Egypt
It was quiet now, the firefight was over, if you could call it that. Bodies of hooded figures laid across the floor men and women alike. Their bodies riddled with bullets and their blood seeping into the carpet. The far wall was spattered with blood and on it was the symbol of the assassins.
In the silence a man slowly made his way across the room maneuvering himself through the bodied careful not to step on the blood. A black cross donned the left shoulder of his trench coat. He made his way towards one body decked in ornate robes. reaching towards the neck his fingers found themselves on a necklace. Following the chain, it was discovered that it was connected to a hard drive. with a violent tuck The man ripped the necklace off the neck of the corpse.
Pocketing it he continued his search when his foot stepped on a stone that didn't feel or sound like the rest of the floor. Looking down, the man ripped up the carped revealing the stone beneath. Tracing to where his foot stepped, and saw a stone separate from the others . Retrieving a crowbar the man pried out the stone revealing a compartment with a box inside. He took it out and opened it revealing a glowing blue object that looked like a mind twister puzzle.
The man smiled as he placed the object into a backpack. "the carrot is set, time to wait for the rabbit," he chuckled. It was then that he heard a small cry, one of the bodies was apparently still alive and was crawling towards the exit. Smirking the man slowly walked over to her and placed a foot on her back pinning her down.
The woman looked at him with tear strained eyes, "please," she begged, "be merciful."
Her plea fell on deaf ears as the man pulled out a claw hammer and brought it down on her skull caving it in. "There is no mercy, the man said as he wiped the blood off on her robes before standing up, "only destruction."
After stripping the place of anything useful and making sure the other bodies would not be coming back anytime soon, he walked over to a table were one had been on the verge of eating a cherry pie before he was interrupted. The man shrugged 'what a waste', he thought taking a nearby fork and scooping up a piece. The Man took a bite and chewed slowly savouring the taste. He made a face and spat out the contents. "Store bought," he grumbled, "shame."
Grand Temple
The assassins looked between Michael and Juno in wonder, "why did she just call him a planet?" Desmond wondered.
Looking back at Michael his silver eyes were now glowing as he began to chuckle. "Hello dear sister, it's been a while hasn't it."
Juno was now fuming, Lucy completely forgotten by her as she focused on the men were inches from her projection. "You treacherous dog, You'll pay for the suffering you've caused us."
Michael laughed at this, "oh now Juno, don't be bitter, 10,000 years of anger is bad for one's health or so I've been told."
"YOU BETRAYED US," she snarled, "YOU CHOSE THE HUMANS OVER YOU'RE PEOPLE, YOUR OWN FAMILY."
"You, Jupiter and Minerva were in way over your heads," Michael/Mars replied. "Destruction was upon us yet you all sat around going through one failed experiment after another, getting nowhere fast. Had you done as I suggested the solution could have been made much sooner."
"YOU WANTED TO GIVE HUMANS THE SIXTH SENSE," Juno shrieked. "They were a nuisance enough with the five they already had."
"If we were going to breed with Humans the least we could do is make them worthy of breeding with," Mars replied. "The Great War cut down two thirds of our population. We needed to replenish our numbers. Reproducing with them was the only way to ensure our survival. But none of you could see that. All you saw were ants to be burned with a magnifying glass."
"As they should," Juno said undignified, "a creator does not stoop to the level of it's creation."
"That is the sort of irresponsible thinking that caused us to die out." Mars smirked, "Now our people are all but extinct and our creations rule the earth."
"Better to die out than to sink to their level."
Mars smirked, "That can easily be arranged."
"Not if I have anything to say about it."
Mars hmphed, "yes I'm aware of your foul scheme and it looks like it's going to mostly work out. But it seems not everything is going according to plan."
Juno then turned to Desmond, "she must not live cipher, I will not warn you again."
Desmond glared at her and activated his hidden blade. "I don't care what you want, but I swear if you harm Lucy I will slit my own throat and any plans you have for me will never come to fruition. You saw me at your temple so you know I'm not bluffing."
Juno glared at him, "we shall see Cipher, soon we shall see." With that Juno disappeared in a flash of light.
Mars scoffed, "I'll be seeing you darlin," after a moment the glow in Michael's eyes disappeared and he collapsed to his knees panting heavily. Giving a shake of his head, he looked up at the others.
"What happened," he asked taking control of his breathing.
"You were talking with Juno," Shaun explained, "she called you Mars."
Michael sighed, "I hate it when he does that, the least he could do is warn me."
"Does this happen often?" Lucy asked.
Michael shook his head, "but when they do, let's say they tend to leave a lasting impression."
He stood up, "they all started after my father's funeral. I had just inherited some of his personal effects. One of them was an artifact that had been in my family since the beginning. The moment my hands held it I blacked out. When I regained consciousness it was like I had an advisor in my head at all times. I became more aware more assertive. If I chose a course of action I would figure out the best way to execute it. I never was able to figure out what happened since the only person who really knew was my father and he took the secret to the grave. All he left me was instructions to hide the artifact away where no soul can find it, not even my own family could know."
