Chapter Three: Erroribus ac Proditam

Desmond paced the Sanctuary while Shaun typed furiously on his computer and Rebecca continued to work with her Animus. Melissa had gone to hide the truck and van. He felt a little bad about jostling Shaun around, but he knew he had to. A trip into Abstergo Industries risked too much. It risked him getting caught. It risked Abstergo realizing the Assassins were ahead of the game. If they worked in secret then he had a higher chance of completing his mission without the Templars getting in the way. They were in the way enough as it was.

"I got through to your mother." Shaun announced and Desmond rushed over. "She'll talk to you over the webcam."

"Great."

Desmond felt a sudden lift in his spirits. He had wanted to see how his mom had been doing last time, but his father had thought it would be too risky. Though he wouldn't say it aloud, he definitely preferred his mother over his dad. At least she didn't try to emotionally distance herself from him while he was growing up and it was only for her he had ever felt any guilt in leaving the Farm.

"Just a moment." Shaun clicked furiously over the screen. "All right. The line is secure."

He stood, but still bent over the keyboard as Desmond slid into the seat.

"There you go."

A box popped up onto the screen and Desmond's heart thumped a little faster as his mother's features appeared.

"Desmond!" She gasped upon seeing him and he could tell just by looking how close she was to crying. "Oh, Desmond! You're really all right! You're really back with us!"

"I'm fine, mom." He had to swallow down the lump in his throat before he could smile. "How are you?"

"I'm good." She breathed, her smile infectious to him. "But we don't have much time. Shaun said you had some kind of plan?"

"Yes." He decided she was right and they had best get straight to the point. "I don't know how much you know..."

"I listened to the whole recording."

"Good." He saw a tear slip out as if she had just then recalled listening to his voice after so many years. "And so you know I don't trust Lucy."

"Yes. I understand, but..."

"I can't explain the why's right now. I have a plan. Hear me out. Someone needs to inform Lucy of a new safe house. Lie. Make up some excuse about why she needs to know where it is. Say there's something big going to be there. Something important. I don't know. I'm not good at details. If it's big enough and she is a traitor, she'll tell Vidic and then they'll send people there. Do whatever you have to in order to make it seem realistic. Okay? I know it's not the greatest plan, but I know how Lucy is a little. If she feels it's important enough, she'll tell them."

"If she has really betrayed us."

"If she has...yes..." Desmond breathed out a shaky breath and then frowned when something caught his attention at the corner of the screen. "Shaun, why is there a cat on your desktop?"

"What?" Shaun moved towards him, having been off shuffling through files. "A cat..."

Desmond pointed to the corner of the screen where an animated cat was running around in circles and playing by itself.

He hadn't thought it possible given how white Shaun was already, but the man abruptly paled.

"Get out of where you are now!" Shaun stated to the surprised woman on the screen. "They'll be able to track where you are by your surroundings!"

She immediately turned off her computer and panic jumped up into Desmond's chest.

"They've hacked my computer." Shaun shoved Desmond from his chair. "But how?"

Rebecca was by them now, peering over Shaun's shoulder. "Did you give your password out to anyone?"

"Of course not." Shaun snapped in irritation as his fingers flew across the keyboard. "We got all our passwords from William and I'm not stupid enough to share it! Besides, they didn't hack the server. They hacked my computer!"

"But there's no cell service down here."

"I know! That's what's bothering me! They would literally have to put a sensor and transmitter in the manor itself in order for us to get hacked, so unless they know where we are there shouldn't be a...bloody hell! I can't get rid of it!"

"How far did you plan things with Lucy?" Desmond questioned, watching their furrowed brows as they stared at the screen. "Did you plan to come to Monteriggioni?"

"Well, yes. It's one of our alternative hiding spots if things got to be too much for her." Shaun frowned. "I don't think...I didn't think about it."

Desmond pulled his hood over his head. "I'm going to go inspect the manor."

"I don't think they would..."

"I don't care what you think." Desmond shot back. "I'm going to go check the manor."

Desmond tore a final board from the window, wincing when another splinter pricked his skin, and then cautiously crept into the home. It was far in far worse shape than when Ezio had lived there and the pang of remembering that time was like a dagger to his gut. He slunk through the house, quiet, each foot careful to avoid possible creaks. It was Ezio's old bedroom where he noticed the flashing yellow light and he stopped at the staircase to listen. Something shifted and adrenaline shot through his veins. Stealthily, he started up the stairs to peer into the room. Someone was there, trying to be silent. No doubt they had heard him breaking in and were hoping he wouldn't notice them.

A click alerted him to a new problem.

"Desmond Miles?" The voice asked from behind him.

"Yup."

His arm swung around to grab his enemy's wrist and shove the muzzle of the gun upward. The gunshot was deafening as the bullet pierced the ceiling and sprinkled wood dust onto their faces. Temporarily blinded, both of them were put at a disadvantage, but Desmond got the upper hand. He was an Assassin after all. The second person rushed down the stairs to assist the other Agent, but Desmond, blinking sawdust from his eyes, blocked a punch and dodged another. Arms wrapped around him from behind, but a swift elbow to the chest broke him from the hug. His elbow swung again, making contact with a nose, shattering the bone holding the cartilage. Tackling the man in front of him, he pinned him then began to beat him furiously with his fists until he was sure of the other's unconsciousness. The sound of metal scraping wood told him his broken-nosed foe had found the fallen gun. He turned and dove forward to avoid the shot, knocking the other man off of his feet. There was the sound of bone crunching against wood in the narrow hallway, but he still made sure his opponent was knocked out before rushing up the stairs.

A small device was waiting at the top and he hastily turned it off before picking it up and taking it back down to the others.

Melissa was just coming through the window when he reached it.

"I heard gunshots!" She breathed in her slight French accent. "What is going on?"

"Abstergo." He held up the device. "Excuse me."

"What?" She gawked at him before following him out of the manor. "They've found us? Already?"

"Lucy." He muttered as he headed towards the Sanctuary. He wasn't surprised when he noticed Rebecca heading out of it.

"I'm getting the van." She stated, apparently understanding the situation.

"I'll just go help Shaun pack then."

"Sure thing."

By the look of disappointment and disgust, it was clear Rebecca couldn't believe what was going on, but also could not deny the evidence.

He felt a little bad. It was one thing to find out from an actual betrayal. The shock sinks in and wears off and you get over it. Your anger towards the traitor helps to fuel you usually. It was different to know ahead of time and have been able to prevent it, but been too foolishly stubborn to do anything about it. Guilt would set in. Self-loathing as well. Anger would help to get one out of it, but it would be anger pointed at oneself rather than the traitor.

"I'll go help Rebecca." Melissa finally said and disappeared to follow the other woman.

"Sure..." He muttered.

There was another part of him too, eating away at him. Though he had talked all big and high and mighty about how much they shouldn't be wasting their time and efforts on Lucy, there was something telling him he should have tried a little harder to see if she could be saved, if her fate could have changed, if he could have convinced her who the good guys were. Then again, Clay hadn't been able to and she had watched him suffer then die without lifting a finger to aid him. How would Desmond, someone she didn't even know, be any different? She had betrayed her friends and all she had originally stood for and believed in to follow the Templar Order. He doubted he'd be enough to convince her to change her mind again.

Ahhh another chapter out into the world. :P