Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Between A Rock And A Hard Place was a virtual representation of one of Ezio Auditore's genetic memories, relived by Desmond Miles in 2012 through the Animus.

Description

Ezio Auditore knocked on the door of Bartolomeo d'Alviano's barracks. Bartolomeo welcomed Ezio and introduced him to his wife, Pantasilea. As Ezio inquired as to how the fight was going, the barracks were attacked by the Borgia, but was defended by Ezio, Bartolomeo and his mercenaries. In the middle of the battle, the Borgia captain fled and Ezio chased after him and assassinated him before he could reach the safety of his tower. Ezio also ignited the tower and returned back to the barracks, where Bartolomeo and Pantasileo were waiting. Upon returning to the barracks, Ezio renovated the Mercenaries Guild.

Ezio welcomed by Bartolomeo

Dialogue

Ezio arrived at the barracks.

• Bartolomeo: Ezio Auditore! Come in, come in. I'll kill you if you don't.
• Ezio: Bartolomeo!
• Bartolomeo: Wait here. You have to meet my wife. Pantasilea! Pantasilea! Where is she?
• Ezio: Did you check behind the table?
• Bartolomeo: Ahhh. Here she is!
• Pantasilea: Lieta di conoscervi. (Nice to meet you.)
• Ezio: Charmed. Truly.
• Bartolomeo: Now, we talk about war.
• Ezio: How goes the fight against the French?
• Bartolomeo: Bene. (Good.) My men are holding their own.
• Ezio: Machiavelli seemed to think things were more difficult.

The Mercenary breaks into the room

• Bartolomeo: You know Machiavelli. He--

A mercenary quickly rushed into the room and interrupted them.

• Mercenary: Abbiamo bisogno del vostro aiuto! (We need your help!)
• Bartolomeo: Scusatemi. (Excuse me.) Throw me Bianca!

Bartolomeo left the room.

• Pantasilea: Ezio. Let me get straight to the point. The fight is not going well. We have been attacked on both sides. Borgia on one, French on the other. But know this; the Borgia position is weak. If you can defeat them, we can concentrate our forces on the French front.
• Ezio: I think I know a way to help. Thank you for disclosing this to me Madonna (Madame) d'Alviano.
• Pantasilea: It is the least a wife can do to help her husband.

Ezio walked into the courtyard to find the Borgia guards and Bartolomeo's mercenaries in combat. On seeing Ezio, the Borgia Captain fled to the protection of his tower.

• Mercenary: Someone! Stop their leader before he gets to the tower!

Ezio leaps from the inferno

Ezio gave chase after the fleeing Captain and successfully assassinated Battista Borgia. He then proceeded to destroy the Borgia tower, eliminating their influence over the area, before returning to the barracks to see Bartolomeo and Pantasilea.

• Bartolomeo: Ezio. We sent those luridi codardi (fucking cowards) running for the hills!
• Ezio: Yes, we did.
• Bartolomeo: Now that the Pope's dogs have fled, I will be able to draw more men to the fight. But first, I want to reinforce our barracks.
• Ezio: Who will take care of this?
• Bartolomeo: I'm no good with these things. You are the educated one, you approve the plans!
• Ezio: Va bene (Okay), but in return I need to know Cesare and Rodrigo's every move. Can your men track them for me?
• Bartolomeo: Of course!

Caserma di Alviano during the renovation

Ezio consulted an architect regarding the renovation of the barracks, and after the refurbishments were complete, Ezio paid a visit.

• Bartolomeo: Isn't she a thing of beauty?
• Ezio: Very impressive.
• Bartolomeo: More men join us everyday. It has become very competitive, which is just the way I like it. As you can see, this board shows the ranks of our top warriors. Prove your skills and you will move up the list.
• Ezio: Shouldn't I already be at the top?

A mercenary calls up from the basement.

• Mercenary: Gian's fighting downstairs!
• Bartolomeo: If you are looking to show off, we also have fights. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got money on this match.

Ezio leaves the barracks and Pantasilea begins to talk to him in the courtyard.

• Pantasilea: Where is Bartolomeo?

