A/N: Twilight was created by Stephenie Meyer. Similary, Control was developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by 505 Games. I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines.

I post on both A03 and FanFiction, take your pick in whichever you prefer to read.~.
I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4 ~ A New Face


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"Goodmorning," She greets, a faint smile gracing her lips.

Bella slides down the tree, the cooling shade covering her from the harsher sunlight from the rising sun.

"Morning," She mutters back, stifling a yawn as she places her book at her side. "Been okay?"

"So-so. You know how it is." She shrugs, apologetically. "Should have some free time now, though. Want to try a new game? Been making it since we last spoke.

"Sure," Bella smiles shyly, leaning forward ever so slightly as she curiously met her gaze.

Sky-Coloured Gaze.


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Despite what she might have implied, Izzy did not enjoy shopping.

Not for the act of shopping itself, of course, but rather the sheer quantity of people that it tended to involve with her dealing.

Even without her sight, the sounds and movements tended to be overwhelming. The conversations tended to mix themselves, often leaving her at a loss as to what others had been trying to say. She'd often find herself twitching at movement, whether it'd be from the suddenness, the proximity or even just the quantity.

She hadn't planned on going to the mall. Had honestly had no idea Leah was involved with her world until she'd started explaining about her ex. At which point she'd been too invested to make any attempt to remove herself from the conversation.

Which left her with the issue of having to pretend she wasn't being completely overwhelmed while being completely overwhelmed.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" Izzy asked, placing their shopping in the offside seat. "We could probably manage to grab something before it rains."

"Sure." Leah shrugs, closing the door. "Any ideas?"

"No clue." She admits entirely honestly, lazily placing her hands in her pockets. "You know the place better than I do," Izzy points out, "Lead on."

"I get the feeling you were more interested in the food than the actual sports shop."

"Well, duh. It's food." She nods decisively, following after her with a slight skip in her step.

Leah raises an eyebrow, seemingly debating whether or not that's a discussion she's willing to have.

The answer's no, obviously. It's not a discussion she's going to win. Still, kudos to her for even contemplating it. "We could always go to Kokopelli's, they tend to do good food. Ever had a crab cake?"

"I have." Izzy smiled happily. "Haven't had one in ages, though. That's a definite yes from-" She stops, frowning for a moment as she glances towards the edge of the road.

"You okay?" Leah frowns, concerned.

"Yeah." She nods after a moment of silence. "Just noticed some of my classmates are here." She replies honestly, frowning as she tries to focus. "Do you mind if we invite them?"

"I guess?" Leah hums, "Friends?"

"Ah. Hell no." Izzy smirks, amused. "No, nothing like that. It's just..." Expression dissipating into something more neutral, she grabs Leah's hand, pulling her towards them at a slowish pace. "Don't react." She whispered. "But they're being followed."

Leah's hand twitches, as Izzy tags her closer. Her shoulders shift slightly, clearly wanting to look even as she easily follows on foot. "So, food?" She continues instead.

"Food," She smiles, not quite present as she waves at Angella. "Third street at the side, you'll see them on the reflection in a moment. Bring out your A-game." She adds, happily walking up to the girl.

"Hey!" Izzy greets, a half wave already in motion. "Fancy meeting you three here."

"Isabella," She greets warmly, both ignoring the two companions' displeasure. "Are you also shopping for Spring night?"

"Nah," She smiles lazily, only half listening to the conversation. "Leah and I were shopping for some sports stuff I needed. We were going to get something to eat and thought it'd ask if you're in - my treat, of course!"

"We'd love to!" Angella answers before Jessica or Lauren can interfere. "We were already finishing shopping anyway - is it okay if we leave our stuff first?"

"Sure!" She smiles, happily walking at her side as they walk through the pavement. "Happy with what you'll be wearing?"

Angella instantly brightens, spiralling into a one-sided discussion of terms that honestly just completely go over Izzy's head. She does try to bring her two friends into the conversation - seeming far too happy to pretend she doesn't notice them glare at Izzy wearily.

Which is also fine. Izzy would be more offended if they weren't scared.

"Glad you had a productive day!" She offers a lazy grin, pacing an arm - sorry Angella! - around her neck in a half-hug. "Don't look, but you're being followed." She murmurs, having to give a slight tug to the girl when she instinctively starts to turn.

Ignoring the amount of feedback she gets from the touch - Izzy hates, hate's touching people - she prods the woman into continuing to talk. Ignoring the weird looks she's getting from the other three, she leaves her free hand in her pocket, carefully focusing on the relevant as she reaches the last turn.

"There you are!" A half-recognisable voice calls from the other side of the pavement. "We've-"

"We're not interested." Lauren cuts him off instantly, eyes icy as she instantly pulls Jessica behind her. She appears to contemplate pulling Angella behind her as well - though it's only for a moment, seemingly concludes Izzy's more threatening looking than herself.

"Aww," Another man wines pathetically, entering Laurens's personal space. "Don't be like that, sugar. I promise you won't regret-"

"Didn't you hear the lady?" Leah grabs his arm in mid-motion, voice lowering to an actual, deep growl. "She ain't interested."

