Despite Altaïr’s promise to wake him up in the morning it was the daylight that got to him first. He didn’t even notice the blackout curtains before, but as he forced himself to open an eye, he could see that it had been tied to the side and the sun was strong enough on his face to make him wake up.
Without hesitation he got out of bed and stretched. Checking his phone confirmed it was still 9 in the morning and he should probably be going back to sleep some more since he only got a few hours, but decided against it. Sleep seemed to have left him already.
Tentatively he opened the door to the corridor, poking his head out. There were voices coming from the living room, more than just Altaïr’s. Probably the man from yesterday (Desmond, was it?). A feminine voice was heard and he got curious enough to go check it out.
Walking a few steps in the room’s direction, he was almost thankful that no one had paid him much attention once he got in. On the couch sat a woman with a tablet on her hands. On the ground, using the coffee table to work on a laptop, was Altaïr (with his hood up but no surprises there), who glanced his way before turning his attention back to the screen. On the far side was Desmond throwing clothes inside a big luggage.
“Hey, morning!” It was Desmond who turned his way and waved his hand briefly.
It seemed to be the breaking point as suddenly, all eyes on the room were on him. Malik didn’t know what to say so he just stared at each one of them and waited for a reaction. It was the woman who put down her tablet and walked in his direction, extending a hand to him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, mister Al-Sayf.”
“Just Malik will do.” He reached out to shake her hand.
“I’m Lucy Stillman. It’s a pleasure to be working with you.”
“Too soon.” The response came in unison from both Desmond and Altaïr.
It startled her. She looked from one to the other as if she had made a mistake and was caught on. He was a bit confused himself. No, it was more accurate to say very confused.
Altaïr didn’t even look up at them, but Desmond gave them his full attention and scratched the back of his neck.
“Sorry, I guess I should’ve told you earlier. Malik is not really one of us.”
“Yet.” Altaïr added.
“Oh.” Lucy turned to him again with an apologetic smile. “Well, sorry about that. In any case it’s still an honor to meet you.”
There were words left unspoken as she returned to her place on the couch. The same feeling he had with Ezio before, that he was somehow special and they wanted him here. Part of him was curious about it, but the bigger part of him wanted to turn around, go back to Canada and pretend he had never met any of them.
He sat down on the couch with her and watched in silence as they each continued doing their work. By Altaïr’s side was his backpack and he was glad the man had retrieved it after he left the bedroom. From the corner of his eyes he watched Desmond turn to them and close the luggage at last.
“Well, I’m ready to go.”
“Finally.” Lucy sighed and got up from her seat again, grabbing a purse on the table he didn’t notice was there before.
Desmond turned to him.
“I’m moving out today, so you can stay in my room while you’re here. It’s the first door to the left, before Altaïr’s.
Oh, so he had been sleeping on Altaïr’s bed. Grand.
Had Altaïr and Desmond been up since four hours ago?
“I’m staying?” The question was directed at Altaïr.
“Wasn’t that the reason you called me yesterday?” He said matter-of-factly.
Malik was annoyed at his tone, but the man had a point. Altaïr had told him the nightmares wouldn’t be so frequent if they were near each other. That’s why he messaged him. That’s why he was here. He was staying in New York for a while, it seemed. Sighing, he turned back to Desmond.
“I hope my coming here isn’t the reason you’re leaving.”
“What?” he raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh, no. I was already planning on moving out. Better to stay with Lucy than with him.” He pointed at her with his thumb.
Somehow Malik didn’t even doubt that statement.
“Besides,” Desmond continued “got work to do in Europe, so it’ll be a few months since I’m back. Oh! And I’m sorry about yesterday. Well, earlier today. Didn’t mean to walk into you two, you know, but I heard the doorbell and thought Altaïr didn’t catch it.” He chuckled. “Had I known you were the one coming I wouldn’t even have bothered.”
The memory from a few hours ago flashed through his mind and he immediately looked away. When his eyes met Altaïr’s, he glanced in Lucy’s direction instead. Why were they discussing this in front of her anyway?
“Don’t worry about it.” He was still dying from embarrassment, but it was better to let it go. It really wasn’t Desmond’s fault. The only guilty party around wasn’t even paying any attention to their conversation, or at least, pretending not to.
“Let’s go then.” Lucy grabbed Desmond by the arm and pulled him in the door’s direction. He meekly grabbed the luggage while waving a goodbye at both of them.
When the door closed, silence reigned. Sighing, he turned back to Altaïr, who had closed his laptop and was fully staring at him now. He hated Altaïr’s glare more than anything. It was like a hawk’s, watching his every move, judging him. It made him uncomfortable. He opened his mouth to say something, to break the awkward quietness, but Altaïr beat him to it.
