Chapter 36: The Analyst
A week had passed and I'd had company every single moment of it. Rosalie had gone on some crazy over protective mother streak and said I wasn't allowed to be left alone for even a second. "She's being ridiculous," I complained to Alice as she dragged me to my room. "I know but that's Rosalie for you" she smiled. "It'll pass eventually. You might have to wait a few century's but you'll get your freedom back" I couldn't stand another minute of this. I felt so controlled. "Can you make this?" Alice asked suddenly bringing out a piece of paper from her pocket.
I took the paper from her. It was a drawing of a white dress. It kind of reminded me of what Jane wore except in white. It had long sleeves and looked like it went just above my knees. "Yes why?" I asked handing it back to her. "I just thought it would look nice on you" Alice laughed waiting for me to make it no doubt. "Fine" I smiled imagining myself in the dress. "Leave your hair out" Alice was suddenly behind me brushing my hair. "Can you make your hair grow some more?" she asked still brushing it. I'd been slowly making my hair grow out for the past month and it was now just past my shoulders.
I did as she asked and grew it down to my waist. "The longer your hair is the less curly it is" it was true as my hair grew it became more wavy then curly. "That's ok I think it looks nicer" I laughed pulling my fringe out as Alice pulled half of my hair back. "Do you have a hair tie?" she asked holding her hand out to me, "of course I do," I laughed imagining one in her hand. She tied half of my hair up then brushed it again. "I knew it would suit you" she smiled taking my hand. "Where are we going now?" I asked following her. "Bella's coming over".
"Hey Edward. Ditching, Bella?" Emmett grinned as they came through the door. "We both are" Edward reminded him. "Yes but it's her first time through high school. She might miss something." Edward just laughed at him, "instead of worrying about Bella's education how about you worry about your own child's" Emmett turned to smile at me. "I'd gladly send her to school but you know what Rosalie's like" he sighed. We both rolled our eyes. "It's not like I'd be alone at school" I grumbled taking a seat on the couch. "Yer well what are you going to do?" Emmett shrugged. Edward tossed the paper to Carlisle "did you see that they're considering a serial killer now?" he asked.
"They've had two specialists debating that possibility on CNN all morning" Carlisle sighed putting the paper down. "We can't let this go on," Edward demanded. "Let's go now, I'm dead bored" Emmett said with sudden enthusiasm. A hiss echoed down the stairway from upstairs. "She's such a pessimist," Emmett muttered to himself. "We'll have to go sometime," Edward agreed with Emmett. Rosalie appeared at the top of the stairs and descended slowly her face smooth and expressionless. "We've never involved ourselves in this kind of thing before it's not our business. We aren't the Volturi" Carlisle was shaking his head. " I don't want the Volturi to come here, it gives us so much less reaction time" Edward said. "And all those innocent people" Esme murmured, "it's not right for them to die this way"
"Oh, I didn't think of that. I see. You're right, that has to be it. Well that changes everything " Edwards was rambling on to himself like a lunatic. Bella looked at him confused. Alice asked Jasper to explain. " Your confused" Jasper said to Bella. "Were all confused" Emmett grumbled. "Not all of us" I muttered crossing my legs. "How much do you know about me Bella?" Jasper asked, "not much" she admitted. Jasper turned to look at Edward who then answered his silent question. Jasper nodded simply then rolled up his sleeve and held his wrist under the light bulb. "Jasper you have a scar just like mine" Bella breathed in realization. She held out her own hand studying the resemblance. "I have a lot of scars like yours" he sighed pulling his shirt higher up his arm. "Jasper what happened to you? She gasped staring up at him.
"The same thing that happened to your hand except many times over. Our venom is the only thing that leaves a scar," Jasper answered in a quiet voice. "Why? Bella asked in horror. "I didn't quite have the same up brining as my adopted siblings here. My beginning was something entirely different" Bella gasped appalled, "before I tell you my story you must understand that there are places in our world where the life span of the never aging is measured in weeks and not centuries" Bella listened intently as Jasper begun his story.
Everyone else was less impressed and went to do their own thing. Carlisle and Emmett went back to the TV and Alice sat by Esme's feet. I took now as a good time to sneak off on my own. I hadn't even gotten up when Rosalie's head turned to me. I turned back to the TV and pretended to watch. I imagined myself in my room with Maddy still down on the couch. I hadn't heard any yelling so I took it that Maddy was now in my place.
I walked over to my mirror to fix my fringe. I was finally alone and I didn't know what to do with myself. "Knock, knock" I let out a huge sigh. There was no mistaking that voice. I only knew one other vampire girl my age and that was Jane. Jane still sounded child like and so her voice was easy to identify. "What do you want now?" I asked turning away from my mirror. "Just thought you'd be interested to know that the number of newborns in Seattle has increased" she stepped away from the window allowing room for Alec to come in. "there's at least thirty of them now" she sighed. My eyes widened, "thirty" I gasped, there was only supposed to be eighteen. "We knocked a few off" Alec shrugged. "Oh gee thanks," I muttered sarcastically. "Your welcome" he smiled.
"The red head knows what she wants' and it appears that you have made it obvious that you're a threat and so she has upped the numbers." Jane shrugged. "Wait you know I was taken?" I asked curiously. "Yes we nearly came down to break you out" she laughed, "It was rather entertaining to watch you run like mad". I rolled my eyes at her. "Yes well my power was momentarily out of use so I had to run" I grumbled. "Their coming after her you know?" Alec said calmly. "Really? I thought she was just making an army for the fun of it," I snapped sarcastically.
