Now or Never
Disclaimer: …refer to chapter one please while I go to my closet to grow mushrooms in sadness.
Thanks once again to Onesmartcookie78 for being the beta. Now go read this while I try to convence myself that I'm not getting sick.
Chapter Five:
…Boston, December 16th, 1773…
The sun had set some time ago, the cool air sending a small chill down Anna's spine. Shifting her weight, she peaked up over the dock seeing the dark military issued boots of a British soldier. Reaching up, Anna grabbed the belt and pulled. The man barely had a chance to call out before hitting the cold water inches from Anna's own boots. Ducking, Anna waited for two more to walk to the edge, investigating the strange noise and searching for their missing man. They too faced the same fate their friend had, their weapons and gear dragging them into their watery graves.
Pulling herself up, she whistled once and watched, with hidden amusement, Sam and William stumble from their hiding spot while Connor seemingly appeared out of the shadows. A difficult task that the assassins had down to an art when one was dressed in mostly white. In the distance they heard the sound of an approaching mob, courtesy of Stephane. Using the growing numbers to their advantage, Anna followed Connor and his merry band of Sons of Liberty onto the ship.
Fourteen months, Anna thought as she leaned against the ships wheel, watching the men dump the crates into the water. She has been in colonial America for over a year and here she was, watching history unfold before her very eyes. The little child in her that loved history was jumping up and down in excitement. Anna couldn't help but grin – she was where many historians wished they could be, and she was loving ever second of it.
"What are you thinking about?"
"How lucky I am to be watching history unfold before my eyes," Anna mused, glancing at Connor who was starting at her. She shifted her weight, unaccustomed to someone looking at her like they saw right through her.
"Does it scare you?" Connor asked, "To know what the future will be like? To know what will happen and that there's nothing that I can do about it.
Anna turned to look at Connor in the eyes, "It scares me more than anything," she confessed, "To know what will happen and there's nothing that I can do about it."
"Red coats!"
Connor turned away from Anna to see British soldiers beginning to get on the ship. Anna had let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding when Connor was looking at her. His eyes were intense, and that somehow made her feel warm and fuzzy.
"Connor, Anna!" Sam called out to the two assassins, "You must hold them back until we finish dumping the tea."
Without warning, Connor leapt over the rail and took out two soldiers. He spotted Anna running on the railing before disappearing over the edge, shouts of surprise and pain following seconds after. He turned back to his opponents, ducking, twisting, and disarming as he moved across the deck. Stephane nodded to Connor when he slammed his butcher knife into the neck of a soldier that was trying to run Connor through. The thinning number of soldiers making it to the deck allowed Connor to peer over the edge to check on his friend.
He blinked, wondering if it was really Anna he was watching. Surrounded by a pile of bodies, she was swinging a sword that was too large for her, taking down three men. Until now, he had thought that he had an idea of who Anna Connolly was, but he never really seen Anna in a true fight, he had tasted dirt more than once thanks to the brunette girl and had witnessed Anna face the same fate when sparring with Achilles. Watching her now, as she moved fluidly like water from one opponent to the next leaving behind blood and bodies, he realized that he didn't know anything about her.
Somebody had tossed Anna a sword. She didn't know who tossed it or why as she spun in a circle cutting down a group lined up perfectly for her. All she did know was that this sword in her hands was more suited for a man in larger stature than her own lean body frame. It served its purpose though as she raised up the weapon, blocking a bayonet from piercing her stomach, so she was more than willing to use it for a couple more swings.
Copper filled her nose as the last man fell before her, clutching his neck as he tried to stop the bleeding. With one hand, she touched her face and pulled away, a dark substance coated her fingers. Blood. Looking down Anna saw her coat and shirt splattered with blood. Letting the weapon fall, Anna sank to her knees. The entire day had been long, getting into a scrape with some soldiers this morning, running from Haytham as he tried to kill her, and diving into the water to escape from the Templar. Shifting, Anna sat down on her bottom and crossed her legs. Unable to stop the snort that came out when criss cross applesauce crossed her mind. Or is it sitting Indian style, Anna thought, maybe Connor would know…or he may not understand what I'm talking about and stare at me blankly as he sometimes does…I wonder how many times I can confuse him in a day.
"I really should stop thinking." Anna muttered as Connor, Sam, William, and Stephane walked over to her.
"It will take a couple of days to make sure that Johnson doesn't have the money," William said, "you two are welcome to stay at my place."
"Thank you." Connor responded watching Anna lay down on the ground. Raising a 'brow, Connor bent down and slung one of Anna's arms over his shoulder smirking when she groaned and demanded to be put down. "You need sleep Anna." Connor stated, grinning when she just grumbled.
When Anna woke up, the sun was high in the sky and there was a trunk sitting at the foot of the bed with a piece of paper standing out against the dark wood. Pushing the scratchy blanket off, Anna and padded over to the mysterious box. The wood was warm from sitting in the sun as she trailed a hand over the grain as she read the letter.
It was found at the docks with your family's seal on it.
-Connor
Glancing at the trunk, Anna set the letter down and studied the knots engraved into the wood, leather, and metal. Inside some of the designs Anna saw the curved 'A' of the Brotherhood. After picking the lock, Anna opened the lid and pulled out a sleeveless over tunic followed by a red sash, black breeches, a shillelagh of all things, and several pieces of armor. Anna glanced at her ruined coat before turning back to the new outfit. An assassin was an assassin, regardless of what they wore.
Dressed in the new clothes, Anna closed and locked the trunk with her blood stained coat safely tucked away. She was surprised how comfortable she was in the new outfit and weapons. She still had her two hidden blades over the soft white undershirt, a flexible corset to hide throwing knives underneath the red sash and the leather belt with the A. Anna's stomach grumbled reminding the eighteen year old that it was noon and she hadn't eaten since…Anna groaned when she realized that she didn't remember the last time that she ate.
She found Connor sitting in a dark corner watching the patrons of William's tavern. Sitting down next to him, Anna propped her feet onto a stool and crossed her arms.
"Why was my father chasing you?" He demanded.
Anna clenched her arm tightly before responding, "He's a Templar and I'm an Assassin. It's a reflex by this point for both sides to try to kill each other without question." She sighed and continued softly, "if he was twenty years younger, I would be dead. Are you going to try to go after him?"
"No, I'm not ready to face him," Connor answered, "I need to get stronger if I'm to kill my father…I would appreciate it if you can help me."
Anna smiled and took Connor's hand in her own, "I will help anyway I can, Connor."
Connor looked down at their intertwined hands then to Anna with a small smile of his own.
"Thank you."
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