The alarm started sounding loudly, blaring in my ears as I downloaded the information on the Templars. I started to walk out the door and was encountered by two men blocking my path. They were escorted by two Krimson Guards.

One of the men was huge and tall with broad shoulders and a bald head he wore armor and a large tunic embroidered with the red Templar cross. It was Robert de Sable, the French Templar Grand master from the holy land. A huge French broadsword was latched onto his hip in a scabbard. The type that Uncle Mario used to use accustomed to large heavy strokes and decapitation.

The other imposing man was a head shorter then Robert and had a full head of black hair slicked back and tied at the end by a length of twine. He wore a blue doublet with a black cloak and fur on the back, a trifold hat adorned his head as well. The cloak was held with a pin that had a KG symbol on it. The sword at his hip was a thin blade accustomed to stabbing rather than slashing. He spoke with a refined high class British accent, that pierced the hot, tense air.

"Well well, it seems that the Fortress's security isn't as air tight as we would like to believe. Wouldn't you agree Robert?"

The bald man licked his lips and said "Oui (Yes), and I would have liked to believe that les restes de l'ordre assassin se sont éteints (the remnants of the assassin order were extinguished)."

"Je suis multilingue Maître de Sable (I am multilingual Master de Sable)." I retorted back at the Templar

"Really" the Englishman said to me "and how many languages do you speak, Signor Auditore?" He asked with a smile

"Five fluently, Italian, English, French, German, Spanish. I speak broken Russian and Precursor." I smiled back at the obviously London born man.

"Impressive, allow me to introduce myself" he said "My name is…"

"Haytham Kenway." I finished for him.

"Well read too it seems."

"Si and I intend to use that knowledge."

"Knowledge of the Templars, the ones who reside here in Haven City?"

"Yes" I said.

"There is no way that you are leaving this building alive" Haytham said drawing his sword while de Sable did the same. I looked around and pulled the sword from my jacket, I swiped my hand over the sensor on the strap of my bag. A knife released and I grabbed the handle I brought my hand back around and grabbed another. I pressed the button on my sword and the Precursor metal blade flew out of the hilt.

"That's strange, I was going to say the same about you two." I threw the knives at Haytham and Robert's heads. They both dodged swiftly and skillfully. The two blades hit both Krimson Guards that stood behind the Templars, both hit the two men and they fell to the floor dead. Their blood spewed from their necks and painted the floor crimson red.

Both Haytham and Robert jumped at me at the same time with their swords. Robert's strike came first, his face flaming with fury attacking with ferocity. I moved out of the way to avoid a fatal hit.

Haytham struck next with a wide backhanded arc that made a hiss as the thin British blade sliced the air. Thankfully it didn't slice my skin I brought my own sword and parried to the right.

Both of the Templars fought differently according to the type of sword that they used. Robert was an aggressive fighter that put all of his energy into his strikes, holding his sword with both hands. His blade was heavier and slower and better put to executions then a duel. But because of de Sable's immense strength and experience with the weapon it made up for this. Haytham however fought very differently, Haytham conserved his energy, never putting more than the strength required for a strike. His sword was much thinner and shorter than the Frenchman's. while the Broadsword the Crusader carried could easily chop a man's head clean off with one swipe, Kenway's British short sword was much faster and conservative. I had set my mind to dodge Robert and parry Haytham. If I tried to parry de Sable his superior strength would surly cut me down, I myself was very strong but I cotaianed a acrobats muscle not a bodybuilders like de Sable. If I tried to dodge one of Kenway's short efficient slashes I would be subjected to three more in its place that were too quick to avoid.

Robert swiped upwards and unbalanced me for a second but I quickly recovered and faked a strike at him. While he tried to parry I threw my sword back at Haytham, the English man had no time to react before I put a deep cut in his right cheek. Blood flowed freely and the London born fell back, as he did, Robert slowly took a step back as well. I scoffed at Kenway and said "Are you in need of a respite Master Kenway."

I had clearly made him angry I started to walk towards them as they walked back. Robert leveled his sword and prepared himself for another bout. But Haytham had different ideas, he pulled a 1700s style British flintlock from his cloak and said "Any last words messere (sir)"

I knew the range of such weapons I stood a good thirty paces away. "A little old fasioned don't you think" even if the small ball reached me there was little chance that it would hit me. Though sure enough a half second after Haytham pulled the trigger and I saw the smoke flash from the barrel. I fell to the ground and cluched my left bicep hard. A bullet had entered and lodged itself into my arm. I could feel it, the pain was intense it had defiantly hit the bone hard. I fell to the ground when I realized that Haytham must have had the pistol modified. The two Grand Masters stood over me and Kenway said " Welcome to the twenty-third century"

Then Robert stomped on my face

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I had woken up in my bed later, how I got there I didn't know. When I started to slowly rise I could feel the pain of the bullet wound and my hand went to my arm I groaned in pain.

