"Almost there, Desmond," Rebecca chirped through the earpiece in Desmond's ear, coaxing him as he climbed up the side of the crane. "Once you reach the top of the lit up crane you should be high enough to make the jump."
"Should?" Desmond countered, glancing at the second tall crane towering above from across the rooftop.
"It'll be fine, don't worry." Rebecca assured him.
"Well, you might want to worry a little. I'm pretty sure she was high when she was running the numbers." Shaun's accent drawled through his ears, making Desmond roll his eyes.
"SHAUN!" Rebecca shrieked.
"A joke! It was a joke!" Shaun countered. "Or, was it?"
"Can it, Shaun. I can't focus on climbing with you being a dick in my ear." Desmond muttered. He still couldn't believe he was currently climbing across skyscrapers in Manhattan for a fucking glowing cube. Rebecca claimed it was better than having to deal with security in Abstergo's building, while Shaun reminded him that one false step on one of the beams meant a 100 story fall to his death. Great. Thanks, Shaun.
Despite his crippling fear of splatting across the Manhattan sidewalk, he knew that this was an important mission. Ever since they began to hole up in the Grand Temple, electricity was scarce, and they needed a lot of it in order to power their equipment and the Animus. After some snooping around they discovered that the temple could generate electricity if they found artifacts that powered the four power stations set up around the cave. All four of the artifacts were occupied by Templars, which meant extensive expeditions for Desmond and his team. Not that Desmond really minded. He was happy to get a break from the Animus, even if it meant him climbing around on cranes.
Desmond pulled himself up to the building, jogging over to the lit up crane. He jumped onto the next crane and began to climb, dodging past the light bulbs that lined the metal. His earpiece remained quiet during this portion of the climb, something he cherished. It was rare for him to get a moment of peace to think. He let his mind wander, trying to distract himself from the frightening heights below him. He found himself pondering what was to come after he found the key. The key.The key was everything. The key was their ticket to saving the world, to finding what Juno and Minerva and Jupiter have been guiding him to discover since Abstergo had kidnapped him those months ago. By living through Connor's memories, he was coming closer to finding the artifact with each passing day. He just hoped he found it soon enough, before it was too late.
But what if they didn't find it in time? What would end up happening? No one knows exactly what the day brings, only that the Grand Temple is where the First Civilization wants them to be when it does. Would they be safe from whatever danger would be bestowed upon them on that day within the Grand Temple? What danger was coming? Was there even any danger at all?
Before he knew it, he was at the top of the crane, looking down at the tiny buildings below him. He gulped, trying to swallow his fear.
"Jump when you're ready, but wait for my signal to open the chute. Timing is really important here. Too soon or too late, you'll miss the building." Rebecca coached him. He sighed, adjusting the parachute on his back and taking a deep breath. He locked his eyes on the helipad atop the building across the way, where he would behopefullylanding in a few minutes. He could hear his pulse pounding in his ears. Just jump, before you bitch out.He scolded himself, rising from his crouch carefully. He took one last breath and leapt from the crane.
The wind rushed past his face, blowing his hood off in the process. His crippling fear slowly melted away as he got a look at the sights falling around him, the view almost breathtaking. He smiled slightly, the first time he had in a while, and took it all in. It felt like a life time of peace before it was interrupted by Rebecca's shrill voice in his earpiece.
"Now! Open your chute now! DESMOND!" She shouted at him through the earpiece. Desmond hastily reached for the string to the parachute and pulled, releasing the chute behind him. The parachute caught wind and yanked him upwards towards the crane he had just bound from, the sudden force making him groan. His hands rested comfortably on the handles, his breathing calming as he began a comfortable descent towards the helipad.
Damn, that was a thrill a minute.He smiled to himself, enjoying the adrenaline rush he had received during the event. He continued to admire his surroundings, basking in the temporary peace he had with the world. No Templars, no blood, no Animus. Just Desmond. Desmond and the nighttime Manhattan skyline.
