The Assassins Way

part 14 Let the Feathers Fly

"Spike, let me ask you something. If a man does not have dreams, what difference is he from a monster ?"

-Vitas Warmoon

21 June 2055

Anahiem California

Ten am

Staring at the bank Mark found himself thinking back on the mission briefing. The Assassins needed funds and the only means to get them were through a bank. Mark and Sazhori were both unknowns yet only one person knew them both by appearance alone.

And for the moment that person was thankfully not around. It wasnt that Spike, and Vitas were bad people, far from it. Mark saw fristhand that in some cases Vitas had a hobby, and no children were permitted to see it. And he had only met Spike once or twice if that.

But it had been over a week since that last meeting, and the Asssassins were short of money, therefore, they had to rob a bank. Which meant tracking the money, cash houses worked best Ruthie had said. No paper trails. Vitas had money, and normally if Ruthie asked for it, saying it was for the kids, she'd send it. But since Mark had arrived in town, Vitas was a bit more tightfisted.

But that didnt matter, no, what mattered at that moment was how to rob the bank. Ruth had one of their techies patch the two into the banks security and construction crews. It was the perfect cover, act as part of both construction and security crews to get the lay of the building. Then make the catch.

Easier said then done.

That day was grand opening party day wherein the new bank was to open offically to the public. During the night Mark and Sazhori along with both Officers James and Raymond had transferred all the more important gemstones and highquality gems into secret locations across the block to allow Assassins to find and pick up the parcels without worry. In their place they had put lesser quality yet also high value gemstones and gold bullion.

"Why gemstones ?" Mark asked

"Gemstones are harder to track" Big Tony explained "the chances of money getting tracked is too great, however the gemstones cant be tracked. Some can even hold data the higher the value and stranger the cut."

"Makes sense" Mark replied. Mentally shaking himself he focused on the task at hand. He had to act as security, and once dismissed he coyld grab a drink at the bar across the street. But since he had to be publicly visible he wanted witnesses.

He never saw Miss Zhao Yu heading through the nearby crowd to get to a watch store, on it was a sign, "No dogs, no women"

Mark went to the bar once dismissed from duty and took a seat across from the procceedings. Watching everything cvarefully he stared seeing a woman dressed in dark green and dark blue, recognising Spikes colors right off. It wasnt what had made him stare, far from it.

What made him stare was the fact that Spike had a pair of wings. They looked strong too. Well this didnt look good. Mark found himself plotting on how to either disable the winged woman or at least keep her from flying. However his plotting was interrupted by the sudden reaction from Sazhori. Mark never saw a Parrot slip a mickey into his beer as his attention was focused on the sudden movements of Sazhori working to get away from Spike, and Spike in turn working to get closer to Sazhori.

Mark checked his watch and nodded, it was time for a party.

They had a flyer, and he had a flyer. They were on even ground. Yet the enemy also had the means to bring his flyer down. Or did Vitas know about the fact that Ulnaus was weak to Obsidian arrows ? Bullets didnt do a lick of good against the idiot of a bird. Unless the bullets were of Obsidian... but it wasnt something he was counting on at the time. But he didnt put it past Vitas.

His vision fogged slightly. Man that beer was strong. Looking up as he heard a crack as the bank broke apart as the safe was dragged away, most of the bank with it. Mark stared as the bank was destroyed. Well that wasnt to plan.

His vision was then taken by two women taking to the air in a catfight, Sazhori was cornered by Spike, both women had wings. OK, Sazhori was more then a human woman with feather boas attached. Wings of pearl black had sprouted from her shoulderblades. Whereas Spikes wings were black with a few red accents. People had their attention devided between the destruction of the bank and the two women flying and fighting each other in the air.

Mark took another drink of his beer, his vision blurred again and he stumbled from the bar after paying the tab and wandering drunkenly around the block. As he wandered he lost track of where he was. Stumbling past a group of Templars, Mark was too drunk to care and too drunk to really get noticed by the mob of men and women chasing the bank down before it was destroyed.

