I am so sorry. A thousand pardons. I have no excuses why I am late. Well besides my husband not wanting to give me the computer. He is a Facebook junky. Again, another switch up. This is in Ezio's eyes. I may change it around sometimes, but the next one is back to Alanna. I really like Altair in this one. He really is an ass. Yes, a few swear words are in here, but not too bad. Love it, like it, leave a review and I will love you. Oh anyone excided for November? Revelations comes out!

I watched the cars race up the street from my vantage point in the Chrysler Building. I had watched the glass and steel structure be raised in 1928. It was a marvel at its time. The eagles on the corners made excellent view points of Manhattan. I watched Manhattan go from a small island community to the urban metropolis it is now. It was the new meeting place for myself and Altair. In the 300+ years since Alanna left, we had not been able to find her. I had the feeling she knew where we were, but I did not know for sure.

My cell phone went off in my pocket. Pulling it out, I looked at the name. Altair. I opened it. "What can I help you with today?"

'You are an ass, Ezio, you know that.'

Same old Altair. He was grumpy and needed someone to yell at. I laughed. "Having a bad day?"

'No, just frustrating. Too many people in this damn town. Lost my target twice, then he pulled a damn gun on me. A gun? Really? He shot me, in the arm of all places. Idiot.'

"You know if you used one as well it would make your job a whole lot easier, mio amico. I know you can. I saw you in the war." I hung a leg over the steel eagle. It felt wonderful to sit high among the people of New York. I slipped into Italian out of habit. My accent was nearly gone as was Altair's. We had been here in America for so long.

'Not personal enough. Anyway, any word on our old target?'

He was talking about Alanna. He wanted to find her more than anything. They had been together for so long and she was the last thing he had of home. I believe it is more than that, but he would not admit it. I switched the small phone over to the other ear. "No, none. No one has seen her, or if they have, they will not say. I am sorry."

'Yeah well, she will turn up. I need to get off here. I am about to head to the airport. Still getting me in the morning?'

"Yeah, yeah, I will be there. You are getting demanding in your old age." I couldn't help but poke fun at the Arab. I knew I would pay for it tomorrow, but it was worth it.

'Keep it up and I will push you off the side of the tallest building and laugh as you crash into the concrete. I know you will live, but you will be in pain for awhile.'

I knew he would do it, so I did not push him any farther. "I will be there. I have to go; I have business I need to take care of."

The line went dead with not a goodbye. He was an ass, and the sad thing is he knew it. That was why he had become a bounty hunter. I, on the other hand, ran one of the best detective firms in Manhattan. It was a front for the assassins here. They knew nothing of who I truly was, but it was how it was to be.

Sighing, I climbed back onto the observation deck and leaned on the railing. I thought back on my life, and how things had changed. I was so lost in thought that I did not hear anyone come outside.

"It's been far too long, Ezio Auditore."

I knew that voice. It had been over three hundred years since I had heard it last. I turned and saw her. Alanna stood there, gray eyes smiling. Her hair was shoulder length, and darker. Nearly as dark as my own. I could not find my voice.

"I am really here. Heard you have been looking for me. Thought I would finally come pay a visit." She smiled at me.

"How in the world did you find me up here? I tell no one where I come." I could not believe she was here. Speak the Devil's name and she shall appear, I guess.

Laughing, she walked over and hugged me. "It is good to see you, and even after all this time, you are still predictable. Find the highest place that you could still see and you would be there."

I wrapped my arms around her small frame. "I am glad you have come back. Altair will be here in the morning."

She stiffened in my embrace. I did not know what had happened between them that night, but I suspected it was something they would never talk about in front of me. I let her go, and smiled back at her. "You must come have dinner with me. My treat. To make up for not listening to you all those years ago."

She nodded. "Alright, I can do that. I need to talk to you anyway. I have a job that I need help with."

I led her out to my waiting car. I knew of a small diner on the other side of town that was good, and the drive would give us time to catch up. I turned onto 42nd and headed with the taxis and small compacts. "So tell me Alanna, where have you been?"

She looked straight ahead, watching the people and other cars. "Here, there, everywhere. I have not sat still for very long, especially since I found myself mixed up in a company called Abstergo. Have you heard of them?"

I nodded. I knew of them. They were said to be a front for the Templars. I had always wondered if that was the truth. "Yes, I believe I heard of their dealings with the Templars."

"Ezio, they are the Templars. I was part of an extraction team. I was to go in, get a few people and get out. We were shut done before we made it into the building. Hell, we were not even in the parking lot. The Guild now has a new mission for me. Two of the people I was sent to extract are out, but they need help. They were heading toward Italy. I came here tonight to see of you would help me. See if there was any way you would pick the blade back up one more time and stop these idiots from getting that Apple. They know something about it." I could feel her eyes on me.

