The best of the worst (closed)

Aharon nodded at Kat's pleas and then bowed his head to Seth in acknowledgement. "Justin is his own person, Katherine," he explained, his voice gentle. "If he leaves this place to rejoin the Brotherhood, we will accept him back at the Den with open arms. Likewise, we will respect his decision should he remain here with you while also continuing his work as an Assassin." Aharon was about to say something else when one of the markings on his neck began to glow an almost blinding silver glow. His hand went to his neck, laying over the mark before he turned towards the two of them, his amber eyes almost wide with disbelief. What had spoken to him was his own unique link to the Brotherhood and all that happened around it. Something had happened, he was sure of it. And Kat needed to know. He had to warn her.

"Katherine," he began, his voice sounding more urgent than before. "I've been informed that the Templars found something. Something hidden in a cavern that should never have been opened in the first place. It's encased in a chest with Ancient markings all over it. I'm not sure what it is but if it came from the Forbidden Cavern....then it's something bad. And I think it'll involve Justin. I'm not sure yet but I will definitely keep you updated." Aharon rose to his feet and threw his hood up over his head again and paused at the door. Then he said something that would make her spirits lift. "The Brotherhood could use someone like you, Katherine. When you're ready to undergo our initiation, come find me in the woods to the west of here. I'll show you the way." With those words, Aharon began his exit.

Katherine let out a sigh, and pressed a hand to her wound. Those damned Templars...
"I will gladly join the Assassins after what the Templars did to me, they almost killed me three days ago. It's why I asked Justin to call you. I would like to join the Assassins if they would have me, even after everything I've done. The paperwork was completed by mentor Callum" Katherine said sadly. She still regretted killing Callum, but he had betrayed her, as well as the brotherhood. Joining the Assassins would also help her keep Justin safe.

Aharon gave a nod of acknowledgement before he disappeared completely without a trace, as was normal for most Assassins. Right after he'd left, Justin came back carrying three bags of groceries, which he placed on the counter in the kitchen. "So did the old man barf up anything useful?"

"He mentioned quite a few interesting things. Justin, I will not keep anything from you, and you deserve to know what happened" Katherine said sadly as she joined Justin in the kitchen. She wasn't exactly sure if she should tell him, but she knew he had the right to know. "They believe that you are crucial to this war between Templars and Assassins, the you could turn the tide. He also said that you are a vessel, chosen to house the power and spirit of a powerful entity." Katherine let out a sigh, and rubbed her eyes, trying to hold her emotions back. She still had a feeling that they would take Justin from her, and replace him with some or other entity. "To quote his words exactly: the choosing process with Justin malfunctioned somehow. They're still trying to figure out why." Katherine was still fighting to keep her sanity, to remain in control. It was proving very difficult though, and she had to stop to take a deep breath. "Apparently the Templars have found something in some or other cavern, and the Assassins believe it could involve you."

Justin frowned, refusing to say anything for a time. Instead, he simply made lunch for the both of them and set a large bottle of pop in front of her just in case she got thirsty. "Does he know what it is they found?" He asked, unable to think of anything else to say as he finished up lunch and went to the table where she sat, setting down her plate in front of her. Zarin was staying unusually quiet and that worried him, but then again it was routine for the demon to stay silent.

Katherine watched intently as Justin prepared lunch for the two of them, wondering what he was thinking. She wasn't really hungry after what she had just heard from Aharon, but she knew she needed to, so she did.
"He didn't say what it was, but he did say it never should have been found. He also said that if it was found in the forbidden cavern, it could be bad." Katherine ate some of her food, thinking before washing her food down with some soda. "Love, do you know anything about any of this" Katherine asked, her voice thick with concern.

Justin took a bite of his hamburger and licked the mayo off his lips before he spoke, his brow furrowed in agitation. "The only thing I know," he began, taking a swig of his core water. "Is that the Forbidden Cavern has been sealed shut for decades, millennia even. Something, or someone, was sealed within and a warning carved on the doorway heading inside, telling people to never enter. It's a cursed place, or so the Assassins have said. Not one of us dared to enter it. Legend has it that whoever does...well, they simply don't come back."


