Whoa I never thought people would read this! Lol, anyway I just wanted to say once again that I have changed some things and you will probably notice what is changed, and I'm sorry for doing it but I just felt like it had to be like this! So anyway, I hope you don't mind, and enjoy!
Breakfast past in a strange fog and all of a sudden I was sitting in a sofa in the living room, waiting for the meeting to start.
Susan had gone to speak with a friend of hers who had joined the Templars around the same time as she. And I was sitting together with Lionel in silence.
I was laying down in the sofa, with my foot dangling over the arm of the sofa, my head in Lionel's lap as he stroked thoughtfully his hand over my hair.
I didn't care that my hair was getting messy because of it, it didn't matter to me.
He was only trying to keep me calm, and he knew very well that I appreciated it.
We were both preparing ourselves for what was about to happen.
For every second that past I wanted this less than before, to belong to the Templars, to run errands to them like a little puppy only made me feel ashamed of myself.
My ancestors would be ashamed of me, I knew that for sure.
I wanted to be free, be able to choose for myself. I wanted my freedom and most of all: I wanted to get away from this hell.
"Are you ok? You seem frustrated." Lionel said all of a sudden, I looked away from the roof to see him looking down at me.
"No, I'm fine." I swallowed. "Just a bit nervous, that's all."
He didn't seem to buy it, but as he opened his mouth to speak a bell sounded.
It was time for the meeting.
We got up to our feet and walked towards the gathering room for meetings, it was like a big aula where roads upon roads of chairs spread out and in the middle the leading Templars waited for us.
Lionel and I sat down in the best seats we could find before everyone else entered the room.
"Wonder what they will say this time." A boy said beside me, he was talking to his friend yet I couldn't help but over hearing him.
His tone, bitter and tired, made me think that he hated them as well. Wasn't I the only one who wanted to get out of here?
Were there more? Could this be of use to me?
Thoughts started swirling around inside of my head which wasn't a good thing, I bit my lip and concentrated on the pain to stop the thinking.
We all gathered quickly and already after a few minutes the Templars stepped up on the podium in the middle and looked at us all.
"Welcome students to this very special meeting today." It was our boss, Doctor Warren Vidic.
He was one of the leading Templars together with subject 4 Daniel Cross, who was the first to ever try the Animus, and Mrs. Olga Smith who helped Vidic constructing it.
Vidic started pacing back and forth on the podium with his hands folded on his back, while his colleagues stood still and watched us all with cold eyes.
"Do you want to know what makes this meeting so special, here today?" He paused in his sentence while continuing with his pacing. All of our eyes were on him.
"You are the reason why. Some of you have proven to be far more outstanding than we ever suspected. You have shown to us that you really are here for a purpose. Therefore, we are for the first time sending two of you to the same time and place. This will be a historical thing that we will remember for the rest of our existence…" He made an effective pause to build up the tension in the room.
Lionel and I looked at each other at the same time, we both knew that he was talking about us. We were the ones who had stayed alive the longest, and we were always called: the ones with purposes. It was all set and done. People were shooting glances in our direction, they all knew it as well.
"If it all goes as planned, that is." Vidic ended darkly.
Now it was time for Olga to speak.
"That is not the only thing that we have changed. In order to make the system faster, the engineers who are stationed by every animus to check upon your transfer into the body of your ancestor as well as the whole journey, have been informed of all the details of your mission and will go through it with you individually while preparing for the Animus. We feel that this new system will make it all … quicker." Olga ended with a smile and subject four stepped forward to inform the newcomers about the risks and ways to make it easier to connect your mind with another body.
I no longer listened to what they had to say, I was lost in my own thoughts.
What did the Templar win by sending two of us in to the same time?
"This is unusual, why send us to the same time?" Lionel whispered in my ear.
I shrugged.
"I have no idea, but I have a bad feeling about it." I said, and immediately regretting it.
Lionel might question the way the Templars think, but he'd never say that they were wrong, ever.
He gave me a long thoughtful gaze but didn't respond.
The meeting took about an hour, after the newcomers had asked questions. Vidic rapped it up by saying a few words.
"Those who are dealing with the animus for the first time or only have been here for a year, follow Subject Four. Year 2 to 5 follow Olga. And the rest, follow me, but I'd like Joanne to come with me as well." My mouth dropped open at this, and I could see from the corner of my eye how Lionel reacted the same way.
I could hear how Lionel started speaking in different languages out of pure confusion and shock.
I myself tried to understand why Joanne all of a sudden was in use for them.
We got to our feet as Doctor Vidic led us towards the doors. We were about fifteen that had lasted for more than four years and in a gathered troop we all walked down the stairs to the second floor, this was where all the animus's were settled in tiny glass surrounded rooms together with a chair and a table where the engineers sat most of the time during our journey.
They had different machines on the tables, machines that checked upon our brain stimulation, machines that replayed everything that we were seeing. There was also a microphone set in each and every room that the engineers could use to communicate with us while in the animus, to guide us through if problems appeared. And if the microphone didn't help, there was a machine that let the engineers control your ancestors' body, only used in case of emergencies.
