Author's Note: Sorry that last chapter was short, but that was all I could think of for that chapter. So, Fran's starting to worry about little Damion. I would be too! Oh and Neko, you can really see the original Fenice come out in Arille's son Fenice.

"Mama! Fenice hit me!"

"I did not!"

Franchesca chuckled as she listened to Arille's twin boys argue. Arille looked over at the two of them, who were playing in a corner of Arille's living room, and shouted, "Don't make me get your father in here, you two!"

"But Fenice..."

"Savio, I don't want to hear it right now, okay? I'm busy helping your aunt look for your baby cousin."

Three year old Savio grumbled and kicked the floor.

"So, what exactly did you find out?" Franchesca asked.

Franchesca and Arille spent that entire morning going around Roma, listening to different people. Franchesca didn't find out anything, which really lowered her spirits. They spent two days searching for Damion, but had no success.

"Quite a bit, actually." Arille replied, kicking up her heels. "For starters, that thief's head boss is named Nikolai."

"Nikolai?"

"Yeah. He's from Spain."

"Like Rodrigo?"

Arille nodded. "And get this: that thief was right. He's wanting to find babies and raise them as Templars. He's unable to have children of his own."

"So why...?"

"Because he believes that it's the next best thing to having his own children."

"That's just wrong!" Franchesca shouted, appalled.

"And here's the best part." Arille replied, adding sarcasm. She dropped the sarcasm when she replied, "Any babies that they do not think have any skills that would help the children become better Templars they do away with."

"Do away with?"

Arille made a slashing motion across her neck. "Then they throw the bodies..."

Franchesca stood up, looking green, and ran to the nearest window, which happened to overlook the ocean. She threw it open and vomited. Weakly, Franchesca looked at Arille and said, "Please don't mention that again."

"Why? I'm just relaying what they told me."

Franchesca sighed and walked back over to Arille and sat down next to her. "Are you sure you're not pregnant again?"

"I shouldn't. Domi and I have been more focused on Damion to worry about anything having to do with our love lives."

"You sure?"

"Yes Arille, I'm a hundred percent sure."

Arille sighed. "Anyways, the person who I bribed had a lot of stuff to tell me. Despite my clothing, this person actually told me he helped with a few of the kidnappings, and that they actually look for children who have some form of Templar ancestry."

"But my heritage is nothing but assassins. Or civilians."

"What about...?"

"My father was an assassin before a Templar. He doesn't count."

"Well, I did learn something else." Arille replied after what seemed to be an endless silence, except for the two boys playing in the corner.

"Do tell."

"They actually also find orphans. Assassin orphans. They hide their ancestry from them and raise them as Templars. If there are no orphaned infants, they kidnap them from their parents."

Franchesca sighed and buried her head in her hands. "This is hopeless."

"They will also kidnap older children, no older than seven years of age, if they can't find any infants. And practically brainwash them."

"So, how are we going to find where they put all these infants at?"

"They put them in a warehouse on this side of town. However, the guy I bribed didn't know where it was at, so that ended that."

"Is there a way that we can find this warehouse?"

"Well, if we willingly give them a child, then we can find said warehouse. However, I don't want to give up any of my boys for this."

"And Damion is my only child."

There was a brief silence, then a child's voice said, "Mama, can I help look for cousin Damion?"

Franchesca and Arille looked over at Savio and Fenice. Savio was still playing, but Fenice was standing up, looking at Franchesca with a look of concern on his face.

"Fenice, are you sure?" Arille asked.

"Papa told us that family sticks together. No matter how far apart we are. You and Auntie Fran are related. That makes her family, right?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"I wanna help. Then Auntie Fran will be happy again." Fenice replied, walking up to them.

Franchesca had to do everything she could to keep herself from crying.

Arille went quiet before she stood up and walked over to Fenice. She hugged him and said, "Are you sure you want to help?"

"Si Mama."

"Then I think we have the perfect way for you to help."

((Because ff won't leave a blank space here))

"Alright Fenice, you know what to do, right?" Arille asked, bending down to Fenice's height. She wearing a pair of leggings, a long sleeved top, and the boots from her robes, but not the robes themselves.

Fenice nodded innocently and clutched the dagger strapped to his waist.

Arille smiled. She stood up, her leggings making a soft swooshing sound. She looked at Franchesca and said, "Get up to the rooftops. Out of their sight, but keep within sight of Fenice. I'll be following behind."

Franchesca nodded and tousled Fenice's hair. He laughed at this and watched as Franchesca climbed up the side of a nearby building. Arille watched and, when she reached the top of the building, grabbed Fenice's hand and led him down the road.

Franchesca followed from the rooftops. She made sure she kept a good distance from them, yet kept them within her sight. A few times, she even kept her Eagle vision on so she could focus more on where Fenice was, which helped a lot. When a blur of red came in, Franchesca switched out of it, looking.

There were theives and what looked like a higher ranking official standing in front of what looked like a well. Franchesca watched as Arille hugged Fenice and sent him to the higher ranking official. The official, whom Franchesca guessed was Nikolai, tossled Fenice's hair as Arille turned around and started walking Franchesca's direction. Franchesca payed close attention to the hidden blades around Arille's wrists. She noticed that the one on her left arm was extended, signalling for Franchesca to wait. Franchesca looked over at Fenice, a look of determination on his face, and watched as the official started to lead Fenice away, in the opposite direction of the way Arille went. Gaze back on the hidden blades. Both of them were out now, signalling for Franchesca to watch Fenice. Franchesca watched until Fenice disappeared from her sight and flexed her right wrist, the hidden blade on that arm extending.

The left blade slid into the gauntlet. Franchesca nodded and took off after Fenice, making sure to stay out of the official's, and theives', line of sight.