Within the confines of one of the Abstergo buildings, the men heaved a large, heavy chest up onto a table and backed away, wiping their brows before one of them scurried off to their master with information.

Katherine quickly pulled out her phone, and called one of her contacts.
"Trixie, I need you to track deliveries to any of the Abstergo buildings, and return to me with anything you find. Have my men at each building. I want to know what the hell is going on, now. Send alpha squad to my house, as well as any experiments Jack was working on." Katherine turned to Seth, who seemed to already know what she wanted him to get.
"You want me to fetch the Isu armor, as well my armor?" Katherine nodded, and took another sip of her soda.
"Please, Seth. And some weapons" Katherine asked. Seth nodded before disappearing, leaving a bit of sand behind him. Katherine set her gun on the table before returning to her burger and soda.

"What are you planning?" Justin asked, swallowing another bite of his burger. He was curious as to what she was doing and wanted to know, just in case anything was dangerous.

"I've arranged some security for you for while I'm out. If whatever's in that chest is as powerful or as dangerous as everyone believes... You need to be kept safe, Justin" Katherine explained before she slid a gun over to Justin, and carefully took his hand in hers. She raised his hand to her lips, and kissed it softly. "I'm going to take it from them, and lock it away, Justin."

Justin frowned at this revelation and gave his head a gentle shake. "I say we leave it be," he said simply. "As long as they can't find me or Zarin or you or Seth, we'll be alright." He cared for her and it showed in her words. He didn't want her to risk herself, not after almost dying.

"Justin, we can't keep running. Trust me on this, it doesn't work" Katherine said sadly before she looked up into Justin's eyes. "I've lost everyone I care for thanks to this war. Gods know I killed some of them. I'm not going to lose you to some Precursor because they want your body for some nefarious purpose." Katherine hung her head, remembering everyone that she had lost or killed. She feared the day that Justin would join the list of names, but she would do everything in her power to prevent that, to protect him.

Justin gripped her arms gently in his hands and lifted her chin, staring into her beautiful eyes. "Listen to me," he began in a soft tone, obviously trying to reassure her. "We don't have to run. We can continue to live right here. This is our home and the creatures that live here...they're family. Seth and Zarin, too. The Templars don't know where we are and my Mentor always keeps his mouth shut on the positions of assassins. It's in his blood to keep secrets. We'll be safe right here, like we have been for the past few months." With those words, Justin drew her into a hug to try and calm her further. He placed a loving kiss on her head and closed his eyes as he held her. He only hoped that he was right; that the Templars wouldn't even think to search this side of the city...nor even attempt to look in the city period. It was their safe place.

Katherine leaned into the hug, wrapping her arms around Justin tightly. She wanted him to be right, she wanted to believe that they would be safe. It was a fear she had lived with since her days at Abstergo, that they would find her home, kill her creatures, and bring her in.
"I know, Justin. I'm just worried. I've lost so much, and I really don't want to lose you" Katherine said sadly before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I know who Aharon really is, and I don't think he would betray a descendant." Katherine buried her face in Justin's neck, trying to calm down, at least for him. She wouldn't tell Justin about Aharon, as it was not her secret to tell. "I still want to find out what the Templars have so I can protect you. I promise I will come home to you, especially with me wearing Seth's armor." Katherine looked up at Justin, her eyes looking into his beautiful brown eyes.

Justin shook his head, though knew he couldn't object anymore. With a heavy sigh, he nodded reluctantly. "Stay in the shadows, if you go," he insisted, gripping her shoulders with gentle hands. "The shadows is what has kept the Brotherhood alive for generations and they'll protect you too, even before you speak with the King. Promise me, Kat."

