"He's up already," Vidic said flatly.
Desmond's vision was still clearing when the words reached him. The hum of machines surrounded him, familiar now, almost routine. He lay still, eyes half-open, listening."We are far from where we need to be."Lucy stood near the console, arms folded. "He's been in there much longer than our previous subject," she added. "Four hours, uninterrupted."
"Subject?" Desmond muttered.
Neither of them acknowledged him.
"We need him to stay there for extended periods," Vidic said. "Longer sessions. Deeper synchronization."
"He needs rest," Lucy replied. "Pushing him like this isn't safe."
Vidic turned sharply. "Fine. Do your thing. But if we fail this time, it won't be good for either of us." He paused, then added, "Meet me in the other room."They left together while Desmond waited.Then, he quickly got up from the animus and entered the room beside the one where lucy and vidic were talking and Desmond , pressing himself against the wall , tried to hear the conversation.
"You're going to get him killed, Vidic," Lucy snapped.
"He was in there for four hours," Vidic shot back. "And all we got was—" He cut himself off, then shouted, "Bullshit!"
"You need patience," Lucy said. "We can't access later memories directly. It doesn't work that way."
"Then tell your subject to rest well," Vidic replied coldly. "Because if he ends the next session in less than six hours, we're done."
"You're out of your mind!" Lucy called after him.
Footsteps approached.Desmond barely made it back onto the bed before Vidic re-entered the room. He closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.Hours passed.
"Wake up."
Desmond opened one eye. Vidic stood beside him, arms folded, watching.
"You know, Doctor," Desmond said groggily, "it's creepy to stand there like that. Have you been watching me sleep?"
"Wake up," Vidic said. "We don't have time to waste. You need to get back into the Animus."
Desmond sat up slowly. "After a long nap, I wonder who I get to kill today."Vidic's expression didn't change. "Don't be so cavalier. Your ancestors almost had the right idea, Mr. Miles. If the deaths of a few—evil people—could save thousands more, then it seems to be a small sacrifice."
"Almost?" Desmond asked.
"They didn't go far enough," Vidic replied. "To use a tired analogy—corruption is like cancer. Cut out the tumor but fail to treat the source, and all you've done is buy time. There's no real change without comprehensive, systemic intervention."
"Chemo for the masses," Desmond said dryly.
"Education," Vidic corrected. "Re-education, to be precise. But it's not easy. And it doesn't always take."
Desmond smirked. "Let me guess. You've got a better solution."
Vidic smiled faintly as he turned away. "That would be telling."Desmond followed him out and stopped beside Lucy, who was already preparing the Animus. Screens flickered to life as she worked.
"So," Desmond said, "you into history?"
Lucy hesitated. "Not exactly. But… I did some research. You know. For this science project of ours."
"What's the deal between Assassins and Templars?" Desmond asked. "Got any idea?"Lucy paused, then answered. "They've been fighting for centuries. Two very different beliefs. The Assassins valued freedom—liberation. That's where their code comes from: Nothing is true. Everything is permitted."
"And the Templars?"
"They believed in power," Lucy said. "Control. They thought a system had to exist to keep the world from tearing itself apart."Desmond nodded slowly. "That's… interesting."Lucy glanced at him. "Now, if you're done with the history lesson, care to get back into the Animus?"
"Alright, alright," Desmond said, stepping forward. "So—what time period are we going to now?"
Lucy smiled faintly. "You'll know."
The machine came alive.
Desmond lay back, the world dissolving around him as the Animus pulled him under once more.