Marks new focus was not where he was, but where Sazhori was. And it was that thought that lead him towards a shop...

Within the store Zhao Yu was trying to buy a watch, she was sent there for a reason, they needed a stopwatch. The only way to get the thing though was by that shop. And the shop owner was a member of the Infamous Women Haters Club. He also didnt like dogs because the guy was allergic.

"I only need to buy a watch" Miss Yu said simply finding what she sought and picking it up. Her back to the man, not seeing him withdraw a pistol from behind the counter and then call for help when she turned to look at him

"Help!" The man screamed pointing the weapon at Miss Yu "There is a woman in my shop! Help, police, somebody!"

It was at that moment when Mark himself stepped into the shop from way of the staff only area after somehow getting lost in an alley and taking the first door he saw. Nearly colliding with Miss Yu the shop owner recognised him right off

Now pointing the gun between the two he kept shouting "HELP, THERE IS A WOMAN AND AN ASSASSIN IN MY SHOP!"

Mark smirked, drunkenly he said "Todays your lucky day" he had a drunken slur to his voice "Have either of the six of you seen a Raven fly by ?"

Miss Yu and the Shop Owner simply stared at him, one, in this case, Miss Yu, stared confused, had Mark been drinking, the answer was undoubtably yes. And the shop owner was just spooked of having a woman in his shop.

Just then in the tense moment a sudden WHUMP WHAM was heard as two bodies slammed into the front of the store and broke the window, the two women were still fighting, Mark stared drunkly for a moment finally saying "Found her." It was the sudden arrival of the two women who were fighting each other that had thankfully taken the shop owners complete attention. Using that distraction Miss Yu slapped down the required money to buy the watch she wanted and left the shop with Mark.

As the two walked through the streets some policemen saw them and they took to rooftops. As they climbed up Mark remarked simply "A dangerous life living as an Assassin no ?"

"Sometimes danger is best left avoided" Miss Yu replied

Mark smirked "You dunno what you're missin'" He said, gunshots rangout, causing the two to duck for cover

Finally on a rooftop and cornered Mark saw the stack of hay below. Miss Yu, however, saw the police running at them "Now what do we do ?" She asked

Mark turned to her, his hands on her shoulders "You should be screaming" He said twirling her about and sending her into the haycart below. Whole he himself drunkenly wove around the police before meeting up with Sazhori who by that time had split off from Spike after their fight.

Spike had done her job. Finding the Raven nursing a bad cut on her arm with her own magic Mark noticed that she had something that belonged to Spike of some form. "You alright ?"

"For the moment, I got what we sought. Vitas is remaining in Sacremento, and something is going on at St Diamonds Cathederal" Sazhori explained

"Spike told you that much ?"

"No I got it off a informant after Spike left. Though I did learn where she got her wings"

"Let me guess, Vitas did it ?"

"mhm, her parents apparently were Raven and Human, Spike had latent magics but not enough to trigger wing growth. So she had Vitas trigger the wings."

"And the informants name ?" Mark asked

"Sacrast" Sazhori replied. "An interesting man, seeking his own ends to survive, will rat on anyone."

"Anything I am missing ?" Mark wondered.

"Takari Honda was briefly seen but I didnt get the chance to speak to him" Sazhori said, Mark smirked, trust the sneaky man to be around when trouble started, He snickered when Sazhori continued "I saw Miss Yu when you went into somewhere ? She was in a hay cart... what ?"

"I kinda threw her off a roof into the cart for her own safety" Mark said, a smile on his face. Sazhori just raised an eyebrow but didnt ask. However it was his thoughtful look that had her attention

"What is it ?"

"That was Spike, Vitas second in command and top henchwoman. At least, she wore the colors" Mark said thoughtfully

"Yeah, that was Spike, not just her colors, but she herself. Packs a punch" Sazhoris own wings had faded away before Mark got too close to her, unlike Spike, Sazhori could summon and dismiss her wings when needed. The last thing Sazhori wanted was for Mark to see her wings just yet, bony things that had yet to fully grow feathers.

