Assassins Creed: New Breed
Chapter 2: Catching a Thief
Liza rose slowly from her bed in the basement of the guild. She was the only recruit awake at the moment, so it must be earlier than normal. She got up, garbed herself in her assassin robes, and ascended the stairway to the War Room. She emerged to see Ezio studying a map of Roma. For what she was not sure. He turned to her with a surprised look on his face.
"Liza? What are you doing up so early? The sun has not even risen yet." He asked her.
"Sleep eludes me Maestro. I came up to see about today's plans. I want to help with something today. Any news?"
He gave a small smirk and turned back to the map. "Our sources tell me that there has been an unusually large spike in pickpocketing and thieving in the district. Why, I cannot say. But we have two confirmed thieves in the area. They are both supporters of the Borgia."
He handed Liza the dossiers and she read them aloud. "Corvio Ascelli. Apparently he was one of Rodrigo Borgia's most trusted supporters before his death, and during the year since then, he's been off the grid. But he's surfaced as a meager thief in the district. Do we know where he frequents?"
Ezio pointed to the town square on the map, just across the river of the Isola. "Here is where he strikes daily. Disguising himself as a doctor, he leads his victims into his 'medicine shack', where he robs them and who knows what else. His victims haven't been found yet; it's possible he's keeping them imprisoned. But we cannot be sure. Liza, would you handle this one?"
She was thrilled that he personally was handing her an assignment. Well, it was a mixture of thrill and absolute nervousness. "I will, Maestro. Consider the situation handled." She made a low bow and exited the War Room. She descended the stairs back to the basement and retrieved her hidden blade and crossbow. She went back up, and exited the guild to the streets.
She made a left to the blacksmith to buy some extra crossbow bolts, just in case. She was always over-cautious, but it had well saved her life in many cases.
"What can I do for you today, Liza?" The blacksmith asked her.
"I would like ten crossbow bolts please. I have an important 'errand' to run."
About five minutes later he handed her a wrapped cloth with the purchase inside. As she was about to leave she heard his voice. "I do hope you'll be careful, Liza. With the Borgia defeated there are sure to be some radical lunatics unveiling themselves. They can be just as dangerous when they set their mind on something."
She turned back to him and smiled softly, raising her hood over her head. "Thank you, Gregrio. I will keep that in mind." She turned from him, and walked down the stairs to the bridge.
Now was the chance to figure out how to play this. She obviously had to figure out who Corvio was amongst the doctors in the square. She wasn't sure how many doctors were there, but she felt it best to blend in with the crowds first and survey the area.
Then she'd have to tail him back to his shack, kill him, and hopefully find his other victims before it was too late. Alright, she had crossed into the town square. Time to get to work.
She sat on a bench to where she could see the entire area. She didn't have that "power" that her master weld, but she had damn good instincts. She looked over the people in the square, and picked out two squads of guards, an art merchant, and a tailor, but no doctor. Maybe he didn't make himself known so readily in the square. Maybe he only approached when he notices someone in need of aid.
But she couldn't just walk up to someone and mangle them to the point where they require medical attention. That was not the assassin way. To use someone like that. But she had to lure him out somehow. She remembered the extra crossbow bolts she had purchased from the blacksmith. Did she have the courage to do it? Now was the time to find out.
She reached into her pouch and withdrew one of the bolts. It was about five inches long, with a fine steel tip at the end. It was perfect. It was now or never.
She raised her arm and, with all the strength and courage she had, thrusted the bolt into her stomach. She grunted in pain, and slid off the bench out of the agony. People started yelling "she's been shot!" and "we need a doctor". She slowly got to her feet and attempted to walk but quickly fell back to her knees. She collapsed onto the ground.
Great she thought. I'm not even going to be conscious when I get robbed. And with those last thoughts she slipped into darkness.
She awoke in the arms of a tall man with black hair. She moved her head to see she was being carried down a street. People were clearing the way for the two of them to make their way. She felt around her stomach and realized that the bolt had been removed. Finally, the man carrying her spoke.
"Don't try to move around so much my lady. You will cause the wound to bleed faster." His voice was so soft, could he really be Corvio? He appeared nothing like the reputation. But, looks can be deceiving.
"Corvio?" She asked his name.
He chuckled slightly. "No, that is my master's name. I'm taking you to him now. My name is Savioro. I run to the streets in order to bring people in need of care to my master. We are almost there now. However when I arrive he'll most likely send me away, like he usually does. It's funny, he must work quickly. Because when I return the patient is gone. He is truly a miracle worker that man."
