Chapter 5
(February 17th, 1459. Warners' House. Nicolas and Gabrielle's bedroom. Morning)
(Zack: Age 5. Sam: Age 3. Gabby: Age 1)
*Zack wakes up and yawns, then looks at Sam and Gabby sleeping at each of his sides. He goes back to sleep. Spazzo then enters the bedroom*
Spazzo: Buon giorno, kids. Come on, get up. It's time for breakfast.
Sam: *Wakes and yawns* Sure. Okay.
*Spazzo looks at Sam concerningly. Sam looks back at him with a confused look*
Sam: What?
Spazzo: Nothing.
*The Warners throw off the blankets and climb out of their parents' bed. Time passes to after breakfast*
Zack: Spazzo, why are you putting Gabby's scarf on her?
Spazzo: We're going out. Get your robe on, Zack.
Zack: I really don't feel like going out.
Spazzo: It will be worth it, trust me.
Zack: Um… Okay.
*Zack runs upstairs into his bedroom*
Spazzo: How do you feel, Sam?
Sam: With my hands.
Spazzo: I see. Don't feel like sharing. I understand.
*Zack runs back downstairs in his Assassin robe*
Zack: Where are we going, Spazzo?
Spazzo: You'll see.
*Spazzo and the siblings exit the house through the front door. Zack is carrying Gabby. Spazzo takes the lead, and they follow*
Spazzo: I haven't heard a morning jingle yet. Normally you two boys start the day with a song. *Waits for Zack and Sam to give a response but they remain silent. Spazzo sighs* Forget I asked that.
*Spazzo leads the Warners to the execution grounds. Zack and Sam both sigh when they arrive*
Spazzo: I'm sorry, boys. We're actually going past here.
Sam: I'm cold.
*Sam exhales and looks at his own breath while shivering*
Zack: I don't understand how you can be cold with that turtleneck on.
Sam: I'm not wearing any pants!
Zack: Spazzo, hold her. *Gives Gabby to Spazzo then takes off his Assassin robe and puts it on Sam* Here.
Sam: Grazie, Fratello! (Thanks, Brother!)
*Spazzo leads the Warner Siblings into a cemetery and stops at two tombstones*
Spazzo: We're here.
Sam: What's this?
Zack: Tombstones… With our parents' names on them.
Spazzo: Mhm.
Zack: I thought-
Spazzo: Last night, I got the rest of the brotherhood to give them a proper burial. Zack, whenever you or your siblings want, you can come visit them.
Zack: Thanks.
*Spazzo and the Warner Siblings all stand in front of the tombstones silently for a while. Many minutes pass by before they speak again*
Sam: *Shivers* How long do we have to stay here?
Spazzo: I think we've paid enough respect to them. Besides, it's cold… But I don't think Zack is ready to leave yet. *Looks at Zack with a concerned look* Zack, we're heading home. Come back to the house when you feel like it. *Spazzo starts to walk out of the cemetery, but Gabby reaches her arms out to Zack* Oh alright. *Turns to Zack* Zacharias.
Zack: Yeah?
Spazzo: *Hands Gabby to Zack* Sam and I will be at the house. You two may return any time you like.
Sam: Wait, I wanna stay a little longer.
Spazzo: I guess I'm staying then. I'll be waiting by the entrance.
*Spazzo exits the cemetery and waits at the entrance. Zack looks back at Spazzo then turns his head to Sam*
Zack: Let's go home, Sibs.
Sam: I'm with you, Fratello.
Zack: Requiescat en pace, Padre. Requiescat en pace, Madre. (Rest in peace, Father. Rest in peace, Mother)
*The Warner Siblings follow Spazzo home*
*Time passes to sunset at the Warners' House. The siblings are in the living room. Zack is sitting on the couch and Gabby is sitting on his lap. Sam is standing around*
Sam: Fratello?
Zack: Yeah?
Sam: Can I sit in your lap too?
Zack: Maybe later. There's something I have to do with her first.
Sam: Are you going to take care of her now? I mean, since-
Zack: I have to.
Sam: Can I help?
Zack: Do you really want to help?
Sam: She's my sister too.
Zack: *Smiles* That'd be nice. How about I teach you how to change her?
Sam: Um… Can I please do something else?
Zack: Heh heh. Okay, get the bottle of milk off the kitchen table.
*Sam grabs the formula bottle off the kitchen table and gives it to Zack. Zack then starts feeding Gabby the milk*
Zack: This is how it's going to have to be, Sam. Just us looking out for each other.
Sam: I'm still sad.
Zack: I am too. I want to make a promise to you and to Gabby. I thought about it a lot. Will you hear me out?
