A/N: This chapter is not finished yet. Just wanted to go ahead and get it up to see the response. R&R, please!
Disclaimar: I do not own Malik, Altair, or any Assassin's Creed characters. Only Ubisoft does. Story based off of works of art in Doubleleaf's gallery (.com). I only own the words used to tell the story.
"I had no way of getting back to help you, Malik," he said, "I'm sorry."
I couldn't believe him. His voice didn't hold anything in it that sounded remotely like remorse or guilt. That smug bastard had acted foolishly. He had never even thought about what might have happened. I couldn't even look at him. Based on number alone, he was right, but he was completely unable to even think about that fact that Robert de la Sale was there, and he alone was a handful for two assassins.
"Like hell you are," I whispered.
"Malik, I swear, I am."
I looked up from the map I was working on, "It's too late for apologies, Altair. Now, get out of my Bureau and get the information on your target."
He headed out the door, but stopped and turned back, "Safety and peace, my friend."
Altair left, leaving the building quiet except for the sounds that leaked in from outside, "You deprive me of both. Don't think I'll let you back in if you cause a commotion out there."
My eyes opened to the bitter darkness of the room. If silence could kill, I would have died my first night back in this city. I climbed out of my bed and grasped my sword as I left the room. My feet were silent as I strode across the open floor to opposite room. I stopped, my feet mere inches from where Altair laid asleep, my sword pointed at him. It would be so easy to just push the cold metal through the flesh and bone of his arm, and make him feel the pain I feel daily because of his actions. Or, perhaps, to plunge it through his neck as payment for the death of Kadar. I raised my blade 'till it was level with the center of his shoulder and stopped. With small circle motions, I traced the blade up and down his upper arm, unsure of which point would cause him the most pain, the spot that would finally trigger that realization that he had made a serious mistake doing this to me. Something inside of me was telling me to just forgive and forget, but at this point, there was no way in hell I could do so until he felt my pain.
I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. I hated him so much, but couldn't bring myself to go through with the act. Why couldn't I just do this?! He destroyed my life in a single afternoon and acts as if it was nothing! Not three months ago, I could have followed through with it, but I followed the orders I had been given and didn't make him pay with his life like I felt he should have.
My arm fell to my side causing the sword to scrape along the floor. I stumbled a few steps backwards before heading back to my room. I sat on the bed, my remaining hand shaking. What had stopped me? The only feelings I held for the man was contempt and hatred. I lay down and closed my eyes. I cleared my mind. Something was wrong with me. I had to get my mind back in order and under my control. How much longer was it until morning? It didn't matter. No matter how long it was, it would be long enough for me in my mind.
I awoke again. The thoughts that had filled my mind the night before were mere remnants, though they still tried to resurface once more. The Bureau was quiet again. The sounds of Altair's footsteps didn't even sound through the building. With any kind of luck for me, that was because he had left already, and not due to him not being up yet. I climbed out of the bed and walked into the main section of the build. My eyes drifted over the map that lay on the counter as I walked behind it, and I cursed inwardly. In my anger the previous day, I had ruined it with the ink in the ink well. It still amazed me how that man could get me so angry I didn't realize when I did something like this.
