Ezio turned as the area got dark, something was wrong. He heard voices as he tried to fight but couldn't move.
"He's waking up!" one, a male said.
"Give him a dose of sedative. He can't wake up!" a different voice, female.
"We can't! More would kill him!" the male said again.
He heard steps and felt a hand on his neck, like someone was feeling for his pulse. He tried to get away but his body felt like lead. "Execute protocol Gamma Seven." The person above him; a man who was older than the first, commanded. Ezio automatically didn't like him.
He felt several pricks in his arms and legs. He tried to move his hands but his arms were strapped down. "Grahh!" he shouted to the darkness at the figures he couldn't see. Something strange was pressed to his face surrounding his nose and mouth. It was getting harder to breathe. He tried to open his eyes but they wouldn't open.
He felt himself fall into darkness.
"Something's wrong!" the woman said.
"Files are not activating. Something's wrong with the system!" the younger man said as urgently as the woman.
"Scrub the system. Our guest isn't going…where…take…sures…off…iles…ssissns…"
Ezio fell from the voices in the darkness.
He felt like he was both floating and falling. He felt like his mind was so cloudy and he couldn't focus on anything. What's happening to me? He wondered.
ACCTTTIVVVAATT-ING-ING-GGGG" A strange metallic voice said from everywhere and no where. EMERGE-EM-EM-EM-MMMERGE-EMERGENCY LINK-INK-LINK UP-PPP
Bright sky blue appeared around Ezio and he began to fall backwards. He plunged into water that didn't feel like real water. He came up and looked around as he tread water. "Ezio!"
He turned and saw a blonde man wearing strange unfamiliar clothes. He was waving and shouting at him trying to get his attention.
Ezio swam to the man as the stranger ran up to him, helping him up. EZZ...gah!" he said shaking his head. "Who are you?" Ezio demanded.
"No time!" the mans voice was pitched strange. "Loo-oo-ook. I kn-kn-know you have no reason to trust me. But I'm on your side. Go!" he pointed and a grey wire like bridge appeared and solidified.
"You need to go and run. They don't know what I've done… But they will find out soon. The farther you are into the system, the harder it will be for them to find you. But there is a safe place. Find our mark!" he said shoving Ezio on the bridge and snapped his fingers. The island began to disappear. "I'll meet you both soon" he said then turned and ran through a flash of light and disappeared.
"WAIT! What do you mean both!?" Ezio called but he was already gone. He shook his head and started running.
The run seemed endless; soon the blue sky and ocean were all he had to see besides the bridge. He felt like he was moving past the same point, even though there was nothing he could use to give reference to how far he was going. It was an endless bridge before him and nothing behind him. Each step caused part of the bridge to disappear into nothingness.
Finally up ahead he found a large circle that the bridge led to hovering in open air as the Ocean and sky ended leaving only black and bluish surrounding lines that unnerved him a little. Etched onto the circle was a stained glass picture of the assassin's symbol. He stepped onto the circle and stopped in the middle. "Here is the symbol… so where is he?"
He turned as he heard footsteps behind him. A man with short cropped hair and stubble, wearing a white shirt and something slung on his back was running towards him. He slowed to a stop and stared at Ezio. "You… You're Ezio… Ezio Auditore."
Ezio took a step back. "How do you know my name?"
He watched the man shake his head and put his hands on it, as if his head was injured. "Man… Seriously…I… Seriously…"
He walked onto the circle and it flashed.
They stumbled back as the circle zoomed upwards and suddenly stopped. The Assassin Symbol shined in front of them.
"I thought…Figures." The man said as he walked up and touched it. The surrounding area shattered like glass and they were standing on an island similar to the one before.
"Welcome." A male voice said behind them. Ezio jumped to fight. The man simply turned and blinked. "Subject Sixteen!? He said surprised. The blonde haired man wearing a blue shirt and grey pants from before sat on a rock as if he was waiting for them. "You know him?" Ezio asked. "You could say so. Our relationship is a bit difficult to describe. Welcome to my place on the network." Subject Sixteen smiled. He got up. "I know you have questions and there is a lot to explain so we best get you all inside where it is safe and we can talk." He walked over and touched his palm to a tree. The island dissolved and wire frames and shapes appeared. Soon color was added and they were standing in something that could comfortably be called a study.
"Where are we?" the man asked.
"I based this house around the home I had growing up. Go with what's familiar you know? My dad seemed to think it was foolish that I went to computer engineering… heh… wish he could see what I do now... Anyway. Have a seat. I'll explain. But first…" he turned and pointed to Ezio and then to the man.
"Ezio Auditore, Meet Desmond Miles."
"Nice to make your acquaintance." Ezio replied unsure but decided to go with it for now.
Sixteen sat down on a lounging chair while Ezio and Desmond both took opposite sides of a couch. "First off, you two are in the Animus." Desmond turned his head and cursed under his breath. Ezio blinked. "Ani-what?"
Desmond answered, "It's a machine, used to access people's genetic memory. Their parents, ancestors…It's complicated."
"There is more." Sixteen began. "Ezio. You, like Desmond, have been captured by the Templars." Ezio's eyes widened. "But not Templars from your time."
Desmond shot up and looked at Ezio like he suddenly grew another head and ten more arms. "Wait…but… How? I thought…" he trailed off and sat down his head in his hands, he gave a soft moan and leaned back laying his head on the couch and closed his eyes.
"Abstergo, the business the templars are using as their cover, used a piece of Eden to bring Ezio to our time."
It was Ezio's turn to look confused. "I don't understand."
"I will explain. The current year is 2012. A little more than five centuries after your lifetime."
Ezio san back further in the couch. His face was rigid but slightly pale. "They used a piece of Eden that can alter time to bring you to a future time. To bring you here. They want to use you to find something in your memory. I'm still trying to figure out what."
Ezio nodded. "This is a little much but I think I understand. So why and how did we get here."
"I thought you were destroyed…" Desmond said softly. Sixteen winked. "I entered into Abstergos network when I uploaded the ciphers. I also linked a small piece of my conscious when we met before on Animus Island so that I'm observing when you enter the Animus in case Abstergo did something. Can't be too careful." He smirked. "When Abstergo tried to access your memories I activated "Deep Slumber" it's a program I made that sent your minds here. Where they can't get to you. Locked you away safe."
"So what? We're in a coma or something?" Desmond asked.
"For now. They can't get in without running the Wake Up Alarm program." Sixteen nodded. "I sent the only outside copy to William from a place no where near any Templars. He knows you are here. So do the rest of them."
"Who is William?" Ezio asked.
Desmond nodded. "My dad. He's the leader of the Assassins in this time." He rubbed his hand against his knee. Ezio noticed the hidden blade on his arm. "He'll come. I know he will."
"So what do we do then?" Ezio asked. "Sit back and wait?"
"For now yes. I…" Sixteen flinched. "Have-have-have to go-o-o-o… Losing-ing-ing energy. Trace me to you…" He stood. "Be back later with updates…" he said as he started dissolving "Make-make-ake yourselves –selves selves at home." His voice said as they looked around alone.
ISSSSAFFEEHEERREE…
