Disclaimers - Assassin's Creed and Prototype belong to their respective owner. This story is Beta by Trondason.

Questions

Haytham continued to stare at the shadowed form of his friend as his eyesight reverted back to that a normal human ones and he remained nailed to the floor by his friend's sudden appearance. His mind was running scenarios of what might happen, but all those thoughts were emptied as the British asked quietly, 'How have you been?'

It was small and strange thing for him to say, but said it he had nonetheless.

'How have I been?' Alex repeated dully, hopping into his house and room casually. Haytham felt the hair on his neck rise and a cold feeling of dread washed over his back. His instinct kept whispering to him to run away, to escape from this threat, but he ignored it as he unconsciously took a step back and wondered when had his Native friend ever spoke so void of feelings before.

The floorboard creaked at each step the Mohawk took as he walked towards the closed door of the room, leaning against it casually and staring at him with a look of indifference. 'How have I been?'

Haytham's hand tightened on the pistol as lightning flashed again outside, lighting the room for a moment and allowing him to see for a fleeting moment his friend. He looked the same as the day he had left, young and full of life, as if Father Time hadn't touched him as he did to him. The Grand Master's body was different from his younger self, he was not as strong and skilled as he was back then, he was weaker and his senses had dulled. Alex looked as though he had just left yesterday, not sixteen years ago. Unlike back then, he was wearing a simple white shirt with dark brown coat over it, brown breeches and riding boots. A black tricorn hat covered part of his face. The Native wore simple necklace with three claws of a predator animal in the forest, a sign of his roots and origins.

Another flash of lightning and an eerie laugh broke out from the man. The laugh, to Haytham, was claws on a chalkboard. Another flash, his friend disappeared from the door. Another, he found him pinned against the wall with a tanned hand wrapped around his neck and the back of his head pulsed in pain.

'Don't you dare talk to me as if nothing has happened,' Alex whispered harshly close to his ear, but the old Templar was more busy trying loosen the tight hold on his throat. 'Everything you've done to my family, to Ziio, ends here with you.'

'What... are you... talking... about?' Haytham gasped out, not understanding what Zeus meant and more importantly, he did not understand what he had done that made Alex so hostile towards him.

The merciless grip on his neck pulled him forward slightly before he was slammed against the wall with more force than before as Alex spat, 'Don't act all innocent, Kenway. Or do I need to remind you what had happened twelve years ago in Kanatahséton, my village?'

'I was...wasn't even... there... twelve years ago...' Haytham breathed out as everything in his vision swam a bit. 'I was... at France and... then England. Afterwards... I have remained here...'

'Lies,' Zeus hissed out angrily and the grip tightened. 'Do you know what I find when I came back here two years ago?'

The Grand Master focused his eyes on his friend, not even comprehending half of what the man had said so far. The dark eyes of Alex grew colder, the British swore the eyes shone like the light shade of blue from an ice in a cold winter, as his friend whispered venomously, 'I find Ziio's ashes. SHE IS DEAD FOR TWELVE YEARS!'

To Haytham, this was no different from getting punched and kicked several times. To him, what Alex said were lies, but seeing the anger and the hatred burning in the depth of the Mohawk's eyes, he knew deep within that it was no lies. His lover, his dearest Ziio was dead and he was seen as the one to have murdered her. Alex was here for revenge. 'TWELVE YEARS!'

SLAM!

'FOR TWELVE YEARS I THOUGHT BOTH YOU AND HER WERE HAVING A PEACEFUL AND HAPPY LIFE!'

SLAM!

'TWELVE YEARS WORTH OF LIES IN YOUR LETTERS, YOU BASTARD!'

SLAM!

While Haytham felt the back of his head was being coated in blood, the pain in his heart was graver by far. He had always thought that she was safe with her people; that she would be protected and safe within the walls of her village. When he left her, when she had sent him away, he believed that she would be fine. He was wrong...

He was wrong just as he had for believing in Reginald's words, the previous Grand Master's promise of Lucio and his mother's safety, and not trying harder to escape with Holden at Qasr al-Azm. His mistakes had led to countless people hurt and dead. Even now, as he was being beaten by Ziio's friend, he could not believe in his lover being dead for so long, while he, day and night, wished to be beside her and rekindle their broken relationship.

Finally, the slamming had ceased and all he could hear in the dark room were that of lightning, rain and his rapid breathing. He felt the hand shaking in strain on his throat before it lessened its hold and, ever slowly, removed itself from his bruised neck. Haytham coughed as his hand went to gently hold his injured throat as he slid down to the floor while Alex took a few steps away from him.

