[[Authors Note: Thank you in advance for reading! Work has been crazy and taken me away from writing…I will be trying to post more frequently.]]

Chapter 4 – Hazel

"Do you hear yourself talk, Evie?" Jacob questioned his older twin as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh piss off, Jacob." Evie commented as she turned her attention back to fixing the training dummy. She had stumbled across a book of different fighting techniques. Most were with the weapon Henry had gifted her and her brother when they first made it to London. She was in the process of explaining the best technique to use when Jacob had cut the dummy down.

"I am not entirely fond of that idea…" He rubbed the back of his knuckles along his jaw line as he twirled the kukri in his other hand. "You're not going to learn how to fight from reading from a book." He tapped the hard over of her book with the side of the blade. "I have cut enough men with it, already. I don't see why we need to train on that sack of hay and canvas."

Evie's shoulders rolled backward as she drew in a deep breath. "Because Jacob," She raised to her full height. "Using the weapon and using the weapon correctly, are two entirely different things."

"But if both lead to getting the job done" Jacob turned and chucked the blade at the dummy's head causing a satisfying amount of hay falling out of the seams. The assassin's lips corked into a grin. "What does it matter?"

Evie pinched the bridge of her nose as her chest filled with an annoyed breath. Her younger twin offered another crooked smile in her direction.

The back door of Henry's shop opened to reveal the older man holding a tray of sandwiches and tea. When they weren't hiding out on the rails they returned to Henry's shop front. They had turned the tight alleyway into a small training area. Fighting on their train was cramped and nearly impossible. Besides, Agnus threated to throw them (Jacob), into the Thames. The bar cart already suffered its fair share of abuse from the Rooks and their leader.

"I thought the two of you would be hungry." Henry said with a smile to the siblings as he placed the tray on top of a nearby crate.

Evie's eyes lit up as she heard the door open. Almost instantly the annoyance her brother caused was free from her features. "Thank you so much, Mr. Green. That's awfully kind of you."

"Can you say it any louder, Evie? I'm not sure he heard your pants dropping from here." Jacob muttered in his sister's direction, which only received a glare. Which he proceeded to ignore. "Yes, thank you Greenie!" He snatched up a sandwich and plopped down on one of the many containers that littered the alley.

"It is my pleasure. How goes training?" Henry questioned.

Evie walked over and grabbed a sandwich half. "Training goes well," Her eyes shot over to her brother. "for those of us that are actually willing to learn."

Jacob unsheathed his kukri and pointed it toward Evie as he spoke with a full mouth, "Like I said before…what does it matter if it gets the job done anyway?" He leaned over and snatched up her other half of the sandwich with the blade.

"Anyway," Evie shook her head and turned her attention back to Henry. "Did you ever find that book you were talking about?"

"I knew I was forgetting something! One moment!" With that he slipped back into his store front.

As the door closed Evie's head snapped in her brother's direction. "Do you have to be such an imbecile?" Jacob stopped mid-chew to give her a questioning look. "Father was right; you do not think anything through."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "If he is so right, why don't you and him go have a little chat, hmm?" He took a sip of his tea.

Silence fell between the siblings. Jacob rolled his shoulders back as his gaze focused on tattered newspaper clippings tacked onto the wall.

Since they were young Evie and Jacob were the perfect team. Brains and Brawn. Evie grew up learning underneath their father, Ethan. She practically had the history of the creed memorized by age ten. Jacob was not one for books and often slept through the readings his father assigned. An assassin was supposed to kill their target and get out. As long as they got their mission done…what methods mattered? When his father was alive, Ethan compared Jacob to a young Altair. He had hoped that something would change in his mind to make him see what it was to be an Assassin…instead of a restless child.

The door opened for a second time. This time, Henry held a worn leather book gingerly in his as he stepped into the alley with a smile toward Evie.

"We have a visitor," The assassin stated as he revealed Margaret standing behind him. The prostitute offered the siblings a wave with a small smile. Evie mustered up a smile of her own, while Jacob readily grinned at her. Henry walked to where Evie was sitting and held the book out to her. "This is the book I was talking about, Miss. Frye."

Evie took the book excitedly after she returned her tea cup to its saucer. She examined the cover and the binding before flipping open to the first page where she was greeted with elegant Italian scrawled on the ivory paper. "I don't believe this," She whispered almost to herself as she carefully turned to page. "Where did you find Claudia Auditore da Firenze's journal?"

While the two book worms discussed how Henry managed to find the journal of Ezio's sister Margaret sashayed her way over toward the dummy. Her emerald skirts brushed against white lace stockings that tucked into her heels, which kicked at some of the straw that littered the ground.

"Did you kill it, liebling*?" She tossed a teasing smile over at Jacob.

Jacob sat up with a grin. "But of course I did! He was coming after me like a wild hog. I was scared for my life!"

"Oh?" She crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned closer to him. "How did you ever survive?"

"It was a miracle I came out unscathed! I slipped under his arm and quickly grabbed my blade and made a sheath out of its skull."

"What a brave man."

The two smiled at one another before dissolving into a fit of laughter.

"So," Jacob leaned against the wall behind him after stealing another sandwich slice from the tray. "What brings you down to Henry's shop?"

The first time that they met Margaret had mentioned she hadn't been able to catch up with the assassin in quiet some time and now she had been around almost frequently. Jacob's lips curled. It's not like he was complaining. At least he had something pretty to look at while his sister and Henry gushed over some old tome.

Margaret shifted her weight against the nearest crate. "Well, I found some new leads while working. It seems that there is a new drug that the Templars are spreading around the city."

"New drug? You mean the syrup? I already got rid of what Starrick was spreading around the city! Seems like your information isn't as up to date as we thought." Jacob said with a teasing smile.

