Okay, last one for today. Hope you're ready for some easter egg feels!


While Desmond was looking over the dossiers of the candidates for the mission the room's door opened. He looked up when a man walked in. He was tall and had fantastic hair though it was totally grey. He looked strangely familiar to Desmond but he couldn't place why. For a second Desmond wondered if he'd been one of Desmond's friend-acquaintances while out and about but he didn't think so. He was too old. His father's age, maybe older. Though unlike Andrew this man was still fit and looked dangerous. Now Desmond knew he'd never met him before, the man was an Assassin.

"Can I help you?" Desmond asked.

"No," the man said. "But I can help you. My name's John. Nice to finally meet you in the flesh, Desmond," he held his hand out. Desmond shook it.

"What can you do for me, John?" Desmond asked a bit cheekily.

"I'd like to volunteer for your mission."

"What was your last name? I have all the candidates here," Desmond indicated his station.

"Smith," John said.

"Really?"

"Really," John said and Desmond didn't prod at that lie any more. "You won't find me in there. I'm not part of Demeter's leadership."

"Well this mission is only open to ranked members with Eagle Vis- okay," Desmond nodded when John showed he could do it.

"I'm sure you can guess. I'm an Assassin, and not Andrew's favorite person. I'm highly qualified for this mission, more than the kids our would-be Mentor surrounds himself with at any rate," he scoffed.

"That's my father," Desmond said.

"I know. I'm sorry," he added and that seemed so odd to Desmond but he couldn't really place what was so weird.

"Why do you want to come? You're kinda old don't you think?"

"My own reasons. My entire life has been dedicated to protecting all the people in the world from corruption and destruction. I'm tired of being impotent."

"You realize it's a suicide mission right?"

"I do. All Assassins are prepared to die for their cause."

Desmond rubbed his mouth. "I dunno, John. No offense but, you're old," he apologized.

"So are our generals," John said. "Doesn't stop them."

Desmond paused a moment to determine if John knew or if he was fishing. After looking in his eyes Desmond knew John knew. "Who told you?"

"No one. I was there at the plantations. I watched Altair go down at the hands of Cain. You don't walk away from a broken neck without something fantastic wrong with you. Wasn't too hard to figure out after that. They talk about the past like the present and the future like it'll never come. I put two and two together. Wasn't too hard, I got a thing for puzzles."

Desmond was grinning a little. "Me too," he admitted and he saw John almost seem to say 'I know'. "I dunno John," Desmond admitted.

"I'm more experienced in leading people than most of your officers," he said. "Please. Let me help."

Desmond frowned, but not in a bad way. "Okay. You're in. None of the other volunteers sought me out. How'd you even find me?"

"You're like the only yellow thing in this entire place. Wasn't that hard," John said.

"I see," Desmond said slowly. "We'll talk again John. I still need to make decisions on who else to bring along."

"Yes. Of course, sir. I'll wait for you to call." John saw himself out. Well that was kinda weird. Not in a bad way perhaps, but still kinda weird. Desmond went back to the dossiers.

Two days later Desmond was waiting for the people he'd selected for the suicide mission. He'd chosen forty-five of the three hundred volunteers. Twenty three humans and twenty two proeathans. He was waiting in one of the big training rooms of Demeter.

The first person came in. It wasn't who he expected. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to volunteer," Lucy said. She had her short hair held back by a headband and wore comfortable clothes that were sort of skin tight. Desmond could see her muscles through the material and Desmond thought she looked pretty hot.

"I'm not taking any," he said.

"Too bad. Here I am," she said

"This isn't a game," he said.

"I know. I am very aware this isn't a game. But I've got about two years left to live and I'll be damned if I let you tell me I can't try and save my world."

Desmond looked at her helplessly. "You're probably going to die."

"Then I'll die fighting and not waiting around hoping its painless. Also, these people probably know me. I'm their 'Angel of the Lake'. They don't know you, but they'll follow me into hell."

Desmond frowned deeply at her. "Okay," he sighed. She smiled brightly at him. "This doesn't change anything about us," he added.

"Good. I hope it wouldn't. I just am tired of being reactive and am ready to be proactive in this war."

"Okay."

"Don't look so upset you get to fight with a cute girl Desmond," she teased.

"Jake isn't secretly coming too is he?" he asked.

"No. Not that he didn't want to when I told him I was. Altair told him absolutely not, or something."

"Being his usual controlling self," Altair sighed.

"I think it was more that Altair didn't want Jake to undermine your authority. The troops know him too. They would have questioned you had he been here."

"So he's not here for my benefit. That's a first," Desmond said, brows going up a little. "And won't you undermine my authority?"

"I'm not here to lead. I want you to treat me like anyone else. No special treatment. Got it?"

"Perfect. Cause I has no intention of giving you any special treatment Stillman." Lucy smiled at that. "Go sit over there. That's where I'm having everyone meet," he motioned. She obediently went and sat in one of the collections of chairs Desmond had set up.

