Edward: Where'd everyone go?
Arno: Beats me.
Edward: Who are you?
Arno: Je suis Arno Dorian. Bonjour, Monsieur Kenway.
Leonardo: He's new.
Edward: Leonardo! Who's the Frenchie?
Arno: I'm supposed to be saving you, you dolt.
Edward: Why does he have an English accent?
Leonardo: Apparently everyone in France has a British accent.
Stephane: I don't!
Edward: You're from Canada!
Stephane: How did you know that?
Leonardo: What's a Canada?
Arno: This has gone on for far too long. Aren't we supposed to be doing something?
Edward: We'll take it from here, rookie. Willoffire123 doesn't own Assassin's Creed.
Leonardo: Avanti con il capitolo!
"What do you mean, you don't know what other help we have?" demanded Leonardo.
Arno scurried onto the roof of the Assassin's Bureau, pulling the Italian up behind him.
"I mean, I don't know what other help we have," he said in his annoyingly British accent. "I arrived here in Damascus just in time to see a man in a white mask take the last man on our enemies' hit list, Ezio Auditore. I have a feeling Rafiq will be able to tell us more."
Leonardo opened his mouth to make a comeback, but failed miserably, instead blurting out "Why do you have a British accent?"
Before Arno could answer, a distinguished old man in assassin robes ushered them into his office.
"Safety and peace to you, my friends," he greeted. "I am the Rafiq in charge of this Bureau. You may call me Rafiq."
"To you as well," greeted Leonardo.
"I believe introductions are in order," said Rafiq.
"My name is Leonardo da Vinci," said Leonardo. "Some weeks ago, I traveled from Italy to Jerusalem with a friend. I am a friend to the assassins."
"And my name is Arno Dorian," said Arno. "The council of the French Brotherhood has sent me here to aid in a rescue mission."
"Rescue mission?" inquired Rafiq.
"None of your agents here in Damascus, Misere Rafiq," Leonardo assured the assassin. "But we would like their help in this rescue mission."
"What is the situation?" asked Rafiq. "I need to know how many of our men were taken, where they were taken, why they were taken, and whom they were taken by, if possible."
"Four assassins and one templar," said Arno. "We believe that the assailants are neutral in our war with the templars."
"One of your Levantine brothers from Masyaf is among the captured group," said Leonardo. "Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad was immobilized and captured en route from Jerusalem to Damascus."
"Why was he travelling to Damascus?" asked Rafiq, his expression remaining neutral. "Altaïr is supposed to be hunting down a target in Jerusalem, by order of Al Mualim. The master informed me that once he succeeded, he was to travel to Acre for his next target."
"Yes, well, plans changed," said Arno. "Altaïr was-,"
"Not alone," interrupted Leonardo. "He and another of the four captured assassins were severely injured on a mission close to the borders of Jerusalem. While the two injured men, plus the third captured assassin, travelled to the city to seek help, they were attacked-,"
"By members of the assailants that have them now," interrupted Arno, glaring daggers at Leonardo.
Leonardo returned the glare, admitting that yes, the two groups were one in the same.
"Enough," said Rafiq. "Arguing never leads to fruition. Now then, I need the names of the captured assassins, along with any information you have on them."
"Altaïr-," started Arno.
"I know enough about that boy to profile his entire life story," Rafiq said dismissively. "What about the other three?"
Arno, ignoring Leonardo's smug look, continued. "What you don't know, sir, is that Altaïr has a serious head injury."
"Oh?" said Rafiq.
"The Frenchman is correct," Leonardo admitted begrudgingly. "Altaïr is severely concussed. On the mission I spoke of earlier, ora amico performed a poorly executed leap of faith with the other two and split his head open."
"I beg your pardon?" said Rafiq.
"He's still alive," said Arno, rolling his eyes at the Italian's stupidity. "What notre ami is saying is that Altaïr has a deep gash on his forehead. The likelihood of his being in fighting shape is very slim."
"We have wasted too much time on this," said Rafiq. "What of the other three?"
"Ezio Auditore and I traveled here some months ago from Firenze," said Leonardo. "Ezio has been part of the Italian branch of assassins for several years. Oh, and he's got a dagger wound in his gut."
"Connor Kenway is from the colonial branch of assassins," added Arno. "He found Achilles Davenport years after the Great Purge and has been training with him ever since. As Achilles is old and crippled, Connor has built up the assassins in the colonies basically from scratch."
"In the same leap of faith as Altaïr, Connor was impaled by a log, basically crushed his leg, then fixed it with the Apple of Eden, and got a concussion," said Leonardo. "Connor will be in less fighting shape than Altaïr."
"Edward Kenway's the last assassin in the group," said Arno. "The grandfather of Connor, Edward started out as a privateer, then turned to piracy. After a series of deaths and moral crises, Edward turned to the assassins for redemption. He left the assassins in the West Indies upon discovery of his having a daughter: Jennifer Scott. Over time, he worked his way back into the assassins, returning to captain the Jackdaw under the Assassin flag."
"But the one thing the four have in common is the second sight," said Leonardo.
"Altaïr does have that," said Rafiq. "What did he call it? Eagle Vision?"
"Yes, and that's why the assailants took Haytham Kenway as well," said Arno. "Haytham is Connor's father, and Edward's son. It must be hereditary."
"So it's the Eagle Vision," said Rafiq. "Do we know of anyone else who has it?"
"No," said Leonardo.
"He doesn't mean that," Arno said on top of him.
