Disclaimer - Assassin's Creed and Prototype belongs to their respective owner. This story is beta by Trondason.

Hello Assassin and Becoming an Assassin

It took one month for Gabriel and Giry to have gathered all the necessary information on the Assassin and the target that the killer was after, but it was not a boring wait. There was enough trouble in London that didn't come from Gabriel's men, he fought thugs and mercenaries who thought he was a pushover, though what satisfied his bloodlust the most were a group of hooded men. It was annoying to him at first, because many of them focused hit-and-run tactics, something people never done when facing him, but when he caught the attack patterns, he had dispatched them all with one swift strike. The surprise that he shrugged off a fatal hit also helped. He had done some courier jobs and had beaten some unfaithful husbands and boyfriends when he was really bored.

Once in a while, he would go bother either Gabriel or Giry. Gabriel's habit in passing time was questionable, because entering a brothel and cared not if the prostitute in his arms was male or female was both unhealthy and asking for trouble. It took a long time for gay marriage to be approved and Gabriel was daring the city to arrest him and hang him for that. Alex hadn't been interested in any kind of physical interaction and Gabriel was bugging him because of his disinterest, he had even asked him if he preferred a male partner than a female one out of curiosity which earned him a tomahawk slammed next to him. Giry was a slightly better company than Gabriel. Why slightly? The reason was because the old lady would fuss over him, like a mother hen, over the silliest things from his health to his clothes. Still, Alex found that it was a little nice to have someone worry for him. Sometimes seeing her exasperated face was worth his day.

Alex went to Gabriel's house, where both information brokers waited him. Gabriel now fully dressed with armour, weapons and cloak, looking like a Robin Hood mixed Gambit. Madame Giry looked better than last time he had seen her, wearing a modest dress than the tattered one she wore when they had first met. Alex greeted them with a nod and asked, 'What did the two of you have find?'

'My children had been observing Reginald Birch for weeks now,' Madame Giry started, hands clasped in front of her robe. 'Once a week, he will have guests coming over. Always the same people: businessmen, mercenaries, and politicians. If I didn't know better, I'll say the man is part of a cult or a business shadier than Gabriel and mine. The Assassin, on the other hand, hadn't made an appearance in weeks, which was strange, any of my men and women would have spotted him at least once, but he had shown neither hide nor hair.'

'I have my thieves collecting scraps of Dupuis' archive. From what I have collected so far, everything that concerns Reginald Birch and the Assassin is coded or parts are missing,' Gabriel reported and handed him Haytham's ring. 'As for the ring, each and every visitor of Birch has a ring like this, but we are uncertain of what the ring truly represents.'

Giry took over. 'So far, we can only be certain that the symbol is that of the Knight Templars. From what I remember of my history, the Templars were accused of idolatry and heresy and the Church has them all burned at stake. We can only guess that a small group of Templars has survived and is rendered as a cult. Birch might be leader of the cult.'

Alex was doubtful, because from what he saw in Haytham, the man was anything but religious and he didn't react like some sort of obsessed madman. In fact, the British acted more driven and determined like a soldier with a goal. There must be something more to this whole Templar business than just a simple cult. Still he needed to know where the Assassin was.

'Do the two of you have any idea where the Assassin might be?' Alex asked.

'Seeing that the target might be Reginald Birch,' said Gabriel thoughtfully. 'You should perhaps focus on tailing after the man. I believe that today, he will go to observe the progress of the new ship's construction. The location and the nearby area are both full and empty. It is the best environment to strike if I was the Assassin.'

Alex nodded in understanding as he asked, 'Gabriel, I want you to continue your search in the Templar matter and Giry, you tell your men to keep a close eye on Birch and every one of the men who visited him.'

'That will cost you,' Gabriel muttered, earning a glare from Alex, before he sighed tiredly. 'Alright, I'll look into it, but I reserve the right to say, this is a wild goose chase.'

Alex quickly said his farewells and headed to the port. It was difficult to prevent himself from bumping and being bumped into. Though he was glad that Birch was making his presence known to the entire block, it made his job easier. Alex decided to get higher view on the area and went to rooftop of one of nearby buildings, relaxing slightly as he continued with his watch around the area and Birch.

One hour of yelling, two hours of silent studying and three hours of being a brat summed up Birch's day at the port. Alex, on the hand, spent six hours lazing around like a cat on the rooftop, but there was no sign of Assassin anywhere. It was one day of complete waste of time.

Alex continued tailing after Birch until the man reached his chateau when the sun was on its slow course to descend. The virus sighed in relief, because one more word out of the man's mouth and he would consume him just to get some silence around here. Alex decided that there was still some time left before the shops closed and headed towards one of the bookshops that near were the Fox's Den. If he had to spend six more hours of hearing Birch's annoying voice, he would like to something to do to pass time. Alex slipped into the first bookstore he found and started browsing around the bookshelves while the owner was watching his every move like a hawk, probably thinking that he was going to steal one of the books.

Alex ignored the man's existence and focused on the book titles his index finger traced on. His hand stilled at the title Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of several Ships.

