched her go in mutual, pensive silence. Once she was out of earshot, William turned on Haytham with an overdue expression of puzzlement; it took the Grand Master a little longer than usual to catch onto it.

"You needn't look quite so bewildered, William," he assured, once he had. "I will explain everything on our return to the tavern."

"I look forward to hearing it," William nodded, seemingly unconvinced. He was looking to where Kira had been standing, moments before, as though reflecting on the memory of her. "Fascinating woman," he remarked.

Shay hummed in agreement. Beside him, Haytham had cast his eyes up to where Kira had been concealed on the rooftop above them. "That she is," he muttered, lost in thought as his gaze shifted to the shattered roof tile at their feet.

He smiled knowingly to himself.

"I can only hope that in the future, she tells my son to watch where he puts his feet."

Author notes:

Hi, everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read my story so far. Please review, follow, or favourite my story, as I appreciate all feedback, and I'd love to hear what you think. :)

I'd like to thank anyone who has commented, and hope you all enjoyed this chapter- I've made it a bit longer than the others. I'm going to do my best to get the next one out on Christmas day. :D

Kittycat312