Chapter Nine:

Welcome to the Animus

2012

"You have a fever," Rebecca said as she took the thermometer out of my mouth. "You should stay in bed today. I can move Mason to a different room."

I shook my head. "I'm fine. It's not gonna kill me."

"Nothing's gonna kill you, kiddo. I'm just saying you should rest for the day. I'm almost done with Mason's samples as it is, so there's nothing you can really do anyway."

I frowned, but surrendered and went to my room. I could still get sick, which was a major downer, but at least it made me feel like I wasn't immortal all the time. It was just the times when I would get stabbed through the heart and panic, "Am I gonna die?" and then realize that I'd still be breathing.

I collapsed into my bed and stared at the ceiling for a while, wondering what I could do for an entire day in bed (that would help me get better, at least). I fell asleep while thinking, and when I woke up I remembered how bored I was supposed to be. I sat up in bed and stretched, my hand brushing up against something hard.

I looked up and saw Mason standing over me, a book in his hand. "I thought I'd get this for you, sicky!" he said with a smile.

It was the manga I'd showed him yesterday, Black Cat. I laughed. "I can't believe you remembered which one!"

"Hey, the guy's got a killer smile! How could I not? I mean, I practically invented it!" He put it down on my lap. "I asked Rebecca if she could grab me some stuff from the city so I wouldn't be so bored around here. I saw that you guys had a T.V. hooked-up, so I asked if she could buy a video game system and this book!"

"Well, thanks." I paused. "Wait a sec… How'd you afford it?"

Mason smiled. "I used the leftover money you got from the bank yesterday!"

I groaned. "You mooch…"

"Hey, I'll find a way to pay you back later." Mason sat on the bed and touched the beak on my hood. "That reminds me of something…"

"What?"

"I dunno. It just does." He brought his hand back. "Last night, I was trying to remember more things, but I couldn't. Only names, and then nothing. Hell, I can barely remember trying to remember. Sad, right?"

I hesitated, wondering what I could say. "What if I got you into one of those machines that show memories? I had amnesia; actually, I had it a few times. That's what happens when people aim at your head. But the latest time I had it, it was much easier to move back into my life because I saw a few things that helped push me in the right direction."

"By looking at your ancestor's memories?"

Forgot that he's good at details. "It's… more complicated than that. Maybe one day I'll tell you."

"And maybe one day I get to see who's hiding under that hood, eh?" Mason inquired slyly.

"I thought you didn't want to see because I'd be something freaky?" I replied with a smirk.

Mason grinned. "Ah, well. Then I may just die of heartbreak."

"That's a little dramatic."

With a shrug, Mason got back to his feet. "Well, let's try your idea. I have to admit; I'm curious about my ancestors."

He held out his hand, and I gratefully took it to get out of the bed.

"Lead me there, Sam."

1205

The bell rang loudly throughout Masyaf. The Assassins scrambled, but seemed neat about it. I was among them, rushing to bring up the barricades and the rest of the defences. Maria was getting the villagers into the keep, along with Darim and Sef. They were still too young for this.

"The Templars are attacking!" a Herald shouted. "Everyone, head to the keep! Head to safety!"

I jumped onto a rooftop and headed to the gates, where Altair would most likely be. I found a good cliff and pulled myself up, scanning the ground for him. But I didn't hear or see the arrow until it was too late.

When I came-to, there was an arrow just above my right collar bone, and my hands and feet were bound by rope, though my hands were behind my back. I heard something open, and I was soon forced to my feet.

"This one looks like she may be important," a man remarked. "No wonder the boss wants us to bring her."

"Oh, she is," another man replied. "Believe me."

My eyes hurt when they hit the light of the sun, but my hood at least helped. Roughly, the men shoved me along until I could hear the sounds of battle not far off. I hoped I hadn't been unconscious for long.

"Assassins! Surrender now, or face your deaths!" a man yelled, his voice booming over the shouts. "Altair, come to me! And face the death of one of your own!"

So this is it… My heart started to race. I'm going to die here… Mohammad didn't kill me, that army of Templars didn't kill me, but now I'm going to die for real.

I saw Altair run down to the open main gates. He stopped in the middle, a few Assassins (including Maria and Malik) joining him.

The men holding me ripped my hood off of my face, revealing my eyes to the full glare of the sun. I squinted in hopes to aid my eyes.

"Release her!" Altair yelled, pointing his sword at the Templar leading the army. "Release her, or I will ensure that your death will not come swiftly, Templar!"

One of the men holding me ripped the arrow out of me. I yelled in pain. I knew enough about the human body, but I didn't need all of my lessons to tell me that where the arrow hit was a soft spot.

