The Assassin Among Us
Chapter 1
Reality Shaken Once More
Assassin's Creed is owned by Ubisoft studios. Fables and The Wolf Among Us are owned by Bill Willingham, Vertigo publishers, and Detective Comics(DC). I do not own any other mentioned properties.
It was just another, typical night for a patroling vigilantte in New York City, stopping drug deals, dealing with petty criminals, and helping the odd citizen or two. The Order, though on many occasions asked me not to reveal myself, never really had any reason to stop me. As long as I took out a high ranking Templar or raided an important Abstergo facility every now and again, they allowed me to continue with my self-appointed task. They owe me that much at least after shattering my peaceful world fifteen years ago. I mean, who tells a ten year old boy that he was born into a clan of elite, naturally gifted killers and expect him to be perfectly alright with that. But I digress, cause they did give me the skills and funds needed to help people more than I could on my own.
Anyways, I was about to leap over to the next rooftop when the sounds of car engines and voices from the ally below caught my attention. Both past experiances and instinct told me to stay put and keep an eye out for trouble.
The sight was familiar enough, a group of three similarly dressed people, two men and a woman, backed into a corner by two doppelgangers holding shotguns, a rather inexperianced choice. But, I could tell that something wasn't right about this picture. These people gave off the feeling of ages past, not unlike those times I came into contact with the First Civ. There was more that added to the weird meter, the man in front, gruff and barely dressed for business, was unusally calm. Almost as though he was impervious to such an attack. When he spoke, though I was to far to make out much, I was strongly reminded of the growling of wovles.
From what I could gather, the twin gunmen wanted the old man cowering behind a strong, beautiful woman with nearly pure white skin and raven hair. An arguement broke out and I heard the words "murder investigation" and "Fabletown," each bringing their own questions, before going silent at the sound of the opening car door. A fierce looking woman stepped out and gave off a powerful presence, but far more wicked than any person here.
Too caught up in the scene in front of me and my own inquiries that I was too late to react when the man stepped forward only to be blasted limply back into a wall. I was making my way deftly down the fire escape, sticking to the shadows the best I could, when I noticed something miraculous, the man was standing up as if nothing had happened. Not only that, he had transformed into something... animalistic, wolf-like even. Now I've heard a lot of stranges things from Shaun over the past couple of weeks, but this makes those seem mundane. This, wolf-man I guess you could say, just kept going as round after round tore through his chest and became more and more like a wolf. Using the sixth sense, I was even more suprised to see that this werewolf wasn't an enemy.
If the Assassins have ever taught me anything, its how to adapt when my reality is shaken once again. Using the distraction of the wolf's advance to my advantage, I was able to get a bead on the twins and quickly shot them through the legs with my twin pistols, incapacitating them. Jumping down, my peaked hood almost slipping, I landed on one knee behind the hulking form of the wolf, pulling my hood back into place and holstering the firearms I stood to look him in the eyes. He was more intimidating up close, but I knew he wouldn't hurt me.
"Who the fuck are you?!" he growled.
"Someone who's here to help. Jesus is he like this with everyone?" I asked the woman he was with, to an unsure reply.
"Wait, are you a mundy?" asked the wolf.
"Whatever the hell that means."
"And your not afraid of me?"
"Don't flatter yourself, I've seen and heard plenty of strange things over the years and I guessing this won't be the last time."
"Enough with the talk." yelled the fierce woman, firing the gun in her hand.
I heard the bullet inbed itself in the the wolf's side and I expected it to do nothing. But I was wrong. He stubbled a bit and tumbled to the ground with a whine. "Bigby!" I heard the other woman shout. My focus diverted to his assailent as she pulled out an axe and was drawing closer. An appropriate response was found when she flipped him over and felt the small bite of a sword blade against her throat as she prepared to deal a finishing blow. Overjoyed by my display of speed and ruthelessness, she stopped and looked at me with mirth.
"Now, now. I don't think you want to do that." I insisted.
"Why not?" she jested.
"Cause if his head rolls, so does your's. All you want is the old man correct?"
"The hell are you doing?!" Bigby growled below me.
"Saving your hide." Without looking down, "Do we have a deal then?"
She seemed to mull it over before looking back to the car she stepped out of, whose window had opened. A hand appeared, doing a beckoning motion. "Fine." she concluded. "But remember, you got lucky Wolf." Stomping on and breaking his arm, bone breaking through the skin. "Things are changing, long live the queen." She cheered our direction as she took the old man with her.
