Hey All!

Moving on from the huge lapse in updates– Jeeze I'm a broken record…

I've decided to finally strap myself in and finish this chapter today. I apologise for the madness of the last few chapters– feel free to PM me if you are confused, or leave a complaint in the reviews (cringes).

Anywho, I'm going to post the link again here:

juno 57 . deviantart art / Flash- P W - ? q = gallery % 3 A juno57 & q o = 0

When you copy it, just take out all the spaces. FF is being a pain that way.

Please do check out the little surprise that Animavi worked so hard on with me– its worth it! If you cracked the codes, give yourself a big pat on the back– if not, then ask me if you want hints/help/answers/.

( so ARRRRRRR we all excited for Pirates in AC:IV? Too soon? I digress…)

Heads up- many swears ahead!

Ubisoft owns

Fighting the rising bile in her throat Rebecca sprinted down the empty corridors to the elevator. She was panting by the time she reached the elevator; the nausea more than the run strangled her throat. Impatiently jamming her finger against the down button, she tapped her feet against the terrazzo floor.

Hurry up you mother fu–

The doors slid open with a slow scrape, and Rebecca wedged herself into the widening gap. She paced around, unable to keep any part of her body stationary.

Did Lucy… did she know?

Skidding to a halt in front of William's office, she paced in without stopping to turn the lights on. She slid the top drawer of the desk open, grabbing his gun.

Brandishing the pistol in front of her, Rebecca burst into the room, "Get away from him– all of you! Get the hell away from Shaun."

"Whoa!"

"Rebe–"

"Shit! Rebecca, watch where you're pointing that thing!"

"Just put the gun down, and explain–"

"We've got another fucking traitor, Bill."

Shaun managed to blink, "Just because you arrive fifteen minutes late, doesn't–"

She spun on her heel, "You– you don't get to say anything." Her features contorting with betrayal, "Fucking Templar." She indicated to the table with her free hand, "Desmond– laptop, now!"

"Becca, what the hell are you doing?"

"Just, shut up for a second– " her eyes flitted across the screen in manic directions, "I've just gotta find– here! Petrov, hit the projector."

After he stared blankly at her for a moment, Shaun quipped, "Turn it on. She means tu–"

Rebecca's glare cut him off, "What part of shut the hell up don't you get?"

The room's silence allowed the team members a few moments to let the seed of suspicion grow, unencumbered. Rebecca's brow was a hard line as she pulled up their email system, signing in on Shaun's account.

"Hey– you can't… that was secure."

"Yeah. Was." She turned to William, "And for good reasons apparently; just look at what he was hiding on here."

The red light from the projection cascaded over the team's faces, emphasising their emotions.

"This… it doesn't make any…"

"Just hold on dad; I've seen this before– this symbol. Rebecca, where did you find… how did you find this?"

"Where do you think? He sent it to me."

"Who? I don't underst–"

"Of course you don't, Eveline, why should you?" She exhaled heavily, "It's Erudito."

"And who exactly is that?"

"That is the least of our problems right now– him on the other hand. Something needs to be done about Shaun."

"Still in the room."

"Shaun," William turned to face him, "I can't believe I'm asking this, but is what Rebecca is saying–"

"Of course it is, just look at the decryptions; ' New POE, powers unprecedented. 'Will send more information'– he was in direct contact with Alan Rikin."

"How can you honestly trust what some hacker sent you? I mean, this could have been sent from anyone."

"No, Eveline." Desmond's eyes held a heaviness within them, "he's been helping us up to this point; as far as I can tell, he's trustworthy."

"You can't honestly just expect one email to–"

William shook his head; his mouth drawn into a thin line, "We were naïve enough the first time. I'd say we need to be a bit less trusting."

Desmond muttered, "After all, look what became of having a little faith."

Eveline slumped into her chair, burying her head in her hands.

Desmond sat in the conference room; chair swivelling idly while he waited for his father to return from showing Shaun his new 'arrangements'.

All this time. Fucking double agents– I swear Abstergo has more Assassins than Templars working for them.

"Well, he shouldn't be getting anywhere for the time being. Rebecca's also taken his laptop, and she's running diagnostics on it offline."

"Sofia and Franz have the first watch. We'll all run on a cycle."

Desmond nodded, his eyes still dull from shock, "Where do we go from here."

Petrov nodded as he followed Rebecca and Eveline to the chairs, "We need a plan– now more than ever."

William seated himself, "Who wants to start?"

"We need to follow Hephaestus' suggestion."

Eveline balked, "Really?"

Rebecca scratched her forehead, "You think that's a good idea? I mean, after… after what just happened?"

"Why the hell not? We know he has contact with Rikin; why don't we use that to our advantage. Call a meeting. Force them to see from our side."

William released a dry laugh, "Desmond– I've already explained that this– this merger or what-have-you is impossible. Son, please, there's another way. If anything, this development only further proves that Abstergo, the Templars, have not, nor will not be trustworthy. It's not in their nature."

