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Grenada, a Wednesday, 1357

I had gone to see the Shroud, but I was trapped. They had me for a month, then a second month. I escaped, using the guardsman's clothes that I stole from his body. It was simple to walk out the door.

I fled to Grenada. It's simple to hide here among the masses of Muslims and Jews, although these are men from North Africa. The Christians live up in the northern latitudes, driven up by the invasion. But I write in haste. I've learned to do this when I've no time to contemplate my words. Just because I am paranoid, does not mean someone is not after me, or so goes the saying that is fast becoming popular within the word.

It's good to hear the adhan once more. Perhaps I will go to the mosque on Friday, if only to listen to the chatter and prayers.

These were the words Jameel opened his eyes to, albeit blurry from the closeness of the page beneath the arm he was using as a pillow. He made to clench his fist to get the feeling back into it, but remembered that his hand was still in its cast.

Weeks had passed in which the Assassins skulked like rats in their hidey hole, his hands healing further every day but feeling none the better. His skin had begun to crawl and itch terribly beneath the bindings and though Lex reassured him that it was normal, he still felt the need to cut the damned things off, if only to give himself some relief. Unwilling to lift his head in case his body craved further sleep, he let his ears navigate the room for him.

The clashing of blades told him where Desmond, Lex, and Amir were. The training Assassins moved the length of the room; sometimes he was able to spot one or two of them in his periphery. Movement at his head caught his eye. Serenity. He almost groaned aloud, but held his tongue.

When the two men had exited the washroom, the woman had stared at Lex's neck, where a few of the black markings left by his mouth had remained after their fun. She had stared for so long the Red Owl had begun to wonder whether or not she had died from the sight. But no, she was alive, breathing, and unfortunately able to work her jaw.

"Jameel," she was saying now, "I know you are protective of the boy, but is being an Assassin really the right profession for him?"

He didn't answer her. He wouldn't answer her. The question was just as stupid as the one who spoke it. He merely closed his eyes and feigned returning to sleep. "I'm going to patrol," she said from farther away. "The mercenaries are closing in on us each time we leave. I for one need to make sure they aren't close by."

He heard her leave, the shutting door echoing in the room's newly acquired silence. Jameel sighed. They have no idea we're here. Let it stay that way. This has to be completely secret. All she'll be doing is exposing herself to Metal Lion and his night-wandering posse. I won't stop her, though. If she wants to be put in a situation where she's forced to slit her own throat rather than talk, so be it. All she'll do is argue and give me a headache anyway.

Desmond sighed as Serenity left the building, looking at Amir, who'd started toward the door.

"Again?"

"Again." The Coal Tit looked at Jameel. "We'll go and make sure of her." He looked at Desmond. "Get moving." The bartender grumbled and stalked after him. Lex shrugged and took a seat next to Jameel.

"Why, hello, beautiful. Long time no see." Jameel chuckled soundlessly at the younger man as he continued, "I think I'm having an episode of deja vu. I could've sworn I saw you at the tavern three streets over from the cathedral."

"Habibi, there are at least two cathedrals in this city. Be more specific with your jokes, or I won't know which tavern I'm supposed to have met you in."



Serenity jumped down from the roofs and discarded her emerald cloak in a cart full of flowers, brought in for some celebration or other. She stopped at one of the stalls that was open for the night and pretended to inspect the wares, fine pieces of jewelry made of precious blue-and-black Turkish stones and silver. She pretended to be awed by them as Desmond and Amir descended from the roofs to avoid the cat-men that had come out to patrol.

The two men moved toward her. Desmond looked at her, eyes flitting toward the cat guards above and the regular nightwatchmen below. A gnawing sense of apprehension was growing inside him.

Serenity took a step closer to the vendor and whispered in his ear. The vendor's cheeks flushed; he promptly drew the shutters on his shop windows and hurried outside, moving toward the two men heading his way.

"Perdonatemi, signori, mio negozio è chiuso."

