Assassin's Creed: Vengeance

Memories of Blood

Kristoff sat uneasily in the rather uncomfortable chair in the expansive office on the top floor of the Harver Building in New York City. Only a few weeks prior, he was in Germany giving blood in a drive. The blood went through and he was subsequently asked to take a flight to New York to meet with people who worked for a company he'd only heard of once or twice. The man across from him read through a file before setting it down on the desk and adjusting his prescription glasses.

"So," he said with a thick American accent. "Mr. Schultz, this was the first time you'd ever given blood?"

Kristoff nodded. "Das war das erste mal." (This was the first time.)

"I see. My name is Dr. Ronald Salen, and I'd like you to consider an offer." Dr. Salen said calmly.

Kristoff cocked his head to one side slightly. "Was willst du?" (What do you want?)

"I want your permission to use your blood in a project we've been working on for some time now. If you're interested."

"Was ist das projekt?" (What's the project?")

"You're aware of Animus technology?" Dr. Salen asked.

Kristoff nodded. He had played some bootlegged copies of Animus powered video games before, his favorite was Pirates of Nightmares which had a film adaptation called Devils of the Caribbean that was a box-office bomb but somehow spawned 4 sequels.

"Well," Salen continued. "We'd like you to work with us to uncover some information that's important to our company that's been lost to time I'm afraid. The Board of Directors would appreciate it and you'd be compensated generously."

Kristoff thought a moment, he was in between jobs at the moment, he donated blood in the first place to receive the hundred euros they promised. He smiled and nodded. Dr. Salen stood from his desk and shook Kristoff's hand.

"Welcome to Abstergo Industries, Mr. Schultz."

/

March 16th, 1796

Paris, France

Arno stood amongst a group of Assassins as they stood before the Masters of the Parisian Assassin Brotherhood. It had been two years since he and Elise de la Serre killed the Templar Sage Germain in the catacombs underneath the Temple. It had resulted in Elise's death. Some time later, Arno had gone to Franciade on sabbatical. However short lived it was.

With the help of a young urchin named Leon, Arno uncovered a Piece of Eden and assassinated a Templar Captain; Philippe Rose. Some time later, he had been accepted back into the Order he had abandoned in order to assist his love. But, she was gone and wasn't coming back.

"And you, Arno." said Guillaume; a long time member of the Parisian Brotherhood. "We've a different task for you."

Arno smiled. "What does the Order require?"

"You are to embark for Germany. The Germanic Brotherhood is in need of someone with your skills to infiltrate a Templar network in the area."

"Anything specific? I need details." Arno said.

"That is all we can give you. Now go, Arno. You have your task."

Arno took a slight bow and left the Sanctum, he couldn't help but be slightly disappointed with his task. Infiltrate a Templar network? Information wasn't his forte but his time living with the de la Serres in Versailles did allow him to develop a knack for deception, always sneaking off to play Pharaoh with the ruffians in the taverns. He didn't win a lot but getting away from his pursuers wasn't hard, it was fooling Olivier; monsieur de la Serre's butler that was the challenge.

And Arno always overcame the old coot's challenge. Now, he was given a different challenge. One of patience, discipline, and caution. Three things Arno was never truly good at but he'd have to try anyway.

But, Arno had no time to ponder. He now had to find transport to Germany.

/

October 20th, 2017

New York City, New York

Kristoff once again found himself sitting at a desk, however this time it was his own desk. He had joined Abstergo Industries a few months ago and was tasked with reviewing ancestral footage from his own ancestor August Steigen who was in Southern Germany in 1796 during the Rhine Campaign. He; along with Archduke Charles led the Swabian Circle and Habsburg Austrian military to a victory against the Republican French.

It was a good thing Kristoff had majored in information analyzing. Or else his job would be a lot harder than it actually was.

The information Abstergo wanted was the location of a strange artifact that August Steigen had come into contact with during this time. Kristoff was also tasked with cross-referencing his own ancestor's memories with those of another. Another donor named Callum and his ancestor Arno Dorian; a Frenchman who covertly assisted the Habsburg Austrians during the Campaign.

And on the side, Kristoff had learned a little bit of English. Seeing as how he was working in the most American city of all, New York. At the moment, Kristoff wasn't analyzing footage. He was on a break, drinking lattes or eating famous New York style pizza. Things Americans did.

His co-workers accepted him pretty easily too. They were also people who had been reached out to from other countries and brought to New York to assist in different projects that were seemingly of importance to the "Board of Directors." As they liked to joke about, the Board of Directors was mentioned so often and so ambiguously that it seemed as if they didn't exist at all.

Among his several co-workers, the ones he really liked to hang out with were Edmund Sully from the U.K who apparently was working on a project for Abstergo that involved memories of an aristocrat named "Haytham" or something like that.

Ingrid Bjorgdenn, a young computer nerd from Norway that was part of a development team for the next Abstergo Entertainment project. Nicknamed "Blood of Odin." which centered around the Viking leader Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons adventures.

Finally, Oyovo Chapunde was a linguist from South Africa that was trying to translate an ancient language from 10,000 B.C. by following memories of a hunter from a tribe called "Wenja" named Takkar.

They had all been selected to research different time periods and historically accurate information. They were given their own studio and workspace in Downtown that they'd begun to fondly call "The Den." Abstergo executives had told them they were all part of a bigger thing being called The Brother's Project.

After a prolonged break filled with co worker antics and plenty of pizza, Kristoff sat back down at his desk and noticed a new email. He opened it and read it, assuming it was from an Abstergo rep.

"Dear Mr. Schultz,

It has come to our attention that you've been employed by Abstergo Industries to research the Rhine Campaign in search of an artifact. I will be the first to warn you, Abstergo doesn't want it as a keepsake like you think. These Artifacts are very dangerous if in the wrong hands and I assure you, Abstergo is the wrong hands. Take it from a former Abstergo employee who was subjected to some of the awful things that goes on behind their closed doors. Do. Not. Trust. Them.

With respect,

Alexander Thompson.

There was an attached file. Kristoff opened it and read it too. It was full of documents that were marked with the Abstergo logo but weren't the usually Abstergo stuff. An autopsy report, names of people deep inside a secretive network, even people on the Board of Directors. Pictures from private galas. Ceremonies, and a security video that showed a man being killed in front of an audience of people in hooded cloaks.

This video actually had a title to it. Security_Cam_22B_12-13-16_Assassination_of_CEO_ Alan Rikkin_by_Callum_Lynch.

Callum Lynch, the donor of Arno Dorian's memories. What the fuck was going on? Who are these people?

There was another video, this one was simply Abstergo Industries surveilling POI's. There was one video of a man in a trench coat and baseball hat cutting power to a whole stadium in Chicago with the touch of a button on a smartphone. Or another man in San Francisco destroying a server farm with nothing but a phone and a laptop, taking on dozens of security guards and coming out unscathed.

Kristoff had to get to the bottom of this. At the moment, whoever this Alexander Thompson was, he couldn't be trusted. It was entirely possible that these files and videos were faked. But he couldn't be sure. All he could do was continue reviewing the footage from his memories and Callum's and find the Artifact.