'I won't kill you,' Alex whispered quietly. Haytham carefully stood up, leaning on the wall for support, and his hand never left the handprint on his neck as he stare at the Native questioningly. 'I would love to tear your face off and wear it myself, but you are still Ziio's lover.'

He pointed at him accusingly as he took a few more steps back and warned him threateningly, 'Consider this as your ONLY warning. From this day forward, I will not rest until I see you and everything you and your PRECIOUS Templar Order have accomplished lay in ruins, just as you and your men have burned my village to the ground. EVERYTHING! You! Charles Lee! Benjamin Church! Thomas Hickey! John Pitcairn! William Johnson! And if I see your face anywhere near the people I care or our home, you will end up like this.'

The Mohawk threw something in the air and, faster than his eyes could see, slammed his axe over the object in midair, cutting it cleanly in half. Haytham looked down to see the Templar ring he had given Alex in 1755 lay in two pieces on the floor.

'I stay my hand today because of Ziio,' Alex whispered seething. 'Afterwards, no debt, honour or men will save you from my wrath.'

'No, wait!' Haytham shouted desperately, despite the pain it did to his throat, as Alex jumped out of the opened window and left. He looked out at the dark raining field and forest. 'I DIDN'T KILL HER! I WOULD NEVER HARM ZIIO! I WOULD NEVER MURDER THE WOMAN I LOVE ALEX! SHE MEANS THE WORLD TO ME! I NEVER SENT ANYONE TO BURN YOUR VILLAGE! I DID NOT KILL ANYONE FROM YOUR VILLAGE! I DIDN'T DO IT ALEX! ALEX! ALEX!'

His words probably fell on deaf ears as he dropped to his knees in front of the window and kept calling Alex's name, hoping that the man would allow him to explain and listen to the truth. Not knowing that his running Native friend heard every word he had shouted.

Two weeks later...

Around noon...

Alex slowly walked towards Homestead Manor, ignoring everyone he met on the way back. In his mind, he was still pondering about Haytham's words, wondering and questioning whether or not the Grand Master Templar was actually innocent and had no knowledge of the incident that had killed Ziio. The man was genuinely confused and heartbroken when he told him of Ziio's death, but Ratonhnhaké:ton was certain that everyone on the conspiracy table, except Haytham and Biddle, was there the day that the village was burned and Ziio killed. Maybe...

If Haytham had truly remained in Virginia when the incident happened, then it was his men who had destroyed the boy's home behind his back. Alex paused the front door and went to hold his head in one hand, trying to shake the thought out of his mind. There was no proof that the old Templar was at Europe or at his house the time, so he could be lying about his whereabouts. Yes, those are lies, nothing more.

'Elder!' someone called out from above.

Alex looked up to see Ratonhnhaké:ton from the window on the second floor, all happy and safe. The Runner raised his hand and waved back at the smiling boy, who looked as though he was readied to jump out of the window to meet him.

Though an annoyed shout from Madam Giry had erased all thought of using the window as an exit. 'CONNOR! THE WINDOW IS FOR AIR TO COME IN, NOT FOR YOU TO JUMP OUT! USE THE DOOR! I DON'T CARE IF IT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE, BUT WHILE I AM LIVING HERE AND THE ONE CLEANING THIS HOUSE, I DO NOT TOLERATE ANYONE USING OTHER THAN THE DOORS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE!'

The Native boy frowned at the warning as he grumpily went to the ground floor to use the door as instructed, but another raised male voice sounded in the house. 'I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE WINDOW WOMAN, BUT THIS HOUSE IT'S MINE AND I AM THE OWNER, AND I DO NOT ACCEPT YOU TREATING THIS HOUSE LIKE A PLAYTHING OR TREATING CONNOR AS A CHILD!'

'PLAYTHING? I AM CLEANING THE HOUSE! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY ROOM IS COVERED IN DUST AND COBWEB? YOU ARE LIMPING, BUT YOUR HANDS ARE NOT BROKEN, SO CLEAN YOUR ROOM, DAVENPORT! ALSO, CONNOR IS A CHILD AND WE NEED TO TEACH HIM WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG TO DO IN FRONT OF PEOPLE OR THEY WILL TREAT HIM LIKE AN IGNORANT SAVAGE!'

'YOU ARE AS ANNOYING AS CONNOR WAS WHEN HE FIRST CAME HERE! WOMAN!' Achilles shouted.

'YOU ARE AS STUBBORN AS A BOAR! DAVENPORT!' Giry yelled.

Alex blinked in surprise by the heated argument between Achilles and Giry. He had never heard the old Assassin raised his voice before even when he was teaching Ratonhnhaké:ton, he usually just sighed, shook his head and left when they did not listen to him. Giry treated everyone like her children and spoke to them all motherly-like, she never shouted at people and she always kept her smiling pokerface on when she was mad.