"Spostare parte," Amir barked. The men jumped as the man suddenly slumped against them, their arms around him, a throwing knife in his back. A woman nearby screamed. The guards were alerted. People, panicked, ran in all directions. The Assassins dropped the body and looked around.

Serenity had vanished.



Lex shifted himself, glancing up at Jameel. "How's the chest wound treating you? Any extra pain I should know about?" He looked back at the chest wound he'd been changing the bandages of. Desmond had done a pretty good job of stitching it up.

Jameel sighed, "Still hurts from time to time, but it seems to be healing well."

"And your hands?"

"The same. Still hurt from time to time." Jameel looked at him as he studied the casts. "When will they come off, little bird? It's been over a month now." Lex nodded.

"They'll come off soon." Of course, we'll need a bone saw or something to cut them off. He stood and went to the other rooms, digging around. The Sparrow returned and took his seat again, tying on his boots, now dressed in the clothes of a peasant. "I need to get something to get them off. Think I should see what's going on with the others while I'm out?"

"I wouldn't go up there." The two looked at each other, eyes locked. Jameel sighed and shook his head, finally relenting. "If you must go, disguise yourself."

"Got it." Lex went to the nearest torch and smothered the flame out of existence. Taking some water, he smeared the ashes from the torch into a paste, covering his exposed skin. He then took up the sash from his robes and wound it into a turban, giving Jameel a smile. "Do I look trader like enough?"

"You look like an idiot. That's the worst disguise I've ever seen. What are you supposed to be, a Berber dwarf? You might as well have put two black lines under your eyes and called it camoflage."

"Thank you for the critique. Wish me some sense." The Sparrow disappeared out the exit door.

Jameel sighed a second late, wishing he could slap his palm to his face without breaking his nose. Did I just unleash Lex into the city disguised as a Berber dwarf?

"What in all the names of Allah did I just do...?"



The woman made her way to the center of the city, standing in an alleyway beside the tall cathedral. Desmond sighed as he and Amir watched from the shadows of an alley across the way. She had to pick the one place with one of the few tempting haystacks in the city, didn't she?

A flash of silver caught their eyes. One of the Kittens landed beside the woman. They conversed a moment, then just as quickly the Kitten was gone. Amir pointed to the spot they stood on as he looked at Desmond before running out to the haycart and leaping inside. Peering out, he quickly grasped the nearest handhold and moved up to the roof of the church. There, he lowered himself down to a small walkway sheltered by the eaves and looked down at the alley below, making himself a small ball in the shadows.

The shadows of the night had lengthened halfway across the courtyard when the axe-happy psychopath appeared in all his leonine glory, accompanied by two of his guards. He strolled across the courtyard and came straight to the alley, taking Serenity in his arms.

"What news, my lovely?" his rumbling voice asked through the roaring jaws. Serenity looked up at the Metal Lion and smiled.

"I've been doing my job well. I've got them right where I want them and I know just whose head I want to bring to you on a platter first. I just need a little more time. After all, seeing the fiascos that the missions have been... Well, you see my predicament? But I promise I will get the job done."

Amir cheeped as a hand closed over his mouth, jerking his head around to look at Desmond. The man gave him a look and kept quiet, listening still, praying that no one had heard the noise from the Coal Tit.

Apparently no one had, for the Lion said, "Do what you have to do. You'll be paid triple the amount." Crazy Legs and his guards crawled up the opposite wall onto the rooftop and hurried into the distance. The Assassins crawled out of their hiding place and walked across the roof. A thump made them spin round. One of the cat-headed men stood behind them, axe coming for their necks.

Desmond took a running leap and grasped onto one of the decorations of the belltower across from them, holding a hand out to Amir, who yelled, "Go, fool!" The Eagle pressed his foot to the top of the decoration and threw himself up to the next piece of artwork as Amir drew a throwing knife and tossed it at the Cat.

