It was nightfall when I arrived at Chestnut's mansion. The driver wasn't kidding, it was massive. The grounds must have been several acres. I looked to the left and found an intercom button. I smiled and pressed it. It responded with a beep. "Who is it?"

I cleared my throat. "I have the car sir," I said, as roughly as I could.

"Who are you? Where's Duncan?"

"The Assassin grabbed him, but I got away. He's questioning him now."

There was a silence. I swallowed hard, fearing I'd given myself away. "I'm unlocking the gate; get in as quickly as you can." The metal gates squeaked open and I drove the car in. I found a parking space right in front of the front door. I pulled in and quickly got out of the car. I noticed a number of cameras installed on the rooftops. I nodded. Here we go again…more obstacles. Heh, heh, I won't have it any other way.

Upon closer inspection of the mansion, I found it was made of old bricks, the type that left rather large gaps in the mortar used to fill the spaces in between bricks. I grinned and started up, inserting my fingers in the grooves and pulling myself up. It was like my old training, climbing a deteriorating building and trying to keep my footing. I felt my fingers give at several points. I pulled out one of my throwing knives and used it as leverage. I grabbed it and stabbed into the bricks. The blade stuck out. I grabbed the handle and steadied myself. I looked up and found a camera ready to point at me. I quickly got my other blade out and slung it at the camera. Thankfully, it sliced through the wires of the camera and it stopped moving. I blew out a sigh and grabbed the blade next to me and pulled it out, bringing up and stabbing it into the next space I saw. I continued to use that as leverage, pulling myself up and trying to avoid the other cameras, for I saw more as I progressed. I leveled myself once more and reached into my pockets. I found one of my smoke bombs. I hated to waste one, but I had to do something, I couldn't keep wasting my throwing stars. I took a deep breath and held it as I smashed the bomb into the bricks. A thick smoke, almost like fog, surrounded me, and I climbed up, confident that the cameras would only see fog. I kept up my pace and was at a window.

I was above the smoke, and the window looked unlocked. I pushed on the glass and the window opened. I climbed up and tumbled inside. I landed hard on the tile floor but shook off the initial pain. I looked up and found an old wheelchair pushed up against the wall opposite me. I rose, closed the window, and moved towards the wheelchair. I grabbed it and pushed it forward. It responded with a loud squeak, and I stopped it as quickly as I could, afraid it'd give away my position. I walked around it and went through the darkened doorway into dimly lit hallway. I crept down the hall, looking at the regal paintings and rich, Turkish rugs that lined the hallway floors. I strained my ears for something, anything. At last, I heard something. I could hear Chestnut. "Where the fuck did that driver go? Ignorant fool, I told him to come in, not just drop off the car!" I smiled to myself. Oh I'm here, Maurice, I'm here. I'll come to you soon enough. I snuck a little further down the hall and found a winding stair case with widely spaced beams spanning the entire length. I cursed under my breath. Damn it…I can't be seen, not with this much space…he could shoot me easily…even with a smoke bomb. I peeked over the ledge of the staircase and saw him staring at the opened door. I draped myself over the ledge and descended down. I landed on my feet, but my fall wasn't as quiet as I hoped, and my heels met the ground with a loud splat.

Chestnut rose and pulled out a gun from his pocket. "Ah…I see…" he said, "You must be the 'Assassin.'"

I nodded and readied my knives. "I am. Your driver is dead, and so are two of your other associates."

