Malik hunched over his desk. It was a hot day, possibly the hottest yet and it made Malik extra irritable. As such, the Bureau was empty minus himself and his collection of books and scrolls. Tanis was out running errands for Malik, collecting food from the market, delivering letters to Assassins, probably stealing coin from wealthy merchants. He had been gone since the sun rose, Malik had seen to that. He fully expected Altair to return today with the first part of his assignment completed and this annoyed him to no end. Today he would arrive with the information necessary to bring down Talal the Slave Master.

"Safety and Peace, Malik," Altair called from the door frame.

"Your presence here deprives me of both," Malik grumbled, this felt more like a ritual than a actual discussion. "What do you want?"

"I have completed my research."

"So, be out with it," Malik half growled the command.

"Very, well, here is what I know," answered Altair. "The Target is Talal, who traffics in human lives, kidnapping Jerusalem's citizens and selling them into slavery. His base is a warehouse located inside the barbican north of here. As we speak, he prepares a caravan for travel. I'll strike while he's inspecting his stock. If I can avoid his men, Talal himself should prove little challenge," he finished. Malik sneered and wheeled around to face the novice.

"Little challenge! Listen to you! Such arrogance!"

Altair glared at Malik. His face was mixed with emotion that Malik couldn't read, but none of it mattered. This was a condemned man in Malik's eyes. What had he been thinking days ago when he had allowed him to share a meal with his apprentice.

"Are we finished? Are you satisfied with what I have learned," Altair was biting his tongue now, Malik could see hurt in his eyes. Good.

"No, but it will have to do," he wrenched his desk open and produced a white feather which he handed over to Altair. Altair took the feather and placed it carefully within his robes. He turned and made for the door hesitating, looking over his shoulder his mouth hung open then shut abruptly. That was the last Malik was to see of Altair that month.

Long after Altair had gone Malik watched the door. It was several hours before the bells began the death tole. Tanis had since returned several times leaving notes and taking some with him. Once he brought Malik a piece of cake, it sat untouched. The look on Altair's face before he left haunted Malik. The pain hidden behind those fierce eyes had finally broken through. Altair could feel pain again, not just the physical kind but the emotional kind. Instead of defending himself against Malik's bombardment of insults he had taken it, just stood there and taken it. When the bells finally went up Malik braced himself. He fully expected to hear Altair come rushing in horrible mess and in desperate need of medical attention but he didn't. He did not return. The bells rang for a while then silence filled the bureau once more. The front door open and closed. The shuffling of feet and panting breath came from the court yard. Malik jumped to his feet and rushed to the door. Tanis stood leaning against the wall arms loaded with a box of scrolls that appeared to be extremely heavy. Malik felt his heart sink.

"I'm going out for a while," Malik told the dumbfounded Tanis.

"You, can't just leave me hear with these. What am I to do with them," Tanis shouted but Malik was already out the door pulling his blue robe over his shoulders.

That night Malik wondered the streets anxiously eavesdropping. Malik picked a pair of guards and wondered over to a bench rest. The guards were gossiping about something astonishing. In the center of the market a fountain trickled rhythmically and Malik pretended to enjoy its beauty.

"He cut the man down in the middle of the street. Broad daylight and just left him there," the first guard gushed.

"Well, what do you suppose happened to the Assassin," the second asked.

"Witnesses say he just disappeared afterwords. Just up and vanished in thin air."

"That's not possible, someone had to have seen him leaving, it was the middle of the road!"

"One women who was knocked down in the pursuit said the men exchanged words before the Assassin finished him off and disappeared. She said she was to afraid to stick around and so she fled."

Signing in relief Malik stood and began a slow walk back to his Bureau, accepting that Altair was far from condemned in his heart. Altair didn't return that night and so Malik assumed he had returned directly to Masyaf, to the Grand Master.

All the candles were out when Malik finally made it back to the bureau. Somewhere off in the distance a bird cried out alone. Malik looked up at the side of the bureau and before he could stop himself he was already scaling it. It was harder than he remembered and his muscles protested strongly. Hand over feet Malik hauled himself up over the top of the wall. It was only one story from this side but it felt like twenty. There were no windows and Malik was forced to work quickly with his hand. Finding small holes to grip and pulling himself up with his feet. Finally, Malik's hand gripped the roof and he pushed himself up waste above the edge. Leaning forward he swung first his right leg over and then rolled. Laying on his back panting out of breath he watched the night sky. He could feel the sweat dripping down his neck and the ache of his muscles as they relaxed for a moment. The sky light was still open and Malik could hear the fountain with its constant trickle. Water sounded good and he licked his dry lips. He closed his eyes a moment. He was horribly out of shape and in bad need of exercise. Tomorrow, Tanis would begin hand to hand combat training. He grinned it was a perfect excuse.

"Get your hands up," Malik grumbled as he corrected Tanis' posture. "You are such a novice."

"Thanks for noticing," Tanis snorted and spread his feet a little wider, Malik kicked him in the ankles leaving him no choice. He flinched.

"If you don't keep your stance wide and low your enemy can over power you and you'll end up on your ass," Malik scowled him. "Now come at me like your going to kill me," Malik walked away a few steps and took up a defensive stance himself. Tanis just watched dumbfounded.

"What?"

