Ch.5
Infiltration
Hello again, welcome back. I see you are doing well (not really, I'm just typing nonsense at this point). Anyway, onto the reason you're here, the story. And now begins the true Assassin's Creed violence! (Insert Mad King Ryan emote) BEGIN!
"So Abstergo Japan offices." Catherine said, strapping her phantom blade upon her wrist. Dressed somewhat different than a stereotypical Assassin would dress like, wearing a blue track jacket and brown cargo pants. As opposed to Alexander who was in full tactical gear for an Assassin. A protective vest on his torso that didn't hinder his movement, two silenced glocks on his thighs, protective pads on his knees and elbows. Coupled with his dual hidden blades, and silenced SKS slung on his back, all in black to blend into the night more efficiently.
"Yes, our insiders have reported that the CEO of Abstergo Japan has the codes." The Mentor said as she laid out a map of the offices. The siblings observed the map for a while, taking everything in. All before marking the map up with potential patrol routes and access points. A smile grew on the Mentor's face, this what's their greatest strength. She had to hand it to the Russian brotherhood, they knew how to make excellent Assassins, even if their training routine was controversial at most.
"I'll need an Abstergo maintenance uniform and an employee ID and tablet." Catherine finally said, their plan finally reaching the final stages.
"All I'll need is a repurposed harpoon gun, one good enough to make a zip line from the neighboring tower." Alexander took one last look at the map before turning to the mentor. "Our insiders don't know where the codes are, correct?"
"No, they do not. What are you planning?" The Mentor asked, wanting to hear what crazy or sane plan they hatched this time.
"I'll be disguised as a maintenance worker down in their sub levels. From there I'll have direct access to their systems and databases." Catherine tossed an ammo magazine to Alexander.
"And I'll be entering from the side of the tower into the CEO's office, should be easy enough to make him talk." Alexander caught the magazine and slid it into its pouch.
"It's vague but a sound plan. I take it you know your own routes already?" The Mentor asked. The siblings responded by nodding their heads in unison. "Then you have my approval, not that you wouldn't. Go, interrogate the CEO of Abstergo Japan on the whereabouts of the SAO admin codes. And once you're done, his fate is in your hands."
The two took a knee and bowed to the Mentor, a habit they had from Russia that stayed with them ever since. Only about two months ago the Templars had learned that even with their youngest out of commission, they were just as deadly. Now they were headed right for them, and nothing can stop them.
"Abstergo always has to have flashy lobbies don't they." Catherine muttered as so no one would hear her. So far her disguise had fooled everyone. A red Abstergo uniform typical of a maintenance worker, some glasses, and a bag slung around her back. Her only problem personally was the name on her fake ID.
"Identification ma'am." One of the guards stopped her from proceeding any further. Reluctantly she handed the ID to the guard, why her contact gave her such an obviously fake name was beyond her understanding. "Tohsaka Sakura, first day on night shift I presume." Either this guard didn't care, or was the dumbest man alive. She look far different than the name would suggest, but if she got in she didn't really give a damn.
"Yes, I really should get going though, I'm running a little late." Catherine hastily retrieved the ID and proceeded to the elevator. Once she started descending, she turned on the earpiece she had on. "A, can you hear me."
"Loud and clear C." Alexander's voice came through her earpiece. "How long until you hack their security?"
"Give me about ten minutes." Catherine whispered as the elevator doors opened. Maintenance teams already there working on smaller things. Not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention, she walked past each of them without so much a word.
"I'll be waiting then, cutting frequency." Catherine knew that was the last she would hear of Alexander for a while. For now, she needed to reach a terminal out of view. Both from the cameras and people, which was far more easier said than done. Of course going through the maintenance halls would suffice, or going through the ventilation airways to somehow reach the main server room. But either way she saw it, if she wanted to do this and stay in the timeframe they were given. She would have to blow her cover. Rounding the corner and finding herself in a secluded and non monitored area, she opened her bag. Inside was her basic Assassin gear. A change of clothes, holsters and straps, a balaclava, two pistols with silencers, and one thing she would never get again. An EMP grenade, and if placed correctly it would take out the cameras for a good half minute.
"Hey, this area if off limits." She heard a guard call to her from behind. She froze, as still as a rock. From the sound of the footsteps, she knew there was three of them. With her skills, this will be over quickly. Upon feeling a hand grasp her shoulder, she spun and jammed one of her hidden blades into the throat of one guard, and firing the phantom blade at the one grabbing her in the eye. The man recoiled back only to be silence by a slash across the neck, courtesy of Catherine. She then readied another phantom blade bolt and fired point blank at the final guard. The guard in question watched as Catherine's eyes showed shock. The guard had grabbed Catherine's wrist in a manner that forced the phantom blade back into its collapsed form.
