The Second World War is already in full swing, and it is surely tearing the world apart. It all started in the year 1939, where the Germans, lead by the tyrannical Adolf Hitler, annexed Poland, taking half of it for themselves. He wasn't alone. He had an ally, just as tyrannical as he was, and his name was Benito Mussolini, from Italy, the homeland of the great Assassin Ezio Auditore. He conquered the African country of Ethiopia, with relative ease. The country tried to resist Mussolini, but ultimately fell. As for Hitler, his next move was by far the cruelest to my heart. He invaded my home country of France. Beginning in May 1940, Nazi forces pushed around the not so bright military defense system called the Maginot Line. As the Nazis closed in on Paris, I chose to flee upon hearing the news, and made my way to Dunkirk, where I witnessed a bloody massacre. A childhood friend who was fighting at Dunkirk managed to get me onto a ship, allowing me evacuate with the Allied soldiers to England. As soon as I arrived in London, I sought out Lydia Frye, a friend of my deceased mother's and Mentor of the Canadian Assassins. She welcomed me with open arms, and provided me with food, clean drinking water, shelter, clothes, and her knowledge of the current happenings around wartime London. It was at her flat on the twenty-fifth of June where I had heard the terrible news: France had fallen to the Nazis. The homeland of my family, fallen into corrupt hands. My family would not stand for this. I would not stand for this. Lydia herself would not stand for this either. In early September, Lydia suggested we impede their progress in London, as rumors of a mysterious spy group that are responsible for coordinating Luftwaffe bombing raids from within London. Bring them to an end, and the bombing raids stop.
My life changed over the course of these two days in September of 1940.
My name is Isabelle Allard, French Master Assassin, and this is my story.
I arrived at the flat of Lydia Frye at 6:44 pm, according to my pocket watch. The pocket watch was a family heirloom, once belonging to Francois Dorian, my great-great-great Grandfather. The evening fog hung over the sky of London, a rare sight in September. The fog itself was so dense, I couldn't even see the spire of the mighty St. Paul's Cathedral. It even felt like it was choking me at times, so I knocked on the door of Lydia's flat three times, and held my right hand up to my mouth. Before long, the door opened, and before me stood a woman with black hair done up in a bun. She was wearing a long black trench coat, with a beige collared shirt and black pants, along with a hidden blade under her left sleeve. It was none other than Lydia herself.
Lydia shook my hand. "Hello, Isabelle. Welcome back! I thought you got lost in the fog!"
I smiled, and nodded my head.
"Nah. I actually know where to go, now that I've been here for a while." I replied, as I walked into her flat's living area. It was a small little living area, with a bookshelf, love seat, couch, and a reading chair beside the bookshelf. In the middle of the living area was a large rug, which really didn't match the colour of the furniture. I changed paths and made my way into her kitchen, where I had a seat at the table. Lydia walked up to the tea kettles on her stove.
"Which tea would you prefer, Isabelle? Green or Earl Grey?"
"Earl Grey, please." I replied, as Lydia began to pour some Earl Grey tea into a small tea cup, and placed the cup on a dish. She handed it to me. I blew on it to cool it down, and watched as Lydia poured herself some Green tea.
"How's your grandfather doing, Lydia?" I asked, starting the conversation.
Lydia smiled and chuckled.
"Jacob is still very cantankerous. He hasn't changed much. He's still living with grand-Aunt Evie out in Crawley." Lydia replied, sipping on her green tea. "But its a shame that I haven't been able to visit my grandfather and grand-aunt in some time due to the war breaking out and me being so busy. With many British and Canadian Assassins enlisting in their respective military, and with Sam being a Lieutenant Marshal in the RAF, someone has to combat the Germans and Templars on the ground, if they do come."
"Makes sense to me." I replied, as I continued to sip on my tea. "I guess that's why we are here."
We both chuckled as we finished our tea. Lydia got up and walked to the kettles on the stove. She pointed at the kettles, asking if I wanted some more tea. I nodded my head to say no. I put my empty teacup onto my saucer, and placed it on the kitchen counter.
"Have you heard anything else about the possible Nazi spy ring in the city?" I asked, sounding intrigued.
Lydia paused for a few moments before grabbing the kettles off of the stove, and placing them gently on the kitchen counter.