'What in the world is going on in there?' the virus asked when Connor got out of the house.

'Ah well, you see...' Ratonhnhaké:ton started with a small blush on his cheek as he rubbed the back of his head. 'When I came back with Mr. Faulkner, I returned to find Madame Giry arguing with Achilles. Apparently, she was displeased with Achilles' inaction in restoring the manor, something about the weed and dust. Since then, they have been arguing in many things and recently, it concerns me about my trainings and teachings. She even puts more food on plate at dinner, saying that I will need it for my training, but Achilles believes that she will spoil me and often switches my dish with another that is less filling.'

Alex nodded his head in understanding as he took a seat on the small stairways and he explained, 'Ratonhnhaké:ton, let tell you something that Giry had once told me, a long time ago.' The boy went to seat next to him, looking at him expectantly. 'She was once an old woman who had lost everything and was forced to live on the street and suffer passersby's ire, but she never once gave up hope that things would change for the better. Giry took food and clothings that people did not want and share them with the other homeless beggars, prostitutes and orphans. She acted like a mother to them and tried to make them feel at home by cleaning and teaching them when she could. Out of sheer luck, someone helped her and with the money she had received, she used it to change the life of the poor. Because of the kindness of one man, she saw that unless one do something to help others, no one else will do anything, so seeing Achilles not doing anything to help restore his land has angered her quite a bit. And Giry loves children, she probably can't accept that the fact that you aren't spoiled in anything.'

'Then it's no wonder why she has been so angry,' the young Assassin said as he turned to look at the closed door where the shouting match could still be heard.

Alex looked around the house before he asked, 'Where is Gabriel?'

'He has quickly escaped when they started arguing,' Connor answered nonchalantly. 'He is constantly leaving for Boston, saying that it is safer there than here, but I think that running away is what a coward does.'

'Believe me, Ratonhnhaké:ton, when I say that what Gabriel did is a wise choice,' Alex said, defending his thief of a friend and knowing that the master thief was probably trying to recruit the local thieves in Boston. 'You have yet to see what Giry is capable of when she is angry.'

The Runner shuddered at the thought of facing the wall with children laughing at him from behind, though the nightmarish thought was dispelled when the boy asked, 'Have you found Lee?'

'No, I did not find him,' Alex replied, shaking his head negatively. 'He isn't in America, but...'

Alex was not certain how to tell Ratonhnhaké:ton of Kenway, he was not even sure if he should say anything about the Grand Master Templar. Should he tell Ziio's child of his father? He had no idea, because a part of him feared what recklessness Connor might commit to reach the Templar and the boy's own safety. So far, he was certain that the Templar Order was oblivious of the existence of an Assassin in training and with the way he had worded his threat, Kenway would possibly mistake him as the Assassin threat when they began housecleaning, so Ratonhnhaké:ton would be safe and his identity hidden. Still the problem and question right now was, should he give the boy the news or not? Ziio... what would you want me to do? Would you want me to tell your child of Haytham? Or is it better to keep the boy in the dark?

The answer came up with one of his own memories, one which showed him following Ziio who was chasing after a man who had provided her with false information and she was going to make him pay for his lies. Alex sighed dejectedly as he finished his sentence, 'I have found your father instead.'

Suddenly Achilles and Giry's argument became the only sounds between him and Ratonhnhaké:ton, Alex tilted his head downward and adjusted his tricorn hat to allow the shadow to cover his eyes entirely.

'I...' Connor started hesitantly. 'I am uncertain... if it is a good thing to hear it now.'

Alex looked at the boy whose eyes were clouded in doubts and wandered around his surroundings, he opened and closed his mouth for a minute before he righted himself and said, 'He... is old, older than I have thought... than the last time I has seen him.'

Connor scoffed as he looked at him with a wary smile and said, 'Elder, I think you should not be surprised, you are as old as he is.' The smile turned sad. 'While you look like you are only a few years older than me, your eyes are old... They show great sadness and have witnessed many unpleasant experiences.'

You don't know how true you are in your words Connor. Alex thought bitterly, remembering that his creator, Dr. Alexander Mercer, had caused the entire Penn Station to be infected by Blacklight. Manhattan, infected with Blacklight, later got hit by another outbreak, an outbreak of Redlight caused by Elizabeth Greene after he had released her. Half of disasters were caused by him, part of him enjoyed the chaos he created and the rest was more out of necessity than pleasure.