He tugged on the handles slightly, steering himself to land comfortably on the rooftop. As he inched closer, he braced for impact, bending his knees slightly and tensing his arms. His feet hit the pavement, sending him tumbling across the asphalt with a grunt. He sat for a moment to catch his breath, finally rising and stripping off the parachute pack, revealing his personal one-shoulder backpack he refused to take off. "It's got my entire life in it!"He recalled explaining to Rebecca, who teased him relentlessly about his obsession with it. "You're telling me if you could pack the Animus around in a backpack you wouldn't?"
"I'm not saying I wouldn't."Rebecca had smiled, raising an eyebrow. "What's in there, anyway?"
"Personal shit. Piss off."Desmond had rolled his eyes.
It was true. The backpack washis life. It held everything he had left. His notebook, which he mainly used to document the strange flashes of the Bleeding Effect he encountered at random times. He never would admit it, but he enjoyed writing poetry, and the notebook contained a few poems he had written between Animus sessions for the past few months, and a few from before his captivity at Abstergo. If Shaun or Rebecca found out, he would be ridiculed to oblivion for the rest of his life. He also kept small mementos inside such as plane tickets or train passes, something he also would never admit on purpose to anyone in his life. His wallet. And, more importantly, his phone. There really wasn't much inside, but he liked to keep it with him because it reminded him of who he was, in case he ever forgot. He also kept it with him just in case the two idiots he called his teammates decided to go snooping in his things. He wouldn't put it past them.
He scanned the rooftop, spotting a fire escape to his left. He jogged over, pulling the heavy door open and gently closing it behind him. He traveled down the narrow staircase and to the entrance of the building. Luckily for Desmond, the power source was located on the top floor, making his infiltration that much easier.
He quietly opened the door and shut it behind him, the hallway before him dark and silent. He crouched and hurried past the office windows around him, even though he was sure the entire building was cleared out. He continued onward, the hallway spilling into a large open lounge area. Damn Templars.He though to himself, admiring the darkened plasma TV's mounted over elegant fireplaces and white-leather interior. He glanced around, wishing Rebecca had been able to narrow down which side of the floor the power source was located on. There had to be hundredsof offices on this floor alone. How was he supposed to go through every single one of them?
He heard a shrill scream coming from the corridor on his right, his head snapping up. He retreated behind a couch, readying his hidden blade for the danger that lurked ahead. He kept his ears peeled, listening for the noise again.
"What was that?" Rebecca whispered into his ear, her voice worried yet curious.
"Dunno, came from the right hallway." Desmond whispered quietly.
"Whatever it is, don't stick around to find out." Shaun encouraged him. "Just get the power source and get out of there."
The scream came again. Desmond peered over the arm of the couch, watching for anything that caught his eye. He saw nothing.
"How do we know the power source isn't that way?" Desmond murmured, his voice barely audible. "
"We don't. Just go the other way. I doubt they would put a screaming lunatic next to an artifact." Shaun sassed.
"What if it's a prisoner, just like you?" Rebecca wondered.
The scream came a third time, quieter than before. Desmond rose from his crouch, slowly wandering towards the corridor. He leaned against the wall adjacent to the hallway, listening for the voice again.
"Please-just take me to her-please…"he heard a female wail, sobs echoing off of the walls. He peeked his head around the corner. "Sally-I'm sorry-I'm so sorry-"
Desmond began walking down the hall slowly and cautiously, his back against the wall. There weren't any office windows down this way, making him wonder where this corridor lead to.
"You aren't going down there, are you?" Shaun countered.
"Desmond-" Rebecca began.
"How do we know it isn't down here? Even if it's not, I have to check." He muttered, his eyes peeled.
"Your funeral." Shaun muttered. Desmond wished he could slap him through the ear piece.
The sobs grew louder as Desmond made his way down the hallway. He tiptoed carefully, noticing a faint light up ahead coming from his side of the wall, glowing against the wall opposite. He could make out a dim shadow pacing back and forth frantically. As he got closer, his heart sped up, wondering who the hell could be in the room.
