Kadar watched from his position on the beanbag shoved in the corner of the main room as Malik sat cross legged on the couch, eyes rolling back and forth as he read the text of the book lying open on his lap. He wasn't paying attention to what was playing absently on the TV, just keenly watching his brother. He wanted to ask questions; about Altair coming in with a gunshot wound, about the bloodied clothes he had found lying around, about the motorcycle accident, about everything! Bu the words could not form in his mouth. He knew there was something going on, he wasn't stupid after all... but the awkward tension between the two brothers made it hard to form a decent conversation, let alone the basis of an interrogation.
Malik could feel Kadar's eyes on him, he had the training of a master assassin after all, he knew when people were watching him. But he shrugged it off, continuing to read his book without interruption. He briefly wondered where Altair was, but Altair often disappeared now and again to have some alone time... they both did.
Malik flicked his eyes up to glance at his younger brother, feeling slightly hurt when Kadar instantly looked away from him. Chewing the inside of his cheek, Malik looked back down at his book with little interest. This day was passing slowly, and Kadar's constant stare contest was not helping.
Malik jumped, startled by his phone vibrating on the sofa arm. Dog earring the corner of the page he was on, Malik shut the book and slip it aside, grabbing the phone with one hand. The screen flashed with Altair's name, buzzing in his palm as if it was trying to escape.
Malik, I need help. I'm at the old base. Help! – A
Malik scowled. Something was wrong. For starters, Altair never signed his name, another fault was that Altair always called him Mal, not Malik when texting. Thirdly, what the hell was he doing at the old base? This wasn't right, but he had to check it out just in case.
"Kadar." Malik said, grabbing a pen and paper and scribbling. Kadar looked at him, but didn't say anything.
"If I send you a text, even if it hasn't got anything on it, I want you to call this number. Tell the people there that you're Malik's brother and tell them that I need their help and that I'm at these co-ordinates. This is very important Kadar, do you understand?"
"What? But I don't understand, what the hell is going on? with you, with Altair. I'm not stupid, I know something's up here." Kadar protested, jumping to his feet and following his brother into his bedroom. Malik knelt, undoing the black case and pulling an arm bracer out from within the casing.
"I'll explain when I get back, I promise, I'll explain everything. For now, I just need you to do this for me; you're probably my only help."
Kadar narrowed his eyes, but nodded, not happy with the outcome of this situation. Malik nodded, placing one hand on Kadar's shoulder, before turning on his heels and leaving. Throwing on his jacket, Malik fled down the stairs and into the street. His heart was pounding and his legs were weak. Altair was in trouble... and he knew it.
Elsewhere
Altair glared heavily at Robert who stood next to the doorway, arms folded over his chest with a cocky smirk on his face. Altair was wriggling his finger, hoping that Malik wouldn't show up. Who was he trying to joke with! Of course Malik would come! He would stroll right into the trap and there was nothing he could do. No this couldn't be happening! It had to be a dream, a horrible nightmare. What would they do to him? It made him stick at the thought.
Suddenly the doors burst open. Two templars struggled to keep hold of the man who was thrashing about between their arms. Altair's heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach. Robert sprang alert, delivering a sharp blow to the back of the man's knees and make him fall to the floor. Taking advantage of the vulnerable position, they bound his arms and legs together so that he was stuck in an upright kneeling position.
"Malik A-Sayf" Al Mualim said with a hint of mirth in his voice as the bag was whipped away from over Malik's head. Malik was snarling, teeth bared in animal instinct. "How nice of you to join us"
Malik scowled, yanking his arms a bit before giving up. He was going nowhere fast anytime soon. It was then he finally noticed Altair, a few meters in front of him, tied, pretty much naked apart from his boxers, to a chair. Their eyes locked, Malik could feel the sparks of worry and fear pumping from Altair despite the fact he did not show it in his face. Malik moved his fingers, brushing them against the fabric of his jeans and feeling the slight lump of his phone in his back pocket. He was thankful that they hadn't stripped him of his clothing yet, he had time to hopefully save them.
"You are very important to us Malik, our little bit of extra weight that may just about tip the scale if you like." Altair cocked his head and studied Malik; there was odd look of concentration of his face, what was he doing? It seemed Altair wasn't the only one who caught onto the fact. Robert stormed over to Malik, viciously back handing him around the cheek before yanking something from behind him. Robert presented the slim, black phone to his master. Altair closed his eyes in disappointment, Malik was trying to save them, and now they had no way out.
"A noble effort... although it seems that your attempts have proven useless. Now, enough with this, it's time to open up our business wager" Al Mualim gestured Robert over to Malik. Pulling a knife from his pocket, Robert went to stand behind Malik, poised and ready.
"Now Altair, this is simple, this is your last chance, you can save your lover, just join us and we'll let him go. Decline however, and it won't be you who will suffer the consequences." Altair flickered his gaze up to look at Al Mualim who was stood by his side. The offer sounded seductive, mainly because the promise of Malik's freedom sounded so sweet in his ears. Would it really be so bad? To be a templar, but to let Malik live? Where was the evil in that?
"No! Altair don't listen to them! Say no! Say-" Malik was silenced by Robert kicking him in the middle of his spine. His clamped down on his lip to stop him from crying out in pain. Altair looked at Malik. His charcoal eyes were begging him.
"No." The word came out reluctantly and thick, dropping from his lips like a ball of lead. Altair's heart was beating so fast, what had he just done? Al Mualim sighed. He gestured to Robert once again. Two most templars appeared to aid Robert.
They grabbed hold of Malik's t-shirt. Malik squirmed and struggled, but his position limited his ability to move. They stripped him of his shirt, exposing Malik's tanned, muscular chest. Altair's eyes lingered over the dark bruise on his lovers shoulder from when he had bit him as he came, screaming into his salty skin. They stretched out Malik left arm, binding it to a hook on the floor. Malik growled, trying to pull away but failing.
