Claire jolted awake with a gasp, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She sat up abruptly, disoriented and panicked as the vivid dream faded. It took her a moment to realize she was back in the sanctuary, safe on the cot where Desmond had left her.

Desmond. Her eyes darted around the dimly lit room, searching for him. But she was alone. A pang of disappointment and fear shot through her.

"Desmond?" she called out softly, her voice hoarse. There was no response.

Claire swung her legs over the side of the cot, wincing as her muscles protested the movement. She felt drained, as if she hadn't slept at all. The dream - or was it a memory? - lingered in her mind, Clay's final words echoing in her ears.

Find the Apple.

Claire's heart raced as she stumbled to her feet, desperate to find Desmond and the others. The sanctuary was eerily quiet as she made her way through the stone corridors, her footsteps echoing off the walls.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice wavering. "Is anyone there?"

As she rounded a corner, she nearly collided with Rebecca, who was carrying a stack of papers.

"Whoa there!" Rebecca exclaimed, steadying Claire. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Claire took a shaky breath, relief flooding through her at the sight of a familiar face. "I... I had a dream. About Clay. And the Apple..."

Rebecca's expression softened with concern. "Hey, it's alright. What kind of dream?"

"The mind fuck, kind." Claire shook her head, trying to rid her mind of the images of Clay getting sucked into the glowing artifact.

Rebecca's brow furrowed with concern as she studied Claire's pale, shaken face. "Come on, let's sit down and you can tell me about it," she said gently, guiding Claire to a nearby chair.

Claire sank into the seat gratefully, her legs still trembling slightly. She took a deep breath, trying to organize her chaotic thoughts. "It started at Abstergo," she began hesitantly. "I was back in my cell, and Clay was there. He was trying to show me something - symbols and equations on the walls. But then everything changed..."

As Claire recounted the vivid details of her dream, Rebecca listened intently, her expression growing more serious with each passing moment. When Claire described the strange underground chamber and the glowing artifact, Rebecca's eyes widened.

"And then Clay touched it," Claire's voice trailed off as she relived the terrifying moment. "There was this blinding light, and I felt like my head was going to explode. I saw... everything. Past, present, future. And then Clay was just... gone."

Rebecca leaned forward, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Gone? What do you mean?"

Claire shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. "He just... dissolved. Like he was being pulled into the artifact. But before he disappeared, he shouted something about finding the Apple."

Over Rebecca's shoulder she could see the rest of the team approaching to assess what was going on. Guilt racked her mind. She felt like she had been such a burden lately. Rebecca sat back, a troubled look on her face. "This doesn't sound like just a dream, Claire. It sounds like a memory bleeding through from the Animus. But not your memory..."

"Clay's," Claire finished, the realization dawning on her. Claire's head spun as she tried to process what Rebecca was saying. "But how could I access Clay's memories? That shouldn't be possible, right?"

Rebecca chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Under normal circumstances, no. But you and Clay were both subjects at Abstergo. There's still so much we don't understand about the Animus and its effects on the human mind. We also have no idea what Abstergo was really doing in your mind when they left you in the Black Room with Clay. It's possible that prolonged exposure in the Animus Black Room created some kind of... connection between you two."

Desmond stepped forward, his brow furrowed with concern. "What exactly did you see, Claire? You mentioned the Apple?"

Claire nodded, her eyes locking with Desmond's. "Clay was trying to show me something important. He said it was the key to everything - our past, our future. And then at the end, before he disappeared, he shouted to find the Apple."

Shaun adjusted his glasses, looking thoughtful. "The Apple of Eden has always been a central focus of the Templars and Assassins alike. If Clay was trying to convey information about it before his... disappearance, it could be vital."

Lucy stepped closer, her expression concerned. "Claire, are you sure you're alright? Experiencing someone else's memories like that could be dangerous."

Claire nodded weakly. "I'm okay, just shaken up. It felt like I was in the animus."

Desmond moved to Claire's side, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. The warmth of his touch helped ground her. "We need to figure out what this means," he said firmly. "If Clay was trying to pass on information about the Apple, we can't ignore it."

Rebecca nodded in agreement. "I can run some diagnostics on the Animus, see if there's any trace of Clay's memories within Claire." Rebecca stepped over to her computer and started clacking away at the keys, digging through Claire's genetic makeup that they had on file.

Claire watched anxiously as Rebecca's fingers flew across the keyboard, her eyes darting back and forth as she scanned through lines of code. The tension in the room was palpable as they all waited for answers.

"This is...unusual," Rebecca muttered, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I'm detecting traces of genetic memory that don't match Claire's DNA profile. It's fragmented, but definitely there."

Shaun leaned in closer to peer at the screen. "Is it possible some of Clay's memories were transferred to Claire during their time in Abstergo's Animus?"

"We spent month's in the Animus Black Room together when I was trying to bring him back to reality." Claire said, reaching up to grab Desmond's hand that rested on her shoulder.

Rebecca shook her head slowly. "In theory, no. The Animus is designed to access only the subject's own genetic memories. But..." She trailed off, chewing her lip thoughtfully.

"But what?" Lucy pressed, her voice tight with concern.

Rebecca sighed, turning to face Claire. "Claire you told me Clay died in the Animus while you two were hooked up."

"Yea." Claire shivered remembering that day clearly. "His body gave gave out while we were in the Animus." She looked down at her hands, tears pooling in her eyes. "We were talking in the Animus and then everything started to fragment. It was a really slow process, and just before Vidic pulled me out Clay touched my cheek, he told me He would see me soon."

Rebecca's eyes widened as she processed Claire's words. "That touch... it could have been the catalyst. In that moment, with Clay's consciousness fragmenting within the Animus, some of his memories may have transferred to you."

Claire felt a chill run down her spine. "So I have Clay's memories inside me? How is that even possible?"

Shaun cleared his throat. "The Animus operates by reading genetic memories encoded in DNA. But it also creates a kind of... digital consciousness of the subject. When Clay died while connected, that digital consciousness may have latched onto the nearest viable host - you."

"Jesus," Desmond muttered, his grip on Claire's shoulder tightening protectively.

Lucy stepped forward, her expression grim. "This could be dangerous, Claire. Having someone else's memories in your head could cause serious psychological damage."

Claire nodded, feeling slightly nauseous. Her head spun as she tried to process the implications of what they were saying. The idea that she might have fragments of Clay's consciousness inside her mind was both terrifying and oddly comforting. She had felt so helpless when he died, unable to save him. But now, in some small way, a part of him lived on through her.

"So what do we do now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rebecca turned back to her computer, fingers flying over the keyboard once more. "I think our best option is to try to access these fragmented memories through the Animus. If we can isolate them, we might be able to uncover what Clay was trying to tell us about the Apple."

Desmond tensed beside her. "Is that safe? We don't know what effect this could have on Claire's mind."

"It's a risk," Rebecca admitted. "But it may be our best chance at uncovering vital information about the Apple. We'll monitor Claire closely and pull her out at the first sign of trouble."

Claire took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I'll do it," she said firmly. "If there's a chance we can learn something important, I have to try."

Desmond's grip on her shoulder tightened. "Claire, you don't have to do this. We can find another way."

Claire met Desmond's concerned gaze, her eyes filled with determination. "I know I don't have to, but I want to. This could be our chance to uncover something vital about the Apple. We can't pass that up."

Desmond hesitated, clearly torn between his desire to protect Claire and the potential importance of the information they could gain. Finally, he nodded reluctantly. "Alright. But we pull you out at the first sign of trouble, okay?"

Claire managed a small smile, squeezing his hand gratefully. "Deal."

Rebecca was already prepping the Animus, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she made the necessary adjustments. "Okay, I think I've isolated the memory fragments that don't match Claire's DNA profile. We should be able to access them directly without risking further contamination of Claire's own memories."

As Claire settled into the Animus chair, she tried to calm her racing heart. The familiar hum of the machine filled her ears as Rebecca made the final preparations.

"Alright, Claire," Rebecca said, her voice tense with concentration. "I'm going to ease you into these memory fragments slowly. If anything feels off or overwhelming, let us know immediately and we'll pull you out."

Claire nodded, taking a deep breath. "I'm ready."

She felt Desmond's hand squeeze hers one last time before the Animus interface enveloped her senses. The world around her dissolved into streams of data, swirling and reforming into fragmented images.

At first, it was just flashes - snippets of conversations, glimpses of unfamiliar faces. Then suddenly, everything snapped into focus.