Waiting untill the cars were out of sight, I sheathed the collapsible blade and turned to the two. "Okay, I saw him tank those shotguns like a champ, why was that pistol different?"
"He's weak to silver." She answered curtly, the wolf having passed out.
"Is there anywhere we can take him to..."
"The Woodlands, someone there can help. I'll hail a cab, you carry him."
Looking at him, he had reverted back to his human form before I could make a snarky comeback about it being easier said than done. Bending down, I wrapped his uninjured arm around, picked him up bridal style, and carried him to the street. As I got into the cab with the woman, Bigby unconciously sniffed me and muttered something that sounded a lot like "smells nice," but I brushed it off before I could put more thought into it.
"If you don't mind me asking," after she told the cabbie where to go, "but who are you and what the hell is going on?" I whispered.
"I can't say anything right now," she whispered back, "but you can call me Snow. Also, thanks for your help back there, I don't know what I would've happened if you hadn't stepped in."
"No problem." Looking down at the man as he grimaced against my shoulder. "I'm guessing you two are higher ups in this communittee of yours."
"Yeah, but why is it you're not freaking out like most mundies?" Snow asked.
"I know a thing or two about secret organizations that have been around for a while, being a part of one myself. You'll understand if I don't say anything more about it." Unconsciously readjusting my hood to hide my face from any cameras.
"I do."
The rest of the trip was spent in silence, mostly due to the situation we were in. Having learned from past mistakes, I had fogoed the traditional white and now wore black pants, gloves, and shirt with a long, dark red coat that matched the blood that I would only be temporarly covered with. Some ten odd minutes later, we arrived at an appartment complex with a neatly kept shrubbry and grass out front. Snow took care of the cab fees as I awkwardly shuffled my way out with Bigby on my shoulder. Carrying him piggy-back this time, I had to lean forward slightly as I followed Snow inside.
"I'm going to call on Dr. Swineheart, could you take Bigby up to his appartment, 204?" This wasn't much of a question but I still dipped my head in agreement as shifted him higher on my back. "Good, it's on the second floor, take a left and then a right and it's the last one in that hall." calling an elevator.
I followed her instructions and found the door I was looking for, but there was a problem. The door was most likely locked. Being as careful as possible, I dug through his pockets, brushing past a wad of bills and a carten of cigs I found it and opened the door. The appartment was small and dingy, but that didn't matter at the moment. Someone had called from around the corner and there was a clopping of holves.
"Is that you Bigby, cause I'm not going back to...Jesus Christ! What the hell happened?" asked a large pig. After the werewolf, I just didn't care what I saw anymore and just rolled with it.
"Silver bullet." I said, legs shaking slightly under the continuously increasing burden of carring Bigby for so long. Shuffling forward, I peaked around the corner and saw a chair that I could depoist the man. Being as gentle as possible, I lowered him onto the cushions and sighed with mixed exhastion and relief. "Also, a broken arm." as it dangled sickenly over the side.
The door flew opened less than five minutes after I had taken up a chair next to him to make sure that he was still alive. In that time, I began to notice how attractive I found him and that he was my type, physically anyways. Finished wrapping the gauz around the newly set bone, I looked up to see a panic-stricken Snow and a calm man who looked like a colledge professor. The man immediatly opened the bag he was carring and began setting out the instruments he might need.
"Ms. White has told me everything so don't worry about explaining anything." he said before I could get a word out. Inspecting the arm, he added, "Nice work."
"So," looking over to the princess, having put two and two together, "I guess it's about time the both of us explained something to each other."
"Yes and I think we should start with you, who are you and what is this secret organization you belong to?" Her eyes narrowing her eyes.
"Striaght to the point then." Lowering my hood so my features could be seen by all. I had short black hair, green eyes, somewhat prominent cheekbones, and a long, thin scar that crossed over my right eye. "Let's just get the big one out of the way, the name's Cane Lowel and I'm a master in the Assassin Order. We're a group dedicated to preserve the free will of humanity and fight those who seek to destroy it, also know as the Templar Knights, or as their known today, Abstergo Industries."
"I think I've heard of you, one of your members helped us in the past." Snow said, trying to remember.
