Ace up My Sleeve

"You can go now, girls," Paola told the other courtesans as Ezio walked back up to her. "Now that you know how to approach the enemy, we need to find you a suitable weapon."

"What would you have me use?" Ezio asked.

"Ah, but you already have the answer," Paola said, taking out a metal bracer and blade.

"Hey!" Ezio exclaimed, grabbing the bracer and blade. "My father's blade and bracer! How did you get them?"

"By using the same skills I just taught you," Paola laughed.

"It's not exactly in working condition."

"I assume you are familiar with Leonardo Da Vinci?"

"Si (yes), but how does a painter factor into this?"

"He's far more than that. Bring him the pieces, you'll see," Paola said, walking back to the house.

"Before I go one last question…if I may?" Ezio asked.

"Of course."

"Why have you given you aid so readily to me, a stranger?" Ezio asked. Paola slowly rolled up her sleeve, showing a severe burn on her wrist.

"I too know betrayal," she said. As Paola went inside the house, Ezio turned and left. He knew what he was planning to do. Ulberto Alberti betrayed his family, and he has to pay; once Ezio gets a weapon, he will kill that traitor. But, what would he do after that? His entire family is wanted, and they cannot stay at Paola's forever. They will have to leave Florence; he will protect his family at ALL costs.

Ezio was pretending to be part of a group of pedestrians when he reached Da Vinci's. He broke off from the group, slid off his hood, quietly went up to his door and knocked. The cover of night should hide him for now. When no one answered, Ezio opened the door and went inside.

In the house, Leonardo was busy working on another project. He was surprised when he turned around and saw Ezio.

"Ezio Auditore!" he exclaimed. I…I didn't expect to see YOU again. What, with all that's happened…AH! Where are my manners? Welcome back!" Leonardo quickly gave Ezio a big bear hug. "Now, how can I be of service?" Leonardo asked, backing up.

"I was hoping you could repair something of mine," Ezio said.

"Of course! Come, this way." Leonardo led Ezio to his table, which was covered in papers and blueprints. "Ah…che pasticcio…Tutto il santo giorno che cerco… (Oh…what a mess…I've spent the whole day looking for…) Let me clear a space." Leonardo quickly shoved all his papers to the side. "Alright, let's see it." Ezio gave Leonardo the blade, bracer, and a codex page he found with it. "Fascinating. I don't know, Ezio. Despite its age, the construction is rather advanced. I've never seen anything quite like it. I'm afraid there's not much I can do without original plans. Mi dispiace (I'm sorry.)" That was when Leonardo noticed the codex page under the bracer. "Wait, wait, wait!" Leonardo said, taking the page out.

"What are you doing?" Ezio asked.

"The contents of this page are encrypted! But, if my theory is correct…based on these sketches it may very well…"

"It may very well what?"

"Please, sit."

"Leonardo," Ezio groaned.

"SHHH," the inventor shushed. Ezio, in annoyance, sat down on the nearby chair. He impatiently waited for Leonardo to finish what he was doing but eventually fell asleep. Ezio did not know how long he was asleep, but when he awoke, Leonardo Da Vinci was standing in front of him, with a metal object in his hand.

"There," he said, giving Ezio the metal bracer. "It's finished."

"What's finished?" Ezio asked, waking up.

"The blade! I managed to decode that parchment of yours. It showed me exactly what to do." Ezio reached for the bracer, but Leonardo held it back. "Now, all that's left to do is remove your ring finger," he said, holding up a knife.

"Really?" Ezio asked nervously.

"I'm sorry, but this is how it must be done. The blade is designed to ensure the "commitment" of whoever wields it." Ezio thought for moment, he did not know how much losing his finger would hurt, but, the life of the man who betrayed his family for his finger…it was a small cost.

"Bene (Fine)," Ezio finally said, sticking his ring finger out and setting it on the table. "Do it quickly." Ezio slammed his eyes shut, ready to take the pain of losing his finger. He heard the sound of the knife slam into the table, but there was no pain. Ezio opened his eyes and saw that Leonardo had slammed the knife into the table, an inch from his finger.

"I was only having fun, Ezio," Leonardo laughed. "Though the blade once required a sacrifice, it's been modified. You can keep your finger." Ezio stood up and put the hidden blade on his left hand. With a flick of his wrist, the blade extended from the bracer.

"Incredible," he said. With an object this small, he could sneak it past the guards to kill Alberti. With another flick of his wrist, the blade slid back in.

"Yes it is!" Leonardo agreed. "Tell me, do you have other pages like this?"

"I'm sorry, only the one. "

"Listen, if you ever do happen across another one of these, please bring it to me."

"You have my word, and thank you for fixing this," Ezio said. They both jumped when they heard heavy pounding on the door.

"By order of the Florentine Guard, OPEN THIS DOOR!" a harsh voice ordered.

"Eh…just a moment," Leonardo called. "Wait here," he said, handing Ezio the codex page. Ezio quickly put it in his sack, which was part of his robes.

"Are you Leonardo Da Vinci?" a guard asked when Leonardo answered the door.

"Si (Yes)," Leonardo said. "How may I be of service?"

"I need you to answer some questions."

"Certainly," Leonardo replied as he led the guard to the garden in the backyard of his workshop. Ezio walked to the window and observed Da Vinci and the guard talk.