'I have threatened him,' Alex continued. 'I have warned him that if he ever comes close to anyone I consider as friend or I care about, he will face Death itself. I want to kill him. I really want to end his life, but I couldn't.'

Connor looked at him fearfully when he heard his desire to murder his father, but his gaze softened when he heard his reluctant tone and asked, 'Why?'

Alex stared at the boy's chocolate eyes and, for a fleeting moment, he was able to see Ziio again in the boy, he answered softly, 'Because he is your father and your mother's lover. Back then, when I had become an Assassin, I had sworn that I will not kill Kenway for Ziio's happiness. Now, I guess you can say that I did not kill him because of you. He is still your father by blood and he is your only family left, I have no right in deciding his fate. I know the feeling of losing your family too well, Ratonhnhaké:ton.'

His thoughts wandered back to Dana, who was in the future under the care of Dr. Ragland and remained in coma. He remembered all too well how he had almost lost his sister, the fear of her death because of a mistake he had made when one of the Hunters came and snatched her in their hideout, and the small relief he felt in seeing his little sister's chest rising and falling when he had found her in Greene's nest. Then his memory brought him to Ziio who, for a few short years, was both a friend and a sister to him, he knew her through the only consumed Native, but he learned to get to know someone because of her and her people.

'I have you.' The words brought Alex out of his mind as he focused on the boy sitting across him who was smiling at him innocently. 'I still have you as a family.'

Alex scoffed lightly at the innocent look as he rubbed the boy's hair affectionately and said humorously, 'Never grow up, Ratonhnhaké:ton.'

'Huh? But I will grow up elder,' Connor said, confused by the older man's words, and wore a perplexed look.

The Blacklight virus chuckled lightly as he explained, 'What I mean is never change, Ratonhnhaké:ton. Just stay as you are. Naïve, determined, honourable, and courageous, though I don't mind if you lose that recklessness you have inherited from your mother.'

The boy's interest piqued up at the mention of his mother, which saddened Alex slightly at the thought that Ziio was rarely spoke by her people, but then again, they would not want to reopen old wounds when they had only recently recovered what they had lost during the attack. Ratonhnhaké:ton then asked, 'Is mother really a reckless person?'

'Well, I call it reckless while the clan mother prefers to say she was impatient,' Alex replied with a small smile. 'Back then, Ziio was supposed to become the next clan mother of our tribe, but she sees the coming men from Europe to be a threat to her people and often argues with Oiá:ner about the clan's neutral reaction towards the coming invasion. So the clan mother deemed her to be an unsuitable heir and your mother was freed to go on the path she wanted, but Oiá:ner still worried about her, so she hoped that arranging both of our marriage would perhaps settled her down slightly.' The Native in Alex's mind sighed dreamily as he recalled Connor's mother. 'Your mother escaped and refused to find the sponsors for our marriage. In the end, Ziio still chose her own path and refused to let anyone else decided for her. While I had to look after her and help her to escape whatever trouble she seemed to attract with a passion.'

And your mother still accepted me even though she knew that I am simply a creature who had taken the face of her fiancé. Alex added mentally while he smiled as he looked up at the blue sky from above.

'I didn't...' The Runner turned his attention back to the boy whose expression was unknown to him. 'I really didn't know that I resemble mother that much. My memories of her are often that of her stern gaze as she taught me to hunt and climb trees. I couldn't remember anything else and now that we talk of her I seem to know very little about mother. The last thing I remember of her was that morning before the village was burned to the ground. I was reading my father's journal when she came in and looked ready to scold me for one entire day before my friend, Kanen'tó:kon, invite me to play with others.'

The young Assassin laughed for a short moment before his memory brought him to a darker path. 'We were just playing hide and seek. That's all we were doing and we never went beyond the border. Charles Lee and his fellow Templars came... Everything just went bad and mother died...'

Alex stared at the sad expression for a few seconds before he closed his eyes, remembering the day his life and that of his sister went to hell before they were saved, he knew very well that those were Dr. Mercer's experience not his, but the situation was similar in some way, except on the mother part.

'Don't worry, kid.' A disgruntled woman said hurriedly as she started stuffing some clothes to a small backpack. 'Everything is alright. The three of us are going to another small vacation.'

The teenager around the age of 15, the young Dr. Mercer, she was talking to knew that she was lying as he corrected her mentally. We are running away to somewhere I should be incapable to pronounce to hide from the police or some other unsavoury characters.

They had been running from one debt or law to another, trying to outrun the thugs and law enforcers. Mercer ignored the woman as he moved his short body to go pick up Dana's favourite books, his science books and some of his test results. If he and her sister could get a better life will depend on these results, Mercer had already planned to be a scientist or virologist. His aptitude to science could provide a window to leave this miserable life behind and the job's payment was high.

