Chapter IX: Golden Angel
Desmond never wanted to be an Assassin.
That was the thought that haunted his mind as he lay on the bed that Abstergo had so graciously provided for him. If it wasn't for the fact that he was currently locked in his room like some sort of caged animal, he would've actually found it to be quite comfortable. Despite the fact that he was basically a prisoner in every way except in name, he reluctantly had to admit that they sure did know how to live in style. The walls may have been as blank as his sweatshirt – did he mention that he wasn't even allowed to change his clothes? – but it was still the largest room he had ever stayed in. Hell, not even his bedroom back at the Farm had been this big.
Thinking about his home brought a scowl to his face. Why was he suddenly thinking about his old home of all things? A home he willingly ran away from, no less? Maybe it was because that asshole, Vidic just had to remind him that he had, in fact, once been an Assassin. Not that he had really been given a choice in the first place. His dad had pretty much forced the position onto him and his mom sure as hell hadn't been any help in trying to dissuade him. All of those painful and agonizing hours of training and studying and for what? Just so he could stay cooped up with thirty other people on a farm he wasn't ever allowed to leave? Granted he did leave eventually, only to end up living on the streets for about ten years before getting kidnapped sometime later. The only saving grace was that he'd never been alone for any part of it. She had been there by his side every step of the way. Well, except for when Abstergo had kidnapped him but he ever blamed her for that.
Thinking about her brought a smile to his face. It always did whenever he thought of her. She had been his best friend for practically his entire life. She had been there to comfort him whenever his dad or the other trainers were especially harsh on him. She had been there to help him whenever he got confused in his studies. More importantly, she had been there when he left the Farm. There were no question, no complaints, no second guesses. Just the two of them as they ran away hand-in-hand. He could still vividly remember the sound of her musical laugh and the sight of her golden blonde hair swaying in the breeze of the wind as they ran as far and as fast as their legs could carry them. But most importantly, he could remember the way her deep brown eyes shined like the sun as they finally escaped the place that had been the cause of so much misery in his life. God, how long has it been since he last saw her? It honestly felt like a lifetime ago. He didn't know as there never was a way to tell time in this damn place.
He could still remember her screaming his name at the top of her lungs as he was hauled away by Abstergo agents.
Now she was gone. Replaced by a woman who not only shared her name but also the same shade of blonde hair. Even worse, that same woman was working for the people who took him away from her. He didn't trust her, no matter how many times she assured him that they were on the same side.
Turning on his side, Desmond let out a long rueful sigh before closing his eyes and willing himself to sleep. Hopefully he'd feel much better tomorrow after watching his ancestor kill more Templars. He'd even go as far as to imagine himself plunging the hidden blade into that fucker, Warren's throat.
But tonight he decided that he would simply dream of better times. Of a time where there was no one but himself and her.
Ten year-old Desmond Miles sat alone in his room crying into his pillow.
He didn't know what he had done wrong. He had gotten all of the steps right but he must've been too slow because his dad got angry with him again. Told him that he wasn't doing it quickly enough and proceeded to punish him by pitting him against one of the fighting instructors. Even worse was that the fact that he was fighting against Mr. Lance. The man had always made sure to beat him especially hard and his dad never stopped him no matter how many bruises he got. It was after the fifth beating that Desmond finally decided that he had enough. He didn't even wait for his dad to respond before he was halfway up the stairs. All he remembered was hid dad yelling that he wasn't allowed to come down for dinner before slamming his bedroom door shut.
That had been four hours ago. The sun had long since descended into the horizon and was replaced by the clear summer night sky. Cool air breezed through his open window and caused the nearby curtains to gently sway in the wind. Desmond remained motionless in his bed as his tears continued to drip onto his pillowcase. His beaten and bruised body shook with silent sobs. He didn't know anything anymore. He didn't know why his dad was causing him so much pain. He didn't know why his mom constantly defended his violent behavior. He didn't know why he was still living here when it was painfully obvious that neither of his parents cared for his wellbeing. Maybe he should just run away now while he had the chance. It's not like anyone would miss him…
A gentle knock on his bedroom door interrupted his thoughts. He didn't get the chance to tell whoever it was to go away before it opened with a soft creak.
"Desmond?" A small voice as soft as the wind timidly asked. He didn't respond and simply kept his head face down in his pillow. The bedroom door closed once again and he could hear the sounds of soft footsteps padding their way up to his bed before a pair of slender arms gently wrapped themselves around his small frame. Desmond stiffened at the touch but soon relaxed when he recognized who it was. He knew the feeling of those of that specific pair of arms anywhere. After all, they had hugged him more than his parents ever did.