"What seems to be the trouble?" Leonardo asked.

"A witness claims to have seen you consorting with an enemy of the city," the guard said.

"What! Me! Consorting? Preposterous!"

"When was the last time you saw or spoke to Ezio Auditore?"

"Who?"

"Non fare il finto tonto (Don't play dumb with me)! We know you close with the family." When Leonardo shrugged, the guard shoved him to the ground. "Perhaps this will clear you head!" he yelled, kicking the inventor in the stomach. "Ready to talk?!" Another kick… "What about now?" Another kick…

Even if Leonardo does not crack under the pressure, Ezio could not stand by and watch his friend get beaten. He quietly snuck out of the house and walked up behind the guard. It was time to see how well the hidden blade works. Ezio grabbed the guard by the shoulder, forced him on his knees, and stabbed the hidden blade through the top of his head. As Ezio retracted the blade, the guard's body fell to the ground.

"Grazie (Thank you), Ezio," Leonardo said, picking himself up.

"Sorry about that," Ezio said.

"I've grown accustomed to their abuses."

"What of the body?"

"Bring it inside and put it with the others."

"Others?"

"The city gives them to me for research," Leonardo explained. Ezio picked up the body and followed Da Vinci back into the workshop. Once inside, Ezio went to the back of the shop, placed it on one of the tables in the shadows, and laid a piece of cloth over the body.

"See," Leonardo said cheerfully. "Like it never even happened."

"Thank you, Leonardo…for everything."

"Any time, and remember, if you find anymore of those strange pages, bring them to me."

"Of course, now, I should really be getting back to Paola's."

"Porgile I miei omaggi (Send her my regards)," Leonardo said. Ezio walked out into the night and began to make his way back to Paola's.

Everything was ready, he has his weapon, a way to approach Alberti; all he needs is to know where Alberti is. One thing still troubled Ezio, where should his family flee once this is done. He can worry about that later, he has to first make sure Alberti pays.

As Ezio reached the front door of Paola's house, he took another look at the sunrise before knocking. As Ezio entered the house, he saw Paola waiting for him.

"You were gone for quite a while," she said.

"Leonardo likes to talk," Ezio chuckled.

"That he does, but I trust you did more than talk." Ezio showed Paola the hidden blade he now had. "I've given you the skills, Leonardo's given you the blade, all that remains is the deed."

"Where can I find Ulberto?"

"According to my girls, he'll be attending an unveiling tonight of Verocchio's latest works. It will be held at the Santa Croce cloister."

"Watch over my mother and sister while I'm away."

"Of course, Ezio; as if they were my own," Paola said. Ezio left the house; it was time to do this. He went to a building from where he could see the Santa Croce cloister from. Ezio sat down on the roof and began to wait for Alberti to arrive, which did not happen until morning. The traitor was walking with his majesty, Lorenzo de' Medeci.

"Again with this!" Ulberto exclaimed.

"You have overstepped your bounds, Ulberto," Lorenzo said.

"Who are you to speak of bounds; you, who have crowned yourself Lorenzo de' Medeci Principe (Prince) of Firenze."

"I've done no such thing."

"Of course not, ever innocent; how convenient. At least now we get to see how far your reach extends, which is to say, nowhere at all. It has proved a valuable lesson to me and my allies."

"Yes, your allies the Pazzi. Is that what this is about?"

"Be careful with your words, Lorenzo; they might attract the wrong attention," Ulberto warned. Lorenzo glared at Alberti as they walked into the Santa Croce cloister. Once the two men entered a group of guards and a brute stood guard at the door. It is time. Ezio knew that there was no way he could get past the guards, especially the brute; Ezio has no sword. Ezio decided to take the express route; he leapt from the roof of the building to the roof of the cloister in a single bound.

Ezio could now see the Ulberto Alberti, he talking with a guest behind a painting. Ezio quietly climbed to the ground and began to walk to Alberti. This was the moment, ever since the death of his family Ezio has been waiting for this. Ezio stopped right behind Alberti.

"You?!" Alberti exclaimed when he turned around and saw Ezio. This was the moment Ezio has been waiting for. He grabbed Alberti and forced his hidden blade into the traitor's chest. As Alberti's body fell to the ground, Ezio kneeled beside the dying man. Time seemed to slow down as he looked at Alberti, listening to the man's dying gasps.

"You would have done the same to protect the ones you love," Ulberto gasped.

"Yes," Ezio said "I would, and I have!" With that said Ezio felt Alberti's life slip through his fingers and time returned to normal. "The Auditore are not dead!" Ezio yelled, standing back up. "I'm still here, ME; Ezio, Ezio Auditore!"

"Assassino!" a woman screamed as the crowd fled. Hearing the commotion, the guards charged in. Ezio grabbed a wooden chair, ready to fight. Ezio was able to use the chair to defend against the standard guards, but the brute's battle axe smashed it in half!

With his weapon gone, Ezio began to climb the walls of the cloister, attempting to escape. He was half way up when he heard a loud crash. He realized that, because the guards could not catch up with Ezio, they were throwing rocks at him! Luckily, he made it to the roof before a rock could hit him, Ezio probably will not be as lucky next time.

The guards, seeing Ezio had reached the roof, climbed up after him; by the time they got to the top, the Ezio was gone.