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"Regina!" Seeley called, as he and Temperance entered the Rosa and moved to the courtesan businesswoman. "You spoke of a senator at the meeting."
"Yes," Regina smirked. "He is usually found on the Campidoglio. Just...look for the harassing guards, and screams for more time for payment."
"Will do," Seeley chuckled. "But once we kill the banker, your girls must take his money, and bring it back to the underground."
"We will do as such," she agreed. "Stay safe you two."
"We will," Temperance assured. "You stay safe as well. Extend that blessing to your girls."
"I shall," Regina nodded; straightening from her position over her desk, and nodding to a group of girls making their way down the steps. "I will get them ready now."
"Bene," Seeley nodded. "We will see you after this is done. Let's go."
Temperance smiled one last time, and walked from the Rosa in Fiore. "How are we going to be able to find the Senator? Sure there will be some argument, but the Campidoglio is full of people. You can barely hear yourself think."
"We assassins have a special...trick...when it comes to finding people. You have nothing to worry about bella."
~*~*B+B*~*~
Walking up the marble inclines towards the Plazzo Senatorio, they were met with the usual headache of being in the area. Though it was remarkably beautiful, that beauty attracted far to many people, and caused them to move through the plaza like a mass wave. The bells from the Senate building at the end of the plaza rang loudly, and caused the people around to speak louder to be heard. Such noise pierced their eardrums, and made their blood pulse painfully in their heads.
"How's that trick working for ya?" Temperance asked sarcastically; narrowing her eyes at Seeley, who was scanning the ground.
But, his vision was darkened, and the crowds of people around him weren't noticeable, the only figures that stood out were his allies, and his enemies. He moved forward; pushing through this crowd he couldn't see, until he reached the large statue in the middle, and pointed towards a building that shadowed the street below completely. "He's over there," he whispered. "Surrounded by guards."
"That's not good," Temperance mused, as her ears picked up on a conversation further down the plaza.
"Why should we give our money to Egidio? We already know what he intends to do with it..."
"It looks like the senator isn't all that popular either," Temperance whispered, as they moved through the crowds, and towards the man surrounded by fierce motioning guards.
"No more arguing, your bill has come due!" one of the guards growled, as they neared the scene.
"Make an exception for an old man," Egidio pleaded; his slightly portly body adorned in fine furs and metals.
"No," another guard hissed; stepping forward with his companion and binding Egidio's arms. "The Banker sent us to collect."
"I will have his money momentarily!" Egidio promised; glancing between the two guards holding his arms, and the last guard standing before him.
"No good enough," the man to his left growled, before the guard standing before him slammed his fists forward, and began to beat Egidio for the money he owed.
They spoke no words, before they bolted forward; Temperance withdrawing her daggers and jumping onto one of the guards, while Seeley assassinated the guard beside him. She stood from her position, and turned to that last fighter; raising her hands and catching the wrists of the man that moved to push her to the ground. She kicked her foot out, and met with his leg; knocking him down and driving her blade into the man's side; before she regained her footing, and turned to the Senator.
"Good citizens in Roma?" Egidio asked; passing his hand over his balding head. "I thought they were a dying breed."
"Senator Egidio Troche?" Seeley asked.
"I don't owe you money too, do I?" the senator asked in horror.
"I'm looking for Cesare's banker."
"Ha!" Egidio chuckled ruefully. "Cesare Borgia. And you are?"
"Friends of the family," he stated; glancing to Temperance at his side.
"Cesare has lots of friends these days. Unfortunately, I am not one of them."
"I can pay," Temperance stated simply.
"Well! Isn't it so? You fight guards and give away money," Egidio smiled. "Where have you been all my life?"
"We better get out of here," Seeley muttered.
"I know a place, though, you'll have to protect me. The guards aren't too friendly these days."
"That is fine," Seeley assured. "Mi amore, take the roof tops. Guard us from the sky. I'll lead Egidio where he has to go."
She nodded, and immediately took off towards the other end of the plaza; sneaking into the shadows before she positioned herself on the rooftops.
"Keep your eyes open," the assassin stated, before he turned, and began to move into the crowd. They moved forward, and glanced around; sighing as the guards lined what looked like every entrance and exit in and out of the plaza. "Someone really wants you dead."
"A few months ago, my brother Francesco, the Pope's chamberlain...I know I know, long story. He told me of Cesare's plans for Romagna. I wrote a letter to the ambassador of Venezia, warning him of the attack. One of my letters must have been intercepted. The Senate has nothing to do! The Borgia have taken all the power. Do you know what it's like to have un cazzo to do? It changes a man. I admit, I've been gambling...drinking-"
"And whoring," Seeley growled; leading him up a flight of stairs, and down another flight further away from the guards.
"Oh you're good," Egidio smirked. "Was it the perfume on my sleeve?"
"Something like that..."
"The Senate used to petition things of meaning. Much like unlawful cruelty...abandoning children. Now we write up legislation of the appropriate width of women's sleeves."
"Unlike you. You advertise false causes to pay back your gambling debts."
