Chapter 12
The next few weeks passed by extremely slowly. Giovanni was anxious, Mario had always been the gambler, and now he had gambled his entire family on the integrity of a triple crosser. Fredrico came to him every day to see if there was any work to be done and to recommend immediate action. He was impatient. Giovanni didn't blame him. When he had been a boy, there had been a mandatory 50 day lull between missions, and it had driven him crazy. Ezio had an eventful few weeks though. He had met a girl, Christina Vespucci, and was spending almost all his free time with her.
He had also gotten in three fights with Veri di Pazzi. Both Veri and Ezio had been bloodied the day before in a fight on the bridge. Their families had started a bitter feud, with all of Florence stepping warily whenever both families were present. Giovanni had no problems with that. If tonight wasn't his last night among the living, then he and Fredreco would be hunting down di Pazzi anyway.
That night armed men came and arrested Giovanni, Fredrico, and Petruchio. Ezio, however, wasn't at the house. As Giovanni was being dragged out of the house he said, "Don't worry, Maria. Everything will be fine." They were stuffed into the prison and left there.
Hours passed. Giovanni wondered what had happened to Ezio. The boy could be rash and headstrong. But then he saw Ezio appear in the cell window. "Father, what's happened" he asked. He sounded close to panicking, but Giovanni said, "Go home Ezio. Press down on the third panel above the fire place. It will open. Take everything you find in there, it will seem strange and you won't understand it but it is all important. Go to Uberto Alberte's house, he will tell you what to do.
Ezio followed his father's instructions. He donned his father's robes, slid on his bracer, and belted on his sword. He also grabbed several scrolls. When he arrived at Uberto's home, the man met him at the door, looking extremely anxious. He took Ezio's documents, and slid Ezio a note. "Everything will be all right" he said before closing the door.
Ezio looked at the note. It read,
"Giovanni,
The Spaniard is here. I cannot bring the bracer tonight as promised. In the morning I will have him wait outside while we resume the plan and you may fight him yourself. I will do what I can Giovanni. I am as scared for my son as I know you are for yours.
May Whatever God there is Help Us,
Uberto.
When Ezio gave this letter to his father, Giovanni looked grim. "Ezio, stay here. Fredrico, Petruchio, start yelling." The shouting brought the guards attention. As soon as they realized that Giovanni was talking to someone they burst into the cell. "Go, Ezio." Giovanni cried.
Then he grabbed the first guard's sword arm, punched the man in the stomach, and finished with a punch to the throat. Using the first guard's sword he cut down the second. His sons followed him as he cut down prison guard after guard. None of them had ever been in combat before and Giovanni was the best.
The three picked up Ezio outside the prison, and joined up with Maria and Claudia, at Paola's brother. He left Paola a letter to be sent to di Medici explaining everything, and another letter for Lorenzo to forward to Uberto, explaining that his son shouldn't be in any danger because Uberto had no part in the escape. It also said that if Uberto felt he was wrong, to send a pigeon to Monteriggoni and Giovanni would come "kidnap" the boy and his mother." It was with a heavy heart that Giovanni fled Florence. But he knew he would return soon. Di Pazzi would fall to his blade and Florence would be free from Templar influence. And after Florence, Venice, and after Venice, then the Templar's would be stopped, once and for all.