The plane ride was long, but thankfully uneventful. The team arrived weary and stiff, but no worse for wear. They were all glad to stretch their legs as they walked up the tunnel into the terminal.
"Finally!" Sol stretched as they climbed out of the car in front of the den.
The den was a small building with two apartments; one on top of the other. They knocked and where kindly received by an elderly woman. She showed them to the apartment upstairs. She introduced herself as the den leader's mother, and pointed to a very busy man in the corner of the room. They approached the den leader and announced themselves. The den leader looked up quickly, tossed them a key, and pointed back out the door. His mother then led them to the apartment downstairs. It was a two room flat: the first room had a TV set, a couch, a dining table, and a small kitchen; the second room was a bedroom with a single bed and bathroom. The team dropped their things and gathered around the table to plan their next move.
"So, how are we going to plan this?" Lightning asked, looking at Andy expectantly.
"Do we have the plans of the building?" Sol asked, looking around at the group.
"Well, is there security? If so, then I can hack into the system and get you guys in there without raising alarm by disabling the traps. I'll even keep a look out for trouble outside for you guys."
"Okay. The building is designed to be Assassin proof: no climbable surfaces, enough guards for a small army, and mounted turrets."
"No, I meant actual building schematics. We might be able to find a way in that won't get us killed." Sol explained.
"AND less killing too," Lightning agreed, understanding what Sol meant.
"Exactly. We need to find those plans."
"We could use them to find a hidden stairwell around the building," Lightning suggested.
"We don't have schematics, just some pictures from failed missions." Andy sighed.
He reached into his bag and pulled out a series of printed images. He dropped them on the table in a messy pile. Everyone began sorting through the pictures, trying to get a sense of what they were about the get themselves into.
"Say there where plans, where do you think they'd be, Andy?" Sol asked.
"They'd very likely leave it in the maintenance office, in case they need to make repairs to the building," Andy said.
Sol looked at the pictures in her hands. It was obvious no Assassin had ever made it past the first floor of the building. Everything important must be on the second floor and above. That meant that without the plans, there was no way they would be able to find the information in time.
"I have an idea," she said.
"What is it?" Lightning and Andy asked in unison.
"What if we attack the building in parts?"
"YOU MEAN EVERYONE BY THEMSELVES!? THAT'S SUISIDE!" Andy panicked.
"NO, NO! I mean, we attack the maintenance and then retreat. Then we start attacking the building bit by bit." Sol explained. "We'll make it look like a desperate attempt to destroy them. That way we won't die and they won't know what we're after."
"It's like attacking a whale. One bite at a time." Andy relaxed.
"Exactly! We attack bit by bit, covering our search for the observatory as we go." Sol nodded.
"How many floors are there?" Lightning asked.
"Seventy," Andy said, thinking through the newly forming plan. "Okay. I say we attack the back and go for the maintenance room, then get out. Once we get the plans, then we work our way to the observatory data."
"Alright, sounds like a plan," Sol agreed. "Do we have enough people?"
Andy excused himself and quickly went upstairs to ask the den leader for help. The man agreed to lend him five of his Assassins to help them enter the building, but he did not want his men going too far inside. They agreed that his men would not have to go past the entrance way.
Andy, Lightning, and Sol, along with the five Montreal Assassins, agreed to be the ones to make the first attempt at the building. The others were given orders to stay away from the building unless told otherwise. The team left the den. They were at the building soon after, hiding in the shadows of the night as they waited for the perfect time to strike. They got into position to take out the small group of guards guarding the back entrance.
"Okay," Andy whispered into his com. "Stand by."
"I'll go in first," Sol offered.
The Montreal Assassins sprung from their hiding spaces and quickly took out the guards. The second the last guard hit the ground, everything went south. Dozens of guards rounded the corner. Sol and the others had just enough time to dash into the building before their five companions were overwhelmed and killed. There were three guards waiting for them just inside.
"ASSASSINS!" one of them yelled.
Andy quickly pressed himself against the corner, his M9 in his hand and roaring. Sol grabbed Hamlet in her casted hand and Tempest in the other. She ran at the nearest guard, swords flashing. As the guard tried to dodge Tempest, she stabbed him in the side with Hamlet. Andy managed to put a bullet in one of the other guard's heads. Then he pulled out his cutlasses and stabbed the last guy. All three guards hit the floor at once.
