BROKEN

"Thank you so much for saving both our butts…I wouldn't have been able to stand being fired." I chimed nervously.

I knew how hard Angel had worked to get into Abstergo, and it made me guilty when we'd almost gotten into trouble for me accusing our section leader, Bob, of stealing my coffee card. I really did think he did it, but, actually, it had fallen down the crack of my dresser. In the worst circumstance, I would've fought to get her out of trouble instead of myself. Dad would've done something about my job.

"No problem, Adina. When have I ever let you and the guys get your butts kicked?" she said.

"Never," said a male voice, "that's what I love about you. But I love Adina more."

Adam came out of nowhere, as usual, causing my cheeks to flush cherry red.

"W-What was that for?" I asked, chastising myself mentally for stuttering.

He pouted at my sly attempt to avoid his flirtatiousness. He went to stand next to Phoebe instead, tugging at her fiery short locks playfully. I tilted my head curiously at their interaction, as I always did. She glared at him, making the slight envy bubbling inside myself die down, and swatted his hand away.

"What's going on?" Angel asked in an exaggerated voice. I could tell she knew what was going on. What was she hiding? "And where's Eddy?"

"Right here," he said right after she'd asked about him. I turned around to see five pieces of paper in his hands-tickets, maybe?

Angel placed her hand on my shoulder. "We're all going to the Renaissance Festival today! 18th century in the Caribbean islands, to be exact. What a celebration for your fourth year here, eh?"

I tried not to laugh, but her disbelieving look made me start snickering.

She wouldn't have bothered presenting the tickets without asking my dad's permission. I wondered how she managed to convince him to let me do something completely un-beneficial towards my education. Angel put an arm around my shoulder.

"Eddy and Adam told him and he thought it was a great idea. Apparently, he says it will be a learning experience for you." she said, reading my mind.

Oh yes, that's right. I would be working with my first Animus when we got back. He said I'd get to study an assassin from the 18th century; probably as a reward for my fourth and final year here. I actually was sad-I liked the stableness of this job and working with my best friend. But I knew that when I finally got out of my share of the deal, I'd have the job of my dreams.

"So, when's the Festival?" I asked, changing the subject. For a moment there, I forgot everyone else was there instead of Angel and I, so I asked this to all of them.

"Today." Eddy said bluntly. I frowned.

"Why are you guys just telling me about this?" This made me kind of irritated, the unpreparedness of it making my stomach flip. Angel simply smiled.

"I already have our outfits!"

"So…tight…" I coughed out to Angel, who was zipping up my fake corset. Apparently, we had to leave for the festival in about two hours, so Angel and Phoebe were fixing me up in the basement of Abstergo where they had a huge mirror. Since Dad was letting us go, he made sure we got the rest of the day off.

"The girls who wore these suffered a lot more than a tight zipper… trust me." Phoebe murmured. I nodded my head, embarrassed by my exaggerating. Suddenly, Phoebe chuckled, tugging at my hair. Angel had left fifteen minutes ago, claiming that she didn't want to spend so much time on me only to look like chicken scrap when she finally got the chance to get ready.

I didn't blame her, but I hoped Phoebe would be able to get dressed in time as well. "But it did make them look good. I mean, how else would they be able to twerk as well as us, with our pushup bras and thongs?" she formulated randomly.

I'm pretty sure they didn't twerk back then...at least, not on the dance floor, I thought, thinking about videos I'd seen of the wild dance becoming something that couldn't possibly be considered dancing anymore.

"You always get me with that shy girl thing, Adina." Phoebe chirped suddenly, causing me to wince at the sentence I thought I'd only said in my mind. I shrugged lightly, not understanding her statement.

"You know, you aggravate me." She murmured. I chuckled, but ceased immediately when I noticed her dull expression. She stared at me, and I wondered whether or not she was offended. I sighed.

"Are you still mad at me?" I questioned, turning around in my chair.

Phoebe stopped hating me with a dying passion just last week, when she thought I'd kissed Adam. I mean, I did, kind of, but...I didn't exactly mean for it to happen. In my defense, he kissed me...

Of course, Angel did not feel awkward the slightest bit after the ordeal. It was like she was immune to the word awkward...making me question how we even go this close, anyway.