"So Mars found a way to use humans as his 'champion' of sorts." Shaun concluded
"Yes," Rebecca agreed, "but to what end."
Michael shrugged, "your guess is as good as mine." He then looked around, "so now that we're finally here, what's the next step?'
Before anyone could answer, Desmond started to sway like he was in a trance. Lucy went to him concerned, "Desmond?"
Desmond simply sighed, "here we go again," he said before collapsing. Lucy caught him and laid him gently on the ground.
Michael knelt beside her, "another bleeding effect?" Lucy nodded as the temple lights began to pulse as they did the tattoos on Desmond's army started to glow and pulse with the Temple.
"Lets get him into the animus so we can help guide him, Lucy demanded. Michael carried his unconscious friend as Shaun and Rebecca quickly set up the familiar chair. Once they had Michael laid him down on it. Once he was plugged in and synched Lucy started calling to him. "Desmond," she said gently, "can you hear us?"
After a tense moment he replied, "yeah, what happened?"
"The temple triggered a bleeding effect, you collapsed and entered a fugue state. The temple seems to be communicating with you so we didn't want to sever it, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Desmond assured her, I know what I'm looking for, it's a key. I'm guessing that it opens up that barrier. I just have no idea of where it is. I Guess that's why Juno triggered the bleeding effect."
"Well hopefully you don't need to go far to find it. " Lucy stressed. "You've been through enough."
"I'll be alright Lucy," Desmond assured her.
As Desmond visited was in the animus, the others decided to help set up. Michael, Vincent and Jacob explored the temple while Paul and Kenny helped Rebecca mask their location, setting up cameras and setting up programs to mask their digital signature. Once that was done they headed back to the main area.
"Find anything?" Shaun asked
Michael nodded, "judging from the stairways, it seems that there's upper levels to the temple to the temple."
"Unfortunately they all seem to be blocked by stone doors." Jacob continued.
"There also seems to be other power modular like the one Desmond activated, Vincent reported, however I couldn't seem to find any objects that fit into the sockets."
Shaun nodded, "seems we'll need more of those things in order to get access to the full temple, otherwise we'll be stuck here. Time is running out and we need to find them soon."
Meanwhile, Lucy was watching over Desmond, as the date drew near she found herself growing more worried for her love. Though she knew they had to save the world the idea of loosing Desmond was unbearable. As she brood she noticed Jacob coming slowly towards her.
"Can I help you with something?" She asked. of the three brothers Jacob seemed the most distant aside from Paul who always had his nose in a computer.
Jacob nodded, "Abstergo kidnaps people?"
Lucy nodded, yes they needed test subjects for their quest for the apple."
Jacob was silent for a moment before reaching into his pocket and pulled out a picture. "Did they by any chance take this woman?" He asked, handing her the picture.
Lucy took it and her heart stopped. The picture was of himself and a young women smiling at the camera. But Lucy's eyes were fixed on the woman for itwas a face she knew all too well.
"Who is that?'" she asked cautiously
Hearing her voice Jacob turned slightly to see who it was before turning back to the Picture. "My wife, Elysia Mayweather" he said solemnly, "she disappeared two years ago and I couldn't find her since."
Lucy paled, "that wasn't just a woman," she said faintly, "she is Subject 15."
Upon hearing this, Jacob grabbed her and lifter her up, "WHERE IS SHE?" He asked frantically, "WHAT HAVE THEY DONE WITH HER?"
Upon hearing the commotion everyone headed to where Jacob and Lucy were.
"What's going on here?" William demanded.
"Jacob calm down," Vincent said with his hands up trying to ease his brother.
"She says Abstergo has my wife," Jacob explained.
All eyes turned to Lucy who nodded, "she was the test subject before Clay, but because of the fetus, the animus couldn't choose between her genetic memories or yours. I suggested to cease the experiment and Vidic agreed." I don't know what happened to her.
Jacob collapsed to his knees his breathing heavy, Vincent and Michael knelt beside him. "They have her, they have Elysia," he cried repeatedly.
"We will find her brother," Michael assured him.
"Jacobs hands balled into a fist and his teeth clenched. "I swear if they hurt her they will become well acquainted with every feral animal I know."
As Vincent led Jacob away to calm him, Michael turned to Lucy, "Vidic better pray to his father of understanding, Because if she is broken or dead, then he and I will be having a nice long chat. Lucy nodded, this new revelation sending shockwaves through her as her eyes began to water.
"So that's Subject 15's husband?" Rebecca asked. Lucy turned to her and nodded, and Rebecca shook her head. "Damn, I hope the poor woman is alright."
"I don't think she is, her times in the animus left her confused last I saw her."
"Well one thing is for sure," Rebecca declared, "if the Massacre at Istanbul is anything to go by, Abstergo is in for a slaughter of it's own. The difference is Istanbul was mere chance this is personal.