"Then that makes things harder for me, I want to blow up four of those templar controlled flying aircraft carriers." Mark said

"When ?" Sazhori asked

"As soon as I talk to Dad" Mark replied, his father had given him his current wristphone number. "In the meantime the recruits and other Assassins have all the gems from the deaddrops" Sazhori nodded.

Warmoon Palace

One hour later

Throne Room

Vitas paced the room thoughtfully as Spike made her report. Well for a first time flight based ambush it worked out pretty well. "The Parrot was correct, he got the target soused" Spike reported, "Once he was hammered I struck at his female friend. She too has wings, unlike mine her wings are entirely black feathers. We fought and flew for a while before I was able to land a good hit to get away."

"Did you find anything important concerning Mr Wolfe, his crew, or was it just him and his lady friend ?" Vitas asked

"I only saw him and his lady Friend, nothing else seemed off or different." Spike had no clue that it was Miss Yu who bought a watch from the store she and Sazhori had demolished the front window of.

Vitas smiled and nodded "Very good, take a rest, you earned it." She told Spike, who nodded and left the throne room leaving Vitas alone with Miao, her pet. The white dressed drugged young woman laid limp once anew at the foot of the Egypt style throne. Sitting down on the throne Vitas regarded her pet carefully, Miao stared at nothing, her body pretty much stiff from working through the drugs, like normal she laid limp unmoving.

Yet her brain was working perfectly fine, if not better. Since meeting her cousin, Miao had been working out in her mind just how long it had been since she saw him last, they were kids, and had just split from a day together. Her aunt, Charity Wolfe, had called her cousins, Mark and his sister, who try as she might was unable to get the face of even in her memories.

Then the Tigris found herself worried about Vitas breaking in on her memories. Which she indeed had on several occasions since Miao refused to devulge information on how she knew another langauge let alone Mark Wolfe himself.

It was Vitas voice that drew her attention however, a simple question. "A relative ?" dead hazel-gray eyes turned towards her. It was the first real reaction Vitas mused, that she had from her pet regarding who Mark Wolfe was to her pet. "Figures" Vitas growled. Using her magic she lifted Miao up into the air, limp as a rag the white tiger was magically placed in a standing pose, held by unseen magic against her will Miao hung before the throne.

"You will tell me what I want to know, wont you ?" Vitas asked calmly. Try as she might, Miao was too weak to resist the magical prodding. "Tell me, Miao,... what relation to you, is Mark Wolfe ?"

It had been a full week since she last saw her cousin, and for each day Vitas prodded her for information, never getting an answer. Until now. Finally Miao spoke "He is my cousin. I havent seen him since I was a kitten." It was the only answer Vitas was going to get regarding Mark. The next question was regarding other languages that the cat knew. Of which only english and minimal arabic was the answer. Vitas smirked. She had her wild card now. Marks cousin was her plaything.

Wonderful.

1 PM

Aboard the FAC USS Abraham Lincoln

Marcus Wolfe's office

"This is the list of men I trust" The list was unsurprisingly short maybe seven names at best, each man Mark even knew, five of which alone were their original servants, miraculously still alive after all these years. "The rest of the men on the roster I dont trust with too much information. Most of the time my eagle vision takes in allies and enemies. So I know who I can trust and not trust. But that trust can only go so far"

"I agree" Mark replied. He then detailed the fight between Spike and Sazhori. When he was done his father simply smirked

"So the girl also flies. You really know how to win them" Marcus said referring to how his son had 'won' Sazhori at a Casino in Trinidad California. Mark smirked at his fathers words.

"Im not entirely sure on that though" Mark mused recalling the brief fighting he saw between the two women. "Sazhori, if it was her, those wings looked too damn frail to be able to hold her weight. Now Spike on the other hand, her wings were strong and healthy. That and her body seemed to have been slightly modified to accomondate those new wings"

"Pretty ?" Marcus smirked as his son detailed what Spike now looked like, a very well endowed lady in order to balance out the wings on her back properly, Mark snickered

"Could say that" the younger man said, a snicker in his tone.