He started to laugh and it unnerved me. "You mean Humphries and his bitch? Please, Assassin. They were…somewhat instrumental, but not irreplaceable. My driver though, he was a damn fine driver, and good shot too. You've taken a valuable employee from me…" He spun around and pointed the gun at me. I threw the knives at him and one of them hit his hand, making him drop the gun, but the other missed, hitting the door and forcing it to close. He smiled and reached for something else, another gun presumably. I ducked away from him and he took a few shots at me. I was grateful for my cat like reflexes and pressed myself against the wall, chancing a small peek around the corner. He reloaded his gun as he walked to find me. "You play a dangerous game, Assassin. I'm an assassin too you know, but I'm not a barbarian like you and the rest of your wretched Creed!" He was trying to get me to talk so he could ascertain my location. I knew what he was doing, it was clever, but it wouldn't work. I looked above me and found a ledge. I jumped up and climbed it up. I was on an overhead storage rack. I ducked down low. He looked around, continuing his rant. "Come out, Assassin. The sooner you come out the sooner I can put you out of your misery." I shook my head and readied my throwing knives again. He was right in my sights.

I was about to strike when he turned around, facing the parlor once again. He had a concerned look on his face and he went back. I lowered myself down again, creeping up on him once again. He stood in the middle of the parlor, his gun drawn and his fist clenched. He turned around to face me again. I had my knives ready as I stared into his cold, lifeless blue eyes. He looked me over.

"Do you really think you have a chance against me? I have a gun. This shoots at a rate much faster than that puny knife of yours." He shook his head and set the gun down. "But, I'd rather kill you hand to hand. You're not worth wasting any more bullets on." I kicked the gun away from him. I nodded and dropped my throwing knives.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're not worth any more throwing stars either."

He got into his fighting stance, a stance I didn't recognize. "Come face me Assassin, show me what your precious Brotherhood has taught you!" I nodded and stood still, keeping my arms free at my sides for immediate movement. He looked at me. "Go on! Defend yourself!"

I raised an eyebrow. "You wanted this hand to hand, Chestnut. I'll give you the first blow." He shook his head and ran at me. He swung at me with well executed punches and kicks, but my stance allowed for maximum counters. I rose my arms up and blocked his punches and sent him stumbling back. He regained his footing and merely chuckled. "Not bad," he said, "Not bad. That's an interesting stance you have, attacking while defending. But it won't save you." He switched stances and went to a Muy Thai stance. I smiled and also got into it.

"I've been trained in many disciplines, Chestnut." I led the assault this time, and charged him with a barrage of elbows. He blocked them expertly and countered, but I was faster. I was able to dodge his counters and hit him in the face with a few elbows and knees to the chest. He staggered back and I continued, but he saw my charge coming and grabbed me, holding me in a bear hug. I tried to break his grip but his deceptively frail physique failed to showcase his obvious strength. His grip was tight.

"I'll crush you with my own hands!" he screamed. I tried to wiggle free, but to no avail. I did the only thing I could. I head butted him as hard as I could and he staggered back, letting me go and grabbing his head. I was on the floor, also grabbing my head. He had a head like marble. We shook off the pain and stared at each other. He seemed almost impressed with me. "You're not half bad, Assassin. I've faced many of your kind. You're the best I've faced."

He was powerful, but not all that good. "You've got power, Chestnut, I'll give you that." I got into my stance once more. "Power alone does not win a fight."

He shook his head. "We've always had power, Assassin. Your kind has never been able to accept that. That's why you try so hard to slay us, but no matter how hard you work, or how many of us you kill, we'll be here, ready to destroy that precious Creed of yours!"

I nodded. "I hope you have something as quick to say when your Father of Understanding asks why you're dead."

He glared at me. "Insolent pup! You don't understand what our order represents. We represent Order! We represent Peace! All we want is for the world to be unified! You invite chaos! This fight of ours could've been so easily avoided."

I shook my head. "No. You seek to rob the populace of their free will. You want their undying service. You care nothing for the people you claim to protect."

"We protect our own!"

