Part 5 (1/2)

”Among the contents and find a letter with her some doc.u.ments. You take it all without delay, the same is notche!, to Messer Messer Alberti ... Alberti ...

- Al Gonfaloniere? Gonfaloniere?

”Exactly. Now go!

”But, Father ... -Ezio he struggled to get out the words, and eager to do more than simply transporting doc.u.mentsments, stammered: Are the Pazzi behind all this? I read the note from the pigeon. Said ...

But Giovanni silenced him. Ezio heard the key introDose in the lock of the door.

”They're going to question me,” said Giovanni sorry. Go before getting caught. My G.o.d, you are a brave boy. You merecedor of your destiny. And now for the last time I say: go!

Ezio moved warily down the ledge and hung on the wall so you do not see him as he heard how his father had. Play that was unbearable. Then he donned goinglor for download. I knew that the declines are almost always harder than promotion, but in the last forty-eight hours had gained much experience climbing and falling buildings. Tower crawled down, slipping a couple of times but always recovering balance, until it reached again the battlements, where the two guards were still lying where she had left. Another goalpe of luck! He had been hitting their heads with all its forcesforces, but if by chance they had regained consciousness while he was at the top of the tower and had sounded the alarm ... Not worth thinking about what would have been the consequences.

The truth is that there was no time to think about such things. Pounced on the battlements and looked down. The weather was a key factor and if identified something down that might interrupt his fall, would dare to jump. As their eyes were adaptedtandose to the gloom, he saw the awning of an empty stall next to the wall, far below. Should he play? To achieve win precious minutes. If he failed, ending with a broken leg would be the slightest of problems. But I had to have faith in himself.

Deep breath and plunged into the dark.

From such a height, the canopy gave way under his weight, but was signedmously subject and gave him enough strength to cut its fall. It was out of breath and in the morning followingI have some bruised ribs, but was down! And it has notBia triggered an alarm.

He shook himself and ran towards him that only a horas ago had been their home. On arriving there he realized that the rush his father had forgotten to explain how to locate the secret door. Giulio would know, but where was Giulio?

Luckily there were no guards hanging around the house and could access it without anyone to intercept. He had stopped at his home one minute, almost unable to cross the dark threshold of the door gave the impression that the house had changedinformation exchanged, that his holiness had ifdo desecrated. Ezio was forced newtively to bring order to his thoughts, knowing that their actions were critical. Now his family depended on him. He went into the family home in the dark. Shortly after he was in the office of his father, gloomily lit a single candle, looking around.

The guards had turned the room and it was obvious that he hasbian seized several bank doc.u.ments. General chaos reigning falls shelves, chairs overturned, drawers on the floor and papers and books everywhere, not at all the work facilitatedEzio jo. But knew the office, enjoying a great view and decided to use his wit. The walls were thick, whichany of them could hide a camera inside, but he went to the wall that was installed large fireplace, where the walls were thicker, and began their search there. Bringing the candle, and groping, always keeping his ear alert for returning guards, distinguished thought finally, on the left side of the carved mantel, the faint outline of a door marked on the caissons. There had to be something that servedra open. Carefully studied the sculptures of Colossi Colossi they held on their backs the marble fireplace. The nose of the left seemed to be broken and have been postpreviously repaired, it had a small slit at the base. Touched his nose and saw it was a bit loose. With a heavy heart, moved gently and the door swung inward rolling on silent spring hinges and discovering a stone-floored hall that turned to the left. they held on their backs the marble fireplace. The nose of the left seemed to be broken and have been postpreviously repaired, it had a small slit at the base. Touched his nose and saw it was a bit loose. With a heavy heart, moved gently and the door swung inward rolling on silent spring hinges and discovering a stone-floored hall that turned to the left.

Upon entering, his right foot hit a stone that moved under him and, with the movement, the oil lamps hanging on the walls of the pa.s.sage came to life. The tour was short, with a slight downward slope, and ended in a chamber circular decorated in a style more reminiscent of Syria to Italy. Ezio's brain remembered the picture that hung in the office firstford of his father in the castle of Masyaf, which was in its day the seat of the ancient Order of Murderers. But it did not have TIMEe to consider whether this curious decoration might have some special meaning. There was no furniture, and in the center of the room was an iron chest closed with two large voluminous locks. He looked around to see if there was a key, but the stay, except for its ornamentation, it was empty. Ezio was wondering if you would have to return to the dismissalfact of his father to look there, and if you have time to do so when his hand accidentally brushed against one of the locks, which opened suddenly. The other was opened with the same ease. Would you have given your father some kind of power he did not know? Would the locks programmed to respond to a particular contactanything else? The mysteries are piling up, but no TIMEe to enter them now.

He opened the trunk and saw that it contained a white hood, evidencetemente old, made with some kind of woolen fabric that does not remet. Something made him put it on and immediately felt a strange power. He pulled down his hood, but it is not removed.

The cabinet also contained a leather cuff, a broken knife instead of a normal grip was connected to an unusual mechanism whose performance did not reach comturn, a sword, a piece of parchment with symbols and letters and what looked like part of a plan, and the letter and the doc.u.ments that his father had told him that was due to Uberto Alberti. I took everything, closed the cabinet and returned to her father's office, closing the door carefully behind her secret. In the office found a bag to carry doc.u.ments that belonged to Giulio, guarDO in her cabinet doc.u.ments and slung across his chest. b.u.t.toned his sword. Not knowing what to do with this strange set of objects and no time to reflect on why his father kept those things in a secret chamber, returned cautiously to the front door of palazzo. palazzo.

But just when he was about to leave the forecourt, he saw two guards entered the city. It was too late to hide. I had seen.

- Stop! Shouted one of them, and they began to move rapidly towards him.

