Chapter 23 – What lies beneath the books?

Sunday, September 27, 1987 – mid morning

Quick as a whirlwind, Alice and Edward meet us at the front door. Edward insisted on driving and I reluctantly agreed. I said a hasty good-bye to the others and wished them all luck. I sensed we'd need it. Then my group piled into Edward's car.

He drove like a manic and I swore I'd never get in the car with him again, but at least it didn't take us long to get where we were going. He parked his car near the side of the road next to an old sewage treatment plant.

"Ugh." I held my nose with one hand and my stomach with the other. "It smells really bad."

"Hop on. I'll get you out of here and you won't have to smell that," Alice promised. She patted her back and held her arms out to me. "Edward can give Ben a piggy back ride."

"What are you talking about?" I stared at Alice over the ridge of my knuckles. I was still holding my nose.

Alice smiled. "It's a vampire thing. We may not fly, but we run so fast that you'd think you were."

Ben took a step back. "Dude, that's weird."

"No, it's fine," Alice waved off Ben's comment, "We run like that all the time and carrying you will be easy."

Ben shook his head, "No, no, no. Not that. I mean letting Edward carry me through the forest. No thank you."

"Fine, I'll take Bella and Alice can carry you," Edward swept me off my feet and into his arms, and then like a flash he was off.

I don't know how Edward ran through the woods. The forest was full of trees, but it was the bushes and undergrowth that blocked our path. Edward was like a bulldozer though and just plowed right over everything. He used his arms as a shield to protect me from any wayward branches. The further into the forest he went, the faster he ran.

Edward was running through the forest now at breakneck speeds. Shades of green and brown flew by but I could only see colors not shapes. The sensation made me a little queasy, so I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms even tighter around Edward's stony neck. He jumped once or twice and then just like that, he stopped.

I opened my eyes. I was still cradled in his arms, but we were over the fence and now on the LPI property. The old 1930s Italian style villa was only half a mile in front of us.

"Do you think you can stand?" Edward took a few step forwards, but he was moving slowly now.

"I'm good," I replied, tapping my chest with my finger. "You can set me down."

Edward set me down as Alice appeared from the forest still carrying Ben. "Well, that was interesting," Ben replied. His eyes were wild with excitement, but his smile was wide and brilliant.

"I'm glad you like it," Alice said. Then she turned to me, "I can see why you like this one, Bella. Not only is he cute, but he smells nice. Primal. Musky. Spicy."

Ben hopped out of her arms and landed on the ball of his feet like an Olympian gymnast. He leaned towards Alice and nudged her with his broad football shoulders. "Right back at you, Alice. You don't smell so bad yourself."

A crackling sound followed by static alerted me to the fact that Alice had a set of walkie-talkies attached to her red leather belt.

I looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"What? Do you think Edward can hear thoughts from so far away?" She swiped the device from her belt like a hawk on a mouse. Her perfectly pink manicured finger tapped a button.

I smirked. I knew she was making fun of me. Probably trying to lighten the mood.

"Can you repeat that?" She talked into the small device.

The voice on the other end had an imperial almost constrained quality to it and I recognized it at once as Rosalie's. She informed us that the LPI is basically closed on Sunday and that visitors, even those working for the government, need a three business day background check. Mr. Black was waiting on his approval and was hoping to speed it up. Sometimes, the LPI would speed up the process for personnel such as Mr. Black.

"Okay, thanks, Rosalie," Alice replied. Her dainty face was marred by a slight frown.

Edward held up a hand and tilted his head.

"Do you hear anything," Alice asked brightly as her frowning expression slipped into hope.

"No. I'm still too far away."

Alice nodded. "You three stay here and I'll find us a back way in. We vampires have some advantages that way." She slipped her walkie-talkie back onto her belt with fingers as small as a child's but as nimble as a surgeons. Her pink nails suggested innocence, but I knew that she could be deadly if crossed. I was glad she was on my side.

Edwards stopped her. "I should go. I might be able to hear them."

"Good luck," she replied, but he was already gone.

I rubbed my hands on my shorts. I was so nervous that my hands were already sweating. I was once again putting my life in other people's hands. I didn't like it. I felt that for once I should take action, but Alice was right. I still needed them. They had certain skills that I lacked. I would just have to rely on them a little longer. I looked at Ben and sighed. Maybe I was being too selfish. Maybe I should relax and work with the others. Ben was a football player and was used to teamwork. The Cullens had formed a family and they too worked like a team. Maybe I was being silly and falling back into my old ways of shutting everyone out. But then again what else did I know? While I had blocked everyone out, I had been safe. It was only now after I had let people into my life that I was in trouble.

