Clockwork

Chapter Eight

Akil followed Cas back to the apartment. Cas went up to his room and closed the door. Akil walked up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"So what's the plan?" He said through the door. There was a brief pause before the door swung open and Akil walked in past Cas.

"I thought you weren't going." Cas said, annoyed. Akil sat on the bed.

"I am now so what's the plan?"

"I got a look at the ship and I think our best bet is sneaking on through a window before they start boarding people." Cas said. Akil sighed.

"That really isn't much of a plan."

"Don't worry, I've got this." Cas laid down on the bed next to where Akil was sitting and ran his hand through his own hair. He looked at Akil who was still obviously worried about how this entire thing was going to pan out. He sat back up and grabbed Akil's arm.

"Hey, I got this. It's not as hard as you think it's going to be." Akil looked at Cas and nodded, he stood up and left the room. Cas watched him leave, Akil was such a clean cut guy and here he was making him break laws and time travel. Cas laid back on his bed and sighed. Tomorrow was going to be an adventure. That's the way he had to look at it. He knew being worried wasn't going to help him, he had to stay focused and keep himself goal oriented. Hopefully he won't get himself and Akil arrested.

When Akil woke up the next morning he felt like there was a lump in his stomach. If there was ever a moment when he regretted his life choices, it was today. He didn't want Cas to think he was a total wimp so he got up and went downstairs. Cas was already drinking tea in the kitchen.

"You ready for today?" Akil asked him, trying his best to sound confident. It was strange for Akil. He'd never really had to act confident before. He'd never second guessed himself before. Then again he never did anything illegal before. Well, if you don't count the times as a kid when he'd broken into the police station to find some sort of file on his father. But that was different, he had been a kid. All kids think they are invincible.

"I'm ready, you?" Cas answered, Akil nodded.

"The ship leaves later tonight so we should pack some things. Not too much but you know, the necessities." Cas told him.

"Okay, I'll gather up my father's notes from the safe and put them in a small bag. That reminds me, you never brought anything with you when you arrived here. Have you just been wearing the same clothes this whole time?" Akil asked. It hadn't occurred to him before, lots of things were happening at once and he had other things to think about other than what clothes Cas had on each day. Cas shrugged.

"You could have said something, come on, I'll give you some clothes and a bag to bring with you." He said.

"I didn't ask you for anything, Akil." Cas replied.

"I know you didn't, you're too proud, but if I didn't help you I would feel like a monster." Cas followed Akil into his room. Akil opened his closet and threw a leather messenger bag onto the bed. He then grabbed out a couple pairs of trousers and a shirt or two.

"There, you should be set. I don't know if the trousers will fit all that well since I am a little taller than you but it should be fine." Cas stepped forward toward Akil and leveled out his footing.

"Huh, you are an inch or two taller. Never noticed." He said. Akil shook his head and pulled out another bag for himself.

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to grab the notes from the safe." Akil said.

"You're leaving me in your house alone? What if this entire thing has been an extremely elaborate plan to rob you blind?" Cas asked. Akil pointed a finger at Cas.

"Then I will be royally pissed and you'll be dead before morning." He said, and left. Cas laughed. Akil might have been a straight edge but he was also a sharp one. He looked at the clothes laid out on the bed in front of him. He remembered when Abir first took him in and how he'd gotten Cas new clothes and food. Abir was always such a generous man, a trait he passed down to his son. Sometimes when Akil smiled or laughed he looked a little like Abir. Cas missed Abir. The crazy old man, who had raised him up from the streets. If anyone was worth getting arrested for it was him. He packed the clothes into the bag and headed back downstairs to wait for Akil. Akil got home fifteen minutes later, all the notes packed in his bag. He walked over to Cas and pulled a small box out of the bag.

"I think you should keep this with you." He told him. Cas took the box and opened it, the pocket watch was inside.

"Are you sure?" Cas asked.

"You're the one who knows how to work it, wouldn't be much use to me. I'd probably end up disappearing like my father. You'd have to find me then." Akil said. Cas laughed.

"Okay, I'll keep it with me. And just so you know, if you ever did go missing, I wouldn't mind looking for you." He said.

"Nice to know." Akil answered. He walked back up the stairs to his room and Cas turned the watch over in his hand. He really wouldn't mind searching for Akil. After years of travel with Abir, Akil was the closest thing he'd had to a genuine friend so far. Or at least he was the only person other than Abir that he'd spent this much time with. Cas knew he could be reckless and instinctive at times and he knew Akil could keep him grounded. Especially now when it mattered most. He put the watch in his pocket. In a few hours now he'd be on a ship to Israel. A week is a long time to be at sea.