A week later, David was woken up by sounds of steel clanging and shouts. Elvin rushed into his room, shouting, "Wake up, damn it! We're being attacked!" David hastily got up, armed himself and joined the fight.
The bookstore was being attacked by mercenaries. David put his hood over his head and walked out of the bookstore. Percy, Victor Rackham and three of Victor's men were defending the bookstore. David pulled out his sword and quickly parried a strike from an attacking mercenary. He then released his Hidden Blade and drove it into the mercenary's chest. The mercenary collapsed and David engaged two more mercenaries at the same time. The two mercenaries drew their swords and prepared to attack him, but David had his Hidden Blade in one of the mercenary's throat and his sword in the other mercenary's heart. David pulled his weapons out and the mercenaries toppled onto the ground.
David sneaked up on a mercenary who was attacking one of Victor's men and cut him down. The man thanked David and engaged another mercenary. David deflected a strike from another mercenary. He jumped and kicked the mercenary before severing his head with his Hidden Blade. David took out his Brown Bess rifle and shot a mercenary who had slid by the defenders and was about to enter the bookstore. He then slung back his Brown Bess.
Cutting off a mercenary's arm with his sword, David plunged his Hidden Blade into the mercenary's back, killing him instantly. He then ran to the other end of the bookstore and leaped on a mercenary, thrusting his Hidden Blade into the mercenary's back. David got up and hastily blocked an attack, but the attacking mercenary managed to graze David's forearm. David gritted his teeth as he knocked the attacker's sword onto the ground. The mercenary bent down to pick up the sword, and David let his boot connect with the mercenary's back. The mercenary fell onto the ground. He tried to reach for his sword, but David stabbed the mercenary with his sword.
The other five men had killed all the other mercenaries. Percy wiped the sweat off his face and ordered, "David, go and clear the bodies before the redcoats come. Victor, ask your three men to assist David." Victor ordered his three men to help David while Percy and Victor rested in the bookstore.
Half an hour later, the four men had cleared the twenty mercenaries' bodies. They entered the bookstore and sat down with Percy, Victor and Elvin. Victor shook David's hand. "I heard you were the Assassin who killed Roi Masque, my boss. Thank you for doing so. I always hated Roi Masque, with his faked royal behaviour."
David bowed in return and Percy said, "Victor, do you know who orchestrated the attack? No doubt it was the Templars, but specifically who?" Victor considered for a while, then replied, "I do not know much about the mercenaries of the Middle Colonies."
"I thought mercenaries and gangs were the same, Mister Rackham?" David was puzzled. Victor chuckled. "Call me Victor. Mercenaries and gangs are different. Gangs do organised crime, and are a tier higher than mercenaries. Mercenaries are bands of thugs who do just about anything for money."
"I apologise if I had insulted you, Victor."
"No problem, David," Victor said. "Anyway, I will investigate, and I will report back if I find out more. And I almost forgot to tell you. It was the main reason why I had come here."
"There is a Templar in my gang, a lieutenant called Russell. He lives in an apartment building in Ann Street. Every two weeks on Saturday, another Templar comes to collect information from Russell. Kill both Templars for me, please."
Four days later, David leaned on a wall in Ann Street, scanning the crowd. Not long after he started waiting, David saw a man fitting Victor's description entering an apartment building. He silently followed the man. The man knocked on a door and said, "Russell, it's time for the information!"
A bearded man answered the door and invited the Templar into the house. The man then closed the door. David pressed his ear against the door and eavesdropped on their conversation. "What have you learnt, Russell?"
Russell answered, "Roi Masque, one of our Templars, has been killed by an Assassin. His second-in-command, Victor Rackham, has taken over Roi Masque's position. I am not sure if Victor is an Assassin ally, but it is possible."
"Very well, Russell. Find out if this Victor is an Assassin ally. If he is not, tell me. If he is an Assassin ally, kill him. Do you understand me? Now I will return back to Master Hopaase," the man walked towards the door. David left and waited at the floor below Russell's apartment. A minute later, the man walked past David and eyed him suspiciously.
David released his Hidden Blade and slit the man's throat. Blood seeped out of the man's throat as he tried to speak. David lifted the man, careful not to let his blood get onto David's clothing. He then pushed the man down the staircase. The man fell onto the ground floor and died. David made his way back to Russell's apartment and knocked on the door.
The bearded man answered the door and David showed Russell his Hidden Blade. The bearded man slammed the door on David and went into his house. David caught the door just in time and let himself in, shutting the door after that. David followed the man calmly as the man entered his room and took a sword. The man warned, "Stay back, Assassin. Or I will be cleaning your blood off the floor. I have connections, so you best be leaving me alone."
"You have connections as a lieutenant of Victor Rackham's gang. Victor is an Assassin, if you must know. You will die soon anyway," David closed in, unsheathing his sword at the same time.
Russell blocked David's sword with his own, punching David in the stomach. David paced back a step, then advanced, letting his Hidden Blade rip through the flesh and muscle of Russell's chest. Russell toppled onto the floor and David left the apartment.