"They arrested him as well? That makes no sense!" Timothee exclaimed.

"Yes, so that makes three. Hébert, Rosin, and Cloots," Denis said.

"But these people were doing Weishaupt's work! Dechristianizing France!"

Martin entered the conversation.

"What are you talking about?"

"There's been some kind of crackdown," Denis explained. "For some reason The National Convention seems to be going after the loud-mouthed atheists."

"Really, why?"

"We're as much in the dark as you, Martin," Élise said.

"If they've been betrayed, perhaps they'd be eager to talk to us, eager to explain!"

"But were they all with the Illuminati? If not they wouldn't understand anything," she asked.

"We know Cloots was, perhaps an interview with him would be useful," Timothee said.

"Do we know where he's being held?"

"No, but it shouldn't be hard to figure out." He nodded towards Denis. "Get on that, my good man."

"Will do, I'll head out right now," he got up and headed towards the door.

Timothee turned back to Élise . "Maintenant, Arno should be back any day now. I think you'll both have a lot of work cut out for you going forwards. Now if you'll excuse me, Martin and I have some private business to discuss." He got up and nodded to the young man, who followed him off somewhere.

Arno. That name meant so much to her. So long she had delayed confessing her feelings, fearing, among other things he still saw himself as an Assassin, even after all these years.

Did the fact that Timothee sent him out alone mean anything, or was Didier's cold pragmatism right?

He seemed to have his heart in Templar cause now, he seemed different. Could he really spend so much time amongst them, treated as one of their own, and not see reason by now?

It was hard to believe, but just because she could not understand how people could see things differently from her, does not mean they could not.

Regardless, that still left two issues: His feelings for her or lack there of, and what future they could really have together when they were both the Templar Order's prized killers, both soldiers in a fight that needed them dearly. She could not bare his children when she was under constant demand in this war.

But somehow things were coming apart for the Illuminati. Maybe the war would not be so demanding much longer.