Essen, Germany – 10 October 1942
Rows of shelves lined the moderately large chamber. Whereas the halls and other chambers were lit by torches and fireplaces, only this chamber had the luxury of a single electric lamp. This was because this was the armoury, and torches carried the risk of lighting a spark that could blow up the entire chamber and possibly the entire hideout.
The shelves were filled with weapons ranging from somewhat outdated firearms to shining blades. Crates of ammunition were stacked throughout the chamber, with old but polished rifles leaning against them. Pistols lay nestled among boxes of grenades and explosives. In one corner, a single rack was dedicated to various blades – conventional and hidden. Nearby was a cache of specialised equipment: grappling hooks, silencers, smoke bombs.
And in the middle of it all was a workbench with a single chair behind it. Its occupant, the Assassin they call the Quartermaster, wore his black Assassin robes like a uniform, but with its hood pulled back. He hunched his back, leaning over the desk while sitting on his chair. On the desk lay a damaged hidden blade belonging to one of the younger Assassins who had accidentally broken it during training. Though there were no windows to tell the time, he knew it was nearing sunset and he was almost finished with the repairs that he had begun in the morning.
Then suddenly four Assassins came in. The Quartermaster looked up. They fanned out around him, and they all had rifles and pistols in their hands. The Quartermaster reached for his belt but found that his pistol was not there.
"Evening, brothers, sister," he said in greeting.
"Evening, Quartermaster," replied the man standing right in front of the door with a pistol in his hand.
"Can I help you with something?"
"This armoury is hereby under our control. We don't want any trouble, so stand up, raise your arms, and hand over any weapons you have to us."
"'Our'?"
"I won't say it again. Please."
With that, he raised his pistol and aimed it straight at the Quartermaster. So did the other three Assassins. The Quartermaster looked left and right, then down. Finally, he stood up slowly and raised his arms. Then he moved quickly and rushed towards the shelf nearest to him to get a weapon, any weapon. But as soon as he did, a shot rang out. Instead of reaching the shelf, the Quartermaster found himself on the floor. At first, he did not know what had happened. But then the searing pain in his leg came.
"I warned you. Tie him up."
At his word, two of the Assassins moved in and began tying up the Quartermaster.
"What is this? What are you doing? What's happening?"
The man watched wordlessly as they tied up the Quartermaster. After he was tied up, the Assassins went around the room and checked everything inside. The Quartermaster could only watch. Then, the man who was their leader spoke.
"Armoury secured. It should be about now."
The Quartermaster had no idea what he was talking about.
The doors to the Council chamber were slammed open. The two Assassins responsible for guarding it lay unconscious on the ground outside. The Councilors and the other two Assassins guarding them looked in shock towards the people entering.
Lutz stood at the head of more than half a dozen armed Assassins. Right behind him on either side were Jan and Elisabeth. They fanned out and aimed their weapons at the Councilors and their guards.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Master Eleanor.
Lutz stepped forward.
"Since this Council has seen fit to suspend me, the only councilor actually doing his job in this war against the Templars, I and other like-minded brothers and sisters have decided that perhaps it's time we had a newer, fresher council. One that hasn't forgotten what we're fighting for and aren't afraid to fight it."
"In other words, a coup," remarked Master Tillmann.
"I prefer to think of it as an emergency measure rather than a coup. With you at the helm, the Templars will definitely have their way. I'm sorry. I have no other choice."
"You can't be serious."
"These weapons aimed at you, Master Tillmann, suggest otherwise."
Jan was aiming his weapon at Master Eleonora. Of course, he knew it was all an act. Lutz had told him that there were to be no real killings in this coup. It would be a bloodless one. Despite knowing that, he couldn't shake off the nervousness. His hands were trembling, and cold sweat was running down his forehead. Compared to fighting Templars in gun battles, this was more nerve-wracking.
"Drop your weapons, raise your arms, and surrender yourselves. You will not be harmed. It is not my intention to spill Assassin blood and take Assassin lives. It is Templar blood that needs to be spilled, Templar lives that need to be taken. I do this only reluctantly. You will be treated well."
