CH 24: Hidden Blades

But Leonardo didn't panic in the face of his intimidating act and answered calmly without acting weird or out of character :"Si (yes). How may I be of service?"

The impatient guard :"I need you to answer some questions."

Leonardo :"certainly." As they walked to the yard like, empty space just beside Leonardo's workshop, Ali nodded towards them at Ezio as a signal to quietly follow them. And she did as he wanted.

After quietly walking out and not getting noticed by the guard, they stood outside and eavesdropped without being afraid of being seen because of it being so late and no one being outside usually at this hour.

Leonardo :"what seems to be the problem?"

The guard :"a witness claims to have seen you consorting with two of the city's enemies."

Leonardo :"what? Me? Consorting? Preposterous!"

The guard :"when was the last time you saw or spoke with Ali Ashborne?"

Leonardo :"who?"

The guard :"non fare lo stupido con me (don't play dumb with me). We know you were close with the Auditore family. Hmm. Perhaps this will help to clear your mind?" the guard's patience was finally done and he pushed Leonardo.

After Leonardo fell to the ground, he kicked him in the stomach :"ready to talk?" and another kick to the silent inventor :"what about now?" seeing that the guard is hostile, Ezio nodded at Ali and signaled at him that she will take care of the guard.

Getting Ali's positive nod, she walked up behind the guard and moved her hands at the same time. She brought her right hand up to cover the guard's mouth and unleashed the hidden blade. And after covering his mouth so that he wouldn't make any noise, she assassinated him by stabbing him from behind using the hidden blade!

The dying guard wobbled around for a second before falling back and finally dying. Leonardo slowly got up while Ali walked up with an impressed look :"well damn me! If that wasn't cool, I don't know what is. Good job, Ezio. Are you alright, Leonardo?"

Leonardo grabbed the hand that Ali reached out to him with and pulled himself up as he nodded :"si, non mi sono fatto male (yes, I am not harmed). Grazie (thank you), Ezio!"

Ezio :"sorry about that. They had come for us. But why did he ask for Ali's location instead of mine?"

Ali :"they must've thought that since we are almost always together, my location could would have probably led to your whereabouts. due piccioni con una fava (two birds with one stone). And they are right. So, smart of them."

Leonardo :"eh. I've grown accustomed to their abuses. And Ali is probably right. As dumb as they are, they can sometimes be smart as well."

Ezio :"what of the body?"

Leonardo :"bring it inside and put it with the others."

Ezio and Ali raised eyebrows at that as she asked with an unsure look on her beautiful face :"others?"

Leonardo :"the city gives them to me. For research."

Before Ezio reached down to pick up the dead body that she could definitely carry with her strength, Ali put his hand on her shoulder and stopped her with a small smile :"you go ahead. You don't need to get your hands dirty. I will carry him."

She just smiled and nodded before stepping back for Ali to pick up the body. And after he did so, they both followed after Leonardo and entered his workshop once again. Leonardo pointed at the back room :"over there."

And that's where Ali put the body before turning back towards Leonardo again who smiled innocently :"see? Like it never happened!"

Ezio :"thank you, Leonardo, for everything."

Ali :"sì, lo apprezziamo davvero (We really appreciate it), mio amico (my friend)."

Leonardo :"any time! And remember, if you find more of those strange pages, bring them to me. Should they contain new designs, I will upgrade your blades as well!"

Ezio :"of course. Now we really should be getting back to Paola…"

Leonardo :"mandale i miei saluti (send her my regards)!"

When they got out of Leonardo's workshop, the screen of "hidden blade acquired" in Ali's vision as Leonardo set them off, making him smile a toothy and mischievous smile before returning his face back to normal.

Ali looked at Ezio with a curious but nonchalant smile :"so? How should we do it? Should we just take the rooftops like we always do?"

She smiled and nodded back :"yes. There are quite a few guards on the ground, and the bastards are always in a group. But the guards on the rooftops are always alone. So we are safer, have a better chance at fighting and will get to Paola's… house faster. Now let's go."

After going up to the rooftops, they hurried towards Paola's place, but they were still careful so that they wouldn't fall down. After running on the rooftops, they finally reached the only olace that a guard was looking out on the rooftops in their path.

Ali looked at Ezio and smirked as he nodded towards the guard with his head, then pointed at himself with his thumb, then at the guard, and then finally swiped his thumb in front of his neck in a killing motion.

Ezio rolled her eyes as her lover's violence seeking emotions took surface and revealed themselves. She just shrugged and nodded before pointing at herself and implying that she will follow and then they will continue.

Ali was quick and quite on his feet, so the guard didn't even notice him when he ran to the place that he was guarding and looking out for while he turned around and scouted the area. And unfortunately for him, he noticed too late.