I watched the road. It was crowded in the direction we were heading. The 11th year anniversary of 9/11 was fast approaching and people came to see Ground Zero, before the ground breaking ceremony the day after the anniversary. From what I had heard through the grapevine was Abstergo was funding the rebuild. "I need more in information in the matter. I will not fly into this blind. Where in Italy are they heading?"

"Monterigionni."

The one word sent ice water through my veins. I had not gone back there in many, many years. There was no need to. "Why are they heading there? The place is a mess. I had heard that the government had taken over and was restoring it as one of the local tourist attractions."

"I do not know. I will tell you everything I know. Which is not much, but it is a start. I am to go and help them, but I do not want to help them get the apple. I want to stop them from getting it. They should not be messing with the cursed thing. If no one has found it in this long, why go bring it out into the light now. That is what the Templars want." I could hear the anger in her voice. She did not want anyone to have the Piece of Eden. She wanted no one to suffer the same fate as I, she or Altair had. I understood her anger well.

"I will help you, but make me a promise. No business talks over dinner. I just want this to be a catching up of old friends. Nothing more about Templars, anger, and your strange hatred for Altair." I pulled up to the diner. It was a small place in a decent neighborhood. I used it frequently when meeting with clients.

"Agreed. Business now a day gets in the way of the small joys in life. Now, let's go inside and eat. I am a little hungry." She smiled and opened the door.

I followed in suite. We walked into the diner. Gino looked up from his grill. "Ezio! My friend! How are you?"

I smiled at the robust man. He was an Italian immigrant from Venice. "I'm good. How have you been? How is business?"

He walked over and embraced me. I patted his back. "Good, good. Been quite busy since all the tourists have come back." He let me go and looked at Alanna. "Ciao, la mia. Come stai?"

"Io buono, Gino." She answered him in Italian.

"Ah, the pretty lady knows Italian. Where have you been all my life?" I rolled my eyes at him. He was always hitting on the women.

Alanna took it in stride. "Here, there. You couldn't handle me, Gino, believe me." She smiled at the man he called friend.

The cook laughed. "Oh I like her. Where have you been hiding her?" He clasped my shoulder.

I tried not to wince. The man had hands like an ape. "Gino Salvatore, meet my longtime friend, Alanna Dowd."

"A pleasure Gino. I like you and I cannot say that about a lot of people Ezio hangs out with." She pushed her short hair behind her ear.

"Well that's good to hear. Now grab a table. Coffee?" Gino ushered us over to the nearest table.

"That's good. Same for you, Alanna?" I sat down and she sat across from me.

She just nodded and picked up the menu. Gino walked off, and I looked at her. She looked up from the menu. "What?"

"So, where have you been hiding?" I had to know. Both Altair and I had been from coast to coast trying to find her.

She sighed and sat the menu aside. "You should know above everyone else that when we do not want to be found, you cannot find us."

That was true. I could do that in Italy, but here it was a little trickier. "So are you going to tell me or not?"

She smirked. "I have been in Canada for a few years. California, Texas, New Orleans. I loved that town. Lots of personality. Let's see, Vegas is fun as well. Many things to get into there. I currently have a home in Montana. A large piece of land that I can lose myself on."

The waitress brought our coffee and took our order. As soon as she was done, she left. "I guess you know about me, if you are back in the guild."

She nodded. "You run a detective firm here in the Big Apple. You go by Eric Ezio Michaels now. Nice cover on the name by the way. What does Altair go by these days? There is hardly any info on him."

"Allen Turner. Don't ask, I have no clue why he chose that, but it is as plain as you get. I have to watch myself because I have almost called him by Altair in public and in front of a few Guild members." I sipped the strong black liquid in front of me.

Alanna chuckled. "I was not widely known. I didn't think it would hurt to go by my given name for a while. I did go by Elena, Melissa, Ann, and a few more. I lost count too many years ago."

We talked about our travels, and what had been going on. We sat there and caught up on old times. It was good to see her again. I wanted to get to know her better before she had left. I was treading on dangerous ground when it came to Altair, but I asked anyway. "Do you want to ride with me to LaGuardia to pick up Altair from the airport? I am tired of doing it alone. I figured it would give you time to tell me about your new assignment."

She thought about it for a moment. "Fine, just as long as I do not have to him on the plane. I need him as well. This is going to be harder than I once thought. Besides, I think as many years are between us, I think I can talk to him for a few." She gave a crooked smile.

"Alright, we will leave for the airport in a little bit. I have to get him at 6:30 am. He is only flying in from Georgia. Atlanta I believe." I gave a small internal sigh of relief. "Let me know when you are ready."

"To meet up with him again, never."