Turning in his spot, Desmond instantly met with a small pair of dark brown eyes that stared back into his with a mix of worry, sadness, and soothing love. Her golden blonde hair draped across her shoulders and down her back like a blanket of soft yellow silk. No matter how many times he saw her hair he couldn't help but run his fingers through it like a child would do in a running stream. And just like the last hundred or so times, she didn't stop him as he did just that. The yellow strands parted for his fingers as they weaved their way up and down. To him, her hair was probably the softest thing he had ever felt.
"Lucy," his hoarse voice whispered her name and soon he was accompanied by more sobs that broke their way through his lips. Her arms tightened their hold around them and he swiftly buried his head into her crook of her neck. She said nothing as he wept into her shoulder, opting to remain quiet while she placed a comforting kiss on the top of his head.
"I'm sorry, Desmond," she whispered into his ear as she rubbed smooth circles into his back.
"S'okay, Lucy," he mumbled back as his sobs quieted down. Shifting in his position, Desmond wrapped his own arms around the girl and pulled her close. The two remained silent as they lay on Desmond's bed, seemingly content with basking in each other's warmth and comfort. For Desmond it was even more comforting than the hugs his own mother gave him, which were quite rare nowadays. His friend's hugs were probably the only thing that were keeping him sane at this point.
"Are you okay?" Lucy knew it was a stupid question as he was obviously anything but okay. She had heard about what had happened to him hours earlier but was unable to do anything due to her own training which had taken place away from the farm. It killed her on the inside to see her best friend tortured like this, especially from his own father. He was only a child. They both were, yet the adults didn't seem to care as they constantly pushed them to train harder and faster for whatever reason she wasn't sure. Not that she cared anyway. The only thing that mattered to her was the boy wrapped inside her embrace.
"Not really, no." Desmond said with what small bit of humor he could muster. "Dad had Mr. Lance beat me up again. Said I was too slow in my climbing."
Lucy's eyes hardened at the mention of the cruel combat instructor. She didn't know how the man could live with himself beating on small children as much as he did. The fact that Mr. Miles even let him only made her hate the boy's father even more. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Desmond. Otherwise I would've really let him have it." And she would have had she actually been there. She would've taken great pleasure in beating the man's face in for laying his hands on her Desmond.
"Its fine, Lucy." Desmond sighed as he pulled away from her shoulder. "Not like it would've made much of a difference anyway. He would've just beaten us both."
"Oh please! That jerkbag wouldn't have been able to lay a finger on me!" She boasted proudly. Desmond could stifle the giggle that came out of his mouth. Lucy could go from serious to all jokes and smiles at the drop of a hat. It always managed to cheer him up no matter how bad of a mood he was in. "Besides, we're supposed to watch each other's backs! Just like we promised remember?" She asked in mock seriousness as she poked his chest with her finger, causing him to laugh again.
Desmond did, in fact, remember. It was two years ago on a hot summer's day and his dad had been kind enough to give him the day off from his harsh training. Lucky for him, Lucy had also been given the same privilege and two had spent the entire day playing together. They swam in the nearby river, played hide and seek, ate a nice barbequed dinner that his father made on rare occasions, watched movies, and had finished the day with stargazing on the balcony of the barn. It was then that Lucy had held her pinky out and swore that she would always be there and protect him if he promised to do the same for her. With a smile bigger than he had ever given to anyone in his life, Desmond locked his finger with her own and the two shook. The night ended with the two falling asleep in each other's arms with smiles brighter than the sun.
It had been the single greatest day in Desmond's entire life. One he promised he would remember for the rest of his life. Just thinking about it made Desmond forget all of today's tragic events. "Yeah, I remember." He told her as he poked her right back, causing her to let out a giggle of her own. Raising an eyebrow, Desmond gave her a mischievous smile and before she could react, she felt the sides of her stomach assaulted with ten of the boy's fingers as he relentlessly tickled her.
"Gyahahahaha! S-Stop it, Desmond!" Lucy laughed and tried to swat his hands away but it was a futile attempt as Desmond continued with his relentless tickling. His grin was practically a mile wide as his friend kept laughing.
Finally after what felt like hours, Desmond had ceased his tickle attack and watched with mirth as Lucy tried to regain the oxygen she lost. The smile never left her face and only seemed to grow wider as she stared back at him through panting breathes. Suddenly her entire body found itself in Desmond's tight embrace once again and Lucy didn't hesitate to return it with equal fervor.
"Hey Lucy?" Desmond asked after a minute of silence.
"Yes Desmond?" she replied as held onto him.