"Just do it," Malik snapped. Tanis shrugged his shoulders and lunged forward, launching a right fist at Malik's face. Malik knocked it away, with his good arm, dlike it was a bug and kneed Tanis in the gut.

"Urg-AH," Tanis squawked and doubled over. "The-hell," he breathed.

"What did you think I was going to let you hit me?" Tanis groaned and tried to stand up. Malik smiled at least he wasn't to big a brat. Malik smiled and gestured for Tanis to try again. Tanis nodded and lunged again. Malik yet again swatted his hand away and aimed for his stomach. Tanis side stepped at the last second. Malik had just enough time to read and block. Tanis' foot came up at Malik's face, throwing both arms up across his face. Tanis' leg made solid contact but Malik grabbed his foot and gave it a good tug. Tanis was thrown off balance and fell backwards. He toppled backwards, tucking his chin to protect the back of his head and landed on the ground with a thump. The kid was better than he expected.

The two continued well into the late afternoon. Malik soon realized just how out of shape he really was. However, it felt good to return to old habits, to relearn everything again. He could feel his muscles recall years of training as he and Tanis sparred that afternoon. It was really training for both men. Malik recalling everything and teaching it to Tanis. He always wondered how the teachers at the fortress managed to maintain their own training, now Malik understood. It was amazing to feel his power returning and he could actually fell himself smiling again.

Malik leaned against the edge of the fountain and sucked in a deep breath of air. His tunic was sticking to his chest and back and his lungs burned. Every part of him felt like it was jello and his chest and face smarted where Tanis had managed a few solid punches. His hair was plastered to his head and face. Beside him, Tanis dipped his hands into the water and washed a nasty looking cut on his lip, then gulped down several large handfuls of water. His hair was also plastered to his face and neck from sweat and Malik could see the ring down his back.

"We should go bathe and pick up fresh meat for dinner," Malik smiled looking over his shoulder at the younger man. Tanis just nodded and swallowed another palm full of water. He stood and began using his tunic to fan himself.

"Is that what you and Altair went through for years," Tanis asked calmly leaning against the stone wall of the courtyard. "This feels good," he smiled pressing his back to the cold stone. Malik nodded in response.

Malik could smell the sweet perfumes of the hammam long before they arrived. Tanis was walking beside him complaining about a potential scar in his cheek and the scab forming on his bottom lip.

Malik was barely listening. He could hear the odd mumble of the boy's voice and somewhere in the back of his mind it filtered in but nothing reached. He was thinking of errands for Tanis. It would be more practical use to have the boy able to accomplish more than market errands. Perhaps he would be useful with eavesdropping or put his pickpocketing to use. The door to the hammam was looming into view now and Tanis had stopped babbling, realizing Malik really didn't care. The two made their way in and immediately paused both dumbfounded. The hammam was completely deserted. Not a single soul was manning the counter.

"Hello," Malik called but no one responded at least not at first.

"Sorry, you can go on back," a man's voice replied from one of the back rooms. Malik hesitated.

"Are you sure," he asked.

"Yes, I just spilled some of my supplies on the floor. There is scented oil everywhere." Malik waited a moment longer. How odd it was for the entire hammam to be empty at this hour. "Where is everyone," he asked.

"Some public execution," the man replied.

"I'm sorry," Malik probed.

"The regent Majd Addin. Without Salah Al'din in command of the city, he has taken upon himself to take charge. He hold public executions to scare the people into obeying him. He claims to be saving them from themselves."

"Thank you, brother," Malik ushered Tanis into the next room. He could send Tanis into the city tomorrow to gather more information on this new turn of events.

"We aren't actually going to bathe together," Tanis asked almost disgusted.

"What are you hiding something," Malik smirked and sunk into the hot water. He could almost see Tanis flush and indignantly ripped his clothes of, tossing them, even with his eyes closed.

"My back aches," Tanis groaned as he pulled his tunic off and tossed it beside Malik's pile of soiled clothes.

"Then perhaps you should stop complaining and get in. The water feels great," Malik laughed and relaxed. He kept his eyes closed knowing Tanis would be pissed beyond reconcile if he thought Malik was invading his privacy. Instead, Malik let his head fall backwards against the wall of the bath. He heard Tanis jump into the water and felt a rather large wave slap him across the face. He sat up abruptly and glowered at the boy. Tanis stood at the opposite end of the bath with a wide grin on his face. He was standing about waste deep. Unlike Malik and Altair's body, he wasn't littered with battle scars. Malik found himself wondering if that was how Kadar's skin had been.

"What, I was just doing as I was instructed," Tanis laughed. Malik glowered harder and relented. Tanis ducked under the water soaking his hair and came up rubbing the water from his eyes. Malik closed his eyes once more. "Do you know the man who owns this," Tanis' voice interrupted Malik's peace once again.

"Yes," he grumbled. There was a moment of silence.

"Well," Tanis demanded. Malik chewed on his lip before answering.

"He is a member of the Order," Malik grumbled.

"Why is he here," Tanis pressed. Malik groaned and sat up.

"People talk when they think they are alone. Doesn't it make sense to have one of our men here," Malik explained exasperated. Tanis seemed to maul this over for a bit. His curiosity satisfied for the moment but Malik knew better. He waited, he knew the boy wasn't finished with him.

"So, how is this information used?"

"I don't think this is the place for such a conversation," Malik grinned and leaned against the wall having successfully ended the conversation.