Part Two

Chapter 14

Jennifer Hernandez:

"Anissa is what?"

Ken's voice breaks over the silence, loud and worried, as he scrambles out of the pit. There's no finesse in his scramble either. It's all jerky starts and stops as he has to slip from Ezio's tightening hold as the other notices his rising panic.

"How long has she been missing?" I ask dad as I watch Ken elbow Ezio more than once in his bid to get free. Wincing in sympathy, I can't help but wonder why Ezio doesn't just let Ken go. Holding him down can't be good for either of them, especially when all Ezio gets for his efforts is on elbow after the other.

"A few hours now," Dad says, voice filtering easily out of the speaker, unaware at the spectacle I'm being treated to as Ezio continues to try and fail to manhandle Ken into some state of calm. "Since school let out, from what Mrs. Chase's said. We actually currently combing the neighborhood. I called the hospital a little while ago, but your mother says she hasn't been checked in."

"Mrs. Chase? Wait. You're with Victoria?" I know I can't keep the disbelief from my voice when a cough comes through the line. One that sounds like it's hiding a laugh while being embarrassed at the same time. "You're still with her aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm here."

"Why, hello Mrs. Chase," I all but chirp through the line, something smug in my chest at the thought that haughty, snooty Victoria had no choice but to turn to us for help. But it doesn't last long when I remember just why she even came to us to begin with. "Let me get Ken's phone turned on and I'll let you guys know if there's been any messages from Anissa."

Ignoring the still squabbling men in the pillow pit I reach for Ken's phone and power it one. Thumbing through my own phone, I search through my messages as I wait for his to power up. Whatever messages I find from Anissa though, are days old and not related to her sudden disappearance.

"Anissa knew we were going to be out of the country, right?" I ask Ken, but he's still busy fighting off Ezio's arms to answer any questions so I instead turn my attention back to the phone call. "She knew we would be out of town so there wouldn't have been any reason for her to come to the house, right?"

There's a hidden question in there. One that involves the swirls and time travel and worlds filled with danger and assassins and death behind every corner. Anissa had no reason to be here, dangerously close to the swirls, maybe even close enough to get sucked up and spirited away to those very worlds.

"Yeah, she knew," Dad answers, catching on quickly to my unasked question. He sounds sure, positive enough that I know not to doubt him. If anyone would know about someone entering the house, it'd be him. "She hasn't come over since before you kids left."

"That's one less place to check then," I tell him, grabbing Ken's phone just as it finishes booting up. Unlocking it, I scroll through his messages until I get to the thread with Anissa's name. "Oh, great! There's a message from Anissa on Ken's phone."

"What does it say?"

"It's some kind flyer," I tell them as I clink open the image to reveal an invitation. One that's in various shades of brown, playing at Thanksgiving colors and décor and complete with a cartoon turkey. "It's for the Santa Martha Church, they're having a Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless drive all this week. Apparently, Anissa was trying to invite Ken to help hand out food and provisions if we got home in time."

"The church!" Victoria cries over the line, embarrassment evident even through the speakers. "Of course. Anissa's Community hours. Oh god, how could I be so stupid."

"I never did understand why high school children have to do community hours," I mumble as I close Ken's phone. With the riddle of Anissa's disappearance more or less solved, I can feel the urgency die down. "Still, isn't it a little late to still be handing out soup?"

"Not really, it's only a bit past ten," Dad answers, nonchalant now even though I have no doubt he's on his way to the church as he speaks. His commitment to finishing his job of finding Anissa would be surprising if he weren't always like that. Dad's always been one to finish the job. "Given how it's for Thanksgiving, they'll probably still be more than a bit busy."

What is surprising, though, is how late it isn't. I was sure it was at least past midnight with how dark and quiet the house is. But a quick glance at the many clocks surrounding me that I had conveniently ignored tells me it's only seventeen minutes past ten pm.

"Should we come along?" I ask, directing the question both to Ken and dad. When Ken shrugs from Ezio's still surprisingly tight grip, I know that the answer is probably going to be a yes. Tired or not, Ken will never give up an excuse to see Anissa.