"Follow me into the living room, if you would be so kind." Lydia replied, as she brushed by me on her way to the living room. After dusting myself off, I followed her after she entered the living room. As I was approaching, I could hear the slam of a door. When I entered, I saw that Lydia had rolled back a rug, and beneath that rug was a large wooden door. The door itself had a rope on it, which Lydia had pulled back to open.
How'd Lydia manage to get this open so quick?
"Come on down, Isabelle!" Lydia shouted from the bottom, her voice echoing. I lifted up my dark brown jacket, and walked down the stairs down a long hallway with brick walls, which led to to a bunker underneath her flat. Wires ran along the roof of the tunnel, leading into the main bunker. The walls of the bunker contained maps of London, each of them extensively written on. In the middle of two Union Jack and Canadian flags with our insignia on them, lay a radio, with wires going up through the roof. Various documents littered the desk the radio was sitting on. Lydia turned around in her chair, and placed her hand on the radio.
"This is where I get my information from." Lydia said happily.
"That explains why I don't see you late in the evening." I replied, sounding incredibly confused. "So you get your information from a radio?"
Lydia scoffed at my question.
"How else would I keep in touch with Sam?" Lydia replied, with a question to answer my question. "This is how I found out about this potential threat. I'll see if I can get a hold of him, so he can share this information with you. Give me a moment to get set up here..."
I watched as Lydia turned on the radio. After Lydia fidgeted with the wires of the radio for a few moments, we managed to hear the voice of a man come through the radio.
"Lydia? Is that you?" the voice asked happily. Lydia smiled upon hearing the man's voice.
"Yes it is, Sam!" Lydia exclaimed. "How are things at the barracks?"
"Well enough, my love. Things have been relatively quiet here." Sam replied, his voice a little muffled by the static. "Has Isabelle arrived back at the flat yet?"
Lydia looked back at me, and then back at the microphone.
"Yes she is. As a matter of fact, she is here beside me." Lydia replied, clearing her throat. "She wants to know about the possible Nazi spy ring within the city."
"Alright, Isabelle. Listen closely." Sam stated. I leaned in closer. "Throughout the city, I have heard rumors of a Nazi Spy ring employing an Aryan courier relaying messages between a small center, and their headquarters in the city. It is believed this small center is around St. Paul's Cathedral. Following up on another rumor, they also relay messages to Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goring. I'd look into these rumors myself, but due to me being stationed at the RAF Headquarters, I am unable to. Will you two look into these rumors, and if they are true, bring an end to them?"
I leaned into the microphone, and cleared my throat.
"You can count on us, Monsieur Crowder." I reassured Lydia's husband.
"Very good, Isabelle." Sam replied. "I can't wait to hear news on this disturbing matter soon."
"See you soon, my love." Lydia said happily.
"See you soon, Lydia, my love." Sam replied, in the same happy tone. Lydia shut the radio off.
"It's settled then." Lydia stated, turning around to face me. "We will start our investigation of St. Paul's tomorrow. Rest for tonight, and ready your blade for tomorrow."
I nodded my head, and followed Lydia out of the bunker. After I exited the bunker, Lydia closed the door behind me. I assisted her in rolling the rug over the door. I dusted myself off, and looked up at Lydia.
"Where would you have me rest?" I asked, as I sat down on the couch.
Lydia looked around.
"You could have my bed upstairs, Isabelle."
"Are you sure?"
"Don't worry. I'm fine with it."
I smiled, and watched as Lydia got herself comfortable on the couch I was sitting on. I walked around the corner to see the flight of stairs. I followed them up to the second floor, and found a room to my right, which contained Lydia's bed. Beige paint covered the wall. Beside Lydia's bed sat a nightstand, with a bible on the far right corner. I sat down, and untied my boots, and placed them at the foot of my bed. I slid my jacket off, folded it, and placed it beside my boots. I looked down at my hidden blade, and flicked it out. I smiled with approval, and flicked the blade back in. I rolled up my sleeve, undid the fasteners, and removed the blade from my left wrist. I set my blade and bracer on Lydia's nightstand.
All right, Isabelle. Time to get some rest.
I peeled back the grey blanket, and slid under the covers. As my head hit the pillow, my eyes shut instantly, and as I drifted off to sleep, I wondered what lay ahead of us tomorrow.
My sleep was rudely interrupted by the loud droning of an air raid horn. I quickly awoke, and grabbed my boots. After tying them on hastily, I fastened my hidden blade bracer to my wrist, and grabbed my folded jacket. As I put my jacket on, I walked over to the window, and what I saw was horrendous. Instead of seeing the sunrise pierce through the morning fog, I saw RAF and German fighter planes engaging in combat above the mighty St. Paul's Cathedral, smoke surrounding the dome. With no time to put my long black hair into a ponytail, I rushed down the stairs.
