"The Shadow has decided it's time to meet you."

Torn told Jak and Daxter when we walked back into the hideout. We were still recovering from the revelation that we all were in the future, but that aside at least I had people to relate to. For the first time since the Sacred Site Jak smiled

"Why is that old ruin in Dead Town so important?" He asked Torn

"There's a powerful energy force at the old house. The Metal Heads are drawn to it."

"No kidding? We used to know the guy that lived there."

"So" a new voice rang out in the room "You two are the new reqruits that have getting into so much trouble." The Shadow had entered the room, the Shadow was a short man, yet he radiated power more than most people. He had green skin and smelt of Green Eco. He had a large wooden log tied to his head with a large tennis ball like afro inside of it.

"NO no no" Daxter yelled out "NOT YOU"

The Shadow had a confused look on his face and said "Welcome to our humble Underground movement. I am known as the Shadow, but you may call me Samos. And you are?"

Daxter rolled his eyes and sighed "Sheesh Jak, we went through all that to meet his holiness, ol' log on the head, grandpa green?!"

"Wait a minute" I said "You already know The Shadow"

"Huh yeah" Jak said as he turned back to Samos "You don't remember us"

"Sorry kid, never seen you in my life. And I never forget a face " He shook his head and pointed at Daxter "Especially one that ugly" Daxter's mouth flew open and said " And it begins"

Jak shook his head again in disbelief "How is this possible?" he said the same thing that I had been repeating for hours "We came through the rift with you... into the future... right?"

"Yeah! You used to look older than dirt and uglier than a knotted stump. What gives? Did you get a little nip and tuck while we were gone?"

" Listen boys, I don't know what kind of twigs you've been chewing on, but I don't have time for this. We've got a Baron to overthrow, a child heir to protect, an invasion of Metal Heads to stop, and a city to save. I'd say the schedule's pretty full! Besides, I haven't gone through any rifts. I hate teleporting!"The Shadow said briskly.

Daxter jumped off of the Dark Eco man he called his best friend and said " Sure does sound like old Samos"

"Right now I need you boys to find Onin in the East Bazaar and ask her about our predicament" the Green man said. I looked at Jak and said "I told you"

Jak and Daxter walked out and I shook the Shadow's hand "I assume Torn told you about the Baron" he laughed and said "Right and I'm supposed to believe that you found out that the ruler of Haven City has been part of a secret order that wants peace of all things"

I sat down at the table and sighed I laid my head down into my crossed arms and said "You have to believe me okay, if Baron Praxis truly is a Templar I have no doubt that several of Haven City council members as well as high ups in the Krimson Guard are all Templars as well."

"Baron Praxis is a horrible and evil man but he only really trusts himself" Torn said "There's no evidence that proves the contrary." I got up and rubbed the tiredness out of my eyes and shook off the fatigue

"So what if I found this evidence" I asked the two underground leaders "What if I found proof that Baron Praxis is working with someone other than Errol."

Samos looked at Torn and sighed "Well then we would be forced to let you take a position at organizing the troops as a commander." I started to walk out and say "I will be back"

Torn quickly ran up the stairs to me. "How will you find the Baron."

"Same way I found him last time" I responded smiling.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

I looked around again for the right distraction and found it. A local idiot was leaving a liquor store. He looked drunk enough as it was and I reckoned that the bottle of gin he was holding was just extra. I walked up to the drunk and pushed a hundred orb bill into his hand. "Hey buddy" I said "If you go bring the guards by that door there over to that stand I'll get you another hundred"

The man was sober enough to realize a hundred orb bill inside his hand. But was drunk enough to not realize that I had sent him into a fool's errand. I felt sorry for him at first when he was arrested and dragged off to a Hellcat but he continued to resist when I walked past and dropped another hundred orbs onto the cold wet cement road.

