Assassin's Creed (Titan Comics)

14/10/2015 - Solicit: Charlotte de la Cruz is over-educated and underemployed, wasting her time in a dead-end job in San Diego, and spending her free time chasing down conspiracy theories on the dark side of the internet.

When a real-life conspiracy crashes into her life, she's pulled into the orbit of the Assassins, a mysterious organisation of principled killers with roots stretching back thousands of years - and users of the stolen Animus technology, which allows them to experience the memories of their ancestors as if they were there!

Charlotte has a secret in her blood... the genetic memory of an ancestor who was in Salem at the time of the infamous witch trials: Tom Stoddard, an Assassin who witnessed a dark act with repercussions for the present day!

As Charlotte is trained in the Assassins' art, and as she begins to investigate the life of her ancestor... the forces of the Templar Order move against her. Will Charlotte learn the skills she needs to survive, and the truth she needs to prove her worth - before the Templars silence her forever?!

1852: The California Gold Rush. A female Assassin is pursuing John Sutter on horseback in the Great Basin Desert. Using her rope launcher, she mounts his carriage and dispatches the drivers. She informs him the Maidu want the gold he stole returned, before firing her rifle at an incoming rider.

2015: San Diego. Charlotte de la Cruz is playing this memory on her Helix, while chatting to another player. He invites her to meet, but she is creeped out that he knows that she lives in San Diego. She heads to a job application for the charity World Share, which ends with her storming off when she realizes her interviewer will probably give the position to her own daughter.

Back behind her desk at Malta Banking Corporation, Charlotte transfers ten thousand dollars to Ms. Morehead so she can pay for her daughter's healthcare. Charlotte instantly regrets her decision, realizing she will be fired. Returning home dejected, she is shocked to see Xavier Chen and Galina Voronina standing in her apartment. However, when they introduce themselves as being from the "Brotherhood", she rejoices, explaining she knows about them after trawling conspiracy websites.

Just as she declares she will join them, a group of Templars knock at her door. Assuming they have come about the money transfer, she opens her door, enabling them to barge through. A thug grabs Charlotte, but Galina rescues her by throwing a knife through his head. She then jumps off the apartment balcony onto the next building, urging Charlotte to follow. After hesitating, Charlotte jumps...

...and wakes up greeted by a seagull. Xavier and Galina greet her, having taken her to their cell's hideout in the Salton Sea. They introduce her to their technician Kody, who was the one who found her online, and the Animus.

They explain an Assassin named Joseph, whom they believed dead, reemerged at the Templars' headquarters, promising to reveal the location of an object they want. Joseph messaged them, explaining that it was a ruse to draw out a top Templar in San Diego. They need Charlotte to relive her ancestor's memories to verify what Joseph told the Templars: that the object was hidden in Salem during the witch trials.

1692: Salem Village. Charlotte is reliving the memories of Thomas Stoddard, who arrives to witness the hanging of Bridget Bishop. Stoddard walks away, and Charlotte's attempt to intervene causes her to desynchronize. As she pukes onto the floor, Xavier and Galina argue, as the latter has decided Joseph is a traitor. Charlotte declares she is going back in.

11/11/2015 - Solicit: Events in Salem turn terrifying as Assassin Tom Stoddard faces the townspeople’s rising hysteria while they bay for the blood of supposed witches. Viewing his memories, Charlotte witnesses how deep the feud with the Templars goes — and how brutal the choices to be made in her new life will be!

1692: Salem Village. Charlotte de la Cruz relieves the genetic memories of her ancestor, the Assassin Thomas Stoddard, as he prepares for a meeting, having recently arrived at Salem from London. When two men walk in Stoddard greets them and explains that he brought goods from China for sale, to which one of the men asked if he had spices, specifically cassia. Stoddard suspects something is wrong and asks them for a way to travel to Andover, to which the men answered horseback, revealing that they did not know the counterphrase. At this moment Stoddard attacks the men and quickly dispatches them, however a third man approached from behind with a knife. Before he manages to attack Stoddard, he is strangled by another Assassin. The Assassin recites the counterphrase, "Forest Dark", and introduces herself as Jennifer Querry. However before she can finish her introduction, Stoddard interrupts her and berates her as they could have only learned the first part of the counterphrase from her.

