The next afternoon, Jacob went to the factory at 22 Hatton Garden, alone and unarmed. It was not a problem for him to be unarmed, as Jacob was skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Also he knew that Evie was watching the factory nearby.
Evie, who was watching the factory from an alleyway opposite, was accompanied by five Rooks, who were guarding the alleyway. Soon she saw a masked man clad in black robes arrive, accompanied by ten mercenaries. The masked man was assigning mercenaries to several strategic spots around the factory. After assigning them, the masked man walked into the factory, alone.
"So much for trust," muttered Evie. She turned and waked to her men.
"Jacob is in danger, as expected. There are ten mercenaries guarding the factory, probably ready to swing in and kill him at a moment's notice," Evie informed the Rooks. "Before that happens we have to dispose of them."
To start them off, Evie fired two of her poison darts at the two mercenaries standing by the main entrance. The two of them dropped dead almost at the same time. The five Rooks then rushed out of the alleyway, moving quickly yet quietly towards the factory.
They took care of the remaining mercenaries without alerting the masked man in the factory. After that, the Rooks and Evie waited for the right time to strike.
Jacob saw the masked man enter the factory, with a sword at his waist and alone. Jacob had some throwing knives attached to his robes, which could be seen easily.
"So you are the one who sent me the letter?" Jacob asked.
The masked man nodded. "It is nice to see that you have kept your word. Since you have kept your word, I have kept mine too."
"Why do you want to meet me?"
"I've heard of some men in the police trying to disrupt the activities of your gang, the Rooks. I have a plan that will benefit both of us. I am the leader of a group of men, who I believe that can protect your men. In return I request thirty percent of your profit for every month that my men protect yours."
"We don't need any protection," Jacob said.
The masked man said, "Oh, is that so?"
Jacob nodded. The masked man shook his head and said, "Wrong decision."
He expected his mercenaries to swing in and surround Jacob, but instead Evie and the Rooks burst into the factory.
"Where are my men? They were supposed to be outside!"
Evie smiled. "Looks like your plan failed after all."
The masked man produced a revolver, which had been concealed in his robes, and aimed it at his opponents. "Retreat, or your Assassins will be mourning your deaths."
Faster than he could react, Evie pulled out her revolver and shot the masked man once in the stomach. The masked man fell onto the ground, dropping his revolver. The five Rooks immediately rushed up to the masked man, restraining him.
Jacob walked up to the masked man and tore his mask out. Through the mask was none other than Logan Blimes, a lieutenant of the Rooks.
"Lieuteant, why the hell are you here?" Jacob ordered to know.
Logan sneered and spat on the ground. "You think I'm contented spending my life as a mere lieutenant in a shitty gang? I had big dreams, and I wanted to accomplish them. Luckily, the Templars were willing to help."
With extraordinary willpower, Logan got a hand free and drew a dagger, thrusting it into the stomach of the Rook that had been restraining his hand.
Slowly getting to his feet, Logan pulled the dagger out of the injured Rook, and used his free hand to clutch his stomach, as he tried to fend off Jacob, Evie and the Rooks.
Evie still had her revolver trained at Logan. "Give up, now. There is no way you can escape."
"Are you sure about that, Miss Frye?"
Meanwhile Jacob had snuck up behind Logan. He tried to grab Logan's dagger, but Logan had felt someone behind him. Logan turned around and pulled the dagger away from Jacob's reach.
Logan kicked Jacob in the stomach, and tried to stab him, but Jacob had gotten out of the way.
"We trained you too well, lieutenant," Jacob commented.
At that moment, the factory doors opened again. In came eight policemen, led by a well-dressed man, with a handlebar-style moustache.
The policemen were all armed with rifles, and were aiming them at everyone in the room. The man introduced himself, "I am not here to shoot all of you guys dead. Well, maybe except your enemy over here, leaders of the Rooks. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Commissioner Edmund Henderson of the Metropolitan Police."
Four of his policemen rushed over to Logan and handcuffed him, before Commissioner Henderson continued, "I am aware of your struggles against my police. But the policemen you are battling against, are of another so-called faction, in the Metropolitan Police."
"And they are terribly corrupt," Jacob added.
Commissioner Henderson nodded in agreement. "That is why I am here. I offer you aid in taking down the corrupt policemen who are what you two call Templars."
Evie raised an eyebrow, surprised that the Commissioner knew of the Templars. "So you do know of the Assassins and the Templars?"
Commissioner Henderson nodded in reply. "Now is not the time and place to chat. Perhaps another time, in a few days."
Signalling to his men, Commissioner Henderson walked out, followed by the policemen and Logan Blimes.
"Well, this was unexpected," said Jacob as he walked out of the factory, followed by Evie and the five Rooks.