I must look for Lydia.
When I got downstairs, I looked into the living room, to see if Lydia was there. I saw that the couch was empty. I also noticed that the Hidden door was locked as well. I peered into the kitchen, only to see the teacups and kettle sitting on the counter.
Damn it. Where the hell could you be, Lydia?
I opened the door, almost suffocated from the acrid smoke from the German bombs. Through the smoke, I could barely see a feminine figure standing on the sidewalk, looking up to the darkened sky.
"Lydia, is that you?"
The figure turned around.
"Good morning Isabelle!" Lydia greeted me, as I approached her side. "Fine time to join me!"
"When did the German bastards arrive?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips as I lifted my head towards the smoky sky.
"The bastards arrived under the cover of darkness a half hour ago." Lydia replied. "I'm surprised you weren't awoken by the first air raid horn."
"Nah, it was the second one that got me." I replied, followed by a brief laugh. "How long have you been standing out here for?"
Lydia turned over to me.
"Ever since they came." Lydia replied, with a chuckle. "The first air horn woke me up, and I've been down here ever since, waiting for you to come."
I looked down at my left wrist, and flicked out my hidden blade, which was tucked under my left sleeve..
"Should we make our way over to St. Paul's?" I asked, turning towards the cathedral.
Lydia nodded her head approvingly, and we began to walk down towards the cathedral in central London. Just before we arrived at the cathedral, Lydia stopped in front of a pharmacy. I shot a look of confusion towards the Canadian Assassin Mentor, who looked up towards the windows above the pharmacy.
"Why have we stopped here?" I asked confusingly. "Does this pharmacy have any significance to you?"
Lydia smiled.
"Yes it does. Well, the upper part does." Lydia replied, as her eyes remained fixed on the pharmacy. "I was born here, in this flat. This flat used to belong to British Assassin Council member Juliette Marie Dorian, who was your Great-Great-Great Grand-Aunt. Plus it was the place where Sam and myself would train to hone our skills under the tutelage of my grandfather Jacob Frye, and my grand-aunt Evie Frye, while my parents were away."
"Interesting." I replied, sounding fascinated. "When did it become a pharmacy, and what can you tell me about my great-great-great grand-aunt?"
"I can tell you more about Juliette at a later time, I promise." Lydia replied sternly. "As for the pharmacy, I haven't the foggiest. I'd imagine before the Great War..." Her head quickly turned. My head turned with hers, to see a man with bleach blond hair cautiously look about his surroundings, trying to navigate his way through.
"There's our Aryan. Just like Sam said." Lydia stated, as she beckoned me forward. "Let's follow, but stay out of sight."
I nodded my head approvingly. She nodded her head curtly, and before long, Lydia and myself followed the strange blond haired man down the street, using the smoke as a disguise. Every time I got close, Lydia would pull me back, and say that we have to tail him to the base without being seen. I held myself back, and continued the pursuit of the Aryan man. As we got near the cathedral, the Aryan man caught wind of our presence through the smoke. He quickly bolted towards the entrance of St. Paul's Cathedral, with myself and Lydia in hot pursuit.
"Nein! Nein! Get away!" he shouted, as he arrived at the entrance. He quickly picked the lock, and entered the cathedral, slamming the door behind him, locking us out.
"Fuck off, British scum!"
Lydia pulled on the door, and slammed her fist on the door.
"Damn it!" I shouted, stomping my foot angrily. "Bastard got away!"
Lydia held her hands on her hips, looking lost in thought. "Not so fast."
"What are we going to do, Lydia?" I asked, before Lydia held one finger up, and focused on the building before her.
"I found our Aryan." Lydia replied, as she beckoned me to walk with her. I jogged up beside her as we walked around the right side of the cathedral. "He's hiding in the courtyard."
"How did you find him, Lydia?" I asked for the second time.
Lydia winked at me, and smiled.
"It's my gift." She replied, still smiling, as we continued our walk around the Cathedral. She froze again, and surveyed the building. Again she smiled, and walked up to the base of the building. I smiled as I watched her beckon me over. I stood beside her, and was taken by surprise as she wrapped her right arm around my waist.
