Brotherhood

TWENTY-TWO

Ezio’s long-awaited reunion with Machiavelli finally took place on Tiber Island, soon after the encounter at the brothel. Ezio was reserved at first—he didn’t like any of the Brotherhood disappearing without his knowledge of where they’d gone, but he recognized in his heart that, for Machiavelli, he must make an exception. And indeed, the Brotherhood itself was an association of free-minded, free-spirited souls acting together not from coercion or obedience, but from a common concern and interest. He didn’t own, or have any right to control, any of them.

Serious and determined, he shook hands with his old colleague—Machiavelli shunned the warmth of an embrace. “We must talk,” he said.

“We certainly must.” Machiavelli looked at him. “I gather you know about my little arrangement with Pantasilea?”

“Yes.”

“Good. That woman has more sense of tactics in her little finger than her husband has in his whole body—not that he isn’t the best man possible in his own field.” He paused. “I’ve been able to secure something of great worth from one of my contacts. We now have the names of nine key Templar agents whom Cesare has recruited to terrorize Rome.”

“Just tell me how I may find them.”

Machiavelli considered. “I suggest looking for signs of distress within any given city district. Visit the people there. Perhaps you’ll uncover citizens who can point you in the right direction.”

“Did you get this information from a Borgia official?”

“Yes,” said Machiavelli carefully, after a pause. “How do you know?”

Ezio, thinking of the encounter he had witnessed with La Volpe in the market square, wondered if that might not have been the initial contact. Machiavelli must have been following it up ever since.

“Lucky guess,” he said.“Grazie.”

“Look—Claudia, Bartolomeo, and La Volpe are waiting for you in the inner room here.” He paused. “Thatwas a lucky guess.”

“Virtù, dear Niccolò, that’s all,” said Ezio, leading the way.

“Virtue?” said Machiavelli to himself, as he followed.

His companions in the Brotherhood stood as he entered the hideout’s inner sanctum. Their faces were somber.

“Buona sera,” Ezio said and got straight down to business. “What have you discovered?”

Bartolomeo spoke first. “We’ve ascertained that thatbastardo Cesare is now at the Castel Sant’Angelo—with the Pope!”

La Volpe added, “And my spies have confirmed that the Apple has indeed been given to someone for secret study. I am working on determining his identity.”

“We can’t guess it?”

“Guesswork’s no good. We need to knowfor sure.”

“I have news of Caterina Sforza,” Claudia put in. “She will be moved to the prison within the Castel next week, on Thursday toward dusk.”

Ezio’s heart involuntarily skipped a beat at this. But it was all good news.

“Bene,” said Machiavelli. “So—the Castel it is. Rome will heal quickly once Cesare and Rodrigo have gone.”

Ezio held up a hand. “Only if the right opportunity to assassinate them arises will I take it.”

Machiavelli looked irritated. “Do not repeat your mistake in the Vault. You must kill them now.”

“I’m with Niccolò,” said Bartolomeo. “We shouldn’t wait.”

“Bartolomeo is right,” agreed La Volpe.

“They must pay for Mario’s death,” said Claudia.

Ezio calmed them, saying, “Do not worry, my friends: they will die. You have my word.”