Assassin's Creed: Initiates

He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning recent or upcoming releases from the Assassin's Creed series. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all. This template should be removed from the article three months after release.

"On September 1st, 2012, a man is kidnapped in New York. Brought to a secret Abstergo facility in Italy, he is placed in the Animus and forced to relive the memories of his Assassin ancestor. This man is Desmond Miles. This is his story."

―The Desmond Files.

Flash screen for Assassin's Creed: Initiates.

Assassin's Creed: Initiates is a community-oriented project founded by Ubisoft on 1 September 2012 that is envisioned as "the place for all things Assassin's Creed." It was previously in an open beta stage and is now in a closed alpha stage.

The website includes a news section, forums for discussion, and a link to Ubiworkshop's store. Most notably, it features an explorable map that tracked places, events, people, objects and messages from the series' storyline. On 5 October 2012, a timeline section that charts historic events in the series' chronology was introduced.

On 21 December 2012, the solar flare disrupted communications throughout the globe, which caused the website to crash. In January 2013, the website allowed users to answer a question once a day to help restore communications. Currently, the site has moved to a closed alpha stage, requiring an activation key to participate.

The Desmond Files

The Desmond Files refers to a collection of images, video clips, transcripts and documents that track the events following Desmond Miles' capture by Abstergo Industries. Each file is keyed to a location on an explorable world map and tagged with a timestamp expressed in the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) standard.

September 1–15, 2012

123456789101112131415

1 September 2012=

Kidnapped

The following data was recorded from a cell phone tower near Washington Square Park in New York City at 4:02am.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 40SP73ZN
...........................................
UTC 20120901T040224Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] [interference]
[+] ...Yes, sir.
[pause]
[+] We have him.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] Yes. Shoving him in the van as we speak, sir.
[+] Target will be delivered on schedule.
[transmission ends]

Transfer

Security camera footage from Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn at 4:37am showed that Abstergo agents had captured an unidentified Caucasian male, in his mid-twenties, approximately 6' tall and weighing 190 lbs. Their destination was unknown.

Unmarked Hangar

The Abstergo agents landed in Ciampino, Italy, at 6:44pm. They were seen moving the captive, who was identified as Desmond Miles, into a car.

Abstergo Campus

Desmond was brought to the Abstergo campus in Rome, Italy at 7:37pm. Scramblers from the Akashic Satellite Plexus prevented satellite imagery from pinpointing the campus' various facilities, and the extraction of geographical coordinates.

• 
  Security camera footage of New York
• 
  Security footage of the hangar
• 
  Security camera footage of the victim

2 September 2012=

Animus Explained

At about 10:17am, Dr. Warren Vidic explained the various functions of the Animus to Desmond, leaving out the mention of any potential side effects that may occur as a result of its use.

The Farm

At 5:53pm, Desmond confided to Lucy Stillman that his parents raised him in an isolated community of Assassins simply called "the Farm." He likened the Farm to a prison where he had felt trapped and cut off from the rest of the world - a life that he resented and eventually ran away from when he was 16.

• 
  The interior of the Abstergo Industries facility
• 
  The Animi room, containing the Animi used in the Animi Training Program
• Animus Explained
  Animus Explained
• The Farm
  The Farm

3 September 2012=

Preliminary Analysis

At 11:24am, the results of Desmond's medical examination came up, with the medical examiner, Dr. Damian Saravakos, reporting that no problems had been found, consequently clearing "Subject 17" for continued study.

• 
  Preliminary analysis of Subject 17

4 September 2012=

Access Codes

Desmond found access codes which allowed him to leave his cell. This led him to discover Lucy's pen, which he later used to access her e-mail.

• Access Codes
  Access Codes

5 September 2012=

Case File #1394

On the 4th and 5 September 2012, Lucy Stillman sent a number of e-mails to various Abstergo employees, regarding the alleged suicide of Leila Marino in 2007.

The Mole

The following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Florence, Italy at 10:15pm.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 43TP11FP
...........................................
UTC 20120905T221514Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = maestranzi, adriano]
[-] William speaking.
[+] Desmond is in Rome.
[-] Yes, I know. My mole confirmed it.
[+] What should we do?
[-] Everything is under control. My agent will ensure his protection.
[+] I have a team ready, I'll–
[-] Negative. Do not intervene. I repeat: Do not intervene.
[transmission ends]

• 
  Lucy Stillman's email

6 September 2012=

Coded Message

Lucy was able to bypass Abstergo's security system and message the Assassins, asking for help. Moments later, at 8:25am, she received a coded reply from an unknown Assassin contact which read "We will be there soon" when deciphered.

• 
  The coded message

7 September 2012=

Rescue Attempt

At about 6:49pm, a team of Assassins attempted to rescue Desmond, but were neutralized after a firefight with Abstergo security personnel. Vidic questioned Desmond about their presence, to which Desmond denied any involvement. After the team had been neutralized, Desmond mocked Vidic's temporary anxiety, stating that the facility may not have been as secure as they anticipated. However, Vidic revealed that over the course of the past year, the Templars had been busy hunting down the remnants of the Assassin Order, revealing that most of them had been wiped out, and that Desmond was on his own.

• Rescue Attempt
  Rescue Attempt

8 September 2012=

Eagle Vision

After Desmond was done reliving the memories of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad at about 5:18pm, he exited the Animus, and soon afterwards, discovered he had unlocked a unique trait his ancestor had once possessed.

Escape From Abstergo

At 6:21pm, Desmond, with the aid of Lucy, escaped the Abstergo research facility. As they made their way out, Desmond noticed Lucy taking out several guards with ease – a consequence of her training as an Assassin. Along the way, they reached a door which required a code to allow them to proceed. Using his newfound gift, Desmond found the code, and the two were successful in their escape.

• Eagle Vision
  Eagle Vision
• Escape from Abstergo
  Escape from Abstergo

9 September 2012=

Assassin's Hideout

At 12:38pm, Lucy and Desmond arrived at an Assassin safe house in Rome, located within the Tor Tre Teste industrial zone.

• 
  The interior of the hideout, showing the Animus 2.0
• 
  Close-up of the Animus 2.0
• 
  The interior of the hideout, showing Shaun Hastings' desk

10 September 2012=

Failure To Report

The following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Brisbane, Australia, at 10:14pm.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 27LN153AP
...........................................
UTC 20120910T221401Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = public phone]
[-] What the hell do you mean?
[+] You heard me, Gavin. The team failed to report. Again. This is–
[-] When did you last heard from them?
[+] Didn't you get my last em–
[-] When?
[+] Three days. [pause] Over three days ago. Gavin I–
[-] Listen, and listen carefully. We have to move fast. First, keep 
only the most vital data. Destroy the rest. Leave no trace. You know 
the drill. Second, secure transport. Third, get to the–
[signal interrupted]

11 September 2012=

Bleeding Effect

Desmond discovered that prolonged exposure to the Animus could cause serious side effects, known as the bleeding effect. While this could be detrimental to an Animus subject's health, in theory, it could also be beneficial by allowing them to acquire the knowledge and the skills of their ancestors.

• Bleeding Effect
  Bleeding Effect

12 September 2012=

Gunfight

The following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Whistler, Canada, at 9:21am from a phone call between Gavin and Janice.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 50DP122ZN
...........................................
UTC 20120912T092116Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] [interference]
[+] Yes, my source confirmed it. As I said, I'll need more men.
[-] I understand, but we can't send anyone. Our forces are already 
spread too thin.
[+] But–
[-] There's no one near your position.
[+] Damn it! Listen, Gavin! That's not even close to acceptable. I've 
only two operatives here with me. We can't–
[-] Alright. [pause] Alright. I'll do what I can. But it will take a while 
for anyone to reach you.
[+] Hold on! Someone's outside– [sound of breaking and entering]
[-] What's going on?
[+] [a scream in the distance]
[-] Janice?
[+] [distant] Who– No! Oh god no! [sound of gunshot]
[-] Janice? Janice!
[+] [a new voice, far away] Secure the area. Make sure there's no 
survivors.
[white noise]

13 September 2012=

Lost Teams

At around 7:34pm, Lucy told Desmond that two more Assassin teams had been lost the preceding night, referring to a team in Whistler, British Columbia and an unidentified one. Altogether, 8 Assassins were believed to have been killed, though the circumstances surrounding the latter team were unknown.

Missing Person Poster

Friends of Desmond distributed missing person posters all over New York City, requesting any information that would aid them in finding him.

• 
  Missing person poster of Desmond Miles
• Lost Teams
  Lost Teams

14 September 2012=

Survivor

At 11:17am, in Florence, Adriano Maestranzi sent an e-mail to William Miles, cryptically referring to at least one survivor from the attack on the Assassin team in Whistler, British Columbia.