"HOLD ON MAN" he screamed "THAT GUY PAYED ME TO DO IT AHHHHHHHH" the guard next to him tased him again and said "Yeah yeah tell it to the Captain"

I had made my way to the West Bazaar and looked around trying to find something to distract the guards long enough to enter the tunnels under the Fortress. I had decided to infiltrate the Fortress Prison, I knew that some of the KG traitors lay dormant inside the Prison, they undoubtedly knew the locations and command codes for the entire building. I would have asked Torn but I was aware of the fact that when a former Commander of the guard, such as Torn used to be before Errol took over, all of the command keys and codes were erased.

But I had a better idea, Commander Dorn had been accused of adultery twelve years ago and thrown into Prison with a life sentence (of course most people who are adulterers aren't given a life sentence but KG Commanders are much different).because the former commander had been thrown into prison for life they never erased and reprogrammed the fortress. This will be their downfall. If I could make my way to his cell I could use his knowledge of the Fortress to find key information. Maybe the information I needed.

I walked into the tunnels underneath the Fortress and started off. Most of the tunnels were made of rock and stone. I continued passageway on passageway. I attempted to find the steel passageways that led into the fortress but unfortunately I needed to go up. I approached the huge rock face leading up into the huge KG Prison. It had been a long time since the last time I had rock climbed with my Uncle Mario. But I decided that this was only way to find the Templar intelligence I seeked.

The rock face led into the Fortress, though I wasn't sure that the Prison was above me so I decided that the only way to find out was to venture above and see for my self.

There were plenty of crevices and natural rock formations to allow me passage. I feared that the rocks may not hold, but the only way I could advance was to take the chance.

By the time I was halfway up the wall I had run through a few close calls. I noticed a huge amount of Yellow Eco stone pointing out from one side to the other. I decided to go for broke and I grabbed onto the ledge and I pulled myself up. The Eco Rock started to slowly crumble and crack.

"Mio Dio (My God)" I yelled out as the stone I was standing on collapsed. I jumped as high as I could and grabbed onto another handhold. I breathed a sigh of relief and kept climbing until I reached the small light at the top.

I lifted myself over the edge of the cliff and gasped at the bottom. The rock that fell from before had fallen into other formations and literally piled up and blocked the entrance "Credo che non ci torno da dove sono venuto (I guess I'm not going back the way I came) I said aloud to myself, I enjoyed speaking my native language when I was by myself or with someone who understood it. I was beginning to lose my exotic accent after the long time in the future away from my other countrymen. When I had left Italia it was in just as bad a state as Haven City, (Though not as so bad, there were no Metal-Heads) huge City-states were always at war with each other and us the Assassins tried to help maintain peace. Our biggest enemy Rodrigo Borgia had us by the throat and we were slowly recovering as of Winter 1495. My father had just come back from Spain and was resuming his search for The Apple Of Eden an old artifact that allowed mind control. I knew it wasn't the place but I began to search my memories for something worthwhile.

Two years ago or seven-hundred and thirty, if you wanted to be exact, my father had just entered Monteriggioni after his three year quest in Spain freeing members of the Assassins there. I had been eating an especially sweet vine of Tuscan grapes that I had considered that I would ask the stewards in the castle to make a wine out of the rest when I had spotted my father through my spyglass. He was riding down the north road after getting off of a ship in the city of Genoa. We had gotten a message ten days before from Barcelona that he was in the middle of his voyage and would be home within a fortnight. My father was four days early and he was always a fast rider.

I myself was seventeen at the time and very spry. I had jumped off of the watchtower and grabbed onto a rope, the rope helped my decent as I flew down the huge tower in a controlled decent. I landed on the ramparts and ran to the castle to tell my Uncle Mario, well my Great Uncle. Mario was the brother of my namesake, my Grandfather, Giovanni the first was one of the order's most skilled Assassins and the man who started the decoding of the Codex of Altair. He was hanged by the city of Florence's Gonfaloniere, or the chief of justice, for treason. When really the Gonfaloniere Umberto Alberti was a member of the Templars. The execution of his father and brothers led my father on a quest to unravel the Templar Order and kill Borgia, their grandmaster.

