Picking up the Pieces

It has only been a month since Klaus von Stauffenberg's execution, but I can already feel the weight of my new responsibilities bearing down on me. The holocaust has killed many of our brothers, not to mention millions of innocents. Operation Valkyrie has only served to draw Hitler's attention to the Assassins within the Empire. I need to connect with the splinter groups. As of now, they are disorganized and leaderless.

I turn the dial on my radio transmitter, "The Eagle's wounds will not keep him from finding his prey."

I repeat this phrase for hours until my receiver picks up a sound.

"The Eagle's wounds will not keep him from finding his prey."

I turn my radio dial and transmit a single phrase, "The Eagle is on the hunt once again."

I get up off my chair and grab my coat and hidden blade. I walk over to the door of my apartment and open it. Outside the door lays a single package, about a meter long. There was a stamp on the package, "Rien n'est vrai, tout est permis. Use wisely.".

He wasn't going to get away this time.

"The Eagle of Berlin is down. The Phoenix will rise from the ashes of the Maid of Orleans {Joan of Arc}."

As I sit in a pub in London in a dark back room I hear a peculiar sound as I polish off the last of a local Templars whiskey.

It sounded like assassin coded messages but the only on who I knew that knows how to read those was my Da. So l walk over to the Templar who I just received the whiskey from an ask as calmly as I can. "Sure Is a peculiar radio ya got there mate" as he turns around to see who said what I brained him with the bottle. "Such a waste pity" I then proceed to interrogate said Templar with a pair of channel locks to the teeth and fingers as to how he came about such a discovery. "Argh stop I found it " he screams. It's a good thing they were flying bombers out today as on a normal day it would have given me away as fast as a man with bad breath in a confessional. "I'll never tell you " he spits blood in my face "rather you tell me mate the easy way or you never eat solids again " Patrick replied "Given the circumstances you be better off telling me now before I get angry " I reach for a pipe wrench. "Ok mate ok we raided a building that we thought housed assassins and killed them found this radio and have been trying to crack the coded messages " he starts to sob "show mercy" I reply " like you showed my family " and strike him with the wrench I look at the radio it sounds off again.


"The Eagle of Berlin is down. The Phoenix will rise from the ashes of the Maid of Orleans

I grab the mic and hit the button. "Lost souls in London in need of the light of truth. Is Paris truly a good spot to catch a glimpse of an Eagle or could the be found else ware?"

I repeated these lines for an hour waiting for a reply

Finally! An answer! Oh thank God.
Justinien thought for a moment, and said in his code a message meaning, "Rouen, not Paris."

"Thank god for small mercies this frequency may be tapped need to plan a rendezvous as I am not safe here I fear Templar discovery need extraction ASAP I repeat location not secure Templar presence is stronger than we thought I am the only one left. I think can you send aid"

"Need extraction ASAP"

The radio had been repeating messages for hours, changing only once or twice. I had been reluctant to answer the first time. Not after my failure with Valkyrie. They wouldn't accept me anymore.

But a brother need my help.

I picked up the radio and transmitted back, "Extraction on its way, stay where you are. If you fear we are being watched, do not use this frequency any longer."

I got up and grabbed the keys to my motorcycle, grabbed the package and headed out the door.

"Need extraction ASAP"

Justinien grabbed his handgun and the keys to his car, "What is your location, monsieur?"

"Extraction is on it way" the radio whined

Patrick thought for a moment the Templars would be back any second.
"Look for where Guy Fawkes made his plot I will be in the highest tower.
But Templar influence is stronger here than we could have ever expected trust no one. Will be expecting a refit of weapons as well this bruiser has been beating on gobs with me mits for a while."

Just then Patrick started to hear voices outside the pub. "Eagle has no talons in London the cross weighs heavy on the neck of parliament. Lost souls seek guidance from the light of truth. "

Patrick sighed. "Finally some damn help"

Three Templar troopers where out side "shite" Patrick gasped. "Looks like the want a drink" as he left the back room he donned an apron to disguise himself as a barkeep now Patrick knew his way around a bar pretty well but a barkeep he was not. He was a fighter but today he tried to play the part hopefully the soldier he brained in the back was unconscious still.

"Barkeep open the door before we kick it down. We are fecking thirsty you old codger you." Yelled one of the soldiers. "Maybe he's not here " breathed another. "Couldn't be we have a man inside so he'd have to be here."

"Alright mates hold on I'm unlatching the bloody door! Don't kick it down." I yelled. Jus then I remembered that the soldier I brained had a pistol on him so I ran back to get it before unlocking the door and ran back to open the door.

