Recap: "But what if the motorcycle gets stolen? How are we gonna get back to the Sanctuary?"
"Damian shut up!"
"Fine."
She rolled her eyes and beckoned for him to follow as she walked quietly out of the dark alleyway. He followed without question and they walked silently out of the neighborhood, embracing the nightlife of Mesa.
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The first place they stopped at was a small, Chinese restaurant. The waitress seated them at a table outside, the whole area bathed in drained red light from the paper lamps. Aurora's eyes looked absolutely stunning at the moment. He grinned at her from across the table and chewed thoughtfully on his eggroll before speaking. "So, now that, I'm, er, becoming an 'assassin', I think I deserve an explanation," He tempted.
Aurora raised her thinly sculpted brow as she sipped on her hot green tea, "I figured you would ask sooner or later," she said, setting her tea down on the small, cool plate made especially for that action. She folded her hands and rested her chin on her intertwined fingers. Damian stared at her fingers. Her glowing, caramel-colored skin with criss-crossed with small, white scars. "I should have, I could have, explained all of this before, but, I didn't think you could take the truth," Damian looked at her and nodded, feeling a sense of foreboding. She continued after a lengthy pause, "Damian, you have become involved in the Sanctuary's activity, and therefore, returning to your past life will now be impossible."
Damian straightened up at her words and blinked at her, "What?" He asked with confusion, nodding for her to continue. Her penetrating gaze softened on his face. He wondered briefly what she was thinking.
"Well, the Sanctuary is a place we where we to turn everyday strangers into assassins. And by everyday strangers I mean people born with the bloodline of assassins. We take them and train them to become highly-skilled killers. Our objectives are to defeat our enemy, the Templars." Her eyes darkened at the word, face shadowed as she looked down,"We also try and alter the past by...interfering with it a little..."
"Interfering?"
"Yes," she answered,"The head of our organization is Shaun Crow, but everyone calls him Hawk because he is the one who created Chlordiazetaphine. He's created many... 'complex' versions of the Animus."
"What's the Animus?" Damian asked, absorbing all of her words. This didn't make any sense, he knew the organization dealt with weaponry, and it was very odd that they all used swords and crossbows instead of today's and handguns and rifles. He wondered briefly what she looked like while shooting a shotgun as the waitress brought forward their chow mein and sweet orange chicken with rice.
Aurora fiddled with a strand of her hair, curling it around her index finger over and over. "The Animus is a machine made for accessing people's memories, but it is often used to retrieve memories from a person's ancestors. It's all hidden in their minds. Our Animus is varies greatly from the older version used on Subject 16, an unknown person used to help retrieve information on the assassins for the Templars. Hawk has altered ours a bit and it functions differently than other ones. I'll-"
"Wait, what do you guys want with me? I have nothing to do with any of this!"
"Let me finish!" She crowed, "You, Damian, are the descendant of one of our greatest assassins that used to belong to the Sanctuary, her name was Lynn E. Smith." Aurora watched patiently as Damian coughed on his spoonful of rice.
"What?" He hacked, coughing loudly and spitting some rice onto his plate. "My mother?" He tried imaging his 51 year old mother, often found in the kitchen, creating some of the best food ever, battle training at the Sanctuary with a real sword, and failed.
"Yes, your mother was one of the most successful assassins we ever had, and she had stayed with us until I was about 15. At the time, your mother was about 36. " Aurora let him process the whole thing. It seemed impossible that his mother had once been a trained hitman [or hitwoman in her case] for the Sanctuary and he had never known it. He thought suspiciously about all the times his mother had gone away for weeks on certain 'business' trips when he was small. He had always thought of her as his safe haven, now he didn't know what to think.
"I need to see her," he said angrily, standing up from the table and pushing the chair away roughly. It toppled over onto the Aurora stood automatically and shook her head.
"We can't just leave. You can't just leave. If you're really that 'eager' to see your family, we've got to invite them to the Sanctuary discreetly."
"Fine. Invite Emily too," He growled, walking back into the restaurant. Appetite ruined, Aurora dropped a fifty on the table and hoped it would cover them as she walked after him.
"Damian we don't have the time to pout about lies-"She started, stalking after him back into the neighborhood.
"I've been lied to my whole life!" He snapped, wincing as a wave of nausea washed over him. He had forgotten the antidote for the Hawk's Eye. "How can you expect me not to be angry? You're training me to kill innocent people!" He cried.
"Innocent?" She shot back, "They're far from innocent! They'll kill the innocent to get what they want, Damian! They want control! Power! We're fighting for a good cause!" Her hands balled into fists as she paced after him down the dark neighborhood streets.
"Why can't you guys just sign a treaty or something?" He demanded, whipping around to face her. She opened her mouth to reply but froze, her eyes focused on something behind them. He swayed slightly as the waves of nausea strengthened.
