Death's Breath | Assassin's Creed Syndicate Fanfiction

Chapter 10

The brown water sloshed around Ruby and Jacob, who were soaking wet after a failed attempt of swinging across the Thames on Jacob's rope launcher. Ruby's face turned pale as she reached into her satchel and pulled out I.B, who was not responding to her commands.

"I.B! Oh gosh Jacob, we have to get to the train now!" she shouted, wading through the water and climbing onto the riverbed.

"Ruby, I am so sorry. I should have remembered I.B," Jacob apologised, feeling extremely guilty.

"I forgot as well. Let's just try to get on the train so I can try to fix him."

The pair raced towards the station, soaking wet. Their train was starting to leave and they jumped on before it picked up too much speed. Evie glanced up from her work and stared at her brother and Ruby, a confused look on her face.

"Is it raining?"

"No it isn't. We just decided to take a dip in the Thames," Jacob informed her, as Ruby began rummaging through her satchel looking for a screwdriver. She pulled one out and began opening up I.B, unsure of what she was doing.

"Come on I.B. I really don't know how to fix you if your circuit is ruined," she mumbled, as water began leaking out of the hollow space inside.

She gently examined each wire, as Jacob and Evie watched her. Sweat began rolling down Ruby's forehead as she kept on examining the small robot. She adjusted a few wires and dried him to the best of her abilities, before closing him back up. She sat back as she tried giving a few commands.

"I.B, I need your help."

A few seconds passed in silence, before the large round light in the middle of his display turned on. Ruby sighed in relief, ready to pass out from the sudden exhaustion.

"Thank goodness. You are alive."

"How may I be of assistance, Miss Ruby?"

Ruby looked at the robot, confused by his sudden formality.

"Um I.B, since when do you call me miss?" she asked, leaning closer to the robot.

"It is my duty to provide information to those who ask, giving the utmost respect to those needing it. I shall provide you with all the information you need, as long as you ask, miss," I.B recited, as if he was on autopilot.

Ruby glanced at Evie and Jacob, raising one eyebrow. She liked this new, polite, I.B.

"Well, I guess I should have thrown you into the Thames earlier if I had known that you would be more willing to co-operate." Ruby realised, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

She turned to the twins.

"I will need to run a few tests with I.B, before we can use him for our missions. If it is alright with you, I would like to perform the tests alone," she requested, looking back down at I.B.

"Of course. If you need anything, please come find us," Evie said in understanding, before grabbing Jacob by the shoulder and forcing him to leave the cart with her.

As soon as the cart door had closed, Ruby picked up I.B.

"I.B, how much do you remember of the mission?"

"Ruby Mir's mission is to find the shroud of Eden and present it to Crawford Starrick. She is currently using the Frye twins to gather information on the shroud," I.B automatically responded.

"Using is a harsh word, but you are correct. The water didn't damage your memory at least. I need information on Pearl Attaway," Ruby requested, waiting for his answer.

"Pearl Attaway, born 1833 and died in 1868 was the owner of Attaway Transport. She is Crawford Starrick's cousin," I.B informed Ruby.

Ruby looked at the robot surprised. Her intuition was right and she would have to warn Jacob the next time he would meet up with Pearl.

"Thank you. You may rest now," she told the robot, before sitting down on her bed.

If Pearl was related to Starrick, Jacob would soon be in a heap of trouble. Grabbing her notebook, Ruby began writing down the new information that I.B had given to her. Her notebook was filled with information on various people and locations. From all the locations that the shroud could be in, she figured out that it was highly likely that it would be contained somewhere within or near Buckingham palace. Such an important artefact would be kept somewhere that was heavily guarded all the time. The palace was the only logical explanation, as guards were stationed everywhere.

Ruby had not shared that piece of information with Evie or Henry, and she knew that she was limited on time. The war in her time was raging on and relied on her to end it. While she deemed some of Starrick's actions and companies unfair and cruel, if giving him the shroud would ensure the end of Death's Breath, she had no other choice but to follow the mission.

Even if it did mean going against the twins.

A/N

This chapter is a bit shorter than the rest. Sorry! I promise that the next one will be much longer.