21st October, 1652, in the Recon guild lair.

"Does anyone know when Wolf is coming back? It's been five days since we did the last mission. At this rate I'm going to run out of money." Jane complained.

Cerberus stopped reading his book and put his feet down from the meeting table. "Then stop spending it on booze and you'll have enough for a couple more days. Wolf's not going to be back for a while. He had to go out of the city to visit a friend. If it's any consolation, it has to do with the next mission." Jane was relieved to hear that. Noir, however, was still crestfallen. "Hey, buddy. What's the matter? Problems with Evie?"

"No, it's nothing like that... I'm just thinking if everything I've been doing has been right. If I'm really worthy of deciding the fate of others. Maybe I'm not as good a person as I thought I was." There was a short silence. "I'm sorry, that must have sounded really stupid... Sometimes I put too much spin on things." Jane walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder to show that he wasn't the only one who had felt that way.

"It's not stupid at all, Noir. I felt the same way the first time I killed someone. The guy was equally if not more disgusting than Regin, but that didn't take away from the fact that he was a human being. As rational people, we know what it means to take other people's lives. We know that with them also die thoughts, feelings, dreams, personalities, hopes... And that is why it is difficult to kill another person just like that. Because we are able to put ourselves in the other person's shoes, even if they are our enemy. We are empathic and emotional beings, after all. That's why it's hard for beginners to let go of feelings like guilt or remorse. But eventually you will learn to do it."

Jane finished her lecture with a small smile. Noir was fascinated by his companion's empathy and sensitivity, something he hadn't seen in either Cerberus or Wolf. The boy understood at that moment that being a mercenary didn't necessarily mean detaching from your emotions. But Cerberus had another opinion on the matter, and he didn't hesitate to stand up and express it.

"It's not that simple and it's not that complicated. You just get used to it after so many kills. That habit makes you see your targets more as bags full of crimes and sins and less as beings equal to you. Experience teaches you to dehumanise those who are no longer human. Because yes, they are more like monsters." Noir nodded at the pyromancer's words as well, but wasn't as convinced. Still, knowing the views of those who call themselves professional assassins was good for him and his understanding of the job.

"I understand. You both have good opinions. I hope I can come to understand the work as well as you do. What you have told me has helped to lift my spirits and make things a little clearer. Thank you, really." Noir said that to keep his teammates from worrying about him, but in reality the guilt had not diminished one bit.

The conversation ended with a silence that didn't last long. The doors opened wide, bringing the icy breeze from outside into the warm abandoned brothel. The wolf-masked gallant descended the stairs, laughing at something he had heard coming from the hideout itself. With him he brought a bag laden with clothes and other unusual items. The other mercenaries, and especially Jane, were glad of his arrival and greeted him with a glass of whisky.

"My favourite snack... Thank you, Jane." Wolf set down the entire load and immediately grabbed his drink. The next thing he did was sit back in his throne-like chair and relax his exhausted body. "It has been a long journey, but I am finally reunited with my dear comrades. Tell me, how did it go?"

"Not very well. Your absence has hurt more than I expected, especially to my pocket." Jane unloaded the few coins she had left in her hand. "See? It's all I have left from this month. I must send a certain amount of money to my family to make this worthwhile, Wolf. And for that we must work."

"I know, and that is why we will work today. Your mother will be paid as usual, my dear friend. When you hear this you will see that it was worth the wait."

The leader pulled a letter from inside his suit, which was actually the mission contract and the friend's information tucked into the same envelope. His hand gently dragged the letter to the centre of the table, where everyone looked at it curiously. Wolf leaned over and removed his mask, revealing his golden curly hair and intense blue eyes.

"Now you can see the excitement in my eyes. I must say I have never seen a mission like this, and this is the first time anyone has risked so much. I would really like to know who the contractor is, but in this case I have not even been allowed to contact Heather. All I can say is..." His eyes fixed on Cerberus, "...that we will go to the underground levels of the city. We'll go to a world completely unknown to everyone to kill the biggest human trafficker of the seven kingdoms. What do you say?"

"To... the underground levels...?" Cerberus' surprise was followed by a huge grin. "You're telling me we will go to the underground levels and smash their criminal business network once and for all?"

Wolf lifted his shoulders and grinned. "Well, that's what happens when you kill the boss, isn't it? Everything else gradually falls away. But in order to achieve that we'll have to put our best foot forward and not make any mistakes. That goes for everybody."

"All right, all right. But tell us. Who's the target and how are we going to get into the underground levels?" Jane's question made it impossible for Wolf to hold his excitement in any longer and he was forced to stand up to tell every detail of his meticulous plan. She was amused by such enthusiasm.

"It's something I've been thinking about and rethinking to make it work perfectly. The underground levels can't be accessed just like that, so we'll have to pretend to be one of those big shots. Thanks to the help of a friend who worked as a slave for one of those nasty criminals, I've been able to replicate in detail the costumes and badges that the people who frequent that place wear. To begin with..." The first item he pulled out of the bag was a badge that he placed in the middle of his suit. "Members wear this steel badge. It should always be placed in the heart area to distinguish imposters. It is the most essential part of the whole costume."

As Wolf showed the badge to the others, Jane went to check the costumes they were going to wear. To her surprise, they were all male attire. "Wolf, all these costumes are for men. What am I going to wear?"