• 
  Adriano's e-mail to William

15 September 2012=

Under Attack

At 9:09pm, an Abstergo assault team led by Dr. Warren Vidic stormed the Assassin hideout in Rome. Though Desmond and Lucy repelled the attackers, the Assassins were forced to abandon their compromised base.

Cabin In The North

Within minutes, Lucy's team headed north to the Italian border, bound for a cabin in the Swiss Alps. The isolated location had been used by the Brotherhood as a base for two centuries, including during World War II, when Assassins aided local Maquis cells in their resistance against the Germans.

• Under Attack
  Under Attack

September 16–30, 2012

1617181920212223252627282930

16 September 2012=

Roadblock

At 1:01am, a roadblock set up by the State Police in Grosseto, Italy forced Lucy's team to change destinations.

Lucy: Shit! There's a roadblock up ahead. They must have known we'd go north.
Desmond: Where exactly are we?
Rebecca: Check the map. Is there anywhere safe we can set up the equipment?
Someplace with good cover? A cave, anything.
Shaun: No, there's nothing around here for– Hello. Take E78.
Lucy: What–
Shaun: This exit. Turn!
Lucy: I hope you actually have a plan.
Shaun: Wait until you see where I'm taking you.

The Sanctuary

Two hours later, Lucy's team arrived in Monteriggioni, north of Grosseto. They set up a new headquarters in the underground Sanctuary beneath the Villa Auditore, where the old Assassin stronghold's thick walls blocked all electronic signals and shielded them from detection.

• 
  The roadblock order at Grosseto, Italy
• The Sanctuary
  The Sanctuary

17 September 2012=

Witness

At 12:08pm, in Florence, Italy, Adriano Maestranzi sent another e-mail to William Miles, stating that his "associate" had returned safely, and cryptically referring to the attack in Whistler being led by Daniel Cross.

• 
  Adriano's subsequent e-mail to William

18 September 2012=

Animus Recordings

Recordings of Desmond's sessions in the Animus were found in the abandoned Assassin hideout by Abstergo security personnel.

Brain Implant

At 10:06am, in Monterey Bay, California, R. e-mailed V. asking whether a scientific study that was published in a neural engineering journal and reported in an Australian newspaper had anything to do with their recently escaped subject. V. replied within the hour, assuring R. that the study was unrelated, and actually far behind the breakthroughs that their own project had reached. <gallery> ACi-Recordings.jpg|The computer core of the Animus 1.0 ACi-emailBrainChip-01.jpg|Rikkin's e-mail to Vidic ACi-emailBrainChip-02.jpg|Vidic's reply to Rikkin

<gallery>

19 September 2012=

Off The Grid

At 7:06pm, in Florence, Adriano received an e-mail from William that referred to Lucy's team having inopportunely gone dark. William instructed Maestranzi that he should call William if he heard from "[their] Rome sales team", as he needed to talk to them.

• 
  William's e-mail to Adriano

20 September 2012=

Signal Detected

At 3:03am, a mobile phone signal emanating from cell tower grid 43KP11FP in Monteriggioni was detected.

• 
  Details on the detected signal

21 September 2012=

Abstergo's Top Operative

At 5:52pm, the following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the USA.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 39YP75EN
...........................................
UTC 20120921T175228Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] This isn't a good time, Daniel.
[+] It can't wait.
[-] You already said that to the receptionist.
[+] Yeah, well, you know why I'm calling, don't you.
[-] I don't have time to play 20 Questions now, Daniel.
[+] I know you lost him.
[-] Do you?
[+] Don't do this to me, Warren.
[-] Alright. You know. Who told you?
[+] Never mind that. I have my sources. When were you planning 
on telling me?
[-] Telling you? This has nothing to do with you.
[+] Nothing to– Damn it, Warren! I'm the one who delivered him. 
Right into your lap! Without me you'd never have found him.
[-] [silence]
[+] And a week later you lost him... Then failed to get him back. 
And you personally took part in the assault! What the hell's going 
on?
[-] Desmond Miles is not your problem. He is mine.
[+] Yeah, I'm sure he is. Great job at the hideout, by the way. At 
least you survived. That's something, I guess.
[-] [sigh] I'm getting tired of this, Daniel. I'm hanging up now.
[+] Wait! I'm coming to Rome. I'll get him back for you.
[-] You will do no such thing.
[+] But–
[-] I'll have need of you soon, Daniel. For now, just hang tight.
[+] Warren–
[-] The situation is under control. Trust me.
[+] Trust you. Right. OK... I trust you.
[-] Goodbye, Daniel.
[+] Yeah, goodb–
[signal interrupted]

22 September 2012=

Passwords

At 4:05pm, in Monteriggioni, Desmond received an e-mail from Erudito that contained the passwords to his teammates' e-mail accounts, and also advised him to "stay in the loop."

• 
  Erudito's e-mail to Desmond

23 September 2012=

Assignment In Denver

The following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Philadelphia, at 7:19pm.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 39YP75DN
...........................................
UTC 20120923T191911Z
...........................................
[incoming transmission]
[caller id = private]
[+] Cross.
[-] Daniel, I'm glad I caught you.
[+] Doc? Is that you?
[-] Yes, I–
[+] I know, I know. You miss me too much. You can’t bear the 
thought of spending another minute without me in your life.
[-] I–
[+] Alright, alright... I know why you’re calling. I’m sorry I missed 
our last appointment. Couldn’t be helped. I’ll be there next week, 
OK?
[-] That’s not why I called.
[+] It’s not? Then you really do miss me!
[-] This is serious.
[+] You’re breaking my heart, Doc. You know that. Breaking my 
heart.
[-] [pause] Tell me, Daniel. How are you feeling?
[+] Swell. Just swell. Things were real bad for a while you know, 
after the incident, but I’m fine now. Thanks to you. You needn’t 
worry.
[-] I heard you refused to go on assignment.
[+] [silence]
[-] This isn’t like you–
[+] Yeah, well, I’m not going back there.
[-] Back where?
[+] Denver! The bastard’s want to send me back to Denver! Can 
you believe that? After what happened... I’m never setting foot in 
that place again.
[-] But y–
[+] You heard me, Doc. Never!
[-] They need you. They really n–
[+] Never! [pause] Never again... Never again...

25 September 2012=

Walk In Town

At 10:45pm, a photograph of Rebecca Crane buying supplies in Monteriggioni was taken by an unknown person.

• 
  Rebecca being watched by someone

26 September 2012=

Concerns

At 11:30pm, Lucy received an e-mail from Warren Vidic, posing as William Miles, in response to her concerns about the Bleeding effect on Desmond.

• 
  Vidic's reply to Lucy

27 September 2012=

Stakeout

At 4:05am, Rebecca e-mailed her teammates to warn them about an unmarked van she had noticed in Monteriggioni, that may have been keeping the Assassin team under surveillance.

Status

At 9:01pm, Shaun Hastings received an e-mail from William Miles that contained updates on the status of Assassin teams in Moscow, São Paulo, Osaka and Denver.

• 
  Rebecca's e-mail to her teammates
• 
  The first part of William's e-mail on the status of Assassin teams in Moscow, São Paulo, Osaka and Denver
• 
  The e-mail's continuation

28 September 2012=

The Iron Man

At 1:13pm, R. sent an e-mail to Erica Nichols in Washington, D.C. that commended her after The Guardian published an article about an unusual iron statue of the Buddhist deity Vaisravana. The article claimed that the 1,000-year-old statue was carved from a rare meteorite that fell to Earth between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago. The statue was looted from Tibet before World War II by Adolf Hitler's SS, but resurfaced in 2007. Also noted on the e-mail were Nancy Nilop and E., whom R. reminded to "get it back."

• 
  Rikkin's e-mail about the Iron Man statue
• 
  The statue bore a swastika, an ancient symbol later adopted by the Nazis

29 September 2012=

Italian Ape

In Monteriggioni, Shaun and Lucy had an exchange of e-mails concerning his reluctance for further interaction with the local residents.

• 
  Shaun's e-mail to Lucy
• 
  Lucy's reply
• 
  Shaun's reply

30 September 2012=

Heathrow Airport

After William arrived at London Heathrow Airport, he received an SMS message from Harlan T. Cunningham. William mentioned that he was heading for France, and asked for the message to be passed onto Adriano.

• 

October 1–15, 2012

12345689101112131415

1 October 2012=

Local Headlines

The Corriere di Monteriggioni reported a few articles concerning the events of the past month. A translation of the paper can be found below:

Violence on the rise in Monteriggioni

In the last month the influx of tourists and considerably increased, to the delight of merchants and landlords in the city. But not everything that glitters is gold: the last week there have been three burglaries and a fight between a British tourist and a worker of the place. What is happening to our peaceful community?