"Lydia, what are we doing..." I was about to ask, as Lydia lifted her left arm up into the air. I watched as a small hook ejected itself from Lydia's hidden blade bracer, and before I knew it, we were bouncing up the side of the cathedral. Upon hoisting herself up onto the roof, Lydia extended her hand, and helped me up. I dusted myself off, and joined up with Lydia, who began to walk towards the opening before us. Arriving, we noticed that the courtyard was littered with craters from the German bombs, more evidence of the ongoing conflict terrorizing the skies of London. Peering through the smoke, I spied the Aryan courier, looking around, seeming panicked. Lydia looked over to me, and nodded her head downward, indicating that we jump. I returned the head nod, and jumped down into the courtyard, with Lydia following suit shortly after. I landed, and felt a small tingle in my legs. After Lydia had landed, we immediately set our sights upon the courier. As soon as he saw the two of us, he screamed, and tried to run past us. We held our arms out, grabbed him by his collar, and escorted him to the corner. Lydia shoved him down to the ground. He tried again to run past us, but his effort was in vain, as we flicked out our hidden blades, keeping him cornered.
"What do you want, vile Britons?" the courier questioned us, in a heavy German accent.
"What you can do is tell us where the telecommunications center is." I ordered, inching my blade towards his throat. "Speak. Now."
"Never, frog."
The courier spat in my face. Lydia intervened quickly.
"Speak. Now." Lydia repeated, crouching down to meet his blue eyes. Lydia's Hidden Blade was at his throat. "Your life depends on it."
The courier was sweating nervously, taking deep breaths, and beginning to panic.
"The Tower of London! The Tower of London!" He exclaimed, sounding panicked. "Are you happy, British scum?"
Lydia turned over to me. I watched as the pulled out a beige pill.
"Long live the Third Reich!" he shouted, as he ingested the pill. His mouth began to foam, and his body began to convulse. His blue eyes rolled into the back of his head as he breathed his last breath. I knelt down beside his body, and closed his eyes.
"Repose en Paix." I whispered, closing his eyes as I got up from my knees. Looking back down at his body, I noticed a pin on his collar. The pin consisted of three rectangles forming a triangle.
"Lydia, look at this." I said, pointing at the pin. Lydia crouched down, and examined the pin.
"Abstergo Industries. Why am I not surprised." she muttered, before spitting beside the body.
"Templars?"
"More like the mask they hide behind." Lydia replied coolly. "They were founded in the United States some three years ago by Henry Ford and a couple of other men whose names escape me. I've been tracking their activities from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, my place of residence, all the way to London, the city of my birth. I've finally found proof that they are linked to this spy ring. Come, Isabelle. We must make our leave."
Lydia darted ahead of me. I took a few steps towards her and froze. I watched as an apparition of a red haired woman in French Master Assassin Robes manifested in front of Lydia, and ran towards the apparitions of three men, dressed in regal robes. I rushed up towards the three men, who looked as if they were lost in the smoke. I watched as the red haired woman thrust her hidden blade into the throat of the man to her left, with her cutlass in her right hand swiftly taking care of the other two men. The apparition knelt down, and wiped the throat of the man to her left with a handkerchief. She stood up, and turned her head towards me. I flicked out my hidden blade, and took a few steps forward, anticipating the ghost's arrival. Our eyes locked, and then it hit me. I was staring into the eyes of Elise de la Serre, my great-great-great-great grandmother. She cocked a half smile towards me before her apparition vanished. Lydia walked up to me, seemingly puzzled as I flicked my Hidden Blade back into the sleeve of my jacket.
"Did you see that?" I asked, still in shock of what I saw.
"See what, Isabelle?" Lydia asked, her tone of voice matching her expression.
"The apparition of Elise de la Serre!" I exclaimed, with my hands up. "She manifested in front of you! She was right there! You had to have seen..."
I pointed to where I saw the ghost of Elise. Lydia placed her hand on my shoulder, and looked into my eyes.
"We will discuss this at a later time, Isabelle. I promise." Lydia reassured me. "But we must get to the Tower of London. Time is of the essence."
I nodded my head, as I accompanied her in walking towards the door the Aryan used to get into the courtyard. Lydia pried the door open, and allowed me to pass through. After she entered, Lydia closed the door behind us, and we walked through the cathedral interior. My hair stood up on end upon seeing the elegant interior, still somehow unscathed from the calamity going on outside. Lydia approached the main door of the cathedral, and tugged on the door, to which it opened. We both walked through, returning ourselves to the smoky streets. We turned east, and began our trek towards the Tower of London. The first hour of the walk was quiet between the two of us, while the raid raged on in the air. Growing bored, I broke the silence.