Edward was back. "Got it," he smiled. He scooped me up and he was off again. I closed my eyes and didn't open them again until the swaying and jarring movements had stopped and we were settled again. I opened my eyes to see that we were in the building. For the briefest of moments I was surprised and the speed at which the vampires worked, but then I was thankful. Perhaps, I would be reunited with my father soon.

We were now in an upstairs dressing room that overlooked the surrounding forest. We had not only entered the building, but we were now on the second floor. Again, I was impressed. I had no idea how Alice and Edward managed to scale the building while holding Ben and I. And truth be told, I wasn't sure I wanted to know. As I looked out the window, I could see that we were higher up than many of the nearby oaks. Again, I was amazed at the vampire's abilities and shuttered a little to think how dangerous this duo was.

I shivered again and Alice eyed me shrewdly as if she knew my thoughts.

I turned my attention away from the vampires and to the room itself. I tried to commit to memory this place as a possible escape route. Even as clumsy as I was, I could probably use the oak trees to climb back down.

The room was small and heavily clad in fabric. In fact, between the long gauzy drapes and the ruffled table skirt on the vanity I felt as if I were trapped inside one of those fancy coffins. Maybe I didn't want to come back to this room. It looked nice enough, but something about the room felt suddenly like death. Of course being in tight quarters with two undead creatures didn't help things out either.

As Edward set me down onto the plush rose colored carpet however, I felt as if I were suffocating. I had to take a deep breath to calm my nerves, but my palms were beginning to leak. An oak laced breeze fluttered in through the open window trailing the curtains further into the room as if the curtains wanted to stop us. The light fabric brushed against my arm and I flinched.

Edward looked at me. I gave him a weak smile as I tried to act brave.

Another breath of wind whispered into the room. This wind was harder than the first and carried with it the fresh scent of pine from the forest and even rained in a handful of acorns from the nearby oak tree. The smell, while refreshing, was also reminder that I was leaving security behind. The forest had been safe; this house smelled of dust and danger. The forceful wind pushed the curtains further into the room and I stepped aside to avoid being contained by the fabric arms.

Edward placed his hand on the small of my back and leaned in so close that his lips brushed against my ear as he whispered. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," I lied. "As good as can be expected."

"Are you sure?" Ben still within Alice's arms looked both childlike and worried. His voice was laden with concern and I could tell that he wanted to be by my side.

I nodded my head, but Ben's face still expressed concern and I could see his muscles rippling under his shirt as if worry were consuming him or perhaps he was straining to come to me.

I laid my hand on the vanity as if to draw support from the building.

In typical Alice speed, Alice set Ben down, walked over to the vanity, and picked up a silver plated hairbrush.

"It'll be okay, Bella." She ran the brush down the length of my hair and it felt both nice and relaxing. She repeated the action over and over again and with each stroke, I felt stronger.

Ben, a moment slower than Alice, was by my side as well. He wrapped one of his gloriously protective arms around my shoulder, but didn't say anything. Instead he drew me further into him as if could us one.

I think he was as worried as I was. I could feel his heart beating in time to mine. It was rather enduring and at that moment we both sighed. I looked into his face and he into mine. We smiled at one another. Together we seemed to feed emotionally off one another and that support was overpowering. I needed him as much as he needed me. We were in this together and together we'd see this through. Suddenly, I felt so much better as if my other half had reappeared.

"We can do this, Bella," Ben whispered into my ear. His warm breath sent chills down my spine. Inhaling his scented breath was liking breathing cold lemonade on a hot summer day – it was both pleasant and satisfying and more than that it refreshed my soul.

I nodded and bumped into Alice's hand as she continued to brush my hair.

Surprisingly, Edward was the one person . . . well, monster not to comfort me. Instead, Edward half crouched in the center of the room with his head cocked to the side. He held up a hand to silence us. His face grew more stone-like and suddenly, I couldn't watch him or the others even. All I'd see was worry and I needed to gather my strength.

Closing my eyes for a second, I took in a deep breath and then reopened them. To keep my mind of the others, I stared at the scrolling wall borders of painted cozy cottages. They were intricately painted and I now longed to be far away from this place. I wanted to be inside those beautifully painted scenes where everything looked so postural and peaceful.

The frilly lace and ruffle accents in the room did nothing to but me at ease though. Nor did the gauzy curtains that twisted around my arm again with each curling breath of wind. In a room as girlie as this one, it should have been difficult to be too afraid, but I couldn't help myself. I was afraid.

