Chapter Text
Desmond advanced forward up the stone stairs that spiralled upward. He and Shaun stalking low against the torches that lined the right side of the wall every ten steps. The only sound that could be heard was the wind against the stone on the outside wall. Both young assassins didn’t even dare to exhale above a whisper of air. Both knew exactly what it would mean to be caught here.
Finally they reached the top the prison tower. There was another door waiting at the top that was the exact same design as the one below. Shaun silently slipped past Desmond and reached out to a metal hook that held keys hanging on the left side of the wall.
Shaun looked at the keyring that held exactly three keys in its embrace, he glared at the shining metal as they gleamed in the firelight. They shone as if they had been polished like a queens prized jewels and Shaun had the faint dark fascination of meeting the captain who would clearly take pride in them. Shaun doubted that anyone would miss them, in fact they would probity celebrate his passing. The Brit almost let out a grim chuckle at the thought as he selected the right key and slot it in the door’s iron lock, turning it with an echoing click.
A darkened circular room greeted them. Only the iron bars of four cells could be seen in the light of the torches. In all it was a very minimalist room. There were no windows to grace the grey walls. The only defining feature of the room was blood stained table that held instruments of torture which nested in the far corner.
Shaun let out a sound of disgust at the sight of the table, while Desmond made a wounded noise and immediately dashed over to one of the cells.
He let out a curse. “Shaun, it’s a fucking kid.”
Shaun immediately grabbed one of the torches on the wall and brought it over. He gave the light to Desmond and began to unlock the cell.
Shaun knew that the eagle vision could give Desmond the body shape and height of a target. Therefore, he did not doubt that what the America had just called their ‘assassin’.
And in the light confirmed it.
Opening the door Shaun saw a young teenager’s scrawny frame dressed in initiate greys of the Order. He couldn’t be any older than fourteen at best.
The boy was huddled against the far corner of his cell, leading on his side against the wall chained by his wrists. The boy legs were curled up to his torso and had his hands wrapped around himself. As if to ward off the chill and protect his body against further physical harm. His skin was an ashen wax colour and Shaun would have thought the lad to be dead, if it wasn’t for the rise and fall of his chest and the blue eyes watching them.
“I will tell you pale bastards nothing.” He spat at them.
Shaun was honestly impressed for the front the boy was trying to put up, however the effect was ruined by the fear in the blue orbs of the youth hidden it their depths.
“Ta, good to know. I don’t need to tell me anything.” Shaun said and immediately cringed. Emotion is just not his forte, but he’s working on that.
Desmond sighed at Shaun accidental thoughtless tact. “What my friend means-“ Desmond began, resting a hand on Shaun’s shoulder “- is that you have nothing to fear from us. We want to help you.”
The lad pressed himself further into his corner of the cell, his eyes hardened. Desmond’s fingers tightened on Shaun as he kneeled down beside him. “I… look my name is Desmond-” He introduced himself as he took off his helm “-and this is Shaun” who did the same and dipped his in respect. “We are not with the Crusaders. We are going to escape this place and we would like to free you too…”
Desmond trailed off as Shaun took over. “You don’t have to stay with us, but we can get you out of the city. However, if you wish to leave us before then, fine. Just let us get you out of these walls. I know you can’t trust us. Hell, I would I be the same right now.” Shaun almost begged. “But right now this is your only chance to get out of here in one piece and we will protect you too.”
Unfortunately, in that moment they heard the clang of a prison door and patrolling guards below them. The young initiate recoiled at the sound and tried to curl into the wall further.
Shaun swiftly crossed the room to the entrance and strained his senses peering into the dark staircase. “They are standing at the bottom and are heading our way,.” He cursed softly and gripped his sword.
Desmond nodded his head in acknowledgment and looked at the kid. What could they do?
They had three immediate problems. He couldn’t just grab him. The kid was still shackled to the wall for one and didn’t trust them for a second. The boy would fight them, making it extremely difficult to extract him. Therefore making him a danger to them and creating a larger target for all present. Thirdly, Shaun was gonna be extremely pissed if they got caught in the next minute. Especially, since Shaun wanted to wait before doing something this ambitious. Desmond was going to have to grovel in the future unless he could fix the situation fast.
The guards could be heard on the stone of the first step.
“Desmond…” Shaun trailed off, facing the door like a particular determined dragon. As if daring the guards to try and get past him to his protected hoard.
The kid uncurled a bit and was watching Shaun with an odd look in his eye. Like the Brit was some strange creature that he has never witnessed before. Desmond grinned a little ferally an idea coming to his head and maybe wishing to see Shaun use his combat skills again.. Just a little.
“Shaun? Be a charming gent and show our young friend why the Crusaders are not our masters.”
