The two Assassins left the bullfight and made themselves invisible in the crowds that thronged the early evening streets.
“Follow me,” Machiavelli said, an edge in his voice. “Now you have had a chance to see your principal opponent at work, it would be well to purchase any equipment you are missing. And take care not to draw any undue attention to yourself.”
“Do I ever?” Ezio found himself once again needled by the younger man’s remarks. Machiavelli wasn’t the Brotherhood’s leader. After Mario’s death, no one was. And this interregnum would have to be concluded soon. “In any case, I have my blade.”
“And the guards have their guns. These things Leonardo has created for them—and you know his genius cannot control itself—are fast to reload, as you’ve seen, and moreover they have barrels filed in a cunning way on the inside to make the shot more accurate.”
“I’ll find Leonardo and talk to him.”
“You may have to kill him.”
“He’s worth more to us alive than dead. You said yourself his heart wasn’t with them.”
“I said that is what I hope.” Machiavelli stopped. “Look. Here is money.”
“Grazie,” said Ezio, taking the proffered pouch.
“While you are in my debt, listen to reason.”
“As soon as I hear more reason from you, I shall.”
Nevertheless, Ezio left his friend and made his way to the quarter of the armorers, where he provided himself with a new breastplate, steel cuffs, and a sword and dagger of higher quality and better balance than those he already possessed. He missed above all the old Codex bracer, made of a secret metal, which had staved off so many blows that otherwise would have been fatal. But it was too late to regret it now. He’d just have to rely on his wits and his training all the more. No one, no accident, could take them from him.
He returned to Machiavelli, who was waiting for him at a low inn, their preappointed rendezvous.
He found him in a prickly mood.
“Bene,” said Machiavelli. “Now you can survive the journey back to Firenze.”
“Perhaps. But I am not going back to Florence.”
“No?”
“Perhaps you should. It is where you belong. I have no home there anymore.”
Machiavelli spread his hands. “It is true that your old home has indeed been destroyed. I didn’t want to tell you. But surely your mother and sister are safe there now. It is a city safe from the Borgia. My master, Piero Soderini, guards it well. You can recoup there.”
Ezio shuddered at having his worst fears confirmed. Then he pulled himself together and said: “I stay here. You said yourself, there will be no peace until we rise up against the entire Borgia family and the Templars who serve them.”
“Such brave talk! After Monteriggioni.”
“That is cheap of you, Niccolò. How could I have known that they would find me so quickly? That they would kill Mario?”
Machiavelli spoke earnestly, taking his companion by the shoulders. “Look, Ezio—whatever happens, we must prepare ourselves carefully. We must not hit out in rash anger. We are fightingscorpioni—worse, serpents! They can coil around your neck and bite your balls in one movement! They know nothing of right and wrong. They only know their goal! Rodrigo surrounds himself with snakes and murderers. Even his daughter, Lucrezia, has been sharpened into one of his most artful weapons, and she knows all there is to know about the art of poisoning.” He paused. “But even she pales by comparison with Cesare!”
“Him again!”
“He is ambitious, ruthless, and cruel beyond—thank God!—your imagination. The laws of men mean nothing to him. He has murdered his own brother, the Duke of Gandia, to claw his way toward absolute power. He will stop at nothing!”
“I’ll pluck him down.”
“Only if you are not rash. He has the Apple, don’t forget. Heaven help us if he really learns its powers.”
Ezio’s mind flashed nervously onto Leonardo. Leonardo understood the Apple only too well…
“He recognizes neither danger nor fatigue,” Machiavelli continued. “Those who do not fall by his sword clamor to join his ranks. Already the powerful Orsini and Colonna families have been brought down to kneel at his feet, and King Louis of France stands at his side.” Machiavelli paused again, thoughtful. “But at least King Louis will only remain his ally as long as he is useful to him…”
“You overestimate the man!”
Machiavelli appeared not to have heard him. He was lost in his own thoughts. “What does he intend to do with all that power? All that money? What drives the man?…That, I still do not know. But, Ezio,” he added, fixing his friend with his eyes, “Cesare has indeed set his sights on all Italia, and at this rate he will have it!”
Ezio hesitated, shocked. “Is that…is thatadmiration I hear in your voice?”
Machiavelli’s face was set. “He knows how to exercise his will. A rare virtue in the world today. And he is the kind of man who could indeed make the world bend to that will.”
“What do you mean, exactly?”
“Just this: People need someone to look up to—even to adore. It may be God, or Christ, but better yet someone you can really see, not an image. Rodrigo, Cesare, even a great actor or singer, as long as they’re dressed well and have faith in themselves. The rest follows quite logically.” Machiavelli drank a little wine. “It’s part of us, you see—it doesn’t interest you or me or Leonardo; but there are people out there who have a hunger to be followed, and they are the dangerous ones.” He finished his drink. “Fortunately, they can also be manipulated by people like me.”
“Or destroyed by people like me.”
They sat in silence for a long moment.
“Who will lead the Assassins now that Mario is dead?” asked Ezio.
“What a question! We are in disorder and there are few candidates. It’s important, of course, but the choice will be made. In the meantime, come on. We have work to do.”
“Shall we take horses? Half of it may be falling down, but Rome’s still a big city,” suggested Ezio.
“Easier said than done. As Cesare’s conquests in the Romagna increase—and he controls most of it now—and the Borgia grow in power, they’ve taken the best areas of the city for themselves. And we’re in a Borgiarione—district—now. We won’t get horses from the stables here.”
“So—the will of the Borgia is the only law here now?”
“Ezio—what are you implying? That I approve of it?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Niccolò.”
“I don’t play dumb with anyone. Do you have a plan?”
“We’ll improvise.”
They made their way toward the place where the local stables with horses for hire were located, walking down streets where, Ezio noticed, many of the shops, which should have been open in normal circumstances, had their shutters down. What was the matter here? And, sure enough, the closer they got, the more numerous and menacing were the guards in mulberry-and-yellow livery. Machiavelli, Ezio noticed, was becoming increasingly wary.