"So whats the plan ?" Marcus asked

"Bombing run. Sazhori is scouting another FAC for the best bomb placement locations" Mark replied, as much as the Raven didnt like it it had to be done, Sazhori wasnt known to the Templars all that well aside from Spike at the moment

"You are still gonna go through with that plan ?"

"Yes"

"Fucks sake son, why cant you blow up something else ?"

"Because I dont want to, I wont blow this ship up, its your command. Last thing I want is to let the Templars have the edge on us"

"So aside from boming run, whats the plan ?"

"Soon as Sazhori gets back, which should be any time now, we ishould/i have our targets marked. Then all I need to do is go bomb shopping"

"Bomb shopping ? Good luck son, you'll need it, you'll have better luck finding a guy who can make shit explode on command and maybe even aim said exploding shit at something."

"Good idea, dad. I'll find somebody, I think Big Tony might know someone who can do that."

It was just then that Sazhori knocked on the door and entered the office. "Its set" She said handing Mark a layout map of the three decks chosen in green the bomb placement locations in red. "According to the ship builder, each of these flying aircraft carriers are identical in design, materials construction and floor layouts.. He even took me on a tour of the one under construction, four ships he says are perfect targets, he says they're older, more prone to breakdowns and he wants newer ships in the air rather then repair old ships constantly, so bombs blowing them apart for maximum effect is easily done, He even supplied the optimal bomb placement locations with easy paths out, or remotely set the bombs off, I trust him."

Well that was good "Good, so I think we just need a bomb maker to design the bombs to explode on remote use, once the bombs are placed we'll have to get away fast." Mark mused

"Two of the ships are due for refueling, airbased refueling at that, doing so is dangerous, so when the refuling occurs we can place the bombs in both vessels and get off with the refueling crews." Sazhori pointed out

"Perfect" Mark said, now all they needed was a bomb maker, or a bomb technican. "What day is the refueling"

"In two days" Sazhori replied, Mark nodded, all they needed was the bomb guy.

"Now to find a bomb maker..." Mark said

"I think I can help with that" Marcus spoke up as Mark looked to him. "One of your friends, you remember him I hope, Old Man Joe back in Arendelle, if I can get a letter to him I think he can come here"

"Getting a letter to Arendelle would be hell at this point it'd be too little too late." Mark grumbled.

Marcus knew then he hit a nerve so he tried to changed the subject slightly as he raised a hand "hear me out, son. Theres more men and women I know who sell and make bombs for what you need, hell you might get some training in bomb creation yourself."

"Im listening" Mark replied to his father. Marcus rattled off a good half dozen names and offered to make a few phonecalls. After a moment Mark pointed to a name, "Does this guy remind you of anyone, Dad ?" the name he was pointing to said Kamerilah, no last name was on the list for the person.

"From what I remember, your mother spoke of someone she trusted as a girl with her sister and brother, they called her Kamerilah, I did some looking into the person, turns out, they got one hell of a history" Marcus replied as Mark simply looked at him confused. Whereas Sazhori looked like a nineteen year old, she was really nineteen thousand years old.

"History ? What kind of history ?" Mark asked

"Tell me that Snowfeather and her sister at least taught you history growing up and how the Assassin's started and what happened between then and now ?" Marcus said

"Only enough, Snowfeather was never interested in teaching history, more interested in teaching by experience" Mark replied, so he had no idea who Kamerilah was, or his relation to her.

