Didier dropped his fencing sword as Élise pointed hers below his chin. Victory, at long last.

"You've gotten better, Didier. Or at least you don't hold back anymore. That was an impressive fight."

"More so for me, Élise!" Didier said. "The Assassins sure knew how to train their people! I've never seen a woman or man fight quite like you!"

She knew seven-hundred years of passing down techniques was not for nothing.

"Élise," Martin called from the patio, gaining both their attention. "Denis and Timothee would like to see you. They're in the dining hall."

Again?

The fourth time she had been summoned in two weeks. This was a turbulent month. She was starting to get annoyed.

"D'accord. Thank you, monsieur," she said, though she did not really mean it.

Martin proceeded back inside. Élise handed her practice-sword back to Didier.

"It was a pleasure, Monsieur Jamet," she said.

She went up the stone steps, onto the patio, through the backdoor.

Sophie was dusting the main chamber. Élise took a right, went through the kitchen, into the dining hall.

At the end of the long table sat Timothee and Denis.

"Élise, my dear, we've found out an Illuminatus from the east has arrived here in Paris. Ignaz Von Born. An Austrian."

She approached to take a seat next to Denis, who had a piece of paper before him.

The chateau patriarch continued, "We don't expect you have heard the name, but he's a leading scientific mind in Europe. He was helping us study First Civilization artifacts before his defection."

"The swine is staying in the Sorbonne. The university in Le Quartier Latin," Denis said.

"Yes. We're not sure exactly why he's come to this city, but we believe he's been in contact with Maximilien Robespierre."

"And you want me to kill him?" Élise said, more of a statement than a question.

"He likely has important documents on him. Before you kill him, we want you to infiltrate his dormitory, and get those documents for us."

"Why not kill him first?"

"That would put the entire campus on alert, chere," Denis said gruffly. She felt slightly offended at his patronizing tone, but stuffed those feelings away. "And if Ignaz finds some of his papers have been stolen, that would have the same effect."

"That's why we have to time everything just right," Timothee-Abbé added. "Ignaz is delivering lectures to pay for his travel and living expenses. He will be delivering a talk on mineralogy Wednesday. It should last approximately one hour."

"And that's when you want me to kill him? Right after breaking into his dormitory?" This sounded imposing. She was used to being under-estimated.

"Oui. I understand this is a lot to ask. That's why Denis will accompany you. A woman alone on university grounds would draw much unwanted attention, and also he can distract anyone who might come upon you picking the lock. Then he can take the documents you retrieve and return them to me, while you continue forward to the...more dangerous second act of your assignment."

In other words, Timothee knew she might get killed or captured assassinating Ignaz. It was an unpleasant reminder of the risks she took upon herself, the draw back of breaching her traditional place as a woman. But it was a wise plan.

Denis pushed over his piece of paper.

"Here's a map of the university," he said.

Élise looked down at it. The university was a strange shape, like a rigid '8', with two courtyards forming the empty space inside. Before she could study it much, Timothee again grabbed her attention.

"Élise, if its true the Illuminati found another First Civilization site, they likely put Ignaz in charge of its research. Do you understand how critical this is? What kind of information could be in Von Born's hands?"

"I believe so, Monsieur."

"It will also make his death all the more crucial. The last thing we want is someone to help our enemies exploit this dangerous technology."

Technology. Her Assassin alma maters would have called it 'magics'. Timothee truly was a man of rationality.

She looked back down at the map again. Between the two courtyards was a large auditorium. She pointed. "Is this where Von Born will be giving his lecture?"