"I have heard much of the nefarious, and dangerous plan, and doctrines of the Illuminati, but never saw the Book until you were pleased to send it to me. [..] I believe notwithstanding, that none of the Lodges in this Country are contaminated with the principles ascribed to the Society of the Illuminati." - George Washington
Three Assassins dug through the sloppy, muddy river bank in the dead Roman midnight. Lucy Stillman kept watch.
Rebecca's shovel hit something solid.
"Wait! I think that's it!" she said excitedly.
Desmond's spirits perked! He was worried they would not find it at all.
"Let me see," Shaun said, taking out a pocket flash light.
They could only see a sliver, but it indeed looked metallic. A euphoric relief flowed into Desmond.
Excitedly, they began digging around the artifact. To think, Ezio had hidden it more than half a millenium ago.
More and more of the historic artifact became unobscured. To see it for real, arcane engravings and all, was remarkable.
Eventually, Rebecca lifted it up with her shovel. The most powerful thing in the world, muddy and uncovered by a few scrappy twenty-somethings.
"Give me it," Lucy demanded. For a couple of seconds Desmond wondered if he might witness some sort powerplay, but Rebecca pulled it inwards, and as promptly as Lucy took it, she put it in the brown duffle bag at her side. Maybe being among the Templars gave her the proper aversion to its evil.
"Pile the dirt back on!" she said, commanding as always. "We can't leave any traces!"
They slopped the muck back on the hole, and Desmond realized he had finally been something useful. It was not quite redemption, but it was a start. They now had the means to cancel out Abstergo's signal (or so Lucy theorized), if they could not stop them from launching their satellite. Though that thought reminded Desmond of the dauntingness of the task ahead. The Assassin Order was almost eradicated, and yet they had 'at least half a dozen' Pieces of Eden to beat the Templars to. From what he remembered of the map, it seemed like a lot more.
Regardless, this was a major hurtle.
Desmond lapped on the final mound of muck.
"C'mon everyone, we can't waste time, we need to get back in the van."
"So where are we going?" Desmond asked as they tracked back through the mud. Their headquarters in the States was no longer an option.
"Paris," Shaun said. "That's where our nearest surviving cells is, and Abstergo has an office in the area."
"That should put us right between the location of two of the Pieces of Eden your memories revealed," Lucy added. "We probably won't stay there for long."
"So are we flying again or..."
"Flying is dangerous, Desmond," Shaun said. "Generally we like to avoid commercial air travel."
"Safest form of travel in the world..."