The knife was deflected, but it served its purpose, allowing the little Novice to toss himself onto the tower and hurrying up easily to the top. He scrabbled up to the thin opening where the bell sat, moving around as the shriek of metal on stone alerted him to the attacker climbing after him. The Cat lifted himself onto the thin strip of stone as Amir launched himself over to the clapper of the bell, grasping onto it and using it as a swing to kick the Cat off balance. The armored warrior flailed and toppled as Amir turned, digging his nails against the metal before turning a tight sommersault through the air, rolling out into a Leap of Faith toward the hay below.



The sound of the tolling bell set other bells to ringing across the city, guards scurrying left and right. Above it all, a man crouched, watching. Scanning the area, he focused on what seemed out of place. A girl running across the roofs, her long hair flowing out like a veil behind her. Standing slowly, he leaped from his position and grabbed a lantern, swinging across to a trellis. Climbing up, meshing his hand with the ivy for better purchase, he mounted the roof and made after her.

Below, the disguised Sparrow walked through the market, eyeing the doctors in their bone white masks until the flash of white caught his eye, bright in the moonlight. An Assassin. s**t! Dumbass! He disappeared down the nearest alley and clambored onto the roof using a low wall, grasping the man's arm and tossing the both of them from the roofs, landing hard on a stack of crates and canvas below before rolling to the cobbles.

The two separated as they leaped up. Lex was on the man the next second, his hand over his mouth, pressing him back with his weight to the wall.

"Are you crazy? Do you want to get chopped to bits?" He frowned as he caught sight of the part of the man's face he could see, the scar on his lip. But this wasn't Desmond. He'd never seen Desmond wear a necklace and this man had a necklace of black cord around his neck. "Are you Ezio Auditore?"

Slowly, the man lifted his hand and pointed it toward the man pinning him, unsheathing a hidden blade that just touched the bridge of the dark nose.

"Who are you?" asked the man, his fluid Italian confirming that he was indeed not Desmond.

"My name is Lex. I'm an Assassin like yourself. Also, you must not know who's who in Venice."

"What makes you say this, little..." Ezio frowned, unable to place the odd accent this alleged Assassin spoke with. "Where did you say you were from?"

"Forget about that. What makes me say this is you galavanting around on the roofs with forty enemies around you." He slapped Ezio's hand away from his face. "Stronzo, get that thing out of my face before I cold c**k you. I'll explain the rest later, but for now you need to come with me." The taller Assassin watched the small man head off. Lex stopped and looked at him, a sudden urge come upon him. "Do you know Leonardo da Vinci's assistant?" The man instantly became two shades whiter. "Uh-huh. Thought so. If you don't want him to yank your sac off like a paper towel, take my advice and come with me."

"Lead the way."



Amir and Desmond shot two down two of the Kittens as they ran along the streets. Desmond put on the breaks as a short black man and an Assassin came out of nowhere.

"What the hell?"

"Hey, Dessy."

"Lex?!" They took up the race again.

"Yeah, long story. This is Ezio. It's his turn to jump in the canal if something goes wrong. What about you?"

"Not right now," answered the two Assassins in unison. The group was forced to a halt as a semicircle of Cats appeared before them. They turned. To their left and right, behind them, a ring of Cats.

"Oh! What can we do now?" Desmond asked mockingly, unsheathing his hidden blade.

"I can think of ten ways to skin these guys." Lex's teeth flashed white against the paint of his disguise.

"Who are these fellows?" Ezio asked, two hidden blades appearing from the bracers on each of his hands.

The pulling of bowstrings stopped any attempt to answer. The doctors had shed their disguises to reveal Ravenwatch archers. Metal Lion appeared, flanked by some of his guards. The four men moved to stand back to back.

One of the archers loosed a glass arrow. The Lion's Cubs charged.

As quickly as they'd taken formation, the group peeled away from one another. Desmond tossed himself headlong over two swinging axes, rolling up to his feet. Amir used one of the guards as a springboard to get onto the roof. Lex pushed Ezio forward as the man stalled, hustling him toward a gap he'd spotted in the oncoming mass of armor and out toward the open air above the city.