"Turns out, little over a million or so years ago there was a big war across the world, it was called the Crystal Wars, it was between two groups, Arendelle was the core of the fighting for pretty much the duration of the war. Two factions were known to exsist during the war, The Rebels, who wanted to use crystals as a means of power and control, and the Patroits, or Crystal Defenders, people who wanted to use crystals as a means of powering devices or keeping journals, our computer systems are a good example of the Patroits desire for the use of the crystals" Marcus explained

"During the Crystal Wars as it was called our ancestor had a daughter, not much is known about her" Marcus said stopping when Mark raised a hand

"You mean Luna Wolfe, Yaeko Wolfe's second born child and oldest of three kids ?" Mark said

Marcus smirked but nodded "Close, Luna is mentioned as using swords similar to her mother with skill matched only by her mother or even your sister. As an adult. Nevertheless, This being, this Kamerilah, is actually rumored to be a Wolfe, but nothings proven as after the Crystal Wars all mentions of such a person had disappeared. But it is mentioned of a warrior known as Kamerilah Battousai, the Manslayer"

That got Marks complete attention as he now had a gender to place with the name, Kamerilah was a woman, he'd seen the books apparently written by her, stances, training manuals, advice books, even random notes about the woman in Yaekos journal. "Snowfeather spoke fondly of the Battousai, saying that all her family learned from books about her, books apparently written by her"

"Kamerilah Battuosai, a Hitokiri in the Patroit Army, she worked to defend us, to defend the Patroits, and defend Arendelle. However word has it that wit the passing of certain men she hung up her sword and disappeared into the sunrise, never to be seen again" Marcus said. "At least until two generations before my birth when rumor started popping up of certain groups in the East gaining power and a lone swordswoman simply wandering helping those around her when she could were heard."

"Anything important about this woman ?" Mark asked

"Yes, she has a cross shaped scar on her right cheek of her face. Carries a Sakabato, or reverse blade sword. Her hair is long and has a slight green hue to its otherwise dark blonde coloration, she wears a purple and black dress in Arendelle design yet also has strong apparently Mongolian additions to it in terms of footware and hair adornments." Marcus said

"I think I know the woman, or at least have seen her briefly." Mark mused aloud. Once or twice he swore he had seen Yaeko off the side of his vision simply watching him. Was it really Yaeko or was it her grandchild ? "How did Kamerilah get the scar on her face ?"

"One scar, the first scar, was from her lovers original wife to be, the second scar, from her lover directly when he realised the truth of her skill and being. According to the histories, Kamerilah had taken part in the war until apparently her brothers were killed, then she hung up her sword and started wandering eastwards, she had been using a Sakabato ever since." Marcus explained

"So a reverse blade sword... breaks bones but doesnt kill unless she has to... great, anything else I should know ?" Mark said

"Yes, apparently the woman was trained since a child, Marions age when the Manor was attacked when you were six. It is reported that the woman was trained by a Tigris or a Dragoness, none know for sure." Kalda stirred within Mark but Mark kept his mouth shut, as much as he hated the scenes of battle at his home, he was mostly over it. It wasnt easy to visit the memory of the attack. But if this, Kamerilah had been trained by Tigris and Dragon alike then her skills must be as good if not better than his own. She could be a potential ally, or possibly a deadly enemy.

"I think Luna will have more information, she has lived in certain places. See you in two days then ?" Mark said, standing up as he made up his mind for the plan.

"See you in two days." With that, Marcus was left alone in the office aboard the FAC as Mark and Sazhori took a hovershuttle to the ground. They had two days to plan, and hopefully get in touch with the mysterious Kamerilah.

Twenty minutes later

On the other side of the city

"I dont get it, if Vitas was that mad at you, why did she make the spell tempoary instead of permament ?" Auji asked his one time caregiver as he grew up. Zhao Yu was confused about the whole event as well

"I am not sure, she said it was going to only be a week, and since I protected her pet,... your fathers cousin, the spell was temporary." The woman replied as she took a seat at the table in Ruth Bigs home.

"In other words she wanted to punish you, but since you served well, she only made it a weeklong punishment... makes little sense, but I guess she has her reasons" Auji mused, "Still doesnt explain much."

"You have things worked out for St Diamonds, yes ?" Miss Yu then asked

Auji nodded "Found the way in, Xeibo and I even scouted the interior pathway to see where it exits from the wall to get inside without getting seen or spotted by security systems."

"So whats the plan ?"

