I would like to thank everybody who has left a review so far. When I first began writing, I did not expect any kind of success for this story. However, everyone who has viewed this story has helped me to keep writing. I have even postponed work on my other fanfiction in order to improve this one. Hope you enjoy!
The battle outside Los Angeles had not gone unnoticed by the general public. We were foolish to think it would, and we felt so stupid when we saw the news reports of the "strange occurrences" near the city. Even worse, Dave and Keith had studied the Animus file that Angela and I had taken a lifetime ago, and found that it was a plan for a new Animus design, which would allow the Templars to store genetic memories in a database. And they were now building them too. Abstergo's California branch had effectively taken over the state after the Assassin HQ was destroyed.
Meanwhile, we stayed in New York while we all recovered. Unlike the L.A base, everything was underground, but this base still had everything the old base had. And as a plus, the Templars had little ground in the city, making it easy fro us to walk about. For once, we got to enjoy ourselves a bit. In December of 1995, we all had a chance to go out and bond outside of our lives as Assassins. To this day, I fondly remember us all going out frequently in 1995 to see new movies, such as Die Hard with a Vengeance and GoldenEye. We got to feel like real people again.
It was in December of 1995 that I really got to know the team. Ethan came from a rough family. His father frequently abused his mother and him violently, by beating them both with whatever he could get his hands on, until he nearly killed his wife in one of his drunken rages. He was arrested and convicted for attempted murder.
Dave and Vince had known each other since elementary school. Both had lived in New York City and expressed their fondness of being taken by their families to see the World Trade Center being constructed. Dave had competed in local boxing competitions in high school after being physically abused by bullies. Vince was a tech nerd, sort of a wanna-be Steve Jobs. He studied programming and computer science and eventually went to college.
Angela lived in poverty most her life. Her farther was a Vietnam War veteran who didn't really settle down until he was forty. After returning home, he had several problem with alcohol and depression. As a result, he left the family out of fear that he'd hurt them before he could fly straight. He eventually did.
And then there was my farther. I was surprised to learn that he was a smart ass for most of high school, and very popular with female students. He didn't neglect his studies though, and the teachers were fond of him. Both my parents met in high school and became close friends almost immediately.
There was one thing about Angela though that I didn't learn until 1996. Like the L.A HQ, each Assassin team had their own quarters. And each team member had their own room. It was after waking up late at night with a feeling of thirst that I went to get drink and heard weeping from her room. Concerned, I knocked softly on her door.
"Angela, is everything okay?" I whispered.
"I'm fine," I heard in reply, but she never was a good liar.
"Listen, I'm coming in," I told her before entering. She was sitting upright in her bed, holding her right wrist close to her. Worried, I looked at it, but saw no sign of blood.
"What is it?" I asked, sitting down next to her.
"Just... just some bad dreams," she said shakily, not looking at me.
"Bad dreams don't usually turn someone into a wreck," I pointed out, "Angela, you can trust me."
She looked at me. "Soon after Grove made me work for him, he started to call me to his office after everyone had left. Then he locked me in and told me to undress. The things he did to me..."
I looked at her wrist. There was a scar there. An old one, but clearly visible.
"He did that to me after I hesitated. Said that he'd hit me again if I didn't please him. Those nights have haunted me since."
I finally knew why she hated Grove so much. Knew why she never really let men get close to her. She was afraid of men. Afraid of being abused by them.
"Angela, listen," I said, knowing not to touch her. It would just frighten her, "Grove's dead now. He can't hurt you anymore."
"But what about his brother?" she asked, "I don't want you to get hurt to."
"He won't hurt me," I replied, "In fact, he'll wish he never tore my family from me in the first place."
She seemed much better, and I went to leave, but she gripped my wrist. "Wait, please stay."
Now romance isn't exactly encouraged in the Brotherhood for reason I shouldn't have to explain, but it wasn't forbidden "as long as you kept it out of assignments," as Jones said during a meeting once.