Phoebe sighed, and simply motioned for me to turn back around. I gulped, feeling uncertain about letting her handle a flat iron on my hair.

I winced as she ran a brush through my hair.

"I got it, Phoebe." I murmured. She shrugged, letting me brush through my black locks myself. Because I was just that paranoid, I ended up flat-ironing it as well- not just because I secretly feared she would press it against my neck, but also because having anyone's hands in my hair made me antsy.

She still ended up styling it into the most ridiculous and tightly-fitting bun with braids and loops galore.

"You know, you don't have to do this-"

"I know." she interrupted, causing me to bite my lip. If she obviously felt awkward around me, why did she want to help me get ready? I thought I made out an "I have to", but I ignored it for the sake of my losing my cool.

She eventually was done with my little makeover and I looked in the mirror. Dresses weren't really my favorites, but I didn't shun them-especially when they looked nice. A dark, rich purple gown with long bell sleeves and gold trimmings was what graced me. I turned around, examining my gold-colored pumps and the subtle train.

I grinned as I looked at the purple color again- oh, Angel was an awesome friend. It had taken me forever to remember her favorite color, but. And what day of the week it was. Still working on that one.

I wonder if Angel could do my makeup...

Phoebe shook her head. I had to work on the whole "I'm not the only person on Earth," thing.

"You look fine." She mused. I rolled my eyes and then blinked tightly twice as a way of chastising myself for the bad habit. She raised her brows at my weirdness, but continued. "Do it yourself. Wait, there's Angel."

Angel appeared dressed in a deep blue dress similar to mine but with silver accessories and accents. Her golden hair was down and natural with a gorgeous braid on the side. Her eyebrows shot to the sky as she stared at my hair.

"I know, it looks so weird-"

"But it's supposed to look over-done and cheesy- no offense to women in those time periods." she decided, giving me a thumbs up.

I rolled my eyes again. Like the women were alive to be offended. Angel gave me a knowing look.

"I know they aren't alive, smarty-pants."

I chuckled, but asked her to do my makeup. I seriously needed to learn to apply makeup better. Angel and Phoebe were masters compared to me.

It showed, too, with the amount of contouring and highlighting, shimmers and mattes, and crisp lines and smokiness Angel applied to my face. It felt like I had pounds and pounds of makeup pushing on my face, but it made me feel great emotionally.

"All of it is waterproof, so sorry if you feel dried out. Phoebe said it might rain a bit."

"It's fine. Thank you." I murmured, smiling gently. Phoebe had left earlier to answer what seemed to be an extremely important phone call. Angel said she'd ask her about it and tell me later.

I stood up to walk around and get used to my shoes. Angel was talking to me about various topics meanwhile.

"That foundation I used was the one you left at my house, in case you didn't notice." She suddenly said after a pause. I gasped, and ran over to the table where she had her makeup scattered. My most treasured foundation straight from Paris was sitting there, surely enough.

"How come you never told me you had it?" I questioned, picking up the large bottle and stroking it. Angel shrugged.

"I didn't know until I opened up my makeup bag today. I wanted to see if you'd notice it, but your head was in the clouds, you ugly duckling you."

I shook my head, about to retort how that had little analogy when a hand covered my mouth.

Arms picked me up, and I screamed. I recognized the arms to be Adam's and stopped screaming, yet my body still didn't retire from its timidness. His hand uncovered my mouth.

"Adam, you scared me to death!"

"How come your words are so casual, yet you are still scared stiff?" He barked in amusement. I froze as he carried me and brought me to a bright white room. Adam was no way himself. Sure, that sentence sounded like his cocky self, but it held a dark undertone in it that made me shiver.

A grunt escaped my mouth as he threw me into a chair. I looked down and saw slots on the arms- this seat had was sure to trap me. I began to quickly stand up only to be pulled back to the chair, my back hitting the hard back of the chair- my wrists and ankles were engrossed with metal cuffs. I struggled against the metal, but to no avail.

I screamed as loudly as I could before Adam gagged me.