They waited and slowly people started to trickle in. First just a few and then groups of them until all forty-five were there. Well, forty six now. He'd wanted only forty-four, so with him they were forty five. Now they were forty seven. What a weird fucking number.

"Hello everyone," Desmond said once they were all here. "I'm Desmond, the commander and leader for this mission. You will refer to me as 'sir' or stadalla while you're here. I know Ezio or Od has told you the short of this mission. That its probably suicide. It is. But you volunteered anyway. For that you have mine, and everyone else's on this ark's, gratitude. Bravery like what you all displayed can't be bought or trained.

"Our goal in this mission is this atoll in the middle of the Pacific." One of the AI, he didn't know who, pulled up the map and video footage from the scout side by side. "As you can see its crawling with Adjectevs. Our mission takes us there and right into the thick of it. We're after a construct located under the atoll. This is a rough representation of the construct." The valued wireframe of the construct appeared next to the map and video in midair. "If any of you are having reservations now that you see the full scope of what we're up against I don't be upset if you leave.

"It is very likely some or most of you will die. I want you to know that. Of course I'd love nothing more than all of you to make it through the reality is that that isn't going to happen. If you want to leave, do so now."

Desmond waited. No one got up. "Okay," he said. "From this point on there is no backing out. We're in this together.

"Now, by a show of hands, who here knows anyone else here?" A few of them raised their hands. "Now I want you to look to your left and your right. The person sitting next to you is probably a stranger. Before we leave for this mission they're going to be like your brothers and sisters and you'll know them as well as the brothers and sisters I'm sure some of you have lost." There were many faults of the Assassins. One of them was not making people feel like part of a family. Even though Desmond had hated it at the Farm he'd known everyone and felt comfortable with them, like he could talk to them. The few kids were his friends and all the adults like aunts and uncles.

"I've read your dossiers. I know, vaguely, what you are all capable of. But now we're going to see, for real, what you can do and how you work as a unit. All of us will be working together. If anyone isn't pulling their weight I'll know. Now," Demeter retracted their chairs and everyone was forced to stand. "This is Demeter's favorite garden," the wall was pulled back like a curtain and revealed a huge field of grass. "Pretty huh?" There were a few agreeing noises. "I brought someone to help you guys warm up and keep an eye on you." Pluto and Artemis appeared. They both wore military body armor, their hair pulled back away from their faces.

"Hi," Artemis waved at them. The Ilythians seemed wary but the humans didn't. The AI were nothing but friendly and nice to them up to this point. "I'm Artemis. This is Pluto. Desmond's asked us to start your training. I'm going to start you off easy before I let Pluto get you. We're just going to do stretches. So everyone come out to the field." Artemis turned and walked out into the field. Everyone followed. Desmond picked up the rear. He was just observing now. Artemis and Pluto would handle the first day of training. Desmond wanted to see what these people were made of, how hard he could push before they cracked.

Artemis took them through a warm up and stretching routine. Doing it with them with a smile on her face. They were all in great shape and flexible. None of them had any problems with that, but Desmond expected that.

After a good half hour of warming up Pluto came forward. "On the other side of this garden is an obstacle course. You are going to run across that garden and complete the obstacle course."

"Remember. You're a team," Desmond said before they started. "These people are your new best friends."

"Those who fail to complete the course will be required to run laps," Pluto said unsympathetically.

"How many laps?" someone asked.

"However many I decide," Pluto said. "Any questions?" No one did. "Good. Go!" he barked. Everyone took off. The Ilythians quickly outpaced most of the humans. Desmond jogged behind. "Too bad about them," Pluto said, casually floating next to him.

"They'll get it," Desmond said.

"Not this time. Ah, I love making people run laps. Reminds me of when I was a sergeant," Pluto said merrily and floated further ahead.

Desmond met up with the platoon while they were in the middle of the obstacle course. Some of the Ilythians had trouble here since they were taller and the course had been designed with human height in mind so they wouldn't needlessly struggle. A few humans overtook the Ilythians and that boosted the other humans. Soon most of the humans were ahead of the Ilythians. Desmond sighed and put his chin on his palm, holding onto the arm by the elbow. This wasn't going to do.

About half way he, as sort of expected, saw John lagging behind. John was a grandpa, no shit he was probably tired from this. Great shape he might have been in he was still old. He failed a vault and then just stood there looking at it like it was its fault he'd just messed up. He'd been way ahead too which was a shame. Younger people quickly overtook him, jumping three feet to grab the top of the wall and yank themselves up.

The only person who stopped was Lucy. He couldn't hear what they said from here but they did talk. John nodded and then quite easily picked Lucy up to help her reach the top of the wall. She then hung over the side and held her hand out. John took it and she helped pull him up. John finished the wall like that.