"What could you tell me of your home city in Canada, Saskatoon?" I asked curiously. Lydia turned towards me.
"Saskatoon was a quiet little town when I first arrived in 1917." Lydia replied happily. "Sam accompanied me there, and we formed a bureau in the heart of the city, away from the eyes of the populace. Recruiting those oppressed by the known Templar threat in the town to our brotherhood. The town grew in to a beautiful city, shining along the beautiful river, and along with it were several bridges. The train bridge and the traffic bridge downtown were favorites of ours. At night we would each pick a side of the bridge, and race each other across the bridges in a little free-run challenge. I plan to return there, whenever this war ends."
"Hopefully it will end soon." I replied, as I looked up to see the walls of the legendary Tower of London before me. Never before would I have thought to have seen the fortress of William the Conqueror up close with my own two eyes. Lydia walked up to the guard railing, and looked down. I walked up to her to see what she was looking at.
"Traitor's Gate." Lydia stated, nodding her head towards the gate.
"What about it?" I asked, sounding confused.
"It was the gate many Tudor prisoners walked through to meet their ends." Lydia replied, with a half smirk. "Right now, its our way in. Let's go."
I watched as Lydia leaped over the guard rail, landing in the small puddle below. I let out a deep breath, and leaped over the rail, landing in the same puddle as Lydia had. I followed Lydia through the gate, and accompanied her to the inner walls. While navigating our way through, I did manage to take in some of the sights of the grounds. We climbed up a nearby ladder to gain a better vantage point of the surrounding area. In the center stood the keep itself, with the White Tower dominating the hazy skyline. The courtyard was strangely empty, much to our confusion.
"Strange to see it empty like this." Lydia said, scratching her head. "Hopefully the Ravens are all right."
"Ravens? What ravens?" I asked confusingly. looking around for any of the black birds.
"The Ravens that live at the Tower of London." Lydia replied, turning her head towards me. "It is believed that it is their duty to guard the Crown Jewels, and the Tower itself. My grand-aunt told me of a superstition involving them, which states 'If the Tower of London Ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.'"
"Do you believe in it?" I asked, as a raven flew over our heads.
"I do indeed." Lydia replied, as she turned her attention towards the tower. She focused in on the stone building.
"This can't be right." I began. "The courier said the telecommunications center was here, but the courtyard is empty. Where could they be?"
Lydia held one finger up towards me, commanding silence. I heeded her command as she returned to her focused state.
"There. In St. John's Chapel." Lydia stated, pointing at the back of the White Tower. "The spies running things are in there. Let us be off!" I quickly descended down the face of the building while Lydia used her rope launcher to slide her way towards the White Tower. I rushed across the cobblestone and grass to reach her at the base of the Tower. I got there just in time to watch Lydia descend down the Tower's face. As soon as she landed, she let out a deep breath and dusted herself off. I followed her up the wooden staircase leading to the entrance of the Tower. I readied my hidden blade, and pulled on the door, anticipating the presence of Nazi spies guarding the entrance. Surprised to see none, we quietly entered, and silently made our way up the stairs, careful with our steps, not wanting any of the armor on display to creak. When we got up to the chapel's floor, we hid behind pillars, and eavesdropped on the two spies communicating at a radio, while the other two female spies were playing a card game.
"Our courier has fallen at the Cathedral." The first spy stated sadly. Before he could speak again, he was cut off by the voice coming from the radio.
"It will not matter." The voice replied unnervingly. "The bombing of the RAF Barracks will continue as planned. We have received orders from Commander Goring himself that it will carry on no matter what. From our headquarters here in the city, we will designate which Luftwaffe pilots will carry out the raids. You will be our eyes and ears in the shadows. Do you understand?"
"Very well. I can't wait to hear news of victory. I will send my two new recruits your way within the next few hours." The second spy said into the radio, before the radio fuzzed out. Lydia pulled a smoke bomb out from the pocket of her jacket.