I ran up the stairs of the courtyard and waved hello to the master at arms Guillermo Moretti, who I had spent many a day training with him and Mario. I opened the large doors of the entrance hall to the villa Auditore. The marble poles and stairs that decorated the room shined and the beautifully painted pieces of art linned the walls. I bolted up the stairs and took a right to the upper floor and entered the balcony overlooking my Uncle's study "Zio Mario!" I shouted. He was as always inspecting the Codex Pages that hung on the wall opposite his desk. He looked up and motioned for me to come down to him. I grabbed hold of the marble banister and hurled myself to the floor. I landed in a crouch and straightened myself I turned and looked at my Uncle.

Mario Auditore was a large fierce man with broad shoulders and beefy arms. Mario was very tall for an Italian, he stood at a height of six foot two inches, a head taller than me at five foot eight. My Uncle had a large scar going down across his left eye effectively blinding him in that eye. He had long black hair as did everyone in the House of Auditore.

"Zio Mario mio padre sta cavalcando per i cancelli mentre parliamo (Uncle Mario my father is riding for the gates as we speak)" I said to my Great Uncle as he took a book from the shelf on the far wall and opened it. He looked up and said to me "Bene, mio nipote poi si giro di incontrarlo (Good, my nephew then we shall ride to meet him)" he started walking down the hallway back into the large entrance hall. We went through the doors and walked down the stairs to the main street of the town. We hurried our way past the bank, blacksmith, tailor and more. We jogged through the open gates and hurried our way to the stables and mounted our horses. My horse's name was Fortuna the Italian word for fortune. I had ridden her into many battles, she had a firm gray coat and was one of the fastest horses that we owned. We rode out for twenty minutes before reaching my father. We took in the scenery of the Tuscan landscape as the sun set. The silver rocks of the road gleamed in the dim sunlight.

My father had the same tanned skin that I did, he had the same black hair as well, one year ago my Uncle told me that if my father hadn't grown his beard out he wouldn't be able to tell us apart. At thirty six years old my Father was still as skilled as he was at twenty six, and was continuing to advance his prowess, in assassination. "Ciao mio nipote come fiere spagna (hello my nephew how fairs Spain)"

My father smiled and shook Mario's hand "Meglio adesso che la presenza dei Templari è stata liberate (Better now that the Templar presence has been liberated)" he said in his smooth voice. I looked at my Father and decided to speak "Padre, è bello vederti bene (Father, it is good to see you well)"

Ezio Auditore ignored me, my Father always ignored me except when giving me a mission. Not many Fathers showed much affection to their bastard sons in those days. I was grateful to my father, I should have been thrown into an orphanage as a newborn, or drowned in the eyes of most. My Father took me in and he is the reason that my name is Giovanni Auditore instead of Giovanni Vespucci. I respected my Father as an Assassin and as a man, and he respected me as an Assassin and fellow man. But my Father, although he had all the respect to give, although he had opened the doors of Villa Auditore to my Mother Cristina and I when we had no home, although he gave me his name, although he had me trained as an assassin, although he had given me his old Assassin Outfit, and his Hidden blade, although he gave me an Uncle, an Aunt, a Grandmother, and a family. He had no love to give. I could see it from day one. He loved my mother with all his heart, and he accepted me in the beginning, but when my Mother died. He looked at me in a view of harsh memory, the memory of the only woman he ever loved, and so he could never love me. He could never care for me. Did I care for him. I tried to, but I don't know if he deserved it. I supposed that I loved Mario as a father more than my real father.

Ezio was from a noble family. And I was his Bastard son, and like I said he had no love to give me.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

"Did you hear something man?"

A Krimson Guard had heard me knocking down the rocks and my swearing in Italian. He was asking his friend what he had heard.