"Tonight is the plan to scope it out, see defenses, the whole ten yards."

"Just to advise, you might have to make it quick, Mark is planning on how to get his cousin free of Vitas, it wont be easy with her magic, nor with her henchwoman able to fly as well." At Aujis confused loook Miss Yu explained Marks plan to get his cousin free of Vitas. Neither of them knew that Mark was seeing visions of his ancestor, Yaeko, watching him, twice now he had seen such visions. Each time he saw his ancestor, and in a way, Aujis ancestor, she was clearer, more defined. "I think that if you wait until midnight instead of full dark, you will avoid coming across your father by all means."

"Sounds good to me" Auji replied, Ruth soon served them a late lunch, over which they went through the plan carefully as Fang and Xeibo joined them. Talon was going to be a bit late due to his new job. When she was told, Miss Yu had a smile on her face, Talon was already the talk of the town as it was

After a moment of eating Xeibo spoke up "So, what do we know about Mark Wolfe ?" why that question ? Simple, they kept learning more about the man each day thanks to Miss Yu

"Well, for one, right now, he's possibly working off a hangover, or something. Says he's been seeing things of some form or another. Ontop of that there's been rumors floating around of someone calling herself Hitokiri Battousai."

"I remember her" Xeibo mused, she knew Kamerilah, as she was one of her teachers long ago in the Mythic Realm. At the confused look from Miss Yu the dragon explained "I was one of her teachers, if we're talking of Kamerilah Wolfe, Otherwise known as Kamerilah Battousai" At the nod she too nodded. "When she was a kid her dad brought her to me, said she expressed interest in learning swordsmanship of any form." Xeibo snickered at the memory. "She was three at the time. So I said to set her up with a design of daggers that fit her size, as she grew up so too did her weapons grow in terms of reach and her skill also grew nicely. What was strange though however, when she was nineteen she and a Tigris had a falling out due to some strange reasoning, and I never saw her again. Once I found out why she left, she wanted to use what she had learned the last seventeen years with us to protect the downtrodden as the Crystal Wars were simmering to go full scale battles again in this realm."

"From history crystals apparently, Kamerilah had sold herself out as an Assassin of some form. Every target she was assigned woke up dead. Each one. But it was not until the deaths of her own brothers in battle did she end her agreement as a hired Assassin as the Crystal Wars were over by that time. She then started wandering to where the sun rose. Apparently I hear tell she settled in a region called Mongolia. Started a branch of the Wolfe family tree there."

It was an interesting history lesson to be sure.

One hour later

Crescent City Assassin School

Mark wandered the halls, Car Key had said the school was now used to run survival classes and self defense classes instead of the normal cirriculum used by normal schools. History and the like were still taught yes, Car Key had explained, but the new focus was on survival, self defense, and similar skillsets with the basics of math and writing also taught.

According to Ruth Big, the entire school taught Assassin teachings to the kids, to survive, to never be seen by their prey, and to leave the dead in their wake at the time without being seen by the target or the targets guards. A blade in the crowd.

But as he wandered the halls of the school packed with children and adults alike, he felt eyes on him. Turning towards a one way window, he saw students studying the finer points of martial arts in a dojo like place, But someone was watching him. Turning again he saw her.

Yaeko was staring at him, they were eye level. In her time she was taller, every resident of Arendelle was taller, it was rare now to find someone taller than six foot four. But Yaeko herself was seven foot even. Yet, at that moment they were eye level.

As Mark watched her movements, she stepped over the lip of the floor to ceiling one way mirror, literally stepping out of the mirror into his reach, she struck, Mark reacted, his arm going up, somehow she had the gauntlet on her left arm and used it to defend and strike at him.

Block, parry, thrust, right cross, block. Catch her wrist. Marks mind went through movements as somehow he was fighting with his own ancestor. Each swing of their fists moved the man, shadowboxing to those suddenly watching him fight an unseen enemy so skillfully. Before it was suddenly over when he somehow had Yaeko in a arm lock, unable to move.