Querry claims that she has a lead on the artifact that Stoddard is pursuing, and she and Stoddard climb to the top of a building, when Charlotte realized that Querry must be Joseph's ancestor. Querry introduces the town to Stoddard and explains the local situation: starting in January, a girl came down with an illness unexplained by the doctor, then other girls started having seizures, which she claims were faked, leading to the church claiming the illnesses resulted from the devil, after which hysteria took the city and people started accusing each other of witchcraft to settle grudges. She then explains that the Templars later arrived to see if there was something more to the incident.

Querry claims the Templars believe some of the girls' behaviors to be genuine. She asks Stoddard if he is truly an expert at finding Pieces of Eden, which he confirms. She then explains that she's allowed near the girls due to her being a nurse and that this is the first assignment for the Brotherhood. Stoddard suddenly stops and hides, asking Querry about a couple of men walking near them: Reverend Samuel Parris, a Templar under whom the accusations of witchcraft incremented tremendously and Justice William Stoughton, who orders the hangings of those Parris accuses. Here, Querry and Stoddard overhear a conversation between the two: due to bodies found at the docks, more guards will be posted. Stoddard once again berates Querry for allowing this to happen and demands the location of the girls.

Later, at night, Querry shows Stoddard the location, explaining that even though she's been inside the building as a nurse, she cannot account for the amount of women that go in but don't come out alive or dead. Skeptical, Stoddard still enters the building to find them using a rope to enter the building through a window, killing a guard inside. Shortly, Querry enters the building as well to find it mostly empty. Here she discovers a secret entrance behind a lit fireplace, leading deep underground. In the basement, Stoddard and Querry find women in cages, which Querry wants to free but Stoddard refuses, telling her to focus on the mission. Stoddard asks a boy called David, though the girl next to him, Dorothy Osborne, explained that he was mute and that she could show Stoddard the Piece of Eden. This prompts him to free both, as she leads them further down the basement.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Parris and Stoughton discus the happenings, having allowed Stoddard to track the Piece of Eden as they believe that he would lead them to it. Following this, the men head outside to a growing crowd and incite them, claiming that the Devil was inside the building. Back inside, Stoddard and Querry follow Dorothy to a dead end as the villagers begin storm the building. At the dead end, Stoddard threatened Dorothy for leading him there, promising to let the villagers kill her first.

2015: San Diego. Charlotte struggles to stay inside the Animus as she fails to synchronize with Stoddard's methods, although Kody attributes her struggle to her being inexperienced with the process. Galina and Xavier meanwhile, discuss her progress, with Galina implying that Charlotte would not be able to synchronize with Stoddard and Xavier disagreeing with her. Galina in turn compares her to Joseph, saying that people can't change who they are, and that Joseph was finally showing his true colors by allying with the Templars. Kody reports that Charlotte has stabilized but if she continues to struggle she could damage herself.

1692: Salem Village. Tom Stoddard struggles with David as he attempts to help Dorothy, but Stoddard pushes him away, striking him against a wall. Dorothy tells Stoddard to leave him alone and she would show him what he was looking for. Dorothy then says that there is no Piece of Eden, before she falls back, her eyes turn white as she speaks to Thomas, reciting the last words his father said, a passage from Dante Alighieri's work. Realizing that Dorothy herself is the "artifact" they were looking for, Stoddard informs Querry and tasks her with finding them a way out as the villagers attack and he fights them off.

09/12/2015 - Desperate to escape from the horrors of Salem, Tom must place his trust in the hands of a stranger, and go against every instinct he has as an assassin, and man, to save the terrified travelers relying on him. For Charlotte, time's running out as the Templar threat moves closer...

2015: Galina and Xavier continue to argue over how to utilise Charlotte. It is revealed by Kody, the team technician, that Joseph is being held by Didier Hawking, a high level Templar with a specialization in memory hacking.

It is feared that Joseph will reveal their location. As such, the team decides to load the Animus into a van to allow Charlotte to keep searching during their relocation.

1692: Tom manages to fight off the angry mob, whilst Jennifer finds a hidden passageway to escape the dungeon.