"That will be up to you," Dad says, something fidgety in his voice. It's enough to clue me in that there's more going on here than he's letting us know. It catches my interest in an instant, making me refocus on the call.

"Dad?" I call, unhidden curiosity in my voice as well as some weariness. Whatever has made dad fidgety cannot bode well for the rest of us. Mom included. "What's going on?"

"Ah, I may have taken our visitor with us on our search for Anissa."

"Visitor?" I ask, confused as I take a mental count of everyone present. If Ezio is here and Leonardo wasn't even expected then who else could he have possibly taken?

"Mario, I took Mario with me."

"Mario?" I question even though I'm already dreading the answer. Ezio looks up at the call of his uncle's name, curious enough that his attention slips long enough for Ken to finally break free. "As in Uncle Mario?"

"Uncle?" Victoria asks, voice sounding far away now that Anissa's whereabouts have been confirmed and she's not as interested in the conversation. "You guys are related? I thought you were Mexican."

"It's a term of endearment?" Dad answers back, but it comes out sounding so much like a question that I have to choke back a laugh. Leaving him fumbling for a believable excuse I hand Ken his phone as he finally reaches my side. "The kids really like Mario and his nephew, they're practically family at this point."

Oh, you have no idea.

"Are we going?" I ask Ken, watching as he goes through his phone, fingers quickly tapping out messages. At his nod, I turn back to finish up the call just in time to hear something said in silky Italian. "We're going to freshen up a bit and we'll meet you guys there."

"Sure thing, kiddo. We'll save you a ladle."

With a quick goodbye, I end the call and turn back to the rest of our guests. Ezio is still in the pit, peering pitifully over the edge at where Kenny is now gathering his things and gearing up to go shower. Leonardo, for his part, is moving around the room, poking at everything and anything he can reach.

"Well then, how about a quick shower before we dive into the modern world of the twenty-first century?"

Leonardo meets my question with more enthusiasm than I would have thought strictly necessary. But it's oddly refreshing in a way that wakes us all up despite having spent the majority of the day on horseback. And, with Ken there to answer any and all of his questions, getting Leonardo ready to explore the world beyond my front door is both quick and easy.

Gathering clothes for Leonardo turns out to be almost too easy. It's a testament to how often we're finding ourselves clothing random people from different era's that we manage to find something that fits him well enough. With only minimal searching, we get him a pair of dark wash jeans, a white cotton tee, and an old leather jacket courtesy of Dad's closet. For shoes, we opt to just let him wear his own, figuring there's no need to force him into a pair that might not fit.

All too soon we're piling into Ken's car, with Leonardo carefully tucked away in the back seat, poofy red hat still firmly on his head, with Ezio at his side. Even while driving, Ken answers all the questions Leonardo sends his way in something like relief as it keeps him distracted enough that he doesn't have a chance to keep worrying about Anissa not being at the church.

Even when we pull up to the church, Leonardo's questions don't stop, nor does Ken's patience seem to be wearing thin. Almost like an angel of patience, Ken meets all of Leonardo's never-ending questions with calm, in-depth answers.

A lesser man would have told him to shut it by now.

But not Ken. No, in fact, Ken sticks to Leonardo's side the whole way to the Church's kitchen set-up, giving Leonardo and himself some semblance of privacy as he does so that Leonardo's questions don't get farther than our little group. It's endearing in a way I never expected it to be, to be honest.

Like helping a lost child find their mom and my heart swells at the sight of all the good inside Ken. Because you just have to be so unbearably good to not lose your patience under the weight of so many questions and such never-ending curiosity.

"Kenny!"

Anissa's voice reaches us before we ever catch sight of her. As crowded as the mess hall turns out to be, bustling with both people helping and those needing help, I wouldn't have been surprised if we never would have caught sight of her actually. But she saves us from having to search her out as she rushes out of the crowd, a big blue apron wrapped haphazardly around her.

"You made it," she cheers, racing forward to throw her arms around Ken and Ken wastes no time scooping her up and spinning her around. All the tension eases out of him as he does, melting away until he's clutching her loosely as he sets her back down on her feet. "I didn't think you would be back in time."

