Renaissance. Part 30

"It's too late ... and never get to the island with a boat of this size, although at least use properwe to escape this disaster.

"He released the man, tie, Altezza. Altezza.

"Okay.

Dante turned to the trembling crew.

- Throw off the bowlines! Hoist the sails! Quick!

Ezio emerged at the time of the shadows, crossed corriendo the dock and jumped on board the boat. The frightened sailors vanished, plunging most of the dark lagoon.

- Depart from me, murderer! Silvio yelled.

"You just say your ultimate insult," said Ezio, ApunLandola in the stomach and belly dragging slowly leaves his double-edged dagger. And what you said about muWomen of my family, I swear I'll cut the b.a.l.l.s to think it was worth it.

Dante had been paralyzed. Ezio looked into his eyes. The big man seemed to be exhausted.

"It's over," said Ezio. You bet the wrong horse.

"Maybe," said Dante. But I'll kill you anyway. Dirty murderer. I get tired.

Ezio pulled his gun and fired. Lead is stamped in the face of Dante. Collapsed.

Ezio Silvio knelt and gave him absolution. It was withcienzudo above all, always remember that killing had to be the last alternative, and the dead, suddenly losing all their rights, should at least receive the benefitprice of the last rituals.

- Where are you going, Silvio? What is that hat? I thought preteendays post dux.

Silvio smiled a weak smile.

"That was just a distraction ... We wanted to leave for ...

- Where?

"Too late," said Silvio smiled, and immediately died.

Ezio turned to Dante and placed his big leonine head in the bend of your arm.

"Your destination is Cyprus, Auditore Dante said in a feeble voice. Maybe I can redeem my soul finally telling the truth. Want ... want ... "But the giant died drowned with his propia blood.

Ezio fumbled inside the portfolios of both men but found nothing except a letter to Dante by his wife. Flushed, he started to read it.

Amore mine: I psk if the day will come quand these word recoveryren, its sense to you. I feel I've doneo: let me depart from you Marco, force me to divorce and become its wife. But ahnow he has died, tengor to find mamanner that we can get back together. I wonder, ems.h.i.+p, even if you'll remember me. Or were too grasee the heridas that suffered in battle? R "emove my words, if not your memory, at least your heart? Although what I digan such seez is unimportant, because I know you in my heartslate blight, in some part. Find a way, love mi. HtoCerte remember.Ofrecover ... sense to you. I feel I've doneo: let me depart from you Marco, force me to divorce and become its wife. But ahnow he has died, tengor to find mamanner that we can get back together. I wonder, ems.h.i.+p, even if you'll remember me. Or were too grasee the heridas that suffered in battle? R "emove my words, if not your memory, at least your heart? Although what I digan such seez is unimportant, because I know you in my heartslate blight, in some part. Find a way, love mi. HtoCerte remember.Ofrecover ...

Siemperre yours, Gloria There was no direction. Ezio carefully folded the letter and guarDo in your bag. Theodora would ask if I knew this strange story, and if I could return the letter to their station, together with non-tice of the death of the creature's true unfaithful husband.

Looked at the bodies and made the sign of the cross over them.

"Requiescat in pace He said sadly. He said sadly.

Ezio was with the dead when he was approached Bartolo-meo, panting.

"I see you did not need my help, as usual," he said.

- Have you recovered the a.r.s.enal?

- Do you think it would not have done it here?

- Congratulations!

-Evviva!

But Ezio was watching the sea.

"We must return to Venice, friend," he said. And Agostino may govern without fear of the Templars. But I think I will not rest long. See that galley on the horizon?

"Yes.

"Dante said, with his last breath, which sailed for Cyprus.

- For what purpose?

"That, amico, amico, is what I have to find out. is what I have to find out.

Chapter 21.

Ezio could not believe it was already summer solstice day of the year of Christ 1487. Twenty-eight was her birthday. He was alone in the Bridge of Fists, leaning over the bal.u.s.trade andtuning sadly the ca.n.a.l water unhealthy. Saw pasar a rat swimming, pus.h.i.+ng a hole opened in the negro brick bank a load of cabbage leaves had just swipe the barge's greengrocer.