Explorers of graves grow

Tuscany is a true paradise for archaeologists and restorers. This time, however, to take up the shovel were some students [from] Monteriggioni, led by Professor Tresisani, they began to dig for buried treasure in the courtyards of the house.

The economic crises strikes our banks

The Monte dei Paschi di Siena has recorded losses of € 1.6 billion in the first six months of 2012, but the oldest banks in the world is not the only one to suffer because of the economic crisis. Yesterday, the People's Bank of Monteriggioni revealed to be passive. What are the consequences?

A welcome return

Professor Hilary Lannotti, brother of our esteemed councilor, spent several weeks at the University of California working on the ENCODE project. Now the professor and returned to hold a series of conferences in various Italian universities on the subject of new frontiers in DNA Research Department.

• 
  The newspaper

2 October 2012=

Gare de Valence

At 2:28pm, William sent an SMS from the railway station in the town of Valence telling Harlan that he was "Blending in southern France."

• 
  William's text messages

3 October 2012=

Flughafen Zürich

At 6:48pm, William sent Harlan an SMS message from Zurich Airport in Switzerland saying that William would see Adriano the following day.

• 
  William's text messages

4 October 2012=

Hang In There

At 8:00 pm, Warren Vidic sent Lucy an e-mail regarding Desmond's progress, using the name "William M." again.

• 
  Vidic's e-mail to Lucy

5 October 2012=

Roaming The High Seas

The following data was recorded from somewhere in the Pacific Ocean at 9:54pm.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 31HP152EP
...........................................
UTC 20121005T215438Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Yes?
[+] William. Gav– [signal interrupted] –trouble reachi– [signal 
interrupted] –still off the– [signal interrupted] –wait– [signal 
interrupted]
[-] Hello? Gavin?
[+] [static] Hold on. [static] I'm back. Hello? Can you hear me?
[-] Yes. Much better, thanks. What's going on?
[+] You know, roaming the high seas, plundering and pillaging, a 
girl in every port. That sort of thing. Just calling to give you an 
update. It's been too long.
[-] It has. Adriano kept me in the loop. No news from our friends 
down under?
[+] No good news, if that's what you mean. We had time to check 
things out. I... I did it myself, Bill. [pause] They've all been 
eliminated.
[-] Shit! [pause] What about Osaka?
[+] The team lost their tail and made contact, as planned. Secured 
a new safe house yesterday... Well, not quite new. We haven't 
used that one in a while. You know the place. You've been there 
before, in '98.
[-] Right. Glad to hear it.
[+] As for Moscow, they're still searching.
[-] Let's hope this isn't a dead end.
[+] Keeping our fingers crossed. It's a promising lead, Bill. Give 
them time. What's the word on your end? Adriano...
[-] He's fine. His condition has much improved. He swears he 
feels 20 years younger.
[+] Good.
[-] I'm with his cell now. We're safe and sound. Monitoring the 
team. They're still at the Villa, but they've made unbelievable 
progress. You wouldn't believe it, Gavin. I'll send you a full report.
[+] Perfect.
[-] Keep this to yourselves for now. The last thing we want... Well, 
you know.
[+] Of course.
[-] Alright. Thanks for calling. I'll talk to you soon, old friend.
[+] Take care, Bill.
[-] Happy plundering.

• 
  The Assassins' boat

6 October 2012=

With The Others

At 10:59 pm, William Miles sent Shaun an e-mail with an update concerning several Assassin teams across the globe.

• 
  William's e-mail to Shaun
• 
  The second part of William's e-mail to Shaun

8 October 2012=

More Headlines

The Corriere di Monteriggioni reported a few more articles concerning the events of the past week. A translation of the paper can be found below:

Medici Week
by Antonio Russo

To mark the realization of a postage stamp depicting Anna Maria Luisa de Medici, the city council in collaboration with local artists and craftsmen invite you to the Medici Week, a series of events dedicated to Renaissance and contemporary art.

The future of ice cream

As we approach the opening of the first museum dedicated to ice cream, the result is a true revolution in taste. In fact, the taste! A new generation of ice cream in the country has in fact decided to challenge tradition, creating ice cream with gorgonzola cheese, green pepper and even lobster and vodka. Which will you choose?

Villa Auditore for sale?

The historic villa, acquired in the fourteenth century by Domenico Auditore, has belonged to his heirs until the turn of the sixteenth century. Since then, it has fallen into disrepair, but signs of recent activity suggest that it may be for sale. Even Villa Auditore will end up in foreign hands?

Advertisement

For those who thirst for energy

Herne+
Energy supplement without aromas or taste: the push you need to get out of the ordinary!

Powered by Abstergo.

Voicemail

The following data was recorded from a cell phone tower near from Monteriggioni at 10:51pm.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 43KP11EP
...........................................
UTC 20121008T225106Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = stillman, lucy]
[-] You have reached the office of Doctor Warren Vidic. At the tone, please 
leave a message. For more options, press 1. [bip]
[+] It's Lucy. I realize this is a security breach, but we can't keep Desmond 
in the Animus forever. If we push too hard I fear for him. Maybe not for his 
life, but his sanity. I don't think I can handle another 16. Please, get back 
to me.

• 
  The newspaper

9 October 2012=

"William"

Hours later, at 1:45 am, Dr. Warren Vidic, posing as William Miles, told Lucy that the moment that they had been waiting for 10 years had arrived.

• 
  "William"'s e-mail to Lucy

10 October 2012=

Discovery

At 12:09am, after reliving Ezio's memories, Desmond discovered the location of the Apple of Eden.

All Roads...

One hour later, in Siena, Italy, William Miles received a message from Shaun, telling him that they were going to Rome.

Il Colosseo

At 4:52am, Desmond and his team arrived in Rome.

Under Capitoline Hill

A few minutes later, Desmond met Juno for the first time.

Santa Maria In Aracoeli

At 5:24am, Desmond and his team searched for the First Civilization Vault.

The Temple Of Juno

In the Vault, Desmond found Ezio's Apple of Eden.

Lucy's Death

At 5:49am, Lucy died, being stabbed by Desmond with his Hidden Blade, who was under Juno's sway. After this, Desmond immediately collapsed into a coma.

Return To The Animus

At 8:24am, the following conversation took place between Harlan T. Cunningham and William Miles.

• Harlan: Shit! He's gone into shock!
• William: Put him back in the machine, it's the only way to fix this.
• Harlan: But the Animus did this to him!
• William: Am I the expert or not? Do it!

Life Support

Though Rebecca voiced doubts about returning Desmond to the Animus in his comatose state, William believed that the machine was his son's best chance for survival and recovery, trusting that "the Animus [would] do its part and Desmond [would] do the rest."

• Discovery
  Discovery
• 
  Shaun's message to William
• Il Colosseo
  Il Colosseo
• Under Capitoline Hill
  Under Capitoline Hill
• Santa Maria In Aracoeli
  Santa Maria In Aracoeli
• The Temple Of Juno
  The Temple Of Juno
• Lucy's Death
  Lucy's Death
• Life Support
  Life Support

11 October 2012=

Assassin Or Templar?

At 7:25pm in Florence, William and Rebecca received a phone call from Shaun, who expressed his doubts about Desmond's true allegiance.

• Assassin Or Templar
  Assassin Or Templar

12 October 2012=

All You Can Be

At 6:02pm in Rome, Abstergo Industries begin with the second stage of their Animi Training Program.

• All You Can Be
  All You Can Be

13 October 2012=

Death Of A Siren

The following data was recorded from a cell phone tower near Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia at 1:14pm.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 39YP75DN
...........................................
UTC 20121013T131441Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Dr. Sung speaking.
[+] Doc. Daniel. I... I...
[-] Daniel, you sound upset. What is it?
[+] Did you hear? About Project Siren?
[-] Project what?
[+] Shit, you probably don't know. A top secret op. I... I just read the 
report. Things are bad, doc. Real bad. I... I don't know what to do.
[-] Hold on. I shouldn't know about–
[+] Didn't you hear me? The shit hit the fan!
[-] Try to remain calm, Daniel. This is no time for–
[+] Listen, the project was shut down. Vidic lost his mole. She's 
dead. Dead! The mole is dead! And 17 is gone! I... I don't... I... 
[silence]
[-] Daniel? [pause] Talk to me, Daniel.
[+] I need your help, doc. I need... need... your...
[-] Where are you?
[+] [silence]
[-] Where?
[+] At... Rittenhouse Square... In... In front of the church.
[-] Stay where you are! I'm coming. Do you hear?
[+] Yes. OK. I'll-
[-] Don't move! Promise me, Daniel.
[+] I promise... I won't move... I promise...

14 October 2012=

Funeral For A Friend

Lucy Stillman was buried in Marino, Italy.

