Chapter 9 – The Assassins and the Mercers

"Sir!" A young Blackwatch officer strode into the dimly lit office "We have a report from Central park it seems the tip off was correct, the second target was in the van...However Zeus intervened he completely annihilated the strike team and escaped with the assassin, we don;t know where they are now" The solider said softly.

"...I see so it seems Zeus is following this man...what is that thing thinking tailing and rescuing a bunch of humans like that?" He mumbled to himself; he couldn't comprehend Zeus's actions; he had never cared before about taking a human life if it wasn't connected to him personally, so what made Altair so different? Maybe that old fool of a doctor had a point when he said Zeus wasn't completely empty of morals.

"Your orders sir?" the young solider asked shifting a little uncomfortable at the intense gaze he was getting from the General; he knew that the older man was stressed; pressure to perform to their clients high standards and capture the target meant General Randall was in an even grouchier mood then usual

"Get Cross on the line, I want him flown in on a chopper as soon a humanly possible Zeus in unique, the first male walker...and now he's protecting the assassin, we need to break them both apart, by any means necessary" The general grumbled as he stood from his high chair, walking over to the window behind him and using a finger, he pulled the blondes down to peek out of the base; already he could see Blackwatch reinforcements that had been fowl in doing their training drills. "We will stop this infection dead and we'll get the target for them...bastards think we don't know what were doing!" He growled to himself before he turned to the young solider "You have your orders! Get out of my office boy!" He waved his arm dismissing the other.

The solider jumped to attention and saluted before he damn near ran out of the room in fright; the General was in a foul mood, even fouler than normal anyway, since tat man had come to visit.

The young solider decided it was better not to ask as he walked down the hallways shaking his head.

Alex watched Altair sleep in his arms seemingly undisturbed by the constant bumps and jerks as the van moved down the streets of New York, Alex grimaced; he couldn't remember the last time he had ridden in a vehicle that wasn't a tank or a Helicopter, it was uncomfortable and slow to him considering he could outrun cars.

Altair on the other hand seemed relaxed, peaceful; to be honest this was the first time he;d ever seen Altair asleep his face was relaxed and softened as he slept, the faint wrinkles on his face when he frowned had smoother out, making the assassin look younger than he actually was, speaking of which how OLD was Altair anyway? It was something Alex had failed to ask him, maybe he would later once they were safe.

Safe, that's the only thing on his mind, getting to safety; usually he wouldn't dare bring complete strangers along with him, but Altair had trusted these people enough to get in their van and if they were assassins, he doubted that the Arabian man would appreciate Alex murdering them, so he;d let them live so long as they gave him a lift.

Desmond noticed how focused Alex was on Altair's face, how closely he held him, and how gently... they had of course heard news reports about Alex and the infection prior to their arrival, he'd heard Alex was a terrorist, a monster that ruthlessly killed and held no remorse...but if that was true...why was he holding his ancestor in such a gentle grip? It was almost...loving.

"What are you staring at?" Alex bit his icy blue eyes stared at Desmond, his glare was accusing, almost daring him to say something about him and Altair and the position the two of them were in right now.

"At him! I just can't believe he's here...you don't know how important he is do you?" He said with a raised eyebrow, when he didn't receive a response he sighed "I don't even think he knows, I mean what person thinks about how much of an influence they'll be in the future? Who could even predict it?

" What the fuck are you talking about?" Alex bit wither a frown not exactly sure what Desmond was even getting at; was Altair important in his past? Was he vital to changing the future or something? The thought made him tighten his grip on Altair; it was selfish of him he knew and it was even a grudging admittance for him, but he didn't want to let Altair go.

"He's my ancestor...I'm his descendent, basically were related, he's like my great, great, great, great grandfather" Desmond said with a shrug.

Alex blinked at him before it hit him; Desmond DID look similar to Altair; he wasn't a perfect duplicate, far from it; for a a start Desmond was short standing 5 foot 7, he was almost much lighter skinned than the tanned Arabian, and his eyes were a chocolate brown. But he even had a scar in the same place as Altair.

"..." He wasn't sure what to say to the others words, he was pretty stunned at this news; he hadn't thought that Altair might have descendent in the present let alone one that knew who Altair was! It was eerie and he was sure it must be strange for the other as well. "...How?"

Desmond blinked at the sudden question "Huh? How what?" He said with a raised eyebrow before he clicked what he was asking "How do I know about Altair; Oh no reason really my ancestor just happens to be one of the most FAMOUS assassins in the history of all assassins; the man had a fucking statue dedicated to him and everything in Italy, and the Codex that he wrote; its what all assassins follow as his example, his man literally changed the assassin order in his time" Desmond explained.

Alex stared if not really believing him; or maybe he didn't want to; if Altair was that important, then maybe he'd have no choice but to let him go back "So your an assassin too? You don't look like one" He grumbled which was true Desmond didn't have the aura of a natural born killer, though Lucy and Shaun did, they had probably seen a lot and killed a lot as well.

Desmond shrugged "I haven't killed anyone yet, technically I'm still in training" He said as he pulled his knees closer to his chest; the others intense gaze was starting to unnerve him.

