"I said I was sorry!" Ezio yelled as Altair slammed him up against the wall in their room. Altair snarled bringing his hand back, fist coiled tight, to punch Ezio.
"Waking me up by throwing cold water on me is not something you do to someone older then you. Not to mention it's not very pleasant." Altair scoffed at Ezio, his face close to his to ensure the younger man got the message.
"Capito! Je suis désolé!" Ezio said trying to wiggle out of the man's grasp. Altair punched him once, quick and hard, cracking his nose. He let the younger man drop from his grasp onto the floor.
"Don't forget." Altair growled. Ezio put a hand over his bloody nose swearing in French at Altair. Ari watched from the doorway holding back a chuckle. She was fluent in fifteen languages including French and if Altair heard what Ezio was saying he would beat the man to next Tuesday. Ezio was cocky, but apparently not as cocky as Altair was. No, Ezio was cocky, Altair liked to bathe in arrogance on his free time. Ari reminded herself of the difference. Altair and Ezio were in a power struggle with each other, and Altair was winning as of now. Ari knew that Ezio would soar when Altair did something stupid because of said arrogance and put himself to shame even more. Ezio got to his feet and flexed his muscles; Altair turned staring the man down but Ezio stared back. The Head assassin pushed herself off the wall to defuse this before she had two dead new assassins. She calmly walked in and smacked both on the back of the head hard. Ezio recoiled trying to figure out what happened. It reminded Ari of a dog hit by a stick and it jumping back to plan its next move. Altair just about took her out, that didn't surprise her; she was one step ahead of him. He lunged out for her on pure instinct and she stepped back letting him over extend and he turned and grabbed her right hand hard. A flash of blinding pain came over Ari from the contact to that hand. She couldn't help herself as she screamed at the pain feeling new blood seep from the wounds on it.
"Oi! Que faites-vous!" Ezio wrenched Altair's grip off of Ari's wounded hand. He slammed his palm into the chest of stunned man and made him stumble back. He grabbed Ari's upper arm as she sucked in breaths to battle the pain.
"Vous êtes d'accord? I mean, are you okay?" Ezio asked concerned.
"Yes I'm fine." Ari replied slipping her arm out of his grip. She glared at Altair but his face remained emotionless. A part of her understood him, she had been like him, even was still like him on occasions, when it came to people. To being friendly. To keeping relationships. Ari had been a cruel heartless person, that's how she rose so quickly to power. But what had happened was that she recognized it when she got into power and changed herself. She toned down, started treating people differently.
"Ezio leave." Ari said quietly. Ezio looked from her to Altair,
"I don't think that's wise…" Ezio began.
"Now." She said forcefully. Ezio backed out of the room closing the door behind him with a skeptical look on his face. She and Altair stared at each other for a good couple minutes, none offering to break the silence. Altair was the first to speak,
"Let me look at your hand." He said matching her quiet tone of voice from earlier. She let him take it and undo the bandages to examine the bleeding hand. Ari tried flexing her fingers and couldn't make a fist, it had swollen back up.
"I…I shouldn't have grabbed your hand. I didn't remember." He said not looking her in the eyes. Ari was taken back, this man could stand up to 500 battle generals who had it in for him and be arrogant and prideful as ever and he had just came damn near an apology. She looked him in the eyes, smiling a bit,
"It's fine. No harm was done." Altair slid his hand up to her wrist, finding smooth skin. He expected her to be tough, calloused, and hard; but she was looking delicate. He for the first time had just taken in how small she was compared to him; her head didn't even reach his shoulder. Ari was looking up at him with a soft expression; she had just let all her defenses down to make him feel more comfortable. He coughed and dropped her hand.
"Ari!" She backed away from Altair dropping her gaze from his and opened the door. She felt his eyes on her as stepped out.
"Ryan what is it?" Ari asked. The man looked upset, and he was out of breath like he had run all the way up here.
"We found another one dead. Same MO." He said leaning one hand against the wall.
"Damn it!" Ari swore curling her good hand into a fist.
"It gets worse," Ryan grimaced, "Come on." Ari cast a glance over her shoulder at Altair with Ezio standing to the side of him.
"Grab your gear guys, you've got three minutes!" Ari said running after Ryan.