My father had been kidnapped and now I was trespassing. My life at the moment was too much like a poorly written novel. I sighed and then took in another deep breath. I had to remain calm and focus. I'd messed things up and I was going to have to make things right again. I just had to. And this room, however nostalgic of a simpler time, reminded me that I was heading into trouble. I was after all breaking and entering and on government property. Things were getting serious now.

Alice's loving strokes brought me back to the present, but Ben's embrace feed me my strength and resolve. I stood taller and nestled my head against Ben's chin. My actions were almost mirrored by Edwards.

Edward stood up again and as he lowered his hand, he motioned us forward. We crept across the floor, Edward and Alice didn't make a sound, but every step Ben and I took the floorboards groaned like the dying. The sound of the squeaking floor betrayed the beating of my heart. Surely we'd be discovered. As if sensing the danger of our situation, Edward scooped me into his arm and Alice did the same for Ben.

"You two are noisy," Alice sighed. She then sniffed Ben's hair, "But I do like the way you smell."

"Umm. Thanks," Ben whispered. Then with a flick of his head, he added, "So, the library will be on the first floor."

Edward nodded. He listened at the door for a moment and then turned the knob. His hand jumped back before trying again. "Sorry. The knob was ice cold. It startled me."

He opened the door and darted into the hall. He motioned for Alice to follow, but hadn't needed to. She was already there.

The two of them crept side by side down the wide and curving staircase. They were quiet and it amazed me that creatures as hard as stone could be as quiet as mice. The wooden steps were carpeted by a worn, faded red fabric that was fraying at the sides. Dust stirred with each of Edward's steps, but not even the hint of a whisper portrayed his movements. My feet dangled over the edge of Edward's arms and just above the wrought iron banister that twisted like a broken heart. Or maybe that was my heart ripping in my chest; longing for my dad.

The stairs spilled out like a tongue past two large, dark columns and onto a pale marbled foyer that looked like the stained teeth of a monster. Edward set me down on the floor, but I slipped. He was there to catch me, but his hard body bruised mine. Ben's hand found mine a moment later. Although he had a raw, animalistic power to his grip, his hand seemed soft compared to Edwards. I also noticed that he was fast, but not as fast as Edward.

Edward looked at Ben. They eyed one another the way wolves meeting for the first time might. Both straightened to their full heights and their chests puffed out like roosters. Ben was the bigger of the two by far, but I had no doubt that Edward would probably win in fight.

"Follow me. We are close now." Ben said in a voice as low as a limbo game. Still holding my hand, Ben led the way. Our fingers were entwined like ropes around a life preserver and somehow I truly felt safe around him.

He looked at me briefly and squeezed my hand slightly as if he could read my mind. "Just don't trip," he said with a wink and a turned up smile.

I jutted my hip into his. "Really? Jokes at a time like this?"

"Who says I was joking?"

"You are an absolute beast, you know that right?"

"Guilty," he said in a voice that was a little too playful and husky for a time like this. Then he sauntered across the slick marble like a tiger on the prowl and firmly tugged me along. "But I won't let you fall. Ever. Remember?"

Edward hissed like a cat, but Alice reminded us all to be quiet.

With our mouths sealed for once, we entered a rectangular room that was paneled from floor to ceiling in dark rose colored wood. Two fires blazed in fireplaces on both ends of the room, but the room had no warmth. It was as cold as crypt, but smelled like a cellar. I shivered from fear and cold. Ben's arm found my waist and he drew my alongside him. I felt warmer instantly.

"This place sort of reminds of something out of Beauty and the Beast," Ben whispered into my ear.

Again Edward hissed and Alice cautioned us on our noise making endeavors.

I thought about what Ben said. He wasn't wrong. The place was large and a bit castle-like and the stairwell for sure could have been from the book and then there was the fact that place supposedly housed a large library. Why even this room, although modern compared to the book had a historic feel to it with its overuse of wood.

The room was large and the wood gave it a boxed in feel almost as if I were in a coffin. It was furnished in plain, but comfortable sofas that looked as if they belonged in a funeral home. A pair of pale blue, velvet sofas the color of a corpse faced each of the fires. Alice flittered like a moth towards the sofas and ran her dainty fingers across the fabric. She smiled approvingly at the quality of the furniture.

As I watched her, I too longed to press my hands across the inviting fabric, but knew I'd only slow us down. Unlike Alice, I didn't move at blinding speeds. Ben and I walked as quietly as we could across the wooden floor, but it wasn't easy. The well-polished wood was surprisingly in good shape and didn't make much noise, but still our feet betrayed us with each passing step.

Edward sighed and I could tell he was tempted to scoop us both up in an effort to both hurry us and quiet us. Ben, on-the-other-hand, molded into me the way he was, seemed rather content to stay how he was. I figured this too annoyed Edward.