That's when my friends walked into the room. Jak, Daxter, Tess and Torn walked in. slowly but surely followed by Samos. Daxter hopped from Jak's shoulder and onto my bed and Tess was quick to give me a much needed hug. When she had finally let go of me Daxter had climbed onto my chest I opened my mouth to say something when the fuzzy rat smacked me in the cheek.

"What's with you Vanni?" he asked "What you didn't think you were getting anywhere with us so you tried to go for it solo?" he stuck a finger in my face accusingly.

I pushed Daxter off of my chest. I started to rise again and noticed the large musket ball sitting on the table next to me. Along with bloody surgical equiptment.

"How did I get here?" I asked Jak weakly

He chuckled and said "We found you bleeding out outside the fortress." Jak stroked his goatee and said "You had that wonderful hole in your arm and a broken nose"

I sighed and looked to Torn and Samos "Did you retrieve the Data box I had on me"

It was Torn's turn to laugh for once "Yeah we did, and we reviewed all the stuff you downloaded about Haytham, Robert, and the other Templars. I gotta say Giovanni, you had a hell of a hunch"

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and tried to get up. I immediately fell to the ground, Jak swooped over and caught me before I hit the floor and set me back on my bed. "Did I forget to mention you have a concussion too?" He said to me.

Now that I realized that my condition was just going to worsen if I attempted to start moving around I decided to lay back down.

"So what's our next move?" I asked the Shadow

"Our next move is to lie low until our best assassin is ready to take down the Baron's supporters."

"Including?"

"Robert de Sable, Rodrigo Borgia and his son Cesare , Haytham Kenway, and several members of the Haven City Council."

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After two weeks of sitting in a bed and another week of training after seven days of doing nothing I was ready to start my cycle of assassination again. When I finally walked into the conference room of the Underground Hideout for the first time clothed and ready to go, I found that the inner circle of the movement had started without me. "What?" I said to them when their faces looked at me.

"Sorry Giovanni" one of Torn's captains said "We were under the impression that you were dead" I looked at Torn with a look that said 'Come on really'

I approached the table and sat down in one of the chairs "So" I started "who do I have to kill today?"

"Do you remember Andrea?"

Yeah I remember Andrea, she was a Comander for the Underground and one of our best soldiers. She was a brilliant military strategist and fighter. The last time I saw her she was leaving the Hideout with about twenty men to hold a house in a key district of the city.

Torn and his underlings sat down at the circular table and the tattooed man said "We've IDed a traitor" I looked around at the sollom faces of the lead members of the Underground, some were former KG. others were revolutionaries who had had enough of Baron Praxis's tyrannical rule. It was a group of seven men and three women not including myself, Torn, and The Shadow. Or Samos as I had been calling him more often now.

"Andrea?!" I asked Torn.

"No, Jerry"

"Jerry? The guy who made my sword?"

Torn looked grim and said "Yeah and because he did Andrea got killed. He gave away her position, there were twenty other people in that house. Twenty of our people that she was leading. Jerry gave them away, and Errol used Dark Eco Napalm to blow the builing sky high, no survivors." I looked around again. "So you want me to silence him?"

"We want you to infiltrate the building in the stadium section where the Templars are keeping him, shoot him, slice his throat, throw him out a window, I don't care" Samos said loudly pounding his fist on the table. "As long as Jerry is throwing intel to the Baron and Errol, its only a matter of time before they find this place."

Torn walked over to the monitor on the wall behind him and stuck a memory stick into the input. "Our 'Contact' on the inside" 'Contact' obviously meaning Ashelin "Went to great lengths to get us the blueprints for the building"

A large picture of a skyrise building with the words 'Endecott Hotel'. Torn tapped the top of the building and the picture zoomed in "Jerry is being held inside the penthouse suite" he scoffed and said "Held is really too much, he's getting the all star treatment. The Baron is giving him anything he wants as long as he doesn't leave the Hotel."

"He's never leaving the building" I said confidently. Samos nodded to Torn and he continued.

