A/N: Welcome back everyone! I know I took this is a seemingly ENTIRE different direction than how I started the story last time. But I promise you that familiar ground will come back soon. As long as I have you guys to keep me motivated and driven to make this story something then I can rest easy about it. I'm really hoping that yall will really like this take on it more anyways. I'm already liking it a lot more. Anyways, please review and favorite it if you really like it. Your reviews will help me continue to strive to make this a lot better. Ciao for now! XD
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ASSASSIN'S CREED OR UBISOFT. JUST MY OCs.
CREED OF BLOOD: CHAPTER 02
Upon leaving her room, almost immediately Madelynn began to smell the distinct flavor of cooking beef. Following her nose, she found the cooking area of the common area. Over the stove stood another man of almost equal height to Zachary, lost in his own world as he reached for some seasoning. He was dressed in a black tee shirt and cargo shorts. Possibly oblivious to her presence, Madeline thought to knock on the doorway as a way of announcing herself. Before she could though, the man glanced back at her and greeted her.
"Hey. You must be the new girl. I'm Vic." He beemed a quick smile at her before returning his attention to the food.
"Nice to meet you." She stated. "I'm Madelynn."
"Likewise. I just got back and was starving so I thought I would whip something up." He said, glancing over to Madelynn starting to look through the fridge. "You think you can hand me the butter? Forgot to grab it." After finding it, she handed a cold yellow stick to him. "Thanks. Food in there is basically free for grabs. Anyone who wanted anything special tends to keep it in their rooms."
Without missing a beat, she grabbed a cheese stick before shutting the fridge. Leaning against the counter, she gingerly opened the package before taking a bite.
"You're free to have some, you know?" Slightly confused, Madelynn looked up Vic. "It's only Hamburger Helper but I accidentally made too much again. And I promise I won't poison you." He let out a small laugh before looking for Madelynn's reaction. She just looked at him blankly before looking back down at her cheese.
"I came in here for something anyways so... thanks." Vic beemed at her again before switching off the stove and grabbing a couple of plates, then handing her one.
"Help yourself."
They fished out their food before Vic went to sit at a set of table and chairs in one of the corners. Madelynn wondered if she would join him and decided that there would be no harm in it. Sitting down, Madelynn didn't give much more thought before digging into her food. Maybe I was hungrier than I thought, she wondered realizing that she was woofing her food down.
"Damn, didn't think it was that good." Vic blurted out.
"Sorry." Madeline retorted. "It's not bad though. I've had a lot worse."
"Thanks." He replied as he took another bite of his food. "So they have you working with us then? On the genetic research team?"
"That's what I was told on the way here anyways. Anything concerning I should know about?"
"Nothing really. Just make you get a lot of rest and try to eat healthy while you're here. You'll need the energy, trust me."
"So it's pretty exhausting work?" Madelynn picked at a spot on her plate as she looked up at Vic.
"In a sense. I'm sure Brian will explain that to you later though. The first day is always the roughest."
Before Madelynn could inquire about what he meant by that, Zachary burst into the room.
"I thought I smelled food. You guys didn't wait for me, huh? Too eager to put the moves on the new girl aren't you?" Vic's face lit up in blush.
"Am not! That's your department, Zach. If you're gonna be like that though, I shouldn't have saved you any food then." Vic grimaced.
"Aw. Come on, man. You'll scare off the newbie with that scary face." Zachary stated as he wandered into the kitchen. Having cleared her plate, Madelynn went to stand and take away her plate.
"Thanks for the food again." She thanked Vic before heading into the kitchen herself.
"It's no problem." She heard him say before disappearing beyond the doorway. While rinsing off her plate and putting it in the dish drain, the elevator pinged.
"That's weird, the others aren't due back yet." She heard one of the guys mutter as the door to the elevator opened followed by footsteps. She hear a third male voice enter the mix, going through pleasantries and greetings before she approached the open doorway again.
"Oh, there you are." The new male stated with a obviously British accent. His hair was a dirty blonde color compared to Angela's bleached blonde. He wore a white collared dress shirt, slacks, and a pair of glasses that seemed to dull the intensity of his blue eyes. "My name is Brian." He offered his hand and Madelynn shook it gingerly. "I've been asked to retrieve you for your first session."
"Session? I thought I didn't really start until tomorrow." Madeline inquired.
"I'm afraid that some things came down from the higher ups and they asked for you to start immediately. But it shouldn't run too long today. Don't need to burn you out on the first day." Brian informed as he tried plastering a believing smile on his face.