They are chased into the surrounding woodland, where Jennifer is shot whilst trying to carry David. Tom chooses to escape with Dorothy, putting the mission first.

Once clear of pursuers, Dorothy falls into a trance and declares that she is Consus - a First Civilization entity - whom is inhabiting the body. Consus leaves a message for Charlotte to seek out "The Ones with great knowledge."

Jennifer eventually catches up with Tom, as Templars follow shortly behind her. Tom and Jennifer are captured.^[8]

13/01/2016 - The clock is ticking and Charlotte has a bad feeling that she just can't shake. When another visit to Tom's memories reveals a horrifying truth, it's the blow that finally transforms her from Initiate to true Assassin as she puts aside her own safety for the good of the Brotherhood.

2015: Believing that nothing further can be gleaned from Charlotte, both Xavier and Galina head out to try and rescue Joseph from the Templars.

Charlotte re-enters the Animus on a hunch and discovers that Joseph had been telling the Templars the truth all along.

1692: Tom and Jennifer are being tortured, in the same dungeon that they escaped from. After a distraction from Consus, Jennifer manages to free them both. She is mortally wounded by Stoughton whilst trying to obtain weaponry.

Stoughton attempts to kill Tom, but is knocked out. As Tom attempts to escape, he is shot by a recovered Stoughton.

Declaring the imprisoned girls to be a new breed of oracles, Dorothy is overtaken by feelings of guilt, and takes her own life by fire.

Enraged, Stoughton declares that all women shall be tried for witchcraft and attempts to kill Tom. He is shot by fellow Templar, Parris.

Parris clearly has misgivings about Stoughton's methods and takes control of the situation. He releases Tom, David, and the girls.

Tom and David bury Dorothy and Jennifer on the outskirts of Salem. The location of their burial is now known.^[8]

10/02/2016 - Charlotte has to call on all she has learned from her ancestor Tom Stoddard to save her cell from decimation at the hands of Abstergo. In doing so, she learns more about herself, and more about the Brotherhood than she expected, and is forced to decide where her loyalties lie!

2015: With the realization that Joseph knows the location of Dorothy's body, Xavier and Galina have clearly been sent into a trap. Charlotte decides to go in after them, and is given the familiar Assassin hoodie attire by Kody.

She manages to infiltrate deeper into the building by tricking an employee to open a secured door. She binds the man and presses on, declaring herself to not be a killer to Kody.

Xavier and Galina locate Joseph in a cell. A battle ensues, whereby Galina suffers a leg injury and Xavier is drowned by Joseph in a nearby pool.

Charlotte intervenes, attempting to prevent Joseph from harming Galina. Joseph reveals that the Assassins are using Charlotte for her power.

A bomb explodes, evidently created by Joseph. It is assumed that Didier Hawking and most of his staff are killed.

As Templar agents storm into the room, Joseph escapes. Charlotte rescues Galina, who escapes via a ventilation shaft, as Charlotte can apparently see through walls.

On their way out of the building, Charlotte discovers the man that she bound has died. He suffered from asthma and had suffocated. Charlotte is riddled with guilt over his innocent death.

Galina advises Kody to contact Gavin Banks, an Assassin Mentor, advising that the Brotherhood needs to get to Salem as soon as possible, as they do not know if the Templars are already on their way.

Charlotte reveals that Joseph did not tell the Templars the location, as she can apparently read minds. Galina thanks Charlotte for saving her life, finally believing in the novice Assassin.^[8]

16/03/2016 - A brand new historical period, and a brand new character in the second arc of the Assassin's Creed comic! Join Charlotte de la Cruz as she leaps into her genetic memories of the Inca Empire, searching for the secret hidden in her past that could lead the Assassins into the future...

2016: Charlotte, Galina, and Kody are now hiding out in a hotel in Mexico City.

It is confirmed that Galina has in fact broken her leg, and a couple of local doctors are brought in to assess her. Galina immediately executes one, as they are seemingly a Templar. The other is innocent, but after Charlotte's plea, Galina chooses to knock the doctor out instead.

The three retreat to a different hotel across from the previous - this way they can keep track of who approaches their former exposed position. Galina chooses to rest up with morphine.

