Under Loaded Gun

Chapter 1: Forget the Future

-under-loaded-gun-

Relationships between Assassins within the Brotherhood were never easy. This fact Shaun Hastings had learned well since being forcibly recruited for his own safety. The mission always took priority over personal desires, for obvious reasons, creating long periods of time with absolutely no personal time between the two Assassins involved in the relationship. The missions where one might just need to seduce a target also become just a touch… interesting, to say the least; when that occurred in Shaun's experience as a tech and communication expert within the Assassin Brotherhood before Desmond showed up, the two Assassins had to be on separate ends of the globe and on separate missions for the duration, and then given several days time off for themselves. Just plain too much of a hassle, was his first thought of the experience. There was too much separation between them, too much worry of the other having an affair. Shaun was shocked that William and his wife had managed to stay together for so long; then again, William had started out as a behind the lines medic, not out on the front lines as he was now.

So yes, relationships with an Assassin were difficult. Just more so when doing so under said Assassin's Father's nose. And things get even more complicated when said Assassin's Father was also the Assassin's Mentor. Which is why Shaun found his current relationship reduced to longing glances, the rare secretive make-out session, and…

"You are an arse!"

…foreplay disguised as his daily argument with one Desmond Miles. He hid a smile at the flush that crossed Desmond's cheeks at the insult. Their old code phrase for "I want in your arse" just fell so easily from Shaun's lips when they had a small amount of personal time, he could not even help anymore. It just came into conversation less often recently.

"If I'm an ass," Shaun actually had to turn to hide the smirk as Desmond said the line that always followed that last one, "what does that make you, huh?" Translation: "When, where, and how hard exactly?"

"That would make me the British arse who has an actual sense of humor. Or need I remind you of how bloody terrible your attempts at joking are, Desmond?" He could practically see the eye roll he received from Desmond at that phrase; in their code, it translates to, "Now, preferably, and as hard as you can take it."

Desmond followed through with the coding, simply stating, "Oh, like yours are much better, Mr. I-Have-A-Stick-Up-My-Arse," or in other words, "We can't, not with Rebecca and Dad around." Shaun frowned, and was about to turn around and give an actual retort to that comment. William luckily stepped in and stopped their "word wars," as Shaun had heard Rebecca teasingly call their banter once, before it escalated any more.

"If you two are done tearing into each other, we actually have some work to do," came from the Mentor irritably. From the huff of breath Desmond gave, Shaun could estimate that the younger man was rolling his eyes at his father. Again.

"We have some work to do," Desmond imitated in a quiet voice meant to resemble William's deeper tenor, forcing Shaun to hold back a snort.

"Get that sexy, idiotic arse down there before your father blows a gasket," he teased, glancing back at his adorable Miles. "Preferably before I jump you for being so cute." Desmond flushed slightly, but still did as he was told. Shaun watched the man's receding back and mused silently, "Always so ready to follow orders given to him. One thing I love about him, I guess."

They had just gotten back from getting the first key to opening the blasted door he now works beside, and the information that Daniel Cross was at the location was not a pleasant piece. William's reaction had been correct in that sense. Desmond most likely was still confused by how the Templars could get an Assassin to do as they wished; it was completely logical, after all. Daniel had been one of them. And then he got too close to the former Mentor, and the Great Purge occurred.

The man was lucky his compound was not hit during that time period. They were still recovering from the damages and losses.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts from depressing notions. No time to be thinking about that. What's done is done.

Shaun glanced at Rebecca over the distance, and saw the eyebrow wiggle she gave him. All he could do was roll his eyes. Of course she would suspect that there was something going on between him and Desmond; that would be the only reason why that fangirl of a technician was wagging her eyebrows at him so suggestively. The woman was there since they first met, unlike Desmond's father who was still blissfully oblivious to his son's real sexuality.

And may that obliviousness continue; Shaun really did not feel like being transferred to a different squad so late in the game.

Anyways, Shaun was motioned to join them that were by the Animus, so he started making his way to the machine resting on a rock that Desmond spent his days sitting on. He watched fondly as Desmond quickly downed an entire bottle of water before hopping onto the rock and waiting for Rebecca to plug him into the biological interface. He could really be too cute at times, his Desmond. Shaun worried about him at times, however.

Rebecca powered up the Animus quickly, so that once Shaun was next to the machine Desmond was in the odd trance the Animus pulls him into. The historian glanced at the technician curiously before asking, "Was I even needed down here?" Rebecca glanced up at him and shrugged.

"You need to move around more often. Besides, I have something that I needed to…"

Suddenly, the Animus started blaring loudly at them, and Rebecca's attention was drawn to the screen in front of her. The words ERROR: VIRUS DETECTED was flashing in red over her calculations and calibrations, and Shaun could distinctly hear the silent curse that the fiery technician said under her breath.

"William, get over here to help me find the virus; Shaun, you work on getting Desmond out."

Shaun knew that the order was needed, and easily slid into the workspace in front of the technician without comment. William was running over to them, and soon the sounds of silent conversation were floating to Shaun over the blaring the Animus was still giving off. "Status report, Rebecca."

"William, it's not looking too good…"

Desmond voice was filtering through the comm.. unit, and the man was asking what was wrong in a scared voice, and all Shaun could say at the time to reassure him was, "Bloody malfunctioning virus. Just wait, I'll pull your arse out in a second."

Like it was that easy with a virus hacking into your system.

Shaun started typing in the commands to break the biological interface and boot Desmond out, but every time he finished one command in the sequence, the software shut him down from entering the rest. The historian-hacker scowled at the computer screen and attempted a forced shutdown of the interface; nothing. The system rejected any commands that Shaun attempted to give it. He cursed just loud enough for Rebecca to ask him what was wrong. "Are you experiencing the system shutting down any commands you attempt to give it? Because I bloody well am!" he said irritably, trying the commands for an auto boot of the system. Whatever virus had hit them, it was blocking him from stopping the system and getting Desmond's ass out of the Animus.

"Shit, I was hoping the interface wouldn't be corrupted!" Rebecca said before a myriad of keys were being pressed in quick succession. William was then hovering over Shaun's shoulder, watching the errors flashing across the screen as the historian attempted every trick in the book to get his boyfriend out of the machine.

"Shaun, manually override the machine."

He glanced at William's stone cold face, shock written across his own features. "Are you sure sir? There's no telling what might happen to Desmond if we did that!" he asked, just to make sure he had heard his Mentor correct. William gave Shaun a look that said it all without the added comment that came with the look.

"Get my son out of there. I'll stall the system to give you enough time."

Rebecca piped in, "That might not work. Shaun, get him out now, Baby's gonna blow in a few seconds!"

To the historian, time appeared to slow. He was moving out of his seat to where the helpless Miles was sitting, the image of him being too late and blood going everywhere in the explosion making him move just that much faster. Shaun grasped the tattooed arm and pulled, Desmond's deadweight following him as he dragged the younger man to the ground. He rolled so he was on top of Desmond right as the bang occurred.

The concussive force was enough to make him pass out, and he prayed to any higher power out there that would listen, in that brief instance between conscious and unconscious, asking for him to not die that day.

-under-loaded-gun-

The van they were in was moving fast down the main interstate highway in New York State, causing the two in the back to bump into the equipment on both walls. The only female in the van checked the wavelengths floating across her laptop's screen, and caught sight of the abnormality moving across it. She raised a hand to her comm. unit and announced to her squad, "Hold on tight. Here comes the ka-boom." The two men in the van nodded as affirmatives came down the line from her other squad mates and created-family members. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of her seat.

All they could do was wait and pray to Kami that the virus hit them.

-under-loaded-gun-

A/N: