Chapter 9

Departure

July 14

"And then, the crowd dragged de Launay out into the prison courtyard, and tore him to pieces. They cut off his head and shoved it down on to a pike which was then placed upon the prison walls," said Leona.

"Were any of ours involved?" asked Thomas.

"I, ah, I don't think so. It was hard to maintain focus in the crowd. I felt like a part of it, yet so detached from it as the same time."

"What happened after that?"

"Then, the mob set upon the prison, freeing the prisoners. They then set upon the building itself, dismantling the very bricks at their feet. There was just so much wanton destruction surrounding me."

"So, this is the revolution that Lafayette spoke of so fondly."

Thomas sat with Lafayette that night in his home, the Hotel de Lafayette. They reclined in his living room.

"My god. They murdered the whole guard that was stationed there. Men who did nothing wrong but work there!" said Lafayette. "I knew de Launay!" Thomas nodded.

"It would seem that fear has claimed the hearts and minds of the people today, my good friend," said Thomas.

"I wonder how many of ours took part in the massacre." He massaged his forehead, mentally tired. The silence was broken by a sudden knock at the door. "Who could that be at this hour?" he said. He went to the door to open it. Thomas could hear the exchange of voices down the hallway, then the sound of the door shutting. Lafayette came back with a piece of parchment in his hand.

"It's a letter from the king," he said. He broke the seal from it and read down the lines of the script. He sat back once done with it and closed his eyes, not speaking.

"What does it say?" asked Thomas. Lafayette opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

"Due to the activity at the Bastille, the king suspects that there will be more unrest in the days to come. Tomorrow, he will hold a ceremony, honoring me as the newly instated commander-in-chief of the newly established National Guard of France." Thomas sat back in his chair. The two men were silent for a long time.

"I believe it is time that I returned home," Thomas said, breaking the silence. Lafayette snapped to attention.

"Now? You wish to leave France now?"

"I know, I know, but Lafayette, this is not my home. Now there are people that are being killed for… for what exactly? Supporting the monarchy? I have brought my family into a warzone." Thomas got up from his chair. "I should be getting back to my house. It is very late" He walked towards the door, but Lafayette's words stopped him before he left.

"If that is what you wish Thomas, I can have your passport signed in the morning." Thomas walked back to him.

"Thank you, my good friend." Lafayette nodded, and Thomas walked back to the door and out onto the streets of Paris.

September 27

Lafayette brought the last of Thomas' bags out from the house to the carriage.

"I think that's it" said Thomas.

"Not quite," said Lafayette, and he pulled out some parchments from his coat pocket. "Some things to read, should you get bored looking at waves." The two men laughed. "First we have this, a copy of Abbé Sieyès' 'What is the Third Estate?'. Then, a copy of our own Desmoulins' 'La France Libre'. Quite an interesting read, if I do say so myself. And…" Lafayette handed him a leather case. "Our original draft of The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen. I thought it only proper that you should have it." Thomas took these gifts in his hands, and looked upon Lafayette with a smile.

"These are very appreciated, my good friend," said Thomas.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Lafayette dug into his pants pocket and withdrew a white piece of cloth. He handed it to Thomas, and he unveiled it to be an iron key. "This is a gift for General Washington."

"What is this key?" he asked.

"The Bastille; or what's left of it nowadays." Thomas tucked it into his shirt pocket. "Take it to him, and tell him that we wish to have peace with his country always." Thomas nodded.

"I also have presents for you, my friend," said Thomas. He went to his carriage and brought two books out to Lafayette. "From the Private Library of the Assassins in America. I had them brought over when Polly came to France."

"The Life of Voltaire, by Benjamin Franklin. And, Letters from the Villa Auditore, by Claudia Auditore. Ezio's sister? Interesting."

"You'll find what I've written in there even more interesting." A slip of paper fell from the Voltaire book on to the ground.

"Oh what's this?" said Lafayette, picking up the slip of paper. He saw it to be an envelope. The sight and sound of a horse approaching distracted Thomas.

"That… came from no library, my friend. I found it during some of my research here."

"What research?" asked Lafayette, but he was interrupted by Leona dropping from her horse.

"You didn't think you were going to leave without saying goodbye, did you?" she asked. She walked over to where the two were standing.

"No, no! How could I leave without saying goodbye to everyone?" asked Thomas. They hugged. "Now, I do have a four day journey ahead of me, so for now, I shall say goodbye, and I wish you the best of fortunes." Thomas climbed up into the carriage and whistled to the driver.

"Thomas," said Lafayette.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted you to know that you've been the best thing that's happened to this brotherhood. Before you came here, I believed that this brotherhood was about fail. With your three years of work now, I believe that we have a fighting chance to end this tyranny." Thomas smiled down at him, and was given one in return.

"Keep vigilant in the acquisition of the Apple. Read the letter," he said. With a flick of the whip, the horse pulled off, leaving Lafayette and Leona in the dust. After he was out of eyesight, Lafayette nodded at Leona. She got upon her horse and trotted after him.

October 1

Thomas stepped out near the docks of the port city of Le Havre. Having paid the driver, he unloaded his luggage and made his way to the Hermione, the ship that he had come in on. Standing before the gangway were his two daughters and his slaves, Sally and James Hemings.

"Ready to go?" he asked them on approach.

"Yes father," said Martha.

"Well, America's not getting any closer. We should be off." He walked up the ramp to the ship and stood at the top, motioning to the others to come. His daughters went up first, then James. "James, I hope you will remember your culinary training that you've received here," he said.

"Yessir," James replied. Sally came up next.

"Sally," said Thomas. She nodded her head and smiled. Thomas smiled very small, but then it vanished.

"Sir," the captain said to Thomas, "Are we all accounted for?"

"Yes, we can head out whenever you are ready," said Thomas. As Thomas and family approached the cabin doors, they opened to reveal a white-headed, hunched-back Ben Franklin, walking up the steps. He exited the doors with a cane under his left hand. Thomas' eyes lit up when he saw him.

"Ben!" he exclaimed.

"Thomas," said Ben. He suddenly bent over and coughed violently into a handkerchief. Thomas went to his side to keep him steady. He looked into the handkerchief and saw blood.

"You shouldn't have come on this journey, my oldest friend," said Thomas.

"Come now Thomas, I wished to see France one more time," said Ben. "Also, you look like you could have used some company on the return jouney," he said with a smile.

"Come, let's go inside." They all went below deck, and the captain gave the order to cast off. The sails were let loose, and a breeze that almost came from nowhere carried the ship out to the foaming waves of the ocean.

As Thomas was approaching the ship with his luggage, a man eyed him from the docks. He pulled a knife from his vest and began to make his way towards him, but was held back by Leona's hand. She covered the man's mouth and plunged her hidden blade into his neck, then pulled him back behind a corner. Leona then looked on as Thomas disappeared below deck. She climbed to the top of the building she was standing next to and watched the Hermione until it slipped out of view on the horizon.

Lafayette sat forward in his chair, looking over the books that Thomas had left him. His eyes scrolled down each page, noting the black ink where Thomas had written something in the margins. The last item that he read was the letter that was inside the Voltaire book. It was dated February 17th, 1770. Lafayette read the first line aloud.

"To the Mentor," he read aloud. He read down the rest of the letter in silence, until he got to the last line. At the bottom of the letter Thomas had written out the name "Olivâtre" in capital letters, and then wrote something below it. Looking over it, Lafayette was somewhat surprised. He laid the letter down and reclined.

"Mon Dieu, Thomas."