Hit List by Lauren Ganze “No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow.”
He was too late. Once again, he was simply too late to save his family. He had left the house for only a few hours, but that was all the time the world needed to change his life completely. His sister and mother had been terrified; the city guards had forced their way into the house, and had taken his father and his two brothers. When his mother resisted, they beat her mercilessly. Only their status as women had saved them from the conspiracy against their family. They had their enemies. In these days, who didn’t? Rival families, all vying for control of the city… and now, because of some petty squabble, half his family was dead and the other half, scarred. He could only watch as the false accusations riled the crowd. His younger brother, only twelve, cried silently, struggling against the rope around his neck. His older brother, at nineteen, knew what was going to happen and was panicked. He had done nothing wrong! He and his family were innocent! Ezio knew the truth now, though it was too late. The man that threw accusations at his father like stones and sharp knives had claimed to be a family friend. An enemy, posing as an ally and waiting to strike, hoping to destroy the family of the men he was about to kill. “Without compelling evidence to the contrary, you and your collaborators are sentenced… to death!” Not true! He had delivered documents to this traitor only a few hours ago! But, it was too late. His father, enraged at the betrayal, shouted curses, swearing that vengeance would claim this traitor’s life. Ezio could only watch, crying out, as the lever was pulled and his father and brothers were hung. His baby brother, frail but kind was a sweet young boy who knew no wrong. His older brother, his rival and partner was a genius with great potential. His father was his mentor and idol; the only one to whom he listened. The only one that knew of his true potential - as an assassin. The one that had, in his final hours, given his middle son the path to vengeance and a peaceful future. He had a list; names that would lead him to victory, names that would help him to find his own path. As his ancestors before him, he was an assassin, dedicated to keeping the peace from the shadows. He would defend the weak from tyrants, and uphold the law when no one else could.
He was as assassin, and he would take his family’s honor back by his own power. He would rid the world of the filth whose names he now had, and he would start with the worst kind there was - the traitor.