Because when he finally noticed Ali, was when he pulled up from behind him and pierced his back with his hidden blade, successfully killing him. As he fell down on the roof, Ali took a look at his blade with an excited and happy smile 'even though I literally can't die, I would die happy if I was killed right now.'

Was all he thought before he and Ezio got moving again and made their way towards the brothel that belonged to Paola. But it was night time and quite late, so the place was mostly empty and Paola was there.

She turned to them :"you two were gone for quite a while."

Ali :"*chuckling* Leonardo likes to talk.

Paola :"that he does. But I trust you did more than talk?"

The two raised their arms and unleashed the hidden blades proudly but carefully and impressed Paola :"impressive!"

Ezio :"I'm rather fond of it myself."

Ali :"And I fucking love it."

Paola :"but, Ali, I didn't know you had one. I couldn't… check, the contents of your waist bag unfortunately."

Ali shrugged with a nonchalant smile :"what can I say, adventures family, I guess? All of my belongings were left to me by my parents. Their all family heirlooms. And this waist bag is quite… unique. It would be weird if you could pickpocket it."

Paola :"hmm, anyway, that's not important. I've given you the skills. Leonardo's given you the blades. All that remains is the deed."

Ezio :"where can we find Uberto?"

Paola :"according to my girls, he'll be attending an unveiling tonight of Verrocchio's latest work. It will be held at the Santa Croce cloister."

Ezio :"watch over my mother and sister while we're away."

Paola :"of course, Ezio. As if they were my own."

Ali :"good bye, Paola. Wait for our return. Which probably won't be too long."

As the two left the brothel and made their way to the location of their target, they finally reached their destination after Ali killing some of the guards on the rooftops. As they stood on the rooftop and looked down with intention of hunting, just like an eagle, they finally found it.

Ezio gritted her pearl like teeth at the man who was on the fatter side and was walking along a rich looking middle aged looking man, but they seemed to be arguing from this distance :"quel bastardo, lo ucciderò (that bastard, I'll kill him)!"

But thankfully, Ali was beside her to comfort her as he gently placed his hand on her shoulder :"hey, Ezio, it's alright. This may seem really weird coming from me, but you should calm down. We are at the lion's den, so we should keep calm and use all our skills with caution."

Ezio kept her eyes on her target like an eagle as she glared at him and clenched her hands and teeth. But she wasn't a fool, so she took a deep breath and tried her best to calm down as she unclenched her hands and nodded :"hai ragione, amore mio (you're right my love). We should use the skills that Paola taught us to get close to him."

After doing a leap of faith that for some reason no one thought of as weird or something to pay attention to

And thankfully and as Ali planned, none of the guards caught or noticed the two since they were colored grey. After walking for just a little while of a few seconds, they finally reached the entrance of the big space.

But unfortunately for them, there were two of those heavy armored and axe wielding guards guarding the door. Ali and Ezio sat down on a chair and pretended to mind their own business as she glanced at him :"merda, cosa dovremmo fare adesso (shit, what are we supposed to do now)? We can't start a fight because of being outnumbered."

Ali looked up to the rooftop and sighed as he folded his arms and placed one of his legs over the other :"we can't go in through the rooftops either, there are quite a few guards there too. Hmm… hey, get up. I've got an idea."

She nodded even though she didn't have a clue of what was going through his mind, but found out immediately when she passed the guards guarding the doors and saw a group of the brothel whores at where Ali was looking at.

He nodded at their reaction and smirked at Ezio :"you get what I'm saying? They will distract the guards and we will go in without being noticed." She smirked back and nodded :"mi piace quel tuo piano (I like that plan of yours), Ashkim (my love)."

After the two signaled for the group of brothel courtesans to come to them, they just told them to distract the gyards and pull them away from their position which they happily accepted to do after getting a good some of money of 150 florins.

And it was really easy for them to do so. They just danced for the guards a little and gestured for them to follow them and they happily did. Seeing that their path has opened, the two high fived while smirking and pretended to be part of the crowd to walk in.

And after walking into the huge, yard like space, they listened to the conversation between Uberto before they struck. They sat down on one of the seats and listened as a man flattered him :"good evening, Gonfaloniere."

Uberto :"to you as well. I trust you're enjoying yourselves?"

The flattering man :"indeed! A nice distraction from that nasty business with the Auditore family."

Uberto :"and to think I once thought of Giovanni as … a brother…"

The flattering man :"don't blame yourself! How could you have known what evils he planned?"

The flattering woman :"I say we strike that traitor's name from the record books. Let history forget he ever even existed."

Uberto :"yes, I will think about that…"

Ezio gritted her teeth as her patience finally dried up, got up and walked towards Uberto with rage. Ali also got up and followed her with unforgiving eyes filled with silent rage at the man who finally noticed them and had his body filled with fear :"you…! Guards! Arrest them!" but was silenced when Ezio stabbed him 5 times with her hidden blade.