Shaun snorted and glared at Desmond, but moved to behind the door anyway. Desmond showed no remorse for the pissed of predator and shooed him off with a wave of his hand.
“How about we prove to you that we are the good guys here?” Desmond asked the kid rhetorically before standing up and moving into the entrance of the cell just in time for the guards to pass into the threshold.
The leader of the pack stepped confidently into the centre, his two lackeys on his left and right both of their hands on their weapons. The leader took in the sight of Desmond standing in front of the opened cell and the boy against the wall.
His beady eyes narrowed, “You are not allowed up here, soldier.” His eyes slid the boy in a cruel leer and smiled to reveal rotten teeth in a shark like grin. “The Warden, only wishes for his men around his little Jackal. It’s not done singing yet.”
The boy let out a small whimper at the threat, Desmond wordlessly snarled and angled his body to hide him from the templars eyes. “I don’t think so.” He spat at them.
The Templar open his mouth to no doubt order Desmond to stand down or to order the two lackeys to escort him out. Whatever the case Desmond would never found out as Shaun took that moment to take out the guards flanking the leader.
The man’s eyes widened in fear as the bodies of his two subordinates fell around him and he turned to face the threat to his life.
Shaun emerged from the darkness of the door, the colour red that was slowly running down his sword painting the floor and the blood tainting the red cross on the white coat. The flame’s light caught the barest of his features, his hair was a halo of fire and the hazel chestnut of his eyes turned into a dark abyss as his focussed on his target and the rest of his image was cast in shadow giving the impression of wings…
Desmond would be lying if he didn’t feel a shiver run down his spine. For a man that said that he hated killing Shaun was a vision of death’s hand. Perhaps that’s why he chooses not to. A voice in Desmond’s head told him. He shook the voice away now was not the time to lose focus.
Shaun watched the man that would soon be his victim as he rested a hand on the door and pushed it closed. The latch that slid into place with a defining ‘click’. The sound acted as a final judgement of what would happen.
The Crusader’s throat shallowed with a dry croak. “Y-you won’t escape here alive. The Warden will find you and you’ll both be joining the Jackal in here. His captain will make sure of it.”
Shaun stayed silent. He wordlessly took out a set of keys that he claimed from one of the bodies and turned the lock. He maintained eye contact and tossed the keys to Desmond.
“Unlock our young friend.” He tonelessly told Desmond before speaking to the Templar.
“I hate killing you know, despite what you’ve just seen… it’s never sat right with me… but you sir who would harm a child I will make an exception.” He began. “Yet a child should not see three murders today. So I will ask only once”- He stalked forward with measured steps until he could whisper in the cowering man’s ear - “That you tell me what I wish to know and I will let you live.”
The Templars mouth moved soundlessly having lost all bravo now that he was the mouse under a hawk’s talons.
“Have we earned the right to know your name now?” Desmond asked gently as he worked the keys in the lock of the manacles.
The boy winced as the metal came off and give a hiss of pain. “Faisal, I am Faisal… Your friend he-“ Faisal cut himself off seemly deep in thought, his cyan eyes glared at the floor. “-He is a very good with a sword.”
Desmond cringed, perhaps the performance was a bit too much… He hoped that Faisal couldn’t see past his body Desmond made sure to shield him from the violence. He was hoping that he didn’t traumatise the kid. Looking at Faisal he didn’t seem afraid or in shock. However, he had been tortured and just saw two men die. Oh God they have just further traumatised an already vulnerable child. Desmond almost groaned in despair.
Faisal seemed to have picked up on Desmond’s distress. “Dezmond I am thankful for what you are doing- I- I would like to get back to my brothers.”
The last chain came off and Desmond helped Faisal get to his feet. “I promise that we will get you home.”
Faisal hesitantly smiled up at the American.
The moment was ruined with the sound of a body of armour crashing on the floor.
“Is he dead then?” Desmond inquired turning around, Faisal poking his head around to look.
Shaun let out a huff and began to drag the guard over to a cell. “No, he told me what I wanted and in turn I promised not to kill him if he told me.”
“So you just knocked him out then?”
Shaun glared at Desmond as he began to chain his captive up. “Nah Desmond I’m just chaining and locking up this man should he ever rise from the dead and try to eat me. What do you think?”
Desmond nodded along with the Brit mocking words. “That I shouldn’t have asked.” He stated. Desmond nodded down to their new ward. “Shaun meet Faisal. He wants to get back to his brothers.” He stressed the last word to him.
And Shaun could have ripped the American a new one. Why on the good green earth would Desmond think that taking the lad to the Assassin’s would work out well for them? Yes, an alliance with the brotherhood wouldn’t necessary be bad so to speak, but Shaun really wanted ‘stay on fringes on events’ allies. This mission was really meant to be a 'Spring 'em and never meet again' sort of thing.