Izzy - who had taken Leah's supernatural abilities into account - had forgotten that she could turn into a wolf.

"Now, now." Izzy smiles emptily, placing a hand on Leah's shoulder. "I'm sure they got the message."

Meeting her gaze, Leah slowly let the man's wrist go. Turning to watch him stumble back as he holds his now red hand.

Thick with some muscle, tall and fairly large. Izzy turns to look at his 'friends', eight others, all bearing a similar build - muscle for show, but little use if they only know how to overpower smaller pray.

Easy, she thinks, eyes gleaming back into the leaders.

"Careful." His voice depends on something threatening, "We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt."

"My faith in humanity has definitely been hurt," Izzy mutters under her breath. "But!" She smiles lazily, placing both hands behind her back as she stares into his eye. "I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding. So if you could kindly leave, we'd be greatly appreciative. A large group of men approached a small group of girls. It comes off a bit threatening, I'm sure you understand."

"Oh." His smile was an ugly one. "I think you have a pretty good idea."

"Try it," Izzy's smile instantly dies into something icy. "And I will punch you in the face."

The men laugh, seemingly taking her small stature as something to be dismissed. "Aw," He mocks, grabbing her by the neck. "To bad for you, I-"

He lets out a pained scream, stumbling back as he instantly releases her neck. His hand instantly reaches for his face - the side, because Izzy wants him suffering, not dead.

Not that she has an issue with killing him - apart from Charlie would definitely mop, but the legality would be messy, and with witnesses, there's no way she wouldn't have to deal with it.

But pain...

"Last warning," She places a hand into her pocket, the other rubbing the side of her neck. "Back off."

Pain she could give.

"Now you've done it." One of the other men bellowed, throwing himself at her in an attempt at a body tackle.

Only for Leah's knee to slam into his chest, knocking the wind out of his lungs before he painfully chokes onto the floor. "Seem's like you incapable of reading the mood." She snarls, "Beat it, or get beat."


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Leah hadn't expected Bella to know how to throw a punch.

Which made her feel rather silly, watching as the back of her heel slammed into another man's shoulder - an idiot that thought we'd try charging at her, again. She just didn't look like someone that could fight, all tiny and skinny even if she did admittedly have a fair bit of muscle.

"You should probably focus," She smiles, amused, not even bothering to look at the swing aimed towards her as she tilts her body.

And Bella must have learnt how to fight for years; if her hits were of any indication. Those hits hurt, for all she suspected they weren't all that serious.

"I might listen, you know; if you bothered taking your hands out of your pocket." She punches one in the chest, watching him stumble back as Bella's palm slams into the man's neck.

Not that she meant it. She'd been more caught off guard from Bella being the one getting between her and the creep rather than the other way around. But she'd been very deliberate with her hands, phone in her hand, finger tapping in indication as she'd taunted the idiot in distraction.

And it was working, apparently. Her hands lazily inside her pockets, working with her feet as she kicked another in the shin. Honestly, half of her movements were fancy things that belong in moves, not fights.

"I mean..." She trailed off, rolling her shoulders as tilted her head towards the seven still standing. "They've been a bit of a bore, you know?" She swipes out her hand, using the back of it to rub the few drops of blood that had landed on her cheek.

It wasn't her's. Leah would have gone ballistic - and probably wolf - if it had been. That would have been an awkward conversation to have.

But she seemed ridiculously disappointed, of all things. Hell, Leah was certain she'd got that blood on purpose, just to show off. And she was certain, had been very attentive in making sure she wasn't getting into anything she couldn't deal with.

"See," Leah sighs, cracking her knuckles. "That's how one usually gets caught off guard."

"Aww," She grins, blood still on her face. "You're worried? Thank!" There might have been a pleased blush on her cheeks as well. Thought it could have also been the blood.

Honestly, Leah's a little distracted by how much of a pretty picture she makes with blood.

Weird.

Her fist slams into another's chest, feeling like she's in some weird dance as Bella seemingly falls into motion.

It's oddly fun, actually. A little like a hunt. Only that she's not forced to share it with people she kind of hates, instead dancing with someone that isn't stuck in her head.

Very fun, she thinks, rather disappointed as she slams the last one into the ground.

Would have been nice to have actually been a challenge, she admits, ensuring their all down before approaching the other girls. "You all okay?" She says in human concern, already knowing they don't as much as have a scratch."

"I-, yes." One of them - Lauren, maybe? - replies, perhaps entering into shock. "Yeah. We're oaky."

"Nice," Bella smiles lazily, typing something onto her phone, weirdly unphased by the last three minutes.

Then again, this is Bella. Which is weird in itself, since Bella of three minutes ago was the bookworm that was surprisingly into sports, and not...this was weird.

Lovely, everything's weird now.

"Were you recording or calling the cops?" Leah asks instead.

"Ah. I messaged dad the moment I noticed they had the whole thing recorded on a phone call, so we won't get into trouble for this." She smiles happily, tilting towards the approaching sirens. "Might be a while before he's here, but I know most of the police force of this zone, so we'll be cool."