- You're here, Ezio! "Said a lively voice, and smelled the aroma toRosa mizcleno even before turned to greet her-. Howto time! Almost starting to think I avoided!

"I've been ... busy.

"Of course. What would Venice be without you?

Ezio shook his head from side to side in sadness, while Rosa was leaning comfortably on the railing beside him.

- Why are you so seriousor beautiful?She asked.

Ezio looked at him blankly and shrugged.

-Felicitame for my birthday.

- Is it your birthday? "Are you serious? Wow! Rallegramenti! Rallegramenti! It's wonderful! It's wonderful!

-I not say much, "said Ezio, sighing-. Ten years ago I witnessed the death of my father and my brothers. And I spent ten years pursuing the perpetrators, the men on the list of my father and those who have been adding to it since his death. And I know I'm near the end ... but I'm not at all close to understanding for what what has actually been all that. has actually been all that.

"Ezio, you have devoted your life to a good cause. Te has bein a way a lonely person, isolated, but in a sense has been your vocation. And although the instrument you used to promove your cause is death, have never been unfair. Venice is a much better place now than ever, thanks to you. So cheer up. Anyway, and since it's your birthday, I bring a gift. By chance has come at the right time! "And he gave a newspaper official-looking navigation.

"Thank you, Rosa. Not exactly what I thought you could give me for a birthday. What is it?

"Just something that happens ... I have collected. s.h.i.+pping manifest is the a.r.s.enal. It appears the date on your black hat sailed to Cyprus last year ...

- Really? -Ezio reached out to pick up the book peror Rosa joked to give no-. Give it to me, Rosa. This is not a joke.

"Everything has its price ... She whispered.

"If you say so ...

He hugged her for a long time. She was cast him and Ezio quickly became the book.

- Hey! This is not fair! She said laughing. Well, it does not matter, but to save you the suspense I will tell you this gallery of yours is scheduled to return to Venice ... Tomorrow!

"I wonder what will carry on board.

- And you do not believe that someone who is not exactly a million miles away eventually find out? Ezio smiled.

- Let's go first to celebrate!

But at that momentor a familiar figure appeared.

- Leonardo! Ezio said, extremely surprised. I believe in Milan!

"I just got back," said Leonardo. They told me where incontrarte. h.e.l.lo, Rosa. Sorry Ezio, but we must discuss.

- Now? "At this very moment?

"Sorry.

Rosa laughed.

- Go, boys, merryI will reserve!

Leonardo took with him a reluctant Ezio.

"Better than what you have to tell me is good-murMuro Ezio.

"Oh, it is, it is rea.s.suring," said Leonardo.

Ezio guided through the narrow alleys until they came to his shop. Leonardo began to spin around the room, took a bottle of mulled wine, some stale pastries and lots of doc.u.mentationcough that dropped on the large trestle table that occupied the central part of his study.

"As I promised, I give the pages of your Codice in Monteriggioni, but I could not resist the temptation to examineNarla before some more. I copied here my findings. I do not know why he had not established before the connection, but when joined, I realized that the marks, symbols and alphabets anTiguan can decoded. And I think we've struck gold ... Because all these pages are contiguous! He made a pausa-. This wine is hot! The truth is that I usuallydo at St. Columba and the Gonet seems to p.i.s.s me of mosquitoescompared to.

"Go forward," said Ezio.

"Listen to this. -Leonardo took a pair of gla.s.ses and cocrazy over his nose. He flipped through the papers and read-: "The Prophet ... appear ... when the Second Fragment Flo comes to townimportant ....

Ezio held her breath to hear those words.

-Prophet? Repeated-. "Only the Prophet can open .... "Two Fragments of Eden ....

-Ezio-Leonardo looked perplexed, removing the gafas-. What happens? Have you heard of something this?

Ezio stared. It seemed like he had just taken a decision.

"We've known for some time, Leonardo. If I can not trust you, I can not trust anyone ...Listen! My uncle MaRio talked about it long ago. Has cracked and the other PaCodex pages, as did also my father, Giovanni. Escona prophecy, uttered on an ancient secret vault that contains something ... something very powerful!

