White Rabbit

Chapter 48: Descent and Awakening

CLATTONIA

After Lucian takes off with Aeryn, Ryouichi, and Mitsuko, I determinedly narrow my eyes and march down the street, looking for the assassin that ran off.

"Clattonia!" Jace calls out, trailing after me, "where are you going?!"

"You'll see," I say with a hardened expression as I continue to stomp down the street, my eyes flickering back and forth.

I eventually pass by an emerald green car and find the assassin hiding by it as he sits there cradling his broken leg. I narrow my eyes at him and he glares back at me whenever I lean down and grab a fistful of his shirt, hoisting him up.

"Clattonia!" Reece says firmly and catches up to me, along with Jace and the others, "what're--"

He trails off whenever he notices that I've caught the assassin and nods in approval.

"You," I shake him slightly, "what's your name?"

"Cassidy," he says bitterly, "Cassidy Cohen."

"What was your purpose?" I ask.

"I'm not telling you th--"

He gets cut off with a sharp cry whenever I slam my foot down on his on his broken leg.

"Cassidy Cohen is one of the second in command assassins at White Rabbit," Kazuki says with the wave of a hand.

"How do you not know him?" I say as I glance over my shoulder at Jace and he simply shrugs, clueless.

"You're all brutes," Cassidy grunts, "savages, inhumane creatures--"

"And who are you to judge?" I interrupt, "you go around ruthlessly murdering people, living beings, whether they be Supernatural or not, whether they be bad or not. You're an assassin. You're a contract for hire. You don't stop to question your orders, do you? That's what separates you from people like Kazuki. I don't approve of what he does either, but he doesn't murder innocent people. You follow your orders from a chain of command without a second thought. That's inhumane."

Cassidy's eyes widen slightly and his lips part as if he goes to say something, but I jerk at his right arm and twist it behind his back, making him clench his jaw in pain.

"Now," I continue, "you're going to lead us where we want to go."

"How do you know I won't lie to you?" Cassidy asks and glances at me from over his shoulder.

"I don't, but I'll kill you if you do," I say and Cassidy seems to contemplate his next actions.

Cassidy nods and I push him forwards slightly, supporting him with my weight due to his broken knee and he stumbles along. The others follow me-- Reece, Essence, and Caliber following on either side of me with Jace, Juniper, and Kazuki behind us.

"To the right," Cassidy says and nods his head towards the right once we come to the end of the street.

We go to the right, cautiously following Cassidy's orders, as we travel down the street.

"Why is everything so deserted?" Jace asks.

"White Rabbit members cleared it out whenever they came through here. They told the public that there was a threat in this general area and needed to clear it off," Cassidy explains.

"You know, you never did explain what your mission was," I say.

Cassidy is silent for a few moments, probably contemplating what will happen if he refuses to answer me again.

"Chevalier," Cassidy says.

"What?" I raise a brow, even though he can't see it.

"Operation Chevalier," Cassidy explains reluctantly, "that was my mission. Eliminate any Supernatural forces within a ten mile radius of this area that aren't working with White Rabbit."