"Adina, where are you?" Angel yelled. I felt a pang in my stomach, but it disappeared as soon as I heard a loud thump. Praying it was Angel beating up someone and not the other way around, I heard the large industrial doors open, and a struggling Angel came in, gagged with a blue cloth by Eddy. I immediately tried standing up-it failed, of course. First Adam, now Eddy...Phoebe slowly followed behind them. I noticed her lack of restraints as she walked over to Adam and me. I relaxed, trusting in her to come up with something. C'mon, Phoebe…just press the button to get me out of this chair. God, the room was so tiny that it felt like it was closing in-

My thoughts were cut short when Phoebe pressed her lips against Adam's.

"PDA…" said a familiar, calm voice.

I turned my head to the large doors and out walked my father. His hair was still mostly its dark brown color, despite being in his late forties. He was in the suit he always wore when he went to work. I relaxed. He was here to get me out of this craziness.

"Dad!"

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed the device you are in."

I paused. Did my father actually have a part in this little...excursion? I flinched, my thoughts being interrupted, when I heard Eddy groan loudly. He turned from some sort of panel he'd been messing with in a swivel chair. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Stop sucking each other's tongues and press the switch, Phoebe." Eddy grumbled.

Eddy had always made me feel uncomfortable with how bored he always sounded and how blunt he could be, but I never expected this betrayal.

What was going on?

Phoebe rolled her eyes, but tore herself from Adam's arms, much to his disappointment. I narrowed my eyes at him, only to have him grin at me. My jaw dropped. How could he have thrown me into this chair so roughly? How could he have treated me like I meant nothing to him? I flinched in surprise when, suddenly, a screen was in front of my chair. Actually, the chair itself looked like…

"An Animus?" I whispered to myself, my face darkening.

"Yes," started my dad, my eyes flickering to his forgotten towering figure, "the same one you snooped around with a few years ago."

My breathing hitched at the unexpected revelation.

Two men in lab coats had suddenly appeared in the already small room. I began to struggle when they neared me. One of them pulled out a needle, making my struggle for even breathing become even harder.

"You've had shots before. Stop being a baby." tisked Adam. I ignored him on the outside, but I was wondering why on Earth I would be receiving a 'shot' as the dull Adam would put it. I wouldn't struggle-not like I could get out of this chair anyway. I could always try and talk my way out of this...

"I'll stay quiet. There's no need for that." I murmured, my voice unable to go above the quiet mutter. My dad shook his head.

"It's not a sedative. It really is a shot. Believe me when I say you'll be thankful for me ordering them." He muttered, saying the last part quietly, more to himself.

I grit my teeth. Enough was enough.

"What's the meaning of this?" I finally asked, my fear finally triumphing. I had kept trying to come up with logical reasonings to all of this, but the direction this was going in finally got to me. There was no way any of this was innocent actions.

Dad's eyes stayed the same as one of the men in lab coats lifted up the sleeve of my dress. My skin burned at the unwanted touch and I twitched pathetically at the contact. The man cleaned my shoulder quickly. My father was a good man. I knew he was dedicated to his work, but did me doing...what I did last year, really cause him to take such large precautions?

I began to get even more panicked as I feared the worst.

"To make a long story short, we have decided to use you for a mission." Dad said calmly, watching my reactions slowly.

...a mission? He only brought up 'missions' when he was conspiring with other Templars...

...was that what this was about?

I furrowed my brows, but was relieved to hear I wasn't going to get punished...or killed. I relaxed a bit, thinking Dad just wanted to make sure I didn't freak out, but I couldn't help the feeling that thinking positively was wrong. I mean, Adam treated me so roughly, and god knows what happened to Angel...

Angel.

"What mission?" I said through clenched teeth, trying my best to show that I was not happy at all. Dad coughed, making me flinch, chastising myself of the instinct pang of concern I had, before continuing to explain.

"This 'Animus' you messed with was actually a prototype. A prototype that allowed you to not just live out memories, but to place all of the molecules and DNA of yourself into the time period of the memories."

"…like a t-time machine? Something to actually physically carry me back in time?" I guessed in utter disbelief. He smiled one of his rare smiles. He never smiled unless something truly made him want to. Maybe I was overreacting. It wasn't like Dad had even lost his temper.

…No. Think, Adina. You were gagged. That was too far.

"Exactly. And since I figured you weren't like your mother and was simply curious when you messed with this machine, I decided to make you the one to carry out our plan."

"Like your mother..."