He was putting everything in his mental list into another backpack when he heard his sister screaming. Mercer ran to the living room, with the half-opened bag, to his sister lying on the floor in a fetus position as she cried her eyes out as the drunk for a mother was yelling at her to stop crying. The young doctor went to his sister's side and held her close as he studied the woman's furious gaze at them as she shouted more at them, but the action only made Dana cried louder and making him more angry.

'Can you stop yelling?' Mercer asked with a blank face.

'I'M YOUR MOTHER!' the woman shouted. 'BOTH OF YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LISTEN TO ME!'

Mercer immediately turned and let his back take the strike as his sister continued crying as he covered as best as he could from the hits raining down on him. He bit his lips to prevent himself from crying while his sister continued to cry, louder from each hit he took. Suddenly, something broke a nearby window and he heard the woman cried in fear. All too soon, the small house they were living in grew hot and was ignited in flames. The young teenager's eyes widened in fear as he started pulling his crying sister away from the fire as he grabbed the bag with their stuff and had already began heading towards the backdoor, easily abandoning the trapped woman and outright ignoring the cries for help.

The young man got out of the house and pulled both him and his sister out of the backyard, quickly taking a turn to get away from the burning house and escaped to the other side of the street. Mercer turned, panting heavily, and watched at the flames licked every inch of the house. The woman was gone and they could go back to foster care, where it was much safer for his sister and him. Both brother and sister held each other tightly as the authorities came and took care of them.

Dana was sniffing and rubbing her red eyes, Mercer was running his hand gently over the little girl's back, but a faint smile was on the corner of his lips as he continued to observe the firemen running around the blackened and ruined house. They were free and in a few years, he would be able to find a job that could pay for their living arrangements.

A loud bang from the door snapped the virus out of his memory dive as both he and Connor immediately jumped up, instinct that a fight was coming their way, just to see a disgruntled Giry walked out of the house. The old lady's angry face turned into a strained gentle smile as she spread her arms welcomingly and greeted Alex, 'You're back, Iskandar.'

'Yes,' Alex said hesitantly as he hugged the old woman. 'It's good to be home.'

'Yes... Home...' Giry said, her tone sounded like an angry hissing cat, with the tensed smile on and looked readied to tear the closest thing to her to pieces. The current closest thing was him. 'I would have PREFERED a house with inhabitants who can clean after themselves.'

'I keep things clean,' Alex quickly said in defence. I clean after myself... Mostly... When I am not focus in work. The virus added as an afterthought as a tiny voice in the far back of his mind asked when he had actually cleaned after himself as images of the gory messes he had left behind in New York.

'Hmm, there's some dust on the top shelves and behind the desk and closet, but otherwise, I do not find it too dirty,' Giry announced with an approving nod, making Alex felt he was back in Grade school and waiting for the teacher to announce the test result. 'I need to go get some soap from Catherine, go in and get some rest Iskandar.'

'Connor!' Achilles called out from the door, holding his walking stick as tightly as his tensed features were as he outright ignored Giry's existence as the madame threw one last glare at him before she took her leave. 'Welcome back Iskandar, I hope you have found some other news about our enemy.'

'I did not gather any information, Achilles,' the virus replied curtly. 'I had simply challenged the Grand Master Templar and his Order.'

'YOU WHAT?' Achilles shouted with a look of hatred and disbelief directed at him. 'YOU ANNOUNCED YOUR IDENTITY AS AN ASSASSIN?'

'No, I have simply said that I will destroy him, his allies, every success and progresses the Order had completed into nothing but dust,' Alex answered coolly, not liking the fact that Achilles talked like he was an idiot, because his IQ was above one thousand with the amount of people he had consumed and it could reach to an astronomical level. 'And before you ask, no, I hadn't mentioned anything about Connor or your little existence, Davenport. Kenway will see my words a personal vendetta or he will think I am going to find some of the Assassins to get their help. Either way, he won't search Homestead for me. To him, according to you, you are nothing but an old relic that is slowly wasting away in its hole.'

Achilles looked readied to tear him to pieces and smashed said pieces into nothingness, but Alex was not that easily intimidated. Besides, after surviving a nuclear explosion, he doubted an angry, bitter, and old assassin's hits would do any lasting damage.

The old Mentor looked as though he had swallowed something big and unpleasant, probably his broken pride. He turned to Ratonhnhaké:ton and said, 'Follow me Connor.' He sent an evil eye towards the Runner. 'You too.'

