Assassin's Creed: Modernity - Book 1

I

Silicon Valley, California

PST-00:01 February 3

Target: Abstergo Tech

The cabin rattled as turbulence struck again. Gripping the overhead hand rails tighter, Ethan looked into the cowls of his team members' hoods, only to be met by the darkness of shadows. In the dim orange light, he saw their armor and full arsenals of weapons attached to it.

"T-minus thirty seconds to the drops zone. Good luck," their pilot's voice came over the inter-com. Ethan put the ear buds in, as the strike commander tested it. Ethan nodded confirmation that it was online.

There was the loud clank as the bay door slowly opened and the air rushed by, almost deafeningly. The strike commander, Allen, stepped to the side and made the unmistakable sign of 'go.' Instantly the four other team members raced out of the craft followed quickly by Allen, diving into the dark of the night.

Ethan's heart beat quickened as he began to free fall to the earth. He spread his limbs and immediately felt the drag as his speed decelerated substantially. His hood flapped wildly in the air rushing passed him.

Seconds passed and the team had passed the clouds and could see their target approaching at a fast speed. A thousand meters. Nine hundred meters. Eight hundred meters. Seven hundred meters. Six hundred. Five hundred. Now!

Ethan grabbed a pistol attached to his belt and shot it at the rapidly approaching rooftop. Three seconds before Ethan's impact on the roof, the canister Ethan had fired exploded, creating a large area of padded foam, and Ethan slammed into it.

After several seconds waiting to catch his breath, he waded out of the foam. The entire team was slowly emerging from their foam pads as well.

Ethan struck a match, and tossed it onto the foam. Within seconds, the foam had burned up, not leaving any residue as the final embers of flame dissipated.

Allen's voice rang over the inter-com. "Stay on target team."

Location: Unknown

EST-17:39 February 2

Mission Assignment

"Stay on target team." Callum's deep gruff voice left no room for disobedience. "This mission has been three years in the making. We don't need some hotshot going off mission." Callum looked directly Ethan, who assumed an innocent expression.

"The flash-drive, with all the activity of the Templars for the past several decades will be temporarily stored at the Abstergo Tech facility in Silicon Valley. You are being sent in to retrieve this drive, and only this drive."

The team nodded their assent. The past three years' worth of missions had been leading up to this one. The flash-drive had been continuously moved around, never staying in one place for more than a day. Also, when it left each location, many trucks had been sent out, to several different locations, each time, so the possibilities multiplied every day.

"You will be dropped onto the roof by jet," Callum continued, "from there, you will infiltrate the facility and recover this drive. Understood."

The team members nodded solemnly. "Allen will be the Strike Team leader. Full combat gear. Dismissed."

Silicon Valley, California

PST-00:04

Target: Abstergo Tech