"What do you mean?" demanded Leonardo. "Everyone with Eagle Vision's been captured already. There is nobody left, idiota."
"Look who's talking, crétin," snapped Arno. "There's one person left."
"If you're talking about that guy Shay Cormac, he's most likely in Europe," said Leonardo.
"It is you, isn't it?" said Rafiq. "You are the last one in the Holy Land with Eagle Vision."
Arno's silence confirmed it.
Leonardo's face was grim. "We have work to do."
"Father, calm down!" pleaded Haytham. "Breaking your hands to get out of your cuffs is not the answer."
"WELL WHAT THEN?" roared Edward.
Haytham winced. Then, regaining his composure, said "How are you supposed to get the leg shackles off if your hands are broken? Did you ever think of that?"
"THEN I'LL BREAK MY ANKLES TOO!" Edward roared. He did, however, cease his struggling, slumping against the wall in defeat. "How are you doing this, Haytham?"
"Doing what?" asked Haytham while scanning the room for what felt like the thousandth time for any weak spots for when they removed those cumbersome chains.
"How do you hate your son so much?" he asked. "Those monsters are in there, doing fuck knows what to your son and Altaïr."
"You don't think I don't know that?" Haytham said in a low voice. He'd concealed his emotions from his father for those thirty years since Jenny's disappearance; he could keep them down long enough to assess the situation. "I've been trying to push it out of my head for the past half an hour. They could both be dead right now, for all we know. We could be next. And did you see Connor before they took him away? He's-," Haytham's voice cracked.
"I don't know what's going on with him," Edward said calmly. Now that the roles were reversed, Edward wasn't sure exactly what to do. He didn't know how they swapped roles of panic and calm, but he did know that now he had to be the strong father.
And grandfather.
"That's what's so terrifying," said Haytham. "I already lost you, I lost Jenny, I lost mother when she found out it was one of your enemies that kidnapped Jenny and sold her to some noble in China, I lost Ziio to a fire that happened twenty years before I found out that I lost her-…"
"You know I'd hug you, but my hands are tied," Edward joked feebly.
"Connor's all I have left of her," said Haytham, staring at the cobblestone floor as if ordering it to swallow him whole. "He may be foolishly misguided by assassin ideas of 'freedom', and, well, just plain foolish, but…"
"Go on," said Edward. "It's best to just get it out now, lad."
"I don't want to lose the only part of Ziio I have left on this earth," said Haytham.
"Ah love," said Edward. "You know, when I was your age I met-."
"I really don't want to hear it, father," said Haytham. "For reasons I REALLY don't want to know, you're somehow only ten or so years older than me. If it's someone I know…"
"Funny story, that age thing," started Edward, only for their jolly friend in the white mask and his two guards to return, each dragging one of their unconscious cell mates.
"Connor!" both Haytham and Edward cried at the same time.
Guard #1 dropped him next to Haytham. "Relax; he's only unconscious."
Guard #2 dropped Altaïr in front of the three prisoners. "He's okay too, in case anyone was wondering."
The one in the white mask stooped down to Haytham and Edward's level. "Hi, me again."
"I am sorely tempted to spit in your face right now," Edward said lightly. "Sadly, I'm too dehydrated for spit, and your face is covered."
"Why are you still here?" posed Haytham, shooting warning glares at his father with the big mouth.
"Well as you can see, our two test subjects passed out," said mask man.
"Yes, and that is entirely your fault, by the way," Edward had the grace to point out. "Your point?"
Mask man grabbed Edward's face with one, gloved hand, examining it carefully.
"Father!" cried Haytham.
"I feel violated," Edward protested.
"Such an interesting specimen," said mask man. "Perhaps the pirate would like to go next?"
"I'm not going anywhere with you, bastard," snarled Edward, earning a full force slap across the face for his efforts.
"You seem to still be under the impression that help is on the way," Mask Man said haughtily.
"I repeat," said Edward, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Your point?"
The masked man ushered in a third guard, causing Edward and Haytham's hearts to crawl into their throats.
"Here, I present to you, boys, your last hope for escape," said Mask man.
The third guard, dragging the body of Ezio Auditore, heaved him onto the wooden table and began removing his robes.
"Whoa there, mate," Edward said sharply. "What are you doing with our so called last hope for escape?"
"Removing weapons," said guard #3. "What does it look like I'm doing?"
"While that would be amusing, you filthy pirate," said mask man. "Ezio Auditore has a stab wound that needs tending to. I'm sure the other two's injures should be looked at as well. I am going to leave slowly. One guard will unshackle you while the other two have pistols aimed at your heads. They will then leave supplies, food and water, then leave. Make yourselves useful and treat their injuries."
"Why?" asked Haytham.
"While I can perform our research on just the eyes, it's much easier for them to already belong to a body," said the Mask man. "I also want the next test to be with a specific combination of the five of you, and three of you are dying, for all I know or care."
"Who are you?" Edward blurted out as the man was leaving.
Mask man paused. "For now, you will call me Bishop."
Willoffire123: Oh that was good.
Edward: Don't you want your happy ending?
Willoffire123: Who says I want one? I could be planning to kill every single one of you off for all you know.
Edward: …anyway, how are you going to get your happy ending if Ezio's been captured with us?
Altaïr: He was supposed to be our rescue plan.
Leonardo: It's like I don't even exist.
Arno: It's because you aren't an assassin.
Edward: Who the bloody hell are you?
Arno: uh…
Willoffire123: until next time!