Chapter 3 – Not an ordinary hideout

[A/N: I'm so sorry it took so much time to finish this chapter. I got distracted with other things and forgot I had a chapter for this fanfiction to write and upload. I want to thank Flufferz for her reviews; they motivated me to get done this chapter.]

Translations:

Markus, komm her – Markus, come here

Schwesterherz – term of endearment for a sister

Hühnerfrikassee - blanquette of chicken

"This is the hideout?" Ezio asked confused.

They stood in front of a small house and he couldn't think of a way to get more than three assassins in this building.

"Yes, these are our headquarters" Sieglinde answered.

"Pathetic" Ezio huffed. "In Italy, we use practically the whole village of Monteriggioni as our headquarters."

"Oh, how inconspicuously!" she retorted with irony dripping from her voice. "I'm sure the Templars will never notice a whole village full of assassins."

"At least we have enough assassins to fill a small town! If your brotherhood only needs that tiny hovel, it's a miracle that the Templars aren't in control here."

"You're so ignorant!" she huffed angrily. "There's no need for you to belittle our hideout. Just because you can't see it, it doesn't mean it isn't there. Our hideout is just like the assassins – invisible for almost everyone, but always there."

Ezio raised one of his eyebrows.

"How can you possibly hide a whole building?"

"We are well-known for our inventiveness" Sieglinde smirked. "Now, follow me and you'll see what I mean."

Ezio didn't really want to admit it, but he was curious. Were they really able to hide their true hideout in that flat?

He concentrated on her blond braids as he followed her into the small house. He remembered a girl with similar hair back in Firenze. These girl's braids were brown, not blond but apart from that, they were exactly the same. He smirked, as he recalled, what happened. The girl got in an argument with Claudia and ripped some of her hair out. Federico got revenge for their sister by cutting those two long plaits off in the night.

Maybe he would get send back to Italy if he cut Sieglinde's hair, too?

His smirk grew wider until he let his gaze wander around. There was only one room with a wooden floor in this building, not furniture and most certainly no assassin's hideout.

"Where is your great invisible hideout now?" he teased but Sieglinde simply ignored him and opened a necklace Ezio hadn't notice before. There were the assassin's insignia and a small key attached to it and Sieglinde shoved the basket she was carrying in Ezio's arms before she knelt down.

"What are you doing?" Ezio asked and put the basket on the floor.

"Do you ever stop talking?" Sieglinde asked annoyed.

Ezio heard a lock open. Sieglinde stood up, clasped her necklace around her neck again and grabbed her basket from the floor. Then she opened a trapdoor Ezio didn't even notice when they entered the small room.

Sieglinde climbed down without hesitation and cursed when she dropped the basket accidently. Ezio followed her carefully. He didn't know what was down there, after all. He closed the trapdoor over his head and climbed down the ladder. Then he raised his head to look around and his jaw dropped. This was not what he was expecting after the small building. Hooded men ran around like ants, chatting happily with each other. The hideout was huge and – even crazier – it was underground. He spotted strange devices at the ceiling, maybe they were there to provide fresh air? He was fascinated by the idea of underground hideouts.

"Markus, komm her!"

Sieglinde's yelling brought Ezio back to reality. It was strange to hear the woman speaking her native language after she spoke Italian with him the whole time.

A young man – Ezio estimated him being a few years older than himself – ran over to them and ruffled Sieglinde's hair.

"Schwesterherz!" he beamed happily.

"Ezio, this is Markus, my older brother. Markus, this is Ezio, the Italian assassin." Sieglinde introduced them to each other.

"Ah, so he finally arrived. Welcome in – or more precisely: under – Brunswick, Ezio."

While Ezio shook his hand, he examined the other man. Just like Sieglinde, he had blond hair and blue eyes, but he was tall and muscular, while his sister was rather small. He wore assassin robes similar to Ezio's with the slight difference that Markus' robe had black highlights instead of red ones.

"I have some organizing to do before lunch ends." Sieglinde excused herself. "Markus, please keep an eye on Ezio"

She disappeared into the crowd of assassins and Markus patted Ezio's shoulder.

"We better hurry" the German assassin said. "Or the rookies will eat all the food. Believe me, once they started eating, they won't stop until there's nothing left."

Laughing, Markus escorted Ezio through the hideout.

When they reached the dining hall, they sat down at one of the tables with food Ezio had never seen before he began to talk to the other assassin.

"What is this food?" he asked. "It tastes good. There's chicken in it, right?"

"Yes" Markus answered still chewing. "It's called Hühnerfrikassee, but I have no idea what other ingredients are in there. You can ask Sieglinde if it interests you this much."

"Your sister helps in the kitchen?"

Markus burst out in laugher.

"You'll never see my sister in a kitchen. If she ever offers you something to eat that she made herself, decline and run for your life. That girl can't cook.

"But what is she doing for the brotherhood if she doesn't help with the domestic chores? You can't tell me that she's an assassin!"

"Oh, she is an assassin, but not in the way you think." Markus grinned.

"Care to enlighten me?" Ezio asked rolling his eyes.

"Never, that would spoil the surprise." Markus chuckled.

Ezio decided to change the topic.

"You're a lot more talkative than your sister" he stated.

Markus nodded. "She's a bit antisocial, so I just talk for both of us."

"How sacrificially of you" Ezio said ironically.

"I know" Markus grinned. "I'm an angel"

Ezio rolled his eyes again but couldn't help to smile too. Markus' childish attitude was refreshing and it was nice to talk to someone of his own age – it made him feel like he was back home in Firenze together with his brothers.

Suddenly a bell rang and all the assassins stood up to leave the room.

Markus gripped Ezio's wrist and dragged him through the crowd of white robes.

"We have to hurry, or the meeting hall will be crowded and we won't get any good seats."

"'Hurry, hurry, hurry' – the only thing I hear in this country is that I have to hurry!" Ezio complained.

"I thought, you wanted to know what my sister's work is?" Markus said and pulled Ezio with him.

"What makes you think I want to know more about your over-sarcastic sister?" Ezio grumbled.

"You said it yourself and besides, she isn't that bad."

"Are you implying that she can be sweet and loving if she only wants to?"

"Yeah…" Markus answered slowly and warily. "But don't get any ideas. She is my sister"

"Don't worry" Ezio winked. "She's not my type anyway. I'm into fiery redheads, not pale blondes."

"If you say so…" Markus said but he didn't sound convinced.

Silently, they walked through the hallways towards the meeting hall.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please tell me if I made mistakes, I was too lazy to proofread. I really hope I'll get the new chapter done soon… Otherwise I'll surely go to an extra hell for lazy writers ;)