AC Syndicate: Isolated Files [OS]

Terminus

Disclaimer: This short story is based on a french friend's fanfiction where my character appears. It is therefore also a spoiler of her story if you already follow it. Everything will happen from Victoria's point of view. I'm also allowing myself a little freedom in the writing, but the thread will remain the same. Have a good read!

22 October 1895, Paris

The train, coming from Granville, was speeding towards the Montparnasse station. The driver and engineer were in a panic. They were trying to stop the train, or at least slow it down to reduce the damage that could be caused and to spare lives. On board the train were two hooded fellows trying to find a way to save the passengers on board. Despite the speed and anguish, they kept their cool. The brown-eyed brunette of the duo turned to the back of the train. She thought there might be a working brake. She motioned to her partner — a disciple — to follow her. The two of them went to the end of the locomotive, three carriages down. Once there, she was relieved to see that there was a lever. Sceptical, the young man looked at his mentor.

"– I don't think it will stop the train."

"– The train is going much too fast, Aramis. It will be impossible to stop it in time. All we can do is slow it down."

With a wave of her hand, she indicated to him to go behind the lever. She hoped she was not mistaken about the type of braking the train had. She ordered him to push as she pulled towards her. Unfortunately, the lever did not move. And it was clear that it wasn't already engaged. She sighed in frustration. She had an idea. Not sure if it would work, but she had to try. She stepped away from the lever and asked him to follow her. She turned, holding out her arm with a gauntlet. Aramis understood her intention. The idea realised, the Englishwoman pulled towards her, asked her disciple for help. He did so. After a few seconds of tension and effort, they both fell. The Londoner had hardly had the hope that the brakes would engage when she realised that the cable had snapped and the lever still hadn't moved.

"– Damn it!" swore the older woman. "My grapple's ruined!"

"– Good thing Artie didn't use you as a reference for Sherlock Holmes..." he retorted wryly as he stood up.

As she stood up, he turned to see that the distance was closing to the point where it was possible to see the Gare Montparnasse approaching at high speed. This was not good. And the link between the carriages was too strong to break. He turned to her again to tell her.

"– I think we'll have to jump, Victoria."

"– No way, Aramis! The train has to slow down. We have to try again!"

She could hardly take a step forward when her disciple stopped her by stepping in front of her. Victoria was tenacious. When she had an idea in mind, she would do anything to achieve it. But this time, she had no say in the matter. He moved forward to force her back, hands on her shoulders.

"– You know very well that it's impossible! We're far too close to the station to do anything."

Pretending to be concerned for her as he tightened his grip, and taking advantage of the urgency of the situation, he placed her where she needed to be. Victoria remained silent, her face showing annoyance and frustration, her eyes cast to the side. A silence fell between them, despite the wind that flapped the bottom of their coats and wavered their hoods.

"– Victoria," he called.

The forty-seven year old brunette looked back at her young disciple, annoyance and frustration almost gone.