Pantasilea explaining about assassination contracts sent by Machiavelli

• Ezio: At the fight downstairs.
• Pantasilea: He has such an aggressive view of the world. However, strategy is equally important. Take these carrier pigeons for example: Each one sent from Machiavelli bears the name of an important Templar in Roma. Eliminate them and you will have more of an impact than a battle ever could.
• Ezio: Thank you, Madonna (Madame). Can you ask Bartolomeo to come see me at Isola Tiberina (Tiber Island) with a report about Cesare and Rodrigo's whereabouts?
• Pantasilea: He will be there.

Outcome

Ezio assassinated another Borgia Captain and renovated the Mercenaries Guild. Bartolomeo and the mercenaries would now help the Assassins. Their first task was to find Cesare and Rodrigo.

Trivia

• To achieve full synchronization, the player must kill only the Borgia Captain.
• When Ezio asks: "Did you check behind the table?", it is a reference of one of his first encounters with Bartolomeo, where he was searching for his sword Bianca.
• The name of the memory is based on the phrase of the same name, with the rock representing the French forces and the hard place represents the Borgia.

Gallery

• 
  Bartolomeo introducing Pantasilea to Ezio
• 
  Pantasilea explaining the Borgia situation
• 
  Ezio and Bartolomeo returning victorious
• 
  Bartolomeo explaining his plans to renovate the barracks
• 
  Ezio and Bartolomeo inside the renovated barracks

Reference

• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood memories
Main memories
Sequence 1: Peace at Last
Mass Exodus - Homecoming - R & R - Horsing Around - Target Practice - Reunion - Vilified - Emergency Exit
Sequence 2: A Wilderness of Tigers
As Good As New - Well Executed - New Man in Town - Easy Come, Easy Go - Who's Got Mail? - Crepi il Lupo - The Halls of Nero - Roman Underground
Sequence 3: The Fighter, the Lover and the Thief
Double Agent - Between a Rock and a Hard Place - High-Stakes Negotiation - Collective Intelligence
Sequence 4: Den of Thieves
Castello Crasher - Femme Fatale - The Burdens We Carry - Guardian of Forlì - Man of the People - Serial Offender - Human Cargo - An Unexpected Visitor - War Plans - Outgunned - The Plan
Sequence 5: The Banker
Escape From Debt - Follow the Money - When in Rome... - In and Out - Paper Trail
Sequence 6: The Baron de Valois
Gatekeeper - French Kiss - Trojan Horse - Au Revoir
Sequence 7: The Key to the Castello
Patching the Leak - Calling All Stand-Ins - Exit Stage Right - Intervention - Ascension
Sequence 8: The Borgia
Requiem - An Apple a Day - The Apple of Eden - Demilitarization - Seeing Red - All Roads Lead To...
Sequence 9: The Fall
Pax Romana - A Seed
Secret locations
Wolves Among the Dead - Thrown to the Wolves - Leader of the Pack - The Sixth Day - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Shopaholic - Liquid Gold
War machines
War Plans - Loose Cannon - War Plans - Flying Machine 2.0 - War Plans - Hell on Wheels
Templar agents
Down to Earth - Counter-Propaganda - Excommunication - Firing Line - Red-Handed - The Ringer
Cristina memories
A Second Chance - Last Rites - Best Man - Persona Non Grata - Love's Labour's Lost
Assassination contracts
Two's Company - Tactical Correction - ...And Three's a Crowd - Serf's Turf - The Three Amici - Red Letter Day - The Merchant of Rome - Bearers of Bad News - Cardinal Sin - Turning the Tables - Graduation - Brutes and Brutality
Thief assignments
Lost Pup - A Clash of Interests - Up to Speed - Class Warfare - Pointing Fingers - Eye on the Prize - Young at Heart - Downsizing - A Blanket Finish - For the Fans
Courtesan assignments
Property Dispute - Old Habits Die Hard - The Morning After - Running Scared - Live Bait - Malpractice - Closing In - Bad Politics - Troublemakers - Ghostwriting
DLC
The Da Vinci Disappearance
A Roll of the Dice - The One Who Got Away - Memento Mori - Bon Voyage - Last Minute Invite - The Ezio Auditore Affair - Decoding Da Vinci - The Temple of Pythagoras
Copernicus Conspiracy
False Censorship - Out of Orbit - Intelligentsia - Honorary Degree - Expedited Post - Man in Red - Sitting Ducks - Close the Book