Yaeko, the ghostly apparition of his ancestor, simply smiled and faded away as someone started clapping. Reality came crashing back into focus around him as he realised where he was and looked towards the source of clapping, it was Tony, some students were with him as Tony had seen Mark through his Eagle Vision and lead his students out into the hall, still barefoot from the dojo room to watch Mark fight an unseen enemy.

But somehow Tony had also found a person in red in his eagle vision fighting Mark, which was weird because when he saw Mark fighting, he didnt seen anyone fighting with him. Yet he had his hands holding someone at bay so skillfully until he clapped. Seeing the look on Marks face Tony motioned for the students to continue their movement stances in the dojo before turning back to Mark

Mark was breathing hard as Tony stepped up to him "What a rush" He said, that was the third time he saw his ancestor, Yaeko Wolfe, but the first time he fought her. He was sure the next time they'd fight shed use her swords. He was sure of it

"Something on your mind ?" Tony asked his friend as he stepped to the man

Mark tried to calm down, Yaekos attack was unexpected yet somewhat revitalising. "What did you see ?" He asked to Big Tony

The larger man thought a brief few seconds then said "Well, with my Sight I was able to make out a person in red fighting with you, but when I saw you without my sight, I didnt see who you were fighting, why ?"

"I think things are moving quicker then expected. I never used an Animus before; yet why am I experiencing the Bleeding Effect ?" Mark replied. The only device close to an Animus that he had used was a dreamshade device that allowed joining others in their dreams, it didnt have an operating system to it, it just... did it

"My mom has an Animus, Its old, but its how she trains some of the kids when they come over to the house." Tony replied, he rubbed his cleanshaven chin at a thought then said "Its possible that those journals you've been reading might have something to do with it"

"If I have the bleeding effect now, I've only used a device from the CIA, a dreamshare machine, there's no real operating system, you just hook in, hit the key to go, a guy on the wake sets the return music cue at a set speed to wake up" Mark explained

"Yeah, the Animus is similar only you get to view and interact as your ancestors did once the connection is matched. In your case it'd try to match up with one of your family, dunno if it'd match up with a man or woman, in my case Im almost constantly matched up to a guy back in the second crusade, and a young man in the Crystal Wars..." Big Tony then went quiet at that point

However he had Marks complete attention by the larger mans movements on his face. "Let me ask you something"

"Anything, within reason" Tony replied

"Do youk now anyone named Kamerilah Wolfe ?" Mark asked

Big Tony smirked and nodded, "Yeah, I know her, at least my ancestor did. One of them knew her at least. That cross scar, it wasnt always a cross, for about two years it was just one line, my ancestor was supposed to marry her first target, My ancestor had an older brother and a younger sister, Turns out my ancestor was betrayed by those thought to work with her to kill the Battousai and got stuck in the line of fire."

Tony sighed "As he died, he traced with a shard of broken glass on Kamerilahs face to finish the cross scar. After that the connection ended. Then I got matched up with another ancestor, One who was apparently on good terms with Kamerilah and sought her out on a number of occasions, but she never talked about her scar in any of them."

"Do you think shes still alive somewhere ?" Mark asked

"Possible, why ?" Big Tony said

"Because a rumor floats that a woman with a cross shaped scar on her right cheek is wandering California, apparently trained by dragons and other mythical people" Mark repled

"Trained by dragons,... thats something you dont hear every day." Tony said offhand, Mark snickered and nearly broke out laughing but he did at least giggle a bit. Well that was that

Warmoon Palace

Center of Sacrenemto

Dusk

It was raining again. It always was raining. But this time the rain seemingly was ignored, Vitas had her prize, her in, so to speak, with Mark, her former lover, she had his cousin, drugged beyond all reason, at her beck and call.

But now was not the time for relaxing, no, Mark was planning something, he always had a backup plan, contigency plan after plan was made almost contstantly. But what would he gain ? With her dead, his cousin died too. So he couldnt do that now could he ? Possibly. She was not alone however, not just herself, her guards, and Miao, no, she had her coucil, each District Head was in the room, seated upon chairs set up for the meeting.