As we approached a series of stately windows, I worried that somehow we might be discovered by guards outside, but Alice had already scouted the area out and motioned us forward.

I noticed that the windows opposite us now had a sunny seating area of a pale yellow sofa and two matching chairs. While the color was bright enough, something about the 1960 modern lines and the paleness of the shade suggested a cold, harsh reality awaited visitors. Then again perhaps it was my own fears that were coloring my depiction of the scene.

A door closing from the upstairs made us all freeze like statues. I looked at Ben. I was worried. I knew that Edward and Alice with the hardness of their bodies and ability to go extended times without breathing could pass as statues – not that anyone would think they were statues and they'd surely wonder how they got there. Ben and I, however, were all too alive. In no way could Ben and I pass as statues. Without saying a word, both Ben and I melted against the dark wood walls. Edward had his head turned and Alice her eyes closed.

Edward motioned for us to move, "Nothing to worry about. Just someone on their way to the bathroom."

Ben and I hugged the wall as we wrapped our way around the room and avoided the second story balcony overlooking the room just in case someone happened to walk by us. I was glad to have Edward and Alice ease drop for us, but I wondered just how well their skills worked. Apparently their skills worked only on humans and vampires. Who knew who or what we faced here at the LPI. Certainly, there had to be some Bigfoot types. I just hoped that perhaps Ben had some Bigfoot senses and could detect them. I thought about broaching the subject with him, but I could tell that my vampire chaperones were getting annoyed with all the chit-chat.

Since it was early on a Sunday morning, the LPI was depleted of most people. Still, at least one person was here. I looked up at the ceiling again and strained my ear to detect any more signs of life from upstairs. Nothing. Ben and I tip-toed across the floor. Ben had to keep me propped up because I was well . . . you know tipsy.

The floor was of solid construction and didn't give or groan under our weight. Thank the gods. Plus, thick Oriental rugs padded our footfalls. I sighed in relief. Not that I minded being manhandled by vampires or bigfoots, I just wanted to be in charge of my fate for once and not feel so helpless.

We came to a long, wide corridor that was white as a hospital, but architecturally had arches and pavement that resembled underground roman tunnels. I had the sense I was walking down a tunnel under the Colosseum on my way to a gladiator match. I smiled a little because I knew that I had two vampires and one terrifying beast with me.

Ben looked at me with a questioningly smile. "Feeling better?" His warm hand squeezed mine.

"All things considered?! Yes."

I misspoke though. Something dark and sinister flickered ahead of us on the stark white walls and I jumped further into Ben's arms before I realized that it was just a shadow. In fact, overhead, a series of five light fixtures boxy, but Moroccan in style dangled from the ceiling and continued to cast flickering shadows as we passed. I felt as hallow as our shadows. My father had been taken from me and now here I was trespassing on government property. My sins were as dark as my shadow, but my fear was longer.

It seemed like an eternity to travel down the tunnel like hall. We passed three heavy wooden doors and a row of heavily draped windows without any problems. Every window we passed caused me a moments panic though as I worried about getting caught by the guards patrolling the outside perimeter.

In fact, I was so busy worrying about the windows that I neglected the doors. I supposed I put too much trust into my vampire friends' abilities for I when the last door flew open just before us, I jumped like cat scared by a cucumber.

Luckily, Alice's hand was around my mouth before I could call out in surprise and in the same fluid motioned, she'd whisked me into the long, thick drapes surrounding the nearby window. Edward must have done the same to Ben. For now the hallway was vacant aside from the door still in mid swing. Alice clung to me as our bodies pressed into the stucco walls behind layers of silk and damask curtains. Only a thin layer of fabric and a vampire's arms were my current source of cover. This was crazy. Surly, we'd be exposed. My chest heaved as if I'd been sprinting, but Alice continued to hold me tight with her hand across my mouth. I didn't dare move, but I could feel sweat beading on my forehead and in my palms.

The door came to rest against the wall with a soft thud. A middle-aged man with balding blonde hair and thin wire framed glasses exited the room balancing a large metal tray on three fingers. He carried a thin leather bound book and two tall glass filled with clear liquid on his tray. He was whistling a show tune as he used his right foot to hook the end of the door and drag it to a half closed position.

He couldn't have been human otherwise Alice or Edward would have detected his presence. As if to confirm my suspicions, I heard a hitch in Ben's voice as if he were startled and knew the man. I didn't dare move to check on Ben though. I was too afraid to blink or breathe let alone turn my head. Thankfully, I still had Alice supporting me or I'd probably move and portray us all.