The army followed after them.

The four turned and fired their guns. Two shots glanced off Metal Lion and hit the wall and one of the men running beside him. Another of the Cats went down a moment later, as well as an archer.

"What is going on?" Ezio groaned as he ran toward one of the tall buildings and began to climb.

"We're getting our asses kicked is what's going on!" Lex hissed as he hauled himself up after the man. He stopped long enough to look at the backs of his legs. Glass shards littered them both, soaking his pants down to them. "********," he swore as the pain registered, reaching Ezio's level just below the top. "What the hell are you doing up here?"

Down below on the level below, Desmond swung a corner and paused to reload as Amir did the same, seated on slim ledges.

"You're not a half bad shot, little man."

"Shut up, Desmond, or I'll kill you myself." He looked at Desmond and then just as seriously made a single chirping sound.

"Does that translate to anything?" Amir pointed behind him and chirped again. "Dear God!"

Debris was tossed into the air as bomb arrows smashed into the tower. Glass came after. The cats had caught up as well, making their way up the structure. Amir stabbed one of the guards in the face, kicking him down onto his comrades milling below. Desmond jumped as another bomb arrow smashed the wall mere feet from his legs. "If we survive this, I'm gonna kill Serenity!"

"You're sure you're going to get to her first?" Amir kicked a second man from the tower, gasping as a piece of glass sliced his side, the two men making their way around the tower and jumping out and down.

Above them, Lex threw his arms up in front of his face as dust and shards of stone flew up along with the glass. He climbed higher, arms almost as much of a mess as his legs.

"You'd better have a hay cart down there, Ezio, or we're both dropping to the canals or the cobbles!" He turned and shot one of the Cats that climbed onto the flat roof they stood upon, knocking him back into the embrace of gravity. Ezio peeked over the roof edge.

"No hay, amico. I hope you can jump far." He took a running start and leaped from the roof. Lex gulped as he heard a faint splash far below.

The young man backed up, then ran and jumped as another bomb arrow sprang to where his feet were a moment before. The concussion rattled him to the bones, driving the breath from his lungs and tossing him the rest of the way out over to the canal. Tumbling end over end, he bounced off one of the lower roofs and into the water.



Serenity walked into the hide out and looked around. The torches had burned out.

"Jameel?" she whispered. "Are you here?"

The glow of Jameel's eyes were the only thing giving him away. He said not a word. Serenity stared at the twinned icy circles, the only faint light in the gloom. "Jameel? What is it? What's wrong?" Her voice was soft, sweet, almost a purr. "Is Lex here?"

The blue circles shifted slightly as Jameel moved his head, a response finally evoked: "No." Silence. Then, "What's going on out there?"

"I'm not sure. I was in the market, then I met up with Desmond and Altair and we were separated when the Metal Lion came by with his guards. They started firing on us. I managed to get back here, and I thought they would be here by now."

"Did you leave them out there too?" His words were as cold as his gaze.

"I did not leave them. I told you, we were separated and I thought they'd returned by now." She shivered, his stare unnerving her.

Jameel scowled. The unseen expression did him little good, his slitted eyes telling more than his face at this point. The Red Owl couldn't trust her--wouldn't trust her--as far as he could throw her, and if he'd had the use of his hands, he would have drop kicked her clear out of Venice.



Ezio looked around as he surfaced, hood falling back during the dive, long brown hair sticking to his face. He shook it out of his eyes, panting. Where was that little fellow? Taking a breath, he dove down again, scouring the water for a sign of him. Spotting the movement of cloth in the water, he reached out, dragging him up onto the other side of the canal.

The pasted ashes had washed off in the water, leaving their former wearer limp and pale.

More bomb arrows flew, the remaining guards streaming down from the roofs toward the nearest bridge. Glass shards scattered. One of the bombs exploded over Ezio's head, forcing him to pick up the limp Assassin and toss him over his shoulder, running down one of the streets.