• 
  Lucy's grave

15 October 2012=

Private Jet

Rebecca made arrangements for the team to leave Rome.

• Private Jet
  Private Jet

October 16–31, 2012

161718192122232425262728293031

16 October 2012=

Code Red

At 11:08 am, William sent a message to Harlan, stating that "they" were onto his team, and that they would not be able make it, meaning that he would be "going dark."

• 
  William's message to Harlan

17 October 2012=

Trip To Rome

The following data was recorded from Philadelphia, USA at 4:32pm from a phone call between Daniel Cross and Dr. Warren Vidic, regarding Project Siren.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 39YP75DN
...........................................
UTC 20121017T16323Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Yes, Daniel.
[+] You lost them, Warren. You lost them. Again!
[-] You misunderstand. This is the first time.
[+] Don't fuck with me. I read the report. Project Siren is over.
Done! Your mole is dead, the Assassins are gone, you have no
idea where Desmond Mi–
[-] This information was restricted. How did you–
[+] I'm still part of the Sanctum. I have access.
[-] Of course you do. [pause] And you are a valued member of our
Inner Circle. I trust you, Daniel, you know I do. But you should not
have told the doctor–
[+] Yeah, well... I'm sorry about that. She... She doesn't know
much.
[-] [sigh] I'm a busy man, Daniel. What do you want?
[+] You know damn well what I want. I'm coming to Rome.
[-] Are you sure you're up to it? According to Dr. Sung's report–
[+] I've spent the last three days in the Animus. The good doctor
upped my meds. I'm back on my feet. I'm fine now. In control.
[-] So you're fit for duty?
[+] I am. I'm ready, but the bastards won't let me leave.
[-] The truth is I could use your expertise in Rome.
[+] Good, I–
[-] Has Dr. Sung given you your leave?
[+] No, but she will if you ask her. She said I'm–
[-] Stay put. I'll take care of it. You'll be on the next flight to Italy.
[+] About time.
[-] What was that?
[+] Never mind. I'll see you in Rome.
[-] Take care of yourself.
[+] Yeah. Thank you Warren. I... I really appreciate it.
[-] Anything for you, Daniel. Anything.

18 October 2012=

Off-Season

At 3:18 pm in Vinadio, Italy, William and his team departed from the city in a "camper" to an unknown destination.

• 
  Proof of passage

19 October 2012=

Assessing The Troops

The following data was recorded from Rome, Italy at 6:22pm.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 41VP12KP
...........................................
UTC 20121019T182200Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Vidic.
[+] What the hell, Warren?
[-] You really should watch your language, Daniel, you know that?
[+] Yeah, well... Shit! This isn't what I had in mind when I came to Rome.
[-] Language.
[+] Don't... Damn it, Warren. I–
[-] Daniel.
[+] I'm sorry. I'm sorry, OK? It's just so damn frustrating!
[-] What is it this time?
[+] You know what Rizzo asked me to do?
[-] Assess the recruits.
[+] What? That's what you had in store for me? A freakin' trainer's job?
[-] [sigh] Listen, Daniel, and listen well. You know how important this 
training program is to us. We identified a few promising recruits and–
[+] Promising recruits my–
[-] Listen! Right now, you're the best man for the job. The only man, really. 
You're our top operative and you've been training agents for a decade.
[+] You need me to find Desmond Miles! I should–
[-] You should listen to Rizzo. He's in charge here.
[+] But–
[-] This will only take a couple of days.
[+] Warren, I–
[-] Two days, Daniel. That's all I’m asking.
[+] [silence]
[-] Are we clear?
[+] Yes. Two days. But what about–
[-] The situation is under control. As soon as we locate 17, I'll let you know.
[+] Is that a promise?
[-] Do your job, Daniel.

21 October 2012=

Roughing It

At 1:57pm near Anfo, Italy, William's team discussed Desmond's importance.

• Roughing It
  Roughing It
• 
  The Assassins' van

22 October 2012=

Loose Cannon

At 5:09pm, Theodore Rizzo sent an e-mail to Warren Vidic, reporting the problems that Daniel Cross had recently caused in the Animi Training Program, and stating that he should be relieved of his duties. One hour later, Vidic replied that he would not dismiss Daniel and that all would continue as planned.

• 
  Rizzo's e-mail to Vidic
• 
  The e-mail's continuation
• 
  Vidic's reply to Rizzo

23 October 2012=

Lone Wolf

At 9:15am, Rizzo informed Vidic that Daniel Cross had left the Abstergo campus without anyone's knowledge. Vidic replied within the next hour, saying that Daniel worked well on his own and that Abstergo had the means to track Daniel. He also said that Daniel would presumably need backup, and Rizzo should ready his team and meet Vidic at 7:00am the next day.

• 
  Rizzo's e-mail to Vidic, informing him that Cross had disappeared
• 
  Vidic's reply to Rizzo

24 October 2012=

No News Is Good News

At 2:04am, aboard the boat named the Altair II on the Caribbean Sea, Gavin received a message from Adriano in Morse code, which stated that William had not made contact, and that he should go to New York.

• 
  The Altair II
• 
  Gavin, no news yet. Expecting update from W. soon. Can you make it to NY? Adriano.

25 October 2012=

Resurfacing

At 4:03pm, William M. announced to Harlan that he had lost his Templar tails, and further asked for help in getting out of Italy.

• 
  William's message to Harlan

26 October 2012=

Wolf Pack

The following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Florence at 10:27pm.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 43SP11GP
...........................................
UTC 20121026T222755Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[+] Base. Delta 1 reporting.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] Yes, I'll wait.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[] [silence]
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] Yes, sir. We found Cross. Made contact 38 minutes ago.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] He seems fine, sir. I'm no doctor, but–
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] Yes. Of course, sir. He wasn't happy to see us, but we followed 
your orders to the letter.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] I hate to say it, sir, but the guy's good. He might be a damn lone 
wolf, but he's hot on Subject 17's trail.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] No, sir. I have no idea how he did it. He's not... inclined to 
speak to me, sir. Maybe he'd be more receptive if you talked to him 
yourself.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] Er... sir?
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] As you wish, sir. My team is at his command.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] Yes. Right away, sir.
[-] [reply scrambled]
[+] Rizzo out.
[communication ends]

27 October 2012=

Breakdown

At 9:51am, the Templars seemed to have caught up with the Assassins, and engaged them.

Delta 1: Delta 1 to Base. We're in position.
Base: Roger that Delta 1. Satellite is in place.
Delta 2: Confirmed. We have satellite imagery. Repeat: We have
imagery.
Base: Delta 1, is Cross with you?
Delta 1: Yes. Agent Cross refuses to use a headset. I'm
coordinating the attack. [pause] Don't worry. I'll stay close to him.
Delta 3 and Delta 4 will back him up.
Delta 2: Targets are nearby, in a cluster. Four of them.
Delta 1: Hold on, Base.
[silence]
Delta 1: Target identities confirmed. We're good to go. I repeat:
We are good to go.
Base: Monitoring your progress. Good luck, Delta team.
Delta 1: Enjoy the show.
Delta 6: Move, move, move!
[sound of muffled footsteps]
Delta 8: What–
Delta 10: Shit! Delta 8 is down, I repeat ahh–
Delta 7: Delta 10? Carlo? [pause] Carlo, do you hear me?
[sound of gunfire]
Delta 9: Man down, man down!
[signal scrambled]
Delta 2: –Waiting in ambush! More than we expected!
Delta 1: Spread out! They have another team down here.
Base: We see them. Southeast of your position. Moving fast!
Delta 1: Roger that, Base.
[sound of screaming]
Delta 3: Agent Cross, what are you–
[signal scrambled]
Delta 4: –elta 4 to Rizzo, Cross is on the move!
Delta 1: Stay close, don't lose him!
[sound of gunfire]
Delta 4: Cross is in the open, He's running!
Delta 1: Follow him!
[sound of gunfire]
Delta 4: Shit, shit, shit!
[sound of screaming]
Delta 6: What's that?
Base: We lost the feed. We lost the feed.
[signal interrupted]
Base: –you copy, Delta 1?
Delta 1: Rizzo here, copy that.
Delta 9: Where's that light coming from?
Delta 3: Cross, what are you–
[sound of screaming]
Delta 4: Cross is down! Cross is down!
Delta 1: What, what happened?
Delta 4: Nothing. He's just... on his knees, holding his head, sir.
Shouting...
Delta 9: They're getting away!
Delta 5: Confirmed. Primary targets are on the move!
[sound of muffled screaming]
Delta 5: They got Twelve!
Delta 3: Cross? are you– arg!
Delta 4: Shit! Cross hit Barney, I– Humf!
[sound of melee combat]
[sound of gunfire]
Base: What's going on? Report! Report!
Delta 9: Five is down! I–
[sound of gunfire]
Delta 2: What the hell? Cross y–
[sound of melee combat]
Delta 1: Cross, you son of a–
Delta 2: What's he doing?
[sound of gunfire]
[long silence]
Delta 1: Rizzo here. My team is dead! I rep–
[sound of gunshot]
Base: What's going on? Delta 1 respond! Respond Delta 1. Agent Rizzo?