"I'll always make it," Ken tells her, something like a vow in those words as he pulls back to look her over. It's sweet and heartbreaking at the same time and once again I can't help but wonder if the ferocity of Ken's devotion to her isn't because his family is dead set in keeping him out of her life. "Are you having fun?"

"Tons," she says, not even moving out of the way as Ken's hand comes up to wipe off a stray splash of food that has land on her cheek. When her eyes land on me, she launches herself into my arms next. "Jen! Are you here to help too? Just like your pops?"

"Is that old man really helping? Or is he just eating all the food?" I ask, no real malice in my words as I do. Anissa laughs at the suggestion that Dad isn't actually helping, which wouldn't be all that surprising if that were the case. As good of a person as Dad may be, he's always been a tad bit on the lazier side of helpful.

"He's helping," Anissa promises, taking Kenny's hand in hers then and beginning to lead us towards the kitchen where many people bustle back and forth, serving food. "Though not in the kitchens. Father Marcus asked if he could help with some problem they're having in the bathing rooms as soon as your dad got here."

"Bathing rooms?"

"Yup, they're offering showers tonight. As well as a place to spend the night for as many as they can," Anissa explains as she leads us to the same station as Victoria, either not noticing or completely ignoring the glare Victoria sends our way. "Look, mom, Ken and Jen made it."

"I can see that dear," Victoria mutters but the sneer holds none of its usual haughty weight considering she has a ladle in one hand and a spatula in the other. That and she's got more than a few splashes of food already smeared across her own apron.

"Hey, Mrs. Chase, it's always good to see you," I greet, mom's lessons on politeness kicking in even when I'd much rather be saying something else. It's only as I turn my full attention Victoria's way that I take notice of the man standing at her station. "Uncle Mario! What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be in Monteriggioni?"

"Little one!" Uncle Mario greets, enthusiastically waving a ladle at me, sending remnants of soups flying. I can't help but wonder if the food splattered all over Victoria may have less to do with her own clumsiness and more to do with him. "You have returned. How was your trip to Venice? Peaceful, I hope. I see you managed to bring Leonardo for a visit! It is always good to see you, little inventor."

"Likewise, Sir Auditore," Leonardo says, hand coming up to fist over his chest as he gives a slight bow. When he straightens back up, there's a blush on his face as he notices that his weird—by the era's—greeting has gotten more than a few stares.

"None of that now, please call me 'Uncle Mario'," he says, throwing us a wink as he does, continuing to ladle dollops of soup onto trays all the while. Besides him, Victoria also doesn't pause after her first initial glare at our arrival. "Now, then, let's gets cooking, yeah?"

After a quick explanation of how the line works and donning aprons of our own, we spend the next few hours serving plate after plate of food. Anissa zips through the line the entire time, rushing from where Victoria stubbornly refuses to look our way to where Ken and I spend more time cracking jokes with Ezio and a very confused Leonardo than fretting over Victoria's attitude. If Mario stays suspiciously close to Victoria, working side by side with the less than pleasant women, well, we pretend not to notice.

Better him than us, honestly.

Despite all of our joking, Ken still takes his time to answer any questions Leonardo whispers his why, just as patient now as he was before we found ourselves elbows deep in food. So more often than not, those two have their heads bent close together, Ken whispering answers to Leonardo's questions.

If anything, this is the sweetest, gentlest introduction into the modern era I've ever seen. Both Altaïr's and Ezio's sudden arrival had been might with varying levels of confused hostility. Thrown into the fray as they were, no one had taken the time to explain everything they didn't know. So to see it happening now to the sweetest character in the whole series, makes something warm unfurl in my chest and makes the night that much more delightful.

So when it finally ends, when the last dish is served and all the tables are wiped clean, rather than the bone-tired weariness I was, I find myself strangely relaxed. So much so that I'm in no mood to hurry home.

"So how was your trip?" Anissa asks, appearing at my side. We're sat at a clean table, lounging around until Dad finishes whatever he's doing for Father Marcus so we can all head home together. "And who's the blonde with the great hair."