Charlotte tries to understand the message from Consus to seek the "Keepers of Knowledge", and subsequently takes to the darknet to find the elusive Erudito - a hacker group well known for their attacks on Abstergo. She manages to track down a hint to their supposed next meeting, which leads her to ask Kody to once more hook her into the Animus in search of a secret hidden within the great Incan Empire.

1536: Peru. Charlotte's ancestor in this time is a woman called Quila, a chasqui of the Inca Empire. Chasqui are a series of couriers, who would free run messages (quipu) and items across the Empire, often by relay points.

Quila prides herself on being the fastest runner that she knows, and strives to impress the elders of her village. Many do not share her enthusiasm for the position, and believe she should simply be a "proper wife". She has a young apprentice called Turi, who is also a chasqui.

After a courier refuses to give Quila his package, she takes the initiative and steals it from him amidst a group of men. Curious as to its contents, she discovers that it is a communication about an assassination plot against Emperor Manco. Whilst trying to steal a horse, she is struck down by a stone, and surrounded by the men from before.^[8]

06/04/2016 - Charlotte, Galina and Kody are on a mission - to locate the enigmatic hacker collective, Erudito. Charlotte must delve into the memories of her Inca ancestor to figure out the key to finding the elusive group, but while the Assassins hunt for the clue they need, they themselves become the hunted.

2016: After only a few hours in the Animus, Charlotte is forced to emerge as Kody reveals that it requires a six hour charging period. She briefly discusses her family, revealing that her parents separated when young, with her father walking out on her and her mother. Galina returns, walking on a crutch. She states that they need to find Garcia-Lopez, a high ranking Templar propaganda expert who likely knows where to find Joseph. Charlotte argues that they should instead focus on finding Erudito through the Animus. The two clash, with Galina pulling rank and the team setting off after Garcia-Lopez.

Charlotte and Kody track Garcia-Lopez to Chapultepec Park, where they attempt to follow her. They are both spotted, and after a minor altercation involving mace, she manages to escape the pair. Galina arrives in the van to extract them both, making it clear how it had been a terrible failure of a mission, and exposed them all to the Templars.

1536: Quila is still surrounded by the men from before. Thankfully a Spaniard by the name of Gonzalo Pardo intervenes, saving her. After a brief discussion, they elect to share his horse, as she hopes to pass on the conspiracy message as fast as possible to the Emperor.

After stopping to drink, Pardo takes the quipu detailing the plot, refusing to give it back to Quila. She promptly knocks him out from behind, but struggles to retrieve the message as it is trapped below his heavy unconscious body. Before she can retrieve it, a group of conquistadors arrive. They knock her out, capturing both her, Pardo, and the message.^[8]

11/05/2016 - Tensions are running high in the Assassin Cell as Charlotte's investigation is plagued by the limitations of the portable Animus. When she turns on Kody, Galina leaps to defend him. With tempers at breaking point, can the team pull themselves back together before they are torn apart for good?

2016: Charlotte is pulled from the Animus at Galina's request. Apparently Charlotte entered the machine unsupervised, and it has again run out of battery power. New batteries are required, but Galina advises that they should all stay put whilst the Templars know their faces. After a brief argument, Charlotte takes off in search of the batteries alone, leaving the others alone in the van.

Whilst opposing forces makes their plans to find our heroes, Charlotte defends a civilian from a racketeer. Feeling good about herself, she again goes in search of the batteries, but notices someone following her. It ends up being Galina, who explains that she had come in search of Charlotte. However, having returned to the van, Kody had apparently been kidnapped, leaving only a severed ear. The two have been demanded to attend a cartel location, and set off to rescue Kody.

1536: Quila and Pardo are held captive. Pardo manages to antagonise their captor until a fight ensues, attracting nearby Peruvians to their plight. They both manage to escape, but the quipu is destroyed in the process. As they arrive at Cuzco, the capital city, they part ways, with Quila desperate to warn the Emperor of his peril. She is unable to persuade the guards to grant her an audience with the Emperor, namely with no quipu as evidence and thus she is forced to turn away.