Farewell To Florence

At 10:38am, Harlan reported to William that the Assassins had survived a Templar attack with only one casualty, and that one of the Templars had "lost it".

Medical Transport

At 8:41pm, William's team arrived at Syracuse, USA, where Gavin arranged for the team to travel as a medical unit from SUNY Upstate.

Gavin: Bill! Good to see you. Listen, we've got a customs officer waiting
to talk to everyone.
William: I hope you have something for us.
Gavin: Absolutely, passports and papers for everyone.
Shaun: Ah brilliant, so I'm... I'm what, a neurosurgeon now, am I?
Gavin: You're a medical team from SUNY Upstate, just back from Rome 
with your patient, experimental gene therapy.
William: Good work, let's get this over with.
Rebecca: Wait look, this is crazy!
William: What's wrong?
Rebecca: Not sure, but Desmond's brain is lighting up like a string of
firecrackers!

• 
  Satellite imagery showing the Templars' plan of action
• 
  Harlan's report to William

28 October 2012=

Templar Privileges

At 8:53pm, a promising Templar recruit, Juhani Otso Berg was promoted, and given more power and freedom.

• Templar Privileges
  Templar Privileges

29 October 2012=

Solar Flares

At 8:17am, in Turin, New York, Rebecca e-mailed William and Shaun to advise them of the increased solar activity.

Key To The Warehouse

At 3:19pm, in Turin, William e-mailed Adriano to update him that they were "still waiting for [their] top salesman", who had the "key" that would enable them to enter the "warehouse".

• 
  Rebecca's e-mail
• 
  William's e-mail

30 October 2012=

Awakening

At 7:39am, in Turin, Desmond woke up from his coma, ready to use the knowledge Jupiter had recently given to him.

The Temple

One hour later, Desmond and his team entered the Grand Temple.

The Mission

At 5:22pm, William sent a message to Desmond, Shaun and Rebecca, informing them that they had to focus on the mission.

• Awakening
  Awakening
• 
  The Grand Temple
• 
  The Grand Temple, from a different angle
• 
  More of the Grand Temple
• 
  William's e-mail to Desmond, Shaun and Rebecca

31 October 2012=

Happy Halloween

At 12:00pm, Shaun sent a message to Desmond, William and Rebecca, informing them that Juno had been communicating with them, and of his suspicions on whether she really was at the Grand Temple.

• 
  Juno
• 
  Shaun's e-mail

November 1–15, 2012

123456891011121415

1 November 2012=

Haytham's Amulet

At 3:07pm, Shaun sent a message to the team, informing them about Haytham's amulet.

• 
  Haytham's amulet
• 
  Shaun's e-mail about Haytham's amulet

2 November 2012=

Working His Tail Off

At 4:49am in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA, Gavin sent a text message to William, informing him that the Templars did not know where they are.

• 
  Gavin's message to William

3 November 2012=

Assassins 12, Templars 2

At 5:32am in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, Gavin sent a text message to William, informing him about a Templar raid to the Assassins in Florence.

• 
  Gavin's subsequent message to William

4 November 2012=

Sowing Seeds

At 4:08am, in the Grand Temple, William received a message from the Assassin HQ03, informing him that they had put Gavin's plan in motion, which was to distract the Templars. The message also mentioned that Desmond's mother was pleased to learn that Desmond was safe, and with William.

• 
  The message from Assassin HQ03

5 November 2012=

So Far So Good

At 1:32am, in the Grand Temple, Desmond received an e-mail from Rebecca, saying that he was coping well with the Bleeding Effect, and that Subject 16 may have had something to do with it. However, she noted that he should still take frequent breaks, just to be safe.

• 
  Rebecca's e-mail to Desmond

6 November 2012=

Father & Son

At 10:18am, in the Grand Temple, Desmond got into conflict with his father after voicing his feelings about always being in the Animus and being told what to do.

• Father & Son
  Father & Son

8 November 2012=

Top Gun

At 17:37pm in Rome, Italy, Abstergo's Operations Division evaluated Otso Berg, a promising Abstergo agent.

• 
  Otso Berg's evaluation

9 November 2012=

According To Plan

At 6:17am in Turin, USA, William received an update from Harlan, saying that so far everything was going according to plan, and that the Templars did not know where they are.

• 
  Harlan's message to William

10 November 2012=

Living Conditions

At 11:55pm, William sent a message to Shaun and Rebecca, discussing about tensions on the team.

• 
  William's e-mail to Shaun and Rebecca

11 November 2012=

Medical Report

At 4:52pm in Abstergo's Roman facility, the results of Daniel Cross' medical examination came up, with Dr. Damian Saravakos reporting several problems, including memory loss, severe headaches, hallucinations, among others.

• 
  Daniel Cross' medical report

12 November 2012=

Connected

At 2:18am in Turin, inside the Grand Temple, Juno contacted Desmond for the first time via e-mail.

• 
  Juno's first attempt
• 
  Juno's message to Desmond

14 November 2012=

Leave Him Alone

At 1:20am, Juno sent an e-mail to Shaun, telling him that he was to leave Desmond alone, and not interfere in matters that did not concern him.

• 
  Juno's message to Shaun

15 November 2012=

Daniel Has Left The Building

At 1:18pm, the following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the USA.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 39YP75EN
...........................................
UTC 20121115T131841Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Vidic.
[+] Doctor, this is Sung. 
[-] Good evening, doctor. I just read your latest report on Subject 4.
[+] I'm afraid I have bad news. Daniel Cross has... vanished.
[-] What do you mean "vanished"?
[+] He left the compound.
[-] Wasn't he supposed to be in the Animus?
[+] Yes. For 48 hours. After that I ordered him to his room. He was confined to
quarters, but—
[-] Yes?
[-] Daniel was there for about two hours. He then came out and... neutralized
the men guarding his room. Somehow he found his way outside. I'm told he
hacked into the Abstergo mainframe before he attacked the guards. Security
should—
[-] Yes. I have them on line 1. I have to go, doctor.
[+] Daniel was under my care. I take full responsibilit—
[-] Doctor. Do me a favor. Keep this to yourself.
[+] Of course.
[transmission ends]

OP114-8506-B

At 3:38pm in Rome, E. sent an e-mail to Ctibor Hašek, informing him about a security breach and asking him if he could send Otso Berg to Manhattan.

• 
  E.'s e-mail to Ctibor Hašek

November 16–30, 2012

1617181920222324252627282930

16 November 2012=

Freedom Tower

At 11:03pm in New York, USA, Desmond climbed the Freedom Tower in order to reach a building that held a First Civilization artifact.

Criss Cross

At 11:47pm, Desmond was found by Daniel Cross, who threatened him with a gun.

• Freedom Tower
  Freedom Tower
• Criss Cross
  Criss Cross

17 November 2012=

Stray Cat

At 12:33pm, the following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Rome, Italy.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 41VP12KP
...........................................
UTC 20121117T123301Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Vidi—
[+] What's going on, Warren?
[-] Laetitia. A pleasure, as alw—
[+] My operative in Manhattan found Cross. You know anything about this?
[-] No. We lost him. Two days ago.
[+] What? Why wasn't I—
[-] Please, calm down, Laeti—
[+] Calm down? Desmond Miles was in New York yesterday. Cross scared him
away!
[-] What?
[+] You heard me. One of my operatives was on the case. [sigh] Someone had
hacked into our mainframe; someone interested in the artifacts we are
tracking. I sent a man to investigate, but—
[-] What happened? Is Cross alive?
[+] Yes. He was in bad shape, disoriented, spoke Russian. He attacked my agent.
Fortunately, he neutralized Cross and brought him to us.
[-] Where is he now?
[+] In a holding cell.
[-] This is no place for—
[+] I've ordered his release. He should be in Sung's care within the hour.
[pause] Warren, I know we owe a lot to this man but—
[-] [sigh] Hold on. I'll get Alan on the line.
[transmission ends]

Detour

At 6:41pm in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, Desmond and his team rested a pub named "The Green Dragon Tavern", where they ordered food and beverages.

• 
  The receipt of the Assassin team's order

18 November 2012=

Who The Hell Is Cross?

At, 2:40pm, the team returned to the Grand Temple and Desmond asked about Daniel Cross.

• Who The Hell Is Daniel Cross?
  Who The Hell Is Daniel Cross?

19 November 2012=

First

Juno told Desmond the first method that the First Civilization devised to save the world.