"False causes? I intend on perusing them when I have the money. Do you ever look at the grave and say 'This is the most important thing I will ever do'?"
They rounded a corner, and they walked with the crowd towards the first place Egidio suggested they go. "It's not safe here," Seeley stated; nodding towards the guards standing near the door. "We must keep moving."
~*~*B+B*~*~
It was the third location that he suggested, that worked in hiding them. They snuck through the back stairs, and moved through the gates of his brother's house; while Temperance dropped down from the roof, and joined them.
"Maledette letters," Egidio hissed. "I never should have sent them. Now Cesare will murder me. Welcome to the home of the brother Francesco. Thank god he isn't here. We haven't talked since he found out about the letters. What did you two want again?"
"Cesare's banker," Temperance answered.
"Right," the senator sighed. "I need to arrive there with the money. Problem is, there is no money."
"You are meeting The Banker?" Seeley asked. "Where?"
"I never know until I'm there," Egidio shrugged. "I go to one of three places, then his friends take me, to him."
"I will bring you the money you owe," Temperance stated.
"Seriously?" Egidio asked; chuckling as he opened the gates for them. "You need to stop this, you might give me hope."
"How much do you need?" she asked.
"Three thousand."
"I'll be back," she whispered; touching Seeley's hand. "I have that much in the bank from our revenue with the stores we have reopened. Just...stay here."
~*~*B+B*~*~
"Here," she said; walking into the courtyard and throwing the money to Egidio. "There's all you need."
"I cannot believe you would just do this," the senator said appreciatively.
"There is a condition," Seeley reminded.
"I knew it..."
"Keep an eye on the politics of the city. I want you to report back to Regina at the Rosa In Fiore about targets who are helping the Borgia," Seeley stated.
"And what? You'll make them disappear?" he asked; turning and placing money in a gold encrusted box. "The piece of shit may hate me, but he's still family. Come on, we must go."
"Lead the way," Seeley grumbled, as he nodded to Temperance. "We'll follow you on the roof tops."
"Very well," Egidio muttered; stepping away from his brother's house, and making his way to the meeting point.
"Are you alright?" he whispered to his lover; reaching for her hand, and gently kissing her cheek.
"I'm not a fan of debtors," she grumbled simply. "They tend to be greedy...and very untrustworthy."
"Relax," he cooed, before he nodded to the roof above them. "After you."
~*~*B+B*~*~
"Where the hell are they taking us?" Seeley asked, as they jumped from roof top to roof top, and kept their eyes trained on the guards escorting Egidio through the street.
"Once again my love, look around and try to find a marker that MIGHT be where we are going," she stated; pointing onto the horizon, that was blocked by the Pantheon's large cupola.
"Oh I really hope not," he groaned, as they continued to follow the group towards the Pantheon.
"Why not?"
"There is only one way in."
"There is never just one way in," she explained, as they crouched on the roof and watched Egidio hand the money over to another guard, who then disappeared into the Pantheon. "We need to get in there."
"And how do you suppose we do that?" he asked.
"Through the roof," she laughed; smiling as his confused look. "You need to grow accustomed to looking up, Seeley."
He watched as she dropped from the roof, and he followed when she sprinted for the back of the large building. With ease, she was able to climb up the back of the Pantheon, and soon they were scooting around to the front of a wide ledge that circled all the way around the building. They reached the roof, and she glanced out over Rome, before they turned to the step like architecture that led up to the cupola's dome. They crawled to the top, and tore away a part of the fencing that circled the opening before they peered over, and glanced down at the guard counting the money.
"How are we supposed to get down there?" he whispered.
"Just, follow my lead, and be quiet," she answered; grasping for the edge where the fencing once stood, and sliding down until she grasped for the golden rings that lined down the curve of the building. She used them as holds and easily got herself onto the balcony that circled the room at the end of the dome. She watched as he dropped down beside her, and once again they dropped further down the wall, and began to crawl down, until they reached the bottom, and hid behind the pillars.
She remained in the shadows, while he moved forward and silently killed the man who straightened up from his counting and sighed out "Now, time to kill that senator."
Instantly, Seeley began stripping away his armor, and Temperance stepped out in confusion. "What are you doing?"
"Hide the body," he demanded, as he began to strip his uniform, for the armor the man was wearing.
"Are you going to try and impersonate him?"
"Yes, now hide his body."
"You have to take the money to the banker," she growled, as she dragged the corpse towards the back of the building, and hid him behind one of the large crosses. "You don't know where he is."
"I'm improvising," he growled, as he threw her his assassin's uniform, and lowered his helmet over his eyes. "Just, follow me."
"What if they find out it's not you?"
"Can't really bother with that now," he mumbled.
"Is everything alright in there?" one of the guards called. "We must go, Luigi! Or we'll be late!"
"You're fucking crazy," she hissed.
He shrugged, and bent down to pick up the box of money that Egidio brought. He smiled at her one last time, before he made his way towards the front of the Pantheon, and left her to roll her eyes, and hope to god that he didn't get them both killed.
