Chapter Two
C:\Login:._
C:\Login: AllUsers\Administrator
C:\Administrator Password: _
C:\Administrator Password: **********
C:\AllUsers\Administrator: _
C:\AllUsers\Administrato: cmd run file\EZIO,exe
C:Database _
C:\AllUsers\Administrator:Database\LUCIA McCLAREN
C:Initiating...
C:EZIO,exe\Initiated_
C:\AllUsers\Administrator: cmd start\EZIO,exe\MEMORY SEQUENCE one
C:EZIO,exe\MEMORY SEQUENCE one starting _
I waited.
My information said the target passed through here, everyday at this time. And so, I waited. Amongst the citizens that lined the streets, gathering or walking in groups. Some would sit, some would stand, all without a thought to the cloaked figure moving with them.
I smile slightly at the absurdity of it. With my hood up, I stand out from those around me, all others having bare heads, but by staying in the crowd, moving with them, I was rendered invisible. A wolf, in wolfs clothing, successfully wearing the ignorance of those around, as a veil.
I look and then take a second look.
I am rewarded, as I see a gold shimmer from the approaching target. He does not know it, but he has only a minute left to live. I think on how I will get away after the act is complete. Having climbed all the tallest points throughout the city and surveying the surrounding area, I had created a fully formed map, each sight, committed, to memory.
The mental picture of the layout of the city, with my escape route emblazoned on my mind, serving even better then a drawn map. No trivial data. Hiding spots, the Mercenaries Barracks, Thieves Guild, places I might need to get to fast after I have fulfilled the contract I had travelled all this way for. From the Lowlands of Scotland, to the bustling city of Rome, all that way for one man. A man aiding our enemies. His death could be the blow that gives us the upper hand. I put my mind back to the task as he moves closer.
A few steps and I'm on the edge of the group. I watch without looking. A slight smile, at the look on his face. He is oblivious. I feel the pressure of my hidden blade at my wrist, as I prepare to strike. I step to the side, blocking his way. His frown hasn't even fully formed, as I step in to him. I put one hand on his shoulder, as though I am greeting him and drive my other hand forward until it is flat on his chest, then look him in the eye.
I see the realisation in his eyes, as it dawns on him in that last moment. They widen with acceptance, even as they go dark. I retract my blade and prepare to take on his weight. He's heavy, the product of rich food and little exercise. I brace to move, knowing that the longer I wait to leave, the higher the chance of running into a roving band of guards. No one notices his death, though dozens unknowingly witness it. He slumps forward.
There is a blur from above, then a force that slams me to the ground, the target on top. I gasp for air, dazed. Onlookers scream and back away. I see a figure in white stand and look down at me. I blink, my eyes unfocused, and concentrate on pushing the body off me. I force myself up and stumble, before my vision clears. The figure in white is gone and the crowd watches me in horror. A glance down shows my robes are stained with blood, testament to the accuracy of my blade, straight into the heart.
"What's going on here," I curse under my breath as I move away from the guards, who are pushing their way through the crowd. The onlookers part in front of me as though I have plague. Blood stains not a very effective look, when you are trying to blend in.
"Hay you, stop!" I take off at a sprint, not needing to turn around to know that the words are directed at me. They pursue me through the streets and I know as long as I am in their line of sight, I can't vanish into a hay pile or down a well. I work on breaking that line of sight.
I make a running leap and catch a low hanging beam. Pulling myself up and skipping over to the next beam and the next. I grab at a ledge and roll onto the roof it belongs to. Quickly setting off again as I hear my pursuers scaling the wall beneath me.
I ignore the shouted warnings from the rooftop sentries and leap across the street to the next roof. A glance behind shows the progress of the initial chasers. The forerunner, clearly a skilled free runner also, too close behind me for comfort. I pick up the pace and leap up to another roof.
A crossbow bolt whistles past my ear and slams into the wall by my head, grazing my arm. I slip, but manage to keep a hold of the wall and pull myself clear. I make a split second decision and jump back over the edge, the way I had just come up.
My blade slices through the collarbone of the guard below, he crumples, my weight forcing him to the ground. I look up at those fast approaching and take a flying leap, clearing the street below. I drop down the side of the wall, in my haste misjudging the distance to the ground.
I let out a low growl, pain jarring through my ankle as I land and try my best to get in a passing group of people, before the guards above see me. I force my breathing to even and try not to hobble, pulling my cloak around me in an attempt to hide the blood stains.