"Damian, don't move. There's someone following us," she whispered, narrowing her eyes and staring into the darkness behind him on the other side of the road. She beckoned him closer and started to walk, "Act natural." She order, moving in a casual manner.
He opened his mouth to interrupt but stopped when he saw Aurora's eyes. They were straining in vain to see into the darkness, even with the advantage of the Hawk's Eye coursing through her veins. Her eyebrows were close together and low, she looked very worried. They grew quiet as they walked along, ears listening intently for noise, any noise. Suddenly she leapt forward. "Damian run!" She cried, pushing him forward. With a loud bang, Aurora staggered back and blood sprayed out behind her. "Dammnit!" She whimpered, holding her hand over a bullet wound in her shoulder. She pressed her palm firmly against the wound, struggling to open her purse.
Damian leapt back at and reached for her, "C'mon!" He shouted and another shot rang out, ricocheting off the brick wall behind them with a loud whir.
"No! Go get the motorcycle! I'll hold them off!" She kicked her purse forward with her foot and grabbed the Glock 34 that slid out. Damian sprinted off, the dark alley at the end of the block. Aurora snatched up the gun and shot at the dark figure following them, smirking with satisfaction at a loud, masculine groan of pain. She pulled three magazines out of her purse for the gun and stuck them into the side of her pants, moving off as fast as she could. Blood was flowing profusely from her shoulder as she ran down the road, backwards, gun held up with the sights aligned. Her heart jumped with relief when she heard the familiar sound of a motorcycle's roar. Damian zoomed out of the alleyway crazily and sped towards her. He slowed a bit as he came closer, but he still was going at a pace too fast to get on comfortably.
She swung her uninjured arm around him, also swinging her leg over in the same motion, hopping onto the moving vehicle. It shook from loss of balance but soon regained it. They sped off into the streets, Damian driving wildly. "Dammit Damian! Don't you know how to drive this?"
"I've never driven one of these before!" He shot back, narrowly avoiding a slowing car.
"Ugh! Let me drive!" She slowly moved into the front, making them sway dangerously. She took control of the clutch, brakes and controls and sped up, breaking all the rules possible for legal driving. She released the clutch and shifted to 6th gear, the vehicle whining in protest but speeding up quickly. She handed the gun to him with her free hand. "Shoot!" She instructed as a flambouyant, yellow motorcycle sped into the lane behind them. He aligned the sights and shot at their pursuer. A nearby minivan squealed as the bullet hit the back tire and it spun out of control.
Aurora pulled off onto one of the exits and turned visibly white, despite the darkness. "What?" He asked a bit too curiously as he glanced at her, shooting at the pursuer and hitting the front tire. With a screech, the motorcycle flipped and the rider was flung off. Damian groaned as the rider rolled and sprung up. "Why can't they just die?"
Aurora's face was pale and clammy,"D-Damian! Call-Call Pierce! I'm losing too much blood!" She gasped for air and the motorcycle swerved precariously. She narrowed her eyes and shifted to a lower gear.
"Where the hell is my cell?" He 'retraced' his steps. "Agh! I left it at the restaurant! Where's yours!"
Aurora swore softly under her breath, "W-what? You've got to have your cellphone with you!" He shook his head and she moaned with exasperation. "Let me get it..." She released one hand but the motorcycle tilted hazardously. "You're..Gonna have to get it yourself!"
"Where is it?"
"It's-in my bra!"
"WHAT?"
"On the right side! Near my armpit! Hurry!" She lifted her arm carefully and switched to 4th gear. He slid his hand up her shirt and she shivered.
"I'm sorry Ezio!" She whispered under her breath and Damian wondered if that was who they apoligized and prayed to as God. Sliding his fingers underneath the tight strap under her arm, his fingers brushed cool metal-like material. Pushing his hand in further, he grabbed the sleek, red cellphone and pulled it out, scrolling through the contact's list. He pressed TALK when he came upon Pierce.
"Buona sera."
"Pierce!"
"Damian?"
"Yes! It's Aurora! She got shot, she's going to need medical attention as soon as she gets there!"
"Wha-? Explain when you get here! We'll be outside!"
Click. Aurora pulled off onto the barely visible road to the Sanctuary and as they pulled up to the grand building. She immediately yanked the keys out and tumbled off, hitting the asphalt with a sick crunch. "Ow, God d-"
"Aurora!" Pierce and a few others rushed outside, one with a stretcher. They lifted her onto it and began to work on the wound. "Your wrist is broken AND you've been shot. Ezio will be very concerned." Aurora laughed weakly at that and her head lolled back as she sunk into unconsiousness.
Damian sauntered over, dropping the gun in his haste to get over to her."So who is Ezio?" He asked. He looked over his shoulder at the sound of approaching cars.