"Lightning, Sol, you good?" Andy asked.
"I'm fine," Sol nodded.
"Yeah," Lightning agreed.
"Take the guards security cards," Andy sighed. "They might be useful."
"Okay," Lightning said, stooping to loot the guard's dead bodies. "I got one."
"Good, follow me," Andy started moving down the hallway. "We need to get to the maintenance room."
"Okay," Lightning agreed.
The girls quickly followed Andy. They managed to find a workers guide to the building. The maintenance office was up the next flight of stairs, in the special access area of the building, room 201. They encountered, and quickly dispatched, a couple more guards before reaching the base of the stairs. Sol peaked around the corner. The mission would have been easy... except...
"The only way up is an open aired stairwell," Sol sighed. "We'll be exposed on all sides and fighting an uphill battle."
Andy peaked over Sol into the stairwell. He took in the situation for himself. The battle would be a hard one, but not entirely impossible.
"Do both of you have guns?" Andy asked, turning back to the girls.
"I have my White Rose and a military pistol," Sol nodded.
"What about you, Lightning?" Andy asked, looking especially concerned for her safely.
"I have two katanas and two sickles," Lightning shrugged.
"Here," Andy handed her one of his M9s. "You're going to need it."
"Don't worry," Lightning handed him back the gun. "I'll just use my katanas and sickles."
"Okay..." Andy slowly responded turning way. "Get ready for heavy fire. 3... 2... 1...
Andy started sprinting up the steps. The second his foot hit the bottom step, the guards around the staircase opened fire. Andy returned fire with his M9s. Lightning followed behind him, killing any guards that came too close to him as they made their way up. Andy was soon out of bullets and switched to his hidden blade, determined to clear the stairs and get to the top. A particularly crafty guard managed to pull a hidden dagger out and slice deep into Andy's shoulder before he was decapitated by an angry Lightning. Sol followed close behind, unloading clip after clip on the guards. Sol ran out of bullets just as they reached the last flight of stairs. She pulled out her White Rose and shot the last guard at the top of the stairs.
"We're almost there!" Sol shouted.
They finally hit the landing. The girls were uninjured, but Andy had been hurt badly. The cut to his shoulder was deep and bleeding badly. Every time he moved, fresh blood dripped out of the wound. The pain was agonizing, and the loss of blood was making Andy dizzy.
"SON OF A BITCH! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEADS FOR THIS YOU FUCKING TEMPLARS!" Andy screamed in pain and rage as he pulled out a tomahawk and spilled the guts of the nearest Templar.
"We're almost there, focus!" Sol reminded him as she dragged him further down the hallway.
"Fucking bastards," he spat as he let Sol pull him away. "Come on, let's get the plans and get out of here."
Room 201 was just down the hall. They rushed to the door and threw it open. A small group of wide eyed Abstergo employees froze what they were doing. Like deer caught in the headlights of a car, no one moved a muscle till Andy took a pistol from a dead guard and shot it into the air.
"GET OUT!" He shouted.
The employees scrambled to their feet and ran out the door. Sol slipped past them and ducked into the room. She began rifling through the cabinets along the walls. Andy and lightning entered after the last employee left. They fanned out to cover more ground. The room was small, but it held lots of papers. By chance or luck, Sol stumbled upon the plans quickly.
"FOUND IT!" She hollered, holding up the papers.
"Good, now let's get out of this death trap," Andy nodded.
Sol handed the plans to him and went to the door. She carefully opened it a crack. As she peaked outside, she was met with startling view. The hallway and stairway where full of guards. For every one they had killed, three had sprung up to take their place, all while they weren't looking. She quickly shut the door.
"The stairs are crawling with security," She turned back to the others, pale.
"We can't parkour down," Andy shook his head. "And a leap of fate is out of the question cause there's no windows in this room."
"I have an idea," Sol took a deep breath. "Don't open the door till I tell you."
Before the others could object, Sol opened the door and dashed outside, slamming it shut behind her. The sound of gunfire filled her ears as all the guards that could see her unloaded their guns in her general direction. She pulled a modified hand grenade from her belt. Ignoring the pain in her side and shoulder, she pulled the pin and tossed it into the air. A loud boom shook the building as a cloud of deadly neurotoxin descended on the heads of the guards. Sol waited till she saw all the guards drop before dashing back into the room.