I frowned, and looked at my still cuffed hands. His eyes followed mine and automatically pressed a button on the wall next to him, releasing them as well as my ankles. I still sat in the chair.

"…Why did you go through all of this, then? You scared me. I probably would've agreed." I said, utterly confused and hurt. He shook his head.

"It's just that I honestly thought you wouldn't agree with our…methods, of keeping you faithful to Abstergo."

"What do you mean by that? And what did you mean by 'like your mother'?" I interrogated, my eyes narrowing to slits. Dad's eye twitched, making me marvel at his sudden mood change. His eye always twitched when he got extremely upset, and I jutted my chin out, refusing to be intimidated. I needed answers-real answers.

"Well, your bitch of a mother was sure as hell curious like you were about the prototype, and-"

"Dad!" I interrupted, extremely angry and confused at his insult towards Mom. Why would he say something so poor about someone he'd loved so much? Yes, he never liked talking about Mom. He got angry when anyone brought her up-and not many were that brave to. But I'd never heard so much…disgust and resentment in his voice as a reaction to the subject of her.

"Sorry, dear, I know. I was angry at you for being merely curious. I think it was just to do with the fact that you were also raised by an Assassin that makes me so temperable with you." He said, not thinking I was offended on Mom's part. That made me scoff, but my mood immediately shifted when I recalled what he said.

...Mom was an Assassin?

Dad huffed, and pinched the bridge of his nose at his own words.

Dad said Assassins always tried to ruin peace. That they were dirty and killed ruthlessly for the 'greater good'. That they wanted to cause chaos by getting rid of all control and order in the world. I couldn't fathom my mother being someone like that when she was the opposite. She was always so patient and kind...

"I guess I have to explain, eh?" he murmured, smiling gently. I didn't return the favor. He sighed, standing in front of me. I narrowed my eyes, wishing he would hurry up.

"Your mom only married me to have a daughter that would spy on our Order. That's why she was so intent on having you work at Abstergo. I did not know she was an Assassin. She told me of her Order while dating me, but said she would give it up for me. And I thought she did, like the fool in love I was. I..."

I couldn't help raising a brow at my dad's loss of words. To grow up around someone who was always straightforward and organized made me almost amused that he couldn't think of what to say. I gulped, willing my impatience to settle down.

" I made sure she was...stopped...before she could convert you."

He killed her. He killed my own mother. His wife.

…No.

"You say Assassins killed ruthlessly, but you murdered my mother in cold blood just because she wasn't in our Order?"

I said that as calmly as I could. I held the tears in.

"I said that Assassins kill ruthlessly for what they think is for the greater good. We actually do kill for the greater good. Your mother's end was not in cold blood-in fact, that is a splendid example of what we do for the greater good of the world." he said, his calm tone of voice, for once, not relaxing me. I saw red as I gritted my teeth. There was no way my mother deserved to die. There was no way she had made my father do something as drastic as kill her because something she did threatened the whole world. I couldn't bring myself to believe what he said about my mom's betrayal...

"She didn't deserve it, no matter what! And by your hands? I didn't deserve it!" I finally screamed at him, the pressure finally making me crack. I flinched away when he tried to reach for my face. He jumped back, his expression changing to one of pure anger. Ahh, there was the temper I was waiting on. In any other situation, it would've been funny-dad and daughter, both with flared noses, clenched fists, and lobster-red faces.

"Don't you see that I only did it to protect you? She deserved it. She wanted to use you to go against me. Your father. Her husband. Her love for me was a lie!"

"But her love for me wasn't!" I interrupted, red clouding my vision. All I could think of was my mother's soft, dark eyes, twinned to mine. Her arms wrapped around me. Her scent. She couldn't have faked that. I knew she didn't.

Dad closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. All I could do was glare, my mood still fiery, as he calmed himself down. The cold, beady look in his eyes were almost enough to make me stop my glaring. He hated when others got his blood boiling. It was a sign of weakness to him-weakness was the opposite of what the Templars strived for, and his only weakness was his horrible temper.

"You know, I was starting to get excited. I thought you would understand." his voice was steady and calm as he finally turned around. I grimaced when he let out a sudden huff, his hands tugging at his hair. He turned back around and the cool façade vanished, his face reddening before he even said anything.