Vidic guided us through tiny passages in-between the animus's and led us toward the left corner of the room where somewhere further into the middle changes in the rooms had been made.
Two rooms had been changed into one, where now two animus's and two pairs of engineers were standing and waiting patiently.
Vidic reached down the pockets of his white robe and pulled out a piece of paper.
"I'll call your names and the room number that your animus is placed, work quickly and you'll be awarded with more information about your ancestor. Your animus awaits a few minutes away, so don't drag your feet. " He took time to look at us before continuing.
"Richie, number four. Paula number 6. Michael number 8." They all bowed before walking away to their rooms, where the engineers started reading to them from sheets as they sat down in the animus. The tension between those of us still waiting felt like a cloud surrounding me.
"Luke number 12." Vidic continued, I heard a sigh and the guy who had been sitting next to me walked away from our group.
He looked not too happy about being there, and I knew that feeling very well.
I added talking to him to my list of things to do when I got back from the animus, if I made it that is.
"Joanne and Lionel number 7 and 8, you two are the ones who will work together, congratulations."
My thoughts had made me off guard and as I heard Vidic speak my mouth dropped open.
"Oh my god! Doctor Vidic thank you so much!" I could hear Joanne say, as I shot a glance at her she was hugging Lionel who actually hugged her back with a surprised smile.
"You won't be disappointed Vidic, I promise." Joanne said joyfully.
I wanted to go slap her because of how she kissed up towards Vidic. How could Vidic possibly think that Joanne was the right person for such an important task?
"Idiot!" I hissed quietly to myself.
"Doctor Vidic. And you don't speak unless I've ordered you to do so, now move on." Vidic said without looking at her.
I could feel how my heart sank like a stone, why her?
Out of us all, wasn't I the one who disserved this kind of missions? I shook my head out of disappointment.
Yet I couldn't help but to wonder why I cared about getting this mission, my time at this place was soon to be over, I didn't need them to remember me. I needed them to let go of me and to forget that I even existed.
I saw Lionel glance at me over his shoulder before being dragged away by a happy Joanne, I tried mimicking to Lionel but he could no longer see me. To run away after him would break rules so instead I had to stand still and wait for Vidic to call my name up.
I had to speak to him, I didn't know why, I just knew I had to.
I couldn't concentrate, I had to see him before going in to the animus
"Melanie, number 9. Good luck your task will be trying." Vidic said without raising his eyes from the paper. Finally, I thought as I started walking away from our group.
I walked in death silence, careful to not show how badly I wanted to run.
Joanne had gotten the greater mission than I had, she was able to rewrite history and what did I get?
I got a trying task for myself and losing my title as the child with a purpose.
Now I was really disappointed.
As I got out of sight for Vidic I started running the way I had seen Lionel disappear.
The room was like a big labyrinth and I had to turn left or right as fast as possible in corners if I didn't want run into the glass walls.
I started picking up speed and running past corners and rooms like it was nothing and finally I could see the two of them walking towards their room, hand in hand.
They were just about to walk inside of the room, if I didn't reach him in time the glass door would close after him and my chance would be gone, the doors won't open for us until the session is complete.
I pushed myself a little bit more since I couldn't scream after him, my heart pumping quickly inside of my chest.
"Lionel!" I hissed as I finally got close to him and grabbed his free arm.
He spun around and saw me, to which he looked behind me in case of me being followed.
"Melanie have you gone insane? You'll lose important information for taking more time to run after me!" He grabbed me by the shoulder and shook me, I placed my hand around his arm and pushed him with me towards the wall.
He looked confusedly at me, which I understood since I wasn't sure myself what I was doing.
"Why aren't we the ones who get send to the same time?" I felt like a child as I asked him such a stupid question.
"I don't know, did you really have to run after me to tell me that?" Lionel said, I couldn't help but to look a little hurt. Lionel was able to see it before I shut out my feeling.
"I didn't mean it like that, my point is why did they choose this mission to be different?" Lionel whispered and looked me in the eyes seriously.
"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this. There's something going on, and I don't trust Joanne." I whispered back, we had to speak quickly if we didn't want Joanne to come after Lionel and find me there, and if the engineers would see me they could report me to Vidic for wandering around and not doing what I'm told and who knows what he would to do me.
Sweat started trickling down my back from the run.
Lionel rolled his eyes but couldn't help but to smile.
"Because of what she said to Susan? Mel that's childish, I will be alright. I figured out who you said loved me, it is Joanne, right? Then she won't do anything stupid, she'll try to be kind to me and protect me even though that's unnecessary." Lionel smiled confidently and gently lifted my hand from his arm.
"Lionel?" Joanne said from the room, she finally saw us through the glass doors and started walking towards us.
Still we had a few minutes left.
"Do you like her?" I asked him quickly.
Lionel didn't seem as surprised by the question as I had hoped.
"I don't know, maybe." He smiled.
"Lionel we're wasting important minutes and information!" Joanne started getting impatient. I couldn't believe that he actually thought about liking someone like her.