What followed was a standoff. For what seemed like an eternity, the councilors and their guards did not move. They stood still, staring down at Lutz, Jan, and the other revolutionary Assassins. For their part, they did not move either. Their weapons were still aimed at the councilors and their guards.
"Lutz, please," pleaded the Mentor. "There's no need for all this. We are all brothers and sisters of the Order. Have you forgotten the third tenet of the Creed? Do not compromise the Brotherhood."
"As I've said countless times, it is you four that are compromising the Brotherhood by doing nothing. I'm past trying to convince you all. You have forced us to take action. Now surrender before things get ugly."
Another standoff ensued. Until suddenly Master Eleonora swiftly took out her handgun and attempted to shoot Lutz. But Lutz reacted like lightning, and before Master Eleonora had even raised her handgun, he had shot her to Jan's shock. She fell back onto her chair.
"Lutz, I thought-"
Master Eleonora grunted in pain.
"It's fine, Jan," he said reassuringly, but still keeping his gun pointed to where Master Eleonora was. "I only shot her shoulder."
She was alive, clutching her bleeding shoulder. Jan sighed a breath of relief.
"Make no mistake, councilors," Lutz began declaring. "I wish for nothing more than a bloodless transfer of power. But force our hand, and we will act accordingly. For the Brotherhood."
In unison, Jan and the others on Lutz's side shouted, "For the Brotherhood!"
Temidare looked to the Mentor.
"What should we do?"
The Mentor kept staring at Lutz, his expression unchanged. Though old and weathered, his eyes remained strong, unmoved. The other councilors were visibly worried, but not the Mentor. Finally, he spoke. He raised his right hand.
"Stand down."
"But, Master," pleaded Master Tillmann.
"Stand down, Master Tillmann. It is clear that we have been outmaneuvered. None of us expected a move this treacherous. To fight now would doom the Brotherhood to civil war. Many would be killed. And for what?"
The Mentor set his sights on Lutz before continuing.
"Very well, Lutz. You will have your way. This Council is under your power now."
The Mentor then put his gun on the table and raised his arms. The three other Masters could not believe what they were seeing, and for a moment stood there with their mouths agape at what the Mentor was doing. But eventually, Masters Temidare and Tillmann both did the same. Master Eleonora straightened herself up on the chair, still clutching onto her bleeding shoulder. The two Assassin guards also did the same.
"Very good. I don't want bloodshed. Take them to the holding cells."
The Assassins beside Jan and Elisabeth nodded and made their way to the councilors and the guards. They bound their hands with rope behind their backs and led them out of the chambers and through the hallways towards the holding cells. Lutz, Jan, and Elisabeth were left alone in the council chambers.
"We did it!" shouted Elisabeth in excitement.
Jan was smiling too. They had to shoot Master Eleonora, but besides that no one was killed. As he was thinking, one of the Assassins loyal to Lutz came.
"Master," he said at the doorway.
Lutz turned around.
"So?"
"The armoury and the exits are secured. We are in control of the entire place."
"Very good. With this, we have successfully taken over the Brotherhood."
Lutz turned back around and climbed up the steps leading to the council seats. He walked past his old seat and Master Eleonora's seat to reach the Mentor's seat. He turned to face Jan, Elisabeth, and the other Assassin who were watching from below. He touched the table while looking down at it, then planted both of his hands on it. He raised his head and looked at the Assassins below him.
"From today on, a new Brotherhood is born. No, the true Brotherhood is reborn. It is finally time we take the fight to the Templars and stop cowering, doing nothing in the sewers like rats! Nothing is true, everything is permitted!"
Jan, Elisabeth, and the other Assassin raised their fists and in unison echoed Lutz's words.
"Nothing is true, everything is permitted!"
Satisfied, Lutz stood up straight with his hands behind his back and a faint smile under his hood. He was now the Mentor of the German Brotherhood of Assassins.