"Talk to me Ryan!" Ari said as she slammed to a stop hitting the button for the elevator to the lower level of the compound.
"It was Cal." Ryan said. Ari stopped pounding the button and looked at him.
"Cal?" Her breath became stuck in her throat. It was like her body had become numb, and everyone was moving in slow motion. Her mouth moved but nothing came out of it, she couldn't help the tears that threaten to spill over and down her face. Cal was a twelve year old trainee who had been top of his class. He was on track to be a Master Assassin if not making Head Assassin at some point. Ari had been personally training him. This was like a slap in the face, insult to injury; it had just become severely personal. "Where did they find him?" Ari got out pushing down all emotions that threatened to rise.
"Lower tunnels. It has to be someone on the inside, or they wouldn't know about those tunnels." Ryan muttered to her under his breath. He gripped her arm as they stepped out into the lower tunnels. Ari would have bolted if it wasn't for Ryan holding her in place. Poor Cal was strung up like the rest of the bodies had been. Hang man noose and carvings in his body. She stepped closer reading the words carved into Cal's back. I'm watching. Ari stood up a bit straighter and scanned the dark tunnels. The only sounds were Altair and Ezio entering. She held up a finger to silence them before they talked, blinking twice. It was like looking through a thermal camera, it was a gift she had only figured out a year or two before and still didn't know the depths of it. She swept her eyes over the three shimmering green bodies and then into the shadows. Ari locked eyes on a glowing red figure raising its arm at her.
"Hit the deck!" She screamed as the bullets from the machine gun cut through the air. Ezio dove over the top of her as Altair hit the ground with a groan. Ryan fell into the ground in a heap, and Ari yelled,
"Ezio, help Ryan!" As she jack-knifed to her feet, leaping forward keeping her eyes rooted on the red figure. It turned and ran, for the end of the tunnels. Ari sprinted after it, cursing at her sore leg, urging herself to move faster. She ripped her gun from its holster and fired hitting the man in the back. The figure fell to the ground and Ari approached cautiously. She nudged him with her boot and reached down to check for a pulse. A hand grabbed hers throwing her over his shoulder onto the ground in front of him. Ari landed hard on her back, knocking the air out of her. She flipped over and slammed the butt of her gun into his face knocking the man unconscious.
"Ari?" Altair said.
"Here" She grunted trying to massage the cramp out of her hurt leg. "Are you okay, are you hit?" She sat up, holstering her gun.
"I am fine. The bullet hit the vest and stopped." Altair said holding out his hand. She gladly took it and hauled herself to her feet.
"Ryan was hit in the leg, but it will heal." Altair continued, "What are you going to do with him?" Ari looked down at the man; she didn't recognize his face, Templar possibly? She touched her ear,
"I need men down in Tunnel Six. Bring prisoner restraints and Doc. I want double guards posted at every entrance/exit."
"Yes ma'am." came the reply from her com. Altair moved back towards Ryan and Ezio and left Ari to herself. She looked down at the man once more before turning her back on him to see how Ryan was. Altair glanced at her and his eyes widened.
"Ari! Behind you!" Altair was already lurching forward, hand going to his throwing knives. Ari spun around and heard the bang of a gun going off at almost point blank range. She touched her hand to her chest below her throat, and blinked at the feeling of blood seeping through her fingers. The man fell to the ground before her a knife in his own throat. Ari sank to her knees, everything spinning.
"I got you, hang on Ari." Altair said above her. She felt herself fall into strong arms and Altair put his hand over the bullet wound pressing down on it. Ari's breath caught in her throat and Altair's face swam before her, becoming hazy.
"Ari! You need to stay awake! ARI!" He yelled at her. Ari's pupils dilated, her vision going black. The last thing she heard was Ryan calling for help over the com and Altair's voice,
"Ari, hang on! Open your eyes damn it!"
Hey guys! Sorry this took me FOREVER to get another chapter. I could give you a bunch of excuses but you don't want to hear them (haha). Anyways, sorry it's kind of choppy and short. Don't worry Ari doesn't die . Hang in there! Next chapter is going to be tons better! Thanks! Review please! And if you have any ideas or anything hit me up!