She ends up visiting the home of her former husband, Ayar. After reflecting on their failed marriage, and how it brought shame on Ayar's family, she seeks to speak to Ayar's father who still holds considerable political power. Making her case to warn the Emperor, she again has no evidence, with Ayar's father questioning her motives given the history with his son. Pardo bursts into the meeting drunk, at which point Quila is deemed a conspirator with the Spanish and is seemingly captured once more.^[8]

15/06/2016 - Escaping a surprise attack, the Assassins continue the hunt for Erudito, nursing their wounds as they do. Getting back into the Animus, Charlotte finds that the stakes are just as high for her ancestor Quila, who must find the strength, one more time, to do what she knows is right…

2016: The cartel set the location at a sports stadium. With Galina providing cover with a sniper rifle, Charlotte makes her way through taking out opposition as she goes. The two argue over radio, with Charlotte questioning Galina's leadership qualities. Kody is tied to a chair in the centre, with a gun to his head. As Charlotte closes in, a second sniper opens fire upon her. Hiding behind some barrels, she is grabbed by one of the gang members and shot in the foot. Galina lays down enough covering fire for Charlotte to briefly escape, before a helicopter sweeps in, promptly gunning down the sniper and remaining gang members.

The occupants are Templars, led by Ortega Sanchez. Realizing Joseph had warned her that they were after her, Charlotte puts a gun to her head and warns them to back off or lose their prized prisoner. She offers to turn herself over freely, so long as Galina and Kody can be set free. Ortega refuses, however, Charlotte ups her offer by suggesting she can hand over the location of the leaders of Erudito inside 24 hours. The deal is accepted and the Templars depart.

1536: Ayar's father informs Quila that Pardo is in fact an Assassin. Declared a tool of the Spanish, the two are sentenced to death by sacrifice atop a nearby mountain. Upon the way Pardo is questioned by Quila, where he explains that he was not attempting to kill Atahualpa, but in fact save him - he was too late. As a result, he turned to drink. The Quipu was originally sent by a merchant he reveals, at which point Quila realises that Ayur's father must be behind the plot to kill the emperor. She pleads with Ayur to listen, but she is instead tied down as he lifts the club above her...^[8]

20/07/2016 - Cuzco is under attack from the invading Conquistadors, and Quila and Don Gonzalo Pardo face a bitter fight to reach the Emperor-God before the city falls. For Charlotte, the clue she’s been searching for is finally revealed, but it leads to a bigger surprise than she could ever have imagined!

1536: Ayur professes that he loved Quila, and he still does. He promptly defeats the men surrounding her, aiding her and Pardo's escape. They immediately set out to warn the Emperor of the plot, but Pardo elects to remain behind in solace before offering them his horse Felipe. Upon arriving at the capital, they manage to sneak inside using the horse as a distraction. Searching the fortress, Quila comes across the Emperor with Ayur's father. Knocking aside a cup she suspects is poisoned, a fight ensues where Pardo reappears to assist. The Emperor is saved, and Quila becomes official messenger for him. Pardo says that she would always be welcome to join the Brotherhood, but to use the password "Don Gonzalo Pardo" amongst them.

2016: Charlotte rises from the Animus, calling out the password. She immediately logs in to a PC, and uses it on the Erudito page. Sure enough, it works and a set of coordinates in Argentina are shown. She agrees to meet the Templars as requested, leaving Galina and Kody to escape. However, as the Templars arrive, an armed force of cartel open fire eliminating them all. Galina explains that she brokered a deal with the cartel, and they could not leave without Charlotte as she is one of the team.

Taking a flight to Argentina, the three find a gentleman holding a calling card for "Don Gonzalo Pardo" and are led to a secluded room with a woman at the end of a long table. As the Assassins finally come face to face with Erudito, Charlotte realises that the woman is in fact her grandmother Florencia!^[8]

24/08/2016 - A brand new arc! And an explosive new secret! While Charlotte is reeling from the meeting with Erudito, it is time for the Assassin cell headed by Brotherhood stalwart Galina Voronina to pull her team together... but will she be able to do it alone, or is it time for reinforcements?