"Bout damn time you old fart. We're gonna die of thirst out here." One yelled. "Three pints as fast as you can manage now or well have to beat you and take it ourselves."

Just then I realized that I forgot to bolt the door to the back room just then the radio operator was stumbling thru the bar. "You idiots that's an assassin kill him. As the were reaching for their weapons I thankfully got to my pistol first and shot the first three but as I turned to get the fourth I was shot twice. One In the shoulder and the other grazed my left eye blinding it. I ran over to the last one and beat him with a chair leg till he was dead.

"Got a spot of bother mates I am hit bad gonna try and switch to theta frequency" I hit the nob
"I been shot blinded in one eye need extraction ASAP gonna patch up and met you at the rendezvous point change of plans ill be the dressing as one of the soldiers here meet me outside of the parliament building with a change of clothes and some more suitable weaponry over and out. "

Then I grabbed the uniform and proceeded to dress as a soldier and moved to the meeting place.
I waited for what seemed like an eternity...

"I've been shot and blinded in one eye," the Assassins said on through the radio.

"Dammit." I said under my breath. I pulled over to the side of the road and took the portable radio out of my backpack. I turned the knob and yelled, "Extraction less than an hour away, hold your position."

I didn't have much time.

As I stood waiting for my extraction I noticed that my shoulder was bleeding.
"Damn my arm I need to get to a doctor fast. " I whispered to myself. Luckily I had yet to be discovered
"I stand here like an idiot waiting for the rescue that might never get here. What if I am the only one left. " I thought.

The wind roared in my ears as I sped down the road towards London. "Half an hour more," I thought, "Hang on brother."

"VROOM." I heard from behind. I looked behind me and saw a pickup truck with two men in the front. It was speeding towards me.

I swerved the the side of the road to let them pass, and they accelerated overtaking me in no time. But they stopped as soon as they passed me. Something wasn't right.

The truck had a wooden rear cargo area, filled with sandbags, barrels and... guns. I stopped my bike and was about to turn around when I saw a man creep up from the back and pull out an assault rifle.

I stepped off my bike and loaded a single bullet into my hidden gun attachment. "Look man, I don't wanna do this."

"Dumme Attentäter, warum sollten wir euch schaden kann?" They responded in German. I, of course, understood German, know that it meant "Silly Assassin, why would we hurt you.".

I didn't stand a chance. He fired immediately after his statement.

I fell to the ground and my radio tumbled out of my napsack. I could hear the foot steps coming towards me, I had to act fast. I turned the knob and said, "The Eagle is down."

"Eagle is down," the radio alerted with a voice Justinien recalled very distinctly. He was having trouble placing a name, but he easily pictured the face. It was the man who was tasked with the bomb to kill Hitler.

Justinien raised his radio, "Where have you landed?"

" general alert to all assassin factions operating in and around London and parts of France the dens in London have fallen we have no way to rescue the remaining assassins I fear they might be dead I am awaiting extraction at point upsilon I am in need of an doctor badly" I said into my handheld.

"I am moving as fast as I can this uniform is alright to blend into the area but I need something done about my arm. " I thought.

"The eagle is down" my radio spurted out.

"Shite!" Could this be any worse I thought.

Movin thru the crowds was harder than normal as I couldn't see because all the smoke and I didn't notice that I was being followed.

"Gutentag herr O'leary" as I turned I saw a Templar retrieval squad I started to run but was cut of by more German Templar spies.

I counted as many as I could see I saw around eight.

The closest one shot me with some sort of a dart.

"Ja that will do this one knows their codes take him to the tower. We will find away to brake him. "

I grabbed my radio and turned it on.

"Where are you taking me you dirty German spies." I spat

"Shut your mouth you ignorant Irish scumbag" one soldier said picking up my feet.

"Ja well might as well know not like he'll survive it. We are taking you to the Tower of London." The other one said.

They tossed me in the back of there troop carrier.

The footsteps were getting closer, but a reply came almost immediately.

"Where have you landed?"

I grabbed the radio, and whispered, "Greenwhich. Just outside of Greenwhich. The Eagle is down, but not out."

"Now Assassin. You die." my assailant laughed over my body. I extended my blade.

"No you." I said, turned around and stabbed him through the throat. "Come quick." I added to my fellow Assassin.

My radio buzzed "just outside of Greenwich" I sighed I knew they might not make it in time to save me so I must act now. When they caught me I had no weapons save a spent pistol and my knife which was in my boot.

They took the gun but didn't check for my knife.

"Soon" I told myself.