All right, Lydia. Let's do this. I thought, as I pulled out a smoke bomb as well. Lydia pointed at me, and then towards the spies, letting me know silently to throw my smoke bomb. Unbeknownst to the spies in the chapel, Lydia and I threw our smoke bombs in their direction. We watched as the bombs exploded, causing the spies to dance about within the smoke. Lydia rushed through the smoke, towards the spies at the radio. Within the smoke, Lydia pulled out her kukri, and stabbed the spy on her right, before finishing off the spy on her left with her hidden blade. Through the smoke, I spied the two silhouettes of the other two spies. I whipped out my Colt M1911 pistol, and shot the first spy in the left knee, causing her to fall to her knees. I saw the second spy approaching. I quickly ran towards him, leapt up on her companion's back, and lunged at her with my hidden blade extended. As my hidden blade met the flesh of the second spy's throat, a second bullet from my pistol pierced her flesh and went through her heart. By the time the smoke dissipated, both spies laid dead at my feet. Lydia rushed over to me, with her hidden blade extended. She smiled upon seeing the two dead spies at my feet.
"Well done." Lydia said happily. "Now let's go to the radio. Sam will want to hear the news."
Lydia approached the radio, and began to tinker with the radio signal. I began to make my way towards the radio, I heard a familiar voice come through.
"Hello my sweet Lydia. I take it you were successful in locating the Aryan?" Sam's voice questioned. Lydia sat on a crate before responding to her husband.
"Yes, we were." Lydia replied, adjusting herself on the crate. "Isabelle and myself found him within the walls of the Cathedral, and we interrogated him. He disclosed the location of the telecommunications center to us, before biting down on cyanide."
"Interesting. Serves him right." Sam replied sternly. "Did you come across any information at the telecommunications center?"
"We did indeed." Lydia replied in the same stern tone. "We learned that the spy ring is here on behalf of Commander Goring, communicating with the Luftwaffe to bomb the RAF Base you are stationed at outside the city."
Sam groaned.
"I will let my pilots know of this, so they can ready themselves." Sam stated quickly. "But I have some news for you as well before I go. I intercepted a message from the spy ring, disclosing its location. They are located within the area of Victoria Station. Go there quickly!"
Lydia looked down at the radio, after receiving Sam's message. She nodded her head, as I walked away after the radio cut out. After looking down at the dead Nazi spies that littered the stone floor of St. John's Chapel, I looked up to the upper ring of the chapel, and froze. I saw two ghostly figures, a man with red hair and a woman with brown hair. I turned to my left to see the apparition of a man with red hair flick out his hidden blade, the brown haired woman agree with a nod, and flick out her hidden blade, which was on her right wrist. They began to run towards their targets, at the front of the chapel.
My great-great-great grandfather, and my great-great-great grand-aunt, I thought, smiling happily. My smile grew even wider as I watched their hidden blades meet their targets, and watched as they embraced in a handshake before their apparitions vanished. I blinked, and paused for a few moments to take in what I had just seen. Lydia walked up to me, and placed her hand on my shoulder.
"What did you see this time, Isabelle?" Lydia asked, looking up towards the upper ring.
"I saw apparitions of my great-great-great grandfather and grand-aunt assassinating their respective targets." I replied, still trying to wrap my head around everything. "Speaking of which, will you tell me more about Juliette Dorian? You promised you would."
Lydia let out a deep breath, smiled, and sat down on one of the remaining benches. I sat down beside her.
"Now's as good a time as ever." Lydia began, clasping her hands between her legs. "Juliette Dorian was one of the greatest Assassins within the British Brotherhood. After falling out with French Council member Sophie Trenet, she was sent to Crawley by Elise, to train under Leonard Frye, my great-great-great-great grandfather. Juliette was the one who assassinated Templar Grand Master Robert Starrick, which served as a prelude to the liberation of London by my grandfather and grand-aunt in 1868. I like to think that had she not killed Robert Starrick, London would still be in Templar hands. She was also the one responsible for the assassination of Russian Templar Pavel Nakhimov near the end of the Crimean War. She was an incredible, powerful, and inspiring woman. My mother told me that she was present for my birth. I remember her telling me stories about the heroics of the Assassin Brotherhood when I was young, sitting on her knee. She passed away quietly in her sleep when I was three. Even after her death, Juliette was a huge inspiration to me joining the Assassins, and fighting for the free will of the people, much like she did when she was alive."
"It sounds like she has the resume of a legendary Assassin." I replied happily, getting up from my seat. "My mother only told me about my great-great-great grandfather's heroics, and not hers." Lydia did the same, and got up from her seat, stretching a little bit.
"A legendary Assassin she was indeed, Isabelle." Lydia replied, as she walked past me. "Come. Let us make our way to Victoria Station. We've got to stop the spy-ring."
