As the helicopter flew over the city overtaken by monstrous creatures, the group settled into their seats. The tension that had filled the air moments earlier slowly began to ease now that they were out of immediate danger. Michael Torres leaned back, exhaling deeply with a look of relief.

"Grazie, Gesù," ("Thank you, Jesus") he murmured, his quiet prayer a reflection of his gratitude.

Ezio, still in awe of the unfamiliar craft, looked around, marveling at the way it moved so effortlessly through the air. His eyes fell on Mason, and curiosity got the better of him.

"What is this... machine?" Ezio asked, his voice tinged with amazement. "It flies like nothing I've ever seen."

Mason, recognizing Ezio's unfamiliarity with modern technology, offered a simple explanation. "It's called a helicopter. Think of it like a flying carriage that doesn't need horses."

Ezio nodded slowly, trying to wrap his mind around the concept.

However, Ezio still processing the strange and unfamiliar environment, shifted his attention to Mason. His mind wandered back to the creatures he had seen earlier in the streets, their grotesque forms stumbling through the ruins. With a furrowed brow, he asked, "Those creatures I saw earlier... what were they?"

Mason, having spent two years in Cortana's twisted world, leaned back in his seat, his expression hardened by the weight of experience. "Those things? We call 'em Zombies," he explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "They're infected by some kind of virus, something cooked up by a guy named Alex Mercer. Looks like the Rogue AI—Cortana—brought them here for her own use. She sends them out to eliminate any threats, like they're some kind of mindless army."

Ezio's eyes narrowed as he absorbed Mason's words. The concept of "Zombies" was entirely foreign to him, and yet the idea of a virus transforming people into such monsters chilled him to the bone. His mind briefly flashed back to the streets of Firenze, where death had been a constant companion, though never in such a twisted form.

"Zombies," Ezio repeated, the word feeling strange on his tongue. He considered Mason's explanation for a moment, then shook his head, his voice laced with disbelief and grim fascination. "A virus that turns men into mindless creatures... And this Alex Mercer—he created this plague?"

Mason nodded. "Yeah, Mercer's a real piece of work. He's not human anymore either, not by a long shot. He's something else entirely, and now Cortana's using his creations to do her dirty work."

Ezio's expression darkened further. He had encountered many enemies in his life—power-hungry tyrants, corrupt men of faith—but this? This was a new kind of evil, one that stretched far beyond the boundaries of what he thought possible. His voice grew more resolute as he spoke, a new determination filling him.

"These creatures," Ezio said, his voice steady. "They are an abomination. If this Cortana uses them to destroy us, we must find a way to fight back—no matter what world we come from."

Mason smirked, a small flicker of respect for Ezio's resolve. "You're right about that. We've all got something to fight for, even in this messed-up world. The sooner we figure out how to stop her, the better."

Ezio nodded in agreement, his mind now more focused than ever. He had faced many challenges before, but this world, with its strange machines and twisted creations, would demand everything from him—and more.

He turned to the others, his expression softening as gratitude replaced his earlier confusion.

"Thank you all, truly," Ezio said earnestly. "You saved my life back there."

Mason gave a nod of acknowledgment, a hint of a smile breaking through his normally stern demeanor. Michael shrugged casually, though sincerity was clear in his tone. "No problem, Ezio. We've all had our fair share of close calls."

Ezio's gaze then shifted to the mysterious figure who had saved him during the attack. His expression turned serious as he recalled how close he had come to death.

"And you," Ezio said, his voice filled with sincerity. "If you hadn't been there when that creature attacked, I wouldn't be here now. I owe you my life."

The mysterious figure, still shrouded in her hood, gave a small nod in response. "I was just happy to help," she replied modestly.

Ezio's curiosity deepened. He leaned forward slightly, his tone polite but inquisitive. "If you don't mind me asking... who are you? What's your name?"

There was a brief pause before the figure reached up and slowly pulled back her hood. The soft light inside the helicopter revealed her face—Nora, the protagonist from a world far removed from Ezio's own. Her calm and composed expression met his gaze.

"My name is Nora," she said, introducing herself. "I'm not from this world, just like you."

Ezio's eyes widened slightly in surprise, intrigued by her words. "If you're not from here," Ezio began thoughtfully, "then why are we all brought to this place? Is it some kind of punishment?"

