Chapter Three.
The next day La Volpe found himself in an extremely foul mood, the events of last night and the night before had somehow reached everyone's ears within the Order, included a very cocky Niccolò who loudly voice his snide comments.
"Will you give it a break" Ezio scowled at the man, giving him a dirty look as he tried defending the thief. Niccolò went to part his lips to speak but Damon stood,
"You wait until it happens to you! You'll weep like a baby" he shouted sending everyone into silence at his outburst. Damon shiftily rubbed his backside as the reminder of his and La Lupa's encounter came to mind before gently sitting himself back down. Ezio rubbed the back of his head awkwardly before clapping his hands together, gaining everyone's attention.
"I have some good news!" Ezio told everyone and Niccolò scoffed.
"Please, share with us, I can't take the glum look on the thief's face any longer" he snidely said and La Volpe openly glared at him. Ezio clicked his tongue in disappointment before straightening himself up.
"While returning here a few hours before I found an old friend of mine, Leonardo" Ezio began and the crowd hummed, knowing who this man was.
"He told me of these 'war machines' that need destroying. Anyway, his 'main source of information' found the guards I need to track down to find one of the machine's location" Ezio told them, rubbing his chin in thought.
"That is good news… will that be our next assignment?" Damon asked but Ezio shook his head.
"No, I will be taking care of them myself. I need you to do other things for me" Ezio told him, pulling out a scroll. The four recruits, including Damon, crowded around the assassin to claim their job. Once gaining their assigned job they left the area, preparing for their long journeys.
"Niccolò, while I'm away I need you to keep the Order running accordingly. La Volpe, I need you to place some of your thieves by the Rosa in Fiore, there has been word that the number of guards have increased there and are troubling business" Ezio asked and the pair nodded although La Volpe was confused.
"The mercenaries are needed with Bartolomeo d'Alviano at the moment" Ezio explained and La Volpe nodded, now understanding his reasons.
"I will need your help tonight though to get through the gates unnoticed" Ezio added.
"Very well, I will be on my way" La Volpe told him and he left, his boots squeaking as droplets of water appeared on the tiles. Ezio didn't dare inform this to Niccolò in case the thief decided to take his foul mood out on him.
La Volpe had informed most of the thieves about their new posts and most were glad for the change of scenery, especially the ones who could sneak a peak in the windows. His final stop was at the pub and, when entering, he got straight to business with a group of thieves. He could feel eyes on him and he knew, once again, that they belonged to La Lupa but he had no time for games today, he was a busy man.
"The beast is watching us again" Pablo whispered and La Volpe sighed.
"La Lupa" he told him and the man frowned, as did the other seven.
"Her name is La Lupa" he explained and Pablo exclaimed.
"She's a girl!" he squeaked and a twinkle of a laugh could be heard right behind them. All of them looked around coming face to face with the dim yellow eyes of the black figure. She lowered her scarf, a smile playing on her lips.
"Indeed" she mockingly said, poor Pablo nearly fainting right there. The woman frowned at the reaction.
"I do apologise for the well incident Pablo" she gently said and Pablo gaped.
"Fox, a word outside" she ordered and La Volpe was surprised at the request but he accepted, following her out of the bar. She roughly pulled the thief into the shadows of the aging evening.
La Volpe tensed, warning bells ringing in his ears at the sudden harsh movement.
"Tell the assassino that he must not be detected, if he is then war will break out" she told him and the thief stiffened.
"How do you kn-?" he tried to ask but the woman sternly looked up at him.
"I know more than you can imagine, Gilberto, so give the assassino my words of warning and this" the woman interrupted, shoving a large pouch into his hands as she released him from her grip. La Lupa shifted from in front of him and quickly went into a run towards the buildings, leaping onto them with grace. Her black form was noticeable against the oranges and reds as the sky began to set in the distance. La Volpe, in his daze, gazed down to see what the woman had given him and his mouth fell open – she had handed him a large, homemade pouch which had at least 20 veils for healing. La Volpe shook his head, he would hand this to the assassin when they met tonight. One thing bothered him though; how did she know his name and how did she know of the approaching mission…?
It wasn't long before La Volpe met up with Ezio, handing over La Lupa's words of warning and the large pouch. La Volpe had already explained what had happened and Ezio found himself gripping onto the pouch.
"How does she know?" Ezio questioned the Master Thief but he shrugged, truthfully he was as clueless as the assassin standing in front of him. Ezio shook his head.
"I was only told this morning about the machines and the guards to find, there must be something she is hiding, something that makes her connected to everything…" Ezio told the thief in a hushed tone and the thief nodded in agreement.
"She must be on our side though with the words of warning and a helping hand" La Volpe told him, hoping that his words would give comfort to Ezio and also himself. The assassin looked the thief in the eye, a smile coming to his lips.
"Are you suggesting that you might trust this woman, a stranger?" Ezio questioned the man in fake surprise but, with a lack of response, Ezio really did look surprised.
"I don't know… but I will keep my eye on her" La Volpe mumbled and Ezio hummed.
"I will report back to the hideout before setting off to destroy this 'war machine' they speak of. Do you think Damon is ready to retrieve the hidden letters in the Borgia Tower alone?" Ezio asked the thief and La Volpe rubbed his chin.
"The one north of here?" La Volpe asked and Ezio nodded. La Volpe knew the one he spoke of, it was an extremely hard restricted area to get in let alone steal from.
"I think he is ready but alone, I am not too sure" La Volpe honestly said.
"I need the information when I return, then we will be able to plan our next move now that the traitor is gone" Ezio said, referring to the traitor that had disguised himself as a thief in order to give information to the Templars.
"Can't you spare another to join him, as a distraction?" La Volpe asked but Ezio shook his head.
"They have their own missions to do, I cannot afford to spare one" Ezio said, a hint of desperation tinted in his voice.
"I can accompany him if you want" La Volpe suggested but Ezio shook his head.
"No, I would rather you follow La Lupa and try getting her to speak what her intentions are of watching us so closely" Ezio said and La Volpe nodded; she was still considered a threat in receiving their information – they still didn't know why she took it.
"Now, let's get me out of this place without being seen."