Memories of Dr. Mercer surfaced for the first time since he had arrived in Colonial times, the memory showed him of a child Dana asking him to read Gulliver's Travels to her. Alex pulled the book out and studied the cover that was far plainer than Dana's colourful children book. Alex smiled softly at the memory of Dana smiling, the smile turned sad as the virus remembered that his sister was in coma when he left her.

Alex's hand tightened around the book at the memory of Dana's still body as he picked her up and ran to Dr. Ragland's morgue. He knew that he should be focusing in finding a way back to his sister, but he had no idea of whatsoever on how he even got here to begin with. With the Revolution coming up, it would be safer to lay low for now until the war was over to look for clues. That or he could wait for around two centuries. In a way, Dana's state hadn't worsened or bettered, because the events that lead to her injuries hadn't started yet and this time, he might be able to prevent it.

Alex was snapped out of his musing when a loud and intentional cough sounded in the empty shop. The virus looked over his shoulder to stare at the shopkeeper who frowned at him as he asked, 'Are you done browsing, sir? I have to close my shop.'

Alex approached the counter with a cold smile as he dropped the book before the shopkeeper as he said, in an icy polite voice, 'Yes, kind sir. I want this book.'

Alex mentally laughed as he thought. The Mercer smile always works.

The man quickly stuttered out the numbers, Alex dropped the necessary coins on the counter, giving the man one last smirk, before he left the shop with book in hand. The sky was already darkening when he stepped outside, but it did not bother him as the other citizens of London who all hurried to get back into the safety of their houses. The virus whistled as he moved around the streets as if he owned them.

Darkness' blanket covered the sky and stars lightened amongst the black sky just as workers began to fill the lamps with light. Alex paused in his walk to look at the starry heaven above him as he recalled the first time he had actually and truly looked at the night sky. Back in modern Manhattan, he was focused in finding the truth of who he was and the secret Gentek had hidden that he never really took notice of the simplest little things around him until everything got infected. The sky in his own memory was either pitch black, blood red or sick green. It was only when he was with the Kanien'kehá:ka that he had actually enjoyed looking up at the vast sky.

London was not the best place for stargazing with its constant cloudy weather and foggy days, but he could still see them. Alex continued with his stargazing for a while as the street was quickly emptied, he tapped his foot lightly on the stone ground as he tilted his head slightly to the side and asked, 'Beautiful, isn't it?'

Alex knew someone was following him since he had left the bookshop, but he decided not to act until he had reached somewhere remotely deserted, which was currently in the middle of the square he was standing on. He knew that this junction between streets were only busy during the day, not at night, this place was as silent and empty as a graveyard, a perfect place for an ambush and a fight.

Alex watched as a hooded figure in white appeared from the shadow with the darkness parting ways for the person. Both men stared at each other, sizing the opponent up and waited for one of them to make the first move. With his photographic memory, Alex was certain this was the Assassin who had the entire city in alert to have him hunt down.

'I have to say, you are not really what I have expected,' Alex stated casually with his arms crossed and book still in hand. 'Though I get I should be honoured to be in your presence, Assassin.'

The killer was still silent. Alex wondered if the man was a mute, therefore Dupuis didn't even bother to look back to see who had truly entered his office. Alex's eyes went to scan for any weapon the man carried and found three main weapons and at least ten small ones. A flintlock pistol, a sword and a knife, sheathed throwing knives on the belt and forearm.

Alex doubted that that was everything the killer had on him, the virus focused on his sense of hearing while his eyes remained on Assassin. He could hear heartbeats around them and he estimated there were at least five people observing them, three on the rooftops and two behind Assassin. So he didn't come alone.

'Aren't going to present your friends to me?' Alex asked lightly.

His question acted as a trigger for the hidden men to attack, Alex easily sidestepped away from the bullets that rained down from above him and ducked from the ones shot from Assassin and his lackey. Alex smirked at the smoke screen created from the smoking guns, he quickly switched to Thermal vision and began climbing up to the roof where the three assassins were. He caught the first one by the ankle and threw him off of the roof and began dispatching another attacker with his tomahawk and crushed the last one's head against the chimney. Alex then looked over the rooftop to see where Assassin and the remaining men were, but he only found an empty square.

Alex turned around just to find two hidden blades imbedded themselves into his eye sockets. The virus growled loudly as he slipped and fell to the ground that cracked in impact and his loose fingers released the book. He personally hated when someone fired or stabbed his head, because in a few short seconds, he was blind and disoriented as he waited for his face to regenerate. No more mister nice guy.

Alex immediately stood up from the crater of his own shape, he jerked his neck to the side and it cracked back into place. His eyes focused on the men who were staring at him in shock before he gave them a viciously grin, that promised pain and death, and called out clearly, 'My turn.'