"Move, stupid!" Desmond shouted over the explosions as he grasped Ezio by the back of his robes and pulled him hard to the side, down a series of alleys to where he and Amir had taken shelter. His blade arm looked almost shredded. Amir stood behind him, his side bloodied. Both were prickled full of bits of stone and glass and coated in a fine layer of dust.

Ezio looked around, then dropped the dead weight he'd been carrying, saying, "Follow me. We need to climb up."

He was immediately felled by a stiff punch to his crotch, falling on his face with an "Oof..."

"Thank whatever God you have you can still bear children," Amir snarled, kneeling beside the heap that was his elder brother. Turning him onto his side, he rammed his knuckles into his middle. Lex gagged, spluttering and vomiting up half the canal. The Sparrow staggered as he was pulled to his feet, supported by the Coal Tit's body and arms.

Cover fire was shot over their heads as Desmond and Ezio pulled Lex up onto the roof, Amir pushing him from behind.

Projectiles flew at them and were met with a volley of other projectiles. Knives, bullets, and poisoned needles sank into the Crows and Cats. Lex fell to his knees as the others picked up the pace, unable to support himself on his battered legs. Amir gripped him by the belt, pulling him up again. "Yallah, ahki, yallah!"

"Emshi..." Lex's chin dropped his chest, on his knees once more. "I can't walk, Amiri, just leave me here." His eyes jerked open as he felt something warm and wet invade his mouth before pain flared harshly on each side of his face.

"Wake up and get on your feet, Brother! Now!" Lex staggered up as he was all but dragged to a stand and made to run, his mouth still tingling, stunned at having had his little brother's tongue jammed into his mouth.



The woman folded her arms and strode in the direction of the table. She hissed as she skinned her leg on one of the chairs.

"I know it's probably not a good time, Jameel, but I think we should talk about... Well, about us, really." She tapper her hand against her leg lightly, watching the glowing, leering blue rings.

"Us? What precisely do you mean by that?"

"You, me, the boy, the others, all of us." The woman moved closer, as if trying to see by the light of his eyes. "What are your impressions of them? Of me? What about before they showed up, all the night runs together? What will happen to us when Venice is finally safe from the Templars? What will we do? Surely the other Assassins will leave--those two will return home, won't they, wherever that may be?"

"The Templars are everywhere. No matter how many men I kill, there will always be more to take their place." He stood, leaning his weight against the table. "As for the others, I don't think you understand, Serenity." He made an unseen face of disgust at saying her name. "I have known the others for a very long time, and I have already long ago tied down my bloodline."

"Then we'll simply kill all the Templars in Italy and leave the rest for others." Serenity moved nearer to him, pressing her body to his. "And you knew them for a long time, Jameel. Knew them. People can change rather quickly given certain circumstances. What if after all this that boy wants to leave you? What would you do then, Jameel?" She paused and ran her tongue over her lips. "Jameel, I've something to confess to you. Tonight, I saw... I saw him, that boy. He was speaking with the Metal Lion. They were colluding, Jameel. He wants to hand you over to the Templars." She looked in his bright eyes. "But he was already injured. He won't stay out long, I know it. When he returns, we can give him the traitor's death he deserves. We can kill him!"

Jameel stared her square in the eyes, his voice dropping to a dangerously low, almost intimate hiss.

"Kill him?! Is that what this is all about?! You want me all to yourself, don't you? No regard for the Assassin-Templar war, no regard for the Creed! We have a job to do; I say we do that job." Serenity gasped as she was pinned against the table by the taller man, his weight bearing down on her, face so close to her own his breath tickled her lips. "And once these casts have come off my hands, I will wring the life from your body for daring to threaten my lover."

Serenity wrapped an arm around his neck, pressing a leg between his as she grasped the back of his head by the hair and said in his ear, "Really, Jameel, you don't think I know that? You don't think I know there's a job to be done?" Flicking her hand up from her belt, she drove the dart into his neck.