“I talked to Ezio about you coming back.” He rose up from his seat and walked towards the kitchen. Malik followed him. “He said he can’t guarantee anything since they’re not looking for anyone right now, but if an opportunity comes up, he might hire you to teach at his university.”
Malik blinked at the news. Staying in New York, sure. But getting a job here? He expected to stay a month, maybe two. Surely the dreams wouldn’t take much longer than that to finish, right?
While pouring water in the coffeemaker, Altaïr caught his perplexed expression from the corner of his eyes and went on to explain.
“You might have to stay for a long time. Ezio’s dreams lasted for nearly a decade.” He paused to let Malik absorb the information. “Like I said, it differs from person to person, but it likely will keep on going for at least another three years.” The red light on the machine indicated the coffee was being brewed and Altaïr turned to him. “Meanwhile Sofia is more than eager to offer you a job at her bookstore for now.”
Altaïr walked back to the room, opening his laptop again.
“Why are doing all this?” Malik had many other questions he wanted to ask, but in the end, all of them revolved around this one.
“Because it’s necessary. I don’t like these stupid dreams any more than you do. I want it over as soon as possible. You’re here with us, safe. While you live with me, you can learn about us.”
“Right. Your NGO thing.” He thought Altaïr would glare at him for the condescending tone, but instead, the man smirked. However it was gone just as suddenly as it appeared.
“Word of advice: if I were you, I’d bring your brother here immediately. Canada is a pretty dangerous place for you both right now.”
Malik raised a brow at him. “Excuse me?”
Altaïr wiggled a finger in his direction, calling him over. Malik approached and the laptop was turned in his direction. It was a map of North America. Most of it was white, but there were small dark blue spots over the east coast in the US and a large blotch covering almost the entire east coast in Canada.
“The blue area is where our enemy is stationed right now. They have quite a number of HQs in Montreal. It’s a miracle I managed to reach you before them.” Altaïr’s eyes met his, and despite the incredulous topic of conversation, Malik felt immense comfort in his words. “If they haven’t tried to get you or your brother before, I doubt they will now. But your brother would be safer here with us.”
He was left speechless. Bad guys in Montreal? Kadar was in danger?
“You say a lot of surreal things, but you have yet to show me any proof of all this. What makes you think I’m going to move my brother here because you think it’s dangerous there?”
Silence. Altaïr averted his eyes, but something told him he had hit a sore spot. Altaïr seemed angry and this was something he had never seen in him before - anger, not even during their first meeting in the library. The laptop was brought back to Altaïr and he continued working on whatever he had been doing before.
Dream Catcher - Part 5b
Without hesitation he got out of bed and stretched. Checking his phone confirmed it was still 9 in the morning and he should probably be going back to sleep some more since he only got a few hours, but decided against it. Sleep seemed to have left him already.
Tentatively he opened the door to the corridor, poking his head out. There were voices coming from the living room, more than just Altaïr’s. Probably the man from yesterday (Desmond, was it?). A feminine voice was heard and he got curious enough to go check it out.
Walking a few steps in the room’s direction, he was almost thankful that no one had paid him much attention once he got in. On the couch sat a woman with a tablet on her hands. On the ground, using the coffee table to work on a laptop, was Altaïr (with his hood up but no surprises there), who glanced his way before turning his attention back to the screen. On the far side was Desmond throwing clothes inside a big luggage.
“Hey, morning!” It was Desmond who turned his way and waved his hand briefly.
It seemed to be the breaking point as suddenly, all eyes on the room were on him. Malik didn’t know what to say so he just stared at each one of them and waited for a reaction. It was the woman who put down her tablet and walked in his direction, extending a hand to him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, mister Al-Sayf.”
“Just Malik will do.” He reached out to shake her hand.
“I’m Lucy Stillman. It’s a pleasure to be working with you.”
“Too soon.” The response came in unison from both Desmond and Altaïr.
It startled her. She looked from one to the other as if she had made a mistake and was caught on. He was a bit confused himself. No, it was more accurate to say very confused.
Altaïr didn’t even look up at them, but Desmond gave them his full attention and scratched the back of his neck.
“Sorry, I guess I should’ve told you earlier. Malik is not really one of us.”
“Yet.” Altaïr added.
“Oh.” Lucy turned to him again with an apologetic smile. “Well, sorry about that. In any case it’s still an honor to meet you.”
There were words left unspoken as she returned to her place on the couch. The same feeling he had with Ezio before, that he was somehow special and they wanted him here. Part of him was curious about it, but the bigger part of him wanted to turn around, go back to Canada and pretend he had never met any of them.
He sat down on the couch with her and watched in silence as they each continued doing their work. By Altaïr’s side was his backpack and he was glad the man had retrieved it after he left the bedroom. From the corner of his eyes he watched Desmond turn to them and close the luggage at last.
“Well, I’m ready to go.”