"So it IS that bad then?" With that, Brian's smile sunk into a flat line.
"I really wish you guys would stop scaring new incomers." Brian retorted towards Vic and Zachary, who was busy stuffing his face with food.
"I didn't say anything about it... Vic?" Zachary spat out while still having a mouth full of food.
"She asked but all I said is the first day is always the hardest. Full of adjustments and such. That's it." Vic defended. Brian sighed to himself and rubbed the bridge of his nose before looking back at Madelynn.
"I apologize on the half of those two. They are surely something to be desired." Both guys yelled out at Brian for that comment which left him with a small chuckle. "Anyways, if we leave now, I can have you return back here no later than 7."
With that, Madelynn followed Brian to the elevator and they ascended to the 22nd floor in an awkward and rigid silence. When the doors opened, Brian seemed to immediately flee from the elevator, almost as if it pained him to stand so close to a woman. Madelynn followed him through the cubicles that spotted the floor which was never too far from a person attached with wires and headsets reclined back into a chair.
"Alright." Oh good, he finally stopped. Madelynn thought to herself, trying to regulate her slight breathlessness. "Well, for a crash course..." Brian began. "You will be working in this little beauty," He rested his hand on one of the chair consoles. "This is an Animus. We use it to crack open genetic memory codes to literally look through the eyes of the ones who came before us, our ancestors. I'm sure you noticed a few people in use of them, huh?"
Madelynn nodded her head slowly, her mind breaking apart every word Brian spoke trying to fit it all into place. "You're not much of a talker, huh?" Brian inquired.
"Not really, small talk bores me." Madelynn stated plainly.
"Well, my dear, this isn't necessarily small talk. It's a lesson. Once you begin using the Animus, it should become a little easier to use it the more you do so. Since there is so much data to look through for one person, I will be helping to ensure you don't end up in a metaphorical overload." Brian went over to his computer only a few steps away and grabbed a visor headset. "This is one of the most important pieces you'll use while you're in. It will allow to look over your vitals as well as monitor brain activity. Any questions so far?"
Madelynn's puzzled expression must have actually made it to her face because Brian's eyes searched hers. Almost as if he knew there were a dozen questions just on the tip of her tongue. "A few actually..." She stated. "So you will be tapping into MY ancestors' memories and I will be seeing and experiencing them? Like a movie?"
"Not quite." Brian started to place the visor headset on Madelynn's head. "Good, it fits. Anyways..." Brian started to look through some files he grabbed at the same time as the visor. "You will see, hear, smell, taste, and feel everything you're ancestor does but you are also in control of their body for the majority of it. You have to repeat their actions and follow their path so that we may learn more about them. But this doesn't change the past. You just get a first hand look. If you stray too far from their path then that can cause some problems."
"What kind of problems?" Madelynn interjected. Brian's face had one of worry on it.
"I wouldn't dwell too much on it. Just it will be harder for us to work properly. Now, sit down please in the Animus." Madelynn did as requested.
"So what's the most important piece of running the Animus?" Madelynn asked before Brian offered his hand again. "Your arm please." Madelynn's puzzled expression returned and she cautiously offered up from arm. An IV appeared in Brian's free hand. She snatched back her arm and pulled it hard against her chest.
"HELL NO!" Madelynn exclaimed. "I've had enough needles." Brian's look softened into an apologetic one.
"The animus uses the blood of the participant to gain access to the brain and genetic code in the rest of the body, meanwhile we have a constant flow of mild tranquilizers to ensure you don't accident get ripped out of the memories and to prevent anyone from getting hurt from any fight or flight response you may have." Madelynn slowly started to relax. "You asked what the most important piece was, and it is the IV. The visor only helps the process along better. "
Madelynn's unwavering gaze went from the IV to Brian, searching his face for any hint that he was lying. From what she noticed, he wasn't. She sighed and let her body loosen up once again and offered up her arm. Brian silently slipped in the needle and taped it to her skin. His eyes finally went to her face, searching.
"You're in good hands with me. I'm the most experienced Animus Technician here. I'm not gonna let anything else bad happen to you anymore." Immediately, Brian moved over to his desk to start up the program. Madelynn could already feel the tranquilizer tasking effect.
"Wait..." She called for Brian, whose eyes met hers. "What do you mean anymore?" Brian's face showed slight panic before authorizing the start up of the program and throwing Madelynn into the Animus system.