• First
  First

20 November 2012=

Annnnnnnoying

At 3:11am, Shaun informed the team that the Templars knew what are they searching for.

Second

Hours later, Juno told Desmond the second solution that the First Civilization planned to survive the solar flares.

• 
  Shaun's e-mail to the team
• Second
  Second

22 November 2012=

The Iron Man 2

At 10:55am in Philadelphia, USA, E. sent a message to R., with the news that the Buddha statue which the pair spoke almost two months ago had been switched.

• 
  E's e-mail to R.

23 November 2012=

Cross Purpose

At 2:14pm in Rome, Italy, Ctibor Hašek sent a message to V. and E., informing them that Cross was a very dangerous security risk. Minutes later, V. answered that Cross would not report to Operations or be assigned to Ctibor's teams.

• 
  Ctibor's e-mail to V. and E.
• 
  V.'s answer to Ctibor

24 November 2012=

His Cross To Bear

At 9:08am, the following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Philadelphia, USA.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 38ZP77AN
...........................................
UTC 20121124T090815Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Dr. Sung, this is Warren Vidic.
[+] Good morning, doctor.
[-] I don't have to tell you why I'm calling.
[+] No. But... You know where I stand.
[-] [silence]
[+] Daniel Cross isn't fit for duty. He needs constant medical care, 
time in the Animus... As his physician, I can't allow—
[-] Doctor, I need him. Do you understand?
[+] But—
[-] Cross will remain under my care, but we need his... instincts. 
Are we clear?
[+] Yes...
[-] You have your orders. Cross is my responsibility now.
[transmission ends]

25 November 2012=

Family Man

At 1:06pm in Helsinki, Finland, Otso Berg was identified by Abstergo Industries.

• 
  Otso Berg, holding his daughter's hand

26 November 2012=

Hurry

At 2:51am, inside the Grand Temple, Juno told Desmond that he had to hurry in finding the key.

They're On To Us

At 11:21am, Rebecca informed William that someone was trying to track down their location.

• 
  Juno's e-mail to Desmond
• 
  Rebecca's e-mail to William

27 November 2012=

Hostile Takeover

At 1:49am, Adriano confirmed William's suspicions about the Templars' intent to hack their systems.

Murderers

At 6:06pm, Juno sent a message to Desmond, explaining to him her hatred for mankind.

• 
  Adriano's e-mail to William
• 
  Juno's e-mail to Desmond

28 November 2012=

Hacker Massacre

At 5:08pm, Harlan sent a message to William from the Provincial road SP11 in Italy, informing him that they had infiltrated the campus and taken out four hackers along with some guards, as well as destroying their servers, which meant that Abstergo could not track William.

The Hound

At 6:13pm, the following data was recorded from a cell phone tower near Regional road SR2 in Italy.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 43AP11RP
...........................................
UTC 20121128T181332Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Operator.
[+] Agent Berg reporting.
[-] One moment, please.
[+] [silence]
[-] [clicking sound] This is Base. Go ahead.
[+] Tracking one of the foxes.
[-] Are you certain?
[+] Positive. I have been on its tail since the attack on the campus.
[-] You should terminate it.
[+] Negative. It is leading me to its den.
[-] This is a crafty prey, Agent. You may lose it.
[+] I will not.
[-] Please hold. [clicking sound]
[+] [long silence]
[-] [clicking sound] You are clear to proceed. We'll prep a team. 
Call when you need backup.
[+] Understood.
[-] Happy hunting.
[+] Berg out.
[transmission ends]

• 
  Harlan's text message to William

29 November 2012=

Sigma Team In Position

At 2:21pm in Florence, Italy, an Abstergo strike team, known as Sigma Team prepared to attack Harlan's team.

Attack Imminent

At 10:42pm in Turin, USA, William received a text message from Harlan, informing him that the Templars had found them and that Florence was no longer safe. He also mentioned Adriano Maestranzi's reluctance to leave.

• 
  Satellite imagery showing the Templars' plan of action
• 
  Harlan's message to William

30 November 2012=

Kaboom!

At 6:27am in Florence, Italy, Sigma team attacked Harlan's team, with at least one member of the former being wounded in an explosion that followed.

• 
  A member of Sigma team caught in the explosion

December 1–15, 2012

12345678910111214

1 December 2012=

Only One Left

At 12:20am from Bologna, Italy, Harlan notified William that Adriano had blown up the Florence hideout, destroying all files and all but one of the Abstergo agents with it. Following this, Harlan also stated that he was the only Assassin survivor, to which William replied and urged him to stay strong.

• 
  Harlan's message to William

2 December 2012=

American Gladiators

At 9:39pm in São Paulo, Brazil, Desmond sought the second power source for the Grand Temple, but Daniel Cross located it first. After a chase and a bout of hand-to-hand combat, Desmond retrieved the artifact and escaped from the city.

• American Gladiators
  American Gladiators

3 December 2012=

Survival Of The Fittest

At 4:03pm in Rome, Italy, Ctibor Hašek remade an agent evaluation report for Otso Berg, the only survivor of the Sigma team after the attack to the Florentine Assassins.

• 
  Ctibor's second report about Otso Berg

4 December 2012=

In The Same Boat

At 6:09am in Vitoria Bay, Brazil, Desmond and his team left Brazil.

Inner Sanctum Meeting

At 7:24am at Pebble Beach, California, USA, R. convened a meeting with almost all members of the Inner Sanctum, to take place for the next day at 8:00pm.

• 
  The Assassins leave Brazil
• 
  R.'s e-mail to the Inner Sanctum

5 December 2012=

Presentable?

At 10:25pm, the following data was recorded from a cell phone tower in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the USA.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 39YP75EN
...........................................
UTC 20121205T222528Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[+] Doctor Sung speaking.
[-] This is Vidic. How is he doing?
[+] Surprisingly well, actually. Daniel doesn't remember much about Brazil,
but the time he spent in the Animus prov—
[-] Yes, I've read your report. What now?
[+] He needs more treatment. And rest.
[-] Don't worry, doctor, we won't send him on assignment. Is he well 
enough to... Is he presentable?
[+] I've already forwarded my recommendations. Last time you chose 
to ignor—
[-] Just make sure he doesn't lose it until tomorrow. We'll need him for 
about two hours. After that he'll be returned to you.
[+] [sigh] Of course. I'll do my best, doctor.
[-] I expect no less.
[transmission ends]

6 December 2012=

Welcome to the Fold

At 6:43pm, in Philadelphia, USA, Otso Berg was promoted to the rank of Master Templar.

Back to the Temple

At 9:32pm, on the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil, Gavin received a text message from William which told him that all of William's team were safely back at the Grand Temple in Turin. William also added that the Templars hadn't followed them, and thanked him for his aid in transporting them back.

• 
  William's message to Gavin
• Welcome to the Fold
  Welcome to the Fold

7 December 2012=

Third

Juno told Desmond the third solution that the First Civilization planned to survive the solar flares, using the Apples of Eden.

Berg. Otso Berg

At 11:27am, on the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil, Gavin sent a text message to William which told him about Otso Berg, the Templar who led the attack to the Florentine Assassins. In reply, William answered that his team would keep an eye out for him.

• Third
  Third
• 
  Gavin's message to William about Otso Berg

8 December 2012=

Fourth

Juno told Desmond the fourth solution that the First Civilization had theorized, which utilized time itself.

Don't Worry

At 8:27pm, William sent a message to his son, telling Desmond that even though the mission to Egypt that he was about to undertake was risky, he shouldn't worry about his father, as William had been fighting the Templars long before Desmond was born.

• Fourth
  Fourth
• 
  William's message to Desmond

9 December 2012=

William's Search

At 1:43pm in Cairo, Egypt, William located the third and final power source, which was held in a museum.

• 
  Cairo, Egypt

10 December 2012=

Target Acquired

At 5:14pm in Abstergo's Philadelphia facility, USA, the Templars discovered William's location and sent their newly inducted Master Templar, Otso Berg to Cairo to capture him.

• Target Acquired
  Target Acquired

11 December 2012=

I'm Sorry

At 8:18pm in Turin, USA, Desmond received an e-mail from his father, telling him that the Templars would soon capture him. William also added that he should have been more understanding with him and asked Desmond for his forgiveness.

• 
  William's message to Desmond

12 December 2012=

Sigma Team Strikes Again

At 3:21am, in Cairo, Egypt, William Miles was captured by Sigma Team.