"Crescent City has seen an influx of money, residents, and otherwise. Ever since that bus explosion in Trinidad, and now the museum being shut down due to vandalism to its artefacts within it" One man said "How can we fair against the Assassins ?" He asked aloud as he paced

"Are you insane ?" Asked a fellow. "The Assassins are smart yes, but Ruth Big is smarter still, She went to Vitas with a deal to be made when Vitas put that hit out on the higher ups before us. To allow us to this point." Said the second man

"Even if we were to stand against the Assassins, this new man, Mark Wolfe, the Phantom so to speak, who danced with both Vitas and Spike, has skill beyond even us, Gustus is dead. Apparently killed along with a CIA Cleaner in the same casino!" the first man said

The others stood up and went to the three speaking as a third man had joined them. "What matters now is that Trinidad and Crescent City both are out of our hands now, they're in Assassin Hands, under assassin control. The last thing any of us want is the children to witness fighting of any kind"

"Then what do you suggest Rianes ?" Vitas then asked as she took her seat, Miao drugged out of her mind at her feet.

"I thought you'd never ask, Madam Warmoon." The man named Rianes replied as Spike entered the room from the end of the hall. For a throne room, Spike knew the navigation of it well, Rianes as well as the others werent clued in on the magic used for Spike to grow her wings.

Seeing the men there speaking among each other, some ready to go to blows, Spike spoke "Am I late again ?"

"Nope" Vitas replied "Right on time, what did you find out ?"

"Plenty" Spike replied, setting the crystal in Vitas open palm. "Mark Wolfe reads by crystal, most stuff is on crystals recently. And according to this bit, those two women we captured just now are apparently related to him too"

"More relatives of the same man, how many of this guys family is there ?" Vitas growled thoughtfully. "Bring the two women here." Moments later and the two women were brought into the room. Everyone at the table regarded the two carefully. Even Vitas was entranced so it seemed by the two women, clearly twins in their manner of hairstyle and dress, but the only thing that told them apart was the crests in their hair, and the color of their clothing. "Who are you ?" Vitas then asked simply of the two. One of them wore white with a black and silver belt, the other wore white and purple with a silver belt

"That is a personal question, so... you first" Said the darker clothed woman.

Haughty... wonderful "Fine," Vitas said "I am Vitas, leader of this city, This is Spike, my right hand, and my council of the city. Spike informs me that you are related to a certain man I am seeking out. So tell me, who are you ?"

"I am Yang" The white dressed woman replied, Yang then pointed to her sister "This is my sister, Yin. We're looking for our mother, Kamerilah. The Battousai"

At those words everyone at table gave a new level of respect towards the two women, even Vitas, these two were the daughters of the legendary killer. Vitas however smiled. "So, my top right hand woman, Spike, brings me the daughters of a legendary woman. Tell me, what do you know of a man named Mark Wolfe"

"Who ?" Both women asked at the same time while trading looks with each other. Vitas smiled, this was going to go better then she hoped. It was possible she could turn some of Marks family against him, then again the twin girls of Kamerilah Battousai were everything but turnable to her side of the fight. Mark Wolfe was a former lover, an enemy who now haunted her waking hour

A long moment passed. Vitas finally nodded "Return them to where you found them, we dont have use or need for either of them, they seek their mother, if we find her first, we'll find you two and reunite the three of you. You may go"

As soon as the two were gone, Spike looked at Vitas confused "So whats the plan ? Letting them go is one thing, but you always have a backup plan to go with it."

"At this moment there isnt a plan"

"Why ?"

"I have decided to form a plan on the fly, see how it works. Plans change constantly, only if one plans a few steps ahead instead of the entire plot will it work."

"I see, so we let them go, then what ?"

"We use them simply as bait, no doubt, Mark also seeks the woman, their mother, as well. He may know something we do not. The only question now is, what does he know that we do not ?"

To that Spike had no answer