I don't dream anymore. Not for two months, at least I don't think they are really dreams. When I first started to go into the Animus they said something about a 'bleeding effect', apparently it was very dangerous. And though Warren Vidic doesn't seem all that concerned, his superiors feel the need to take precaution, I once heard them say that; "they don't want about subject 16". Though that is possibly because I may be particularly valuable to them, they would rather not damage an asset more than not wanting to hurt a person.
However what I do see when I sleep though I think are memories, memories from my ancestors. I have no idea if they are real or not, and I don't ask, I don't want any more medical tests or needles. I see things, places and faces of people who seem familiar to me but are not. And before I can ever find out where I really am I wake.
Just as I did this morning.
Hearing the low drone of sliding doors I open my eyes, I find myself once again staring at a cold gray metal ceiling. Lifting my head I realize no one has entered "my room" but that someone must be in the lab just beyond it.
Sighing to myself, knowing it was probably Vidic, I rolled myself up from the bed. Surveying the room it was not much to look at, it was my prison after all. Although I suspected that real prisons are a little nicer than this place. Here everything is made of metal, and it is always cold. Before I can get a rude wakeup call I get up and rush towards the bathroom, I set about doing what had slowly become something of a routine. Removing my white shirt I then walk to the corner and throw it up so it hangs loosely over the camera lenses.
Vidic had made a huge deal about me doing so when I first arrived here, but after a small hunger strike he held his complaints. As long as it was only for ten minutes so I could shower in privacy. Not that I could even do anything, I had almost nothing. The only real things that I had in my room were the blankets on the bed and a few towels for when I showered. Changes of clothes were brought to me, and no spare were ever kept in the room.
I suspect that was because of subject 16, he had apparently gone crazy due to the Animus and killed himself. I tried not to think if that had actually happened in this room or simply one like it. I also did not want to know.
The steaming hot water was soothing, as the rooms were always cold. Once I was done I dried myself thoroughly before slowly dressing again. I made it a slow process as I was simply trying to avoid having to leave the bathroom, worried about what Vidic had planned for her today.
Would it be more tests? More time in the Animus? Or possibly something worse?
But about fifteen minutes later there is no more that I can do to stall for time, I walk towards the bathroom door, it effortlessly slides open. Seeing no one in my room a sigh a bit of relief but I know it will be short lived. Sure enough the door does slide open seconds later and the frame of Warren Vidic fills the doorway.
"Good morning Miss. Emerson. Good to see you're already up and about." Vidic says sounding rather upbeat, though she knows it is not true enthusiasm. He is only excited about getting what he wants, and I still am unsure what exactly it is that he wants.
Naturally he doesn't tell me anything. After all I am the prisoner.
I say nothing to him, I have never kept it a secret that I wanted out, or that I hated everyone in the building. I had tried to escape a few times when I first got here, once I was able to take a single step into the hallway before I was caught again. Ever since then two guards have been on the outside of the doors and one in the lab all the time.
A few weeks ago when I heard the one referred to as subject 17 escaped, I tried again. This time trying to get out through the air ducts. But that proved just as futile.
Vidic doesn't give any attention to my silence but continues on, "Now we have some work ahead for us today. We are going to be working with the Animus today." He said and then turned to leave the room. I knew this was his silent command to follow, which I did. It was not really an option, I knew that if I didn't I would be drugged and made to do anything he wanted, so for now it was better to comply.
Entering into the lab I looked directly towards the Animus, there was a man there dressed in a white lab coat similar to Vidic. His name was Thomas, and he was an assistant, his job was mostly to monitor the Animus while I was inside. He was of average height with brown hair, his skin was slightly tanned but he was rather slim.
Crossing the very open lab towards the Animus I felt slight defeat. I desperately wanted out of this place, I knew my parents must be worried about me. Sure they had moved to France and I had been upset, but I still loved them. And they still loved me, that much I was sure of.
Would they think I hated them? That I was simply refusing to talk to them? Or did they know, that I had simply vanished. I wasn't even sure that I had been reported missing, I certainly had no access to a tv or the news. So there was no way for sure to know, but I did hope that someone, anyone was looking for me.
Though even if they did track me down to Abstergo… I doubted that there was any evidence I was here. I know I was officially called Subject 18 aka 'The Chalice' in all the files that Abstergo had regarding anything that had happened to me since being taken prisoner.
To them I wasn't really a person, Cassandra Emerson didn't exist. Just the Chalice did, just subject 18.
Once I was near it I saw movement near Vidic's desk and froze in place. Looking across the space I saw the familiar shape of Daniel Cross rise from the chair behind the desk. I tensed immediately.
Daniel Cross had been around a few times, watching a few of my sessions in the Animus with interest. Why I did not know. He didn't speak much, but when he did it made my skin crawl. There was just something about his eyes, like something was seriously wrong with him. And his bouts of anger made me sure I could never trust to be alone with him.
"Now, Miss Emerson, let's get started shall we?" Vidic said breaking the silence and my frozen demeanor. I looked towards the Animus wondering who I would be living as today. The last time they tried to unlock the earliest possible memories in my DNA, would we try again today?
I was sure they had learned all they wanted from both Adha and Cristina's memories, but truthfully I did miss being them. Adha had been smart, as had Cristina. Though I felt Cristina's story was far more tragic, and it affected me the most out of the two. I was also surprised by how much I looked like them, you would think about so many generations that I would not resemble them at all. But I think I would easily pass for Cristina or at least her sister. The physical resemblance also made me feel so close to her, despite there was a few hundred years between us. Maybe it was the bleeding effect but I felt so connected to them, but also to the assassin's that they each loved. It was so tragic that they both never got to be with them.
Again these feelings of connection, how I was able to feel the emotions my ancestors felt when I relived their memories, I couldn't talk about. The only person who truly knew what it was like was Daniel, but I would never open myself up to him. He was like a wild tiger, you couldn't trust him.
Stepping up to the Animus I sat on the edge before lying down, the circular veil piece slid over my head. And for a moment I simply lay there waiting for it all to start. Daniel drew closer, I could see the smug smirk on his face, why I did not know. Vidic hovered not too far from my left side.
"Alright here we go." Thomas suddenly said and I heard the telltale sounds of the Animus booting up and suddenly I was transported away from the lab and into the depths of the Animus program. As I was the last thing I could feel in my real body was that I could feel a single cold tear run down my cheek.
Author's Note: Alright, so I wanted to get chapter one up as quickly as possible. Basically this chapter is to introduce Cassandra and what she is going through to you guys more so you have more to give feedback on. As of chapter two you will see the real action start to go on. I am not sure if I will do a Desmond point of view... any ideas? Yes? No? Maybe?
I have always felt bad for Daniel Cross, part of me just wants to hug and cuddle him until he is a good Assassin again. But I did bring him in since he is rather important in what is going on in Assassin's Creed III. I will try and keep spoilers to a minimum so that's all I've got to say about him.
So yes, next chapter will be longer and have much more drama than this one, so please stay with me. And for the love of Altair, Ezio and Connor, PLEASE REVIEW!
& still looking for a Beta! Message me if you are up for the challenge!