"There!"
I sigh as I am seen. So much for an anonymous kill, I think to myself and curse the stranger who had interfered. I turn and face the guards, not willing to risk further injury by running or climbing. I shake out my limbs and take a defensive position, favouring my injured ankle. The numbers of pursuers had increased, and now there were seven dropping down from the roof above. More shouts to my side announce the arrival of more guards.
Eleven against one, I think over the numbers, I've faced worse. But that's no consolation. That's just eleven blades, all looking for my throat. I look at the ground, finding it easier to feel the movement of the guards surrounding me, rather than looking at just one individual. I feel the man behind me tense, betraying his intention to attack.
He swings his sword high and I whirl, one arm stops his down stroke, knee to the groin makes him freeze, hidden blade slicing through the sinew of his neck and cutting his spine. My blade slides free, slick with new blood, as he drops and I'm immediately on defence again.
The next guard I disarm, beheading him with his own sword. In one movement, I swing the sword back, to slice through the throat of the guard next to him, before the first headless corpse has even hit the ground. A blow from a mace behind me makes me stumble forward and I drop the sword. Before I can recover, another guard grabs me, forcing my arms behind my back.
"I've got you now," He yells in my ear, pulling the hood from my head. "A girl!"
He's clearly astonished, expecting a man to have delivered the deathly blows to his comrades. I sneer at him not giving him the satisfaction of an answer. Another of the guards moves forward, until he stands directly in front of me. He has the look of a ferret, thin and wiry, with a face that clearly needed to pay, to feel a woman's touch.
"It is a good thing we found out before we killed you. We can take reparation for their lives from your hide." He runs his dagger down the front of my clothes, leering, while the others snicker their agreement. I tilt my head and smile invitingly at him. As he leans forward, I use the man holding my arms as leverage and jump, bringing my leg up and hearing the satisfying crunch as my knee connects solidly with his jaw.
He stumbles and drops to a knee, as the guard holding me tightens his grip, forcing my hand further up my back and cursing me. I ignore the pain and laugh as the ferret like guard dribbles blood coloured spittle onto the ground. He gives me a murderous look, spitting, as he stands.
"On second thought, you don't have to be breathing to repay the debt." He growls, voice disfigured from what had sounded like a broken jaw. He takes a step forward. I clench my jaw as three things happen.
I flexed, sending my hidden blade into the chest of the guard holding me, not a fatal wound, but enough for him to let go. Three assassins dropped from the rooftops surrounding us, killing another three of the unsuspecting guards around me. With the distraction I step forward and aim an uppercut at the guard, at the last moment freeing my blade and forcing it up under the ferret guards' chin, sending it through the roof of his mouth and into his brain.
I give him a grim smile as his muscles contract and his body spasms, eyes wide with surprise, blood leaking from his mouth. I send my blade back to the guard I had injured, as the ferret like one drops to the ground, killing him with several quick stabs to the torso. I turn to the remaining three guards in time to see them, now that the opposition's numbers were larger than their own, sheath their weapons and run, tails between their legs.
I look over at the newcomers. Two of them nod to me and, after giving the third a slight bow, run off, one disappearing into the gathering crowd, the other vanishing over a rooftop. I watch the third cautiously, as he approaches, he motions with his hand.
"Do not be scared bella, we don't have time. More guards will come."
"I am nay scared." I reply evenly, stepping back and shooting him a defiant look. Which he counterss with an amused smile.
I take in his appearance. He is older, but still handsome, brown hair tied in a pony tail, short beard, solid. His weapons, clothes and the respect received from the other assassins also signalled he was of high rank. His very persona and the way he held himself exuded the confidence of a master, in the quiet way only an assassin could.
But that was one thing I had hoped I wouldn't see. The reason I opted to stay with the thieves and mercenaries, rather than make contact with the Assassins of Rome. Though it was most likely a coincidence, after all He can't be the only master in Italy, and I didn't know for certain this one was a master.
I lift my leg slightly as pain throbs through my ankle and he notices, I see his eyes flick to my injury and he steps closer.
"You need to get that looked at, and your back, we can stop at a doctoro on the way. Can you walk?"