"Thank you," he said simply. He reburied his head in the crook of her neck and Lucy could soon feel the returning wetness leave his eyes. Tears prickled her own eyes and she gave Desmond a loving peck on the cheek before burying her head into Desmond's neck.
"You're welcome, Desmond." She whispered into his ear. Soon the two friends fell asleep in each other's arms and Desmond all but forgot about the events that transpired hours before.
"That's it. I'm done. I'm fucking done with this place."
A bruised and battered sixteen year-old Desmond grit his teeth as he hastily packed whatever spare clothes and pocketed whatever spare money he could find. He finally had enough with this place and the people around him. Desmond had hoped, prayed even, that things would get better. That maybe there was a reason his dad and teachers were always so harsh on him. But so far all he ever received was more harsh scolding and even more brutal beatings. His body couldn't take it anymore. His mind couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't take it anymore. So he finally decided to do the one thing he had been debating with himself for a long. He was going to run. He was going to run away and he was never going to look back.
Seeing as how he probably wasn't going to get very far carrying a whole suitcase, Desmond ultimately decided to just forget the clothes and bring the money. He could always buy more and when push came to shove, steal more if need be. He had been enough intense training to know how to be stealthy.
Putting on his shoes, Desmond carefully opened the door and looked both left and right down the hallway, making sure that there wasn't anybody still awake. Neither seeing nor hearing anybody in the house, Desmond walked softly down the patted hall and down the flight of stairs that lead into the living room. A grin broke out on his face as he spotted his dad's wallet on a nearby coffee table. Figuring that he was long overdue some sweet revenge, Desmond rummaged through the wallet and nearly danced in joy when he found it loaded with a wad of hundred dollar bills. Pocketing the money, Desmond unlocked the front door and made his way outside before softly closing it behind him.
It took a total of five seconds before he broke off into a dead sprint away from the Farm. It took even less before a voice suddenly called out to him.
"Desmond! Wait!"
His stop was so sudden that he almost tripped and fell over on his face. Once he regained his loose footing, he turned around and was almost instantaneously barreled over and knocked to the ground by a certain blonde Assassin. Coughing up a storm and trying to regain his breathe, Desmond was about to push her off until he suddenly felt small droplets of water hitting his face. Looking up, he was shocked to see Lucy huddled over him with tears leaking from her eyes. Her lips quivered and her face was scrunched up into a hurt look that made his heart feel like it was punctured by a needle.
"Lucy! What are-" He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as the left side of his face was hit by a slap that echoed into air.
"Y-You idiot." She muttered as her hair covered her eyes. "You absolute fucking idiot!" The next thing he knew, Desmond was being assaulted by a wave of punches that the blonde rained down onto his chest. He did nothing to defend himself as his friend let loose her anger. Besides, she wasn't hitting that hard. Okay, that was a lie. She was hitting pretty hard and Desmond was sure that his entire torso would be badly bruised in the morning. Still, he made no move to cover his chest as she continued her rough abrasions.
Her blows soon lessened but Desmond still didn't get the chance to speak as she leaned forward and wrapped her around his neck. Desmond desperately tried not to pay attention to the soft touch of her rather large breasts as she leaned into him. Her sniffles nearly tickled his ear and he could faintly feel her moist tears staining his sweatshirt.
"You idiot," she said into his ear as her grip tightened around him. "Were you really just going to leave me behind? I though we promised to stay together no matter what."
If she wasn't laying directly on top of him, Desmond probably would've still been weighed down by the overwhelming amount of guilt he was feeling. He wasn't even going to attempt to lie to himself. He was so wrapped up in leaving that he had completely forgotten about Lucy. There were no words to describe the amount of self-loathing he had for himself at that moment.
Slowly he wrapped his arms back around her and gave her the biggest hug he could muster. "M'sorry Lu-Lu." He mumbled into her shoulder, unconsciously using the nickname he had given her when they were toddlers. "I didn't mean to leave you behind, but I just needed to get the hell outta there. I can't stay in that place any longer."
"I know," she replied. It made Desmond a little alarmed. He expected her to either yell or attack him again but he definitely hadn't expected that. "And I accept your apology. I just wish you came and got me first."
"Wait." Desmond said before hastily pushing the blonde off him. She gave him a hurt look but reluctantly let go of him. Though she still chose to remain clutched to his arm. "You mean you aren't here to try and take me back? You want to come with me?" he asked with an incredulous tone.