The young man's eyes darted between the two Master Assassins before he went to follow Achilles into the house, Alex sighed tiredly before he went after them, unconsciously his hands went for pockets that weren't there and head tilted downward to hide his face. He reached the back of the house and was about to go down to the secret basement with the two official Assassins when the hidden door slammed shut at face.

Alex raised an eyebrow in slight disbelief at the older man's childish display as he muttered boringly, 'Very mature Davenport, very mature.'

Alex went to lean against the wall, next to the small candelabra that served as the opening mechanism for the hidden door, and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for the two of them to finish what they had to do in the basement. While waiting for the Assassins, the virus' mind was directed back to the most recent memory of Kenway, one he had been analysing like a doctor forced to diagnose if the patient had Alzheimer's disease or N.P.H., Normal pressure hydrocephalus, by looking at the person. Alex closed his eyes as he let the memory repeated itself through his senses.

The loud and near deafening sounds of lightning rang in his ears, small flash of bright white light swallowed his sight, the heavy touch of raindrops over his body, the faint taste of cool water running over his lips, and the air of moist earth and trees he breathed in. He remembered the desperate sounds coming from the house as he ran into the cover of the dark forest. Kenway denied everything, Ziio's death and the eradication of Kanatahséton. While a part of him was adamantly certain that everything the Templar said was lies, just like the ones in those fake letters, the more rational and calculating part was wondering why Kenway continued telling him lies when the truth was already revealed. The more he thought of it the more uncertain he became and the Templar's voice that was pleading his innocence grew louder in his mind.

'Elder?' A soft voice called out, dragging Alex out of his memory dive. His five senses were wrenched back to reality and his mind settled itself back to record what was happening in his surroundings.

Alex turned to face the young Ratonhnhaké:ton, the reassuring words prepared, but they got stuck in his throat when he saw the Assassin in-training. Inwardly, Alex thought that it was about time that the old man let the boy wore the Assassin robes. Hell, even the apprentices back in London had their own rank uniform. Though there was one thing that was bothering him as he cocked his head to the side, studying Connor from head to toe and side to side, before he remarked, 'Giry is right, you really need to eat more.'

The Runner was quite serious with his comment, because from his point of view, Ratonhnhaké:ton looked like a child trying his father's clothes, the robes were too broad for the boy's current figure and height. Some more good foods and tough trainings should do the trick.

'I guess so,' Connor muttered with a wry smile as he shook the baggy sleeves, showing how much space there was to fill in them, but the smile had never left his lips. 'Still, it's good to be finally seen as an Assassin.'

'While it is great that you have receive your robes. I think there is a small ceremony to complete,' Alex said as the Assassins in his mind was pulling images of their initiation and texts that described the process throughout history, from removing one's ring finger to branding it.

'Achilles believes that it isn't necessary,' Ratonhnhaké:ton pointed out, causing the souls of the entire London Brotherhood to roar indignantly at the blatant disregard of the ritual.

'I'll make it short. At least you don't need to remove your ring finger or brand it,' Alex commented lightly, missing the sudden pale shade on the boy's face. 'But there is one part that is important and must be done.'

The Runner turned to face the young man and cleared his throat as the Brotherhood in his mind took position as if they were actually in Connor's initiation ceremony, while the mute Master Assassin in his mind provided the words. Alex recited carefully and clearly, 'La shay' haqiqah, koulo shay' moumkin. These were the words spoken by our ancestors and lay at the heart of our creed.'

The young Assassin stood straighter as Alex continued, 'Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember...'

'Nothing is true,' Connor finished.

'Where other men are limited, by morality or law, remember...' Alex chanted along with the Assassins in his mind.

'Everything is permitted,' Ratonhnhaké:ton intoned.

'We work in the dark, to serve the light. We are Assassins,' the Runner ended.

'Nothing is true, everything is permitted,' Connor repeated the creed once more.

'Usually, the new recruit is supposed to perform a Leap of Faith to complete the rite, but in this case, I think it is enough,' Alex said, knowing very well that the house wasn't safe enough yet to allow two men to walk on the rooftop. He went to pat the boy's back and gestured to the door. 'Never mind that. Let's begin your training towards the position of Master Assassin.'

Alex grinned slightly as he tugged the boy by the arm with one hand, they quickly got out of the house and just in time, because Giry was just around the corner with some soaps and a bucket of water. Both of them made a quick escape from the mansion. There was no way they would spend time in it while the old man and old lady was in the same room and at same time.

As they were half way down the road to the tiny port where the Aquila and its crew lived, Alex was stopped in his track by Ratonhnhaké:ton's somewhat gentle voice as the boy asked, words careful and hesitant, 'Who am I, in your eyes, elder?'