- Really? It's amazing! "But then you came to mind something-. Look, Ezio, if we have learned all this from the Codex, how much should know about the Barbarigo and all the others against whom we have met? Maybe you also know the existence of the vault that you dices. And if so, is not good news.

- Wait!Ezio said, your brain running at full speedDad. And if that's why they sent the galley to Cyprus? Why incounterrevolutionary incounterrevolutionary this "Piece of Eden" and this "Piece of Eden" and then bring it to Venice? then bring it to Venice?

- "When the Second Fragment float reaches the City.... you Naturally!

- Now I remember! "The Prophet appears .... "... Only the Prophet can open the vault !... My G.o.d, Leo, when my uncle told me about the Codex, I was too young, too foolish to imagine that this was something more than the fantasy of ancyan. But now I see it! The killing of Giovanni Mocenigo, the murder of my family, the attempt on the life of The Dukerenzo and the terrible death of his brother ... It was part of its its ... plan, find the vault ... The first name of my ... plan, find the vault ... The first name of my List] List] The Unitedco to which I have yet to throw a hand on ... The Unitedco to which I have yet to throw a hand on ... The Spanis.h.!.+ The Spanis.h.!.+

Leonardo took a deep breath. He knew who he was referring Ezio.

"Rodrigo Borgia," he said in a whisper.

- Exactly! -Ezio paused. The galley comes manana from Cyprus. I plan to be there to greet her.

Leonardo embraced him.

"Good luck, dear friend," he said.

The next day, Ezio, weapons and banditry Codexra charged with throwing knives, was under the shadow of a colonnade near the docks, watching closely how a group of men dressed in uniform simplemonth to avoid attracting attention but quietly displaying the coat of arms of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, was unloading a crate of small size and normal appearance of a black hat herebaba arriving from Cyprus. Handled the glove boxsilk tees, and one of them, protected by guards, took upon his shoulders and prepared to leave with her. Ezio but then realized that there were more guards charged with similar cases, five in total. "It would contain each of those csome kind of pre AJASappliance prices, the second part, or would simply lures? And all the guards looked the same, at least from the distance from which Ezio was required to observe the scene.

Just when Ezio was leaving it exposed toattain them noticed the presence of another man who also watched what was happening from a vantage point similar to yours. Suppressed an involuntary cry to recognize the man as his uncle, Mario Auditore, but there was no time to call and say h.e.l.loI, for one of the soldiers who bore the Borgia had begun to move cases followed by his bodyguards. Ezio followed at all times keeping a safe distance. But one question constantly spinning in his head: would it really his uncle, the man he had seen? And if so, how had he arrived in Venice and why precisely at that moment?

But had to shelve that idea as he followed Borgia guards to fully concentrate on not losing sight of the man who carried the first box, if it was that whatever it contained something out. "One of the" Fragments of Eden '?

The guards came to a square that left five streets. Each of the guards loaded with boxes, along with his bodyguard, took a different direction. Ezio climbed the wall of a building from the roof to follow the path of individual guardays. Following them closely, saw that one of them left his escort to enter the courtyard of a solid brick building asrespect, deposited his box down and opened it. Quickly joined by a sergeant Borgia. Ezio leaned over the roof to hear what they said.

"The Master is waiting," said the sergeant. Back to package it with care. Right now!

Ezio saw an object pa.s.sing the guard carefullystraw returned in original box with another box of teak that had just brought a servant. Ezio thought quickly. Master! As sabia, when the acolytes Templars po mentioned that t.i.tle onlydian refer to a man, Rodrigo Borgia! It was evident that emwell the device package because they wanted to multiply the security measures. Ezio guard knew and what was his goal.

Fell back to street level and cornered the soldier who carried the teakwood box. The sergeant had returned with the cardinal's guard, who waited in the courtyard. In one mynute, Ezio cut his throat, the soldier pulled the body of the street and put on the outside of his uniform coat and cap.

I was about to load the box on his shoulder when he saw hisoutweighed by the temptation to take a quick look inside and opened the lid. But just at that moment, the sergeant came back into the patio door.

- Wise up!

- Yes, sir! Ezio said.