Assassin's Creed Syndicate: Diametric

Chapter 25: Calm Before The Storm

Sorry in advance for the excessive amount of dialogue in this one. I guess we need to set up for the following few chapters. Enjoy!

-

You rose from your deep slumber to the welcoming sound of the chugging train, the metallic wheels streamlining across the tracks beneath. It was a familiar sound that you had heard many times before and found that the silence of Cambridge to be deafening compared. Noticing the cold empty space beside you, you pushed your sore body up with your arms and looked around at the room. No sign of Jacob apart from his organised mess that was scattered around the room from weapons, clothes, and the discarded top hat that sat in its place upon the armchair in the corner of the room. You smiled softly, even the smells were welcoming, that of Jacob's musky cologne. 

With a content sigh, you pushed yourself from the bed, wrapped your dressing gown around your slightly chilled form, and padded towards the kitchen. However, as you reached a few cars down, you stopped in your tracks as you saw Jacob and Evie in a heated discussion.

"I've seen your handiwork across the city. Perhaps you should trust my judgment," Evie said rather spitefully. Neither of the twins clocking your presence. 

"I've been killing Starrick's henchmen," Jacob began as he turned to Evie, and it was there that you saw a flicker of pain through his eyes that caused a twinge of sadness through you for him, "What have you been doing? Let's ask Henry, shall we?"

Evie laughed at the hypocritical comment, "I have been repairing your mistakes. 'Too much haste is too little speed,'" 

"Don't you quote father at me," Jacob spat, stepping closer to Evie as you could see his anger rising.

"That's Plato. And I am sorry this doesn't involve anything you can destroy. Father was right, he never approved of your methods," Evie dug further, and finally, Jacob snapped.

"Father is dead!" He bellowed, making you jump as he flailed his arms slightly in exaggeration and frustration. 

"Enough!" Henry appeared from the other side of the car, "I have just received word from my spies. At the palace ball tonight, Starrick plans to steal the piece of Eden, and then eliminate all the heads of church and state," 

Jacob's head slowly nodded before his eyes met once more with Evie, "Once more, for old time's sake?"

"And then we're finished," Evie said, her voice sour.

"Agreed," His brow rose and fell slightly, "So what's the plan?"

"Let me think it over a moment," Evie said before brushing past Jacob and over to Henry. That's when Jacob finally saw you and his jaw clenched knowing you had witnessed what had happened. With a sigh, he stepped over to you and pulled you into his chest.

"Sorry you had to see all that," He said lowly, and you felt the vibrations of his voice against his chest. 

"Have you and Evie not been getting on whilst I was gone?" You asked. Jacob gave out another sigh as he shook his head.

"No," He almost whispered, and you pulled back slightly as you looked up into his eyes, "I don't know. When you had gone, things just went to pot. I tried to focus on my gang, killing Starrick's men... but my relationship with Evie and Henry just seemed to get worse,"

"Maybe a bit of space from each other is what you need. Time to get out of each other's hair," You shrugged with suggestion and Jacob nodded slowly.

"Yeah, maybe,"

"Also, I may have thought of a plan for you both," You began, "You have connections with the Prime Minister don't you? They'll definitely be at the palace ball, why don't you speak to them?" 

Jacob slowly nodded, his mind visibly ticking, "Yes they would, great thinking,"

You smiled as he pecked your forehead and turned to approach the idea to Evie, and from a distance, you watched as they formed a plan. 

-

You waited on the train whilst both Jacob and Evie went to visit the Prime Minister and his wife, and an hour later, Evie returned. Your brows furrowed seeing her alone, without her twin brother usually in tow. 

"Where's Jacob?" You asked her, rising from the armchair you nestled in, book in hand as you busied yourself with something to do with everyone busy at work. 

"He is paying Mr. Gladstone a visit. Apparently, he has some tickets that we could acquire to get us all in," She walked in, unholstering her gun and placing it down on the side table before sitting down in the armchair opposite.

"You mean steal?" You questioned with a raised brow, slowly lowering yourself back down into the chair. The silence that overcame Evie was all you needed to hear to confirm your question, "I may not be completely clued up in politics, but I know a rivalry when I see one... speaking of which, what has happened between you and Jacob recently? I have never seen you two at each other's necks as much as I did this morning,"

"I'm sorry for the show earlier, Jacob just seems to be making one mistake after the other without worrying about the consequences. Then it ends up being me to clean up after him. After killing Twopenny-"

"The Earl of Cardigan?"

"Yes, him. After Jacob killed him, it caused a huge mess. Including messing up the economy. So guess who had to clean up after him?" Evie said, her brows raised and her lips pulled into a thin line. You slowly nodded and clenched your jaw. Jacob really did fuck up, but you knew he was only trying to do what was right. But the twin's versions of what is right are completely different, "Anyway, hopefully, once we have stopped Starrick, we won't have to get under each other's feet ever again,"

"Evie, he is your brother, and you are his sister. Surely you can't have this come between you forever," You slowly shook your head, "He's having a really hard time recently, what with me gone, Jacob getting involved with Roth... it's been a lot for any of us to take in,"

"Yes well..." Evie hesitated, her eyes lowered to the floor as she took a second to think what to say next, "He was extremely quiet once you had left. I did feel sorry for him. I have never seen him so down before. But for both of our sakes, I think we need a break from each other. Besides, I and Henry have been speaking about going to his home, in India, after all this has finished,"

"That sounds amazing, Evie. You would love that. So much culture, so I've heard," You smiled, and in turn, Evie's white teeth gleamed back, "And me and Jacob, we'll catch up on all the time we've lost. And when the two of you are ready, we'll get together again. You never know, me and Jacob may even come and visit you both in India!"

"I'd like that," Evie met your eyes with a smile. It was the most you and Evie had ever spoken, just the two of you. And you had to admit, it was rather refreshing despite all that has happened. 

-

The sable sky soon fell upon London, the moon beamed over the skyline with the twinkling stars like a million diamonds scattered across a still lake. You watched from the stationary train from the small train stop, mesmerised by its beauty. It was a stark contrast from the usually smog-filled air that caused an air choking haze. Evie was stood with Henry as they quietly talked amongst themselves over their plans. 

The quiet was shattered as Jacob bound into the car, invitations in hand, "Here,"

"You got them?" Evie asked as she stepped over and took the invitations from Jacob's hand to inspect them.

"Of course I did, easy peasy," He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Good. Well, let's plan our next move then shall we?"

As the three began to discuss the plans, you felt very much discluded. You watched as they leant over the side table of maps and parchments and muttered between themselves. With a sigh, you went back to admiring the view once more before the train finally began to make its way to its final destination for the night.