Before Nora could answer, Mason, who had been leaning against the side of the helicopter with a frown, interjected. His tone carried a hint of bitterness. "This place sure feels like punishment," he said. "Like we're being thrown away, left to rot in this place while she gets what she wants."

Nora shook her head, her voice gentle and reassuring. "No, it's not punishment. This world was created by an AI—a rogue AI named Cortana."

Ezio's expression darkened at the mention of Cortana. He remembered the recent events in his universe, where a powerful being had threatened his family, demanding an ancient weapon. "Cortana..." Ezio echoed. "I may have seen her. She threatened my family, demanded a powerful weapon... all for her lust for power."

Nora nodded, understanding the weight of Ezio's experience. "She was in my world too, as well as Michael's and Mason's. She's been causing chaos across different universes."

Mason, who had been seated nearby, added in with a glance back toward the cockpit. "Bangalore's seen her too. She can't hear us from up front, but she's been in the fight as well."

Ezio's face grew serious as he looked at Nora, concern etched into his features. "What are her intentions? What does she want?"

Nora paused, her brow furrowing in thought before she spoke. "I'm not entirely sure," she said hesitantly, "but she mentioned something about controlling the multiverse."

Ezio tilted his head slightly, the term unfamiliar to him. "The multiverse? What is that?"

Nora realized that she needed to explain it in a way Ezio could understand. "Imagine all the different worlds, all the different times and places, existing at the same time. Some are similar, some are very different. The multiverse is like a web that connects them all. Cortana... she wants to control that web."

Ezio listened intently, his mind processing the vastness of what Nora was describing. He could feel the gravity of their situation weighing down on him, but as the reality of their circumstances began to sink in, his resolve only strengthened. Cortana posed a danger not just to his world, but to countless others, and Ezio knew he had to be ready for what was to come.

Ezio Auditore sat quietly, processing the incredible information he had just learned. His mind raced with the implications of it all, yet his face remained composed. "So... my world isn't the only one?" he asked, his voice thoughtful.

Nora nodded gently, understanding the enormity of the concept. "That's right," she said softly. "There are countless worlds out there, each one different, each one with its own story."

Ezio absorbed her words, the notion both fascinating and overwhelming. After a brief pause, he turned his gaze back to her, his curiosity deepening. "Why were you brought here, then?" he asked gently. "What made this Cortana bring you to this world?"

Nora hesitated, her thoughts briefly clouded by memories she would rather not relive. But she knew Ezio deserved an explanation, so she began carefully, simplifying the complex tale of her world's destruction. "It all began after the bombs fell... In my world, there was a great war, and people sought shelter in places called vaults. These vaults were meant to protect us, but they were also... experiments."

Ezio furrowed his brow as he listened closely, trying to grasp what she was saying. "My family and I... we were put into these tubes, which made us sleep for a very long time. We were supposed to be safe," she continued, "but one day, we woke up—not naturally, but because someone forced us to. A group of scientists from an organization called the Institute, along with a man named Kellogg... they woke us up."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Nora's voice faltered slightly as she recounted the next part, the pain of it still fresh even after so much time. "Kellogg... he killed my husband, Nate, right in front of me. And then they took our son, Shaun. I was powerless to stop them."

The room fell silent as Nora's words hung in the air. Though Michael Torres and Alex Mason had heard this part of her story before, it still weighed heavily on them. Michael's usual confidence slipped for a moment, his expression reflecting his remorse. Mason, leaning slightly forward in his seat, clenched his jaw, his eyes filled with both anger and sympathy.

Ezio's eyes widened, and he leaned forward, offering his condolences with sincere sympathy. "I am truly sorry for your loss," he said softly. "No one should have to endure such pain."

Nora gave a small, appreciative nod, though the sorrow still lingered in her expression. As the helicopter droned on, the group fell into a brief silence, lost in their thoughts.

Ezio, ever curious, gently urged her to continue. "What happened after that?"

Nora drew a steadying breath before continuing. "After Kellogg took our son, something unexpected happened. A rift—like a tear in the fabric of reality—appeared right in front of us. Out of that rift came Cortana. But she wasn't there for me or Shaun. She was there for Kellogg."