Claire found herself standing in a dimly lit room, surrounded by equations and symbols scrawled across every available surface. The walls, floor, and even ceiling were covered in frantic writing and drawings. In the center of the chaos stood Clay, his eyes wild and his hair disheveled.

"Clay?" Claire called out hesitantly, her voice echoing strangely in the memory.

Clay's head snapped up, his gaze locking onto her with an intensity that made her breath catch. "Claire," he breathed, a mixture of relief and urgency in his voice. "You're here. We don't have much time."

He grabbed her hand, pulling her towards one of the walls covered in intricate diagrams. "Look," he said, gesturing frantically. "It's all connected. The Apple, the First Civilization, the end of the world - it's all here."

Claire's head spun as she tried to make sense of the chaotic scrawlings covering the walls. Symbols and equations blurred together, seeming to shift and change before her eyes.

"I don't understand," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "What am I looking at, Clay?"

Clay's grip on her hand tightened. "It's the key to everything, Claire. The Apple isn't just a piece of Eden technology - it's a map, a gateway. The First Civilization left clues, scattered throughout history. I've pieced it together, but there's still something missing."

He turned to face her, his blue eyes burning with an almost manic intensity. "You have to find it, Claire. You and Desmond. The Temple - it's real. And it's the only thing that can save us from what's coming. Desmond is only one piece of it. He can find the Apple but you're the key to finding the Forge and the tree of Yggdrasil."

Claire felt a chill run down her spine. "I don't understand."

Clay's eyes bore into Claire's with an intensity that made her shiver. "The Apple isn't just a weapon or a piece of technology. It's a key to unlock something far greater. The First Civilization left behind more than just artifacts - they left a message, a warning."

He pulled Claire closer, his voice dropping to an urgent whisper. "The solar flare that destroyed their civilization is coming again. Soon. And humanity isn't ready. But there's a way to stop it, to save everyone. The Temple contains the power to shield the Earth, but it needs to be activated."

Claire's head spun as she tried to process Clay's words. "But what does this have to do with me and Desmond? How are we supposed to find this Temple?"

Clay's grip on her arms tightened. "Desmond's DNA is the key to finding and activating the Temple. But you, Claire - you have a crucial role to play too. Your bloodline carries the ability to access and control the Forge."

"The Forge?" Claire asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Clay nodded urgently. "It's an ancient site, hidden away by the First Civilization. The Forge has the power to create and manipulate Pieces of Eden. With it, you could potentially amplify the Temple's protective capabilities, or even create new defenses against the solar flare."

Claire's mind reeled as she tried to process this information. "But how am I supposed to find this Forge? And how do I know how to use it?"

Clay's eyes softened slightly, a hint of sadness creeping into his expression. "The knowledge is buried deep within you. You need to find Eivor, Bayek and Kassandra. They all have Isu DNA. Just like Amelia."

Clay's words sent a jolt through Claire. "Eivor, Bayek, and Kassandra? But they're from completely different time periods and places. How could they be connected?"

"The Isu bloodline persists through time," Clay explained urgently. "These ancestors of yours - they all carried a higher concentration of Isu DNA, giving them abilities beyond normal humans. You need to relive their memories, learn from their experiences with Isu technology."

Claire's head spun as she tried to process this information. "But what exactly am I looking for in their memories?"

Clay's eyes burned with intensity. "Clues, Claire. Locations, artifacts, knowledge passed down through generations. Each of them encountered Isu sites and technology. Together, their memories will lead you to the Forge."

Suddenly, the room around them began to flicker and distort. Clay's expression turned frantic. "We're running out of time," he said urgently. "The memory is destabilizing."

Claire felt a tugging sensation, as if she was being pulled away. "Clay, wait! I still don't understand everything!"

Clay gripped her shoulders tightly, his eyes boring into hers. "Find the Forge, Claire. It's the key to everything. And remember - trust your instincts. The Isu blood in you is more powerful than you know."

The room around them began to dissolve into fragments of data. Clay's form started to flicker and fade.

"Clay!" Claire cried out, reaching for him.

His voice echoed around her as he disappeared. "Find the Forge. Save the world."

Claire jolted awake with a gasp, her eyes flying open as she was abruptly pulled from the Animus. Her heart was racing, and she felt disoriented as the real world came back into focus around her.

