Curses of The Precursors

The animus screen went down to a blue screen with the Abstergo insignia glowing white on it. Jack rubbed his eyes as they refocused to the dim light of the penthouse suite. His senses readjusted to the present and yawned.

"Tired already? I thought we agreed you wouldn't stop until you found the precursor ring?" James said with a hint of negative attitude. He was sitting on the other side of the floor 29 executive room. His laptop was flipped open as he keyed away, hacking into the buildings cameras.

"Joseph doesn't seem to know how to do anything but get beat up and accomplish the mission in the end. These memories are useless." Red said while he got up to stretch. It was noon and the boy was still in his nightwear. Plaid pants and a white T shirt. He yawned. "Besides, the Animus is tiring."

James looked at the boy and laughed. "Sure it is. Now get dressed, I almost have the cameras done."

Red walked over to his bag of luggage and got out his next pair of clothes. A few seconds later he was in the bathroom readying to shower.

(I don't care who you are or what you join for. With me, against me, both, neither, I don't care. I just want to roleplay with you!)

Michael was awake, which was odd for him. Usually, he slept until two p.m. on off days from Abstergo Entetertainment - a huge virus spread to nearly all the comouters - and stayed inisde. Today, however, he was roaming the halls of the building - why was he here again... ah, yes - a friend invited him over. If Michael was home he would have [preferably] worn nothing at all went would have gone nude. However,being in public required annoying requirements. Ugh. Today, he wore black jeans, along with simple brown shoes, and a half-buttoned white button up shirt, lazily put on. He was atleast glad for theheight of the roofs - he was 6 feet and 9 inches (I think 2.06m, or so.) tall, and the roofs were perfect. Having rich friends was nice. It was only noon - 12 P.M. - when he noticed a very slight thing off about the cameras. Regularly, as he observed before, they took five seconds looking ine way, five seconds the other, then look back the other way, repeat. But, these cameras had no pattern this morning - sometime they'd look one way for six or seven seconds, then ten the other, then three when they looked back - it had no pattern. He was very curious, so he stared straight at one, making no noise, his black hair and fullbeard messy.

(Very promising, and quite interesting indeed. We shall see which direction it goes in - diagonal, horizontal, back... nah, just kidding, I'm not Willy Wonka. Those elevators still confuse me. But yeah - very interesting.)

Red got out of the shower and walked into the front room of the suite where James was still using the laptop for the cameras. "You know, if you ask to use those, I'm sure Melany would grant you access." He said, sitting on the couch, still wet and naked.

"Trust me, this way I won't have to deal with security telling me what I can and can't use them for. And the less Melany knows, the better. I've also noticed that the coffee stations tender looks like an Assassin I ran into once. Funny how people can look alike." He said, paying no attention to the boy.

"Whatever you say." Red replied. He turned on the TV.

James finally looked over at the boy, "Damn it Red, get dressed. You need to use the Animus to find that precursor ring!"

"Ugh. Fine." He put on a pair of basketball shorts and went back into the animus.

Shortly afterward, Maggie, a red headed women in her early 30s came into the room, looking beautiful as always with her security uniform and perfect hair. "That boy needs to get out more..." She said as she looked at the half dressed Red in the Animus.

"Maybe, maybe not. But we need that precursor ring." He got up and kissed her. "Welcome home."

After staring at the camera for a minute now, he realised something - his wallet was not in his pockets. Who steals a wallet here? Out of all the places, it was the worst. "God damnit..." He said, furiously, in his deep voice. He went searching - scrounging on the ground, knocking on the doors, even though pracfically everybody was at the Indoor pool.

Finally, he knocked on another door. No response. He went to the next, and knocked. No response. "One more, or else I ask 'im where it is..." He said, finally knocking on one more door. He tnought he heard people inside - so this was his best shot at any type of information. He neverousley twisted the Templar Ring on his finger - made specially for him. His hands were bigger than others, after all. Even though he knew his wallet was not in his pockets, he patted them once more. Nope. Not in there.

The couple heard a knock on the door. James looked through the peephole and saw that it was a man. He couldn't see details. He adjusted his reading glasses and opened the door. James was wearing a tuxedo without a blazer. He had a Templar tattoo on the back of his left hand. He looked at the man for a second and said, "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Maggie put down her security bag and looked at the cameras.

Michael observed the room behind the man for about a splitsecond - it led to one dkrection, the other presumabley being the bathrooms. "Possibly..." He said, looking down at the man, observing him. Glasses. Not thick enough, so not perscription. Tuxedo, no blazer - can be fun, but can be serious. But, it was the man's left hand that brought Michael's full attention. "...for we know many things as the same." He pointed towards the Tattoo of the Templar Cross on his left hand, and raided his own right hand up, and tapped the ring he had on. "Fancy meeting another... was looking for my wallet, originaly." He said, with a small grin.