"The trip was amazing," I tell her because it honestly was. Small setbacks aside, the trip to and from Venice had been a peaceful one full of the best scenery I've ever witnessed. "And that would be Leonardo, one of Ezio's closest, most dearest friends."

"Leonardo," she says, testing the name out on her lips as she watches him. Still deep in his conversation with Ken, he doesn't even hear the sound of his name. "Jesus, where do you guys even keep finding all these hot Italian guys?"

"Italy?"

She giggles at the answer, hand coming up to squash the sound even as she does. I can't help but join her then, mostly because she doesn't realize how true the answer is. Save for Altaïr, we really did find most of them in Italy.

"Everyone ready to go?" Dad's voice cuts off our laughter and I turn to find him standing in front of our table, eyes already locked on me. Though they do flicker to Ken every few seconds "Hey, kiddo, how was the trip?"

"Hey, papa, it was amazing," I tell him, standing as I do and pausing only long enough to grab Ken's arm so I can drag him with me into Dad's waiting arms. They wrap around us easily, tightening for a bit before going lax as both Ken and I return the hug. Albeit a bit awkwardly on Ken's part. "We have so much to tell you."

"I'm sure you do," Dad says, eyeing Leonardo as the other man continues to stare around himself in constant wonder. "Will you two ever stop bring strays home?"

"You're one to talk," I tease him back, a smile on my face as I do. Slipping out from under his arm, I make sure to put some distance between us as I continue my teasing. "Considering you've brought Uncle Mario home before any of us could have had the chance."

"Touché."

There's a fond smile on his face as he says it, but I still skip away from his reaching hands with a giggle when he reaches out to me. With Dad now here, we waste no time leaving the now mostly empty church. A few nuns and priests bid us goodbye as we leave, waving gratefully after us.

"I'll give those two a ride," Dad says just as we reach the parking lot. Nodding at Victoria and Anissa, he begins to lead them away, not stopping Uncle Mario when the older man follows after him. "I'll see you lot at home."

We go our separate ways after that, all piling back into Ken's car. This time I let Leonardo take the front passenger seat, allowing him to get a better view of everything as we speed past the empty streets.

"Is there really no need for candles here?" Leonardo asks, eyes taking in the tall lit streetlights as he does. Even late at night, there are lights on everywhere, from streetlights to buildings to houses.

"We still use candles," Ken answers, effortlessly steering the car even as he directs most of his attention to Leonardo. "Though no it's more for aesthetic reasons or as perfume. For light we simply use electricity."

"Like this Caur?"

"Kind of," Ken says, something like fondness in his voice as Leonardo proves he's quite a quick study, already recognizing there is some electricity running car. "Yes, some of the car's components do run off of electricity generated by its engine, but, for the most part, the car itself runs off of Gasoline; a fossil fuel."

Their conversation continues in much the same vein as it has the whole night and the majority of the last leg of our journey home. Hell, at this point I wouldn't be surprised of Leonardo's understanding of electricity far surpasses my own.

Still, it's nice to see someone finally on Ken's level, or at least close enough that Ken can have an in-depth conversation that doesn't always involve dumbing down the topic. Before Leonardo, the only one smart enough for that level of conversation had been Dad and, even then, he can't really be put on level with the Leonardo Da Vinci's intelligence.

Though, I can't wait to see what a full inform conversation between all three will look like. I have no doubt I'll understand less than half of it, but I'm looking forward to it with a giddiness I almost can't shake.

"If fossil fuels are in fact expensive and harmful for the environment then why have they not been replaced with something more efficient yet?"

I don't pay much attention to Ken's reply to that. Instead, I turn my attention to Ezio when I find the man staring thoughtfully at Ken. Not that ken notices, as engrosses as he is with Leonardo, he wouldn't even notice if Ezio suddenly professed whatever emotions I can currently see swimming in his eyes.

"Give him time," I whisper to Ezio, drawing the man's gaze. Though it doesn't stay on me for long before it goes right back to Ken. "He may seem a bit standoffish to it, but I'm ninety percent sure that's just lack of experience versus plain disinterest."

"For him, I will wait as long as it takes."