Chapter 5

"Ezio? Ezio are you listening?"

"Si? Errr, yes, I am sorry Antonio, what was it you were saying?" Ezio cleared his throat in embarrassment. Antonio gave a confused look to his fellow members at the meeting.

"As I was saying..." Ezio was finding it hard to focus for some reason. Everywhere he looked, he imagined deep brown eyes gazing from under a hood... her brown eyes. The amber glow of the fire warming her soft features in the darkness. "Ezio?" Antonio repeated.

"Si, le mie scuse," he fumbled for words.

"I am truly sorry everyone, it seems Ser Ezio has his mind on other things this afternoon."

"No Antonio it's fine, please continue," Ezio waved on Antonio to proceed.

"Ezio may I speak with you in private?" An awkard silence fell apon the room as all eyes were on Ezio.

"Si..." he said sourly feeling as if he were being punished by his father for behaving poorly, it was almost degrading. Ezio stepped outside and wandered the courtyard as Antonio shut the door behind them.

"Ezio, where is your head at!" Antonio tried to keep his frustrations to a hushed tone. Ezio nearly found it comical to see such a small, lanky, man act with such anger. He scratched the back on his head in confusion, "I do not know Antonio. I'm usually not this...'distracted'. I am sorry..."

"Well figure out what is wrong, then and only then will we convene this meeting! Rosa, talk some sense into this man!" Antonio huffed back inside as the young thief Rosa took his place in the courtyard. She smiled a tilted attractive smile and folded her arms.

"I did not mean to upset him, will he be alright?"

She shrugged, "Antonio gets this way from time to time. Si passerà." Ezio absentmindedly looked into the direction of Leonardo's, had the guards found Alcina there? How was she holding up against Leonardo's incessant bantering? "Alright Ezio, what is her name?" this snapped him out of his uncontainable daydreaming.

"What? Who is who?"

Rosa raised an eyebrow, "Call it woman's intuition... I know what's happening in your head Ezio." She laughed at his distraught expression. "So, who is she?"

"I do not know what you are talking about," Ezio turned away in denial.

"Well whomever she is, she is certainly lucky to have stolen your attention." He said nothing as he strided away into the district.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Just a few more adjustments... and... there! Try it on!" Leonardo presented Alcina with a forearm mechanism similar to Ezio's.

"It's much lighter than it looks," she twisted her arms and looked over her new tool. With a flick of her wrist a brilliant blade clicked out of its sheath.

"Here! Try the darts," Leonardo loaded a few 4 inch cylindrical spikes into the top of the contraption. "I hollowed them out the same way I made Ezio's blade so that you can fill them with the poisons you introduced to me. With a little practice you can aim and take out your target from a great distance! I can have my assistant set up some practice dummies for you if you'd like!"

"You are very kind Leonardo but I think I will be able to manage. I can't thank you enough," she continued to survey the new weapon on her wrist. "Ezio was right, you truly are a genius."

"Grazie tante signora," Leonardo knodded. A knock on the door perked their attention as a tall hooded man entered the workshop. Alcina smiled in excitement to the sound of his footsteps.

"Sinor Da Vinci?" I have the bodies you requested. Her hopes fell as she realized it was not who she was expecting. What bothered her further was when she realized how much it had affected her in the first place. Falling for someone like Ezio Auditore was dangerous ground to tread... they were both vengeful assassins, their new existence only served their mission to hunt, and to kill. It was a dangerous life to live, strong feelings other than survival were usually not the wisest.

"Ahh excellant!" Leonardo clasped his hands together, "Just dump them out back with the others." Alcina turned in confusion. "The city gives them to me for my research," he clarified. It's funny, Ezio gave me the same look when I explained this exact story.

"Leonardo... I think I will practice your new device if that is still alright."

"Of course! Let me know if I need to adjust anything, though I'm positive it will work without falter." Alcina followed Leonardo's assistant to the courtyard lost in her disheartened thoughts.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Ezio silently walked the streets, passing a small band of guards interrogating a group of women. They had sunk to interrogating citizens, prying to see if they knew any information about the murder that happened the day before. They young ladies all shook their heads and anxiously continued on their way. The streets were still too risky to travel. One of the guards glared at Ezio and tapped on another soldier's shoulder and pointed in his direction. Ezio quickly darted into a group of shoppers walking by, disappearing into the soft drone of the crowd.

