9/6/16: I feel much better for giving the Templars a species. Also, the conversations between them and the Assassin after the assassinations occur in eagle vision since there is no Animus simulation. Unity introduced that idea where the memories are seen after the assassinations. I tweaked it to where these conversations occurred instead since I enjoy those more in my opinion.

Target: Male Raccoon

Occupation: Reporter for ZNN

Location: Downtown Zootopia

Time: Night

The Assassin, a male predator, sat on the top of a building, looking down below at the streets. He pulled his eyes away briefly to the open manila folder in his paws that contained a picture of a male raccoon. The raccoon is a renowned reporter for the Zootopia News Network, but he also carries a dark secret. The reporter is a member of the Templar Order and as a result, the Assassin marked him for death. But simply being a Templar was not the only reason. The Assassin learned of the raccoon's current investigation that warranted intervention. If the reporter were to the discovery, the Assassin, along with Zootopia, would be doomed. After days of tracking the target and making preparations, the circumstances were finally ripe. According to the schedule the Assassin procured, the raccoon is to be at his current location tonight. Finishing one last review, he closed the folder and waited patiently for the target to arrive.

At 12:08 AM, the raccoon finally appeared, and the Assassin climbed down from the building. On the ground, he began tailing the Templar from a safe distance. Night gave the Assassin a better environment to work in but made tails more difficult with almost no mammals around for him to hide in. Extra precautions were also taken since the Templar is also a nocturnal mammal. During the tail, a red light intersection forced the Assassin to stop briefly, but it lessened the chance of him being discovered. The light finally turned green for his lane a minute later and the Assassin crossed to the other side. In the middle of the intersection, lights shined brightly on him and he heard the sound of a screeching vehicle growing louder by the second. He snapped his head in the direction of the lights and sound to see a police cruiser fast approaching, trying to brake. The cruiser managed to stop just in time, almost hitting the Assassin.

A female voice was immediately heard from the cruiser. "Sorry about that!"

A male voice came soon after. "Me too. My partner wasn't focusing on the road!"

The Assassin raised his paw up to signal he was okay. "No worries!"

While walking away, he heard a conversation from inside the cruiser about the near collision with a pedestrian before the officers drove away. The Assassin smirked and chuckled at what he could hear but remained focus on the mission. Despite wanting to remain silent, not responding to the police would have drawn suspicion. Thankfully, the encounter did not scare off the raccoon. He hoped it caused the reporter to let his guard down by thinking the police stopped him for suspicious behavior. Eventually, the raccoon paused to check his current location. The Assassin stood across the street from him and feigned a phone call with his cell to avoid suspicion. The raccoon then entered a nearby alley and the Assassin soon followed.

At the alley entrance, he saw the reporter kneeling down to investigate the ground he stood on. While checking, the raccoon discovered a hidden sewer cover from knocking on the ground. Seizing the opportunity and realizing how close the Templar was to making the discovery, the Assassin quietly approached the raccoon and flicked his wrist, a blade appearing from the sleeve. Engulfed in his search, the reporter was unaware of the incoming danger as the distance closed between the two predators. When the raccoon stood up, he was suddenly seized from behind and felt a paw cover his mouth. Before the Templar could struggle, he grunted and felt something sharp enter his back abdominal area. The Assassin immediately released the raccoon and calmly stepped back with the blade covered in blood. The reporter grabbed his wound, gasping in pain as he had trouble standing up.

"I warned you to stay away and gave you ample reason to do so," The Assassin said. "You left me no choice."

"What difference would that make?" The raccoon said, breathing heavily from the wound as he clutched it. "You would have come after me regardless. Am I right?"

The Assassin remained silent.

"I thought so. I was never afraid of you, Assassin. I faced danger and threats throughout my career. The only difference was that you actually fulfilled your threat. I commend you for that."

"Even in low numbers, the Assassins are still a force to reckon with. It only takes one."

"You cannot stop the truth from getting out. All of Zootopia will know what happened here tonight, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You ironically helped me complete my last mission."

The Assassin leaned down closer to the Templar. "I'm not trying to stop the truth. I do this to send a message, to your Order and to Zootopia. This is only the beginning."

The predator watched the raccoon stumble out of the alley, weakly calling for help before encountering a female mink and falling over dead in front of her. The mink screamed at the sight and in a panic, saw the Assassin in the alley. She quickly hid nearby and reached for her phone to dial the police.

"911, what's your emergency?" The dispatcher answered.

"Hello...police?" Her breathing was heavy and frantic. "Someone's been murdered...and I think I'm next!"

"Calm down ma'am. What is happening now?"

She slowed her breathing enough to respond. "I'm currently hiding nearby the murder scene, but I don't know how long I'll be safe. Please send help right away! "

"Stay calm. Can you give us your location?"

The mink relayed her location.

"We're sending officers right away, ma'am. Stay hidden and remain on the line. Let us know if anything else happens."

The mink took a deep breath before responding. "Okay."

She remained calm and quiet but still fearful for her life. Moments passed and nothing else happened. The mink wondered why the Assassin did not pursue her since she witnessed the crime. Knowing the risks, the mink took a deep breath and looked in the alley. To her surprise and relief, the Assassin was gone.

Under the sewer cover, said mammal descended down the ladder into the tunnel and followed it to a dead end, hearing the incoming sirens on the way. There, the Assassin removed a block from the side wall to reveal a keyhole. He inserted the blade in the hole and jiggled until a mechanical noise sounded. The wall in front of him descended to reveal the hidden secret: a secret hideout. The wall hid the entrance after the Assassin entered. Inside, he walked to a board where pictures of Templars were posted all over Zootopia. With a marker, he crossed out the image of the raccoon reporter. At the computers, the Assassin accessed the traffic cameras to the location of the murder and the footage revealed the ZPD already on the scene. Sitting back in the chair, he sighed and watched the situation unfold.

"There's no turning back now."