The Runner turned around to stare at the Ratonhnhaké:ton, confused by the boy's simple yet complexed question. The Blacklight virus asked, 'What do you mean?'

The young Assassin looked at his feet with a frown, one Alex knew fairly well, that meant the child had a lot of stuff running in his mind and he had difficulties in expressing them in the right way just like when the Native was leading him to Homestead. The young man steeled himself as he repeated his question, 'Who am I to you, elder. Am I your friend's son? An Assassin in-training? A naïve child from Kanatahséton?'

Who am I? WHAT am I? WHO am I to you?

Alex's eyes darkened as he remembered that night, when those questions had invaded his mind as he stumbled out of the morgue in Gentek and into the front parking lot.

Who am I? The voice of the two examiners were ringing in his head, saying that his name is Alexander J. Mercer, next of kin Dana A. Mercer, and something about Blacklight. They said something about a blade and torso, he woke up when he heard that. He had trouble breathing as he got out of the morgue.

What am I? Alex saw people gunned down the two examiners, he gasped and they heard him, he tried to run, they shot him down, but he didn't stay down. His body recovered from the fatal shots, he ran and threw cars at his pursuers, a feat that should be impossible for any normal human to do. Alex approached a deadend alley, he was tired, he needed help. In that alley, he had his first two consumption of human beings, memories flooded in his empty mind and the first prisoners had arrived.

Who am I to you? Alex learned of him having a sister who the Blackwatch was after right at this instance. He quickly went to the apartment where Dana lived, she saw him killed the soldier who held her hostage. Dana was stressed and scared, but she did not question much when he told her that he couldn't remember anything. His little sister just helped him, even though she didn't know what had happened to him or what sort of monster he got turned into. Dana showed him that he was just her big brother, the brother who would read to her whenever she wanted.

Perhaps it was the same for Ratonhnhaké:ton, he left his village under the instructions of a SPIRIT, something Alex was still very skeptical of, and the only person who was on the same boat as he was was him. Maybe he was looking for some form of assurance from him, his mother's friend and a man from his village, telling him that everything was alright or that he had made the right decision. He rubbed the back of his neck as he let out a heavy sigh before he decided to bite the bullet.

'You are just Ratonhnhaké:ton,' Alex answered as he shove the voice of the million souls in him back into their mental cell. 'You are the son of Kaniehtí:io and Haytham Kenway. You are a Kanien'kehá:ka. You are a Novice Assassin. You are a either naïve or reckless boy who I have to look after and worry day and night for. You are all of these, Ratonhnhaké:ton, they are your identity. You might think that this has nothing to do with me or you are not your mother, so I don't need to watch your back, but I am and I will, not just because you are Ziio's son.' The virus sighed heavily as he looked down at the ground. 'You remind me of myself, of something I have done, something I am not really proud of. I have once hunted every single man who have caused a great disaster that had nearly destroyed an entire city, but when I have eliminated all of them, I have discovered the truth of who was actually behind the incident. It was someone who was close to me, someone who I have never even suspected.'

'Now I am seeing you, chasing after the Templars who have ruined your life, full of anger and confused, just like I was when I have hunted those men down. I don't want you to become me,' Alex explained as he gestured to himself with a small wave. 'Someone whose life that is just covered in blood and tragedy. I don't want you to charge into the life of an Assassin, because you think and believe it was the only way to protect the village and everyone in it. I have seen enough in one life, I don't want you to live through your life like mine. Later, when you have finally accomplish your task, all the Templars in America are dead, you will question yourself if you have done the right thing and if it is truly the only path you can choose from.'

Alex breathed out loudly as he calmed himself and wondered, 'Do you understand what I am saying?'

Ratonhnhaké:ton's hand unconsciously went under his chin as his thumb and index finger went to rub his chin thoughtfully as the boy wore a thoughtful expression. After a seemingly long pause, the young Kanien'kehá:ka answered, 'I understand what you are telling me, elder. This is my choice, I know you don't want me to get into this life, but I want to put an end to this eternal war and to this threat my people are facing. I am willing to live with blood on my hands, I might regret it, but if everyone else lives a peaceful life, I can accept the consequences.'

Alex wanted to pull his hair out as he thought desperately. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? WHEN THE REVOLUTION ENDS, THE ENTIRE AMERICA WILL GO AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE, DRIVING THEM OUT OF THEIR LAND, AND REFUSE TO GIVE THEM ANY RIGHTS, THEY ARE TREATED LIKE ANIMALS MORE THAN HUMANS! YOU JOIN THE BROTHERHOOD DOESN'T STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING!