"...What else do you know about Altair?" Alex asked he couldn't keep the ting of curiosity out of his voice; Altair was a mystery he revealed a few things to him but not everything and he didn't know why but he wanted to know.

Desmond pondered this "I know a lot, but I only know all this because I WAS him... its a long story but, I was kidnapped by a company in Italy called Abstergo..." Desmond proceeded to tell Alex his story the one that coincided with Altair's past because he'd lived through it, he told him in detail how a group called Abstergo were a front for the modern day templars, and that they used a machine called an Animus to extract something called genetic memory; memories passed down through DNA. He told Alex how Altair had; in the time line he had seen, beaten Al Maulim and took his place as Grand Master, he completed the codex and married Maria a British women whom had been manipulated to working with the Templars, he had two sons and ruled the assassins until he died of old age.

"Or at least...that's what's supposed to happen, he doesn't look a day over 26 still which means he probably hasn't become grand master yet" Desmond said softly.

Alex said nothing as he heard Altair's future; it almost stung that Altair would eventually have to leave "I see...he told me that he was sent here after he failed to fuck up his Master" He said with a shrug.

"...shit" Desmond breather; if Altair failed to retrieve the piece of Eden from Al Maulim then what would happen to his other ancestors! What would happen to him? He was surprised he hadn't already faded out of existence or something equally weird.

"I take it, from what you've told me that's a bad thing..." He muttered more to himself with a sigh; he was disappointed he wouldn't lie; after all the trouble of denying he actually liked the assassin and now he;d have to let him go.

"So...Uh are you two?" Desmond shut up at the venomous glare that Alex shot at him tendrils of the virus slipping out of his body in a threatening fashion "Whoa sorry I asked!"

"Ugh..." Altair was finally beginning stir as the tranquilliser began to wear off he struggled to open his eyes and focus his whole body felt slow and sluggish as if he was lying in glue or something very sticky. He opened his eyes slowly but they were unfocused as he tried to fathom where he was and what the hell had happened.

He quickly remembered that those soldiers had drugged him and captured him and that was the last thing he remembered; he struggled to move and found to his surprise that his hands weren't bound, neither were his legs, but he was being held by something warm...which meant a person was holding him! And like a baby no less!

"Get off me! Ugh get off I'm not a child!" Altair growled as he pushed Alex away he landed on his ass and slowly sat up and and let his vision slowly go back into focus when he looked up he realized the person that had been holding him, had been none other than Alex who looked torn between being angry or maybe a tad hurt.

"Alex? What are you doing here? Where are we?" He rubbed his head as he felt a headache coming on his fingers raking through his short hair letting the hoodie fall back for a bit as he tried to ease the pain.

"Hey take it easy those soldiers drugged you but you should be okay, your safe now" Desmond assured his ancestor with a faint but nervous smile; he still didn't know what to make of his ancestor being here in the present but he;d have to made the most of it.

"..." Altair looked at Desmond and nodded before he looked over at Alex "Don't do that again" He grumbled, he was grateful Alex has help but he was not a helpless women! Alex didn't have to carry him for the whole ride.

"...Fine next time I WONT SAVE YOUR FUKING LIFE!" He snarled before he got up he walked to the van doors and opened them before he jumped out without another word.

"Whoa!" Desmond grabbed on of the doors "Altair grab the other one! We need to close the doors" Altair nodded as he shuffled to the edge of the van and pulled the doors close again with quite some effort "..." Altair said nothing bot sure what to say; he honestly hadn't meant to anger the other but he didn't want to be treated like he was fragile; he'd screwed up but he never made the same mistake twice.

"...You okay?" Desmond asked once he locked up the doors again.

"...I'm fine why wouldn't I be?" Altair asked stiffly.

"Because you care about him, and I'm sure you didn't mean to piss him off, man he's got a major anger problem" Desmond said with a shrug and he cares about you, I mean you didn't see how pissed he was, or what he did to those soldiers"

"I can imagine" Altair said dryly as he sat back down with a sigh "He's...temperamental" He admitted to which Desmond chuckled.

"No shit...so...are you and him together or something? He was being really protective of you when you were asleep, not that there's anything wrong with it or anything" He said nervously when Altair gave him a similar warning glare. "Its just that...well its kinds not what I expected, I mean the news makes Alex out to be a terrorist and stuff, he's obviously not human so...how did it happen?"

Altair shrugged "It just did" He said simply "These things happen and...I like him there's more to him then you would think" Altair said simply as he looked Desmond over; now he got a closer look at the other he looked familiar "...you look like me"

"...Uh yeah that's because were related I'm kinda your descendent" Desmond said with a faint but sheepish grin.

"...really? How do you know that?" He said with a raised eyebrow; he was frankly stunned Desmond had just gone out and said it.

Desmond just chuckled "Trust me its a long story..." He said.

"I have plenty of time" He said simply with a smirk.

Alex slammed the door as he stormed into the apartment "Whoa! Alex! What the fuck? Are you trying to break the door? What happened?" Dana asked as she jumped a male in surprise when he brother stormed through the house like a hurricane...a very pissed off hurricane.

