Desmond walked along the old bustling Italian streets, weaving through the people hurrying to work, or to school, or those out for shopping. It was raining, so having his hood up in public didn't really draw attention. His head bent low, he recited his plan in his mind. He was to make contact with a man within Abstergo with even higher clearance than Vidic. This man was believed to be the Grand Master of the Templar Order. This would be hard to begin with, but since he rescued William and assassinated both Cross and Vidic, he was now well known. He was equipped with two hidden blades; one being the one he always wore, and the other had the blade removed and exchanged for a rod of the same size capable of emitting a shock on contact to knock out the target, or at least incapacitate them. His blade was a last resort. Hardly going to get help after I slaughter his men. The Assassin's were enduring, but they needed the support of their equally powered enemies to stop Juno. Fighting two different wars at a time would be foolish.
Desmond could see the steps to Abstergo ahead. He looked up from under the hood and the rain splashed his face. Walking in the front door would probably get him gunned down at this point. But at this time there were many walking inside for business and visits. He'd have to try his way with the crowds. The crowd is an Assassin's ally. Before joining a nearby throng he swiftly but slyly moved the Apple to his coats large pocket. He didn't like the idea, but if the need arises he could manipulate the crowds, guards and reception to ignore him until he was passed. He joined the masses and kept to himself. He wore a white shirt and red tie with pants and shoes, with a large business coat over those with a deep hood. He decided being formal was less conspicuous than a hoodie and jeans in a corporate building. He flicked his hood down and looked to the ground. There were men with pistols dotted around the open reception room, and one was right in Desmond's path. He studied Desmond and his expression began to change, in one hand he held his radio and the other rested on his weapon. Shit, he knows. Of course he knows, I'm on the fucking posters. The apple throbbed held in his pocket and the guards attention shot Desmond and to the courtyard. His attention was drawn and he walked to observe, followed by others in Desmond's path.
He studied blueprints before leaving and saw from a ground floor bathroom, and air vent connected to one in an elevator shaft. Luckily, Rebecca managed to make the elevator there "Out of Order" from her computer. He broke off from the crowd and entered the bathroom, making his way to a stall. Opening his Backpack he removed a hoodie, t-shirt, jeans and trainers. He was done with his restricting suit, he was going to be hidden from now anyway. He changed and left the cubicle and began loosening a tile of the ceiling. Standing on the sink he turned to the sound of a door opening and a man walking in half asleep, coffee in one hand and a briefcase in the other. He was almost at a cubicle when he dropped his coffee after finally noticing Desmond staring back, holding a ceiling panel.
The two men stared blinking for a moment. The employee looked from Desmond to his spilled coffee then sighed. Desmond noticed a poster with his own face on it beside the man. He looked from Desmond, to the poster, then back again. He opened his mouth to speak but Desmond threw the panel at the man knocking him over, leaped from the sink and flicked out the taser hidden on his wrist. The rod collided with the man and sent him into a deep sleep. He concealed the rod, moved the employee back into the cubicle with his abandoned suit and moved up into the vent.
He found his way to the elevator shaft and climbed onto the top of the 'shut down' elevator. His earpiece began to ring and he heard Rebecca on the other end. "Heeeyy what's up mentor!"
"C'mon how long you gonna do that for?"
"Sorry, sorry. Okay sit tight, i'm gonna start sending the lift up slowly." The elevator shook for a moment and began to rise slowly.
"Sure beats climbing. Have you got anything on what's ahead?"
"Well the elevator doesn't go all the way to the CEO's office. He has his own personal lift from where yours stops. So once you reach the top you're gonna have to get yourself an ID card for those VIP lifts. I can't hack those ones. Once you reach the office the best I can do is manually shut down the doors to stop reinforcements coming at you."
"Thanks, Rebecca. Hey how's Shaun doing? Is he in—"
"I'm fine Desmond, I'm taking a break for now. I can't use the Animus again for another week, Rebecca insists. Just because I suffered a little bit of the bleeding effect. It was hardly anything major."
"Shaun you got out of the Animus and freaked out 'cause your crown was missing."
"Well, maybe I just wanted a crown?"
"Guys, stop. Shaun, rest up and do as you're told. Consider it an..order.."
Rebecca laughed and Desmond smiled at the thought of whatever face Shaun must be pulling. The elevator shuddered and began to move faster. "Ah, Rebecca? Slow it down a bit."
"That isn't me. Desmond! I've been overridden! Someone's controlling in inside the building!" The elevator began to pick up speed. He could see the roof in the distance rushing down. "I'm gonna open all of the doors that lead to this shaft on every floor. Make a jump when ready!"
Desmond watched as he passed corridors, people turning to the loud hum of the speeding lift. He took a deep breath then locked his sight on a door up ahead. He'd need to time this perfectly. The doorway descended and he ran and leapt. The momentum carried him out into the hallway and into the path of two Abstergo Security agents as the elevator crashed into the roof, then began to fall back down the shaft. He ploughed into one guard rendering him unconscious. The other ran at Desmond, but Desmond's foot found the guards chest and sent him reeling backwards towards the open shaft. The guard stopped at the edge and wobbled to try and shift his weight back to the safe floor, his upper body leaning out above the long plummeting elevator shaft. Desmond sprang up, grabbed the guards' collar and pulled him to the hallway just before the wrecked lift plunged down past them. The guard held a mixed look of gratitude, confusion, and fear. Then a sole look of deep sleep as Desmond stunned him with the taser.
He moved the guards into another elevator to hide them. "Rebecca. I'm alright I made it out. Where am I, though?"
"It looks like your stop was two floors above you anyway. Jeez you cut that close. There's a stairwell down the hall you can use to get up the two floors. Watch out for more guards."
Desmond exited the stairwell and saw a courtyard. He hurried over and concealed himself among the bushes. "Desmond I'm looking at the security cameras now, there's a guy who just left the VIP lifts and is headed your way."
A man in a white lab coat entered the courtyard and sat on a bench with his back to Desmond. He began to move forward from the bushed when the man in the coat reached for something. From his case he produced a plastic box with his lunch inside. Desmond thought he had been found at that moment. He continued forward and emerged unseen. The man continued to eat his sandwich even as Desmond sat next to him. He didn't notice who was next to him. Desmond looked to the man. "Lovely here, isn't it?"
The man looked to Desmond, and nodded in agreement with a mouth full of food. He swallowed in a big gulp then slowly looked to Desmond again. Desmond smiled, then flicked the taser out, knocked the man out cold, and took the card pinned to his coat pocket. He made his way to the executive elevator and entered to begin his ascent to the office of the Grand Master, unaware of the eyes that followed him.
The lift opened up into a hallway with two great wooden doors at the end. As he walked the elegant corridor he noticed paintings of men, some he recognised. Robert de Sable, Cesare Borgia, and Haytham Kenway were first to catch his eye. He then saw others he recognised, among many others who were unknown to him. There was one man whose retirement date had still to be engraved. And he was on the other side of this door.