As well as my Evie & Jacob one shots, I am also writing a modern Assassin's creed series

Previously in this series: After being framed for a crime, Jacob left the Order and the Assassin village. Five year later, the Young Assassin team meet Vex and enter into an agreement with him and his club.

After a bombing at the club, it is revealed that Shay Patrick Cormac has escaped the high security prison he was in…. and is now in the wind. Jacob however, after making a brief appearance at a festival, is still in the wind.

And the drift between Vex and the Assassins grows.

Please enjoy, and read and review J

…

It was late.

Haytham doubted anyone else was in the office. Ethan had gone back to the Assassin village an hour ago, and to be honest, Haytham was planning to do the same soon. He slowly gathered his things and rubbed his face wearily.

Sometimes, he hated that the Council insisted they have a secret location for certain projects… an anonymous building on the edge of town, where no-one could track them.

Suddenly, the lights turned off, despite Haytham's finger being no-where near the switch.

Slowly, he flicked the switch on… but everything remained dark.

Instantly, he was on the defensive, keeping breath steady and his ears open for any strange noises.

It was too quiet.

Slowly, he opened the door, activating his Assassin blade in preparation, only for someone to grab his wrist. Undeterred, he swung his other fist towards the attacker and felt it connect with someone's cheek.

Unsurprisingly, whoever it was let go of his wrist and took several steps back…. Unfortunately, someone else grabbed his other wrist.

Haytham thrashed desperately as the original attacker took hold of his other wrist again, kicking out until his foot connected with a stomach.

It didn't deter the attackers.

A cloth bag slipped over his head, smelling of strong chemicals that burnt his nose. The more he fought, the more his mind slipped, and his movements slowed…. Eventually, his body went limp.

The last thought he had, was of his beloved wife.

Ziio.

…..

He was never late.

'Never', Ziio thought to herself. Haytham always arrived before or on the exact time that he had to be wherever it was.

She chalked it up to his English, good manners.

He had never been as late as this – ten minutes. She glanced over at her mobile, wondering if she should go that far…. She hated technology like that. Conner had only got her it because he wanted to keep in contact.

Eventually, she gave up and grabbed the phone, wrangling with autocorrect for a couple of minutes before sending it off.

No reply.

She glared at the phone. Did it not go through?

Refusing to panic, she began thinking of more logical reasons why her husband wasn't home yet… car trouble? Traffic? Long queue at the grocery store?

Ziio knew she was only kidding herself.

She squinted towards the sky…. It was a horrible day. Then again, the weather in England always seemed to be like this.

She needed to go back to America with the boys someday soon, once all this fuss with Shay had settled down. Breathing in familiar air would be a welcome distraction from all this.

It was then she decided to try and call Haytham, navigating to her contacts list and picking out her husband (labelled under Tiakení:teron). She pressed dial and held the phone to her ear as the first raindrops started to fall.

The call picked up on the fifth ring, right before it should have gone to voicemail.

"Haytham…" she sighed in relief, "… I was getting worried. You're late home! What's happened?"

No response.

Ziio frowned, looking at the phone screen, before putting it back to her ear. She was sure that the call had been picked up.

"Haytham?"

"I'm afraid Haytham is a little… tied up at the moment."

The voice wasn't her husband's…. but it did sound familiar.

So familiar, that Ziio felt as though her blood had turned to ice.

"Where's Haytham?" she growled, her shoulders stiffening and her back straightening, instantly going on the defensive.

"He's right here…. Unconscious at the moment, but if he were awake, I'd have him scream for you savage!"

The ice turned to fire, burning through Ziio's body. Her voice was clipped when she spoke again. "Leave him alone."

"Not until I have my revenge!"

Ziio could have sworn he saw red, her hand clenched into a fist without conscious decision. "Who are you?" She growled, "What do you want?"

"I told you… I want revenge. On you. On Haytham…. Even on that brat of yours!"

Now she knew where she'd heard that voice… not that it did anything to assuage Ziio's growing anger, as she started to curse the man in her native tongue.

The call clicked off.

Ziio unfroze slowly, becoming aware that her entire body was physically shaking. Rarely did her emotions, never-mind anger, get the better of her. She pressed her fingers into her palm roughly and then relaxed again, forcing herself to breathe.

Then she threw the phone against the wall.

"Ista?"

She span around to face her son, "Vex's club…" she growled, storming past him and grabbing her coat, "… I need the address, now!"

"Ista, why- "

"Just get me the address Ratonhnhaké:ton!"

Even though her son towered high above her, Ziio felt a twinge of satisfaction, that she was still in charge, and that her son still listened to her. Conner blurted out the address in shock, his eyes wide as he stared down at his Mother.

She pulled him into a hug in silent apology, "My apologies Conner… I promise I am not unhappy with you. I just really need to speak to Vex about…. About something."

"… Alright Ista. Do you want me to- "

"- No…. No, I will be alright on my own."

Conner watched in concern as his Ista wrapped her coat around herself and headed out of the door, leaving the broken pieces of the phone behind.