Everyone's heads turned to stare, "Was anyone invited or something?" Pierce asked, apparently oblivious to Damian's question. Murmurs spread through the group and one of the buxom women, McKayla, cried out, "Everyone inside!" They stampeded inside, half of them moving Aurora to the emergency room to help watch her. The other half invaded the weapons room.
"What's going on?" He asked as Pierce grabbed a gun from the weapon shelf and tucked it into his belt. Now that Damian was so close, he noticed the dark, swerving scars on his forearms and hands. Battle was an ugly thing. A very ugly thing. His stomach twisted as he was handed a sword, "What am I supposed to do with this?"
Pierce scoffed accordingly and grabbed a leather casing of throwing knives. "What do you think, dumbass?" Strapping the case around his body tightly, he jogged out.
McKayla looked over at him, sorting through the varying assortment of crossbows. "Don't worry, first fight is always the worst," her green eyes sparkled through her long, curly eyelashes. "Just listen to other's warnings, help your comrades, and watch your back." She snatched up a stiff-looking crossbow and rushed out. Without a second thought, Damian followed, sword gripped in his hands easily. He rushed out into the loud noise of cries, clashing metal and gunshots.
"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" He asked, sprinting after her.
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Aurora gasped and shot up straight, her arm refusing to move with a new, annoying stiffness. Her shoulder was bound and bandaged, her wrist wrapped tightly in bandage also. A cast would have to wait. Her personal nurse, Naomi Payne, looked up from beside the high, polished wooden table. She was wearing purple, latex gloves and was disposing of a handful of bloody gauze. She looked up at Aurora with a surprised expression. "You're-"
Aurora's mind pounded with pain, "Naomi," She paused at the faint sound of battle. "Naomi, I need a shot of Hawk's Eye immediately." She swung her legs off of the uncomfortably stiff stretcher and flexed her left arm. Her stomach squirmed at the thought of fighting without her dominant arm.
"Ms. Alvadeza I'm not sure that'd such a good idea. Your arm-"
"Naomi I need to be out there. Now."
With a worried expression, she grabbed all the supplies from the locked cabinet and fastened the thin needle onto the syringe. Sucking out some of the Chlordiazetaphine, she injected it into Aurora's left arm. "Go then, be careful."
Aurora grimaced with pain and ran out, trying as much as she could not to move her stiff shoulder. Her right shoulder and wrist contracted with severe pain. She stalked into the disheveled weapon room and peered around quickly, smiling with relief as the effects of the Hawk's Eye kicked in. Her pain numbed a bit and she raced forward to the left corner of the room, grabbing her customary dagger and a flexible leather carrier for some throwing knives. She rushed out as quickly as she could and through the grand doors of the Sanctuary.
Hearing the loud thumping of footsteps behind her, she ducked as a sword narrowly missed her head. Her head jerked to look over her shoulder and made eye contact with a lean, stout woman. Her coal-black hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail and she wore a thick, flexible leather jacket and a ripped pair of black jeans. Tightly tied knee-high boots and and long, double-sided sword with a black handle finished off her wanna-be badass outfit.
"Piper." The word came out in a hiss.
"So we meet again, little sister."
"Fotitti!"
Her gold eyes narrowed and she assumed the aura of motherly annoyance, "Oh, now that is definitely not a warm welcome! Oh, I see you've gone off and hurt yourself again! Poor little bambina..." She circled around Aurora mockingly, long fingers on her slender hips.
Aurora stood up and flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I should've let you rot in that gutter the first time!" She spat, knuckles turning white on her dagger handle.
Piper seemed unfazed. "Are you still Ezio's little putanna? I'd think even he could do better than you," Each word dripped with a venomous sarcasm. Her highly arched eyebrows knitted down close to her eyes. "Or.. has he left you to the birds? Abandoned you like all the other little sluts that tried to score big with him?"
Aurora's throat muscles constricted and she stepped forward, "Not another word, cimice!" Piper laughed, a high-pitched, repetitive cackle. Aurora leapt forward and sliced at Piper, ripping through her tough jacket. Piper's eyes widened and she jumped back with a snarl.
They paused for a moment, then dashed forward, blades held high.
Damian yelped and rolled to the right just as a spear embedded itself into the soft dirt next to him. He scrambled up and swung his blade with all his might. And missed. The man he was attacking, a large, muscular tanned man, chuckled deeply and advanced forward. He was wielding a fatal looking battle axe. He swung it and it sunk into the metal of a newly bought Lexus. Somewhere in the distance he heard Pierce curse. The man's eyes widened in frustration and Damian stepped forward and swung his tight fist at his face. This time, he made contact.
