Chapter 7

10/7/2013

1305

Bronx, New York, USA

Lucy walked back into the lobby from lunch. She was late for her next lecture, and to her surprise, John and Michael turned to face her.

She didn't need to ask as they motioned her outside.

"What happened?" she demanded, and it was then she noticed the puncture wound in John's neck.

"They got Mentor Miles and Ky, ma'am. They must have been monitoring us...the apartment was a mess, so it looks like Mentor Miles and the ancestors put up a fight." Michael spoke up next. "The neighbors reported Mentor Miles and two strangely-dressed men fled the building with a baby."

Lucy's expression tightened.

"Did they see which way he went?"

John and Michael shook their heads. "All we have to go on is what we were able to get out of witnesses, ma'am...and not many of them were willing to talk to us...some people thought Mentor Miles was kidnapping his son."

Lucy snarled. "Call William and the others. I'll be right back."

Lucy walked into her office, looking at her boss.

"I've experienced a family emergency. Deb will need to cover my lectures for awhile."

Her boss stared at her. "What kind of emergency?"

Lucy's teeth ground together. "My husband and son have been kidnapped."


Desmond regained consciousness slowly. His hands were bound tightly behind his back, and he lay on his side on a cold floor. As he attempted to move, he realized his feet were also bound, and dimly he heard the sound of crying.

His eyes opened fully, and he found himself lying on the floor of a glass cell, staring out into a darkened laboratory at an Animus.

To his horror, his son lay on the Animus, his face red from screaming as the techs above him adjusted the UI over him.

"No!" His scream echoed in the tiny cell, and he saw several figures in white lab coats turn to stare at him curiously.

"Kyle!" he cried. He writhed, managing to sit up. The white-coated techs turned away from him, and he saw one of them shake their head at the screaming baby, and Desmond's gaze narrowed as he focused on the techs, and as it had once before in Vidic's lab, his hearing was amplified.

"It's no good, Doctor. He won't stay synced. He needs to be calm...right now his mind is resisting. If we push any more we'll risk damaging him."

Desmond snarled, and between one breath and the next, Ezio and Altair appeared, their blades cleaving into the backs of the lab techs, who stiffened.

An alarm blared, and Desmond saw the blonde Templar who'd captured them enter the room, his face red with rage as he saw Desmond awake.

"You idiots, I told you to keep him knocked out!"

Desmond saw Ezio and Altair fighting the Abstergo guards, who streamed endlessly into the room to the sound of Kyle's screams.

The air began to go hazy in Desmond's cell, and he held his breath for as long as he was able until he was forced to breathe in the gas.

A few minutes later, Desmond lay unconscious once more, and Altair and Ezio looked at one another as they disappeared.


Rikken watched impassively on the camera as the bodies were dragged out of the lab. England frowned.

"What a mess. Subject 17 may prove to be more trouble than he's worth, at this rate."

Rikken frowned. "Maybe so. Take 17 to an interview room. I think it's time he answered some questions for us...at least until we figure out a way to get his son synced to the Animus."

England nodded, pressing a button, and her voice echoed in the lab below.

"Juhani, take Subject 17 to an interview room."

They watched as Desmond was dragged from his cell and strapped to a stretcher.

Rikken put a hand on England's shoulder. "Keep trying with 18. I'm going to go have a word with his father."


Lucy waited impatiently as William and the other Assassins gathered in the tiny conference room. William eyed her, and she took a deep breath.

"First off, I want to say this is no one's fault. We knew eventually the Templars would make a move – Desmond warned me about it – though we hadn't anticipated them going after Kyle..." William sighed. "I warned Desmond the Templars were dangerous...I warned him and now who knows what they're doing to him or my grandson!"

There was a low, animal snarl, and to everyone's surprise it came from Lucy.

"Shut up, William. This is absolutely not the time." William stared at her as she continued.

"Desmond did what he believed what was right...and I know that no matter what happened, he wouldn't have thought a second about giving himself up for Kyle if that's what it came down to."

She looked at John and Michael. "We need every pair of hands we can get. Start making calls. I know of several local Templar holding areas...we sometimes used them as interim holding areas for subjects who for whatever reason couldn't be moved immediately. I'm guessing they didn't move Desmond far, if they were wanting to get him or Kyle into an Animus. I'll draw up a list of addresses and get in contact with our Templar friend."

William protested as they got to their feet.

"Wait, you're telling me you're going to contact the person who likely turned Desmond into them to try and find out where they're holding him?"

Lucy shook her head.