"Nah Kale, its nothing, come back and finish the game" his partner said to Kale, I could head Kale walking back down the hallway and sitting down at the table they were sitting at. They were obviously playing cards. I hid in the corner and peeked out at the KG. I noticed a keycard dangling on Kale's belt, so I decided to do the thing I was best at. I threw a knife at the two guards necks, they found their mark and hit the guards in the throat. Blood spewed out and lined the walls crimson. I slowly walked down the hall and grabbed the keycard. I put the card inside my pocket, and continued down the hall. I climbed a ladder into the Prison where I saved Jak. I guess I'm getting really lucky this week. I started down the rows of cells until I found the one I was looking for the cell that read 'Dorn' I swiped the keycard across the panel. The automatic doors opened and I laid my eyes on the former commander he was a very thin man, with long white hair and a growing beard. His skin was paler than any other that I had ever seen before. "Commander Dorn?" I asked

"Who's asking?"

"A man who needs the access codes for the entire Fortress."

"Ha yeah, and what's in it for me. Are you going to break me out of prison" he laughed "I kind of like it here, no more complaining from junior officers, no more crap from the Baron"

"No" I said "But I do have something you want" I held up a large granola bar, the former commander lunged at me with a rage. I pulled back and made him miss his mark. "First the access codes"

I knew the Prisoners were fed very little so I knew that the Baron only fed them enough to keep them alive to suffer the horrible prison.

He took my phone from me and started inputting the codes and command keys. I took it back from him and said "Now give me the location of the central database for the Fortress." He pointed it out on the map on my phone. I threw the granola onto the floor and thanked him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

I was in the central database for the entire Krimson Guard operations. The place was much like the Power Station except instead of a few hundred computers, one giant computer was sitting in the middle of the room.

"Computer" the device powered on with lights flashing on and off. A monitor flashed the Krimson Guard logo and the computerized voice said. "Access code please"

"1232001101420031192004"

"Accepted" the computer said "Please enter search criteria"

"Search Krimson Guard secure files keyword: Templar"

The computer screen ran through thousands of pages before it stopped and displayed a set of words

"No matches found" it said.

I swore under my breath and said "Search Krimson Guard history keyword: Templar"

"No matches found"

"Search image fortress image database keyword: Templar"

"Five matches found" the screen showed Five men on the screen all wore a Templar Cross around their necks, they all wore black cloaks, one of them was Baron Praxis. They all wore swords at their sides and the computer zoomed in on their faces.

"Computer analyze faces of the Five matches and search history database" I said.

The computer whizzed and purred and the first and most obvious picture came up first.

"Baron Praxis, high lord of Haven City, currently fighting a war with the Metal-Head leader, forty seven years of age, born on March 3rd, 2178."

"Next" I said

The next man was bald, and had a grim expression on his face, along with many scars. He was defiantly a warrior. " Robert De Sable, Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Templar and Lord of Cyprus from 1191 to 1192. No exact record of birth date, died on September 23, 1193.

Templar Grand Master?. "Next" I said.

The computer threw out more images of the next man Bald and tan skinned with a small beard. He was very recognizable and it was the Templar that I most recognized. I knew his name before the computer said it

"Rodrigo Borgia, also known as Pope Alexander the IV, Pope of the Catholic church from 1492 until his death in 1503, considered one of the most controversial Popes in history, Grand Master of the Underground Knights Templar."

"Next" I said gasping. I couldn't belive that all of these men were Templar Grand Masters.

"Cesare Borgia, Son of Rodrigo, Captain General of the Papal army under his Father born in 1476 and died in Spain 1507. Grand Master of the Templar order from 1499 until 1507."

"Next I said in disbelief

"Haytham Kenway was the first Grand Master of the Templar Order in America, born 1725 no other information present in database for subject"

I couldn't believe it not only was Baron Praxis a Templar but also these Grandmasters were helping him in his vicious scramble for power, I needed to stop these men, and fast before Haven City is completely under their control, if it already isn't.

"Computer" I said sticking a small Memory box into the drive "Take all information presented and download onto Memory Box."

As soon as I took the Box out however I heard the one thing I wasn't expecting.

An alarm!