Jameel teetered back and forth as Serenity slipped from between him and the table, staggering to keep his footing. He felt the overwhelming need to drop his head to the table and sleep. He struggled to keep on his feet, but his buckling legs refused to obey, leaning heavily against the table.

No, damn it, no, I should've seen this coming! Why did I not see this coming earlier? Stay awake, damn it! Have to... The man dropped limply to the floor, the icy rings disappearing under heavy lids.

Serenity went over to one of the torches and lit it, giggling to herself as she lit a few more. She went over to the downed Assassin. Unable to resist, she knelt and stole a kiss.

"Sleep well, Jameel." She pulled the man up and walked out of the exit, half-carrying, half-dragging him. Lowering him against the wall, she moved onto the roof and hailed one of the Lion's guards. "Tell the Lion that I'm almost ready to bring him a new trophy to hang on his wall." The guard nodded his feline head and bounded away to spread the news.

Now to await the arrival of the second piece of the prize.



"Go back!" Lex stumbled as he landed beside Desmond. The younger Eagle was shouting over the bombs and breaking glass. All four of them were equally bloodier than when Ezio had decided to be a complete moron and enter the enemy's domain. "Go back and tell Jameel what's going on!"

"What are you, insane?" Desmond pressed the hidden blade to his throat to forestall any further protests.

"Get going." Lex sighed and hurried off to one side as the others distracted their pursuers with a peppering of shot, hurrying on again, moving across the city. They took down a few more Cats, Desmond pausing long enough to pick up a loose tile and chuck it at a Crow archer taking aim. It stuck him in the face, the body toppling with a splash into one of the canals below.

Amir readied one of his poisoned bone needles as they stopped, the Metal Lion standing before them. Chop-Happy's stance did his grinning for him, mocking the Assassins as dawn's first light crested the horizon, blinding them. When their eyes cleared, the cowardly cats and the trigger-happy birds had vanished.



Serenity listened as footfalls shuffled in the darkened room.

"Jameel? Jameel, where are you?" A smile curled the woman's lips. "Jameel?"

Lex froze as a sound came to his ear. What was it? Weight. Boots scuffing. Not Jameel--the tread was too heavy. He spun, steel ringing on steel as sword blades met.

He drew back, sinking to a knee. Blades clashed again as he forced himself to stand and parted once more, this time with the woman driven back. She gagged as a boot landed in her gut. The little b*****d's actually holding his ground!

"You little s**t!" Lex shifted his weight as she came at him again, stepping aside from her swing and bringing his leg down against the small of her back. Serenity turned, grabbing his leg and twisting it harshly. A scream left him as he dropped to the floor, pants growing wetter with his blood. The woman moved in for a strike at the back of his neck with her hidden blade, gasping when her wrist was wrenched to the side, landing hard on her back.

A startled noise escaped the Sparrow as something was stabbed into his chest. Serenity dragged him up, her hot breath making him gag as she held him by the collar of his tunic. "I'm going to enjoy every moment of the next few hours. Starting now." Lex's chin sank to his chest as his eyes shut.



Whether Amir was helping Desmond and Ezio walk or was being helped by them, the Eternal Novice wasn't certain. The three descended into the hide out. Silence greeted them. Desmond lit the nearest torch.

A patch of blood gave a spot of color to the floor, a few of the chairs overturned.

The two Assassins went to the other rooms and gathered all the equipment they could carry, returning to Ezio.

"We're coming to your hide out," Amir informed him. "We'll explain as much as we can once we're there and our wounds have been treated."

"Coming to my hide out, you say?" Ezio looked down at the small boy who seemed to think he could boss him around. "Do you really think this is such a smart idea? Shouldn't you tend to your wounds first and then be on the move? With all that's going on, we can't just return to the streets! We won't survive on the way there. The streets won't clear up in a moment, these things take time--"

His voice died in a high pitched keen as Amir growled, grasped his balls viciously, and--Desmond hoped he was seeing wrong--twisted.

"We're going to your hide out if you don't want to lose your balls!"