"Oh, about that..." Wolf lowered his head. "Women aren't allowed in, no matter if she's a citizen or a noblewoman. Yes, they have a rather sexist policy. I wouldn't expect anything less from someone like him. Speaking of the target..." A small portrait fell out of the envelope as Wolf shook it. "This is William DeLoire, the main man behind the largest network of prostitution, human trafficking and something else I'd rather not mention. In the public eye he is a prolific merchant and a great friend to many important Ivonian nobles, but his other life is very different. He is the most dastardly person I have ever heard of, and Cerberus too, I'm afraid."

"Yes, the truth is that the people of the underground levels are amazing. How they can use people so brazenly and without the slightest hint of remorse is beyond me. Everything they have has been achieved with dirty money." Looking at the note from Wolf's friend, Cerberus realised that something didn't add up. "You said that friend of yours was there and worked like a slave. I've never heard of a slave escaping from that place before. How did he do it?"

Wolf's smile soon disappeared. As he pulled out the note written by said friend he proceeded to tell his story. "He escaped thanks to a failed revolt by another group of mercenaries, but he did not escape unscathed. He lost an eye and a lot of muscle mass due to starvation. He had to escape for several years from various assassination attempts. It was as if the whole world wanted him dead, even though he only worked for one man. I met him in Laffrith's official guild when I was still living there and helped him disappear from the public eye for good. I can't say where he lives right now, but he's quite willing to help us take down that damn organization."

"No, it's all right. It's the best thing for him. But the fact that they didn't stop chasing him tells me it's not just a covert criminal organisation. Maybe there are extremely important people who didn't want their secrets out. If so, we're dealing with something beyond our control." Jane's concern took Wolf by surprise.

"We do that all the time, Jane. It's part of the game." Wolf spilled his drink and put on a different mask than the one he usually wore. The leader passed out the last pieces of clothing to get down to business. "Ah, I almost forgot. The guests, in order not to be recognised, wear theatre masks most of the time. Do not remove these masks under any circumstances. We must be as inconspicuous as they are. Last but not least, these sabres. Every big shot wants to defend themselves against their detractors, and we are not different. Come on, get suited up and let's march to one of the underground entrances. We'll have to be there exactly at midnight, otherwise they won't let us in."

Jane watched the mercenaries get ready with a look of annoyance on her face. When she wanted to complain to the leader, he asked her for a moment and left the room. On his return he brought with him a torn and soiled tunic. "It's unfair that just because I am a woman I have to be excluded from the mission. There should be something I can do to help."

"My dear friend, you are the most important part of this whole plan. We are only the offensive force. Look at this." Wolf unfolded a map of the entire city on the round table. "See those blue lines? Those are the routes the illegal carts take to get into the city to deliver the cargo of people. You will have to infiltrate one of them when it is at the city gates. From there you will be transported to the underground canals and taken with the other slaves to the brothel. You will have to ask for a meeting with William and get him to meet you alone at all costs, so that we can go in and finish him off. Do you understand everything?"

"Yes, but... Do I have to wear that?" Jane pointed her index finger at the threadbare tunic.

"I know it's not the most luxurious thing, but slaves don't wear anything else. I trust you'll do as I told you. I'll bring some smoke bombs in case things get ugly." Wolf cupped her cheeks and for the first time she could see his eyes clearly. "You're the best assassin I know. I put all my trust in you on this mission, Jane."

Jane's eyes widened enormously at the words of the leader. A smile spread across her face. "I won't let you guys down! We will do justice for this country!"

On the streets of the city.

The group of assassins left the guild and moved to the slums of the city, that place the authorities didn't even bother to set foot in. Jane was well camouflaged among the people, but the rest were not. Eyes were on their colourful costumes, but no one dared to steal from these so-called nobles. They knew that the presence of a nobleman in such places was synonymous of crime.

Wolf stopped the team a few yards from the entrance. They all put on their masks and adjusted their badges. The leader hid blades under his belt and Jane's bombs inside his suit. It was still two hours to midnight, but Jane's transport was about to arrive.

"Okay, we'll split up here. Jane, put on your hood and head for the city gates. The wagon you have to enter is one which cargo is covered by black cloths. It is larger than the others, easy to see. It will be easier to get in if there are a lot of people around, but I don't think you'll have a problem with that." Jane nodded and concealed herself with her hood until only her chin could be seen. The assassin disappeared slipping through the masses, so quickly that the others couldn't say goodbye to her. "There is no doubt about it. She's the best suited for the job. I'm happy to have her here."

"Just happy?" Cerberus raised his gaze up to the sky, specifically to the moon. "It is not yet time. The other nobles aren't coming in yet, and the sky isn't dark enough for it to be midnight. I guess we'll have to wait. By the way, how are we going to find Jane?"

"Very easy. According to the plans she should end up at the lowest levels of the place. When we hear the screams we'll know exactly where she is." Cerberus and Noir looked at each other, confused as to what that meant. But Wolf was very clear on how his master plan was going to play out. "Now that I remember... Noir, I would like to add something else to your conversation this morning. The truth about the assassination business is deeper and more uncomfortable than you think. We are nobody, we have nothing. But they have everything. The reason? They set aside their appreciation for human lives and clung to their desires even if it meant leaving behind their morals. While we who fight for justice are devoid of greed, lust or pride, they are drowning in a sea of sins. Our swords are pure and free from the corruption of power and money. We not only have the right to judge them, Noir, we have the obligation! They chose that path, and every choice has a consequence! Don't you agree, my dear friend?"

"Yes, I suppose so... But we are not exempt from..." Wolf bowed his head. Noir immediately cut off his words and swallowed. "You're right, Wolf. We have an obligation to do justice."

"Good. Now you're getting it. I would have liked to have someone who listened to me like you sooner. We're going to change this country, brother! Let's give this poor people the chance we couldn't have."