Axton followed Corvo and the boat back to the Hound Pits Pub. It was intriguing, the place where he had been marked is the very place his father was hiding out. He saw as a woman approached him and hugged him, tears in her eyes as she seemed to thank him profoundly. 

Well... I know where home is now... he thought as he stood from the roof he was standing on. Now it's time I bring my little sister home.

And with that said, he vanished and made his way back to the Distillery District. He had an idea where his sister was, after all, she was taken by the Pendleton twins. He knew this when he shifted through the completed contracts and found a letter from the now "Lord Regent" giving precise instructions on what to do with Emily once the Empress was killed. He knew these two, everyone did. They had a reputation based around the Golden Cat Bathhouse, and he was willing to bet his very last coin that she was there. 

He blinked from rooftop to rooftop, stopping to eavesdrop on the guards below here or there, just to listen if they would mention anything about the Golden Cat and the Pendletons. Instead, they where all obsessing over the fate of the High Overseer. Word seems to travel fast, he thought as he listened to a group speak.

"-no one has any idea what happened. The Overseers say that everything was quiet, no one entered nor left and that the torturer doesn't even remember branding him. But the law is the law, and he was exiled from civilization."

"Bastard got what he deserved!" Another guard said. "I heard that he was corrupt. That he called people he didn't like witches and took them in and burnt them. I heard that he secretly met with women from the Golden Cat and indulged them."

"Shhh! Keep your voice down! We can't keep going off rumor and speculation. Come on, we got a street to patrol."

And with that said, they parted ways. Interesting... he thought as he continued onward, making his way to the Golden Cat. 

~☆~

It was quite easy to get to the Golden Cat, but slipping in was the hard part. One thing's for sure, the Twins where definitely there. After all, why else would there be so many guards? 

Axton was crouched upon the roof of the Captain's Chair Hotel, eyeing the bath house and taking note of all the guards and their rounds. His goal was to sneak in and out without being seen or raising a single alarm. It was a grandiose building, made with rusting bronze and stained, white concrete and wood. But it was still a place frequented by nobility, especially by the Pendletons. And hopefully for the young assassin, that meant that Emily would be there too.

There where many windows, each where closed except one, above a balcony where a guard stood watch, vigilantly watching the ground below and above. If I am to get in through there, he thought as he watched the guard. I will have to be quick, and very, very quiet.

He stood, and took a few steps back. He shook his arms, jumping on the balls of his feet as he whispered "Alright. Here we go, here we go!" he gave a running start and jumped, blinking to the building next to the cat. He then crouched and ran, hiding each time, counting "1, 2, 3" before moving again. He was almost to the ledge when he was spotted, he knew he was because he counted how long between the guard looked down then up. But he was prepared.

Before the Guard could so much as breath in to shout, Axton unleashed his least favorite, and least utilized power. Possession.

He seized control of his host and turned to the door, he ordered him to move his arms and legs. Unfortunately, he was lethargic, almost drunk like. But he opened the door and internally groaned when he saw the other City Watchman standing there. Worse yet, he noticed Axton's host and seemed to be a friend.

"Shit Garrett. You look like you had just ate a river krust. Are you well? You didn't... you didn't contract the plague... did you."

Axton just shook 'Garrett's' head and said in a very zombie like voice. "IIIIIII aaaaaaammmmmmm dddddrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuunnnnnnnkkkkkkk."

He sighed. "Dammit Garrett! You said you weren't going to drink on the job anymore! If the Captain finds out... Ugh! I'll cover for you! And this time I am going to be sure to take away that flask, got it?"

Garrett started to wrestle back control, Axton knew he needed to act fast. He placed a hand on his stomacj and one over his mouth.

"IIIIIII aaaaammmmmm gggggggoooooooonnnnnaaaaaa ppppppuuuuuukkkkkkeeeee."

"Gross! Go to the bathroom then! I'll cover your shift till you return.... if you return."

His vision was starting to blur as he turned he staggered towards the door and barged it open, her was able to close it and take a few more steps forward before being ejected from his body. Garrett wobbled a little and started saying "Wha- what... where ...." 

He made some gargling noises then started wrenching his body, holding his stomach and Axton immediately turned away as the watchman unleashed the contents from his stomach and onto the floor. The stench of the bile thankfully unaffecting Axton due to his mask. When the guard stopped and whipped his mouth, Axton didn't give him any time to recover himself. He struck like a Pandyssian viper and wrapped his arms around him in a choke-hold. The guard flailed his arms and legs as he tried to fight Axton's hold, flinging up his stomach contents as he did so.

Axton himself had to resist the urge of puking himself. This was why he hated the power, it was useful, but messy. Finally, the man started to slow until he finally stopped moving entirely and passed out. Axton immediately let go and grabbed his body. He knew he had to hide it somewhere, he just didn't know where. He scanned around him until he found door, and he knew it lead to the Madame's office. He never had been to the Golden Cat, but he's seen maps and blueprints of the place and stored them to memory. He decided to risk throwing the guard in there, and hoped that someone had just assumed he got drunk. He first peeked through the key hole and cursed. Madame Prudence was in there, reading a book.

Shit... shit shit shit... he thought, he didn't want to risk going to the rooms below nor above, in case they have been being used for pleasure, and he much rather peek at the old madame reading a book rather than some man and a working girl... well... working. So he decided, he stopped time, opened the door, shot the madame with a sleep dart, walked out, closed the door and peeked again. As time resumed, he saw as his dart shot at her and hit her on the neck. It immediately entered her bloodstream and within seconds she was knocked out. 

Now, time to locate Emily. 

He used his void gaze and started scanning around with his hand in front of him like a compass. He caught a few bonecharms and runes in close vicinity, but he ignored them. He was already pretty certain that his powers where at their fullest and he can make his own bonecharms. 