"It'll take more than a weapon that I'm familiar with to kill me girly." The guard said as he flicked his wrist. A phantom blade of his own emerged, Catherine grabbed his wrist and threw of his aim.
"I'm warning you now traitor." Catherine spoke in a near whisper, hatred evident in her voice. "You do not even know what I am fully capable of, leave now with your life, or stay with you stupidity."
The guard responded by spitting on her balaclava before speaking. "That's cute, but I'm afraid you're time has co-." He was cut off by Catherine kicking the him in the knee. Catherine followed this by elbowing him in the nose, then a stab in the abdomen by her hidden blade. "That, a- all you got." The guard asked between breaths. Catherine responded by aggressively stabbing him in the upper torso a multitude of times before finishing him by stabbing him in the left temple. People who betrayed the brotherhood pissed her off, and in this case it was enough to draw out Shao Jun's borderline sadistical killing habits due to the bleeding effect. It took her a good minute to calm herself, after of which she walked back into view of the workers. Some ignored her altogether, while other rushed out of her way. She showed no concern and kept walking, her destination was the central terminal room. Once the door was in sight, she primed the EMP grenade and dropped it. Followed by drawing both pistols, shooting the door guards both between the eyes, and running toward the door. Slamming it shut as soon as she was in.
Alexander looked out toward the night sky, just nine minutes ago he had cut contact with his sister. Deciding that now was a better moment than ever, he readied his harpoon gun. The air was cold, a hard breeze to the south. Mostly due to the currents being forced through the city skyline. Then there was the harpoon's weight, while light it would still be thrown off its intended target. With the rope pulling it as well. Distance was another factor, normally at this range he wouldn't be concerned about distance. But seeing as he was using a heavier projectile this was crucial. Once he had a general idea of all the factors he adjusted his aim. His breathing slowed to almost a crawl, his right eye closed and his left narrowed. Slowly he pulled the trigger and watched as the harpoon soar across the gap between the two buildings. Once he heard the harpoon pierce the concrete of the other building he gave the rope a sudden yank. Satisfied he grabbed onto the rope and started making his way across.
He didn't so much as stop, the entire trip was finished within a minute. As soon as he was back on his feet he cut the line and moved across the roof until he reached a skylight. Inside was his target, with six others he suspected were fellow Templars. From the looks of it they were having a meeting, with an unknown on the phone.
"You underestimate our elite Mr. Nagata." Alexander heard from the office below. He tensed up at that name. Nagata Kokei, a former Assassin turned Templar. While not the first, he was the one who almost brought the Chinese brotherhood to its knees three years back. "The Assassins wouldn't think of attacking us while in our office."
"Normal Assassins yes." The voice of Nagata sounded from the phone. "But there are three I know off who know no bounds. And if I'm not mistaken, you should watch what you say." Alexander reached for his earpiece and turned it back on. "C, can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear A, what do you need?" Catherine's voice said from the earpiece.
"The CEO's office. I need the room put in lockdown." Alexander pulled out one of his pistols and readied himself.
"And there, the room is on lockdown. Have fu-" From his earpiece he could hear her struggle against someone. Wasting no time he fired and killed two of the room's occupants before jumping down into said room.
"In fact, considering what I just heard from your end and what I just found, I'd say two of the three are here already." Kokei said from the phone. "Which means the third isn't too far away."
"Any of you move, I will not hesitate." Alexander spoke to the Templars in the room. One ignored his warning and pulled a pistol on Alexander. Who shot the man in the head before he even had his gun raised. "Now Nagata, care to tell me where you are so I can kill the man who killed the Chinese Mentor once I'm done here."
"Well, I'm down in the sublevels with your friend." Kokei said right before he dropped the call. Alexander looked at the Templars in the room with him, now pissed beyond belief. He jumped towards one and grabbed him by the throat. Another charged him with a knife, Alexander caught the attacker's wrist and swung it over himself. Two Templar's at his mercy, a third came at him with another knife, thinking that Alexander was defenseless now. He was proved wrong as Alexander kicked the knife out of the third's hand, followed by kicking the third to the ground. The one Alexander held by the throat pulled out a gun and aimed for Alexander's head. Alexander in turn threw him from his grip then reached over for the one he still held by the wrist and brought him into a headlock, then snapping the neck and retrieving the knife of the now deceased Templar. The two on the ground finally recovered, one rushed him again while the other aimed their pistol. Alexander stopped the rusher and drove the knife into their eye, killing them instantly. He then dragged the body in front of himself to serve as a meat shield. Bullets hit the body as Alexander ran forward to the one shooting. A second pistol in Alexander's offhand shot the final Templar that attacked him. Looking over at the CEO, Alexander saw the man with a rifle. Alexander yanked the knife from the skull of one of the Templars and threw it at the CEO, hitting the man in his right knee. The CEO collapsed in pain Alexander ran towards the man and kicked the rifle away from him.