He saw another pair further along. Two Ilythians who were staring at a platform that was uneven. You had to have good balance or quick movements to get across it. A bunch of people made it to the platform and just fell off, not expecting that it'd dump them. Artemis was in the pit it dropped them in with some encouraging words and showing them to the ladder where they could try again. Other people just sprinted across the very middle.

Then the two Ilythian moved at the same time, perfectly in sync and with sure steps walked across the platform. On the other side they fist bumped and continued on. Desmond smiled at that. Seemed they all didn't fail.

"Pluto," Desmond said. The ex-general was there instantly.

"Yes?"

"Who were those two Ilythians?"

"Mmm, Baldur and Thor I believe."

"Siblings?"

"No. Why?"

Desmond chuckled, "In norse mythos, that seems to be based off the Ilythians, Baldur and Thor were siblings. Thor the god of thunder, Baldur was god of peace. Those two aren't related?"

"No," Pluto said.

"That the same Baldur I fought the other day? The dossiers didn't have pictures."

"Yes."

"Ah, good. I liked her. Her, Thor, Lucy, and John are the only ones who passed. Everyone else failed this."

"I saw," Pluto agreed.

"That's all," Desmond said. He was standing at the end of the obstacle course. His platoon was gathering as they completed it, most were out of breath and bent over their knees.

Pluto waited until everyone had finished before appearing next to Desmond. "That was awful," Pluto said.

"B-but we completed the co-course," someone panted.

"Yes. But you all failed. Everyone except Vizün, Sabbr, Stillman, and Smith will run six laps around the garden. Vizün, Sabbr, Stillman, Smith, you may rest while your fellows run."

"What! How did we fail and they didn't? We completed the course just the same as them," someone complained. They were a man about Desmond's age with a buzzed head and an angry face. He could have been handsome.

"Because they're the only ones who took what I said and went through with it," Desmond said. "I told you. These people are your family now. Ilythian, human, you're brothers and sisters now. Instead of acting like you Ilythians ran ahead of the humans, leaving them behind. None of you helped each other when another struggled. Except in two instances did I see teamwork. Stillman stopped to help Smith when he struggled with the wall and Vizün and Sabbr completed the unstable platform by working together."

"So Stillman gets out of this cause he helped an old man who couldn't even complete the course himself?" they continued.

Desmond remained calm, "What's your name again, son?"

"Jackson Johnson, sir," he said. Desmond cleared his throat so he didn't laugh. His parents hated him. That was the only explanation. The guy had a pre-made porn name.

"Stillman, Smith, would you like to say something to Johnson here?"

"I would, sir," Lucy said. Everyone turned and Johnson turned dead white. He knew who she was. A few people were surprised to see her and some looked worried but all of them were in awe. "Fucking bite me."

"And watch your manners. I'm old, but not too old I can't throw you over my knee," John said. That made a few people laugh.

"Next time I'll help you. Then you can get your ass beat by my boyfriend and helped by me," Lucy sneered. Desmond wanted to know the story behind that one. Johnson went from white to bright red in humiliation.

"Enough," Desmond said. "All of you except the four mentioned are doing laps. Now go. The sooner you finish the sooner we can move on to something you can't cheat." The platoon moved off as a group. "Don't forget this time!" Desmond called after them. "Keep an eye on them Artemis."

"Yessir!" she said enthusiastically and bounded after them like a deer.

Desmond turned to the four remaining. "We wouldn't have failed even if we hadn't made it," Thor said.

"No," Desmond said. "This was a test to see how well you worked together. They all failed. You two weren't much better," he gave Thor and Baldur a look. "Running ahead with the others."

"We'll do better next time, stadalla, promise," Baldur said.

"I hope so."

"Well, I'm glad to rest," John said. "Maybe you were right, I'm too old," he huffed and sat.

"You did fine," Desmond said. "I know men older than you who can do that course just fine."

"Yeaaaah but I'm not them," John smiled and Desmond felt weird deja vu. He couldn't place why and it bothered him. "Thanks for helping me, young lady," he added to Lucy.

"My pleasure. I hate running," she grimaced and sat next to him. John chuckled. "What are we doing after they finish their run, sir?" she asked.

"Well because you're all sooo good at making friends, we're going to do ice breakers."

"Uhg! Seriously. I hated those in college."

"Well we wouldn't have to if you could work together!" Desmond said. Lucy and Baldur both giggled.

"They'll figure it out," Pluto said, not present except for voice.

"I hope so. I hate ice breakers too," Desmond said.

"What's an ice breaker?" Baldur asked.

"You'll see," Desmond promised.

"By the Angel's face I don't think I want to," she said slowly.

"Well you will anyway," Desmond said. Baldur grimaced and she and Thor traded worried looks. Desmond sat on the grass with Lucy and John and the Ilythians followed suit while they waited for everyone else to finish their laps.