Esme, Seth, Jasper, Edward, and I will find Padrone together. Carlisle, Bella, Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett will stay behind to protect Renesmee and watch David.
Sam refused to leave the city, and Jake decided to stay with Renesmee, so Seth is the only shape-shifter with us.
We drove there, and because they didn't need to sleep, we arrived in no time using the super express highway. Esme held my hand the whole trip, and I have to say I was nervous. I wanted to find Padrone but didn't want to become a nuance during the fight, so I would have to be careful not to get in the way.
The city was noisy and full of people like expected. The weather was the complete opposite of Forks, but for vampires that don't want to "blend in," that didn't matter. We hid the car in a back alley, and Jasper gave us the plan.
—This is your earpiece. He gives a small device to Seth and me. —We'll communicate through this when you guys walk out there. We'll follow you through the shade, covering your backs while you look for the building.
Seth and I were the only ones that could walk in the sun around all those people, so it was natural that we would look for the building with the electricity meter going crazy and report back to them.
—Don't try to fight him in any circumstance. Locate the building, tell us, and walk away from it. Esme looked like the most worried of them all, but I wasn't stupid. I didn't plan on fighting him alone.
—Right. Seth puts his earpiece, and we walk out into the sea of people.
There was some kind of festival happening, so the sidewalks were packed with people wearing costumes and drinks at hand. The music was loud, and the costumes seemed so all over the place that I couldn't tell the party's theme.
Walking a few feet forward, with Seth keeping watch, I check every structure around us as the crowd gets more intense. I can hear the parade approaching, and this place will come to a stop when they reach us.
I squeeze my way around, looking for the following building, when the wavy red hair dancing in the air makes my stomach drop. Without a second thought, pushing the people away and getting quite a few dirty looks, I make my way through to look at the woman, but she wasn't whom I thought.
—Anne, what's the problem? Esme asks me on my earpiece.
—Nothing. I thought…
—Don't move. Mirania's voice sends chills down my spine. She has her sharp nails on my back, and I can see a piece of her cloak going down to her feet, making sure no part of her body was exposed.
—You… I control my voice the best I can. I can't make a scene here.
—Anne! Seth's voice sounds urgent as he notices Mirania.
—Don't come closer. I warn him and the others. —It's Mirania.
—Tell your friends to follow us inside the building.
She pushes me from behind and through all those people like we are just sticking together as friends that don't want to be separated.
She opens the door to a building a few feet away from where we were and pushes me inside, closing the door just to reappear behind me, removing her costume cloak and revealing the fiery red hair and eyes that I knew so well. —Long time, slowpoke. She smiles.
Seth jumps inside the room, followed by the others coming from an entrance on the back, probably to avoid the sun.
—Why are you here? Where is Padrone? I wasn't expecting to see her, and I'm actually disappointed.
—Not here. She says, turning her back to us and walking towards a door next to the fireplace. —C'mon.
We follow her through the door and down the stairs to a dark room full of machines. Giannini is there too, standing under the dim lights.
—I've been staying here for some time now to locate and shut down all of Padrone's lab. We are wiping everything clean and releasing any captured vampires we find. Mirania explains like she's talking to an old friend. Her voice is steady, and she sounds like Jasper when he's giving orders or reports. —You guys took your time finding this place. She leans against the computer panel, looking too relaxed for my liking.
—David told us about the labs. Edward says, calm and looking almost casual. Maybe he and Jasper can't sense aggressiveness from Mirania and Giannini, but I wonder if they can feel mine. Seth is right behind me. He knows I wanted to rip Mirania's head off, but I'm controlling myself better than I expected.
I imagined I would attack Mirania when I saw her, but I don't feel half the amount of anger I thought I would. I'm not pleased to see her, but I guess I don't blame her that much anymore. I'm hunting the real killer now.
—David? Stooge David? She's surprised to hear his name. I guess his quitting wasn't a mutual agreement after all. She laughs a bit like she can't believe she would ever hear that name again.
—He came to us and is helping us locate Padrone. Her face changes from nostalgia to warry.
Mirania looks back at Giannini, scratching her neck. —I guess he was feeling guilty, even after all this time.
I glance at Edward, reading her mind right now, and change the subject as fast as possible. I know she's talking about the time they experimented on me, but I want that to be for my ears only.
—Where is Padrone? My voice is a little too aggressive and urgent, making Seth move to my side. He wouldn't let me fight Mirania bare-handed or in any other way for that matter. He was just like Esme, always asking me to be careful.
—We don't know; that's why we are shutting down the labs one by one, squeezing him out.
—Is he with Cinque and the others? Jasper asks impatiently.
—Probably. He wouldn't walk around without security. Giannini still has the same serious air about him, but I can't find him threatening after all he told me in Rome. When Mirania was inside my head, and we were about to dive into that tank, his love declaration changed my image of him forever.
—So, you got nothing? Edward must've scanned their minds a thousand times by now. This was a dead end.
—Not exactly. I look up at her with hopeful eyes. —We've been through many labs, but they all looked abandoned. If Padrone is not using them, I think he lacks the funds. The Volturi must've kicked him out. So she means that without them, he's nothing?