Ezio's brow furrowed as he tried to understand the significance of what Nora was describing. "Cortana made Kellogg an offer," Nora explained. "She promised him power, the means to control the Institute, if he agreed to help her conquer the multiverse. Kellogg... he didn't hesitate. He accepted the deal."

Ezio, still processing all of this, interjected with a question, his brow furrowing deeper in confusion. "The Institute... who are they?"

Nora paused briefly, realizing that Ezio's world wouldn't have anything like the Institute. She explained patiently. "The Institute is a powerful organization in my world. They're a group of scientists who use advanced technology to control and manipulate everything from behind the scenes. They create synthetic humans—androids that look and act like real people. Kellogg wanted to control them, and with Cortana's help, he saw his chance."

Ezio nodded slowly, absorbing the information. His frown deepened with distaste. "An organization that creates people to control them... It sounds like a place of shadows, where power is used for anything but good."

He glanced at Nora once again. "What happened after?"

Nora's voice grew bitter as she recounted the next part. "After Kellogg agreed, he turned on the scientists who were with him—he killed them all. And then... he killed my son, right in front of me."

Ezio paled at her words, horrified by the cruelty she had witnessed. He shook his head slightly, his heart heavy with sympathy. "That is... unforgivable. I am so sorry, Nora."

Nora nodded, her expression somber. "I thought that was the end. But I was wrong. The tubes we were kept in malfunctioned after 200 years, and I was able to get out."

Ezio's eyes widened with shock. "Two hundred years? You were asleep for two centuries?"

Nora nodded, understanding his astonishment. "Yes. Time moved on, but I was frozen in place, unaware of what was happening. When I finally woke up, I found my husband... still lying there, dead in his tube. I mourned him, but I knew I couldn't rest until I found Kellogg and made him pay."

Ezio nodded with deep respect. "So you hunted him down?"

Nora's voice hardened. "Yes. I spent months searching for him, following every lead, every trail. And finally, I found him. We met face to face, and I was ready to end it. But then, Cortana stepped in again. She took me away from my world, pulled me through another rift, and brought me here."

Ezio sat back, absorbing her story. The helicopter continued its steady flight, the vast wasteland below contrasting sharply with the turmoil inside the cabin.

Ezio's eyes narrowed as realization dawned on him. "So... it's not just my world she's after. She's been threatening other worlds too."

Nora nodded solemnly. "Yes. Cortana has been moving across different worlds, causing chaos and seeking power. We're not alone in this."

Ezio's expression hardened with determination. He looked back at Nora, his resolve clear. "Then we need to find a way out of here. We need to find her and stop her once and for all."

Nora sat back in her seat, nodding thoughtfully. "I couldn't agree more. But it may take time. We're already working on a device that can create an energy reading—a beacon, if you will—that could be detected in other universes. It's our best shot at getting out of here."

Ezio's brow furrowed in both amazement and confusion. The concept of such advanced technology was beyond anything he had ever encountered. "How do you know all of this?" he asked, curiosity mixed with skepticism. "This... beacon, this technology—it's beyond anything I've ever seen."

Nora smiled warmly, understanding the vast differences between their worlds. "There's a man here with us who has a deep understanding of the multiverse," she explained. "He's been working on ideas to get us out of here, and this device is one of them."

Before Ezio could delve further into the subject, Mason, seated on the other side of the helicopter, interjected. His voice, rough with experience, cut through the air like a blunt knife. "We've been working on it for about two years now, give or take," Mason said matter-of-factly. "Hell, I don't even know if we're close to finishing that shit."

Michael, reclining back in his seat with his arms crossed, nodded in agreement. "Well, the thing is," he added, "I've only been here for five months. But it feels like an eternity."

Ezio's confusion deepened as he tried to grasp the implications of the different timelines. "I don't understand," he muttered, his voice filled with uncertainty. "Why did Cortana go after a weapon that could give her power only now? What's changed?"

Nora's interest piqued at the mention of a weapon. "What weapon is she after?" she asked, leaning in with curiosity.

Ezio's expression hardened as he began to explain. "The Apple of Eden," he said gravely. "It's a powerful artifact, capable of controlling minds, altering reality... It's dangerous in the wrong hands. But she doesn't have it—what she claims to have is a fake."

Michael, who had been listening intently, leaned forward, his brow furrowing as he processed the information. "An artifact that controls minds and alters reality..." he mused aloud, his voice thoughtful. "Sounds almost like something out of the Bible. You know, the kind of power that tempts even the strongest, makes them do terrible things. It's the kind of thing you don't want anyone to have, let alone someone like Cortana."