He always returned the favour tenfold to those who had shot or stabbed him. Alex did not care if someone accidentally saw him, because the witness would, after what he was going to do to Assassin and his lackeys, either faint or go crazy by the amount of gore. Alex simply unleashed his powers instead of using his tomahawk. Claws were his first weapon to use. In the blink of an eye he had them through one of the hooded men's stomach and head. Alex changed his claws into a one-arm whip, which he extended to grab the assassins who started reloading their pistol, but Assassin ducked in time to escape his grasp while the other was not so lucky. With a small tug, the bio-organic whip tore through the man's stomach much as a metal wire cut through a block of clay. Before the lackey's body even fell into two pieces, Assassin already began his escape.

'Oh no, you don't,' Alex called out as he lashed out his arm whip to ensnare Assassin, but his target got out of reach again. Damn. That guy is slippery.

Alex, with one jump, easily blocked the escape route of Assassin as he rushed towards with his arm whip shifted into the shape of a giant clever sword. His eyes focused on the chest where the sternum was located, not wanting to dismember the body too much that it was not possible for the examiner to determine that it was the corpse of the killer the government was hunting after and he did not want to spend hours explaining how he got the man cut in two clean parts.

When Assassin evaded his thrust, Alex inwardly thought. After I have showed them Assassin's corpse, I will make sure to consume him.

Despite with no power of whatsoever, the man was able to dodge his attack, not even Blackwatch's soldiers were able to keep up with him, even with all of their fancy equipments. Still, it was best that he finished this fast, he had learned to never linger in one place too long unless he wanted troubles.

Assassin had emptied his entire arsenal of throwing knives, his empty pistol laid forgotten, his short dagger was imbedded in the ground, and the sword was his only and last weapon to defend himself with. Alex switched his limb back to a normal human hand and clapped his hands loudly, he applauded, 'Bravo! You are the first to survive my attacks for five minutes. Sadly, I can't let you leave with your life intact.'

Assassin simply readied his weapon, prepared to die, while Alex sighed as he morphed his hands into deadly claws once more before both of them charged towards the other, the sword skimmed his side while Alex had the claws imbedded in the chest, crushing the heart of the killer as the man exhaled his last pained gasp.

Alex removed his claws from the man, but out of a small amount of respect, he caught the dead man instead of just letting the body fall. Alex was not completely certain why he even showed respect to the dead assassin, but it might the influence of the Kanien'kehá:ka's sense of respect and honour. The virus smiled wryly at the memory of Ziio's wisdom towards the death of the animal, one life given to preserve another, someone's or something's death must be a necessity, not an act commited for pleasure but of survival. In this case, Assassin's death would give him money and would allow him to survive in this forsaken land another year.

Alex turned and allowed his tendrils to slither over the dismembered corpses to consume them. The Blacklight virus grabbed hold of his head with one hand, the other released its released its hold on the hood of Assassin, as he felt the tidal waves of memories crashed over him, he quickly focused on the similar memories the lackeys shared to dim the pain. He found out that it was easier and less painful to absorb multiple targets' memory if he found a similarity between them. In this situation, it was the training they had all received from Assassin. The Brotherhood they served in and their enemy the Templar Order. Alex frowned at the Templar word, but he pushed the thought into the back of his mind for now.

When the migraine was over, Alex picked up the book he had almost forgotten and hauled Assassin's corpse over his shoulder before he headed in the direction of the mayor's house, readied to get his just rewards.

Alex was glad that he had brought the book, because when he first arrived at the mayor's house, everyone thought he was joking about having caught the killer, it wasn't until he threatened one of guards with a horrific and bloody death did someone went to wake the mayor who after hearing the oh so joyous news sent some couriers to get some people who could identify Assassin. Afterwards, the mayor and his company locked themselves in the room with Alex reading in the guestroom.

The virus really wondered why it took so long for those bastards to identify Assassin, because studying someone's face did not take two hours to accomplish. Alex sighed frustratingly as he refocused on the printed words in the book.

When he heard the double doors' lock clicked open, he nearly jumped up and danced on his chair, happy that the wait was finally over, but Alex kept his cool and continued with his reading. He listened to the footsteps approaching until they stopped in front of him, Alex spared a glance from his book and was surprised to Reginald Birch standing over him, he lowered the book slightly and asked, 'Is there something I can help you?'

Birch ignored his question and asked, well more like demanded, 'Is it you who has killed the Assassin?'

Alex slammed his book shut as he stood up and answered politely, 'Yes, I am the one.'

Reginald's eyes studied him intently and Alex coolly stared back at the man, not liking the Englishman one bit. A few minutes later, Birch gave a fake smile to him and thanked him with a thin smile. 'Thank you for removing the black stain in our society, Sir...'

'Zeus,' said Alex. 'Bounty hunter.'

'Right,' said Birch, his facial expression showed that he doubted his ability. Probably because of his skin colour if Alex had to guess. 'We have a proposal to you. There is a cult in which men and women dressed in a similar fashion as our deceased killer, they will harm innocent citizens just for the pleasure. We want you to hunt each and every one of them down. Do this and for each cultist you capture or kill, you receive a bounty of 1000 pounds.'

Alex wore a thoughtful look for a moment before he extended his to the businessman and announced, 'Agreed.'

The deal was sealed with a firm handshake.

Question to Dear Readers: Is the story's progress terrible or not?