"Lucas didn't turn in Desmond, William. As a matter of fact, Lucas is the reason John and Michael are still with us...he had the sniper's guns loaded with tranq darts, or they'd both be dead. He couldn't do anything to prevent the mission from going forward, but he did save two lives. We'll find Des and Ky."

Her gaze narrowed.

"William, I know we don't get along...but I need every pair of hands on this if we're going to save them. We can resolve our differences of style later, but I absolutely need your help with this. Please. If not for me or Des, then for Ky."

William eyed her, and he saw the real desperation in her eyes that she strove to hide.

He sighed heavily.

"I'll call Harlan. We're going to need to call in all the teams if we have any hope of finding Des and Ky before the Templars move them."

Lucy nodded, and William saw her wipe away tears as she said, "Thank you, Bill."


Desmond regained consciousness underwater, and he gasped reflexively and coughed as his head was pulled from the tub.

"Wakey, wakey, 17. Mr. Rikken wants a word with you."

Desmond was dragged towards a set of restraints that hung from the ceiling. He grunted as he was strung up under a bright light. A tall man wearing a suit entered the room, his green eyes tracing over Desmond.

Desmond's voice was hoarse as he growled, "Where's my son?"

Rikken shook his head. "Your devotion to your son is admirable, Mr. Miles. He's well, and he'll continue to be treated well as long as you cooperate with us."

Desmond's eyes closed, and without knowing how he did it, he reached out for his son. Dimly, he heard Rikken say something, and for a bare instant he felt fear..overwhelming fear...

He was brought out of it abruptly by a shock that chased his breath from his lungs, and he realized his Templar tormenter had shocked him with a cattle prod.

"None of that now, Mr. Miles. Every time you try to use your power, we'll be distracting you in the most painful way possible."

Desmond gasped, shuddering in the restraints. "What do you want?"

Rikken nodded, smiling at Desmond. "Much better, Mr. Miles. Let's get started." He took out a clipboard.

"Now...what happened to Warren Vidic and Daniel Cross?"

Desmond growled. "They're dead."

Rikken frowned. "Dead? How?"

Desmond coughed. "Why does it matter?"

Rikken scowled at the captive Assassin. "You killed them both?"

Desmond was silent, his golden eyes glinting in the near-darkness. "Maybe." Rikken's expression became angry. "Don't be flippant with me, Mr. Miles. What happened to them?"

Desmond bared his teeth at Rikken. "Vidic killed my brother. Cross was asking for it, though I kind of owed his ass for shooting me in Masyaf."

Rikken's expression twisted in rage.

"Warren Vidic was a good man, Mr. Miles, and the thought of you killing him turns my stomach. Where are their bodies?"

Desmond went silent. Rikken's gaze narrowed.

"Where are their bodies, Mr. Miles?"

Desmond's gaze settled on Rikken, his expression scornful. "Halfway to the center of the Earth, depending on which crevice my team dropped them into."

Rikken nodded to the interrogator, who drove the cattle prod into Desmond's side. Desmond stiffened, his teeth grinding together as he refused to scream despite the pain, and after a minute, Rikken motioned for the interrogator to stop, and Desmond slumped against the restraints, his breath heaving in his lungs.

Rikken's expression hardened. "I assure you, Mr. Miles, this isn't a joke."

Desmond snarled. "Do I look like I'm fucking joking?" His eyes blazed with rage. "You put my son into a fucking ANIMUS. For Chrissakes he's just a baby!"

Rikken's temper was fraying, and Desmond grunted as the other man came up to him, forcing his head up. "If you won't cooperate with us, Mr. Miles, we'll just pull the information from your son's DNA, much as Vidic did when you were in his custody last November."

Desmond growled, and his golden gaze flared with anger.

"If you hurt my son, there won't be anywhere in the world you'll be able to run from me, Rikken."

Rikken dropped Desmond's head with a growl.

He turned to the interrogator. "I want you to teach Mr. Miles a lesson or two. Make sure he understands who's in control here. If he looks like he's trying to use his power, persuade him otherwise."

The interrogator nodded, and as Rikken left the room, he smiled at Desmond. "Well, well. Looks like we'll have lots of time to get to know each other, 17."

Desmond tensed in the restraints, his eyes like topaz. "Thanks all the same, but I've got a date with your boss. It involves my blade between his ribs and his heart on a fucking spit."

The interrogator laughed. "I like it when you Assassins resist. It makes my job so much more...fun. Let's see if you can take it as well as your old man, hmm?"

A/N: Action coming up...and if this chapter disturbs anyone, I'm sorry, but the Templars are probably gonna hold a grudge over the whole killing Vidic and Cross thing. It's okay though, cause I assure you Des is holding a much worse grudge.

Much. Worse.