Run! Don't look back! Just run away!

Although it should be easy for him by now, he found it increasingly difficult to now to add distance between himself and the guards who now wanted his life.

It was all because of this stupid plan... if only he hadn't considered it, maybe he wouldn't need to run.

"AGH!" Pain flashed like fire on his shoulder, and he laid on an extra bit of speed now in desperation. Heart slamming like a drum, he found it amazing how he hadn't collapsed by now. But then again, the adreniline pumping through his body right now made sure of it. He dashed around the corner and found a tunnel entrance just in front of him. I can hide! He realized, and threw the gate of the entrance open before slamming it closed behind him. But without giving himself a chance to slow down, he fell down the steps.

With a sickly crunch, he hit the floor in a crippled heap, tightly grasping his leg before pulling himself up again. He had to get away from the entrance, he had to hide. He couldn't step down on the injuried leg, however, and was forced to hop for what seemed like an hour before his body gave into exhaustion and he fell to the floor again.

Breathing harshly, he eyed a small hole, just large enough for him to crawl through, and in one last desperate attempt, he squirmed in before finding himself in a small room with a low ceiling. But a hole in the floor reveiled a small stream bubbling below. But too weak to even consider getting a drink, he let his head fall into his hands as he gave into exhaustion and pain.

Ezio was on his way to the Thieves Guild when he noticed something fairly unusual. There seemed to be more guards now than last week. And those smug thieves from the Cento Occhi seemed a little more bold now (if they weren't already), a LOT more than normal. Shrugging it off as the Borgia having themselves another scare, he opened the disguised guild.

Inside, it seemed Volpe's thieves were very much on edge. Normally when he came here, the main room was filled with conversation, the boosting of gambling winners, and the ranting of the losers. But today there was none of it. No one was really doing anything but sitting or pacing with worried looks and stances.

One of the thieves, Aldo, noticed Ezio enter, but returned to staring at the table. He and some others seemed particularly scared or mournful even.

Again, the Master Assassin figured the extra guards and gang rivals were the cause of stress and decided it was best to ask La Volpe about the issue. But no one was in the back room today, and no one came in even after he waited a little bit. By now, Ezio figured the older could have left to go on some assignment. Which would explain his absense. But just to be safe, he walked up to the closest thief and asked, "Do you know where La Volpe is?"

The thief shook his head and sighed. "No. No one does. La Volpe is missing, we fear, and maybe worse."

Volpe missing seemed believable, the man could pull it off easily. But Volpe captured seemed... impossible. Killed seemed more likely but still uncertain. "Can you tell me what happened that could have caused the disappearence?"

"We had planned on fighting with the Cento Occhi last week, but because we know how fair they play, La Volpe thought he should come along as well." The thief said, "We were right about them not playing fair, they even cried to the guards for help when we came. When he knew we would be outnumbered, La Volpe told us to run and that he would distract the guards. We hadn't seen him since that."

This seemed to hit Ezio like a war hammer to the chest. And for a minute, it seemed like he had just stopped breathing, he shook himself out of the shock and nodded. "Then stay where you are. I'll see if I can find him."

"Gazie, but I don't think you will find anything," the thief sighed.

"I'll make sure I do," Ezio replied as he walked out.