—Can you prove the Volturi ordered him to attack us? Esme steps forward, and I remember this is the first time she and Jasper talk directly to Mirania. They heard my stories about her and met her briefly in Rome, but this is the first time they spoke.
—Of course not. He's a slippery son of a bitch. You can't even prove he experimented on Anne. Mirania shuts down my hopes of getting something again.
—So he's on the wind? Edward's voice sounds annoyed and disappointed in my ears, but it could be that I'm projecting my feelings.
—He must be figuring out a way out of this mess and will use the experiments to attack all of you if it means the Volturi will take him back.
—Let's look for him together. The memories I had from her were nothing compared with what she could do. She's light-years ahead of us in her search. Esme and Seth look at me, surprised by my suggestion.
—No way. You'll delay me. I'll kill him and send his ashes to you in the mail. She rejects my idea right away. I'm not happy to ask her to help us, but this is not about me.
—We can help you. I try harder to convince her. —If he's not alone, you can't fight him. You know how strong the experiments are.
—I said no. And you all should stay out of this too. Especially you. She points at me. —He is angry at me for saving you and will hurt you to get to me.
—He already tried. Jasper steps forward. —He attacked our house with four vampires.
—Only Four? He's almost out of options then. Giannini lets out a grin, looking satisfied.
—If he's on your side, you should use David. He can hide his presence, and as long as he's quiet, no one can find him. Mirania seems to know David well. I should ask him about her when we go back.
—How loyal was he to Padrone? Jasper asks as most of us are very wary of David, so understanding his relationship with Padrone would help us trust him more.
—Like a rabbit is loyal to a fox. He did everything he ordered but bolted the first chance he got. He was not made for that job. He was too…empathetic. Giannini chooses his words carefully, and I know what he means. David is not the cold-blooded killer Sam thinks and is much more honest than Jasper believes.
—You mean he was a wimp. Mirania has her usual sarcastic tone. —Now, out of here, all of you. I'm leaving tonight. She and Giannini start typing in something on the big computer behind them, probably erasing the harddisks, but I need something, anything, to not go back empty-handed.
—Where are you going next? How many experiments are with him?
—Out. Or I blow the building like in Rome. I was sure she was bluffing, but Edward touched my shoulder, letting me know her threats were not empty.
We step away and go back to the back of the building, leaving Giannini and Mirania behind to erase all the data and make this another useless hideout, extinguishing Padrone's options even more.
The music from the streets is loud and depressing to my ears. I had nothing. All that commotion and big talk just to get here for nothing. I can't even raise my head.
Seth holds my hand, and we through the street, back to the car, where they're waiting for us. —I'm sorry. I finally dare to speak. —I was wrong.
—You did a great job. You even found Mirania and got a lot of good information too. Esme is sitting next to me, holding my hand and trying to comfort me, but we can't find Padrone faster with that.
—Now we know the Volturi abandoned him, we can treat him like just another vampire. This makes things easier, although it's frustrating that we can't blame the real culprits in all of this. I'll keep tracking him. Jasper makes it sound like I found something, but in reality, he's just trying to make me feel better. He must be feeling the frustration and anger coming from me.
—Let's go home. Esme says, squeezing my hand.
When we get home, everyone is eager to hear our story, but I don't have a tale of bravery for them, just defeat.
—We saw Mirania and Giannini, but they also didn't know where he was. We all gathered in the living room to discuss what happened.
—The information we got will give a new direction to the search. We'll keep visiting the cities on the list but looking for them at hotels and small establishments. He's on the run, so he'll keep a low profile. As usual, Jasper already has a plan B.
—I'll ask David about Padrone's habits and how he used to move. I'm already spinning the wheels inside my head, too, thinking of my own plan.
After we talked, I made my way to David. I should tell him the news too, but as I leave the house, my steps sound too quiet, so I look back, searching for Seth, but he's not there. I return to the house, and he's standing by the stairs.
—You not coming? I ask, confused. He has never left my side even once after David arrived.
—I'll… take a shower. You can go and talk to him. He has his arms crossed and looks hesitant and nervous like he's about to start running somewhere, but I guess he's just tired. I know I am.
—All right. I'll be right back. The others remain quiet and avoid my eyes, but no one offers to come with me. This is unprecedented, and I'm a bit lost, but I walk out anyway, looking back as I move towards the storage room.
Quil and Embry are in front of the door, and I call David outside.
—You're back. He says, looking relieved. I'm sure he knows what the bad news is, but I just wanted to tell him in person.
—I'm sorry. I found nothing. Mirania was there but not him.
—I heard. But it's still good news. You found out about the Volturi and the fact that he's traveling under the radar. We would've never got to him if we kept looking using that outdated information.
—I guess. I was just really hoping he was there. I was supposed to finish this but instead hit another wall.
—You didn't get hurt did you? He seems to want to step closer, but Quil and Embry stand close to the door, watching him.