He then caught the sound of something different, like whispers of thoughts of a human coming from above him. Emotions flooded him in an instant, fear, anger, sadness, loneliness. He knew it was Emily, and he felt that the predominate feeling was fear.

He then heard a thump coming from above and muffled voices. Axton instantly made his way up the stairs and stopped as he saw one of the Pendleton twins yelling into a room.

"You little brat! This is the second time you tried to escape, second!  You where lucky to be caught by Morgan last time, but now.... now you won't be so lucky!"

He then proceeded to unbuckle his belt and folded it, snapping it with a loud crack.

The sound caused flashbacks to Axton, flashbacks of the day he gained his first scar. The day he watched his friend die. 

"I'll whip some sense into you yet girl!" He exclaimed as he made his way into the room, snapping the belt again, causing another. He saw the whip rise and crash down on his face, crying as he held his friend close. Fire burned in his eyes. He was not going to let Emily feel pain even close to that, ever.

He blinked behind Custis and wrapped his arms around the man's neck, choking him out just like he had with the guard, dragging him kicking and silently screaming out of the room.

When he was properly knocked out, he threw his body to the floor. He wanted so badly to plunge his sword straight into the Pendleton's stomach. Slit his throat, watch him bleed....

"Who... who are you? Ax... Axton? Cor-Corvo?"

Axton was ripped out of his thoughts and immediately felt guilty. He shouldn't kill, not in front of Emily at least. I'll never let her see a dead body ever again, not while I'm still breathing. He emerged from the shadows and leaned against the door frame of her room. 

He scanned her up and down and his blood boiled. Her white dress was in tatters and she had fading bruises on her delicate little arms and face. "Damn, you look like shit." He said.

"AXTON!!! YOU CAME!!!" She cried as she ran to him. He crouched down and extended his arms. She rushed into them and they embraced. 

When they pulled away she started bouncing around excitedly. "I didn't think you where coming! I thought something happened because they said Corvo was dead like... like mother..."

Her face went stony and serious. "That felt like a long time ago..."

She then shook herself and smiled again. "But you're here! You came! So that means you broke Corvo out, didn't you? Just like you promised."

"No, actually. Someone beat me to it." Axton replied as he kneeled down and grabbed Emily's hands.

"Really? Someone else broke him out? Who?"

Axton shrugged. "I don't know, but whoever they are, they must be a friend whoever they are. I'm taking you to them right now, to Corvo."

"Wow! You're like my night in shining armor! Like in the fairytales mother used to read to me! Or... well... I guess assassin in black leather suits you better."

Axton laughed. "Yeah, that would be accurate wouldn't it?"

"I know a way out of here! I almost escaped twice!" Emily said excitedly.

Axton smiled under his mask as he said, "I have a better idea. But you will need to hang on very tightly and not look down."

~☆~

Emily was not afraid of heights, and even had fun as she piggybacked Axton over the rooftops, blinking from one to another. She laughed and had a blast, though it took a while to get to the Flooded district on foot, so it was just hitting dawn as they arrived at the Hound Pits Pub.

"Alright, so here is the plan." Axton said as he crouched on a factory roof and glanced down at the pub as Emily lay on her stomach, clutching the ledge and peering down. "I am going to blink you down to the open area between that workshop area and the Hound Pits-"

"No." Emily said.

Axton frowned and glanced down at her. "No?"

"You are not leaving me again." She said firmly as she glanced up at him. "I know you don't want to, and I don't want you to either."

"But they'll kill me the moment I show my face- er- mask." He replied.

"I won't let them. If they want me to trust of like them, they will have to let you live.... I even won't speak to Corvo if he hurts you!"

"Emily-"

"And if you don't come down with me, I won't forgive you either! I won't talk to you ever again and I will....I will hit you next time I see you!"

Axton placed a hand over his heart as he stared at her. "Oh no! You'll hit me! Oh my, oh my. I guess I now have to go down there don't I?"

A part of him was excited, he was finally going to meet his father face to face!

Another part of him felt anxiety rising, he was finally going to meet his father face to face...

He didn't know if he was ready, he's been dreaming of this moment for years! But then again, in every vision he had, his father wasn't out for his blood either. A vision Corvo's face as he held him suspended in the air flashed before his eyes. The anger and resentment radiating off of his brown eyes as he glared daggers at. That's why they looked so familiar... Axton thought with a gulp. They where also my eyes too...

Emily's tiny, soft hand grabbed his gloved, rough ones.

"Come on Axton," she said with determination in her brown eyes, the same shade as her mother's. "We do this, together."

Axton nodded and blinked down just as Corvo, Admiral Havelock, and Overeer Martin exited the Pub.

They jumped at the sight of him. 

"Whaler!" Havelock exclaimed as he reached for his gun, along with Martin, Corvo, and Trevor Pendleton (who was standing by the stairs that lead to where Samuel was docked.

Emily peeked from behind Axton and saw Corvo immediately.

"CORVO IT'S YOU!!!" She exclaimed as she ran to him and gave him a hug. 

"Emily? EMILY!?" He exclaimed as he dropped his weapon and picked her up, swinging her around happily and hugging her close to his chest. He kissed her on the forehead as tears streamed down his eyes. 

He then, seemed to remember the Whaler standing before him. He pulled out his blade and pushed Emily behind him protectively, saying, "Emily. Stay back-"

"NO! DON't HURT HIM!"

And before he could stop her, she ran in front of Axton just as Pendleton's finger started to squeeze the trigger.

"STOP! NO ONE SHOOT!" Corvo exclaimed as he made to grab Emily, but it was too late. Trevor Pendleton pulled the trigger.

And Emily screamed.

😈😈😈