He arrived at Leonardo's workshop by late afternoon. He stood outside the door momentarily, and realized he was oddly nervous. This wasn't right, how can this woman be having such an affect on him? He remembered the first time they met, how he so trustingly clasped his hand around hers, how her words always erupted new waves of emotion in his heart. How she made him want to be better. He shook his head trying to rid himself of this nonsense, "focus on the task at hand, focus on your goal" he mentally commanded. He imagined her teasing tone "ragazzo stupido," and pictured her playful smirk. "Merda!" He pounded the door in frustration, "This is going to be harder than I thought...".

"Come in!" a muffled voice hollered from inside. Ezio took in a deep breath of composure and pushed opened the door.

"Ezio, welcome back! I hope your business was successful," Leonardo greeted in his usual cheerful demeanor.

"I wouldn't say successful, but it was certainly eventful. Where is Alcina?" He cursed himself in his mind for asking about her so immediately.

"She's outside practicing with the new mechanism I invented, well, we invented. She truly is a brilliant young lady! So many ideas, so much spirit!"

"Careful Leonardo, I'd hate to think you are falling for the same woman I am," Ezio laughed.

Leonardo suddenly seemed uncomfortable, "ha, I don't really think she's my type... but, I must show you these plans we made. Better yet, she's right outside those doors if you want to see for yourself."

"Leonardo, I do have a few questions..."

"Of course, what is it?"

"Do you know of two men, Commodoro Sergio Uso and Patriach Rodolfo Salvatore?"

"I know of them, are they... well, do you have business to see to with them?" Although Leonardo helped with assisting Ezio when he was needed, he didn't necessary like to mention or think of the actual act of the killing. He left that part to his assassin friend.

"Si, a courtesy for a friend," Ezio answered.

"Well, word is that the Commodoro is a bit of a drunkard and pays his way for affections, if you understand my meaning. As for the Patriach, he is a rather illusive character, right hand to Rodrigo Borgia himself. He will be a hard man to find."

"Do you at least know if they are in Venezia?"

"Comme perfecto! Why did I not think of this before! Carnevale soon approaches, all diplomatic officials will be in attendance! That will be the perfect time to strike! As for Commodoro Uso, I suggest asking the closest courtesan where to find him. I hear he's a regular customer," Leonardo cupped his hand next to his mouth as if whispering a secret, "with a face like his I can understand why!"

Ezio chuckled, "grazie amico. I cannot express how helpful your information is."

"Il mio piacere," Leonardo smiled as Ezio turned to exit to the courtyard, like Rosa, he too could see the spark in Ezio's new aura. This new young beauty was vexing Ezio, that much was clear.

Ezio took a step into the courtyard and rested against the closest wall and scrutinized a dummy propped up in the middle of the stoned square. It's pathetic burlap sack head drooped lazily to the side and it's figure slumped with dead weight. For a brief moment he thought he saw the dummy twitch as if attacked by some invisible prick. Cautiously approaching the lifeless sack he noticed three metal skewer-like darts protruding from where the victims neck would be. "Nicely done," Ezio spoke out loud. He heard the graceful sound of the assassin behind him jump and land from the overhanging rooftop. "Is this what you and Leonardo created while I was away?"

"Impressed?" her soft voice sounded confident. He turned to see her with one hand on her hip flaunting her new weapon.

Ezio smiled and outstretched a gloved hand, "may I?" She presented her wrist to him. He looked over the contraption with interest, "You two did well." He used his bare hand to inspect the new blade that revealed itself from her wrist. He remembered his fascination with his own weapon the day Leonardo manufactured it nearly 10 years ago. Had it really been that long? With just a clench of her hand she withdrew the knife back into hiding, Ezio however did not withdraw his hold on her hand. With his bare hand he touched her gloved palm and ran his fingers over each of hers one at a time. She stared up into his beautiful face, his eyes remaining on her hand. He went to take off her glove when she uncomfortably pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry..." she whispered turning to leave.

"Alcina wait..." Ezio pleaded, "Did I just beg her to stay?" he was beginning to stun himself. She stopped in the doorway waiting for him to continue. "I know how to find Uso."

She turned sharply and stared icily at her new equipment. "Tell me."

...

Translations:

- le mie scuse- my apologies

- si passerà- he'll get over it

- grazie tante- many thanks

- grazie amico- thank you friend

- comme perfecto- how perfect

- il mio piacere- my pleasure