Numbskull

Day 7

What I have in mind now was a great idea. A terrible one for sure, all of my ideas were. But the big question was... Will it work?

Will they agree to it? What if they don't? It's something I was passionate about so I won't stop. What if they refuse? And if they aren't convinced, what could I do to make them see? To let me do it?

After the big glass sliding doors of the compound closed behind me, I didn't head straight to the elevator, to my workstation. Instead, I sat at one of the benches nearer to where the coffee counter was. It was mostly uneventful, just people walking around as I faded into the background. Sitting, waiting, watching.

But he was an exception. He kept glancing at me through the crowd, subtle body language showing how uncomfortable he was with my presence. Then Alex strolled in. She waved at the barista but he was still taking his time to narrow his eyes at me. I immediately averted my eyes with the hope that she wouldn't see me. Not long after, I felt the breeze of her blue aura getting closer. Why wouldn't she leave me alone? Wasn't bugging me yesterday enough?

I wanted her away. Make sure she would not interfere with whatever I needed to do later. Sending a glare her way, I made the message clear. Do not come close. Don't approach me.

After most people have gone and the line at the stall was gone, I approached him. "Can I... talk to you for a sec?" He stared at me for a moment, possibly judging me with how crazy it sounded. A random office worker approaching a random barista? Sounds about right. I cocked my head in the direction of an abandoned hallway, the abandoned hallway where I knew the camera had short-circuited. "Meet me there then."

After he came, I started first. "You do know that you're a favourite target of the Sigma team, right Shaun?" At the mention of Sigma Team, he stepped forward.

"Who are you."

I ignored him, "I will not let her do the job she was sent here to do—"

"Who—"

"Listen to me." I snapped, my temper shorter than usual, "I met her a few days ago and she wormed into the hole left in my heart after I lost my older sister. I care for her, even though I would never admit it to her face, and I would not put her in risk so I wouldn't lose another sister. No arguments. I will do her job whether you like it or not." I took a breath before answering his persistent question, "I'm Amanda Caddel."

His eyes flickered with recognition. Why would he recognise me from name? Am I that infamous within the Brotherhood? "Isabelle's sister? You don't look much like her."

"...You know her?"

"Yes. For all you know I could be one of the friends that she goes out so frequently that she never really goes back home."

My heart picked up the pace when he spoke about her in present tense. "No. It can't be. She's disappeared. Dead." My voice became a frantic whisper, unlike the determined one from before.

"So she never told you? I guess that's why you're here."

"What hasn't she told me? That you're her boyfriend or something?" I couldn't stand him. "You're lying. She's dead." I turned my back and walked away, hands clammy.

A hooded figure appeared out of nowhere and advanced, not letting me walk away.

I didn't think. Just stared at the figure and immediately engaged in combat. Blows were exchanged, getting more aggressive by the second. It was not long before I started kicking dust up. The figure froze. It was then I could use my brain and tell that it was Shay Cormac — standing here in an abandoned alley of the 21st century? What was he doing here.

I extended an arm and tried to touch him. Was he real? I took a step closer, but he just faded out of existence. Not again.

"What were you trying to do, fighting the air like that? Very good sparring partners, aren't they."

I put up a hand to silence Shaun. But he continued.

"Oh now you're ignoring me. Are you talking to some invisible person you fought just now? If you did congratulations you're cra-"

"I know what this is. I was part of the team that worked on the Helix. I recently went through some colonial Templar's memories." Shaun seemed a little more concerned. A little. "The Helix is designed to minimise the Bleeding Effect but there are still a few who still succumb to it."

"Like you. Great."

"Yes. Like me. I was required to study Animus subjects to get a sense of what the Bleeding effect was like so as to complete my job. Do you think I'm ignorant?"

He bit his lip, "Your job. You work for Abstergo. You know about the Brotherhood. What's to stop you from working with the Templars?"

He beat me to it.

"Nothing. Nothing's stopping you. Templars, sent by the upper echelons to approach us and gain Assassin trust. With your sister in the Brotherhood it just makes us more likely to trust you. You pretend to think she's dead, another ploy. They're smart, I will give them that, but I won't fall for it."

He has a point. But I was desperate. Very desperate. I couldn't let her be in danger.

"Oh did you want me to say 'We work in the dark to serve the light'? I am not an Assassin."

"Well you would."

"Do I look like I would? It's such a dick move." I took a pause, "What do I need to give you to show that you trust me, because I have my trust in the Brotherhood's tenets."

"No. You are lying. Even if you have the information for me I will not fall prey to the Templar's tactics."

I looked down in disappointment but snapped my head back up with resignation a split second after. "Fine. Suit yourself. Think that I'm sent to be a Templar spy, whatever. I trust the foundation of the Brotherhood and not that of the Templars. It will be what drives me." I paused, "Don't forget that."

There was that. I walked away. For sure this time.

I always wonder, always hope. Asking questions and coming up with absurd theories. But there is never a guaranteed outcome when I'm just hoping for something to happen. Taking action is the only way to change pathways, make history with your actions. After a lifetime of being kept from the truth, I'm ready to put my life on the line and change my world for the better.

A/N The earlier part was so crap so I spent more time on this... I just started school too so I needed to spend more time catching up on schoolwork. This story isn't done just yet. There will be two more parts (not really chapters). Surprise surprise...

I do have many plans for this once I'm done. The first is to go back and edit everything. Changing it so I don't have different tenses all throughout the story. Changing Day 6 Part 3 cause it was crappy with all the OOC elements. Thanks for pointing it out XD nverchnge Please give me some ideas on how to show how they give Amanda days to decide — its canon if you don't know. Some spelling errors here and there... I think that's about it for the revisions.