"Jerry's suite is well protected." He said " There's eleven rooms in the Penthouse, three bathrooms, six bedrooms, a common room, and a panic room in case a certain white hooded figure shows his face"

" the ground floor is heavily guarded. At least four guards in the room at all times. Plus about eight more in the surrounding rooms on the floor.."

"No big deal. I can handle a dozen guards. I'll just pick them off one by one"

" That's not all Errol had the elevator that reaches the Penthouse modified to only work with a keycard."

"Again no big deal, I can pickpocket anybody"

"Not when the only person that carries the card is the captain that never stops walking"

""Then the only problem" I said "Is getting to the top floor."

"So, any bright ideas"

"I'm gonna need help on this one"

"I'll get Jak on the comms"

"I was thinking of somebody else" I said with a smirk.

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"No way not going to happen Vanni. Oh no not a chance you oily guido asshole. Not gonna do it, not a chance, forget it." Daxter said as I strapped the collar onto his skinny neck.

"Dax, come on, this is the only way for me to get into the hotel."

Daxter continued to make a fuss in the alley a few blocks away from Endecott. Tess and Jak stood next to me while I fastened the leather around Daxter's throat. "I don't get why Jak can't be the distraction. All he has to do is get into a fist fight with a few of those stupid idiots guarding the doors and kablam. You can just pick the card off of that Captain's uncouncis mug."

Jak rolled his eyes, we had been over the plan more then enough times for Daxter to understand. I set Daxter down and said " Because if Jak starts slaughtering guards. They will lock the place down and even I couldn't get in. This is the only way."

"I still refuse to do this."

"Ok Daxter" I said giving up sincerely "You don't have to do this of course…" I hesitated while Daxter said "What… of course what?"

"You will miss out on the job well done party"

"HUH, job well done party"

I nodded wide eyed. "Yeah this was your first real assassignment" I said plopping myself down next to Daxter "But hey I guess I'll have to you know. Get a refund on the keg. And cancel the strippers."

Daxter looked down at the ground and recondidered "Alright, Orange Lightning has this covered" he said strapping the collar back on "Operation 'Get this shit over with so I can enjoy my beer and boobs' is a go" he started to dash towards the entrence to the hotel. Jak started to laugh, as Tess ran after him.

"Were you serious about the party."

"Course' not. I'll get him a beer later and get everyone to sing his praises. He won't know the difference."

"You really are as maniacal as the wanted posters say" Jak chuckled as he gave me a fist bump.

Tess ran into the building right after Daxter did. Screaming loudly for him to calm down. Jak and I looked from outside as Tess ran to the Captain and said.

"Please help me, my weasel got loose and is running all over." The senior officer looked at how little clothes Tess was wearing and nodded and said "I'll get him miss don't worry"

Daxter had climbed onto the chandelier and was dangleing precariously with all his might. He was screeching loudly. He jumped off of the chandelier and onto the Captain and began clawing him. The KG made a grab for the small orange creatcure and got him. He pulled out his sidearm and pointed it at Daxter "I think this thing is rabid!"

Tess, Fortunatly grabbed Daxter before he was shot and began hugging the Captain saying that he was her saivor. While none of the other guards were looking Tess pulled the Keycard from the fool's belt and stowed it in her bra.

She continued to thank him as he escorted her out the door. She handed me the card and walked away with Daxter. "What about me?" Jak asked

"Just be ready with my pickup."

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Getting to the top had been easy enough. Jerry was on the outside balcony looking out at the city. I walked out and stood behind him. He talked before I did.

"I knew that Samos would sent you."

"Of course you did."

He began to press a button on his phone that would call the guards

"I already killed them" I said

He turned to face me there were tears in his eyes "I didn't know Giovanni" he fell to his knees "I didn't know they were gonna light the place up." Fresh tears started to fall again "I never wanted them to kill Andrea, dear god I didn't know"

"You should have" I said loudly losing my temper. " You should have never told them anything!"

"What was I supposed to do?!" he stammered out "They would have tortured me!"

"Grit your teeth and bear it as your comrades would have, as your comrades did!"

" I couldn't." he weakly said "The Baron was going to do horrible things to me." He lowered his head. "what if I could make up for it Giovanni."

"You can't" I said to him solemnly.

"Not even if I told you where Rodrigo Borgia is."

He had gotten me, I needed to kill Rodrigo, I needed what Jerry had

"Well? Will it buy me mercy"

"It might, it just might"

"Rodrigo and his son Cesare" he gasped out for air. "their overseeing the training of a new Krimson Guard unit" he let me soak in the information and waited. "Well does that give me mercy huh will you let me live?"

"No" I told him. the smile growing on his face faded as I walked to him.

