Assassin's Creed: Winter's Falling

Chapter 33

"He sold us out," Andy's voice cracked as he was swept into the memory. "Took us to that hotel and then sold us out. How could he be stupid enough to trust the Templars. Then he had the gall to tell me he did it for us. He did it to protect his team. Told me just before I..."

Andy was sobbing uncontrollably. Lightning had seen Andy have flash backs like this before. She still hadn't forgiven his mentor for betraying him, and she had forgiven the shadowy leaders of the Assassins less for making Andy kill his mentor. The man who had been like a father to him killed in an ally like a common Templar by his favorite student. The damage on Andy's heart was slow to heal. Hotels had been his trigger for as long as Lightning had known him. She was worried staying in one would be too much for him.

Andy's phone rang, snapping him from his trance. Sucking up his tears and putting on a brave face, he answered. He knew he didn't want Sol noticing his distress. A leader had to lead by example after all.

"Yo," Andy flinched as his voice cracked.

"So, Cap," Sol sounded embarrassed. "Lazerus and I got a hon... honeymooners... suite..."

Andy started laughing. "You're... you're kidding... you have got to be kidding me. Have a nice night, Mr. and Mrs. Carson."

"NOT THE POINT, ANDY!" Sol screamed into the phone. "It's a big room. We can hold our meetings in here."

"Okay," Andy chuckled. "Be there in five."

"Tell the others for me," Sol muttered before she hung up.

Andy had to admit he was feeling much better after hearing about Sol's plight. Lightning was glad to see him smile. She knew they would have to talk about his past when they got back, but for now Andy was focused on the mission again, and Lightning was glad to see him that way. Better focused than broken, she thought.

After several laughs with the others about their choice of meeting rooms, Andy and Lightning where at Sol and Lazerus's room's door. The pink, heart shaped door marker almost had Andy curled on the floor in fits of laughter. At the sound, Sol threw open the door and dragged him inside. Lightning followed calmly after them. Nerida and Ann sauntered in soon after; both failing to hide mischievous grins. Everyone took a seat on the king-sized bed.

"The First Will has abandoned their old headquarters," Andy started the meeting. "They have probably cleaned it out by now, but since it's our only lead, we'll have to check it out and hope we find something. I also want to learn more about your supposed parents, Nerida."

"Not much to talk about," Nerida shrugged. "Man in his late forties with dark hair and eyes like mine wearing a lab coat and glasses, and the lady...."

"Wait," Andy pulled out his phone. "Is this him?"

He turned the screen to her. On it was a picture of a man in a three-piece suit. It was him, but younger. He was standing in front of a podium; mid-sentence at a conference. The Abstergo logo stood proudly in the background. In the wings, a woman could be see proudly watching him speak as she played with the wedding ring on her finger. Part of Nerida knew she should protect her parents from her friends, but still she nodded. Andy took the phone back and showed it to the others. Lazerus quickly hid his surprise; he knew the man.

"Doctor Robert Stearns," Andy announced. "A high ranked Templar who works for Abstergo as their leading neuroscientist. He and his wife are most famous for mixing nanotechnology with the nervous system."

"Which means He's the genius behind project knight," Nerida guessed.

Andy nodded, "He's our best bet. But that doesn't matter now. We need to focus on the First Will. We'll meet there tomorrow morning. Psychos first, then us, and then the Newlyweds. Got it?"