Andy wished he had been fast enough to stop her when he saw her. She was in bad shape. The guards had managed to put five holes in her: three in her shoulder and upper arm, and two in her side. Her face was getting paler by the moment; her once white shirt was now a deep red. Still she smiled as she spoke.
"The stairs are clear. The poison bomb got them all." She explained. "In a minute, it will dissipate and we can flee."
Her face turned white. She suddenly collapsed against the door. Her eyes shut as she slid to the floor, her blood leaving a deep red stripe in the door.
"SHIT!" Andy grabbed Sol. "MOTHERFUCKERS! THIS IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN!"
Andy tried his best to lift Sol, but his arm wouldn't hold the weight. Instead he resorted to attempting to drag her away from the door. He could feel the pain is his arm tripling as more and more blood soaked into his shirt. The next thing he knew he was on his knees. Then the sound of worried footsteps heralded the blackness that consumed his vision.
Lightning rushed to their side. She lifted Sol into her arms, and gently woke Andy. She helped him to his feet. He was at first unsteady, but could soon walk. She kicked the door down and ran as fast as she could. Thanks to Sol's sacrifice, the stairs and the floor below them where littered with bodies. She picked her way down with Andy close behind and managed to get them safely back to the den.
"Don't worry," she whispered to her fallen friends. "I'll treat your wounds, guys. Okay?"
She pulled a first aid kit from her bag and did her best to cover their wounds. The pain in Andy's eyes diminished greatly as she bandaged his wounded shoulder. Lightning sighed in relief. Then her mind clouded over in anger.
"I'm sorry, guys," she said. "I hope you guys feel better, okay? Bye."
She opened the door, deciding she was going to get revenge on the Templars for what they had done. Before she could leave though, Andy gently grabbed her hand. He smiled weakly and handed her his favorite gun.
"Take my gun," he said softly.
"Why?" she asked, turning back to him.
"The bullets have an explosive surprise."
"What do you want me to do with it?"
"If you encounter a small group of Templars, shoot them with this." He explained. "The bullets are built with a minor explosive that can kill up to eight people at once. However, I only have one bullet mag with those."
"Okay, I'll try them," She nodded.
"Good luck"
Lightning left the den quickly. She returned to the building and, forgoing all caution, marched straight up to the front of the Abstergo building. She walked calmly up to the nearest group of guards, leveling Andy's gun at them. Then her rage boiled over like an erupting volcano.
"YOU INJURED MY SISTER AND BROTHER, TEMPLARS! NOW YOU MUST PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!" she howled. "DIE!"
"All units, we have a hostile female in a hoodie," a guard shouted into his com. "Engage on sight."
She screamed. "VICTORY WILL BE OURS!"
Lightning was a whirlwind of rage and motion. She shot left and right, determined to end them all. Soon enough, the bodies were piling up and the Templars had changed their tactics. Lightning decided she had seen enough bodies for one night. Besides, she grumbled to herself. I have to go make sure Andy and Sol are okay.
She disappeared into the shadows. Soon she had safely made it back to the den. She walked in and headed straight for the last place she had left the others. She was overjoyed to see Andy sitting up. Some color had returned to his face. The den leader's mother was tending to Sol.
"Andy!" she exclaimed. "I did it in a jiffy. Does that make you happy?"
"Uh, yeah! That was awesome of you." He smiles, then grunted in pain as the den leader's mother began treating his shoulder. "But we need to stay low for the rest of the night; otherwise they'll end up killing us. Now that we have the building plans, we can focus our next attack on getting the location of the observatory."
"Okay," Lightning smiled.
"What... happened?" Sol awoke slowly.
"You guys were injured, so I patched you up and then got rid of a bunch of Templars," Lightning shrugged.
"Lightning pulled us out of the Abstergo Headquarters. We escaped." Andy grinned. "I think we should get some rest and plan the next attack tomorrow. The Montreal Assassins will keep us safe for the night."
"Thanks... Lightning," Sol began to pale again. "I think... I'm going to..."
Sol promptly lost consciousness again. She looked sickly and she could barely move. Still, Lightning was glad to see that she was breathing easy. She was sure that tonight, she would not lose a sister.