Waking up with a massive headache, a sore body, and what feels like you have slept on the ground all night would put anyone on edge. But when you wake up in a white room with nothing but a bed, you really know you are about to have a really bad day. Well, that is where I am at now. I passed out in the underground temple of the goddess Juno, and now wake up in this room. I have not the slightest idea of where I am, or what happened to anyone else.

Standing, I notice that my clothes are different. Gone were my comfortable black soft soled boots, my knives, blades, and gun. I wore white pants and tee shirt. I hated white. I had worn it for too many years when I was first inducted into the Order. I mainly wore black these days.

As I looked around the room for signs of anything I could use as a weapon or any clue where I was, a door opened and three men walked in. "Ms. Dowd, come with us."

"No." I glared at them. I was not going anywhere with them until I knew some things. Namely, where I was. "Where the hell am I?"

"Assassin Headquarters in Europe. Now come with us. The Grand Master wants to talk to you." The big one on the right was the one talking to me.

"Whatever." I followed them out and down the hall. They brought me to a room full of maps and books. A man with salt and pepper hair looked up from his desk and smiled at me.

"Ah, you must be Alanna. I have heard good things about you." He stood and crossed the room. "A pleasure to meet you." He held out his hand, but I just stared at it.

"I am not here for pleasantries. What the hell is going on?" I crossed my arms over my chest. I was in no mood to play games. I wanted answers. "Where is everyone else?"

He smiled larger and walked back to his desk. "Direct and to the point. I like that. Something I would expect from a disciple of Altair."

His words caught me off guard. What in the world was going on? "What are you going on about?" I was shaken up. No one knew the truth in the Order, except for Ezio, and I could not see him talking.

He chuckled and picked up a disk. "You should not tell people your story if you do not want others to find out. Mr. Miles was placed back in the Animus after the incident in the Temple. His memories of the days following the incident were watched. We know about you, Altair Ibn La 'Ahad, and Ezio Auditore. We know about what the Apple has done to you. What I want to know is how?"

I looked him in the eye. "I don't know what you are talking about." I was hoping he believed my bluff. I had not gone all these years in secrecy, just to have a damned machine spill my life story.

"Oh Alanna, you are not a great liar. Your comrades have told me the same thing you just said. Maybe I should bring them in here with you. Would that make you more comfortable? For you to know they are okay?" He sat in his chair, and touched a button on his desk. "Please have Turner and Michaels brought in again."

I glanced at the room. Maps and books filled the room. It was similar to Altair's study back at Masyaf. "Why were we brought here? What happened to the others?"

"They are fine. Ms. Stillman is recovering well; Mr. Hastings is assisting us with Desmond, as well as Ms. Crane. It was them that signaled us to get you guys." He looked at his computer. "Before you ask, the Piece of Eden is safely locked away. No one has touched it except Desmond. He would not release it. You and your companions would not wake up until we could get it from him. Tell me, will he be like you?"

"I told you already, I don't know what you are talking about. I was sent to protect their team from Abstergo. I brought Turner and Michaels because they are my friends and I can trust them." I really did not like this guy.

Before he could make another comment, the doors opened once more. They marched Altair and Ezio in, wearing handcuffs. "You may take them off of them. They will not cause any more harm to anyone. Correct gentlemen?"

"Sure, whatever you say." Altair held out his hands and the guard took the cuffs off him and Ezio.

"You may leave again." The older man looked at us. After the guards left, he smiled at me. "Now that they are here, would you like to talk now?"

I rolled my eyes. "There is nothing to say."

"Oh come now. You know I speak the truth. I have the proof right here." He held the disk up once more.

"You are going to believe the memories of someone that has been in that damned machine and as seen the lives of his ancestors? That's insane." Ezio spoke up. He stood to my right, while Altair was on my left.

As much as I hated my old master right now, it was nice to have them there. I was glad they stood at my side. I would not back down. I would keep up the game.

The new Grand Master just shook his head. "You would be better off just telling the truth. I would make it easier on you and you would get your weapons back. It is that simple."

"Uh huh and when we tell you what you think you want to know, you would treat us like lab rats. We have told you want you will know and that is final. As for our weapons, we can take them back at any time. Make no mistake about that." Altair smirked at the man. Now I was remembering what drew me to him. "Your three men that are in the infirmary can attest to that."