"Wouldn't doubt it, most of us are usually more than willing to help those in need. And to answer one of your ealier questions, I didn't freak out because one of main princibles is to be able to adapt to any situation. Otherwise, we would have died out centuries ago." Rolling my stiff shoulders, I watched the docter pull fragments of the bullet out of the werewolf's torso. "So what's his story?"
It was the pig who spoke this time, "You might know his as the prick who blew my house down and ate Red Riding Hood."
"The Big Bad Wolf?" I questioned, they all nodded. That explains a few things. "I guess that makes sense. So, are you guys all from the old fables?"
"Hit the nail on the head." Chuckled the pig.
They went on to fill me in on how they were driven out of their homelands, how Snow was the deputy mayor of the communittee while Bigby was it's sherriff. They had finished telling me about the recent string of murders that they have been investigating when the wolf finally woke up with a jolt to find the silver gone and his wounds cleaned and dressed. He looked at me confused for a few seconds before trying to speak. "How'd I..." he slurred, attempting to stand before being pushed back down by Swineheart.
"Easy now, you're most likely still recovering from the silver that was in your chest. You'd be in worse condition if this young man hadn't helpped Ms. White get you here." the doctor explained, causing Bigby to look my direction.
He gave me a funny look and was about to say something before Snow cut him off, "I told him everything, but don't worry, he won't say anything. Being an Assassin, he knows when to keep his mouth shut when it comes to things like this."
"I' ve heard about you guys... they say... that you're a terrorist group that attacks Abstergo for no reason." He grunted as he stood to intimadate me.
"Propaganda and lies." I said calmly, "We've been fighting them for centuries, it's just that they've had the upper hand for a while now."
"Whatda mean, 'upper hand'?" backing off.
"Its gone back and forth since we met, one almost destroying the other but they would reastablish themselves and come back, stronger than before and repeat the process. The time it takes to do so varies and I could go on and on, but I think you got the picture." I explained. "And since I have nothing assigned to me at the moment," changing the subject, "I would like to help with the investigation. I have skills that might prove useful." I might find out more about Bigby if help and learn a few things about Fabletown in the process.
"Sorry to interupt, but," Swineheart interjected, "I would advise that Bigby be put on light duty, if he can figure out that means. In the meantime, I suggest you take it easy and take Cane up on his offer. Good day." With that, he departed from the room.
"He's right Bigby," said Snow. "you can't be carrying on like you have. What you did in that ally can't happen again. We're lucky you were seen by someone who understands our situation. From now on, we do everything cut-and-dry. Strictly by the books."
"You want to give him a handicap just because someone might see?" Colin asked, snarkly, "I don't think the bad guys will care about that or if things get sloppy."
"'Nothing is true, everything is permitted.' Wanna know why that our motto? Because it's another thing that's kept us alive for centuries by allowing us to do what situation calls for. If he dies because he has to hold back, whose hands will really be stained with his blood?" I said quietly and calmly, stunning everyone.
"Fine." She said, bitter. "But I want you to stay by his side from now on, consider yourself his assistant until further notice."
"Hold on Snow, we hardly know anything about him. Are you sure about this?" Bigby stated, growling slightly.
"Which is why I'm assigning him to you, so you can watch him. As for Colin," turning almost nasty, "he needs to go back to the Farm as soon as possible. Now if you'll excuse me." This silenced Bigby, for now, he glared at the former princess for a few seconds before turning his gaze to me as the door opened and shut once more.
"You're not really sending me back, are you Bigby?" Colin asked, sounding geuinlely upset.
His gaze, though still on me, softened. "Don't worry, Snow's just has a lot on her plate right now. She'll come around." I saw, in those tired golden eyes, a flicker of uncertainty. "Hang on." Looking me over, "How is it you're no longer covered with blood?" he asked as the phone rang.
"Well, we kinda developed clothe that repells liquids, if that answers your question."
"Hmm" He hummed slightly, answering his call.
"So what are these skills of your's?" Colin asked.
"To put it simply, I have a sixth sense that allows me to see things other can't. Like if the surface of the floor were to be burned I could still see the blood trail as clear as it is now. It also is useful when I need to make a split-second decision on who's friend or foe." I surmmized.
"Come on," ordered the sheriff, "we've got work to do." putting on a new white dress shirt and black tie.
"Lead the way, Padfoot." I responded nonchalantly as I lit a cigerette and followed him out the door.
Okay, starting to think I have a problem now. Hopefully I won't bog myself down with too many of these projects. You know the drill, leave a review and tell me what you think of this series. See ya soon!