“Finally.” Lucy sighed and got up from her seat again, grabbing a purse on the table he didn’t notice was there before.
Desmond turned to him.
“I’m moving out today, so you can stay in my room while you’re here. It’s the first door to the left, before Altaïr’s.
Oh, so he had been sleeping on Altaïr’s bed. Grand.
Had Altaïr and Desmond been up since four hours ago?
“I’m staying?” The question was directed at Altaïr.
“Wasn’t that the reason you called me yesterday?” He said matter-of-factly.
Malik was annoyed at his tone, but the man had a point. Altaïr had told him the nightmares wouldn’t be so frequent if they were near each other. That’s why he messaged him. That’s why he was here. He was staying in New York for a while, it seemed. Sighing, he turned back to Desmond.
“I hope my coming here isn’t the reason you’re leaving.”
“What?” he raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh, no. I was already planning on moving out. Better to stay with Lucy than with him.” He pointed at her with his thumb.
Somehow Malik didn’t even doubt that statement.
“Besides,” Desmond continued “got work to do in Europe, so it’ll be a few months since I’m back. Oh! And I’m sorry about yesterday. Well, earlier today. Didn’t mean to walk into you two, you know, but I heard the doorbell and thought Altaïr didn’t catch it.” He chuckled. “Had I known you were the one coming I wouldn’t even have bothered.”
The memory from a few hours ago flashed through his mind and he immediately looked away. When his eyes met Altaïr’s, he glanced in Lucy’s direction instead. Why were they discussing this in front of her anyway?
“Don’t worry about it.” He was still dying from embarrassment, but it was better to let it go. It really wasn’t Desmond’s fault. The only guilty party around wasn’t even paying any attention to their conversation, or at least, pretending not to.
“Let’s go then.” Lucy grabbed Desmond by the arm and pulled him in the door’s direction. He meekly grabbed the luggage while waving a goodbye at both of them.
When the door closed, silence reigned. Sighing, he turned back to Altaïr, who had closed his laptop and was fully staring at him now. He hated Altaïr’s glare more than anything. It was like a hawk’s, watching his every move, judging him. It made him uncomfortable. He opened his mouth to say something, to break the awkward quietness, but Altaïr beat him to it.
“I talked to Ezio about you coming back.” He rose up from his seat and walked towards the kitchen. Malik followed him. “He said he can’t guarantee anything since they’re not looking for anyone right now, but if an opportunity comes up, he might hire you to teach at his university.”
Malik blinked at the news. Staying in New York, sure. But getting a job here? He expected to stay a month, maybe two. Surely the dreams wouldn’t take much longer than that to finish, right?
While pouring water in the coffeemaker, Altaïr caught his perplexed expression from the corner of his eyes and went on to explain.
“You might have to stay for a long time. Ezio’s dreams lasted for nearly a decade.” He paused to let Malik absorb the information. “Like I said, it differs from person to person, but it likely will keep on going for at least another three years.” The red light on the machine indicated the coffee was being brewed and Altaïr turned to him. “Meanwhile Sofia is more than eager to offer you a job at her bookstore for now.”
Altaïr walked back to the room, opening his laptop again.
“Why are doing all this?” Malik had many other questions he wanted to ask, but in the end, all of them revolved around this one.
“Because it’s necessary. I don’t like these stupid dreams any more than you do. I want it over as soon as possible. You’re here with us, safe. While you live with me, you can learn about us.”
“Right. Your NGO thing.” He thought Altaïr would glare at him for the condescending tone, but instead, the man smirked. However it was gone just as suddenly as it appeared.
“Word of advice: if I were you, I’d bring your brother here immediately. Canada is a pretty dangerous place for you both right now.”
Malik raised a brow at him. “Excuse me?”
Altaïr wiggled a finger in his direction, calling him over. Malik approached and the laptop was turned in his direction. It was a map of North America. Most of it was white, but there were small dark blue spots over the east coast in the US and a large blotch covering almost the entire east coast in Canada.
“The blue area is where our enemy is stationed right now. They have quite a number of HQs in Montreal. It’s a miracle I managed to reach you before them.” Altaïr’s eyes met his, and despite the incredulous topic of conversation, Malik felt immense comfort in his words. “If they haven’t tried to get you or your brother before, I doubt they will now. But your brother would be safer here with us.”
He was left speechless. Bad guys in Montreal? Kadar was in danger?
“You say a lot of surreal things, but you have yet to show me any proof of all this. What makes you think I’m going to move my brother here because you think it’s dangerous there?”
Silence. Altaïr averted his eyes, but something told him he had hit a sore spot. Altaïr seemed angry and this was something he had never seen in him before - anger, not even during their first meeting in the library. The laptop was brought back to Altaïr and he continued working on whatever he had been doing before.
“It’s your call, but don’t blame me later.”