Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 4 - Claire

Claire followed Desmond back into the Sanctuary, her shoulders aching with a deep, satisfying tiredness from their hours of work getting the power rerouted. The first light of dawn filtered through the cracked windows of the ruined Villa, casting a pale glow across the stone floor. Desmond moved ahead of her, his steps sure despite the weariness etched into his features, and she found herself momentarily captivated by the quiet determination that radiated from him.

As they entered the main chamber, Lucy looked up from where she was hunched over a laptop, the faint light from the screen reflecting in her eyes. Her expression softened just a fraction, a brief acknowledgment of their efforts. "Just in time. The sun's rising," she said, her tone holding a trace of relief.

Rebecca glanced up from her own work, her face breaking into a grin as she adjusted her glasses. "Yes! It's booted. We're good to go." She shot a thumbs-up in their direction, her enthusiasm infectious, even if Claire was too tired to fully return the energy.

Shaun, who had been pacing near the stairs, threw up his hands in mock exasperation. "Did you miss me? No? Anyone? Hello, am I speaking out loud? Hello? Workaholics."

Desmond smirked, shrugging off his fatigue with a casual roll of his shoulders. "We're getting there, Shaun. Keep your hair on."

Claire nudged him with her elbow, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, we had to leave the sightseeing until later." She shot Shaun a playful look. "You know, getting all that power routed through a decaying town isn't as glamorous as you might think."

Shaun rolled his eyes dramatically but there was a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. "Oh, I'm sure it was a thrilling adventure."

Lucy's attention was already back on the screen, her focus sharp. "Let's get started. Desmond, what are we going to do about Abstergo?"

The question pulled Claire's thoughts back to the present, the lingering warmth of Desmond's shoulder brushing against hers fading as the reality of their situation settled in. Desmond frowned, glancing toward Lucy. "Wait it out. As soon as we find the Apple, you'll get in contact with our other teams in Europe, right?"

Lucy nodded, her expression growing more serious. "But as far as Italy goes, we're on our own for now. Abstergo's got a tight grip on the borders, and our top Assassins are tied up gathering intel on the Templar satellite launch." She tapped a few keys, her voice growing more thoughtful. "We've pinpointed some possible facilities in the U.S., China, and Russia, but there's nothing concrete yet."

Desmond's brow furrowed as he processed the information. "What about the other teams? What are they up to?"

Lucy sighed, running a hand through her blonde hair, looking more tired than Claire had seen her before. "They're doing what they can, combating Abstergo's search for other Pieces of Eden. As far as we know, Abstergo hasn't found out about the Temples or Ezio's Apple. For once, we might actually be ahead of them."

Claire leaned against the edge of one of the stone tables, crossing her arms over her chest as she listened. There was a slight tension in the air, the kind that came from knowing they were standing on the edge of something big—and dangerous. But underneath that, there was a faint thread of hope. They might be outnumbered and outgunned, but at least for now, they had a chance to stay one step ahead.

Desmond's voice cut through her thoughts. "Do you have any clue about those numbers under the drawing?"

Shaun, who had been fiddling with a map on his tablet, perked up. "1419, 1420, 1421. It could be something related to the Hundred Years' War. Or wait... In 1419, Pope Martin V arrived in Florence, didn't he? He left for Rome in 1420, and that's also when Brunelleschi started work on the Duomo. And in 1421... well, I'll have to dig a bit deeper to make sense of it."