But no matter what he felt, I had to respect it, he was the only friend I had, I couldn't lose him.
"Just don't trust her too much, Ok?" I hissed.
"If that's what you want, little miss overprotective sister." Lionel said teasingly, I couldn't help but to smile back. It was the first time he'd called me his little sister.
I had to do something to show that I felt the same way.
My hand went up to his face and stroked away a lock of his hair from his face. It was the best thing I could come up with in such short notice. Expressing feelings wasn't something I was used to.
"Take care, brother." I smiled.
Joanne got out of the doorway only to stop in shock at the spot after that.
Her mouth fell open as she saw the two of us and seemed unable to move, which I took to my advantage.
I dropped my hand from Lionel and gave him a last smile, until I started running back the way I had come.
I looked up to see the big clock on the wall, I had wasted ten minutes on Lionel, which meant that I wouldn't get as much information as I should have at first.
I pressed my body hard, which felt extremely relieving since my body wouldn't be able to use muscles for about a month.
But soon I was already by the room with my number on, and I had to stop the running.
The glass door opened as I stepped towards it and without greeting my engineer I sat down in the animus and stared up at the roof with my chest heaving up and down fast.
I took a deep breath and started clearing my head from thoughts.
"Good evening Melanie, well perhaps we should get started then. Ten minutes have already passed." A young woman sat down in a chair with wheels and rolled over to my side, she held a sheet of papers and started turning pages in it.
I focused on her voice as she started reading about my mission.
"You will go back to Renascence Italy as your ancestor Ofelia De Luca. A girl who lives in Florence, her brother was an assassin, her father got killed by traitors when she was ten and her mother spent her whole life as a courtesan after her fathers' death. You'll get send back to when she was 17 and lived as a courtesan. The reason why she is so fascinating is because of connections, more than that I can't tell you since you wasted ten minutes, I'm afraid."
I sighed, and the woman put away the papers and grabbed a pair of gloves and a syringe.
"You'll feel a little sting." She said concentrated and bowed down towards my left arm.
By now I was used to the little sting and did no longer scream, although it hurt.
I clenched my teeth together.
"Can you tell me anything about the first memory?" I asked her.
I knew the way the engineers worked, talk a little with them and sooner or later you will get at least a bit more information.
"I.. Uh..." She murmured as she rolled away towards a computer combined with the animus.
Her fingers flew across the screen and her glasses reflected what the screen said.
"Please?" I said.
The woman looked at me for a second before sighing.
"This stays between the two of us or else they will kill me! You'll be sent back to three short memories the first thing you'll do. Do you know Il mentor Ezio Auditore Da Firenze?" My mouth fell open. Of course I knew who he was, he was one of the most brilliant Assassins, and his history was something all of us here at the headquarters had to know.
I nodded to make the woman continue.
"He's the big reason why you're sent back to this time, your ancestor knew him quite well from what I gathered." The woman said with a secretive smile and looked at me above the tip of her glasses.
That was strange, I didn't remember reading about a girl named Ofelia being a close friend to Ezio.
The computer in front of her beeped and she read what was written on the screen.
"No trace of infection what so ever. You're ready to go!" She said smiling.
She rolled back over to my side and pressed a button that made a screen fold down over my face.
What the computer screen said was now written on this screen.
"I'll just connect you to this machine that will show us what you're witnessing, and when I say go you'll count to ten." She stuck a needle under my skin and I heard the machine react.
The woman pressed a few buttons on the screen again and then rolled back to my side.
"Start counting." She murmured as she bent over me and looked me in the eyes through the screen.
I started counting from one to ten and for every number I started feeling how my mind got ready to float away.
I could see on the screen how the Abstergo logo appeared.
Pictures of my Ancestor flashed by over the screen, too fast for me to see but I knew that my unconsciousness snapped up and memorized the images.
"Nine." I could hear myself say.
"Have a safe journey." The woman said, her voice sounding distorted as I drifted away.
"Ten." I said and closed my eyes.
It felt like I was getting torn away from my body and pushed into another in the passing of a few seconds.
I didn't know if I screamed or not but a cold hand grabbed mine, if It was what my own body or my new body was experiencing I couldn't tell.
Different kinds of scents burned my nose and a hot wind swished by my ear.
As I remembered how to blink I started opening my eyes, only to be sickened to the stomach by images from the room at Abstergo and this new time where I could see people in colorful clothing.
I couldn't gather what my eyes saw in time so I finally gave up trying and closed my eyes.
"Melanie, you have to let go of your body, stop feeling!" The woman from abstergo shouted from a distance.
What, was I feeling something?
Was that why this transfer started off so weird?
Be a cold shell, shut down the feelings, don't think I ordered myself.
Voices filled my head and daylight reflected under my eyelids, it was working.
Feelings from the new body overwhelmed me, this person was strong minded, yet broken down and unhappy, all of the things I was. Great, maybe this mission would be easier than Vidic made it sound like?
Don't think, echoed inside of my head as I shut myself down.