2016: A meeting of the leaders of Erudito has been called. The debate turns as to why Charlotte and her team were invited into discussions, with the topic turning quickly to that of Consus. It is quite clear the entity is of special reverence to the hacker collective, as the fact that Charlotte heard his voice is of great interest to them. Charlotte discovers the story behind Juno and the Phoenix Project, and that Erudito believed only Giovanni Borgia had been contacted by Consus - thus their interest. It turns out that they believe Giovanni has a second memory of Consus, that has been hidden from Abstergo. Fortunately for Charlotte, her ancestor Hiram Stoddard was in contact with Giovanni in 1516.

Erudito calls for a vote amongst its members, with Charlotte's grandmother calling for the creation of hive bases across the globe, and cross-training their own agents. Counter arguments are made for Erudito to stay out of events, and with the votes on a knife edge, Charlotte elects to stand in - offering a team up between the Brotherhood and Erudtio. In exchange for Galina training and assisting their agents, Erudito will help track down Joseph Laurier. Charlotte will also seek Consus and answers within an Animus. The votes agree, and the course is set.

Galina leaves for Somalia, hugging Charlotte on her way out - the two finally getting along now. Before Charlotte can sit in the Animus, she reveals she was injured by Templar agents - Florencia thus insists on a full body scan to check for tracing chemicals or chips. Mid scan, Kody wakes her to express his concerns about entering Hiram's memories - he fears the meeting with Consus did something to seriously derange his mind, and worries what it will do to Charlotte...

1516: Florence, Italy. Hiram Stoddard enters a building, and finds Giovanni Borgia hiding in wait. Although he dodges a thrown dagger, Giovanni is taken down by a swift kick from Hiram. Hiram then puts a sword to his throat...^[8]

05/10/2016 - A brand new arc! And an explosive new secret! While Charlotte is reeling from the meeting with Erudito, it is time for the Assassin cell headed by Brotherhood stalwart Galina Voronina to pull her team together... but will she be able to do it alone, or is it time for reinforcements?

2016: Charlotte awakens from the Animus and reveals that she has not had any luck with finding Consus as yet. Kody still has serious reservations about using the memories of "Bloody" Hiram. Florencia is evidently losing the Erudito vote, and as such Charlotte heads back into the machine in search of the Isu himself.

Meanwhile, in Mogadishu, Somalia. Galina leads a group of Erudito agents trying to locate the elusive Joseph. They are observing a public event attended by Zehra Okur, a successful businesswoman and known Templar funder. After some misdirection involving a digger, Galina is finally jumped by Joseph behind some crates.

1516: Greece. Hiram and Giovanni are engaged in a war of words. It is clear there is a great divide between them. They fight, until Giovanni manages to wrest an artifact from Hiram - an Apple of Eden! Giovanni wants to help Hiram, and leaves him with a book given to him by his mentor.

1515: Tuscany, Italy. A year earlier, Hiram and Giovanni are engaged within a sparring duel. Hiram cheats before they are interrupted by their Assassin teacher - Ezio Auditore himself! Giovanni is angered, and Ezio takes him on a walk. He explains that there are many paths to becoming an Assassin, and gives Giovanni a book by Dante (presumably Inferno, part of his Divine Comedy) to read and reflect on. Meanwhile Hiram entertains Elena, a young woman that assists Ezio. Her English is not very good, but he still manages to flirt with her. Ezio interrupts stating that he has an urgent mission involving Templars for Hiram, and that he must attend to his friend Michelangelo.^[8]

23/11/2016 - Tensions are running high in the Erudito camp as it becomes clear that Charlotte's memories may hold the key to the code they've been trying to piece together. But it won't be easy to decipher, as Charlotte encounters the mysterious Consus once again, in the mind of Giovanni Borgia.

1515: Florence. Hiram and Giovanni lie in wait, high above the city alongside Michelangelo. Their target passes by within a carriage below, supposedly holding onto a Piece of Eden. Giovanni urges caution and to wait for nightfall, but Hiram is insistent they launch a surprise attack. They both dive down and engage the carriages' guards. Amidst the battle, the target escapes with the artifact - much to Giovanni's disgust.

2016: Charlotte is awakened from the Animus by Kody. Her vitals were apparently off the charts. Kody demands she rests, but Florencia argues that she must continue until Consus is found. Charlotte re-enters the Animus.