I think on his suggestion, knowing that it is the best at the moment and my mind is made up for me, as I hear a woman scream. I look around at the citizens watching, and think of the sight they were seeing. Two figures, one covered in blood, both standing in the middle of ground strewn with the bodies of guards. I nod at the man, stepping towards him.
"Lead the way." He whistles and a group of women materialise from the crowd. They surround us as I pull my hood up and we walk, suddenly anonymous again, from the scene.
My eyes flick open and I sit upright looking around, before breathing a sigh of relief. It was only a dream. I fall backwards onto my pillow and rub my eyes, the details from the dream, still vivid in my memory. With my eyes closed, I can see the man from my dream clearly. Like an older version of the guy I met at the church, the cute, creepy one.
"What's his name?" I rack my brain, trying to remember and then give a small, triumphant, smile as I open my eyes. "Desmond."
Knowing I won't get back to sleep, I decide to get up and explore the city. I creep out of the hotel apartment, making sure I don't wake my aunt and uncle. Thinking back on how much I had moaned about being separated from my friends for the holidays, when they had first told me about the trip, my attitude had done a complete 180.
I hadn't enjoyed sightseeing so much in my entire life. I smile, they had told me the trip was a reward for all the hard work I'd put in at school and for finishing my exams and I had turned around and said it was a punishment. Well, they had proved me wrong, hadn't they. I push open the door in front of me and am surprised to find myself looking out from the roof of the hotel, I hadn't even noticed that I had gone up instead of down.
I move to the edge and look across the starlit city. It was beautiful, And to think, I'm from here, I smile my approval, Even if I'm not exactly sure, how I'm from here. I gaze at the space to the next roof and shake my head.
Bad idea, I tell myself, You can jump anything in a dream, this is not a dream. You fall, you get hurt, for real.
But it's too late. I blink and I'm running at the edge, I leap and my stomach lurches, as I find myself midair, between two buildings. I hit the other roof solidly and the shock of my landing, shudders up through my feet. I look back at the hotel roof in disbelief, still crouched.
"What the..." My breathing is fast, from the run and the exhilaration that I had done it, successfully. I shake my head and stand up. I look at the next roof curiously, adrenaline pumping through my veins. Before I know it I'm jumping from roof to roof like I'd done it all my life. Finally, breathless, I drop my legs off the side of a roof and sit, swinging my legs back and forth.
My grin feels permanently fixed on my face. I cover my mouth with my hand and smother a laugh. That was one inspiring dream, I think to myself, knowing for certain, this time yesterday, there was no chance I would have even thought of doing this, let alone actually doing it. I close my eyes and turn my face to the sky, seeing the man from my dream clearly.
He was hot, no matter what his age, and his voice . . . I think of all the Italian accents I had heard since getting to Italy, his was the best by far, and he was only a dream. I bet he was super hot when he was young. My smile turns into a grin at my thoughts. Stupid girl, I chide myself, holding in a laugh. He's only a dream.
But, my eyes peak open at my new development, Desmond's not. I nod, He's also not Italian, with his accent, definitely American. I let my thoughts wonder as I look across the lightening horizon, catching a glimpse of a shadow landing on the adjacent rooftop.
Too big to be a cat, I think, my interest peaking as I squint to see clearer. The shadow moves to the edge and peers down. Is that a person? The shape makes its way down the side of the church and my eyes widen as it steps into the light, peering inside the building.
"Desmond?" I utter the name in surprise and the feeling increases as he spins around at the sound of my voice, which I thought had been little more than a whisper. He stands still for a moment, before offering an awkward wave.
"Lucia... Hey." I stare at his greeting, clearly there's more to him than meets the eye. "How'd you get up there?" he asks in a less then convincing voice.
"The same way you got down there, I'm guessing." I'm still staring, I know I am, but I make no attempt to hide it. He puts his hand up, telling me to wait and crosses to the wall below. I watch him make quick work of the distance between us and in no time he's sitting on the ledge next to me.
"So..." He looks at his hands. "It's a nice night." I nod, too dumbstruck to do anything else and then add the next thing that came to mind.
"So I had a dream about you." His turn to nod.
"Was it good?" I give him a non-committed nod/shrug.
"I could tell you about it?" I offer and when he nods, I start regaling him with my dream of assassins.
A/N Though it's written Mhairi, it's pronounced Mha-REE or Vha-REE. Vha-REE is the version I'm using in this story. Anyway, for those who are following, Hope you enjoyed chapter two and don't forget to review it