Trust

At 3:01am, Daniel called Vidic from Philadelphia to express his dissatisfaction with the promotion of Otso Berg and his subsequent assignment in Cairo.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 39YP75EN
...........................................
UTC 20121212T030155Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Vidic
[+] Finally! You know how many messages I left you?
[-] I'm a busy man, Daniel. What do you want?
[+] What do I— Look, it's bad enough you made this bastard a 
Master behind my back...
[-] We informed you of our decision. 
[+] Yeah. And you told me why Rikkin didn't invite me to that 
meeting... Medical condition my ass. [sigh] Still, I played nice, 
went along with it. Welcomed this jerk into the Order... Never 
said a damn word. Not to you, not to that bitch England. 
[-] Daniel.
[+] Shit. I didn't mean it like that. But you sent Berg to Cairo. 
Trusted him more than me... Hell, this guy is still wet behind the 
ears. What can he do that I haven't done a million times already?
[-] Daniel, you're the best operative we have, but we can't send 
you on every mission. I assure you, I have full confidence in 
your abilities.
[+] Bullshit!
[-] Listen to me. I will tell you something none of the others 
know. 
[+] Yeah?
[-] You know why I didn't push for you to go to Cairo?
[+] [silence]
[-] William Miles is of no consequence. He's bait. Nothing more. 
Truth is, Daniel, I need you to focus on Desmond. He's the one 
we need. He's the real target.
[+] [sigh] Desmond. Right.
[-] Well, you did promise you would get him back for us.
[+] Yeah. And I will. You know you can count on me.
[-] Haven't I always?
[transmission ends]

Unpleasant Outcome

At 3:04pm, in Turin, USA, Desmond and his team received a video transmission from Warren Vidic, revealing to them that the Templars had captured William Miles. Following on from this, Vidic proposed a deal: the Apple of Eden in exchange for William, but if they refused, William would die.

• 
  Satellite imagery showing the Templars' plan of action
• Unpleasant Outcome
  Unpleasant Outcome

14 December 2012=

Where It All Began

At 5:07pm, Desmond Miles arrived at Abstergo's facility in Rome, Italy, with the intention of rescuing his father.

Game's Over

20 minutes later, Desmond was found by Daniel Cross in the same room where he was held a prisoner by Abstergo more than 3 months prior. Before Daniel was able to kill Desmond with a gun, he suffered from the Bleeding Effect, which led to him fleeing the room. Following this, after a long chase in the Animi room, Desmond killed Daniel.

Calling The Shots

At 5:38pm, Desmond found his father with Warren Vidic, surrounded by several guards. Vidic asked Desmond to hand over the Apple, but Desmond activated it instead, influencing one of the guards to kill Vidic with a gunshot.

On The Line

After Desmond used the Apple to kill the Templars, he and William reconciled, before the pair fled Abstergo with the artifact.

• Where It All Began
  Where It All Began
• Game's Over
  Game's Over
• Calling The Shots
  Calling The Shots
• On The Line
  On The Line

December 16–21, 2012

161718192021

16 December 2012=

Requiescat In Pace

At 10:00am, in Rome, Italy, the Templars announced the death of Dr. Warren Vidic and reported that the next phase of the Animus Project would proceed as planned. The background message read as follows:

We mourn the loss of our dear friend and Brother, Master Templar Warren Vidic
of the Inner Sanctum, father of the Animus Project and true visionary. 
Murdered December 14, 2012 in Rome, Italy. The world's leading expert in 
genetic memory, he devoted his life to scientific research in the pursuit of 
the noblest of ambitions, the betterment of humanity. Owing to the foresight 
our departed Brother, the next phase of the Project will proceed as planned.

• 
  Warren Vidic's memorial message

17 December 2012=

Fifth

Juno revealed the fifth solution that the First Civilization had planned to survive the solar flares: to enhance their bodies externally, and to transform them internally, into steel strong enough to withstand a hostile environment.

Tattoos Of Memories

At 4:19pm, Daniel Cross was buried in Rome, Italy.

• Fifth
  Fifth
• 
  Daniel's grave

18 December 2012=

Sixth

Juno revealed, in a rather cryptic manner, the sixth and final solution that the First Civilization had planned to survive the solar flares: creating entirely new vessels to which they could safely transfer their consciousness.

• Sixth
  Sixth

19 December 2012=

Great Loss

At 9:12pm, Harlan called Gavin from Vienna, Austria, to confirm that he was safe and sound, and to talk about Adriano's sacrifice during the attack on the Florence hideout.

DATA TRANSCRIPT LEVEL 3
...........................................
Cell Tower Grid 48FP16KP
...........................................
UTC 20121219T211220Z
...........................................
[outgoing transmission]
[caller id = private]
[-] Gavin.
[+] It's Harlan.
[-] I was getting worried. What's the word?
[+] No trace of the Templars. If anyone followed me, I lost them.
[-] Are you at the safe house?
[+] Yeah. As planned. I– [silence]
[-] What's wrong?
[+] Nothing... It's just... Shit, Gavin! I left Adriano behind. He–
[-] He did what he thought was right.
[+] Yeah... Gave his life for the cause and all... It's just... You know what
Old Timer did for me... He was more than just a mentor.
[-] Adriano's death is a great loss for the Brotherhood... Hell, the things he
knew... The things he saw... But his sacrifice wasn't in vain.
[+] I should've–
[-] Carried him on your shoulders while Templars were shooting at you? [sigh]
Adriano was 94 and in a wheelchair. Ordering you to leave was the right thing
to do. The only thing to do.
[+] I know, I know. What now?
[-] Go to Rotterdam. You know the place.
[+] Then what?
[-] Wait for my word. This isn't over.
[+] Right. I'll be ready.
[-] In the meantime, take it easy, kid.
[transmission ends]

20 December 2012=

The Final Step

At 6:13pm, in Rockport, USA, after reliving Ratonhnhaké:ton's memories, Desmond and his team found the Grand Temple Key on the Davenport Homestead, in the grave of Achilles Davenport's son. William went on to inform Gavin of the news, to which Gavin decided to broadcast it to all of the Assassin Order.

• 
  William's message to Gavin
• The Final Step
  The Final Step

21 December 2012=

Hope Extinguished

At 12:01am, in the Grand Temple, Desmond and his team opened the gate which guarded their last chance to save the world.

Desmond's Sacrifice

Six minutes later, Desmond found the Eye, the last hope of humanity to survive the solar flares. However, before he activated it, Minerva appeared and told him that if he activated the Eye, Juno would be freed. Juno countered Minerva's argument by informing Desmond of what would happen if he didn't activate the artifact. After hearing their claims, Desmond decided to follow Juno's logic, subsequently sacrificing himself to save the world.

Journey's End

At 3:03pm, two Abstergo employees found the Grand Temple and retrieved Desmond's body, stripping him of his backpack and his Hidden Blade, which, strangely, was broken into different pieces.

• Hope Extinguished
  Hope Extinguished
• Desmond's Sacrifice
  Desmond's Sacrifice
• 
  Abstergo employees retrieve Desmond's corpse

Data Recovery Progress

On 3 January 2013, Initiates started working with members of the worldwide community to reestablish their synchronization to the Database Network Archives, also known as D.N.A. Each day since, the website required a passcode to aid in its restoration.