"Claire! Are you alright?" Desmond's worried face swam into view above her. His hand gripped hers tightly as he helped her sit up.

Claire nodded shakily, still trying to process everything she had just experienced. "I... I think so. I found him."

Rebecca was already at her side, checking her vitals on the Animus monitor. "Your brainwave patterns were all over the place. What happened in there?"

Claire took a deep breath, trying to organize her chaotic thoughts. "I saw Clay," she began. "He was trying to tell me something important. About the Apple..." She stopped talking, looking over at Lucy, hesitant to share too much information. She still had her doubts about the woman's loyalties.

Claire trailed off, her eyes darting briefly to Lucy before focusing back on Desmond and Rebecca. She felt a pang of guilt for her suspicion, but Clay's urgent warnings echoed in her mind.

"What about the Apple?" Desmond pressed gently, his hand still holding hers.

Claire took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. She wanted to keep her information relevant to what they were already looking for. "Clay said it's more than just a Piece of Eden. It's... a key of some kind. To something bigger."

Shaun leaned in, his curiosity piqued. "A key to what, exactly?"

"A temple," Claire said, the memory of Clay's frantic explanations flooding back. "He said there's a temple that can somehow protect the Earth from a solar flare. The same kind that destroyed the First Civilization."

The room fell silent as the weight of her words sank in. Shaun was the first to speak up, his voice tinged with skepticism. "A temple that can shield the entire planet? That seems rather far-fetched, even for Precursor technology."

"Maybe," Claire conceded. "But Clay seemed absolutely certain. He said it's our only hope of surviving what's coming."

Desmond's grip on her hand tightened. "Did he say how we're supposed to find this temple?"

"No the memory destabilized after that." She lied. Claire felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her as the adrenaline from the Animus session began to fade. She leaned heavily against Desmond, grateful for his solid presence beside her.

"I think that's enough for today," Rebecca said firmly, already starting to power down the Animus. "You need rest, Claire. We can discuss what you saw more tomorrow when you've had time to process it all."

Claire nodded wearily, allowing Desmond to help her to her feet. Her legs felt wobbly, and her head was still spinning from the intensity of Clay's memory.

"Come on," Desmond said softly, wrapping an arm around her waist to support her. "Let's get you somewhere you can lie down."

As they made their way back to the small room with the cots, Claire shared a look with Desmond. "There's more, I didn't want to share it with the others. I still don't trust Lucy."

Desmond nodded subtly, understanding Claire's caution. Once they were alone in the small room, he helped her settle onto one of the cots before pulling up a chair beside her.

"What else did Clay tell you?" he asked in a low voice, leaning in close.

Claire took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts. "He mentioned something called the Forge. He said it's an ancient Isu site with the power to create and manipulate Pieces of Eden. And... he said I'm somehow connected to it."

Desmond's brow furrowed. "Connected how?"

"He said my bloodline carries the ability to access and control the Forge," Claire explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "That I have a crucial role to play alongside you in stopping the solar flare."

Desmond sat back, processing this information. "Did he say how to find this Forge?"

"He mentioned some ancestors - Eivor, Bayek, and Kassandra. Said I need to relive their memories to find clues about the Forge's location. Apparently they all had high concentrations of Isu DNA, like Amelia."

Desmond's eyes widened slightly. "Those are some significant historical figures from very different time periods. If they're all your ancestors..."

"I know," Claire said, running a hand through her hair. "It's a lot to take in. Clay said their memories together would lead to the Forge, but he didn't have time to explain more before the memory destabilized."

Desmond was quiet for a moment, processing this new information. "We'll need to be careful how we proceed with this," he said finally. "If the Templars get wind of the Forge's existence..."

Claire nodded grimly. "I know. That's why I didn't want to say anything in front of Lucy. I still can't shake the feeling that she's hiding something."

Desmond's expression turned troubled. "I want to believe we can trust her, but..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "You're right to be cautious. We'll keep this between us for now, until we know more."

Claire felt a wave of relief wash over her, grateful that Desmond understood her concerns. She reached out, taking his hand in hers. "Thank you," she said softly. "For trusting me."

Desmond's eyes softened as he looked at her, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. "Always," he murmured.