1515: Two days later, Hiram and Giovanni continue to argue over the tactics that they employed. Giovanni states that he will report his misgivings directly to Ezio, whilst Hiram decides to get drunk and attracts the attention of a female bartender. The next morning he awakes to find Elena waiting for him, having evidently been informed by Giovanni. The two men fight, with Elena branding them both as animals - throwing off her scarf. The simulation suddenly becomes pixellated and repeats...

2016: Charlotte awakens again. Kody and Florencia agree that what she has experienced was a 'false' memory, and that the memories have seemingly been masked and erased by Consus. Charlotte re-enters and experiences the same fight between Hiram and Giovanni over and over, each time playing out with a differing ending. Each time she notices the scarf, and eventually elects to touch it. The scene plays out again, this time with Consus speaking through Giovanni. He leaves a cryptic message for Charlotte, whom then awakens to find the Erudito facility under attack by the Templars.

Meanwhile in Somalia, Galina attempts to attack Joseph but is struck down. My'shell manages to distract him with a flanking strike, before Sheed pulls a gun on him - ceasing the fight. Word reaches them that the Erudito island is under attack, and they quickly realise that Joseph is the only one with a plane. He reluctantly agrees to go, but only if he can speak with Charlotte.

Back on the island, Kody wires up explosives to the servers to blow them up. Florencia attempts to back up their data, but bullets start flying before they have chance. Charlotte pulls Florencia clear, but Kody tries to run back for the data and is gunned down.^[8]

28/12/2016 - Charlotte's plan begins to unravel as the she realises she may be completely out of her depth. It's time for her to sink or swim, but can she keep it together long enough to get what she needs from Consus - and Erudito?

2016: Fatally wounded, Kody is consoled by Charlotte in his dying moments. She promises him that he did well to save the data from the Templars. After he passes, Florencia and Charlotte argue over the situation with each blaming the other for what ultimately lead to Kody's death. A plane flies overhead, and is promptly shot down by the Templars. The group of remaining Assassins and Erudito members then decide it is best to keep moving. Florencia advises everyone that she hid boats in a cave on the southern side of the island in the event of such an emergency, and this is where they collectively decide to head for.

Meanwhile, at the former Erudito base, Sanchez and the rest of the Templars search for clues. It appears that Charlotte has had a tracking device on her the whole time, as such they all can see exactly where the group is heading. Sanchez elects to send a group to the caves in advance of the group's arrival in order to set up an ambush.

Templars surround the crashed plane, finding the deceased Sheed in the co-pilot seat. They are immediately ambushed by Galina, Joseph and My'shell who seemingly survived the crash. Realising that any hope of rescue relies on taking out the ship that shot them down, they head towards the water.

Charlotte and her group finally reach the southern caves, but her sixth sense is warning her that the group should not enter. She argues the point with Florencia, whom states there was no way that they could have known about the cave. The group sides with Charlotte's vision, and choose to double back. Explaining that she is being tracked, Charlotte elects to go off solo, in the hope of attackers following her away from the group.

Galina, Joseph and My'shell attack the ship. The crew retaliate, and explosives upon the deck are hit amidst the gunfire - effectively destroying the ship. Joseph is caught in the blastwave, and is badly wounded. Galina willingly takes his life to spare his pain.

Charlotte manages to take out a few assailants that follow her amongst the treeline. Florencia and the group manage to reach the crashed ship, and are surprised to bump into Galina and My'shell, whom are awaiting Assassin assistance...

In the mean time, Charlotte fights her way to the top of a waterfall. She manages to take down another soldier with a gun, but is quickly surrounded by Sanchez and several Templar guards. With nowhere to run, she is surprised as gunfire rains out with the entire Templar group getting gunned down. She spins round to see an attack Helicopter behind her. The door opens, with Florencia waving to Charlotte. After a leap of faith to the helicopter, Charlotte comes aboard to find the Erudito group along with Galina all settled inside. The helicopter is piloted by Kiyoshi Takakura, whom along with Arend Schut, were sent by Gavin Banks to rescue the remaining Assassins. It would appear Charlotte is finally to meet with the leadership of the Assassin Brotherhood.^[8]