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Chapter 62

Finding the man again was easy enough, especially with Ezio's special ability and their rooftop vantage point. The more difficult task was avoiding the guards on the roofs with them. Any loud noise from one of them would scare their target away. Even in the darkness of night, the density of the archers made them difficult to avoid.

In addition to this challenge, their target was moving quickly in the streets below, taking strange detours. Ezio and Rosa both knew this behavior well. The man was trying to avoid being followed, but was only taking precautionary measures. He certainly didn't suspect he was presently being tailed. If he did, he would have moved even more quickly.

He took them east through the San Marco district and eventually into the Arsenale district.

There he began to slow down, likely because he was running out of breath. As they approached the docks, Ezio made a leap of faith into a hay bale in the streets below. As he got out and hurried to better cover, Rosa lingered above him to make sure nobody had seen them.

They watched as the target approached a small building whose door was guarded by two men. They exchanged a few inaudible words before one of the guards opened the door for the man and closed it after him. All was silent until Rosa leapt down to join Ezio. Fortunately, she was quiet enough that only Ezio noticed.

"We're alone except for those two," she pointed.

"Were you able to see inside the building?"

She shook her head.

Ezio looked more closely at the two men blocking their path. The only light available to aid him came from a slowly dimming lamp that hung on the wall between them. They had relaxed once the first man was inside the building, and were presently returning to an earlier conversation. One of them was animated as he spoke.

"Maffeo isn't getting any information out of him," he complained. "If he doesn't prove himself useful soon, we'll have to find somewhere to dump his corpse."

"Patience," the other advised. "We still have plenty of time. Besides, he's not the only one who can help us. That workshop is full of assistants like him."

"It was difficult enough to find this one!" the first guard threw his arms up in the air. As he did, Ezio noticed a familiar insignia on his sleeve.

"Merda!" Ezio swore under his breath. "Templars. I should have known they were involved."

"The men your uncle was talking about? What do they want with Leonardo's assistant?"

"I can guess," Ezio growled as he moved forward. In one moment, two throwing knives were one the first guard's chest. In the next, a hidden blade was in the other's throat as he tried to draw a sword.

Ezio found the key to the door in one of their pockets as Rosa caught up to him. They checked again to make sure nobody had heard them before listening at the door.

"Nobody is coming for you," said a voice inside. "If you answer my questions, maybe you'll get to live. If not, I have no reason to keep you around."

Ezio unlocked the door and opened it carefully, but not carefully enough. Their target (who was presumably called Maffeo) turned immediately away from a bruised man chained to a chair in order to face the door. Other than that, however, the room was empty of people. With a sigh of relief, Ezio closed the door behind them so Maffeo couldn't escape.

"I told you, no interruptions," their target hissed. "What part of my simple instructions did you not understand, you incompetent-" His face went pale when he realized he wasn't speaking to his guards.