"And please use condoms," he had added, "I worked on laundry duty for years, and I know how disgusting it is accidentally touching your mess!" We'd all laughed ourselves to tears at this, and even Jones couldn't help but crack a grin as he waited for us to shut up.
I stayed with her for the rest of the night, until I went back to my room before the sun came up. At breakfast that morning, she gave me a tired smile.
"Sleep well?" she asked, helping herself to some toast.
"Better than I have in years," I replied, pouring milk into my cereal bowl.
"Alright people," Jones address us as usual in the morning, "We have some new graduates today, Keith and Julia Williamson."
Applause went up for my brother and sister, who looked more than a little pleased at the attention. We all knew how hard it was to get to the rank of Assassin.
"Alright settle down," Jones had to yell to be heard, "Thank you. Now, today's going to be business as usual for the most part. Teams 1-A, 1-B and 1-C will patrol their assigned areas, and the recruits will continue their training. We also have a few rumors about Templar activity in lower Manhattan, so 1-C, keep an eye out. As usual, stay safe out there, and have a nice day."
He finished his address as Ethan said "Alright guys. Patrols are going as usual. Ryan, Angela and Charlie will keep an eye on the WTC and WFC and see if any more activity is reported. Dave, Vince and I will handle the rest of Battery Park City. Good luck out there."
We each split up in our white patrol sedans, Charlie driving, me keeping an eye out, and Angela in the back on surveillance. We drove around the WTC, scanning the area for anything odd. I saw something as we waited at a red light near the World Financial Center. There seemed to be a crowd gathering in the WTC Plaza.
"Should we check this out?" I asked Charlie. He looked at the scene.
"Can't hurt I suppose. Let me park the car." We parked near the WFC and went to investigate. Angela stayed behind to alert us to anything noteworthy.
A man stood in front of the entrance to Tower 1, a megaphone in hand and a wild look in his eye.
"Heed these words, or they'll kill you all!" he was shouting at the uncertain crowd of New Yorkers.
"Oh shit!" Charlie whispered, "That's Bruce Meyer. He's a Templar general who Troy's been tracking."
"Should we just capture him now?" I suggested. We both had fake NYPD badges, so arresting him would be easy.
"Yeah, before he says something stupid," Charlie replied. We both began to make our way through the crowd, then I stopped.
"Oh fuck me!" I hissed. Troy was here as well, and he looked more than ready to make the kill.
Charlie noticed him too, and swore. "If he kills him in public, he'll expose us all!"
I moved more quickly, trying to stop him. He had his blade ejected, ready to publicly announce the Brotherhood's presence.
I caught him just as he lunged at Meyer. I made a grab at his ankle, and it certainly stopped him from killing Meyer, who look down in alarm. With Troy's attention on me, his blade retracted, and he pulled out a gun to kill Meyer instead but to my shock, he pointed it at me without recognizing me.
"It's me!" I hissed, and he kicked me off of him.
"Fucking moron!" he spat at me, as he aimed at Meyer, who looked terrified.
"Don't kill him!" I told him, but he didn't hear me. Seeing no option, I pulled myself up and kicked the gun out of his hand. He responded by ejecting his blade and pinning me down, his blade inches from my face.
"Traitor!" he snapped in his anger.
"No! Troy, listen to me!" I pleaded. Charlie came to my aid, tackling Troy. Seeing the opportunity, Meyer turned to run. Troy saw the movement, and threw Charlie off of him. I tried to intercept, but could only watch helplessly as Troy jumped and pinned Meyer down, and ended his life with jab of the blade.
"What have you done?!" Charlie shouted at him. Troy stood and turned to me.
"You traitor!" he said again.
"I'm not a traitor!" I argued, but he didn't listen. Only raised his gun and aimed at me.
"TROY! NO!" Charlie yelled.
I ran at Troy just as he fired. The bullet went into my left shoulder, tearing through skin and bone. I fell to the concrete, and landed in a small pool of my own blood.