"The past is strapped to our backs. We do not have to see it; we can always feel it." -Mignon McLaughlin
-o-
The Assassins walked down the quiet street, keeping their heads low and steps quiet. The night was warm and humid. A fine, temperate mist drifted down over the city in a damp haze. Summer was waning into August, and the climate had put Connor into a foul humour. His companion said nothing, matching his silence, when they stopped in front of a small building. He looked up at it and then down to Jacqueline. They shrugged in unison, and entered.
Inside was a short entrance hall. Connor walked forward first and entered the second door. Beyond that was a small, dimly lit room. At a table in the centre, three men were sitting and one was pouring them tea. He looked up when they entered. "Ah, Connor! What a relief! You came! Allow me to…" He put his hand on Connor's shoulder, which was shrugged off. "To introduce you to William Dawes and Robert Newman. I'm afraid I haven't made your acquaintance, Miss…?"
"Jacqueline." She answered with a short nod.
The two men at the table stood, and Connor strode further into the room. "Your letter said John Pitcairn was here." He said accusatorially.
"Aye. He's readying an assault on Lexington, where Adams and Hancock have taken shelter." Revere, or who Jacqueline gathered to be Revere, closed the door behind them. "After that, he will march on Concord, hoping to destroy our weapons and supplies. You must help us!"
"Only tell me where to find him and I will put a stop to this." Connor said shortly.
"He has dozens, if not hundreds, of soldiers at his command." Revere continued. "You cannot hope to stop him by yourselves, even with both of your skills combined. But fear not—for you will not have to!" He walked closer to the Assassins. "We have an entire army of our own, merely awaiting the order to take up arms!"
Connor turned to face him, his expression stone. "Then you must call on them."
Revere put a hand on his shoulder again, which he pulled away at Connor's venomous look. "Indeed. You, I, and the young lady will cross the Charles River and rouse the boys!" He was way too excited. Jacqueline wondered if he'd ever seen death. "William, I need you to take the overland route and do the same."
He ushered the men, finishing their drinks and grabbing their hats, to the door. "Robert, I need you up in Christ Church. Light the signal. Two lanterns—our enemy comes by sea!" He then turned back to the others and put a hand on Jacqueline's shoulder, apparently thinking it was safe, but Connor smacked it away anyway. "No time for dawdling, my friends. We have lives to save. Come on."
Walking out of the hidden building and down toward the river, Jacqueline softly rested her hand on Connor's shoulder and pulled him back toward her; he didn't shrug her off. "Patience, Ratonhnhaké:ton." She muttered.
He breathed out his nose, and she saw his jaw tighten. "Yes, patience. I don't believe I will have much patience left by the end of tonight."
"Then I will have to have enough patience for both of us." She laughed quietly.
The little group arrived at the rowboat. Revere helped push it to the water, then climbed in first and waited for the other two. Connor clambered in, being heavier, and then Jacqueline hopped in last. The water sloshed around as the boat rocked precariously. White flecks of moonlight reflected on the water. Connor rowed, sitting near the back. Revere talked as they went along; to Jacqueline it was little more than meaningless jabber. From what she could gather, some of his men left horses on the other side for them, and that was their goal.
When they reached shore, Revere jumped onto dry land right away and let Connor drag the boat up onto the grassy sand. "Ah. They've only left the two horses. We'll have to ride together."
"I have ridden with Connor before—" Jacqueline started.
"I've no doubt you have, my dear lady, but this is not the time for—"
"I mean on the horse." She gritted, interrupting him before she broke his nose. "So you can take this one." She took the reins of a brown-speckled mare and shoved them in his hand. "Hommes…" She muttered and swung herself up onto the other beast, staying forward in the saddle.
Connor climbed up after, and reached forward to hold the reins. "Patience." He murmured with a touch of amusement.
The irony didn't escape her, and she chuckled wryly. "Yes. Patience."
Revere started off, a little unsteadily, but he could ride a horse at least. "This way!" He called back, and cantered off.