He crept closer and closer until he noticed the wall opening, revealing glass lined with air holes. It reminded him of a cage for a reptile. He peered around the wall and caught a glimpse of a slim figure, still pacing back and forth in front of the dim blow of a small TV monitor that bore Abstergo's logo. He caught a glimpse of the woman's long, dark hair and white jumpsuit. He watched her for a few minutes, debating on his next step of action.
"What is it?" Shaun's voice echoed in his ear, speaking a little louder than he meant to. The girl froze, her head snapping towards him at the sound.
"Who's-who's there? I can hear you, you know!" She loudly whispered, her voice hoarse. Desmond could hear her back up to the wall farthest away from the glass, could hear her panting like a dog.
"Nice going, loud mouth." He grumbled to Shaun angrily, slowly moving from his spot behind the wall. He reached up and pressed the "off" button on his headset. He didn't need the peanut gallery's input while he talked to this chick. He held his hands up in self-defense.
"Who the fuck are you?" The woman asked, fear thick in her voice. She was shaking, he could see her trembling from the soft white glow of the monitor behind her. He caught a glimpse of the shape of her face; heart shaped with defined cheekbones. "Look, I told you, I don't. Know. Anything. Why won't you listen to me?"
"Hey, calm down. I'm not here to hurt you." Desmond murmured, trying to keep his voice down. "Try keeping your voice down, okay? You don't want them coming up here, do you?"
The girl shook her head frantically. "N-no. They're terrible people."
Desmond nodded, knowing exactly how the girl felt. Scared. Helpless. Confused. "My name is Desmond."
"D-Desmond," she repeated, her voice shaky. "I hear them talk about you. I hear them-they don't think I do, they don't knowI do…but I hear everything…."
"They talk about me? What do they say?" He smirked, entertained by the thought of him being a hot topic of conversation at Abstergo.
"'Son of a bitch.' 'Fuck face.' 'Piece of shit.'"She named off a few of his nicknames, mimicking a males voice as she did so. Desmond chuckled.
"Figures." He lowered his hands, his nerves calming. This girl was the farthest thing from a threat to him, or to his team. "What's your name?" He asked her, pressing his hand to the glass.
"My-my name?" She was flustered, running her hands through her hair. Her skin caught the light, revealing a dark, thick scar on the top of her hand. Desmond shivered at the thought of what it could be from. "My name-my…my name? What's my name-my name…"
If this girl can't even remember her name… Desmond thought, his stomach doing summersaults. What kind of torture were they putting her through?"If you can't remember, it's okay. I just wanted to know." He smiled, trying to calm her. "Don't hurt yourself. You're okay."
"M-M-" She began, sounding it out, her memory coming back to her as she did so. "M-Moi-Moira! It's Moira!" He could hear her grin as she spoke, pleased she could remember at least that. He smiled, her temporary happiness rubbing off on him.
"Moira, huh? I like that." He motioned for her to come towards him. "Moira, can you come over here? I want to ask you something."
Moira hesitated slightly, not sure if she should obey the command. But she did anyways, inching forward on her toes, her face slowly taking form as she got closer. She reached the glass, the glow of the monitor helping bring to life her features as Desmond looked down at her.
She couldn't be more than 5'6", her head barely reaching Desmond's shoulders. He tried to suppress a gasp as he took in the blood and cuts lining her cheeks and face, only a few inches of her skin not covered in blood and dirt. In the few clean patches of her face, he could make out dark freckles coating her pale skin. Her deep brown eyes bore into him, like he was an angel emerging from the darkness. The white Abstergo jumpsuit she had on was stained in red metallic blood, various tears and rips lining the fabric. She looked a mess. Yet when she quirked her lips into a small smile, he couldn't help but smile back.
Her hand tentatively raised and pressed against the glass right over where his hand sat. "Who are you?" she whispered.
Desmond smiled slightly, feeling overwhelmed by the bloodied woman standing before him. "That's not important right now." He responded, studying the woman. "What is important is that I find what I'm looking for."
"The power source?" she cocked her head to the side slightly. He was taken aback by her spot-on answer.
"Yeah," he eyed her carefully. How did she guess that the first time? "How did you know that?"
Her eyes widened in realization. "They knew. They knew you would come. Said they would send the man when the time came to fetch you-told him he couldn't kill you-bring you back alive-"
"Who did they say that to?"