"Altair! I saved his fucking life and he treats me like I insulted him!" He yelled before he punched the wall; his fist going right through the wallpaper and plasterboard easily; almost too easily it wasn't hard enough to endure the anger Alex had.

"Whoa whoa, Alex...look at me, take a deep break and calm the fuck down, sit with me and tell me not shout TELL me what happened and I'll try and help you alright?" She said soothingly as she tentatively reached out and rubbed her brothers arm on a gentle soothing motion; she was always cautious always a little scared when she touched him; approaching Alex when angry was much like approaching a wounded and pissed off lion, you had to approach with caution.

Alex took a deep breath and slowly seemed to calm down before he walked over to the sofa and sat down and Dana followed "Alright start from the beginning" She urged. Alex paused before he told her what had happened it didn't take long but at the end of it it left the siblings with a lot of questions.

"Wait wait...your saying they they want Altair? As in capture him and not shoot him on sight? Why? That doesn't make any fucking sense before they would have quite happily show Altair down as well as you...but if they want him in custody then it means one thing..."

"They know he's from the past,that or that he's and assassin, one of the two"Alex finished softly "And I stopped them, I saved him-"

"Alex, Altair is not a fucking girl, he is a full grown man and he kills people for a living! He wants some respect but you held him in your arms for the entire ride like he was a damsel in fucking distress, he felt like you were degrading him maybe even in a way saying he was weak; I know you didn't mean it in that way, but seriously, no wonder he reacted the way he did, if roles were revered and he did that to you, would YOU be happy?"

"...No" Alex admitte3d after some thought and a sigh "...I fucked up"

"Alex everyone fucks up from time to time none of us are perfect, just say your sorry and I'm sure Altair will forgive you and be reasonable, I mean he's your boyfriend isn't he?"

"W-what?" He said startled at this; sure he and Altair had been...intimate when Dana hadn't been looking but, they had never said the words 'lover' or 'boyfriend' or anything at all really,what existed between the was...unnamed right now.

"Alex you've kissed the man more time than I care to mention- don't give me that look I'm not stupid when your pinning him to a wall in the hallway and snogging him I can HEAR it" She said with a smirk "Unless you want to claim he's a friend with benefits you better figure out whether you want him as a live in lover or not"

"I...didn't think about it" He grunted softly; and he hadn't really he just presumed tat he wouldn't have to say anything at all and thing's would continue being sort of...nice a change, when he came home Altair was always there with a faint smile and a welcome home, sometimes he didn't even get that off Dana if she was really busy. Altair had slipped under his 'skin' so to speak and into what was left of his heart and was stuck there whether he liked it or not.

"Well you-huh?" He stopped when she heard the door of the apartment open and Altair walked in followed by three others "...Ah...Uh Dana meet the assassins, they need somewhere low to stay..." He said sheepishly.

"Oh great there's hardly any fucking room as it is" She grumbled as she folded her arms "Well what the fuck; its not my apartment anyway" She said with a shrug; she wasn't the one paying the bills on this place so why should she care?

"Oh, charmed I'm sure" Shaun quipped sarcastically "Nice to meet you too sweetheart" He said in a sarcastic tone to Dana who glared at him her fists clenched.

"Nice STRAYS you fucking bright home Altair!" She bit "I REALLY going to love being stuck with him"

"I have a name, its Shaun Hastings, please take the time to remember it, Dana" he said with a smirk as Dana eye twitched in utter loathing before she stormed off into the kitchen muttering about men and their over inflated ego's

"Nice going Shaun" Lucy said sarcastically "Piss off the girl who might let us crash here until we can find a place of our own-I'm sorry about him he has a stick up his ass all the time" she said as she pointed to Shaun who glared at the back of Lucy's head. Alex just huffed and said nothing looking away from them (Mainly Altair) uninterestedly.

"Uh, well Shaun and Desmond can share my room, and I'm sure when Dana calms down, you can share with her Lucy, I'll take the sofa" He said softly as he tried his best to get everyone organised; he went into the kitchen and smoother Dana over, at least enough for them to all stay for a few days.

By the time the three assassins had moved their stuff in and they;d had dinner it was already late so everyone was taking turns in the small bathroom to get ready for bed. Altair waited for the others to finish up and noticed Alex was getting ready to go out "...Alex...I am sorry for what I said to you earlier, I grateful you saved me from those men I am but-Mmmph" He blinked startled when Alex caught him off guard with a soft kiss.

"I get it, you don't have to say any more" He grumbled "I guess...I'm sorry too" He said in a whisper as his face burned in embarrassment; he'd never had to apologize to anyone so sincerely in his life before. "...your still mine right?" He said as he looked at the other up and down.

"You can;t own me Alex, as much as you want to...but I am your lover, yes" He said softly

Alex let a twitch of a smile spread onto his face at those words; it seemed Altair had beaten him to it and it made him almost feel warm and fizzy inside...it that was even possible for him "I'll be back before dawn"

"I'll be waiting" Altair said simply with a wave as Alex jumped out of the window and was gone.