"You want to join the Order before your age? Fine! Steven! Hurry up with those vaccines!" he yelled in my face, slapping his hands on the arms of my chair. Spit flew he yelled so loudly. I stood up quickly, remembering he had freed me, only to be imprisoned once again.

Dad stomped to the panel Eddy was once at. Adam was laughing at this point, Eddy shaking his head at him.

All I could do was stare as Phoebe stood in front of me.

"Why?" I asked, the only word I was capable of saying. For some reason, it felt stupid to say.

Eddy began to speak without a trace of fear.

"We were hired to gain your trust, basically." He stated simply. It was scary how he seemed to be the maniacal supervillain, yet he didn't even find pleasure in my discomfort like I thought he would. He acted like he was simply doing his job. I gritted my teeth again so hard that I wouldn't have been shocked if they had shattered.

"What the hell?" I asked, my voice hitching. I scrunched my brows, confusion, hurt, and anger the only emotions I could feel. Then, like father like daughter, anger overcame my senses yet again. Eddy was the only one that seemed like he didn't even try to become my friend- he was always so blunt and dismissive. I thought it was just his personality, like Angel had told me. Was it actually so hard for him to at least pretend to like me?

"Why did you make me do this?" I demanded finally, my voice raised more than a few notches. To my frustration, Eddy wasn't fazed at all. He kept typing away at the large panel in front of him.

"Well," he said in his infuriating bored voice, " you're not that special. When you messed with that prototype you're in right now a few years ago, your DNA was everywhere-unfortunately, your hands touched the I3K tube without gloves, because it wouldn't work with any other test-person we placed in it. It would only take your DNA."

"Then build another machine!" I yelled, angry that a mistake I made years ago wormed its way into the current situation. Eddy turned, and gave me the most expressionless, bored look I'd ever seen. I flinched.

"Really?" he asked sarcastically before rolling his eyes. "You think it's that simple?" I stiffened when he stood up from the panel.

"Well, I guess you're a bit special. You are also someone who knows of our Order, yet also have the ability to befriend Assassins-"

"I have never been friends with an Assassin in my life!" I yelled at Eddy, taking extreme offense.

"But don't you view them differently now?" said Phoebe, referring to my resting mother. I froze, but settled on what I hoped was a glare that could've killed her when I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

Adam chuckled, making Phoebe elbow him in the ribs. I turned my glare on him.

"You know, just because you were forced to be my friend, it didn't mean you had to pretend to like me, Adam." I murmured, tired of everything going on. The new revelations were too much all at once.

"I know." He said, bending down to smile in my face.

Those words from his mouth echoed in my mind so much that I didn't notice the scientists injecting a fourth shot.

I kicked Adam in the shin, only to receive a slap from Phoebe. My cheek stung and I was sure it was only the foundation covering the redness that would surely be there underneath. Dad chuckled. I almost burst out crying when I recalled the fact that he didn't do anything to stop her from hitting me.

My father was, honestly, never like this. Cunning? Sure. Blunt and intimidating sometimes? Sure. But he acted like a dad at the end of the day, eating dinner with me and asking me about my day. When I was younger, he'd taken me out to get ice cream everyday, despite how unhealthy he thought it was. When I was even younger, he would even let me run around Abstergo, and I'd always run back to his office to tell him of the adventures I'd had.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and exhaled a shaky breath. I refused to start crying. Dad always said it was a weakness...

My eyes flickered to Angel, who had been stopped struggling and was staring at the scene in front of her with wide eyes.

She had no part in this, I realized.

She never pretended. She was a true friend to me. Whatever the Templars wanted with me, they could have it.

They needed to let her go.

"Let Angel go. She isn't in this." I pleaded to my father. He burst out laughing, much to my disgust. How could someone laugh in a situation that wasn't funny at all?

"She's heard way too much. We couldn't let her go at risk of her telling the public."

He had me there. I had nothing to say. I knew Angel. She would always try to protect me.

But if they didn't want her to hear, they could've easily slunk her off to another room while I was being kidnapped.

They wanted her to hear.

Dad must've know I would never do anything corrupted for anyone, considering he still hadn't told me my 'mission', so they must've thought of a way for me to be forced to agree.

And that was by threatening the one true friend I had.