"Come and get her, Altair!" the Templar chided. "You will not make it a single step before my archers kill you!"

Maria was clenching her fists. "You think that holding a hostage will force us to surrender? Ha! How stupid you Templars have become!"

That is Maria, bluffing. I could tell how worried she was.

"And you!" Malik yelled, pointing to the man holding me at my left—the one who tore the arrow out of me. "How did you escape?"

"I had some help," he replied. I recognized him now; it was A'hd. "You Assassins have always been so sure of yourselves! You forget that the Templars are deceptive as well!"

"Father!" Ahdara screamed. "What are you doing?"

Malik grabbed onto Ahdara's arm to stop her from sprinting at the army of Templars. "Be careful! Are you not aware of what is happening around you?"

The head Templar smiled. "A'hd, so this is your lovely daughter? How fortunate that she sided with the Assassins! She helped us get right inside!"

Ahdara stopped struggling against Malik, her eyes, and mine, widening in bewilderment. "W-What?"

"Didn't you know? Your father used you to get captured, and took his opportunity to let us know to attack!" The Templar grinned. "Amazing, is it not? But talk is cheap; and so, A'hd, I want you to kill the little Assassin."

"With pleasure." A'hd drew his blade just as Ahdara broke free of Malik and came sprinting towards us.

"SUNA!"

"AHDARA! NO!" I jumped into action and elbowed the Templar to my right in the nose. With A'hd holding onto me with only one hand, I easily got out of his grasp.

I saw the lead Templar close his fist; a sign for the archers to fire. I leaped forward, because I hoped that if I was going to die, at least it would be so someone else would live.

I knocked Ahdara over just as the arrows started to fly. The embedded themselves in my back, and I fell to the ground, lying on my stomach. God, how it hurt. How much more pain would I need to be in until I died?

"Finish her," the lead Templar ordered. "A'hd, go now. As for your daughter… take her prisoner. She likes the Assassins so much? We shall treat her as one."

My hand brushed Ahdara's. Her eyes were so scared, so I did my best to not look afraid, even though I was trembling.

"One more step, A'hd, and I will throw you from a cliff!" Altair yelled. "Do not think that just because you have an army behind you means that you are invincible! I will kill you!"

A'hd's foot violently slammed into my back. I cringed, but I was grateful that he missed the arrows. "Look, Altair; how does it feel to be helpless?"

Ahdara grabbed my hand, knowing she couldn't stop her father. "It's okay," I mouthed to her. "Everything will be—."

A'hd stabbed my heart through my back. His sword stuck itself into the ground through my body, and my eyes closed.

1511

"So, this is Messer Polo's old trading post?" I asked Ezio.

He nodded. "Si. Didn't you know?"

"I was in Kostantiniyye once, Ezio. And it wasn't even in this district." I gestured to the door. "None of that 'ladies first' merda this time."

Ezio smiled and knocked on the door, waiting for a reply.

"Come in!" a woman's voice exclaimed.

I shot Ezio a "look", one he ignored. He opened the door and entered, me following behind, but as soon as we got inside I was distracted by the many books on the shelves to my left. I started to browse, totally unaware that Ezio had continued further into the store. When I finally noticed, I slammed the book I'd picked out closed and put it back on the shelf, then continued into the old trading post.

I saw a woman looking inside of a hole in the wall, but I couldn't see Ezio. "Where is the man who was in here?" I asked her.

She jumped, obviously because she hadn't heard me approach. "Mio dio! You startled me!"

"I noticed." I smiled a bit. "Where is the man who was in this shop?"

"He found that passageway and went inside," she explained, pointing at the hole. "I did not know someone was with him."

I sighed. "He'll be back soon. Let's go wait in the main room, si?"

She nodded in agreement, and so we walked together back to the main room. She sat at her desk and picked up a quill, probably ready to do some work.

"What is your name?" she asked.

I inclined my head slightly. "Sofia d'Alviano. That idiota who went inside that hole is my friend Ezio Auditore."

She smiled. "We are both Sofias! I am Sofia Sartor, and I run this bookshop."

"Piacere Sofia," I replied. "I admit, it feels a bit like I am talking to myself."

Sofia laughed a bit. "Well, unless you have a heavy interest in books, I do not think you will have much of a problem."

"Peccato. I love books."

"What is your favourite?"

I laughed. "I do not have one! I love them all equally!"

"As do I." Sofia held out her hand, which I took and tried to shake gently. "I think this is a good start to a friendship, no?"

I nodded. "Si, it is."