"Cross-Cross I think his name is. Cross, Cross, Cross. D-Dan-Daniel?"
"Daniel Cross?" Desmond repeated, the name not ringing any bells. "Who the hell is Daniel Cross?"
"Bad-bad man. Gun-lot's of guns." She nodded frantically, warning him of his threat. "Hurry-hurry, he'll find you. He always does."
Desmond looked around, feeling slightly paranoid. "I want to, but I don't know where the power source is. Do you?"
She stared at him, her eyes glazed over as if she were pondering something. Her face lit up and she nodded. She pointed to his right. "Hallway, that way. Big office. At the end of hall. In glass box." She made a box shape with her hand, trying to demonstrate the object to him. "Glows bright like a lantern."
Desmond smiled at her, patting the glass. "Thank you, Moira." He glanced over his shoulder and back at Moira, "I'm gonna go get this power source, and when I get done, I'm gonna break you out. How does that sound?"
Moira's entire face lit up and she nodded frantically. Desmond was surprised her head didn't fall off. "Please-help me! Get me out! Find power source!" She encouraged him as he sprinted away from the cage. He didn't have time to lose. He had to move fast if this was going to work. He leapt over a white leather couch and sprinted down the hall until he reached the very last door. He pulled it open quickly, letting it shut softly behind him as he entered the office.
The power source sat perched on top of a glass desk, glowing brightly inside of a clear display. Glowing like a lantern, just like she said.He smiled to himself, walking to the desk slowly. He looked around for any sign of an alarm, seeing nothing. He shook out his right arm, holding it in front of him before bringing it down onto the casing, the glass shattering loudly. He picked up the cube, admiring it in his hand as he strolled back towards the door.
"That wasn't so bad," Desmond muttered to himself, playing with the power source a little in his palm. He turned and found himself face to face with a blond man in a leather jacket, a pistol stretched out towards Desmond. His eyes widened, holding up his hands in self-defense.
"So, you must be Desmond. Not really what I expected. But I guess your kind doesn't have many options these days." He sneered.
"Who are you?'
"Ask your father. Now give me that."
Desmond looked down at the power source, then back at the man. "I don't think so."
"Look-," the man drawled, inching forward towards him. "I'm not supposed to kill you… but the bossman didn't say anything about fucking. You. Up. So you've got til the count of-"
Desmond didn't wait around for him to continue. He cocked his hand holding the power source back and swung, knocking the man straight onto his back with a crunch.The man lay unconscious at his feet. He stared at him for a moment then took off down the hall, not wanting to waste any more time in the building. He leapt over the couches one last time and back down the corridor towards Moira, who was waiting patiently for his return. Her face lit up when she saw him with the power source.
"Y-you got it! Good! Cross-I heard Cross-" she stammered, her palms pressed against the glass.
"That was Cross? Damn. He wasn't too bad." Desmond teased, and she smiled at him. She seemed to be calming down a bit, her stammer episodes subsiding slightly as they spoke. He motioned for her to step back and she obliged, backing up towards the Abstergo monitor. He cocked his power-source wielding hand back one more time and swung at the cage, the glass shattering in the spot he hit. He swung a few more times, the glass eventually giving way and falling around them. A loud alarm sounded, red lights flashing down the hallway. Moira looked around frantically, frightened by the loud noise.
"Alarm-alarm-I'm sorry…I didn't know..." she began, and he shook his head.
"It doesn't matter. We're leaving anyway. C'mon!" He reached out his hand and she took it, leading her down the hallway.
"Wait-wait!" she stopped, turning back to the cage and pointing at a shelf out of her reach. He hurried over and felt around the shelf, his hand touching a leather strap of some kind. He pulled on it, revealing a dirty, old-fashion looking black laptop bag. She nodded and pointed to it, then back at herself.
"This is yours?" he guessed, and she smiled. She took it from him and swung it on her back, taking his hand once again.
"You ready?" he smiled at her and she nodded. He pulled her back towards the lounge area, to the staircase and towards her freedom.