Remembering hearing of the report from Vidic, Lucy couldn't help but agree.
After turning back to Desmond they saw they he had found something. "Hey guys," Lucy called out. Everyone headed for the monitors, to see where Desmond was. He was in the body of his ancestor, judging from the attire it seemed to be the colonial period. In his hand was a small amulet in the shape of a ring. "I think Desmond found the key."
With that final image Desmond desynchronized and and woke up. "You saw that right," Desmond wondered as he got out of the animus, everyone nodded.
"That amulet must be the key we need to unlock the barrier."
"I noticed the edge of the key resembled the symbol of Ouroboros," Michael noted, "Fitting as it represents revolution, and infinity akin to the Disaster's second coming."
"It also had the zodiac symbols on it," Shaun pointed out.
Rebecca nodded, "now that we know what it looks like all we need to to is follow Haytham's trail straight to it."
"Haytham Kenway?" Lucy wondered and turned to Shaun, "Didn't Michael's ancestor meet someone named Kenway?"
Shaun's eyes widened in realization, "yes you're right, Edward I believe his name was. he was also a notorious pirate and an assassin to boot."
"Could he be Haytham's father?" Rebecca asked.
Shaun rubbed his chin, "it's possible judging from his age the timeline would match."
"So this would another instance of Michael and Desmond's ancestors meeting." Rebecca concluded, "this can't be a coincidence."
"Perhaps someone or something was guiding them in the same direction." Lucy guessed.
"You mean Mars?"
"Or Juno, or both. Whatever the case it seems the First Civilization has a wider hand in human affairs than we thought."
"It doesn't matter," William retorted, we may know what it looks like but we are no closer to finding it." he turned to his son, "Desmond you need to keep going."
Desmond's lip curled, after having to deal with the equally pushy Vidic, he finally had enough. "Hey he's your ancestor too dad. Why don't you hop in the animus?"
William scoffed, "really? That's your response? It's like dealing with a six year old."
"No," Michael stepped in, "he's got a point. Why don't you take a little trip in this cursed machine. We'll run you ragged in there for hours on end, then we can see how eager you are to go back in." He then gestured to the animus, "well go on, it's right here. It will only hurt a little, what comes next, more so."
William shook his head, "What is wrong with you two. Do you not care about what's at stake here, what we are working so hard to achieve?"
"Some working harder than others," Michael quipped. "He left to get away from this shit, and considering what as happened to him since he got pulled back in I can't say I blame him."
Desmond lifted up his shirt revealing the scar in his abdomen, Lucy looked away, unable to see what Desmond did for her. "Does this look like I've been slacking off?" he snarled. "Ever since I was kidnapped it's been 'Desmond do this, Desmond do that, Desmond figure things out because the world is going to end. When Lucy and I escaped from Abstergo I thought things would be different, I thought you would be different since your my father for Christ's sake. But it seems you are dead set on pushing as hard an Vidic.
William's eyes flared and he landed a punch on Desmond's cheek, He stumbled and Lucy caught him in her arms. "DON'T YOU DARE EQUATE ME TO THAT BASTARD AGAIN, YOU HEAR ME!"
Lucy checked Desmond cheek before turning on William her eyes murderous, "YOU LUNATIC! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!"
Michael grabbed William by the throat choking him, "Do that again," he growled, "and I'll break your hand." He released him and William leaned against a pillar gasping.
Once he caught his breath, he drew himself up and glared at Michael. "Understand this everything I've done, Everything I do has been for Desmond. Maybe I pushed a little do hard, asked a little too much. But that's only because I remember what's at stake here."
"Oh do tell," Michael's voice dripped with sarcasm, "we only get a hundred reminders every time your son uses the animus. We need to stop the templars from launching the eye, we need to stop the sun from turning us all to ash. Well driving you son into insanity will help NONE of those points. DO YOU WANT ANOTHER CLAY KACZMAREK?"
At this William backed off and sighed deeply. Shaun took this moment to step in. "Right well, that was unpleasant so this is where we stand. The news isn't good, It appears this temple is powered by a collection of batteries like the one you found on the way in. We searched all around but couldn't find anymore. There seems to be other areas but their blocked off so we'll need batteries to access those areas.
Desmond shook his head, "this just gets better and better."
"Don't worry about the batteries Desmond," Lucy assured him.
"Yeah we can take care of those," Michael agreed, "just save your strength for finding the key, take rests if you need them." He turned to Shaun, "if there's some then there are others, any idea where we can find them?"
"I intend to tiptoe into Abstergo's database. If I can cross reference the devices with their database, then maybe, we'll get lucky."
"Paul can crack any network," Kenneth spoke up, "he'll have the information we seek in no time, just tell him what you need. At this Paul pulled out his laptop and Shaun went over to him. Desmond decided to take a short nap before heading back to the Animus.