"Like it's in ours?" Desmond spat, turning his shoulders squarely. "If you have another, valid, idea–"

"Valid?" Petrov coughed, "What you propose is madness– even compared to what I've seen."

"And just what exactly have you fucking seen? What have you done to help our cause?!"

"Hey, take it easy there." Eveline offered, "He's just trying to help."

"By doing what? Huh? Supporting him? No one ever, EVER, listens to what I have to say!"

"Son–"

"Get your fucking hands off of me!" he pushed out from under his father's hand.

The others stood, wanting to help, but unable to do anything but watch Desmond storm out.

"Bill, shouldn't we–"

"No Rebecca," he sighed; his eyes remained on his son, "let him go, He'll cool off soon enough."

Petrov sat with his back tucked well into the chair back; an image of transfixion. The combat rifle in his hands glinted under the hall lights; he brushed at an unseen speck with his shirt hem. His watch beckoned to him despite the fact that he had just checked it.

Three more hours I have to play warden. They can't honestly expect him to actually be strong enough to overpower the other guards– can they?"

He glanced up at the sound of footsteps.

"Rebecca." He nodded at her politely.

"Your turn on duty?"

He scoffed, "Not exactly that demanding."

Her mouth tightened, "He's killed people. Several. Don't put anything past him."

"Right… sorry."

Her expression remained neutral, "I need to see him."

Petrov hesitated, "Ahhh… William thought it would be better if you didn't–"

She crossed her arms in front of her chest, "I can't have one minute to talk?"

He sighed after a moment, "If anyone asks, you're the one taking the bullet."

"Keep the door closed."

"What exactly ar–"

She shot him a threatening glare, "Closed. Petrov."

Shaun lifted his head as a sliver of light spread over his face. With a conspicuous air of caution she paced over to him. The circumstances evoked a sigh, and he closed his eyes for a lengthy pause before watching her stare down at him. He did his best to ignore the tremble in her lower lip.

After the silence became too uncomfortable, he interjected, "Rebecca, I– look,"

She shook her head and directed her back towards him. The slight heaving of her sides betrayed her emotions, despite her silence.

"Hey, come on– Rebecca, please–"

How… how could– I don't even know what to say; I don't know what to fucking say, Shaun." She turned around, staring at his with steady eyes, "How long? Before Lucy? Were you always one of them?" Her crescendoing questions were met with silence. She waited, daring him to say something so she could shoot holes through it.

"If it makes you feel any better, I never knew she was, you know. I never– never knew she was working for them."

"For us– don't you mean for us? You're a Templar too." The tear on her face burned as it slipped down her cheek, "Just say it– say it Shaun. Tell me you really are another goddamn Templar."

He swallowed and directed his attention to his feet.

"SAY IT!" she lunged at him, grabbing his neck with unwavering rigidity, "Just– just say it… say it...say…" her exclamation died off into choked sobs.

Petrov stood and pushed against the door. Locked.

Shit– just my luck. I knew I shouldn't have–

His attention was diverted to a hooded figure attempting to pass by, "Desmond?"

Petrov made out a muttered curse, and watched as he stepped into the light; backpack slung across his shoulder and hood obscuring his face.

"Look, I don't care if you leave or not. What I care about, is the possibility that Rebecca is trying to kill our priso–"

Panic contorted his face, "MOVE!" He shoved Petrov out of the way, and wound up, throwing his weight against the heavy wooden door. On the third attempt, and with the aid of Petrov, he crashed through.

"What the hell– Rebecca, let go of him!" he rebounded quickly from the fall, and rushed towards her.

The only form of communication that Rebecca offered were heaving, strangled sobs.

He lifted her back onto her feet, and supported her in front of him, "Becca? What are you doing?"

She shook her head, and pressed her face into him, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Petrov, see if you can get him transferred to another room. I'm taking Rebecca to hers. "

Petrov caught the walkie-talkie Desmond tossed, and nodded his thanks; eyes still wide from the episode.

Rebecca opened her eyes, stretching slightly. When she caught a glimpse of a white-sweater in her room, her mind jogged, " Wha–Desmond? What are you…" She sat up in bed, looking at him through half-lidded eyes, "– how long have you been in here? I thought you left."

"I just came for his laptop." He indicated to the infamous device amid the other gear on Rebecca's desk.

"After all this, you're going to lie?"

He sat down on the edge of her bed with a sad smile, "Long enough for you to settle down."

She hid her face with her hands and nodded. Running her hands roughly down her features, she sighed, "Who else saw that?"

"Just Petrov. Looks like he's the real one in shock. You really scared the shit outta him."

"I just– I only wanted an explanation. I just–"

"Look– you don't have to explain it to me."

"Thanks Des." She shifted in the silence that followed, " Um, I kinda just want to be alone now. Besides– weren't you just stealing Shaun's laptop? "

"That's one way of putting it." His mouth softened, "Hey– Eveline's next door if you need something."

"Yeah." Rebecca murmured as she turned to face her curtain-less window. She waited in pained silence for the sound of his departure before allowing herself another wave of unencumbered tears.