His knuckles smashed into the man's jaw and both fist and jaw obviously felt pain. Damian stumbled back, caressing his aching hand. Just behind him, he heard a familiar scream of pain. He turned briefly and saw Aurora sprawled in the dirt, a dark-haired woman smashing her wounded shoulder into the dirt with her muddy boots. He abandoned his current fight and ran at the woman, tackling her to the ground. She turned just as he leapt onto her, her eyes widening in surprise. She cushioned his fall greatly and her breath shot out sharply.
Aurora rolled onto her side and struggled to regain her control, her composure. It was odd to see her looking so vulnerable. Suddenly Damian was struck by two things. The first; how feminine and womanly Aurora was. Of course she couldn't act tough all the time, but it was unnatural, oddly attractive to see her womanly side. The side that needed and yearned for protection. The second; the dark-haired woman's fist.
White stars danced in front of his eyes and she shoved him off, rolling onto her stomach and bouncing up. Her steel-toed boot made contact with his ribs and he groaned, a coppery taste flooding his mouth. Snatching at her foot and pulling her to the ground, he yanked her closer and pushed her closer to Aurora. Aurora crawled over and lunged onto the woman, her amber eyes shining with agony and fury. They wrestled on the ground and Damian pulled his body closer to help. As his hand reached out to grab the woman's hair, he was yanked backwards. He rolled onto his back in surprise and wasn't shocked to find the man with the axe in front of him. At the same time, their legs flashed out and made a harsh contact with each other's unmentionables.
Damian sucked in a deep breath and cupped his hands over his crotch in an agonizing pain a man should never feel. His attention returned to battle shortly afterwards and he noticed Aurora was choking the other woman, her left forearm pushing into the woman's neck.
As she struggled for air, she clawed at Aurora's face and shrieked, "Derek!" The man who Damian had punched scrambled up and knocked Aurora off like a chess-board piece. She was tossed into the dust. The woman coughed violently and Derek bent down to help her up. With a swift swing, Damian launched himself onto his feet and pushed Derek forward, who stumbled and fell. The woman grabbed Damian's arms and pinned them against his back. As Derek stood up, her stormed over and swung his fist at Damian's stomach.
He had anticipated the punch beforehand, his abdomen muscles contracting, but the pain was still extraordinary. He gasped as the air was literally knocked out of him. Another swing and a rush of pain. He yanked against the woman's grip, but she was surprisingly strong. His energy dwindled with each strike and finally his body gave in. He slumped in her grip and spat out blood. As Derek pulled his arm back to take another swing, his eyes widened and he gasped. Blood blossomed at the front of his gray shirt like a deadly dark red rose, sinking to his knees, Aurora yanked her bloody dagger out of his back before falling over behind him. The bandages on her right shoulder were bloody and torn.
The woman screamed, the sound prolonged and somehow seemed to flow into two syllables. "DEREK!" She pushed Damian off to the side and skidded over to him, her eyes watering. He coughed out blood, his eyes beginning to glaze over.
He looked around before his eyes focused on her face, his hands were bloody and slippery as he cupped her neck and pulled her closer. Her hands shook and she nestled his head onto her lap. He grinned at her goofily and whispered, "Ok, I guess I should've been more careful..." She whimpered and tears spilled down her face. She leaned down and closed her eyes, pressing her lips gently against his. He leaned up, smashing his against hers before leaning back, his hands that had bloodied her neck sliding down and falling to the ground.
"No...No.. Baby, hold on! J-just hold on! Somebody help!" She cried out, looking to her comrades. Battle was still raging on, but some of her teammates looked over to Derek in horror.
Aurora looked over at the woman from the ground and narrowed her eyes, the amber ablaze with cold fury. She looked livid. She was laying awkwardly on her back, her head facing the woman. "Had enough, Piper?" She sneered, her words heavy and toxic.
"I'll get you back Alvadeza! Ezio will pay for this!" Piper prepared to leap forward when one of her fellow fighters sauntered over and whispered something to her. Her gold eyes flashed with rage and she snarled, "I'll see you soon enough!" She swung her arm forward and Aurora uttered a quick, "No!" as the area around her exploded into smoke. Her hand twitched to the leather carrier strapped beneath her breasts and she flung a knife into the smoke. The roar of starting vehicles snapped the battle to a stop and all around the attackers began to retreat.
"What are they doing?" Damian asked weakly, leaning against one of the marred trucks, weapons sticking awkwardly out of the ruined metal side.
"Cowards!" Aurora screeched, struggling to get up out of the pool of sticky, hot blood from her shoulder. "Figlio d'un cane! Bastardos!" She beat her fist into the dirt and as the smoke cleared they all watched as the Templars retreated in their dark, unharmed vehicles.
Oh MYYYY! O: So much typing! This one came out a LITTLE too long.. hahah oh well! And my, my, who is this mysterious EZIO? ;D