There was no way to start the withdrawal. Ezio saw that they had removeddo ya swords.

- Why are you here? Why arrest?

”No,” said he had spoken before. We have orders to kill.

And on hearing this, the second guard ran to him.

Ezio drew his sword when he saw it coming. It was a weapon that was unfamiliar, but felt light and competentTENTE in his hand, as if he had used all my life. Skived the first onslaught, right and left, both guards pouncing on him at the same time. The three swords let loose sparks, but Ezio noticed that his new weapon was firm, his mordant, sharp edge. Just at the time the second guard was down his sword with the intention of separating the braEzio zo his shoulder, he made a feint to the right, shouldjo edge. The guard lost his balance when the arm that held the sword fell heavily, though harmlessly on the shoulder of Ezio.

The boy used his momentum to lift his new sword and crossed to the heart of his opponent. Straightening, Ezio turned on his heels, raised his left foot and pushed the dead guard to remove the sword from his body with just enough time to turn around and face her partner. The other guard rushed roaring and wielding a powerful sword.

- Prepare to die traditore! traditore!

The guard jumped on him, tore his left sleeve and sangre began to sprout. Ezio grimaced in pain, which lasted only a second. The guard kept pus.h.i.+ng to see what was ahead and allowed Ezio attack again. Then, taking a step back, put his heel, he waved the sword stuck resolutely and firmly on the neck of his opponent at the moment it fell, separating the head from his shoulders before toface soil.

Ezio stood for a moment trembling at the sudden silenceCIO followed the confused fighting, breathing hard. It was the firstfirst time in his life he killed someone - what was it? - although it was another life inside, oldest, a life that seemed to have years of experience in dealing with death.

The feeling frightened him. That night had seen things that went well beyond what could have been any boy his age, but this new feeling began to awaken in the depths of his being a dark force. It was more than the simple effect of the harrowing experiences he had visaw in the last hours. He walked the dark streets flagging didirection to the house of Alberti, so startled at the slightestnest and looking back frequently. Finally, on the brink of exhaustion but still able to move forward, came home from gonfaloniere. gonfaloniere. He looked up and saw a dim light behind one of the front windows. He knocked loudly on the door with EmpuNadura of his sword. He looked up and saw a dim light behind one of the front windows. He knocked loudly on the door with EmpuNadura of his sword.

Receiving no response, nervous and impatient, called again, louder this time. Nothing.

But at the third attempt, it opened a crack in the door that was closed afterwards. The door opened wide for a moment desas suspicious and armed servant invited him. He explained what brought him around the house and was taken to a room on the first floor where Alberti found sitting at a table full of papethem. Behind him, through the side and sitting on a chair beside a dying fire, Ezio thought he saw another man, tall and robust, evencould only see a little profile, and little clarity.

- Ezio? -Alberti stood up, startled. What are you doing here at this hour?

-No ... not ...

Alberti approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. ”Wait, boy. Breathe deeply. Put your ideas in order.

Ezio nodded. He felt safer now, but also more vulnerable. Began to a.s.similate the events of the evening and night, since he had proposed to deliver the letters GioVanni. He saw the bra.s.s clock that was on the desk, on a pedestal, it was almost midnight. Could only twelve hours have elapsed since Ezio, the boy, had accompanieddo to his mother to pick up some pictures in the studio of an artist? Reluctantly, he realized that he was about to lie to mourn. But he calmed down and was Ezio, the man who took the floor: ”My father and my brothers were taken prisoner I do not know under what authority,” my mother and sister have been hidden and the bank of our family have been sacked. My father sent me that I submit this letter and these doc.u.ments ...

Ezio removed doc.u.ments from his bag.

Thanks.

Alberti was a pair of gla.s.ses and pulled the letter of Giovanni in the light of the candle burning on his desk. In the room could not hear anything except the ticking of the clock and the crackle of the wood off the fire. If there was another presence in the room had forgotten Eziodo completely.

Then, Alberti turned his attention to the doc.u.ments. Spent time consulting them and finally one of them discreetly stored inside his black coat. Others left them gently aside, separate from other papers on the table.

”There has been a terrible misunderstanding, my dear Ezio” he said, removing his gla.s.ses. It is true that there have been acc.u.mulatedsations-serious charges, and knack for tomorrowna trial is scheduled. But apparently someone has showndo, perhaps for reasons of their own, too extreme. But do not worry. We explain everything.

Ezio could not believe it.

-How?

”The doc.u.ments I have given contain evidence of a conspiracy against your father and against the city. Will present these papers at the hearing tomorrow and Giovanni and your brothersRAN released. I guarantee it.

The boy saw a huge relief. He shook hands with the Gonfaloniere. Gonfaloniere.

- How I can grateful to you for?

”My job is to administer justice, Ezio. I take it very seriously y. .. He hesitated for a fraction of a second-... your father is one of my dearest friends. -Alberti smiled. But where have my manners gone? I've even offereddo a gla.s.s of wine. He paused. And where will spend noche? Even I have urgent matters to attend to, but my servants shall ensure that you have food, drink and a warm bed.

Ezio did not know what ended up rejecting an offer as friendly.

When he left the mansion gonfaloniere gonfaloniere it was past midnight. He covered his head again with the hood and gave LapTAS in the streets trying to gather his thoughts. In fact, I knew very well where his steps led him. it was past midnight. He covered his head again with the hood and gave LapTAS in the streets trying to gather his thoughts. In fact, I knew very well where his steps led him.

Once there, he climbed to the balcony with more easily than had been imagined, perhaps the need gave strength to their musclesthe delicately-and called the shutters. Whispered: - Cristina! Love Love Wake up! Me. Wake up! Me.

He waited, quiet as a cat, and stayed to listen. The stretching heard, rising. And then his voice, asusited, on the other side of the shutters.