Sam: No reason not to.
Zack: I promise to take care of you and Gabby. I promise to protect both of you with my life. I promise I'll always be here for you if you ever need anything. And most of all, I promise to avenge our mother and father… And kill Vixenita!
Sam: You think you could do it?
Zack: Of course I can.
*Zack smiles*
Sam: I like that smile. Please don't ever lose it.
Zack: If it's what you want, then I promise I won't lose this smile.
*Sam smiles and Zack smiles back*
(February 27th, 1459. Centertown. Sunset)
*Zack is wearing his Assassin robes with his hood up and is being ridiculed by a passing group of kids*
Kid #1: Why must you wear a hood?
Kids #2, #3, and #4: Yeah!
Kid #1: Are you so insecure? Did your parents not love you enough? Don't think that I don't remember what you look like just because you wear a hood now. Did your parents reject you because of how you look? You're going to have to get used to that! Nobody cares about your kind! You were created in the devil's image!
*Zack walks up to the bully without a word. The kid continues to run his mouth*
Kid #1: Silence is just another way of showing your insecurity. My mama told me so. *Zack grabs the bully by the neck and starts to choke him viciously* Agh!
Kid #2: Run! Run!
Kid #3: Run away!
*The remaining kids sprint away from the scene for their lives*
Kid #1: Agh! Let… go… of… me!
*Zack tosses the bully onto the ground then starts kicking him in critical areas*
Kid #1: Stop! You'll pay for this! My papa is a city guard!
Zack: Ask if I care.
*A guard appears from around the corner and intervenes*
Guard: Hey! Leave him alone, you white-hooded freak!
Zack: *Stops kicking the child and looks toward the guard* Viene a me! (Come at me!)
Guard: I don't care how old you are, I'm beating you into the ground!
Spazzo: *Shouts from a distance* Stop! *Everyone stares at Spazzo as he walks toward the fight scene*
Zack: What are you doing here!
Spazzo: *Stands in front of Zack while facing the guard* Please forgive him, he's going through a lot.
Guard: Spazzo?
*Spazzo privatizes himself with the guard*
Spazzo: How've you been keeping, Flavio?
Flavio: I was just about to pound that little idiot into the ground. Did you see what he did to my son?
Spazzo: I'm sorry. He hasn't been well at all since Vixenita's last execution.
Flavio: Is he one of the- I'm so sorry… I guess my son WAS instigating too much-
Spazzo: It's alright. Let's just forget this ever happened. Take care, Flavio.
Flavio: Yes… You too, Spazzo.
*Spazzo starts walking away then directs his voice to Zack*
Spazzo: Come, Zacharias.
*Zack follows Spazzo almost without will*
Flavio: Hm…
Zack: Why'd you do that? *Waits for a response but Spazzo gives none* Something tells me I'm in trouble.
*Scene transitions to the Warners' House*
Michael: *Takes a swig of vodka* Okay, Sam. Let's try this again.
Sam: Fine.
*Spazzo and Zack enter the house through the front door*
Spazzo: Zack, go to your room.
Zack: No!
Spazzo: *Sighs* Zack, I know what you're going through but you don't need to act like this.
Zack: Act like what! Nothing is bothering me! That kid had it coming! I could've taken that guard too!
Spazzo: Zack, calm down. How about you have something to eat?
Zack: I want my father back!
*Spazzo gives no response and stares at Zack with no expression. Zack walks upstairs to his bedroom in a fury*
Michael: That's rough.
Spazzo: You're the doctor here; you should be helping him out. I'm no good at this. *Michael lowers his head. Spazzo starts to head upstairs but hesitates then walks back down and sighs* I'm sorry, Michael. I shouldn't have said that. You're doing your best, I know.
Michael: A child's mind is delicate, Spazzo. Don't despair if it does not mend as quickly as we'd like it to. Situations like this require a lot of care. *Sighs* God, I need a drink.
Spazzo: Another one?
Michael: This is difficult.
Spazzo: I'm sorry.
Michael: It's okay. I want to help them no matter what the cost. I care for Nicolas's children as much as my own- well, if I had any that is…
Spazzo: You're a good man, Michael.
*Spazzo walks upstairs to the Warner Siblings' bedroom. Zack is sitting in his bunk. Spazzo calls his name, but he gives no response*
Spazzo: I'm really sorry.
Zack: I'm sorry for saying that.
Spazzo: It's okay. It's not your fault. If you want anything, don't hesitate to ask.
*Sam enters the bedroom*
Sam: Big Brother?
Zack: Hey, Sam.
