Chapter Text
Target: Male Raccoon
Occupation: Reporter for ZNN
Location: Downtown Zootopia
Time: Night
The Assassin, a male predator, sat on the top of a building, looking down below at the streets. He pulled his eyes away briefly to the open manila folder in his paws that contained a picture of a male raccoon. While the marsupial is a renowned reporter for the Zootopia News Network, he also carries a dark secret. The opossum is a member of the Templar Order, leading the Assassin to mark him for death.
But simply being a Templar was not the sole reason. The Assassin uncovered the raccoon's current investigation that warranted his intervention. If successful, the Assassin and Zootopia will be doomed. After days of preparations and tracking the target, the circumstances were finally ripe. According to the schedule procured by the Assassin, the raccoon was to be at his current location tonight. Finishing one last review, the hooded mammal closed the folder and waited patiently for the target to arrive.
At 12:08 AM, the raccoon finally appeared. The Assassin climbed down the building and began tailing the Templar from a safe distance. While night provided a better environment for the Assassin, it made tailing more difficult with very little locations to hide. Extra precautions were also taken since the Templar was a nocturnal mammal.
During the tail, a red light intersection forced the Assassin to stop briefly, but it lessened the chance of him being discovered. He kept his eyes trained on the Templar, ready to hide at a moment's notice. Removing the hood was not an option with the traffic cameras recording. The light finally turned green for his lane and the Assassin began crossing. In the middle of the intersection, his vision suddenly became brighter and the sounds of a vehicle screeching grew louder. He snapped in the direction of the lights and noise to see a police cruiser trying to brake to a halt. The vehicle managed to stop just in time, almost hitting the Assassin.A female voice was immediately heard from the cruiser. "Sorry about that!"
A male voice came soon after. "Me too. My partner wasn't focusing on the road!"
The Assassin raised his paw up to signal he was okay. "No worries!"
While walking away, he heard a conversation from inside the cruiser about the near collision with a pedestrian before the officers drove away. The Assassin smirked and chuckled at what he could hear but remained focus on the mission. Despite wanting to remain silent, not responding to the police would have drawn suspicion. Thankfully, the encounter did not scare off the raccoon. He hoped it caused the reporter to let his guard down by thinking the police stopped him for suspicious behavior. Eventually, the raccoon paused to check his current location. The Assassin stood across the street from him and feigned a phone call with his cell to avoid suspicion. The raccoon then entered a nearby alley and the Assassin soon followed.
At the alley entrance, he saw the reporter kneeling down to investigate the ground he stood on. While checking, the raccoon discovered a hidden sewer cover from knocking on the ground. Seizing the opportunity and realizing how close the Templar was to making the discovery, the Assassin quietly approached the raccoon and flicked his wrist, a blade appearing from the sleeve. Engulfed in his search, the reporter was unaware of the incoming danger as the distance closed between the two predators. When the raccoon stood up, he was suddenly seized from behind and felt a paw cover his mouth. Before the Templar could struggle, he grunted and felt something sharp enter his back abdominal area. The Assassin immediately released the raccoon and calmly stepped back with the blade covered in blood. The reporter grabbed his wound, gasping in pain as he had trouble standing up.
"I warned you to stay away and gave you ample reason to do so," The Assassin said. "You left me no choice."
"What difference would that make?" The raccoon said, breathing heavily from the wound as he clutched it. "You would have come after me regardless. Am I right?"
The Assassin remained silent.
"I thought so. I was never afraid of you, Assassin. I faced danger and threats throughout my career. The only difference was that you actually fulfilled your threat. I commend you for that."
"Even in low numbers, the Assassins are still a force to reckon with. It only takes one."
"You cannot stop the truth from getting out. All of Zootopia will know what happened here tonight, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You ironically helped me complete my last mission."
The Assassin leaned down closer to the Templar. "I'm not trying to stop the truth. I do this to send a message, to your Order and to Zootopia. This is only the beginning."
The predator watched the raccoon stumble out of the alley, weakly calling for help before encountering a female mink and falling over dead in front of her. The mink screamed at the sight and in a panic, saw the Assassin in the alley. She quickly hid nearby and reached for her phone to dial the police.
"911, what's your emergency?" The dispatcher answered.
"Hello...police?" Her breathing was heavy and frantic. "Someone's been murdered...and I think I'm next!"
"Calm down ma'am. What is happening now?"
She slowed her breathing enough to respond. "I'm currently hiding nearby the murder scene, but I don't know how long I'll be safe. Please send help right away! "
"Stay calm. Can you give us your location?"
The mink relayed her location.
"We're sending officers right away, ma'am. Stay hidden and remain on the line. Let us know if anything else happens."
The mink took a deep breath before responding. "Okay."
She remained calm and quiet but still fearful for her life. Moments passed and nothing else happened. The mink wondered why the Assassin did not pursue her since she witnessed the crime. Knowing the risks, the mink took a deep breath and looked in the alley. To her surprise and relief, the Assassin was gone.
Under the sewer cover, said mammal descended down the ladder into the tunnel and followed it to a dead end, hearing the incoming sirens on the way. There, the Assassin removed a block from the side wall to reveal a keyhole. He inserted the blade in the hole and jiggled until a mechanical noise sounded. The wall in front of him descended to reveal the hidden secret: a secret hideout. The wall hid the entrance after the Assassin entered. Inside, he walked to a board where pictures of Templars were posted all over Zootopia. With a marker, he crossed out the image of the raccoon reporter. At the computers, the Assassin accessed the traffic cameras to the location of the murder and the footage revealed the ZPD already on the scene. Sitting back in the chair, he sighed and watched the situation unfold.
"There's no turning back now."