He’d be a fool indeed to believe that they could leave again in peace. Not with tonight’s events and with the current Mentor.
Shaun hated about how far gone they were from the original plan. Help the prisoner out and then return to being ghosts that left no trace in the dust to be found again. Alas, bitch that was destiny that liked to spiral out of control for them…again. This would put both of them in the spotlight on both sides. Once they went down this course of action there would be no turning back, not in the shadows like he wanted. Safe. Stable. In control.
Shaun wanted to kick the wall in frustration. He should have made Desmond wait before they left ripples. His body still hurt from earlier and his mind was too wired to think straight. Bloody Hell they’ve both made rookie mistakes haven’t they? No course of planning that usually would put them three steps ahead of the mission and at very lease four plans to escape if things went tit’s up…
He needed to take a breath. The mission right now wasn’t the kids fault and the consequences weren’t either.
The child in question that was currently tucked neatly into Desmond’s side with the American’s good arm wrapped protectively around him. Shaun clicked his tongue at the sight of them. They looked like a chick and mother, both pairs of eyes pleading to manipulate him. Earth gold orbs to go along with taking the boy to the brotherhood and big cyan ones for the offered protection from before.
Desmond was clearly beginning to have a habit of picking up strays. If only it was a puppy or hell Shaun would be happy with a goat, but no. It had to be a young initiate of the order.
Shaun will have words with Desmond later though about his choice of action. The Brit wasn’t going soft. No. He did not clean the blood off his sword for the kids benefit, the blade needed cleaned anyway. It would not help with the disguise if the guards saw the blood- that was all.
Dammit I am going soft, Rebecca would love this. Shaun thought ruefully.
“Of course let’s get you home Faisal, shall we hmm? In order to do that though, we need you to trust me for the next part.” Shaun waited until the boy nodded before continuing. “I know how to get us out with the absolute minimum amount of patrols seeing us, yeah? But we need to blend in to do so.” Shaun paused a bit trying to figure out how to say the next part delicately.
Faisal got the idea before Shaun could speak the words. “You need me to be a prisoner between the two of you.”
As he said it, Desmond could feel the arm around his waist tighten and he hurried to comfort Faisal. “Hey, I know it’s a lot to ask but Shaun’s good at planning and getting out of danger, okay? His plans always works, no exception. This escape right now? This is nothing for him. We just need to listen and trust him. Then we’ll be out in no time.”
Shaun swallowed at Desmond’s words he had no idea that the other had that much faith in him or that he had been following the missions he was the Handler on. How many times had Desmond stood in the background as the Brit worked on his computer and monitors to get an assassin out of danger? Or as he directed an operation.
Shaun pushed the thought to the back of his head, now was not the time. Glancing around he found a spare pair of manacles on the far wall.
“These won’t be locked, alright?” Shaun waited for the nod of approval from Faisal before he crouched down to the bruised wrists. Shaun glared at the skin distaste, he reached to the leather pouch hanging off his belt and pulled out a small roll of bandages. “Lets not make that worse than what it already is.”
Faisal, looked at Shaun in gratitude a silent tear slipped down his face. His ordeal was finally over. The boy had thought that he would die in the cell or if he was very lucky maybe a brother would be sent to either save or silence him. Instead fate had seen to give him two strangers of his enemies for guardians.
Desmond shushed him and moved his thumb to brush the tear away. Faisal sunk further into the embrace and Shaun finished wrapping the wrists after applying some anointment on that he made earlier along with the kind for Desmond’s arm.
Shaun soothingly massaged the boys hands and gently put on the manacles with a whispered “Sorry.”
The Brit cleared his throat and quickly stood up facing Desmond. “We act as if we are moving him yeah? But right now no more risk’s Desmond. We have one objective right now. There’s a well that we can escape from. It tunnels to one of the wells in the city streets.”
“Back through the main gates or an side gates won’t work because a prisoner escort would have more guards.” Desmond nodded.
“And would have a warrant for the move.” Shaun rubbed his neck. “If it comes to it I’ve got a cart of hay by the north wall.” He looked down at their new ward and choose his words carefully. “For a more creative exit.”
Desmond found a smile slipping through despite the situation before being serious again. “Do you think we’ll need it?”
“It won’t be an comfortable exit for any of us right now but it’s a last resort.”
“Do we know how to navigate the tunnels to the well?”
Shaun give a conspiring grin and gestured a hand the new cell occupant, “Of course, I made sure to get all we needed.” He stated.
Faisal made a distressed whine looking at the crusader. “And on that note I think we should go.” Desmond declared and hugged the boy to his side as they left the room Shaun following in their wake.