Malik tried to concentrate on his books. He was aware of a certain novice trying to be quiet as he crept up on him.

'Altair, let me tell you, you couldn't be silent if you tried,' he said, not looking up from his book.

'I'm not here.'

Malik smirked very, very slightly at Altair's childish response. 'You very much are.'

'No, I'm not.'

'Yes, you are.'

Malik began to get irritated at this childish novice. By Allah, he must have been terribly cruel to kittens in a past life to deserve this kind of torturous treatment. 'Are you not here on assignment?'

'I'm taking the day off.'

For the first time, Malik looked up and studied Altair carefully. His golden eyes seemed to glow under his hood as he stared at Malik with a challenging glare.'You can't just take the day off, Altair.'

'It just so happens that I told Al Mualim that I had some important other businesses to attend to in Jerusalem. Since that turned out to be a false alarm I've got the day to myself.'

Malik clenched his teeth and tried to still his anger. He was scared that if he let his rage loose, he would end up flinging himself at Altair, which would be bad, because even if he was the biggest novice of all time, he was still a lot stronger than Malik.

And he had two arms.

So, with lots of self-control, he simply replied, 'Spoken like a true novice.'

Altair's eyes flashed in anger. 'I am not a novice.'

'Every single novice in the Brotherhood decides that they want a day off, Altair. You are joining their ranks.'

Altair stepped towards the counter and leaned over it, studying Malik's maps.

It was a while before Malik noticed that water was dripping steadily onto the papers.

Quickly, he pushed Altair back. 'Why are you wet?' he demanded.

'I'm not telling you.'

'Let me guess. You fell into the shallow end of the docks and thought you were drowning?'

'No,' Altair growled, blushing.

Malik could tell he had hit the right spot. 'Did the guards have to take you away again? Or did you finally come to your senses after half an hour's thrashing?'

'Shut up, Malik.'

Those words amused him greatly. 'Do your mission, Altair.'

'No.'

He was now more angry than ever at Altair's childish behavior. What was his rank again...Master Assassin? More like master novice.

'Get out of my Bureau and do your mission or I'll throw you out.'

'And how are you going to do that with one hand?'

'May I ask who's to blame for that?'

Normally, Altair would look guilty and hurt when Malik said anything like that, but this time he remained undeterred. 'You can't make me.' His voice was mocking.

Five minutes later, Malik was chasing Altair across the rooftops holding a frying pan.

'Novice! Get back here!' Malik yelled. Altair did not reply; simply kept running.

And that was how Malik got Altair to do his assignment.