"Ah. Well please come inside. Perhaps I can help." He ushered the man inside. Maggie smiled at the man and walked into the kitchen to prepare a meal. Red was still in the Animus.

As Michael entered, he shut the door behind him. Quickly, he pulled out his phone, texted his friend, I'm fine. Don't come looking. Michael followed the woman into the kitchen, and said, "My, youmust be the nicest Templar I've met... Damned Russians..." He said the last part to nobody in particular, then said, "Is there anybody else here? Quite a large place for two." Michael sighed, and shut his eyes tight for a couple seconds. He stood up much later than usual running the memories of his ancestor in the Golden Age of Piracy - a utter disgrace. His ancestor was a Templar, yes, but he betrayed the family name and joined the Assassins. He was effectively wiped from Family History books.

"Well yes." Maggie replie . "Theres me, I Maggie, my husband James, and a boy we adopted from our deceased friend. His name is Jack, but everyone calls him Red. He is in the animus in the other room. I think James is getting him." She got out sandwich materials as she spoke.

Seconds later, James walked into the kitchen with a smile on his face. "Red found the ring. We can head out tomorrow morning for west Canada." He told Maggie. The information immediately brought up her cheer. Seconds later, Red walked into the kitchen clad in only basketball shorts.

"Oh, I didn't know we would have a visitor." He said, alarmed.

"It's fine Red, he is a Templar." James responded.

"Oh." Red let out.

Michael lightly waved at Red, and said, "So, what ancestor found a ring for ya? 12th century Templar, late 17th century first American? Possibly somethin' else?" Michael was intriqued on where the three were going, so he said the first thing to come to mind. "So - would it be possible for I to head with you fine bunch? I'm fine leavin' this place, and none of you really seem the... strong type, per-say." He said the ladt bit with no offense intended - just complete honesty. "I've been exploring an ancestor of mine during the golden age of piracy..." he said, angrily. "...though, he did betray the order and joined the Assassins. He's a disgrace to my family's name." Michael sighed, and said finally, "Speaking of names, where are my manners? Name's Michael. Michael Butcher."

Maggie pipes up with,"I'm actually a security captain here at Abstergo but I suppose it can't hurt to have numbers." She looked at James.

"Alright you can come but you'd better be useful." James said. "Ans only because you're a brother."

Red sat down at the bar and Maggie gave him a sandwich. He was semi embarrassed not being fully clothed in front of a stranger. "My ancestor by the name of Joseph Wiles. A Master in revolutionary America."

Michael grinned at what Maggie said - another Abstergo employe. He said, grinning halfway, "I'm actually a... repair man, you could say there. Sucks, sometimes. I fixed the Elevator, and nobody even said 'thanks' at all. Yet when I don't do something that just happened, other idiots think i'm incompetent and don't deserve to work there." He then turned to James, and said, still grinning,
"Oh, you bet I am useful. My family - they go back to the time after Altiar, one of my ancestors took Masyaf." He lumbered out of the room, only to return a few minutes later, this time, holding a large bag that would normally be hard for people to carry. He just normally carried it. "Alright, so, if I remembered correctly, You're Maggie," He said, pointing to her, "James," He pointed to James. "And Red." He said finally, pointing to Red. He grinned, and said, "I take it that's just a nickname, eh? Least your old man named you after a video game character. Well - my name is Michael, but my friends call me 'Big.' Obvious reasons why." He said, shaking Red's hand. He adjusted the bag, where metal clanking together inside was heard.

Red replied, "It's a nickname. My real name is Jack. But no one really calls me that." He shook the man's hand and also said, "This is my first time going through an ancestors memory. And Joseph Wiles is really... different. I'm not sure how far back my ancestry goes."

"Good memory. You got our names right. What's in the bag?" James said.

Maggie finished the sandwiches and even made one for Michael. They had mayonnaise, cheese, and ham.

"Ah - first timer?" He grinned, and said "Damian's my second - my first was an old Assassin during the Revolution, forgot his name, though." He then turned to James, and then said, "Ah - basically what I put in my workbag. My favorite wrench, Some flashlights, and a old water canteen - not filled with water, filled with liquor. The other one is filled with water, though." Michael then said, back to Red, "And, believe me, If I were not so focused on Damian, I'd've probably great times ten grandmother Brother, one of the worst Templars in family history." When Maggie came in to the room, and said a simple "Thank you."

"Interesting." James said. He neglected his sandwich and left it on the table. Contrary to Red, who gulfed it down. James grabbed his laptop and began typing fast and accurately. "I'm booking us a flight for 6 AM. We can be in Canada by about.... (random number from France to Canada) 9PM Eastern Standard Time."