The man just smiled. "You are trained more than my men. Far too many years you have had to hone your skills. I believe you could take this place apart, but do you fair against bullets?"

"I do fairly well at getting around them." The cockiness in his voice was back.

"I really wish you would just drop it. We are not what you think we are. We are not who you want us to be. We are just assassins like you. The people that you are thinking of died many years ago. Now, can we leave?" Ezio stepped forward and laid a hand on the man's desk. They stared each other down.

"No. You will be my guests until the truth can be revealed." He pressed the button for his guards. They walked in. "Please take them back to their rooms."

I knew we would do better together than apart. We would not be able to get out if we were divided. "Wait! I will reveal one thing if you promise to keep us together."

"Ah a bargain. Very well, Alanna, you have my attention." He raised his hand to the men behind us.

I looked from the men at my side to the man in front of me. "You want the truth, correct?" He nodded. "I want my things and my friends. You release our things and keep us together, oh and let me see the Apple. I want to make sure it is safe. You do this and I will give you what you want."

He stroked his chin in thought. The offer I just threw out onto the table was what he wanted, but I would not give him the truth. I would not let him know what happened. Hell, you can't tell what you do not know. "Very well, you will have your request. Chose the first thing you want."

"My friends. We stay together." I stood straight and tall, but standing between Ezio, who was 6'1" and Altair, who was 6', I was rather short at only 5'7".

"Done. Now, tell me what I want to know."

"My name is Alanna Dowd, and I was trained by Altair, like you said, but Turner is not him. I am the only one that is immortal." I knew if they had Ezio and Altair it couls spell trouble. I was just some poor smuck that was at the wrong place at the wrong time. "I don't know what happened that day. I was knocked out, then woke up like I am now. Nothing more to tell. Now that you know. I want it all."

"See, now that wasn't so hard." He looked to his guards. "Take them to the men's room. All of them. Make sure they get fed." He turned back to me. "I will allow you to have your weapons back when you tell me more." He turned his back to us, dismissing us. I turned and followed the guards out.

As soon as they got us back to the room and locked us in, I slid down the wall, resting my head on my knees. "This is it. Most likely in the morning they will let you go, but I will not be able to leave. I want you to get the others out of here. Don't worry about me."

Ezio knelt in front of me. He placed his hand under my chin and lifted it so our eyes would meet. "We will not leave without you. We are a family, no matter how dysfunctional we are."

I gave him a weak smile. "Thanks Ezio, I needed to hear something like that."

He stood and offered me his hand. I took it and was pulled up off the ground. "Now, how are we going to get out of this mess?"

Altair moved from his place in the corner. "Someone small and light needs to get in the vents, or unless one of you know how to bypass the electrical lock." He watched me with those eagle eyes.

Ezio raised his hands in the air. "Don't look at me. I am a detective, not a computer nerd."

I sighed. "I know a little about locks. I am in the security field." I walked over and looked at the key pad. Something was off about it. "Guys, I really don't think we are with the Assassins."

They both looked at me. "Why do you say that?" Ezio asked as he walked over to where I stood.

"I have been on the inside of Abstergo. I have seen their security. This is extremely similar. I don't know why I didn't see this in my room. Well, that may be because I was in my room for 10 minutes after I woke. I didn't explore the whole thing." I looked from the keypad, back to the guys. "We really need to get out of here now."

"I agree. We will not leave you to the Templars." Altair touched my shoulder. "We also have to get the others. As much as I dislike the red head and Desmond."

I rolled my eyes. "I know why you hate Desmond, but believe me when I say there is nothing between us. Never will be, and I am still pissed at you." I glared at him, and he rolled his eyes at me.

"I guess I deserve that. Now, we have to think of a plan."

I looked at the keypad once again. "Cover your ears." I kicked the panel hard enough to smash it. The sirens began to wail. The three of us covered our ears and waited for the guards to show up.

Bum bum bah! They are not with the Assassins, but with Abstergo! Oh shit what a twist! Ha ha! Bet you didn't see that one coming. Now the question is how in the world did they find them? That will come into play next. And someone for Ezio? Can it be? Yes, yes it can. See you in Chapter 12.