I nodded my head, and accompanied Lydia out of the chapel. Walking down the stairs, a loud booming sound come from the outside of the White Tower. The sound caused the stairs to creak and rattle, which made us grab the railings of the stairs, easing ourselves down tensely. Once we got down to the bottom of the stairs, Lydia gently opened the door, and stepped outside. I stepped out from behind her, to see German and RAF fighter planes continue the violence in the air. Standing at the top of the stairs leading to the courtyard, I looked up to the top of the keep to see two figures, a man and woman with brown hair, sporting hidden blades. It was here where Lydia looked up as well. The man handed the woman an object. The woman nodded her head, and the man turned around. As quickly as they had appeared, the spectral figures vanished. I blinked my eyes, and looked over to Lydia.
"Did you happen to see what I just saw?" I asked. Lydia returned a look to me.
"I did indeed." Lydia replied happily. "That looked like my Grandfather handing off the fake Koh-i-Noor diamond to my Grand-Aunt. I always remember them telling me stories about that day."
"I would love to hear one of them sometime." I said, with a smile. "But like you said before, let's head to Victoria Station, and bring this spy ring to an end."
Lydia nodded her head in agreement, and began to make her way down the stairs into the courtyard. I began my descent beside her.
"Any idea on how we are going to infiltrate the station?" I asked as we carried on through the courtyard.
"A simple question to your answer, Isabelle." Lydia replied, turning her head towards me. "There is a tailor shop not too far away from the station. We will stop there, grab a pair of trench coats, and take the guises of those two female recruits that were killed in the chapel."
I nodded my head curtly in agreement, as we leaped down into where the moat was supposed to be, and passed through Traitor's Gate, treading through shallow water. Surprised that only my shoes got wet and not my feet inside, Lydia and myself climbed up on to the Main Street, and darted across the street to catch up with a British tugboat not too far away from the docks. We darted down onto the docks and leaped onto the tugboat, managing to avoid the filth that was called the River Thames. The sailor was taken aback by us at first, and threatened to shoot at us, until he saw a British Union Jack on Lydia's folded down collar. Lydia pointed to the west.
"Take us to the docks by Victoria Station!" Lydia shouted, her voice muffled out over the planes overhead. Reading Lydia's lips, the sailor obliged, and continued sailing up the Thames. Lydia approached me as I looked up into the sky, watching Luftwaffe pilots engage with the RAF pilots overhead.
"It won't be long before we arrive at the docks." Lydia stated, looking forward. "The tailor shop is just a block away from the docks."
The both of us looked up to see the dogfight continuing in the sky.
"Just seeing that takes me back." Lydia told me, looking up at the sky.
"What makes you say that?"
"Back in the Great War, I got to man an anti-aircraft gun on a tugboat at the behest of Winston Churchill, not far from Tower Bridge."
"How'd that go?"
"It was a blast." Lydia replied happily. "If given the opportunity, I would gladly do it again."
I smiled as the tugboat approached the docks. Lydia saluted the sailor as we departed from the boat. I waved to the sailor, who waved back to me, and carried on his course up the Thames. After a few short steps, I could see Victoria Station appear in the distance, towering over the buildings surrounding it. Walking down the street, Lydia pointed out the tailor shop to me. We approached and entered. The shopkeeper recognized Lydia, and smiled.
"Ah, Mrs. Crowder!" He exclaimed. Lydia shot him a look, followed by a smile.
"You can still call me Frye, Elliot." She replied, as she approached his desk, and hugged him. "How much do you want for those two trench coats over there?"
The shopkeeper turned around to face the trench coats, and then looked back towards Lydia, who was pulling out a few bills from the pocket of her pants.
"You don't have to pay a single euro." Elliot replied, as he placed the two coats on his desk. "Free of charge."
Lydia thanked the shopkeeper politely, and then winked at me as we walked out of the store. We slid our jackets on, which slid past our knees, and walked towards the eastern side of Victoria Station.
"How did you know the shopkeeper?" I inquired.
"Friend of Sam's." Lydia replied happily, as we approached the station. "He was Sam's Best Man at our wedding, and served with him during the Great War."
We entered the station on the east side at sunset, and looked around for men who looked like Nazi spies. While we were looking, I noticed that the Luftwaffe had done significant damage to the beautiful station. Lydia paused momentarily, pointed at a small building in front of us, and then returned her focus to me.
"They're located just a little north from here." Lydia informed me, as she let her hair fall to her shoulders. She placed her Union Jack pin on her collar in her pocket. "Let your hair down, and put on your best German accent."
"I don't have to let my hair down, Lydia."
Lydia quickly smiled, before a stern look returned to her face. I nodded my head, let out a deep breath, and followed Lydia towards the small building they were held up in. As we approached, two men guarding the building held out their arms to stop us.
"Halt!" One ordered. "Who do you two think you are?"
Here we go, Isabelle.
"I am Augusta Schmidt, and this is my sister, Sophia. We come from the telecommunications center at the Tower of London. Requesting entry." I stated, putting on my best German accent.
The second man seemed suspicious, but held his arm out along with the first man.
"Welcome, Augusta and Sophia Schmidt." He replied. "You are late. Entry granted. Go straight to sleep."
Lydia and I watched as some of the spies began to fall asleep. Once the guardsmen returned their focus to the entrance, and the handful of men inside were fully asleep, Lydia looked around to check and see if the coast was clear. She walked up to a small desk, and sifted through the documents that were on the table. Looking back to make sure the guardsmen weren't looking, I approached beside her.
"No, no, no, no. Where the devil are you?" Lydia whispered, as the document she was looking for evaded her. I looked through the documents as well, but could not find what she was seeking.
"What document are you looking for, Lydia?" I whispered, before she cut me off.
"Here you are, you bugger!" Lydia exclaimed in a quiet voice, holding up the document to show me. "This is proof that this spy ring received documents from the Luftwaffe telling them that today they would bomb London and the RAF base outside of London. The message was received at the Tower, and delivered by the courier to this location, with..."
Lydia was cut off by the distant sound of what seemed to be an airplane spiraling out of control. The sound grew closer and closer, which awoke the men in the spy ring. Lydia grabbed me, and mouthed the word run. Lydia and I ran among the panic as the plane pierced the roof of the station, lighting the small building ablaze. Screams of pain and anguish came from the station as the fire began to consume the building. Lydia and myself dusted ourselves off, and walked down to the docks along the Thames. We were greeted by enthusiastic cheers from the people on the docks and on the naval vessels on the river who had witnessed the Luftwaffe plane fall into Victoria Station. Lydia turned towards me, and smiled.
"We did it, Youngblood."
"We did indeed, Lydia. We did indeed."
We smiled and waved to the massive crowds along the docks, who continued to shout out words of adulation and praise as we began the long walk back towards Lydia's flat, exhausted after removing the remnants of the spy ring that was putting the citizens of London and the rest of the United Kingdom in danger.
"This is correspondence from Goring himself. Straight from Berlin." Lydia stated, placing the document on the table. "Letting the spies know that they were going to be bombing London, today. Which was thwarted by the RAF today."
I picked up the document, and smiled approvingly, continuing to sip on my tea. The setting sun pierced through the window, casting light on the debris left behind by the Luftwaffe and RAF planes. It also managed to light up the document briefly as I read it.
"A huge victory for the Assassins, and Britain." I replied happily, placing the document back on the table. "Not only did we thwart the German spy ring here in London, but obtained a crucial document from a high ranking Nazi official."
"Who may be our next target." Lydia added. I looked up at her, confused. "I'm going to pass it by Sam, so he can pass it by my good friend, Eddie Gorm. Mr. Gorm may assist us on the mission if we get approval. Now go rest, Isabelle. I'll go contact Sam."
I nodded my head, and made my way to Lydia's room. Before I left, I felt Lydia's hand on my shoulder.
"Thank you for helping me, Isabelle Allard. I couldn't have done it without you." She said, as I turned around. "Your mother would have been proud of you."
My eyes began to fill with tears. I hugged Lydia with all I had, crying into her shoulder for several minutes. Lydia patted me on the shoulder, and gave me a reassuring smile. I made my way up to Lydia's room, and sat on the edge of her bed, peeling off my long trench coat, placing it on the hanger beside her bed. Looking out the window, I could see the citizens of London cheering with glee knowing that the Germans were unsuccessful in breaking their city. I flicked out my Hidden Blade, and flicked it back in before I unfastened the bracer, sliding it off of my wrist. I placed my Blade and bracer on the nightstand next to the bed. I continued to wipe tears from my eyes as I laid my head back onto the pillow. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, knowing that I, Isabelle Allard, succeeded in my first mission as a Master Assassin.