Maggie went into the bedroom and began packing her bag. She called Melany and told her about the job. Melany was happy that the team had gotten somewhere and said she would reinvest them for the money spent on the trip if all goes well.

Red finished the last bit of his sandwich and laid on the couch, his knees up and bent, his legs facing Michael. His short's legs fell extremely low to his waist as he watched his favorite Abstergo Entertainment show, about Edward Kenway.

Michael picked up the sandwich, and placed it in a bag inside of his large sports bag. He then turned to the woman, and said, "Thank you highly - I'll just leave it in there, for now, had breakfast earlier." When she went into her room, he looked at his phone. He recieved a new text, from his Templar friend. "Holy shit..." He then turned to James, and said, "Speaking of Interesting, my friend found another Ancestor in my sample... A decendent of Damian, in... American revolution, another Assassin...God, so many traitors..." He then sat down at the couch, lounging, and said to Red, "I can understand if your Ancestor is different. My Mother's side is full of oddballs, all recorded in our family history."

Red crossed his legs and his "package" came grotesquely into view, unbeknownst to him. "Well how are you a Templar? They must have turned back sometime."

James continued keying away at his laptop. "Michael, was it? Some Animus jockey found a wallet and turned it into security if you want to look into it." He reached over and took a bite out of his sandwich.

Maggie came out of the room and told James the good news. "Melanie said the trip is a green light. And the big dogs will be paying for it if it all goes well."

James smiled and said, "Great. Let's cross our fingers."

Michael chuckled, and said to Red, "Might wanna cover the snake up. Other people 'ere." He grinned, and then said, "Oh, there's more Butchers than him. He had a brother as well - Helped Damian, but never left the order. He eventually turned on Damian, but that was when they were frail and old, so thanks to Jonathon, Damian's brother, I am not an Assassin." As he listened to James, he waited, then Maggie came in. "Alright - lemme just get my wallet, and I'll be able to pay for myself." He then walked out, and, ten minutes later, returned. "Well - wasn't hard identifying me. The picture was of most of my face, and they didn't dare argue." He said, holding up a black, leather wallet.

Red didn't quite understand what the man was saying and didn't move. He was never one for code. He continued watching Edward Kenways life story. "Well at least you're not an assassin, then we wouldn't be sitting here." He chuckled.

James said, "see you when you get back."

When michael returned, no one had moved an inch except Maggie, who had been packing for everyone. James was finished with his sandwich and still on the computer. Red was still sitting "openly" on the couch. "Well you can't argue with a picture." James stated. "We can make a place for you to stay the night if you need to. It'd be best considering we have to leave at 5 in the morning."

When Michael saw Red hadn't moved, Michael sighed, and, just when he was about to say something, the T.V. played a clip of Edward saying "Christ, mate!" He closed his mouth, turned to the T.V., and glared at it. He then sat, looked at Red, and said, "I meant cover up your... ah, The Baloney Pony, the Beaver basher, the... Big richard, the big Jimmy, the lap rocket, The Mayonnaise shooting Hotdog gun!" He sighed, and said, "If you do not know any of those blatantly obvious codenames, then I'm just gonna yell it."

Red took the remote and put it under a pillow on the couch. "Is that what you meant?" He thought he had figured out the code and went back to watching the TV.

"Don't bother." James said without looking, hearing half the conversation. "He is more like his ancestor Joseph than he cares to believe." He laughed and continued typing away. "Only difference was the invention of the modern razor." He chuckled.

Joseph was intent on the show and tuned James out, only saying, "Whatever you say Jamesy boy."

Michael sighed, and said, "Fine." He took his sports bag off, finally, and then said, "If you can't understand it, then this should help." He put his hands up, both infists, and then pointed his pointer finger out of one, and made an 'o' out of another. He then stuck his finger in the other one, pulled it out, back in, repeat. "You should know this." He pushed his finger faster. "I'll just say it if you don't, cause pretty much everybody knows what this is code word for." He then made his finger go extremely fast for a few seconds, then slowed it down, then pulled it out. He then put his hands down.

Red raised an eyebrow and said quite skeptically, "You're going to hook me up with someone...? I'm only sixteen Michael."

James continued looking into the information Red provided earlier on the ring.

Michael made a noise of complete 'Ugh'. He groaned for at least thirty seconds, and finally, giving up, said, "Know what, fine?" He straightened up, cleared his throat, and said, "What's the shortened way of saying the name Richard? It's showing." He then opened his sports back, and began rumagging tnrough it, making sure everything was inside of it.

Red thought for a minure and then aloud he said, "rich is showing? This isn't even pay per view. We aren't that rich." He scooted up on the couch a bit, allowing the shorts more slack, which made the whole party show. Completely oblivious as always, Red continued watching Abstergo Entertainment.

James stretched and went back to typing, ignoring the situation.