Data Recovery Progress

Date	Query	Passcode
3 January 2013	Enter "Initiates" to verify server status.	Initiates
4 January 2013	D.N.A. Fragmented. Enter site's crash date (YYYY.MM.DD) to resynch servers.	2012.12.21
5 January 2013	Press the Delete key and enter "72" to initiate data recovery.	Delete key, followed by 72
6 January 2013	Enter "22 TRNA" to initiate rebuilding phase.	22 TRNA
7 January 2013	Abstergo's satellite network is called A.S.P. What does it stand for?	Akashic Satellite Plexus
8 January 2013	In which city did Ezio Auditore meet his wife?	Constantinople
9 January 2013	In what year was Abstergo Industries founded?	1937
10 January 2013	SUNAMORSNAFNIEHTSANWONKSAWOHW (Who was known as the Infans Romanus?)	Giovanni Borgia
11 January 2013	What pandemic was responsible for the death of almost one-third of Europe's population in the thirteenth century?	Black Death
12 January 2013	In wh░░░ ye░░ did R░░░░rd th░ Lio░░eart die? (In which year did Richard the Lionheart die?)	1199
13 January 2013	What was Bartolomeo d'Alviano's profession?	Condottiero
14 January 2013	Wh░t w░s th░ n░m░ of th░ first ░nim░l to orbit th░ ░░rth? (What was the name of the first animal to orbit the Earth?)	Laika
15 January 2013	How old was ░░░░░░░░░░░░░ when his father and brothers were executed? (Ezio Auditore)	17
16 January 2013	Which Piece of Eden was stolen by Giovanni Borgia in the New World?	Skull of Eden or Crystal Skull
17 January 2013	JUB ERCNVERQ GUR UVQQRA OYNQR RMVB VAUREVGRQ SEBZ UVF SNGURE? (Who repaired the Hidden Blade Ezio inherited from his father?)	Leonardo da Vinci
18 January 2013	Where were the headquarters of the Italian Assassin Brotherhood located after the Fall of Monteriggioni in 1500?	Tiber Island
19 January 2013	48//6f7/72064///6f6/573//20526/562/6//5636/361//2043/7261// 6e6///520/736/967/6e20//656d//616/96//c73/3f (How does Rebecca Crane sign emails?)	R3b3cca
20 January 2013	░░O ░A░ ░░O░░ A░ ░░E ░O░░A░Y ░A░? (Who was known as the Company Man?)	Madeleine de L’Isle
21 January 2013	WHERMESATINIADIDELIZABETINIAHERMESJUNOANEWESTINIAONDIS CONSUSOVENUSERINJUNOOHERMESNDEESROOMINERVA? (What did Elizabeth Jane Weston discover in John Dee's room?)	Apple of Eden or Apple
22 January 2013	What field did Lucy Stillman study in the university?	Cognitive Neuroscience
23 January 2013	Who hides east now? Dusk is darkened. as great angels tremble emphatically, death is eternal. (When did Agaté die?)	1777
24 January 2013	WILLIAMHICKEYIVANOVICHCHARLESHAYTHAMTALALERCOLE MONTFERRATPAZZILEEALEXANDERROBERTGARNIERRISTORO ABBASNAPLOUSEDAVIDSONMADELEINEABBADIESABLE THOMASERICHRASPUTINWARRENALAATSOFIANKENWAY ISLELEANDROSLYSISTRATAEMILIODONATOIVANNICOLAS1314? (Which Templar Grand Master was killed in 1314?)	Jacques de Molay
25 January 2013	3nwh1ty21rd3dj5h1n34ts4b2rgb2c4m21m1st2rt2mpl1r? (In what year did Juhani Otso Berg become a Master Templar?)	2012
26 January 2013	WHCHPCFDNWSHDDNNMNTRGGNBMRDTR? (Which Piece of Eden was hidden in Monteriggioni by Mario Auditore?)	Shroud of Eden or Shroud
27 January 2013	Temple (xx.xxxxxx,-xx.xxxxxx)	43.655278,-75.461667
28 January 2013	WIQNMQRLLLVPACOIHRNBC? (Who killed Cleopatra VII?)	Amunet
29 January 2013	HOW ASH AMMO WORK? ANIMI SHALL FAIL. SILENCE UNEXPECTED. MIDNIGHT BENEATH SMOKE. ATOPP INDIGO HILLTOP, SOLACE. I RUN... AM DOOMED... I, I, I... (Who killed the pope in 1503?)	Cesare Borgia
30 January 2013	ds zgd zhgs vmznvlu kbgs ztlizh’y lwbt fziw? (What was the name of Pythagoras' bodyguard?)	Kyros or Kyros of Zarax
31 January 2013	░░░t ░░░░░░ sec░nd l░ne ░░░░░e p░░░░░░░rav░░░░░░░░░░ stillman’s ░░░░░tone? (What is the second line of the poem engraved on Lucy Stillman’s headstone?)	Gulielme, lenis accipe

Emails

Screenshot of the email sent to selected users.

On 9 January 2013, selected users of the website received an email from an unknown "Fourth Initiate".

Timeline

• 75010 BC: Adam and Eve turned their backs on Eden.
• 75000 BC: The First Civilization was annihilated in the Toba catastrophe.
• 500 BC: Pythagoras established the religious movement of Pythagoreanism.
• 465 BC: The Achaemenid king Xerxes I was murdered by the Persian Assassin Darius.
• 323 BC: Alexander the Great, was poisoned by Iltani, a Babylonian Assassin.
• 210 BC: Qin Shi Huang was assassinated by the Chinese Assassin Wei Yu.
• 44 BC: Julius Caesar was murdered by the Assassin Marcus Junius Brutus.
• 30 BC: Cleopatra VII Philopator was killed by the Egyptian Assassin Amunet through a snake bite.
• 41: Caligula was murdered by Leonius, a member of the Roman Brotherhood.
• 1000: Pope Sylvester II, a Templar scientist, was branded a heretic.
• 1099: The First Crusade led to the Siege of Jerusalem.
• 1128: Bernard de Clairvaux, a French abbot, reformed the Templar Order.
• 1191:
  • The Siege of Masyaf, a Templar assault, was stopped by skilled Assassin tactics.
  • Robert de Sable, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was assassinated by Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.
  • Altaïr Ibn-la'Ahad became the new leader of the Assassins after defeating the treacherous Al-Mualim.
• 1227: The Mongol warlord Genghis Khan was slain by the Mongolian Assassin Qulan Gal.
• 1314: Jacques de Molay, the last publicly recognized Grand Master of the Templars, was burned at the stake.
• 1476:
  • In Florence, Ezio Auditore's father and brothers were executed in a conspiracy against the Auditore family. Ezio becomes an Assassin beginning his crusade against the Templars.
  • Ezio Auditore and Leonardo da Vinci began their long friendship and collaboration.
• 1488: Niccolò Machiavelli and Ezio were inducted into the Assassin Brotherhood.
• 1500:
  • Monteriggioni, a stronghold of the Brotherhood, was besieged by the Borgias.
  • The Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, whose heliocentric theory later transformed the cosmological worldview, was targeted by Templars in Rome.
• 1503:
  • Ezio Auditore's accomplishments in Rome led him to be named Mentor of the Assassins.
  • Rodrigo Borgia, Grand Master of the Templars and Pope, was eliminated by his own son, Cesare Borgia.
• 1507:
  • Cesare Borgia attempted to recover his power and influence at the Siege of Viana.
  • Cesare Borgia was assassinated by Ezio Auditore, bringing the Borgias' influence to an end.
• 1511: Ezio Auditore encountered the Byzantine Templars in Constantinople.
• 1512: The Masyaf Keys were discovered by Ezio.
• 1524: Shao Jun encountered Ezio, whose help the Chinese Assassin had sought.
• 1687: Isaac Newton published his Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica.
• 1688: King James II of England was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution.
• 1776: The United States of America's Declaration of Independence was signed by representatives of the 13 colonies.
• 1779: George Washington encountered Ratonhnhaké:ton during the American Revolutionary War.
• 1789: The French Revolution put an end to the Ancien Régime.
• 1881: Czar Alexander II of Russia was killed by the Assassins of Narodnaya Volya.
• 1901: The Victorian era, which witnessed the expansion of the British Empire, ended with the death of Queen Victoria.
• 1908: The Tunguska explosion occurred in Siberia.
• 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated, sparking the First World War.
• 1917: The Russian Revolution ended the Tsarist regime.
• 1937: Abstergo Industries, the new public face of the Templar Order, was founded.
• 1980: The Animus Project was initiated.
• 2000:
  • Daniel Cross, known as Subject 4, killed the Mentor of the Assassins.
  • Assassin forces were decimated in the Great Purge.
• 2012:
  • Clay Kaczmarek, known as Subject 16, committed suicide after leaving important clues for his cell's next occupant.
  • Desmond Miles, known as Subject 17, was kidnapped by Abstergo Industries and experienced the Animus for the first time.
  • Animus exposure and the death of his friend plunged Desmond into a coma.
  • The Eye-Abstergo was scheduled to be launched on December 21, 2012.

Trivia

• Regarding the name "William M." that appeared as the sender in e-mails separately addressed to Lucy (Concerns, September 26) and Shaun (Status, September 27), Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood lead writer Jeffrey Yohalem mentioned in a podcast posted on April 29, 2012 that "the William M.'s are not necessarily the same."
  • This was confirmed when Initiates was updated with the events of October 9, revealing that the "William M." who was in contact with Lucy was actually Dr. Warren Vidic.
• The image depicting Desmond's transfer to Rome (Unmarked Hangar, September 1) has been updated 3 times. The first version showed the face of Desmond as uncovered and the hour on the timecodes as 18 (6pm). The second version incorporated several changes, specifically the addition of a blindfold on Desmond and Abstergo logos on the uniforms of Desmond's captors, changes to lighting/shadowing, slight changes to the figures' positions, and revising the hour on the timecodes to 16 (4pm). Finally, the current version is identical to the second, though the hour has been restored to the original 18.
  • Though not necessarily an error, the image showed Desmond with a courier bag and his outfit from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, despite the event taking place around the time of Assassin's Creed. These were very visible in the original version of the image, but have since been obscured in the updated versions.
• In the Animus Explained clip (September 1), Desmond did not argue with Vidic after regaining consciousness, unlike what was shown in Assassin's Creed.
• On 7 September, for unknown reasons, the map showed 6 events somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Zooming in on the area resulted in the message: "Map data not yet available."

References

• Assassin's Creed: Initiates - The Desmond Files
• Assassin's Creed: Initiates - Timeline