The path wasn't very obvious at first, as they had to move from the brush and woods to the dirt road nearby. The darkness was almost absolute, with only the moon to light the way. It was a boring ride, to be frank, punctuated by Revere's calls to follow him or that they were on the right path. Jacqueline contemplated cutting out his tongue; she could hear Connor exhale whenever he spoke too loudly. Soon, they came across an intersection in the road, and Revere suddenly pulled up.
"Redcoats!" He whispered as the Assassins approached. "What are they doing here?"
"Scouts, I should think." Jacqueline observed, peering after the contingent and noticing none were well armed.
About ten minutes after the close call with the redcoats, they reached the first tiny farm. It was a collection of ramshackle housing and little pens of chickens and pigs. Laundry was hanging up to dry nearby. Revere dismounted next to a whitewashed house and they followed. Connor knocked on the door and a hunched man opened it.
"Let everyone know that the Regulars march for Lexington and Concord." Revere announced. The man nodded and closed the door. "Back in the saddle, my friends. We have more people to warn."
Before they got on to their mounts, Jacqueline happened to glance out into the dark forest, and stopped, confused. "Wait, wait." She said.
"Something the matter? We really should get on…" Revere edged toward the horses.
"Connor, ride with him for a moment. I need to…go check on something." She took the reins of Revere's horse and mounted it, and before they could ask any more questions, she trotted off into the brush and low bushes.
When she approached the deeper, darker part of the woods farther from the woods, she heard a rustling. Dismissing it as a rabbit, she dismounted and looked around the area. Only after her years of training could she identify the slightest of trails. A bit of scuffed dirt here, a couple crooked leaves in the area that looked over the town.
A crunch of breaking bones made her flinch away. Under her foot was something fleshy, its bones snapped under her. It was covered with torn up grass, like someone had tried to make it even more obvious that something was there. Frowning, Jacqueline knelt and brushed the grass away. Underneath was a very curious thing—the silver, glimmering scales of a small dead fish. It was still wet and twitching, as though someone had put it there not moments ago.
"Ce que l'enfer?" She muttered. Using a leaf, she picked up the fish and turned it over.
Having not noticed it before—until she had moved the fish—she saw something next to it and picked it up as well, turning it over in her hand. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the sense that she was being watched, and turned around. Only the blue-black trees and a hooting owl greeted her. Tucking the other object into her pocket, she left the curious scene and got back on her horse.
Connor and Revere had already passed through the next closest farm town, and she had to urge her poor stallion faster to rendezvous with them. She caught them on the road to the last house and pulled up next to them. "Where did you go?" Connor asked.
"I thought…well, it is nothing. I'll show you later." She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, all thought of the British aside for the moment. "Just a suspicion."
The last residence came into view, a fine white house with a green door. They gathered on the front stoop and knocked. However, there was no answer. Not immediately, anyway, and the door opened. The man on the other side looked quite scared.
"Let everyone know the British are coming." Revere said confidently.
"Here! We're here!" A redcoat shoved the homeowner to the side and levelled his bayonet at them.
The Assassins ducked and dragged Revere down with them. The gunshot boomed over them, and the trio took off at a run. More soldiers were running after them, clanking and yelling. Connor nearly leapt onto the horse and, while Jacqueline was climbing up after him, almost threw her over the other side with the force with which he pulled her up.
Revere struggled onto his own horse, and they galloped away from the banging of gunshots. Their escape was made into a field of wheat, which seemed to glow in the moonlight, and ended next to a strip of water that looked like a small river, or something that would widen into one—it was certainly deep enough. They paused, and Jacqueline got off her horse.
"We'll never make it in time on foot!" Revere called, panicked.
She looked back at the crowd of Regulars approaching. Connor also seemed to realise they were out of options and dismounted. Their talkative companion was finally silenced by indecision, but floundered off the poor spotted mare.
"We've no choice now. Hurry or die." Taking her pistol from her belt, she hurled it to the other side of the water and jumped in.
-o-
Delays, delays, delays! Ugh! Life, get out of my way!
It's short, I know, but this should be the start of more regular updates, thank you for your patience, I love you all!
Ooh, what did she find? Stay tuned! ;D