The feather slid across the counter, cautiously Sab reached for it, wary of Malik's piercing glare. He tried pulling it from beneath Malik's hand but failed, as well as the second time. A heavy breath left his chest.

Malik's eyes narrowed, "Look, I did the work myself; he ditched me to go eat." Malik narrowed his eyes more so, "We compared information. He shared what he knew, I shared what I knew, and then I dug up the rest of the information myself."

"Fine." Malik stiffly said, lifting his hand. "I guess I believe you."

Quickly, Sab snatched the feather and hid it in a feather and hid it in a pocket, "Thank you."

Malik nodded once.

Still wary, the boy turned and fled from the bureau.

Malik looked out to see Altaïr sitting in the mass of pillows staring at him. He stared back. Altaïr was the first to grin and Malik chuckled back, turning away.

"Could you have taken any longer?" Adel asked jokingly without turning around. Sab scowled, he had been trying to sneak up on her. Momentarily, she was sitting on the edge of the synagogue in the rich district, looking at the clean temple square below. The air was cooling and the sky was gray, the far eastern part of the sky, to which she was facing, was navy blue, speckled with crystalline stars.

Torches were lit and the last of the crowds were dissipating. Sab sat down beside her. He looked over at his friend, who was staring beyond the darkening sky.

"Something on your mind?" He asked gently. It was awhile before Adel answered.

"How much do you trust me?" Sab blinked in surprise.

"With my life, why?"

"That's not good enough, I trust Altaïr with my life, but not with my secrets. How much do you trust me?" Adel finally tore her gaze from the sky and looked at Sab, making him worried.

"I trust you with everything that I am, please answer my question, why? You're worrying me." Adel looked away, and forced herself to breathe. She had been thinking about this for a long while, it was about time she shared. She was scared, but she trusted him. "There's something I must tell you; especially if we are to be partners in this and other assassinations."

"Your vagueness is honestly scaring me."

"Sab, I trust you with everything that I am, too."

"Alright, and…?"

"I'm not a man."

Sab blinked, "I'm sorry, what?"

Adel scowled, "I'm pretty sure you heard me."

Sab grinned and stood, "What do you mean you're not a man?"

Adel stood, dusting her rear, and looked at Sab, "Well use that head of yours. If I'm not a man, Sab, then I must be a woman."

He was still grinning, "Why do you play with me like this, my friend?" Adel remained serious. Sab ran a hand through his hair, and his grin fell.

"Oh, Allah, you're actually being serious." His head tilted to the side, as he looked her over with wide eyes. "Well, it makes sense, we always did tease you about how feminine you looked. I guess I wanted to see a man so I did, and now that I know you're a woman, I see-"

"A woman?"

Sab sighed, "Yes. Women are not allowed to be soldiers."

"Well the creed doesn't actually follow common law and I'm not a soldier, I'm an assassin."

"A pretty one, too." Sab flirted, yeah, Sab was okay with her being a girl.

"Sab, you can't treat me like that. We could get us into trouble."

"People will still think you're a man, they'll just think-"

"Yeah, I know what they would think. It is best to just leave it alone."

Sab sighed and looked his friend over again, "You're not any different." Adel shook her head, "You've always been the same." She nodded, "Why do I feel different?"

"Gender plays a big role in this society. If you always knew me as a girl, I'd be treated as a girl, which is weak and insignificant. Looking as a man, I got an equal chance."

"You're one of the best."

"It's because I'm a woman." Both laughed, "I'm just kidding, I wouldn't put it that far."

''I would, everyone else does. People talk about you all the time." A small smile pulled at her lips and disappeared. She knelt and let her hands fall folded in her lap, mind on tomorrows assassination. Sab was in front of her kneeling, "Adel!"

Sab tilted her head up worried, "What's wrong?"

Adel got irritated; "You're treating me like a girl already and not even a minute has passed."

"No, I'm treating you like a friend, what is wrong?"

Adel was silent and swallowed, "I-I, I guess I'm nervous for tomorrow."

Sab gave his friend a smile, "Don't be, my friend, you're the best of the best. You're going to do just fine." Adel smiled weakly, noticing he didn't call her "Brother" like he always had.

She clapped a hand to his wrist and held it tight and beamed before laughing. "Come, my brother, let's go wreak some havoc tonight." Sab grinned and shifted his hand from her face to her wrist and pulled her to her feet and ran; Adel right beside him.

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