He must had looked exasperated, because Ratonhnhaké:ton only had this determined and serious gaze in his eyes. Alex went to rub his face with one hand as he groaned, 'That conviction of yours will get you killed, Ratonhnhaké:ton.'

The boy's lips that were thin with solemness stretched into one of promised mischief as he asked, 'Hmm. So I am no longer a reckless child, Raké:ni?'

Alex snorted as he answered with a tinge of annoyance, 'The day you won't be reckless is probably the day when my pitch black hair turns as white as freshly fallen snow.' The virus turned and took a few steps forward before his mind finally registered the last word Connor had said. He wiped around faster than normal human eyes could see, an once-in-a-lifetime worth of shock pasted over his face. 'You didn't just call me, Raké:ni, did you?'

Ratonhnhaké:ton, as if suddenly realizing what he had just uttered, blushed and stuttered nonsenses like it would cover up the fact he had actually spoke the little innocent word. A heavy silence soon fell in-between them, Alex was too speechless to sound a syllable and Connor was embarrassed by his slip.

The younger Kanien'kehá:ka was playing with his hands, rubbing them and squeezing them as if he had a stress ball under his fingers. Alex wondered if this habit of the boy came from some extent of his childhood trauma, because the boy rarely touched his head or neck and when someone did, he would act like a wounded animal. The young Assassin took a deep breath before he asked, in a hushed whisper, 'Do you mind me calling you Raké:ni?'

The Runner coughed slightly as he answered, 'It's not that I care about what you call me, it's just...'

What can I say? That you have a father who is still alive and well, and you can't just call me dad, because I am not the best father material and I am far worse than Kenway in terms of being a father. Alex thought in distress before a frown marred his face as a memory he had shoved into the never-to-be-seen-again section slammed into him. Blurry image of hospital light and the wailing sound of a baby. A bloodied hand –a girl's hand– reached up, wanting to hold the baby boy who laid in a stranger's arms and was crying his eyes out. The Blacklight virus growled lowly as he shoved the memory back into the darkest and secluded part of his mind to clear his focus on reality. Greene's memories were the ones he wished he could destroy and forget, because the Redlight's host had only experiences of tortures and experiments on her by Gentek, and the only memory that could be called a happy one was the image of her newborn child, full of life and healthy despite the decaying state of her hometown in Ohio, Hope.

The Runner shook his head lightly, clearing the remnants of the Pariah's small body and the mother instinct flaring within Greene, before he truthfully explained, 'Look, Ratonhnhaké:ton, I have no experience of whatsoever in taking care of someone and I doubt I'll ever be the good father. So, I don't deserve to be called father. I am the lone wolf, I take care myself and ignore whoever dies around me! I am just a bloody monster that doesn't care of the innocents or guilties, I kill them if it benefits me!.'

Maybe he went a little too far with his last comment, but it was partly the truth. He did killed innocent bystanders on the streets either by accident or they were at the wrong place and wrong time, and he did brutally murdered those who had anything to do with what happened to him and at Penn Station. Alex breathed heavily as he took a few steps away from the boy, he needed to clear his head before he actually went berserk because of Greene's emotions flooding in his mind. A pregnant pause was all there was between them and Alex was thankful that Homestead was still a small village, so there weren't a lot of people coming and going around the small road to the port where the ship was stationed.

'No,' Ratonhnhaké:ton said confidently, a tone the virus had never heard from the young Assassin before. 'No, I do not believe you are just as you said. You are there to help me when others just think it is something I want and leave me on my own, you try to persuade me than just tell me to give up or my choice is a mistake because you are worried about me, you are more willing to teach me than Achilles is and you haven't treated me like I am an ignorant child who should be kept away from certain truth. I don't see why you do not believe that you deserve to be called Raké:ni when you have done what any great father out there would do for their child.'

Alex was not sure if he was supposed to consider Connor's speech as compliments or as insults, the boy would never insult him, but he could be quite direct and blunt with his words and towards others. Still, it was strange for him to hear that someone saw him as a father, though he found it very doubtful that he could accept someone calling him dad, no scratch that, he WOULD never be able to accept it.

'If it's you, I don't mind being called Raké:ni,' Alex muttered with a dejected sigh, eyes widening slightly as he gave himself multiple mental punches on the head and berated himself in his mind. What the hell did you just say Alexander J. Mercer?

'I am glad that you do not mind,' the Assassin said with relief as if a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders by the simple acceptance. 'And thank you... for everything.'

The Prototype regarded the child with a wondering look before he stared back at the small dirt road and whispered softly with a faint smile, 'You're welcome I guess.'

I'm sorry for the long wait and hope this is another pleasant chapter for all of you readers.