Rookery ~ Assassin's Creed Syndicate

Chapter Seven

Evie took the reins on this journey. We were on our way to Alec's workshop, and I was so excited. All of the little trinkets he had were so interesting and intriguing. I couldn't wait to see them again and, possibly, he could tell me how everything worked. However, Jacob, Evie, Henry and I all had work to do. We needed Alec's help to do that.

Evie stopped the carriage just outside. Henry opened the door for me to leave. I thanked him with a wide smile, the smells of the street instantly hitting me. Wet mud was the first thing that I noticed. Then, a distant scent of fresh paint. Manure from the horses lining the streets, mouldy food and human sweat. I didn't want to stay outside any longer.

Through the window, I could see that a fire had been lit. Alec bent over his desk, fiddling with his telegraph still and jotting notes down in a little leather-bound book. His shadow danced along the wall as the flames flicked and bounced about the logs. Tools were sprawled across the floor and books were littered about everywhere. Alec seemed to be a very efficient inventor, but not a very tidy one. At least he could see where everything was without even having to stand up from his desk.

Evie knocked loudly, and Jacob forced the door open. It stopped on its metal chain. Henry pushed Jacob away.

"Alec? It is Henry Green. I am here on business." He called through the door. I watched from the window as the over excited man bounced out of his seat, smiled, and bounded over to the door. He took off the locks and opened the door, revealing the smell of wood and metal from inside. He let us all in but headed back to his desk before everyone was inside.

"Ah, blast them." He muttered.

"Alec, whatever is the matter?" Henry asked.

"I have been intercepting nothing but poppycock propaganda and whatnot." He threw down his little book and rubbed his face with his hands. "No, I swear to high heavens, if Starrick's monopoly continues..."

"Alec, I beg your pardon, these are friends of mine. Evie Frye, her brother, Jacob, and Carina Faraday." Alec looked at me and smiled.

"Did your initiation go well, dear?"

"Yes, thank you." I grinned. He nodded, then shook his head free of thoughts and regarded the Frye twins.

"Oh, um... Alexander Graham Bell."

"Linguist, inventor and technical expert." Alec seemed to go red at Henry's description. "Alec, I have something of a favour to ask you." Jacob surged forward, holding out his grappling hook.

"Can you fix this?" I glared at him.

"Looks like the casing is cracked. But..." He took it and jabbed at it with a screwdriver. "Oh, it comes apart. I say, I could have used one of these to install my fuses on top of Big Ben." He laughed and took all of the parts of the grappling hook out. He sprawled them across his desk.

"Alec is installing a new telegraph line for our Free Press Association." Henry explained simply.

"To combat the Starrick Telegraph Company. Now, if I can mend the fuses connecting the independent lines from Big Ben, Starrick will be weakened. Only, we are at somewhat of a handicap." He wiggled the fingers of his injured hand, still gazing and fiddling over the pieces of grappling hook. "Ah. And, there." Alec picked up the hook part which had been wrapped in a thick ball of rope and handed it to the younger of the twins. "Oh, I've removed the mechanism so it may work with your bracer."

"I'll put it to use immediately." He began to leave.

"Jacob, wait." Evie ordered. Jacob gave a groan and stopped just beside me, his boot heel landing on my foot. I pinched the top of his arm for accidentally stepping on my toe. "Mr Bell, allow me to help you with your fuses."