"Don't hurt her!" I exclaimed, the sudden realization making me sick to my stomach. "You knew I would never agree! This is sick!"

My dad simply stared at me, walking casually back in front of me. I gazed at him, mentally begging him to understand. He scoffed.

"Like the puppy-dog eyes will work this time..." he muttered, as if I were simply asking for a ridiculous object. My father coughed again, his eyes on me the whole time. I sighed.

"What is so important, anyway, Dad?" I asked, my voice strained and tired from all the yelling I'd done. He nodded slightly.

"Adina, there was an Assassin back in the 18th century who realized his true potential. It was a bit too late, however. He was going to be a major change in history to the Templar Order. Your job is to prevent his death. I mean, you could always refuse, but then we'd have to kill this girl. We would've killed you as well, in that situation, but as your father, I assured them you wouldn't say a peep."

I grimaced as he said his last sentences as if he did me a favor. I glanced at Angel, and a wave of guilt washed over me. I was powerless. He knew I would never allow my best friend to die.

If saving this Assassin would make sure Angel Jazk would survive, then so be it.

"Do you promise to save her?" I asked, my voice cracking as tears started to well in the corner of my eyes. He smiled, and nodded. "I mean really save her. Don't let anyone hurt her and let her walk out unharmed. Do a memory extraction or whatever if it makes you feel better." He nodded again.

That was all it took for me to make a final decision. Suddenly, Phoebe lifted my dress and began rubbing my legs. I kicked a foot out and hit her in the nose.

"I'm only putting lotion on you, woman!" She yelled, her nose wrinkled. I glared at her. After dad basically forced me to let her do it, she eventually applied the thick and extremely scented lotion to my legs and arms. I closed my eyes as she sprayed matching perfume all over me.

"Why so much…"

"You're in the 18th century. You need to be royalty to be treated well. So that means you have to smell the part." She snapped.

I guess simply spritzing a bit on the wrists and neck wouldn't suffice, because she was suffocating me with the amount of perfume, not toilet water, she was spraying on me. I hoped whoever I had to save would fall for my act.

I had to save someone from death.

The fact tolled on me as such a heavy responsibility weighed on me.

I glared at Phoebe once she felt satisfied with the amounts of chemicals she smeared on me.

"I don't regret anything." I snapped harshly, staring at her as coldly as I could. I grit my teeth when she chuckled humorlessly.

"Really, Adina? Just because I pretended to be interested in you, it doesn't mean I didn't actually do my job and get to know you. I know you're just mad that you're strapped up to a chair, without Adam, and you didn't get to play goody goody." she said calmly, her voice so fake and sugary that it pissed me off to no end.

"Fuck you." was the only insult I could come up with on the spot, the swear making my mouth tingle.

"I will, since Adam won't for the rest of the month." She bit back, causing me to wrinkle my nose in disgust. My nostrils flared more when Adam followed her out the steel doors (limping, much to my satisfaction), complaining that he didn't mean to kiss me and how he wanted to make it up to her. All I could do was stare aimlessly at the ground, everyone else wrapped in their work of preparing me for my reluctant journey.

After the scientists left, Dad began to get the prototype time machine working. My eyes widened at how quickly this was all moving. I still had questions! Would I be transported back as soon as the mission was over? How would I find this man I had to save? Who was this man I had to save?

"…Dad?" I murmured, not having the strength to continue screaming.

"What?"

"…what will you do if I don't succeed? How will you know if I have?"

"…" He continued to press buttons.

"Well," he started, surprising me that he was even answering, "your friend will definitely be toast if you fail. And…well, does that really matter?"

"Dad, really-"

"Sorry, hon, but I'm done. Find him. Remember your training."

"W-Wait! Dad! Daddy!" I screamed in desperation as I felt myself being, literally, separated. The feeling was painless, but it felt highly uncomfortable. It felt like a horrible tingle, like when your foot feel asleep, except all over my body. Seeing billions of pieces of yourself was a horrible sight to see, as well. Eventually, my hand looked almost invisible. I kept yelling, but eventually my mouth muscles stopped working as they split apart.

"His name's Duncan Walpole."

And with that tiny bit of information being his last words to me, my own father had launched me hundreds of years back in time, alone, and without knowing 100% if I would be returning.