I laughed at him. "Humphries was poorly guarded. He was easy. If that's how you take care of your own, I'm embarrassed for you." He charged at me, tackling me to the ground by the waist and climbing on top of me. He started to strike my face. I brought up my arms to block, but his right hooks were too much. He struck my face with vicious force. I tried to shake him off, but he kept hitting me. Pound for Pound, he was much stronger than me, but I was cleverer. I waited for one more and I brought up my hand and released the hidden blade, sticking it through his hand with a disgusting squish. He cried in pain and rolled off me, grabbing his hand. I fought the pain in my face and jumped on him, ramming the blade into his chest and falling on him. I savagely stabbed him with my hidden blade over and over again. Luckily, my black robes would hide the blood nicely if anyone chanced a look at me in the night. Our fight got me more frustrated than I thought, for my heart was pounding in my chest. I looked to the door again and found it still ajar. I shook my head and threw one of my stars at it and it slammed shut. I looked down to Chestnut and he looked up at me, barely breathing from the blood pouring from his chest.

"…sss…satisfied…Assassin…" he choked.

I looked down at him. "Not yet," I said, "I'll be satisfied when the rest of your associates are dead."

He looked up at me. "…Clever…" I nodded and knelt down next to him.

I cocked my head in curiosity. "Where is Ishara?"

He smiled, "May…the…father…of…understanding…" His eyes rolled back in his head, that taunting smile on his lips. I shook my head and rose up. I looked around the lobby and found manilla folders all over the place. I smiled at that. Good. I'll empty everything in this mansion. I'll fold it all small if I have too, I'll take every last scrap. I walked to the left of the parlor, where most of the files were. I picked up one. It had Ishara's name on it!

I opened it. Ishara Malcom: Known hacker, suspected Assassin. Expert in covert operations and one time member of MI6…I looked it over. I didn't know that…I continued the file. Last known family: younger sister, Saraya Malcom. Saraya was last seen in Lusby, MD. I looked at the report and raised an eyebrow. Lusby? Never heard of it…I might have to bring her into the fold…it's the only way I can guarantee her safety…I closed the report and looked to the file beneath it.

…It was…me! Malcom Drago: Not much is known about this man. Reports can only confirm he is an Assassin, but he's name has only been uttered by those lucky enough to survive him. Face recognition can't accurately ascertain his identity. I blew out a sigh of relief and closed the file. I looked to the pile. Seven, thick files in all. Much to my dismay, I also found my Master's name in there as well. I didn't read that file. I slid the files under my arm and went through the mansion. Along the way I found more and more files; dozens of them. Some were on fellow Assassins, whose names I didn't recognize, and others were known associates of Assassins. It felt good to have all this information, but at the same time it filled me with dread to know that so many of my brothers and sisters were in danger. I completed my search of the house but couldn't come up with any more folders. I guess a couple dozen potential murder victims were enough for them. I was about to walk out when I looked at the body again. I grinned and walked back over to it. I slid the folders into the large pocket of my robes and grabbed Chestnut's phone. I pulled it out, wiped the blood off it, and checked his bank app. His information was up! I laughed out loud. They really are overconfident! Unless he was in the process of making a payment or with drawl before I arrived…I looked into his bank accounts. I whistled. Wow…$500,000…and that was a deposit into his checking! His savings is in the millions…hmmm….I saw another drop down screen next to his name and found Abstergo's logo on it. I pressed it and it opened up the portion of Abstergo he worked for. I smiled as I looked over the huge finances at their disposal. I transferred over five million dollars from their account of twenty two million or so and had it in his account. Easy. I know what you're thinking. Why not the whole account? I wanted him to be seen as a small time embezzler, not a grand thief. Judging by his accounts, I could tell he was siphoning money. I just wanted to give them a little extra to investigate. I tossed his phone down next to his hand and walked out, pulling my knives from the door as I threw them open.

It was peaceful as I walked into the night. The summer heat had been lessened by nightfall and a soft lilac smell wafted past my nostrils. I inhaled deeply and grinned. More information, an embezzler found, and another name crossed off the list. What could make this better? Oh yes, the look on their Grand Master's face when two of his best men were murdered in their homes and place of business. I heard the clamoring of people to the right of me as I walked out onto the sidewalk. They ignored me, too engaged in their phones to even notice me. I blended with them and followed them away from the mansion. The next step, would be to find Ishara's sister, but what if that wasn't what my master had in mind?