She wiped the remainder of her tears with her arm before giving him a shaking smile. "Of course. Like I said, we made each other a promise. And like hell I was just going to stay there by myself." She let out a hoarse laugh before suddenly becoming serious again. Narrowing her eyes, he jabbed a finger hard into his chest. "So to answer your question, yes I'm coming with you. And you better get used to it because there's no way you are ever getting rid of me that easily again. Got it, Mister?" Her gaze was hard but he could also hear the slight pleading in her voice. The way she clutched his arm tighter was also a huge indicator.
They were officially stuck with each other, and Desmond found that he wouldn't have it any other way.
His lips answered for him as her captured her face in his grasp and brought it forward to meet his halfway in. Her eyes widened momentarily before they closed as she happily returned the kiss. Their arms found their way around each other again and the two friends turned lovers lost themselves in their blissful moment. Minutes passed by before the two finally let go of each other and attempted to regain their breath. Slowly they got to their feet and clasped their hands together. Lucy flashed him a warm smile before she started walking forward with Desmond quickly following after her. The tight grip on his hand showed him that she wasn't letting go anytime soon.
"Come on, Desmond!" She laughed as they started running off into the distance. "Let's go and live our lives the way we want to!"
A laugh of his own escaped his lips as he ran parallel to her. A real genuine laugh that he hadn't let out in a long time. But now so long as the girl beside him was always there, he would be sure to laugh as much as he could alongside her.
It was, by far, the greatest day of his life.
"Wake up, Mr. Miles!"
Desmond's eyes snapped open as he surged forward upright on his bed. His chest rose up and down with ragged breathes as he tried to regain his bearings. When he finally figured out where he was and just who had woken him up, he growled before turning his dark eyes towards the aging Abstergo doctor who stood rigidly near the sliding metal door while impatiently tapping his foot. He gave the younger man a withering glare as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"About damn time, Mr. Miles! I was beginning to think I would need to use much more forceful methods to get you out of bed!"
The veiled threat flew right over Desmond's shoulders as he glared right back at the doctor. "Fucking hell, Doc. Can't a guy get one good night's sleep without you barging into my room every damn morning?"
Vidic narrowed his wrinkled eyes at the ex-Assassin. "Watch your tone, boy. You forget who's room it is you're sleeping in as well as who's currently keeping you alive. So I would be more respectful if I were you."
"Well Doc, why don't you bring your old wrinkly ass over here and I'll show you just how respectful I can be." He cracked his knuckles for emphasis. However the old man merely scoffed before turning to leave the room.
"As amusing as it is listening to you spew empty threats from that foul mouth of yours, I'm afraid that we have work to do. So hurry it up and get in the Animus already."
Desmond subtly gave the man the middle finger behind his back before reluctantly following after him. He narrowed his eyes at the blonde woman who was currently typing away on a computer connected a large machine hooked to the floor in the middle of a large room.
"Morning, Desmond." The woman said as she continued typing. Not once did she look up from her computer as he neared the machine.
"Yeah, morning." He replied with a sharp tone as he proceeded to lie down on the machine. He didn't care that her name was Lucy or that her hair was the same pigment of blonde. She would never be the Lucy he knew and loved. His Lucy.
He paid no attention to the Heads Up Display as it swiveled over his head. His last thought before being plunged back into the memories of Altair was the smiling face of his Golden Angel.
"Mr. Berg, we just finished our sweep of the Temple. There's nothing here."
"That's impossible. There's no way they could've escaped so quickly. Check again."
"We did, sir. From top to bottom. There's nothing here but some leftover equipment and a computer."
"Dammit. Check to see if you can find anything useful and return to base."
"Yes, sir. We'll do one last sweep before- wait. What the hell is that sound?"
"Captain?"
"It sounds like a- OH SHIT! BOMB! GET THE FUCK D-"
*BOOM*
"Captain! Captain, report! What the hell's going on?!"
"SHIT-*bzzt*- FUCKING AMBUSH! THEY GOT US SURROU-*bzzt*"
"SIGMA TEAM, REPORT! I REPREAT, REPORT!"
"Hello, Otso Berg."
"Who is this?! How did you get on this frequency?!"
"Who I am is none of your damn business nor is it important. What is important is that you've got something that belongs to me. And believe me when I say that we will hunt each and every one of you down until we get her back."
"I don't know who you think you are but you better listen-"
"No, you listen. You precious elite team are all dead and there isn't a single force on this planet that will stop us from getting back what's ours. You damn Templars already crossed the line when you tried to kill someone very close to me but now it's become personal. You hear me? It doesn't matter how many men you throw at us. We won't stop until each and every one of you are put into the ground where your accursed Order belongs. Run, hide, it doesn't matter. There isn't a single place where our eyes and ears don't reach."
"Who. Are. You?"
"Who are we? We're The Hidden, and we're coming for you." *bzzt*