"Are you sure your family can handle it?" Jane asked curiously. "Well considering the numbers have just increased I don't know. Maybe you could do your job and stop them," I suggested putting my hands on my hips. Jane chuckled. "Oh come on Lissa, stop acting like you don't know what were trying to do here" she smiled. "I know exactly what you're doing" I frowned. "You're trying to knock a few of us off. You think were a threat" Alec smiled, "were not trying to knock a few of them off," he laughed. "Were just simply letting the future decide for itself who lives and who dies" I rolled my eyes at him. Wait he said a few of them not you. They're not going to let me die?
"What if we all die?" I questioned, Jane smiled "don't worry we won't let you all die". Great, so we'd fight with them keeping watch and if it looked like I was at risk then they'd step in. "why do you want me so much?" I asked annoyed. "You're the perfect guard Lissa, wouldn't you want someone as powerful as yourself?" Alec asked. I laughed, I was the one vampire in the world that was more powerful then the volturi. "What if I don't want to be a guard? Surely if I'm as powerful as you say I am then I should receive a higher role. Shouldn't you guard me?" I could see myself now, sitting on a chair beside Aro. No! Above Aro. I could rule over them. Be the queen of the vampires!
"I'm sure your position could be negotiated" Alec smiled; "if only you would agree to join us," I returned his smile. "Yes if only" I sighed turning away from them. I suddenly remembered what was going on down stairs. Jaspers story would be ending and they'd expect me to say something. "Well this has been an interesting conversation as always but I really must be going back down stairs" I smiled turning back to them. "We'll see each other again no doubt," Jane laughed embracing me quickly. "Goodbye" Alec smiled embracing me in much the same way as Jane except he kissed me on the cheek before stepping back.
The departure was much the same as last time. Jane jumped out the window then Alec would give me an elegant bow then follow her. Again I ran to the window to see them standing by the trees with Felix and Dimetri. They noticed me by the window and gave a quick nod in acknowledgment. I nodded back then imagined myself back downstairs. "But I've seen this before, and theirs no other explanation for it. There is an army of newborns in Settle. Fewer then twenty I'd guess-" Jasper was saying. "Your wrong there's at least thirty" I said coming into the conversation. "Thirty!" Edwards's reaction was much the same as mine. "I was there remember," I stated. "If we want to avoid volturi involvement then we will have to destroy the newborns. I can teach you how; it won't be easy in the city. The newborns aren't concerned about secrecy. It will limit us in way that they are not. Maybe we can lure them out" Jasper was back to planning.
"Maybe we won't have too" Edward murmured, "Did it ever occur to you that the only possible threat in the area that would call for a creation of an army is…us?" Jasper's eyes narrowed and Carlisle widened. "They're not coming for us" Alice insisted then paused, "or they don't know they are. Not yet". Edward was curious and tense, "what is that?" he asked, "what are you remembering?" Alice was silent for a moment. "Flickers" she finally said. "I can't see a clear picture when I try to see what's going on, nothing concrete. But I've been getting these strange flashes. Not enough to make sense of. It's as if someone is changing their mind so quickly that I can't get a good view…" jasper suddenly looked curious "indecisions?" he asked.
"I don't know,…" she answered. "Not indecisions, knowledge. Someone who knows you can't see anything until the decision is made. Someone who is hiding from us. Playing with the holes in your vision" Edward murmured. "Who would know that?" Alice asked. "Aro knows you as well as you know yourself" Edward shrugged. "But I would see if they decided to come." Alice butted in. "unless they didn't want to get their hands dirty" Edward said. "A favor?" Rosalie suggested.
" It's not the volturi" I sighed getting bored. "But you know how much they want Alice and I especially you. I've seen it in Aro's head. It makes sense." Edward disagreed quietly. "Fine then continue on with your silly assumptions," I laughed crossing my arms. "The volturi are to committed to their mission Edward. They would never break rules themselves. It goes against everything they've worked for" Carlisle explained. "They'll clean up afterward. A double betrayal, no harm done" Edward said grimly.
"Apart from that sounding nothing like what the volturi would do I think your assumption is brilliant. Couldn't have thought of a better one myself," I cheered sarcastically. "Except …" I took a long breath, "a vengeful vampire called Victoria coming back for revenge hiding behind another vampire...lets call him Riley. So she gets Riley to do all her dirty work creating the newborns and getting her army ready so that when she chooses to attack she will have enough of an army to keep us distracted while she goes to kill Bella" they all looked at me in shock.
"Do you need more?" I asked, no one said anything. "So Victoria knows you can't see anything unless a decision is made so she gets someone else to do things for her but doesn't let them know of the plans. No one knows of the plans. Riley is only a year old vampire and so doesn't know how to take care of the newborns and so slowly they are turning on each other. Victoria realized her plans probably wouldn't work so she tried to kidnap me so she had a back up plan. When I escaped she saw how powerful I was and decided to create a larger army" I took another breath.
"Bella's clothes are going missing because riley… the guy that was in her room… is collecting Bella's scent for the newborns so that when they come to attack they know who to kill. Going into her bedroom was a test to see if he could get in and out without being caught he was testing to see if he could get in and out safely as long as he didn't do anything Alice would be looking out for. Like trying to kill Bella for instance, he stole her scent so that others could find her. Riley is doing all Victoria's dirty work because he believes that she loves him. There! See was that so hard to figure out?" still no one moved. I was amused; I'd actually stunned seven vampires.
"Sorry Edward but her theory makes a lot more sense" Bella muttered breaking the silence. "It's not a theory Bella, I was actually kidnapped, I saw the newborns and I saw her and I saw Riley. This is real" Edwards arms wrapped around her protectively. "We'll need you to teach us, jasper" Carlisle finally said, "how to destroy them" his jaw was hard but there was pain in his eyes.