A/N: Hello ladies and gents sorry for the extended hiatus but, as I'm sure we're all aware, this stupid thing called life gets in the way, hopefully I'll be updating this story with a little more regularity though!
Please read and review, and last but not least, enjoy!
Chapter Two: Introductions Are Made
Through his experience running around and scaling the buildings of the sprawling megatropolis, Damien was fairly easily able to keep up with this mysterious figure clad in black cloth, and with both focusing on the task of not falling to their deaths, the two free ran through the city in silence. About twenty minutes later they made it to their apparent destination, a localised shuttle port.
"Here we are, just continue to follow me and I'll introduce you to your…" the the mysterious figure trailed off, pausing as if to find the right wording, "potential new employer." The young man ran his hand through his dark, silvery hair, clearing off the sweat beading on his forehead as he passed a glance over at the other.
"Might I at least get your name then, considering you got me to follow you around the city for the past half hour?" Damien asked.
"Yes I suppose I could," the older man said with a chuckle. He turned to Damien with an amused glint of mirth in his eyes as he grinned through a heavy five o'clock shadow on his face, "you may call me Altair, and the reason I came for you is that you have attracted the attention of two opposing orders, I represent one of them, The Assassins. As for what the grandmaster has planned for you, I am not privy to those details but, I assure you, you will find out soon enough."
Damien momentarily pondered the new opportunity which sparked his interest, he was beginning to get sick of this freelancing work while having to worry about losing his skin to his own employers, there are some advantages to being affiliated with an organization like that.
"Alright Altair, you have my curiosity, I am yours to lead, where to?" Damien asked the assassin. Altair just motioned with a jerk of his head to follow and began walking to a seemingly unassuming Kodiak shuttle hovering nearby. The two men jumped into the back of the shuttle and Altair thumped his fist on the bulkhead of the pilot's compartment and, as the bay door closed and sealed, they took off.
Being on the run for three consecutive days from local mercenaries must have been far more exhausting than Damien had first expected because the gentle rocking motion of the airborne shuttle soon put the tired freelancer into a deep slumber, slumped in his seat and chin resting on his chest. Altair glanced at the sleeping man and simply chuckled again, evidently amused to no end at his total relaxation. Aside from the gentle hum of the shuttle's eezo core and the quiet snoring of the sleeping occupant, they continued on their evidently predetermined course as they left earth's atmosphere and flew towards a Corsair class frigate… thus leading to events that would change what he is, indefinitely.
Damien was shaken awake about two hours later, mumbling with eyes wandering blearily, quickly taking in his surroundings he realised he was still in the shuttle the just barely remembered getting into with Altair. The older assassin snickered at his evident drowsy confusion and simply stated, "We're here."
The young man stumbled out of the shuttle with the grace befitting an angry rhino, a crewwoman catching him, the young woman looked at Altair questioningly.
"Take the boy to the crew quarters, he just needs a bed and some time, I need to inform the Grandmaster of the situation, check on him in the next cycle." Snapping her right fist up to her heart in salute, she nodded with a quick response.
"Aye-aye sir."
With that she took him down to the Crew Deck for some much needed rest as Altair made his way up to the Main Command Deck and went straight for the QEC comm room. The visual relay system blinked to life as Altair began, "Grandmaster, this is Altair of the SSV Al'Mualim, I have retrieved the boy and prepared to depart."
"Ah Altair, I like hearing good news, I don't get much of it these days," the Italian said with a jovial roll. "And how is our new apprentice?"
The aged assassin grinned at the recollection and replied with a chuckle, "You wouldn't believe how quickly the lad fell asleep on that bumpy shuttle ride, those mercenaries must have been running him ragged for a while, and he barely made it out of the shuttle once we boarded!"
The Italian Master Assassin shook his head slowly, shoulders gently bouncing "oh merde mecenario," he cursed in his native tongue, he sighed, "at least we have the boy now, let him rest. He has much to learn before he can be positioned properly."
"I will ensure he is trained to handle any situation, just give me a timeline, if there is nothing else master?" Altair questioned his leader. The Grandmaster took a moment to contemplate. Upon deciding, he perked up.
"No my friend that will be all, please carry on seeing as the sooner you depart the sooner he can begin training," He saluted the frigate commander with a right fist over his breast, finishing quickly, "Nothing is true." Altair responded by finishing the mantra that has guided their order for millennia.
"Everything is permitted."