I maybe a drunken old son of an assassin but all I ever wanted was to be normal now look at me bound an gaged in the back of a troop carrier going to be tortured to death. My my if only da could see me now. I thought.

"Stop were here" the soldier said to the other.

I might be able to strech this as long as I can I can't risk them killing me though. I thought.

Justinien stamped on the brake. No, the gas pedal. Stupid backwards British cars.
Thankfully, he was only minutes away from Greenwich. His mind raced faster than the car itself. He didn't want to lose any more brothers to the Templars. If he could save them all, he would. A gunshot rang in the distance. The car would not go faster.

He saw a group of men in the distance and growing nearer. He slammed the brakes, but the car was not willing to slow down as quickly as it had accelerated. It began to swerve. Justinien adjusted his wheels to make his mark.

Bam! One man was hit by the trunk.

Justinien jumped from the car. The brother they surrounded was Adam Cassel. Exactly who he had expected. Justinien snapped off his gun's safety.

My shoulder hurt, but I knew I had to go on. There were two more men in the front of the truck that I needed to take out.

I attempted to sit up, but something was wrong with my leg. I looked down and saw a clean bullet wound right through my left thigh. I knew something was wrong with my shoulder but I wouldn't risk turning my body and take anymore damage.

I looked up to see the passenger get out of the car, and grab his gun.

Suddenly, a car in the distance came driving down madly. It sped up, racing towards the men in the car in front of me.

The man cocked his gun and took aim, as the car drew closer and closer.

"Come on..." I thought, and closed my eyes.

A scream and crunch ensued and when I opened my eyes, the man 5 feet away from me dead. An older man rushed out of the car. Justinien Rochard. I had met him once before in the French Assassin camp.

Help had finally come.

"Cassel! I thought you knew better than this," Justinien shot down a second Templar before turning his attention from his ally, "You guys should run."

"Nice to see you too Rochard." I said sarcastically. "And by you guys you must mean me. Because I'm sure you heard my brother- and partner - was killed in the Valkyie plot but I'm sure you don't care or anything."

I attempted to sit up again, but to to no avail.

"Help me up," I said, "We have a brother to save."

It feels like its been days since they captured me. I dare not eat the food they leave me as it might contain some sort of drugs or poison.

How do I escape this place I have my knife still in my boot but all my other weapons are gone. Burned probably I thought.

The radio I had is long gone and my cell had no windows so I cannot even tell what day it is.

I am getting weak and I think my wounds are getting infected.

"You damn jerries better let me out right now!" I yell.

"Look he's awake" one said. "Time to take him to Herr "doctor" for questioning."

I am overwhelmed by guards and pass out.

"Von Stauffen was a close friend," Justinien lifted Cassel from the dirt as the Templars fled, "We'll talk about it on the way there."

He glanced over at his car. Smoke emanated from underneath. That was never a good sign. He turned the key, but nothing happened. He must have ruined it during his daring rescue.

"Does your car work?" he asked Cassel.

"Yeah," I said, limping over to my motorcylce. I tossed him my extra helmet. "I'm gunna assume you know how to drive one of these, cuz I'm in no shape to drive."

I tossed my keys to my fellow Assassin.

"La Resistance, remember?" Justinien pointed at the brand of the motorcycle. It was a very reliable model that had become more popular after the Nazi invasion.

He revved the engine once. It was in fine condition. Justinien smiled a bit as he donned the helmet. It was only a twenty minute drive from here to London, but hopefully it wouldn't be too late.

"How are you holding up?" he asked Cassel once they left Greenwich.

I awoke in a room looking at a very bright light.

I tried to move my hands to my face but they wouldn't move.

"Ah I zee the Patient is awake herr Doctor." One of the medical techs said.
"For a moment there I was expecting that we would lose you"said the Doctor. As he turned and I saw that this was defiantly a German SS interrogator I was floored.

These guys were effecient.

"I took the liberty of removing the bullet from your shoulder Assassin." He said with a calm cool tone. "We wouldn't want you to die prematurely now would we?"he smerked I wanted to rip his throat out.

"But sadly we couldn't save your eye." He quipped "something's are beyond medical science."

"Eat shit Doc" I spat. I then recieved a love tap from a brute of a man across my face.

"Tsk tsk tsk O'leary you really must remember your manners. I cannot hope to control Hugo he is very sensitive to people talking foul language." Sighed the doctor.

" If that was the least of my problems I think I'd be good don't you?" I replied.

"Quite indeed so let's begin shall we?" Said the doctor as he grabbed his scalpel.