Unbelievable she thought. Corvio has this boy completely unaware of who he is. This Savioro believes his master to be a miracle doctor. This won't be an easy kill. This boy is going to be traumatized by the truth.
"Ah here we are now." Savioro's voice snapped her out of her daze. They stood in front of a lone building at the end of a street near the Pantheon. He opened the door and walked inside, and laid her on a table with a soft cloth on it. He went back to shut the door. "Master, I have brought someone in need of aid."
She heard a noise behind her and she whipped her head around to see a man standing in a walkway. He was bald, and wore a long black coat that was buttoned up the front to his neck. His eyes were crimson red, and he had a smirk on his face.
"Thank you, Savioro." His voice sent chills down her spine. It was as if all hope was being drained from her. Think straight she thought. He has to die. "Now my apprentice if you would please leave us while I tend to her wound."
Savioro made a low bow but before he left he caught Liza's eyes. She saw worry in his eyes. She wondered if he knew what was going to happen.
She heard a movement behind her, as she looked over to Corvio drawing a large knife from a drawer. He let out a low laugh as he approached her on the table. "You know, it's a shame such a pretty thing like you had to come to me. It makes me wonder who would be so cruel as to shoot such beauty with a crossbow."
She stared wide eyed as she realized something. Savioro had pulled the bolt out of her before he reached Corvio. Nothing was mentioned of a crossbow bolt.
"H-how-?" She started to say.
"How do I know you stabbed yourself with a crossbow bolt in order to find me? I know what you are, Assassin. I've been watching you since you were a little child long ago. Waiting for the day where I could find you in such a vulnerable state. You see, the women I tend to, get a little 'gift' before I kill them. Virtue is something that I despise. Everyone should experience a 'good time' before death. And I've been waiting for this for a while now." He walked toward her with the knife raising it above his head, and just as he was about to bring it down in her stomach, she swung her legs around and kicked him in the midsection, sending him into his desk. She leapt up and landed in front of the desk with her hidden blade drawn. She reached into her armor and pulled out a tomato and dropped it to the ground. It was in the same place as the bolt.
Corvio laughed as he got to his feet. "I see. Very clever, young one. You faked an intentional injury. All this to find me? I'm flattered. But I'm afraid this is where it ends!" He yelled and charged her with his knife as they locked blades.
The two steels collided over and over again before she jumped back onto the surgery table and begin stabbing downward, once again meeting his knife. She saw an opening and stabbed down, but he ducked and swiped at her legs striking her greaves and causing her to fall and hit the table. She rolled off toward the door and quickly drew her crossbow.
As Corvio jumped onto the table she shot a bolt into his leg, causing the doctor to howl in pain and drop to one knee on the cloth.
She ran up to the table and took to the air, lodging her hidden blade into Corvio's chest at the same time, taking them both to the ground.
She stayed knelt on top of him as he coughed up blood and the knife rolled away from his hand. She could barely make out his words through the coughing.
"Impressive assassin. I did not think you possessed such skills. But I wish this had not happened the way it did. We could have been a great team, you and I. Your killing skills would have proven quite handy".
"You're mad, doctor. This was the only way. Possiate essere in pace con la morte, più della vita (May you be at peace in death, more than life). Requiescat in pace (Rest in peace)."
She retracted her blade and stood to her feet after closing the doctor's eyes. She turned to leave and saw Savioro standing in the doorway. He carefully approached her, and walked around the table to see Corvio lying dead on the floor.
"So I was right. He was a murderer after all. Not a doctor. If only I had trusted my instincts earlier, all those lives I could've saved…" He lowered his head to the ground and dropped to his knees.
Liza walked up to him and knelt in front of him. "Savioro, you cannot blame yourself. You were blind to his intentions. You are not to blame." She brought him to his feet. And he gave a small smile.
"I don't know what I will do though. The doctor was the only one I could call close to my family. My parents and relatives were murdered during the Borgia rule. I have no one."
"You can come back with me. My Master will figure out what to do." She patted his shoulder and led him through the door back outside.
As the two walked back to the town square she saw groups of guards running to the bridge back to Isola Tiberina.
Savioro looked to her. "What do you think is going on?"
"I don't know. But I don't like it." She witnessed a group of brutes run past them for the bridge. She heard them yell.
"Death to the assassins!"
She immediately tore off after them. She had to return to help her master.