"What, you said it would"

"I said it might" I released the latch on my blade, the same blade Jerry had made himself. I walked behind Jerry and placed the point of the blade right under the man's neck over the spinal coard. "You will recive no mercy, but you have earned a quick death."

Jerry nodded and said "I'm sorry, I truly am" but I could see he was lying. He had turned traitor to save his own skin and I couldn't blame him. He continued "If I am lying may God strike me down now."

"No, not God"

"Death will always be the retribution for death. You set it in stone when you betrayed us and you reap what you sow. A traitor's blood will always be tainted. When you meet the Devil tell him Giovanni Auditore has five more souls for him."

I raised the very blade that Jerry had made and plunged it into his back severing the disks of his spine.

I pulled the sword from Jerry's lifeless body as it kneeled there on the floor. I no longer wanted to touch the blade. But I saw the usefulness in a Precursor metal blade and put it in the pocket of my jacket.

Then a gunshot rang out into the air. I looked at the doors leading to the balcony and I saw the one person I never expected to see.

"Alright, put your hands in the air and get on your knees." A woman's voice commanded

I looked up at the Krimson Guard and I realized from the shock on her face

"You!?" I said

"You!?" She responded

It was the woman I handcuffed to the pipe in the fortress four months ago!

"I wasn't kidding put your hands up!" she said as she pulled safety of her pistol off. Even though the woman had a gun pointed at my head. I couldn't help but admire the beauty. Unlike Ashelin she had no tattoos on her face, leaving me to see every detail of her slightly tanned skin.

I pulled my hood down and reached inside my pocket. She raised her gun again. I raised my hand to show her I meant no harm, and pulled my cigarette box out. She slightly lowered her pistol but still kept it trained on my forehead.

I pulled the cigarette from the box and tapped it against the hard metal. I put it in my mouth and lit it.

"We should really stop meeting like this, Bella mia."

"We would if you stopped butchering people"

"You call it butcher" I walked over and leaned on the balcony. "I call it justice"

"What kind of 'justice' is this?"

"The kind that serves the good of mankind."

She laughed "You are so full of bullshit."

I walked closer and she steadied her aim. I scoffed "Please, if you had any intention to shoot me in the head you would have done it when you walked out onto the balcony." She slightly lowered her aim. As soon as I was close enough I grabbed the pistol and tore it from her hands.

I stepped back and she lundged at me. "Give me that, you criminal!"

"You want your gun back?" I asked her after I pushed her away. "Give me my gun" she commanded.

I pulled the clip from the gun and threw it off of the balcony. I pulled the slide and the bullet inside ejected. I tossed the empty weapon back at her which she caught.

"So, now that that's out of the way" I picked up the bullet and flicked it off into the city below. I pulled out a chair and sat at the balcony table. "Can we have an amicable conversation?"

"What?" the brunette said confused.

"I want to talk to you."

She hesitantly sat down across from me. " Why do you serve the Baron and Errol?"

"What?"

"Can you say anything but 'what'?"

"Yes I CAN!" she said inpatiantly

"So… why?"

She took a deep breath and sighed "Why do you work for the Underground?"

"I asked first"

"My father was a guard, my mother was a secretary for the guard, my grandfather was a guard, all my uncles. It runs in the family" she proclaimed flicking a strand of hair back

"You sound proud of it"

"I am" she screeched out "And why shouldn't I be?"

"Because the Baron and Errol are bad people"

"And your not?"

"Just because a man does bad things doesn't mean he's a bad man."

"Why do you do these things?"

"It runs in the family."

"So your father taught you to be a murderer."

"I didn't really know my father"

"Oh I get it he left your family. So that's why you do these things, because half of the kids in this city don't know their father's and they don't all end up being killers."

"My father didn't leave my family" I looked away at the city and sighed "He just left me."

"My father wasn't the nicest guy either" she said to me. Then she smacked herself in the head. "Why am I telling you this?" she laughed.

"You either feel very comfterble around dead bodies" I pointed to Jerry "or you are just naturally susceptible to the charm of a bastard child who you tried to relate to."

"Yeah" she pulled out another pistol and stood up "Maybe"

I took a deep breath. I got up and walked to the balcony.

"You know I never did get your name?" I looked at her and the barrel of her gun.

"Lieutenant Elena Harraway, now that you ask"

I leaped onto the railing.

"HEY HEY I wasn't born yesterday, your not gonna jump."

"I was born 750 years ago."

What was I supposed to do get arrested…or shot

I jumped.