Ninja's Creed: Awakening

Chapter Seven: Betrayal Is a Dish Best Served Cold

  One minute later, Lloyd was fully dressed in the tracking hoodie and the black jeans and was going down to meet the Assassins outside of the safehouse. Damn, Manuel didn't say it was this comfortable, Lloyd thought, checking to make sure everything looked okay. His hidden blade was under the hoodie's sleeve, and everything Manuel had given him was tucked away inside the hoodie's multiple hidden pockets.

  Lloyd stepped outside to see a black Mercedes-Benz SL parked in front of the safehouse, which was disguised as an old brick warehouse. That meant that all the windows were one-way and there was some degree of griminess on the walls, but it wasn't too bad.

  "Well, there you are", Cole said in lieu of a greeting when Lloyd opened the door. "What took so long?" "I was getting a hidden blade and a lecture on concealed weaponry from an Assassin scientist", Lloyd replied, taking a seat in the back next to Kai. "Oh, you met Manuel?" Kai asked. "He's really nice!" He gasped. "And you got your blade? Sweet! Just be careful when it's coming out. That blade is...keen."

"How do I even activate it?"

  "Oh, it's muscle-controlled. Just make a fist and squeeze it, like this", Kai explained, demonstrating. He squeezed his fist tightly, causing the blade to extend with a soft snick.

"Thanks. So, what's your plan?"

  "You're just in time", Cole told him, shifting the car into driving gear and going forward. "We found out where the meeting is taking place. It's in a multipurpose room that's usually locked, so that students won't be suspicious of anything if the door won't open. Lloyd, Kai and I are going to pose as members of Lacaranzi and Andrea's security details, so that we can watch the exchange take place. Then, Jay will hack the security cameras in the room and surrounding area. When the Apple is about to change hands, I'll send Jay a signal through the camera, and Zane will shut down the building's power grid for fifteen seconds. We'll grab the Apple from whoever has it, get out of there, and go to the car wash to change the paint job on the car. Any questions?"

There were no questions.

  "Good. Now, everyone take an earpiece, and Lloyd, I have to ask you: are you trained in firearm usage?"

  "Puh-lease", Lloyd yawned. "I've been shooting alley cats for fun since I was ten." Everyone stopped and stared at him. "What?" he questioned. "It's my constitutional right to own and have access to firearms, no matter how sociopathic the usage! Seriously, though, I'm not a Confederate supporter. That's just effed up!"

No one said anything. Everyone rode in silence until they reached their destination.

  "Okay, guys", Kai said when Cole stopped the car in the parking lot. "Let's go in and kick some Templar ass!" "Yeah", everyone cheered. Lloyd, Kai, and Cole got out and slammed the car doors. "Here", Cole said to Lloyd, handing him something. It was an AMT M1911A1 Hardballer pistol, with a custom slide and no-glare silver finish. "Protection in case the stuff you have doesn't cut it."

  Lloyd let out a low whistle as he inspected the gun. "Damn, you guys got the good stuff", he observed, loading it and putting the safety on. "Please don't get your ass killed tonight", Cole told him, handing him a silencer. "Noted", Lloyd replied, screwing it on, tucking the gun into his waistband, and pulling his hoodie down.

  They crouch-walked over to the side of the car in complete silence, as crowds of students cleared out of the quad for the night. Just then, Lloyd noticed Kai stuffing Akiro into the back of his hoodie. "Seriously?" Lloyd asked him, smirking. "Yeah!" Kai answered. "He's like my deadly wingman!"

Wait, he's a he? Lloyd thought.

  "Enough, you two! Earpieces in", Cole commanded in a whisper, causing the boys to put their earpieces securely into their ear canals. "Jay, do you read us?"