—No. Mirania has a tight grip and sharp nails, but she didn't attack us. Her story about David is in my mind, but I'll leave it for another day. I'm in desperate need of sleep.
—I'm glad. You should get some sleep.
—I will. I just came to say thank you for helping me. Giving up that information wasn't easy in your position, and I'll make sure it doesn't hurt your training with Carlisle.
—I'm ok. Go ahead and rest. I smile at him and walk away, back to the house to say goodnight to everyone and go to my room. Seth pokes his head out of the door with a towel over his head, but his hair is bone dry.
—You talked to him? He asks, trying to look relaxed.
—Yeah. We'll continue his training and the search for Padrone in the morning. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night.
I enter my room and throw my tired body in the bed. Sleep comes easily, but the weight on my chest is still there, pressing against my ribs.
The following days I work my butt off every night and day to find Padrone and help David control his thirst. Things were quiet again, and since they promised me, I still would get updates daily to keep the appearances, but never something significant. It's probably because I created all that ruckus and dragged them to that city for nothing.
One morning, when we were returning from David's first hunt of the day, I was so tired that I slept on top of Seth. I was just going to close my eyes for a moment, but his fur was so warm and soft that I just doze off.
When I opened my eyes, he stood still, alone in the middle of the woods. Startled when realizing I fell asleep on him, I drop to the ground on my back as I stand up too fast.
—Ouch! I sit down, rubbing my back.
—You ok? Seth asks, laughing at me.
—Why were you just standing there?
—You were asleep. I didn't want to drop you. He helps me stand up, holding back his laughter a little bit. Only a little bit.
—Where are the others?
—They went back.
—So you've been standing there for how long? He shrugs and doesn't answer. I look at my watch, and we are only three hours away from the next hunt.
—We should go back. You can get some sleep back at the house.
—Ahm… I'm exhausted. SO tired; I don't think I can change and go back.
—All right. Ahm… over there. A patch of soft-looking grass near a tree looks like a nice place to rest. I always keep my bad at hand if I need batteries or other stuff. I also have a picnic mat inside for days when the grass is too wet to sit on, and although today is not the case, we can use it for him to lay down.
I sit by the tree and take out the mat. —You can lay down on this and use my bag as a pillow.
The mat is nice a straight on the ground, and he lays down immediately, putting his head on my lap, smiling up at me like this was his plan all along.
—I'll take a nap here.
It feels a bit awkward to let him sleep on my lap, but I guess it's OK; he did stand up here all this time so I could sleep; I can lend him my lap for a few hours.
I support my back against the bark, and he's looking up at me, smiling happily and making me blush.
—Turn to the side. You can see up my nose. I cover my face, and he pulls my hand down.
—Then look at me.
I can't meet his eyes and put my hands over his face. —You should be sleeping, you know.
He pulls my fingers down. —Then talk about something.
—About what?
He thinks for a moment. —About the time you hopped cities with your parents.
I have so many stories about that time, so it's difficult to choose a good one, but I think I have just the right one to put him to sleep.
—Hum… Once, I lived in this tiny European town, and the people there believed fairies lived in the forest, so they left offerings for them. They made this sugar candy and wrapped it in shinning foil because fairies liked to collect precious shiny objects according to the stories. I was playing a fifteen-year-old in school at the time, so I could act a little more carefree and reckless for a change. My friends and I did this stupid bravery test one night, as teenagers do.
I look down at him, and he's paying attention, eyes open. My fingers are in his hair as I remember those days vividly now.
—Whoever made the walk through the dark woods and came back with a candy wrap would have the title of "brave" for the whole week. All kids in school would call you "Brave John! Or "Brave Tina" and cheer you up.
He looks a little more sleepy now, so I continue my story more quietly.
—My friends were pissing their pants in front of the dark forest, but I lived inside those woods and knew the way to the offering rock by heart. I told them I would go first and played the part, pretending I was scared but quietly hiding behind one of the trees. They called my name, and when I didn't answer, they went inside together. Mina was crying, saying the fairies ate me when I finally jumped out and screamed, scaring the bejesus out of them. Mina wept like a baby, and Hugo didn't talk to me for a week, but he came around when he needed my notes for the midterms.
My memories are so vivid now that I'm just talking to myself instead of helping him sleep.
—Oh! I remember now. Hugo's mother made the best PB&J I've ever had in my whole life! His mother was American, and she could get her hands on the good stuff. She used to put apple slices, cinnamon, and whipped cream. I can still taste it! My mom was so jealous that I liked her food better that she took all these complicated online cooking classes but couldn't cook the dishes in the end because she couldn't taste them. We got Toby that summer. He was a wee puppy, sleeping, looking cute, and I just wanted to look at his face all day. He eventually got big enough to push me to the floor, but he couldn't learn a trick to save his life.
Laughing as I remember the countless times Toby covered me in slob and looked down. Seth's serene face warms up my heart as he looks like he's sound asleep.
I couldn't express in words how grateful I am to him and all he does for me. Watching over while he sleeps makes me feel like I'm protecting him this time. I hope he has good dreams. —Thank you. I whisper, touching his hair.