"Listen here Templar." Alexander said coldly. "Right now Nagata Kokei is down there with my, friend so to speak. Which leaves me with very little patience. So I'm going to ask you a few questions, and you're going to answer them. And once I'm done, I may let you live. Do you understand." The CEO nodded rapidly. "Good, where are the SAO admin codes you have stored on site?"
Catherine wasn't the one to be caught red handed, at least when she didn't want to. This made think everything over. Standing in front of her was Nagata Kokei, a man she never wished to see again. Mostly because she wanted to rip him limb for limb after his betrayal of the brotherhood. But still, he was not one to take lightly. She still had her pistols, phantom blade, some knives, and hidden blades. From the looks of it, Nagata had just as much. Pistols, hidden blades, and knives.
"Are you just going to stand there Assassins?" Nagata asked. Catherine studied him, his defense was spot on, any opening could be closed in an instant. This would be a difficult fight nonetheless.
"I'll send your soul to hell!" Catherine yelled in Russian as she ran forward with both her hidden blades extended. Nagata extended his own single and pulled out a pistol. Catherine slashed at his throat, and he dodged the attack. Nagata aimed his pistol at her shoulder, Catherine kicked the pistol out of his hand and lunged for another attack. Nagata was forced to the ground, holding off two hidden blades aimed right for his neck. He rolled back and kicked Catherine off, pulling out a knife at the same time.
"You're quick I'll hand you that." Nagata said taking a defensive stance. "You style, it's mostly Russian, with a bit of French and Chinese mixed in. You are one interesting little Assassin." Catherine readied a phantom blade dart and took aim. Nagata raised a hand as if to say stop. "No doubt you friend upstairs has what he needs by now, it was not my goal to kill you, yet. I would rather fight you at your full strength. And I can tell you are missing a bit of your usual equipment." Catherine showed no signs of backing down, her phantom blade still aimed at Nagata. He never lowered his hand, his eyes were focused. Catherine was just as focused, everything in her mind told her to kill this man here and now. His stance now was just begging for her to run in, and without a second thought she did just that. She fired her phantom blade to throw him off, he didn't react as it went past him. She missed on purpose and he knew it, and he had one last trick literally right up his sleeve just for this situation. Nagata flicked his outstretched hand and a bullet hit Catherine in the right thigh, throwing her off balance and tumbling toward the ground.
Nagata approached Catherine. "My job here is done." He said as he kneeled in front of Catherine. "Tell Shibasaki I'm back, the Japanese brotherhood will fall. You are my messenger for now. The next time we cross paths I will not hold back." Catherine watched as Nagata walked away. She attempted to get back on her feet, only to collapse again. The sound of a rifle echoed throughout the hallways and into her ears. Followed by more gunfire, Alexander was done with his objective. Catherine mustered the strength to stand again and started to walk in a limp. She would not be helpless for her brother to save her, she was an Assassin, not a damsel in distress. Rounding the corner she saw Alexander fighting Nagata on equal grounds. Not taking any more chances she pulled out her pistol and aimed for Nagata. Her target moved around Alexander, preventing her from getting a clear shot. Nagata pulled something from a pouch and punched Alexander with it, then dropping it and running. Alexander almost ran after him but was stopped when the room was filled with smoke. Catherine limped over to Alexander, holding her hand up to tell him not to help.
"Did you get them?" She asked, referring to the admin codes.
"Yes, we better get out of here." Alexander replied as he made his way back to the elevator. "Even with the security systems disabled, this entire building will be put on lockdown soon. Dead bodies of CEOs have a habit of being discovered very quickly." Catherine nodded and followed Alexander. Sure they might have succeeded in their mission, but it didn't come without a cost. Nagata Kokei has returned to Japan, looking to finish what he started three years ago.
Here we are, chapter five. And the first chapter to fully take place in the real world. Other than that I really don't have much to say. The only thing I can say is that all the Assassin-Templar characters are almost done being introduced (give it about two, maybe three chapters). After that comes the Christmas episode/chapter in, April. There's a reference for you. So until next time, Grimlock out!