Abstergo (memory)

**Abstergo** was a memory of Clay Kaczmarek during his journey through the Animus Black Room.

## Description

Clay explored his memories regarding learning about the Animus Project, his work with the Assassins and how it affected the rest of his life.

## Dialogue

* **William:** *Break into Abstergo, gather the intel, and get out.*
* **Abstergo employee:** *Abstergo. Hold the line... Marnie, can you take my kids tomorrow night? I have a date... Don't say that so loud, I'm at work! But, seriously, with my luck, I'll be home by 7:00. Hold on. Abstergo. Can I help you?*
* **William:** *For centuries we've been fighting a war against the Templars, a secret society dedicated to controlling mankind. Abstergo is their front, the source of the invisible hand that circles the globe.*
* **Clay:** *What am I looking for?*
* **William:** *Alan Rikkin's computer. I need more data about a program called the Animus Project. Extraordinary! The amount of funding they've put in the Animus Project since the eighties. We need to go deeper next time. Find out what Abstergo's really looking for inside our DNA. I'm counting on your help, Clay.*
* **Clay:** *I got into an engineering program!*
* **Harold:** *That's my boy! Didn't know you had it in you.*
* **Clay:** *Here. Look.*
* **Harold:** *This isn't one of the top schools.*
* **Clay:** *There's an amazing programming department.*
* **Harold:** *Kaczmareks build things, they don't sit at a desk.*
* **Psychiatrist:** *Have you informed your colleague about our sessions?*
* **Clay:** *No.*

## Animus Memo

*January 2008*

*First Quarter Briefing on Abstergo Lab Facility Progress*

*Animus Project*

*Vatican City*

*In brief:*

* *Request to allocate 25% of $960.000.000 annual Abstergo R&D budget to the project approved. Note that this marks a 50% increase.*
* *New subterranean lab space staffed after preliminary trials of latest device iteration were successful.*
* *Device functional with low power requirements.*
* *Device mainframe is 30% smaller than previous iteration. At this rate, a portable Animus may be possible in the future.*
* *Intended ancestral memories accessed with 86.7% success rate during trials.*
* *Preparations to continue transfer of Assassin skills.*
* *Search for key cartographer ancestral DNA ongoing.*

*I will run through the specifics in person with you next week.*

*Warren Vidic*

## Psychiatrist's Notes

*January, 2007*

Incident involving a design critiqued by a coworker. Afterwards, could not focus on existing work... began making designs to deliberately "defeat the criticism." OCD/ADHD suspected. Could prescribe psychostimulant combined with an SSRI. Look up drug name produced by company that paid for trip to vacation resort in St. Barts.

*February, 2007*

Wrong about OCD diagnosis. Patient displays severe maladaptive perfectionist tendencies. When recalling childhood, talks about father as positive influence, but seems to be displacing anger onto coworkers. Possible abusive parental relationship suspected. Patient seems receptive to recommendation of two premium sessions per week. An easy sell due to self-esteem issues.

*August, 2007*

Today, unexpectedly, a complete change in behavior. Patient appears confident, self-assured. Perhaps a new support mechanism? Patient seems to be hiding something.

*September 2007*

Patient quit his job for "personal reasons." Continues to show incredible progress. However, remain convinced patient is guided by an external locus of control. More therapy is needed.

*March 2008*

Patient challenging behavioral therapy. Believes himself cured. Claims training given at new job is key. Still refuses to disclose specifics of said job. Over-reliance on peer group now believed to be the cause of positive progress. Removal of positive peer-based work environment would severely destabilize patient. Recommend patient continue therapy. Concerned that loss of patient would result in delayed purchase of Paris apartment.

*April, 2008*

Patient requests to view my notes. I refuse for obvious reasons. Patient continues to insist. Post-session, after placing notes in file, must search for missing filing cabinet key.

## Trivia

* The achievement "**Jump they say"** was unlocked after finding the Animus memo.