"Oh you did? I had no idea. Then the one that is being spread through the fight clubs is all taken care of?"

Jacob's head cocked to the side. "Fight clubs? It's spreading through the fight clubs?"

"Apparently," Margaret shrugged as she crossed her arms over her chest. "But you would know everything about it because you already taken care of it, right?" Her lips curled into a playful smirk.

The assassin licked his lips. If he asked any more questions surely she would piece together that he did not know what she was talking about (not like she already had)…but if he acted like it was the same drug and it continued to spread…he would be caught as a liar. If he did pry for more information, he would have another target to introduce his blade to.

Jacob popped himself off of the crate. "If it's spreading through fight clubs…then I think it's time that we go pay a visit to Mr. Topping!"

"So, what you're saying this is a different drug?" She tilted her head to the side, her curled dirty blonde hair fell over her shoulder.

"What I am saying is," He leaned down toward her with a point toward the sky with a nod of his head. "There might be something to look into. Annnnd I am never going to turn down a chance to visit a prize fighting ring." His lips curled into his signature devilish smile. "I'm a beast in the ring."

"Cocky are we?" She questioned with a teasing look. The assassin's lips corked to the side in another smirk as his eyes narrowed like a wolf who had just locked on to his prey. His glaze flicked downward. His tongue ran over the bottoms of his teeth before resting on his canine as his eyes met with Margaret's soft blue irises once more. The woman's lips parted. "Jacob Frye!" She exclaimed as she shoved Jacob's shoulder.

"But darling, I didn't say anything!" He returned his kukri to the sheath on his thigh just before taking a step toward the street with a laugh. "Because it was far too easy. Now, shall we?"

- Blue -

Margaret looked around confused as she found herself being lead toward a beautiful green colored building. Her heels clicked against the cobblestone alleyway as her eyes followed a woman in a royal blue dress fit for a ball. She had been on the streets of Westminster before. However, it was usually during the early hours of the morning or passing through in a carriage. It was mesmerizing to the blonde how much lighting could change so much.

"Here we are~!" Her host sung as they came to a stop in front of a very plane looking door.

"This is it…?" She questioned.

"This is it." Jacob grinned at his guest as he opened the door.

Almost instantly the sounds of the lively street were left behind as the shouts and chaos of the fight club washed over them like a great wave. The prostitute's face fell in disbelief as she attempted to take in what was around her. The wood-lined walls practically glowed in the gas lights. British flags hung proudly from the ceiling as they watched over the large ring that sat in the center of the building. People crowded around the ring, fighters and observers looking equally as ready to jump in! As they walked down the oak staircase Margaret's lips pulled into a childish smile. Even more people were huddled tight against a bar, where booze and money flowed freely.

The male took a few steps in front of her and turned around while holding his hands up in the air. "So, what do you think?" He questioned while attempting to contain his excitement.

"This is amazing! I always heard that the fighting rings were more…decrepit." She tried to keep her attention on the man who had brought her here…but found herself bobbing to get a better view of the fight happening behind him.

"Well…mostofthemare..." Jacob mumbled quickly before clearing his throat. "I thought I should ease you into the glorious world that is the underground! And the payout is better here, anyway."

"The payout?" She questioned over her shoulder as her legs carried her toward the ring. "Who are you planning on betting on?"

"Betting on?" His laughter caused the woman to turn around with a quizzical look.

"If it isn't Jacob Frye! Oh-Ho-Ho! Splendid!" An odd little man exclaimed as he slipped away from the chalk board and excitedly grasped the taller man's hand.

"Topping! Good to see you!" The assassin greeted with a smile.

"I do hope that you are planning on getting into the ring," He leaned closer and covered his mouth in an attempt to quiet his words. "Between you and me I was starting to get bored! These men fight no better than the children in the streets!" The colorful man straightened, causing his large top hat to wobble. "Care to test your luck in the ring, good sir?"

"But of course! Just give me a moment, Topping." Jacob pulled his attention back toward Margaret.

"You are going to fight?" She questioned in shock.

"Did you really peg me for a chap that sat back and watched?"

"No, not exactly. I thought your 'beast' comment was a bluff."

"Well, it is a great way to make money…and I will happily prove you wrong. So here's what we are going to do." He gingerly placed his hand on her lower back and guided her toward a pillar. "You are going to take this," He slipped her a coin purse stuffed with shillings. "and give it to the man who is behind me over my right shoulder."

Margaret's eyebrows raised in shock. She messed with the coin purse as if she was attempting to count just how much coin lined its insides. Her eyes darted in the direction of the man Jacob mentioned. "The one with the blue ribbon lining his hat?"

"The very same!" Jacob nodded.

"You brought me here…to bet on you?" She questioned with a teasing look. Something that as becoming very common when she was with him.

"No, I brought you here because you had a lead on a drug. But why not make some good coin while we're at it?" He tossed a wink in her direction.

"Perfect." She adjusted her corset to stuff the coin purse among her bosom. "You get into the ring and I'll place the bet. You just have to be sure to win."

He took a step back while holding his arms out with a confident look. "Are you doubting me?"

"I have only seen your handy work on straw dummies. How am I supposed to know you're any good against the living?" She tossed another teasing smirk in his direction.

"If that's the case, how about a kiss for good luck?"

To Jacob's surprise Margaret took a step closer and rested her hand on the assassin's bicep to balance herself. She leaned up and placed a kiss on his unscarred cheek. "Viel glück**, Jacob" As she pulled herself away the blonde purposely trailed her fingertips down the length of his arm.

His surprised expression rapidly melted to a brutish smirk. He hadn't expected that to work.

*Liebling – darling

** Viel glück – Good Luck