"I promise I will, Justin" Katherine said softly as she rested her head against his before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "I promise I will return to you once I know what they have." Seth returned with a rather large and ancient chest, carefully prying it open with a hook. Seth pulled his old set of Isu armor from the chest, and held it up against Katherine, shook his head and held it up against Justin before smiling.
"My personal armor from back in the war. Please, wear it. It would make me proud, and it'll give her some peace of mind" Seth said as he handed Justin the armor.

Justin gave a nod of his head and took the armor from Seth, laying it out before he put on each piece. Then he turned towards Kat and smiled at her before he gave her a kiss. "Come back to me, Kat," he said simply.

"I will, Justin. I always will" Katherine said with a warm smile before returning the kiss. Seth handed her a set of armour modeled after him, crafted from precursor materials, and decorated with gold and obsidian. In her hands, it felt so light, like she was holding a regular set of clothes.
"Lady Nour's armor, modelled in my image. It will protect you just as it did her. If it helped her come home, it will help you." Seth turned to Justin with a small smile. Katherine raced upstairs excitedly, eager to put on her new set of armour. "Even when we had our son, Nour returned. I promise Katherine will return to you, and she will do so for many years to come."

Justin's shoulders sagged in relief. "Thanks, Seth," he said in relief, sinking back onto the sofa and flipping the tv on.

Katherine returned a short while later wearing the armor that Seth had provided her; every inch of her was protected. She clipped her swords to the holsters on her back, then loaded a backpack with guns and magazines from the safe. Katherine studied the weapons that Seth had brought, and chose a set of beautiful kopesh.
"Ah, the songs of the desert? My son wielded those blades" Seth said with a smile. Katherine set the kopesh in their holsters, and turned to Justin.
"Look after yourself, Justin" Katherine said softly before drawing him into a warm hug.

"You too, Kate," Justin said in a soft tone, returning her hug with one of his own. He didn't want to let her go, if he was honest. He wanted to keep her as close as possible, but knew she'd go anyway, whether he liked it or not. So he simply pulled away and gave her a long, passionate kiss to enforce his love for her.

Katherine was initially surprised by Justin's actions, and it almost made her want to stay, but she eagerly returned the kiss. She pulled away from the kiss, smiling warmly.
"I almost want to stay now, but I really have to go. I shouldn't be gone too long, maybe a day or two" Katherine said sadly. There was a knock at the door, and Katherine let some people in. They were dressed like various DC villains: Scarecrow, Ivy, Bane, and some unfortunate soul with crocodile scales, a tail, and razor sharp teeth, presumably Killer Croc. "They will protect while I'm gone, as well as keep you company. Crocy is really good at checkers, but he needs quite a bit of water, and he'll take a shower break every two hours."

Justin studied the new arrivals and simply gave her a nod of understanding. "I'll be alright," he said, smiling at her. "And I'm sure they'll provide good company for me. Thank you, Kat."

Katherine gave Justin a warm hug and kiss before grabbing her bag, and racing out the door. She hopped onto her bike, and raced off to find the chest the Templars had found.
Killer Croc stood guard by the door, Scarecrow watched out the window, Ivy stood watch outside hiding in the bushes, and Bane headed to the kitchen to make food for everyone.

Katherine scouted out the nearest Templar buildings first before she made her way to the next state. It was taking her a while to find the chest the Templars had. Whenever she arrived at a Templar building, she would send Justin her exact location, as well as a photo of the building. At the end of the day, Katherine set up camp in a tree in some forest in Oregon. The wind was howling, and there was at least a foot and a half of snow. The shelter she had built for herself was actually quite warm, and protected her from the wind. She made herself comfortable, and decided to give Justin a call so she dialled his number and waited for him to answer.

Justin had relaxed each time her location and a picture of the building popped up onto his phone. It made him less jumpy and reassured him that she was alright.

Then, just as he was about to get up to grab a bite to eat, he heard his phone go off and immediately snatched it from the table and hit accept, knowing it was her. "Hi!" He was excited and he felt like his heart would explode.