Sam: *Walks over to Zack and sits next to him in his bunk* You need some cheering up?
Spazzo: I'll go make dinner. *Exits the bedroom*
Sam: I know what'll cheer you up.
Zack: What?
Sam: This.
*Sam takes out a giant cartoon mallet and hits Zack over the head with it. Zack shakes his head and stares at Sam. Sam smiles at Zack. Zack smiles back then laughs and pets Sam on his head.
Zack: Oh you! *Laughs* Thanks! I needed that!
*Zack hugs Sam. Sam hugs back*
(March 29th, 1459. Warners' House. Spazzo's Office)
(Zack: Age 6. Sam: Age 3. Gabby: Age 1)
*Spazzo has just finished turning Nicolas's study into his own office. Zack enters the office*
Zack: What did you want to see me for?
Spazzo: What do you think of my new office?
Zack: It looks nice.
Spazzo: The tone of your voice tells me you don't care either way. *Chuckles*
Zack: I guess.
Spazzo: Zack. Do you still want to be an Assassin?
Zack: Yeah, I still want to become an Assassin.
Spazzo: Become? *Laughs* You already are an Assassin, boy. Your father was an Assassin, so that means you've been one since birth.
Zack: Neat! …But why did he leave?
Spazzo: He retired from the order after you were born. Being an Assassin requires a lot of work, and he wanted you to live a simple life, and I guess secrecy was his way to keep you occupied with other things. Such a shame too; he was very skilled. Perhaps you have retained some of his skills. Like I said, being an Assassin requires a lot of work and I don't want to force you into anything. Are you sure you still want to be an Assassin?
Zack: Of course.
Spazzo: *Sighs* It's rare for a boy your age to be learning about our order. You just turned six today, haven't you?
Zack: I'm alright with learning right now. I can take whatever you can throw at me.
Spazzo: Heh! That's the spirit! I want you to see something. *Takes out a scroll from a drawer*
Zack What is that?
Spazzo: Your father gave it to me when he left the order. It's a page of a codex. It was written by an Assassin like us during the Third Crusade.
Zack: Can I see it?
Spazzo: Heh heh. I don't think you'd understand it, but okay. *Opens the codex page for Zack and shows it to him*
Zack: It looks like some kind of map.
Spazzo: Interesting.
Zack: What?
Spazzo: Come over here. *Leads Zack to a bookshelf* I want you to pick out the book that sticks out to you.
Zack: But they're all pushed in.
Spazzo: *Places his hand on his forehead and sighs* I know that! I mean which one do you find most peculiar?
Zack: Hm…
Spazzo: Just pick one. There's no penalty.
*Zack looks at the bookshelf then pulls at a book. The book turns out to be a switch that reveals a safe in the bookshelf*
Spazzo: Whoa!
Zack: What?
Spazzo: This is a unique talent you have. Your father had it too. We call it "Eagle Vision."
Zack: Eagle Vision?
Spazzo: Only a few of us Assassins have it. It's a sixth sense that can guide you past illusions.
Zack: Do you have it?
Spazzo: Not quite. But you do, and that's how you can see the map on the codex page. And it's up to us Assassins to complete this map.
Zack: There are more pages?
Spazzo: Precisely. *Takes another codex page out of a drawer* In fact, I have another one, however…
Zack: However?
Spazzo: The contents on these codex pages are encrypted. Your father decoded one of these, but this one's mysteries remain hidden, and I don't know how to decrypt it.
Zack: Let me help with all of this.
Spazzo: Heh heh heh. Va bene. (Alright) But first, I must train and teach you the ways of our order. You don't have to worry about that today, you can relax. It is your birthday after all.
Zack: Then I'll go play with Sam.
Spazzo: Have fun, and felice cumpleanno. (Happy birthday)
Zack: Grazie.
*Zack exits the office and enters the living room. Sam runs up to him*
Sam: What did Spazzo want to talk about?
Zack: He asked if I still wanted to be an Assassin and then showed me some stuff.
Sam: Faboo! C'mon, let's eat! We still haven't had birthday cake!
Zack: Right. Let's go eat!
Sam: Come here first!
Zack: Alright.
*Sam leads Zack to Gabby sitting on the couch*
Sam: Sis, what do you say to Big Brother?
Gabby: Happy birfday!
Zack: Aw… Thank you!
Gabby: Cake!
Zack: Okay, we'll have cake, Sorella! *Picks up Gabby and brings her to the dining table then sits her in a high chair*
Sam: Cake! Cake! Cake!
Zack: Calm down! I'm getting to it!
Sam: But I'm hungry!
Zack: When are you never hungry!
Sam: Good question. *Smiles*