Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 11 - Claire

The plane hummed softly as it cut through the clouds, and the cabin had grown quieter, the earlier tension replaced by an expectant calm. With six hours left on their journey, William called everyone together, his posture radiating purpose as he opened a slim leather case filled with neatly organized documents.

"Alright, here's how we're playing this when we land," he began, his voice carrying the weight of authority. One by one, he passed out the passports and IDs, the new identities that would serve as their cover. "We're a medical team from SUNY Upstate, returning with our patient after an experimental gene therapy trial in Rome."

Claire reached out as he handed her a passport, and the name stamped inside made her raise an eyebrow. "Claire 'Starling'? Really?" she muttered with a scoff, the name sounding like something out of a nightclub act.

William's lips twitched, just barely. "Keep your opinions to yourself, Nurse Starling."

She rolled her eyes, glancing at Aiden beside her, who had received his own passport under the title of 'Nurse.' She couldn't resist. "So, how does it feel, Aiden? Finally stepping up to the ranks of nursehood?"

He snorted, feigning offense. "I'll have you know, Nurse Starling, I'm going to be the best damn nurse this side of the Atlantic. You might want to take notes."

With a smirk, she nudged him, a quiet camaraderie settling between them. William handed the next set of documents to Paul, who, upon examining his title of 'General Surgeon,' gave a curt nod, slipping the ID into his pocket without comment. Rebecca received her ID as a tech engineer, her eyes bright with something close to pride as she read the credentials.

When William turned to Shaun, his face held the faintest hint of hesitation. "And you, Shaun... are our 'neurosurgeon.'"

Shaun's expression faltered as he examined the title, the absurdity of it sparking a wry laugh. "Ah, brilliant," he muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'm a neurosurgeon now, am I?"

Claire bit back a chuckle, exchanging an amused glance with Rebecca. Shaun's discomfort was obvious, though he tried to mask it beneath his usual bravado. She'd never seen him look quite so unnerved, though he quickly covered it with a forced grin.

William continued, "Look, we're professionals from SUNY Upstate, with a patient in critical condition. We need everyone on point when we land, minimal slip-ups. And yes, that means you, Shaun."

Shaun shot him a look but refrained from retorting, instead muttering, "Right, right. Medical marvel, that's me."

As William reached into a side compartment, he produced two sets of light blue scrubs and handed them to Claire and Aiden. "Get changed," he instructed. "No one's going to believe a medical team if our 'nurses' aren't dressed the part."

Claire raised an eyebrow, holding the scrubs up in mild distaste. "Not exactly my best color," she murmured, tossing a teasing glance toward Aiden.

Aiden chuckled, waggling his scrubs at her. "Look at it this way—it's a chance to see how the other half lives. You'll fit right in."

While they moved to change, Claire overheard Rebecca talking quietly with Shaun in the main cabin, her voice low but edged with concern.

"Shaun, you feeling okay?" Rebecca asked, her eyes watching him carefully.

Shaun shrugged, leaning back in his seat, though his expression was pinched. "Sure, yeah, yeah, I'm fine, yeah. We're Assassins, after all, aren't we, eh? Why should we be surprised if one of us dies every now and again?"

Rebecca's gaze softened, a flicker of sadness passing over her face. "Every death is a tragedy, Shaun. To somebody, somewhere."

Shaun let out a low breath, his voice hardening. "What I want to know is... is Desmond worth all this trouble, you know? Is he... the chosen one or something? Little Jimmy Special or some bollocks like that?"