Altair winced in his chair as Robert raised his thick, studded boots from the floor and brought it down. Malik couldn't hold the scream of pain that erupted from his mouth, back arching off the floor and he writhed. The blood curdling sound of bone shattering rang through the large room, Altair tried to close his eyes against the sight of bone jutting at and odd angle against Malik's skin.
"Come on Altair, just one simple word will stop this, it isn't too late." Al Mualim hissed, turning Altair's head forcefully to watch Malik, red faced on the floor.
"NO! Altair don't you fucking well dare!" Malik shouted, breath wavering and shaking with pain. Altair bit his lip, he wanted to stop the pain, he wanted so badly. Why couldn't it be him instead of Malik? He could feel his heart breaking at the sight.
Robert knelt down, taking hold of Malik hand and bending it upward. The squelch of bone and flesh cracking together was sickening. Robert slid the blade of his knife over Malik's fingers, cutting them deeply just above the knuckle. Blood flowed thickly over his hand, deep and rich in colour as it slivered onto the floor like a ruby snake. Robert's knife moved to Malik's lower arm, cutting notches into his arm all the way up to his elbow. Altair couldn't drag his eyes away from the dark stripes standing out against his lover skin. His heart was breaking and the pain spread through his entire body. He wanted to scream but his voice had disappeared. Blood was pooling on the floor. Malik was starting to go dizzy and light head as blood left his veins. The pain was so hot that it burned numb through his nerves.
"Stop, before he passes out." Al Mualim instructed. The templars secured a belt around Malik's forearm, cutting off the blood supply to those bleeding wounds. They poured water on Malik face to keep him sharp and awake.
"This is why I told you to never fall in love Altair. A person like you will always bring trouble to the ones you love. Remember Ahda, she is dead and buried now because of you."
"No, because of you! You ordered your templars to assassinate her, even after she had declined my proposal and we had agreed to come to an end." Altair growled, fists clenching against the ropes around his wrists.
"Ah yes, but she was sleeping with your so called best friend over there, was she not?" Altair looked at Malik; he could see the shame burn in his dark eyes that were half lidded with exhaustion.
"That's different." Altair muttered under his breath. All of this had been sorted out long ago; he wasn't going to let it bubble up to the surface again.
"Your love is poison Altair, you lead Ahda to her death and now you are leading your new lover to his. Tell him that you love him, tell him and we'll stop." Altair scowled. That didn't make any sense. Altair kept tight lipped. Yes, he admitted it; he was madly in love with Malik and always had been. But saying so would just make the pain worse, in saying so the templars would kill Malik in the most horrible way possible just to spite him.
Robert grabbed Malik's arm against and bent it the wrong way. There was a crack, like a tree being chopped down. Malik screamed again, caught off guard as tears started to run from his eyes.
'I am going to die' was the only thought floating in his head. 'I am going to die, Altair does not love me and he will never know how much I love him'. Malik felt the knife tear through his skin again, ripping his flesh apart with little mercy. It was like getting trapped in a shredder, unable to move and the pain is so intense that shook just clouds it over.
'I wonder how Kadar did in his exam, I hope Altair will take care of him, he has no one left.' The thought came out of nowhere. Kadar; he would miss him dearly, he had only just got his brother back, and now he was going to have to let go. Suddenly his attention was seized by Altair again. Al Mualim was saying something to him, but the words sounded as if they were all swimming under water. Altair was looking at him, eyes a mixture of emotion. But his face was completely blank.
"I never loved you Malik." Altair said, pushing the words from his lips. "You were a good fuck, but that was it. I don't love you, I never have and I never will." His heart was shattering, his world exploding around him. But he had to say it, it would hopefully make the physical pain stop. They wouldn't kill him in such a horrible way if they believed the lie he was spinning.
Malik turned his head away. Robert stopped his cutting to look up at his master. Inside Altair was screaming. The room fell silent. No one could fully believe what Altair had said.
Suddenly there was a huge bang. The doors were flung open and gun shots instantly started to fire. Altair saw Ezio come running towards him. God he had never been so happy to see his Italian friend in all his life. The brotherhood had come to save them. But was it all too late?
Ezio quickly sawed open Altair's binds. Altair propelled from the chair, not even waiting for Ezio to talk to him. He collapsed to his knees at Malik's side, un-strapping his arm from the floor. He gathered his lover into his arms and held him tight, rocking gently back and forth on his knees.
"Malik wake up." Altair called, tears starting to dot his eyes. Malik lay limp in his arms, eyes shut, face deathly pale. Blood was soaking both their skin, slick and thick and warm. "Malik please wake up, please." Altair cried, burying his head in Malik's chest as he started to sob violently.
"Ignore what I said, I love you Malik, I love you. I love you, I always have and I always will. Please don't leave me, I need you, I would be a mess if it wasn't for you." Altair cried, howling like an injured lion. He was paying no attention the fight going on around him, just Malik's dead weight in his arms.
Ezio was shouting at him. He tried to pull Altair away. Altair screamed at him, batting his arms away as he clung to his lover. "NO! Don't take him from me! Please! I need him!" Altair was wailing. Ezio lifted Altair's head to look him in the eye.
"We need to get him to a doctor now! Or he will die!" Ezio said firmly. Altair nodded,.
"It's going to be okay, Mal, I'll save you, I'll make the pain go away." Altair hushed, tugging some hair out the way of Malik's closes eyes. Ezio had never seen Altair like this, so broken; it was disturbing to say the least. Altair hoisted Malik into his arms as he stood, carrying him bridal style to the exist.
"It's going to be okay, Mal, I'll save you, I'll make the pain go away, I promise, I'll make it go away."