The man stopped whistling and cocked his head to the side as if he were straining to hear something. How, I hoped he hadn't heard Ben. I could feel sweat pooling under my arms now and I felt so bad for Alice. I was probably as slippery as a greased pig. The man stood there for a second and then picked up his tune exactly where he'd left off. He readjusted his glasses and then ambled off in the direction we'd just come.

The heaving of my chest slowed, but even as my heartbeat dipped, I could still feel the blood racing through my body. Adrenaline rocked my body, but the constraining comfort of Alice's arms kept me balanced.

Soon the tune died away and from the distance another door could be heard opening and closing. Edward stepped out of the curtains to the left of me and then so did Ben. Alice let me go and I stumbled forward into the empty corridor. Alice caught me by the elbow as she stepped to my side. "It'll be okay," she whispered so low that I wasn't sure she said anything at all.

I really hoped Chuck was here. Going through all this trouble for nothing wasn't worth it. My heart still beat faster than normal and I was worried that if I didn't get control of my emotions, then I'd give myself a heart attack.

Ben pointed to the doorway that was now open just a smidge and then placed a finger to his lips. I nodded.

With bated breath, I passed the door on tip toes and followed Ben and Alice into the adjacent sun room. I couldn't hear Edward behind me, but I could smell his sweet scent. The divine dessert like smell wafting off him made me feel a little better, but only just.

At last we were at the end of the great house. There was no more rooms beyond this one unless we turned around and went back the other way. I wasn't sure why Ben had led us here. I had expected books, but this room, while vast, was sparely furnished and had only one large towering bookshelf that stood in the corner like a bully. Every inch of the shelves was used including books resting on top of books so that the entire space was filled.

A patina blue copper fireplace with art deco lines and designs melted into the center wall. Sunlight skipped across the large marble squares on the floor as oak trees swayed in the wind just outside the window. I felt a chill as the sunlight hopscotched across the room. One moment it was there, the next minute gone. I hoped that my life would not be as fleeting as those pinpricks of lights.

Footsteps overhead drew all our attention upwards. I titled my head as I listened to the squeaking of boards and the clatter of hard soled shoes on wood. The movement was contained to the section just over our heads and eventually the sound stopped.

I relaxed my shoulders as things quieted again. I hadn't even noticed that I'd been hunched over in anticipation. I kept my ear trained to the ceiling as I briefly scanned the scene above me. Three light fixtures of museum quality hung in a row across the long rectangular ceiling. The fixtures were among the oddest and most beautiful I'd ever seen. They were simple and elegant in design and looked like a very simple computer circuit. Each fixture had a row of what looked like three raised and crudely constructed tic-tac-toe boards. I lost myself in thought about the childhood game which could only be resolved in one of three ways: win, lose, or draw. From the moment I set foot on property, I'd felt I'd been trapped into a game of chess, but maybe I'd really been playing more of a game of tic-tac-toe. I hoped my victory could be so short and sweet. But I knew that two more options also awaited me.

Ben walked over to the book case and stared at its edges and then examined the books.

I wandered that direction too, but Alice remained in the center of the room facing the fireplace and shut her eyes.

Edward followed me.

"I don't understand," I came to a stop next to Ben. "I thought the LPI housed like thousands of books and documents. Where are they all? This is it?"

A chair overhead screeched across the floor and the footsteps started up again. My eyes darted upward. The sound faded. Someone must have found carpeting or perhaps a chair. I looked back at the bookshelf. I felt a tingling in my fingertips. Anticipation. Fear. Anxiety. I moved closer to the boys. I exhaled and only then did I realize that I had been holding my breath.

Ben was still looking the bookshelf up and down. His head craned towards the darkened crease where the bookshelf pressed into the wall. "Yeah. No. There are more books. Lots more. Like in the rooms we just passed. But this is a special shelf."

"Special? How?"

Edward ran a hand along the section of the bookshelf that met the wall. "I see what you mean."

I furrowed my brows and stepped around the boys to better see into the shadowy darkness. All I could see was a long, dark crease that ran between the wall and the shelf.

I scratched the back of my neck, "I don't see anything."

Edward took my hand. A shock sparked between us and we both shared a fleeting private smile. He then edged my hand closer to the wall. "Do you feel the current?"

I nodded. I did. I could feel it. It was light and little like the sigh of a baby, but it was there. Something was behind the wall. A secret room or perhaps just a space, but the shelf was certainly blocking something.

Edward sniffed the air surrounding us, "I can smell your father. It's very faint, but I can smell him. He's just behind the shelf."

Before I could lower my hand, Alice had joined us and had swept Ben into her arms. "Edward, we need to go."

"Leaving so soon?"