Ezio nodded solemnly. "You're right, Michael. Even those with the strongest will can be corrupted by such power. The Apple has caused more pain and suffering than I can count."

Mason, leaning back and folding his arms, grunted in agreement. "Yeah, power like that... it messes with your head, makes you think you're invincible," he reflected. "Even if you don't follow the faith, it's not hard to see the parallels."

Michael gave a slight nod, his own inner conflict regarding faith simmering beneath the surface. The conversation turned somber as they all acknowledged the danger the Apple of Eden represented—and the necessity of keeping it out of the wrong hands.

Nora listened carefully, her analytical mind piecing together the puzzle. After a moment of silence, she spoke up. "This world... it's like time itself has been twisted. Cortana may have altered it."

Mason slammed his fist against the seat, his frustration evident. "Damn it!" he spat. "If she's messing with time, that means we're playing by her rules."

Ezio, still grappling with the implications, voiced the concern nagging at him. "Why would she do that?" he asked. "What does she gain by slowing us down?"

Nora's gaze was steady as she formulated her theory. "Think of it like this," she began. "If time here is slowed down, we're stuck while everything else moves forward. In other worlds, Cortana has more time to execute her plans without us interfering. It's like she's trapping us in a bubble where time crawls, giving her a head start."

Michael, recalling a conversation he had with Cortana during a past encounter, added to the discussion. "I remember her saying I was a threat to her plans," he said. "I think... we all are."

Mason, his face grim, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's why that bitch dumped us here like trash."

Ezio, ever the strategist, pieced it together. "Anyone... she sends them here," he said, his voice laced with concern. "Is that her way of killing us?"

Mason couldn't resist a cynical remark, his dark humor bubbling to the surface despite the tension. "Or maybe she just does it because she can," he said with a half-smirk. "Or hell, maybe she's just bored. Shit, I don't know."

The others shared a brief glance, the gravity of their situation hanging heavily in the air. Though Mason's remark brought a flicker of levity to the moment, the reality of their predicament remained undeniable.

The helicopter hummed steadily as it soared through the air, the barren and desolate landscape slowly giving way to something more structured in the distance. Inside, the group remained deep in conversation, their voices a mix of concern and contemplation as they pieced together the grim reality of their situation.

Ezio Auditore leaned forward, his voice carrying a weight of reflection as he shared his recent encounter. "I encountered a group earlier... managed to interrogate one of them. They called themselves Raiders. Does that mean anything to you?"

Nora's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of the Raiders, her expression growing more serious. She had dealt with their kind before, and the name alone brought memories flooding back.

"Raiders..." Nora spoke with a tone of familiarity. "They're from my world. Ruthless scavengers, no regard for life. It wouldn't surprise me if Cortana is pulling in various factions from different worlds, using them to do her dirty work. Eliminating threats without getting her own hands dirty."

Ezio's expression darkened at her words. The more they uncovered, the clearer Cortana's cruel strategy became.

"So this world," Ezio muttered grimly, "it's a place to discard people. She brings us here just so we can be left for death."

The weight of Ezio's words settled heavily over the group, the unsettling realization casting a somber mood. Each of them considered the twisted nature of the world they had been dragged into, but before they could delve further into the topic, Bangalore's sharp voice cut through the tension.

"We're almost to the Base of Operations," she called from the cockpit, her tone sharp and commanding. "Get ready to disembark."

Nora glanced toward the front of the helicopter, acknowledging the urgency in Bangalore's voice. She turned back to the group with a decisive nod. "We'll discuss more of this later. For now, let's get ready to get off the helicopter."

The group shared a collective nod, knowing that this conversation was far from over, but for now, the focus shifted to their immediate task. The sound of the helicopter's rotors grew louder as they neared their destination. Outside the window, the Base of Operations loomed closer, a fortress amidst the harsh environment—a place that offered some semblance of safety, though the group remained on edge, unsure of what awaited them next.

As they began to prepare for their landing, their thoughts still lingered on the Raiders, Cortana's manipulation, and the uncertain future that lay ahead. The helicopter began its descent, and the Base of Operations came into full view, their next challenge already on the horizon.