It takes a while still before they hear - enough that Bella skips to the nearby bending store to buy some crisps - seemingly as bewildered as she feels at finding grown men pummelled into submission.

"Thank you." Angella - or at least Leah thinks that's her name - says teary, pulling Bella into a hug.

"There, there." She pats the girl's back sympathetically. "The police will take care of it. It's all going to work out."

Leah isn't sure why Chief Swan is more resigned than worried when he arrives. Not to say he isn't worried, but it's more of an 'oh, Bella. Why?' rather than 'Oh my God Bella', she thinks. Then again, Bella did seem oddly unphased by the whole thing. Which honestly leaves her wondering what the hell the girl's been doing in New York.

"Just Izzy," Be- Izzy smiles when she asks, oddly amused by her question. "And this and that. You'll be surprised by what you find there."

Well, Leah's surprised by what she finds here - especially because now she's curious as to what more there is. "Good thing we got you that punching bag, then." She sighs instead. "Can't have you getting rusty when you just pull this off."

Seemingly enjoying her air of mysteriousness, Izzy only grins back.


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It takes a ridiculously long time for him to pick up his phone, Izzy thinks with no end lack of expiration. "Yo," She drawls, fingers playing with a lone strand of her hair.

"Izzy," The man replies back, a slight shuffling coming through the other side of the speaker. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Ouch. Et tu, Brute?" She huffs, leaning back on the roof of Charlie's house as she stares at the night. "And here I put the effort to wait until you were done with work."

"Because everyone likes to be told they're being micromanaged." The man chuckles, taking a moment to mutter something to someone.

Which is kind of redundant, she thinks - but she's polite enough to pretend she isn't listening in to his conversation.

"I'm a delight; who wouldn't like to be micromanaged by me?" She smirks, amused. "Besides," She adds before he can come up with a counter; and there are many counters he can think of. "You were the one that said you needed my help."

"I vividly recall saying I might need your help."

"You mind might be failing you, then. I hear it comes with age." Before he can refute that, Izzy allows a low groan to escape her lips. "Wait, don't hang up! Look," She adds, just a little frustrated. "I'm bored out of my mind! When I said I wanted some me time I didn't mean a vacation."

"Izzy, sweetheart, you're in school. I can feel every teenager hate you from the sheer principle. Hell," And she doesn't have to see to know he's smirking at her. "I'm offended, and I haven't been to school in decades. But," He adds before they can continue arguing. "I suppose a job would be far more interesting than a vacation, sure."

"Thank you," She sighs, relieved. "So, what's wrong?"

"I never-"

"You wouldn't have given me a head up if something wasn't worrying you," Izzy huffs, unimpressed. "So, what's wrong?"

The man lets out an exasperated sigh. "It's the trail I've been following." He finally explains.

Her frown depends, lifting herself up as she crosses her legs. "You've been on that trail for months. I don't see what's new about it?"

"We think they've been preparing for another AWE."

Blinking, she slowly stands, gently jumping off the roof feeling the slight tingle through her as her bare feet touch the damp grass. After a moment, she pulls out her earphones, plugging them into her phone as she lazily walks towards the forest. "Explain."

"We caught wind from one of our plants that they moved through France, not the typical methods they were using either - they weren't bothering to hide."

"Which isn't good, since they've been hiding since the end of 2015," Izzy muttered, kicking the dirt in irritation. "How does that link to another AWE? Those things..." She stopped, slowly leaning into the tree as something clicked. "They're all in France? As in heading to a single point?"

"Yes," And she can almost feel the heat of his intensity, now. "And the last time that happened..."

"Was May 25th, 2015."

"Lovely." She allows herself a moment, hand going through her hair before remembering she still hadn't washed it. "Absolutely lovely. If-"

"It's not much of an if, at this point."

"No. But-, if the Eagle Limited AWE was their testing ground..."

"Then whatever their planning is going to be one hell of a nightmare." She closes her eyes, running through so many different scenarios as the clouds start to darken the forest. "If Eagle Limited was a Keneq threat...?"

"It might be Ekhi, if we're lucky."

"But luck has never been on our side, and if they've been quiet for years." Then it was far too likely it'd be an Amida.

The man offers a dry chuckle. "Why is it you always ask for Disruption before Risk?"

"Because I have my priorities straight," She snarks back, deciding not to ask the latter of the two questions. It wasn't like she couldn't guess. "Do you need me?"

"Not yet."

She bites her lip, frustrated. "You sure? I'm not doing anything important - or anything at all, actually. I'm literally-, where was it, France? I could get there within the day; two max.

"Your faith in me is assuring," He jokes weakly. "And as I said, Midwest in itself isn't much of a threat. What it can bring is a threat, but the main challenge here is to find them, not subdue them."

"Which will only be possible when they're all in the open. Together." She hisses, frustrated. "Which will only happen when they're preparing for the AWE. That's a small window of opportunity." Her fingers drum on the tree bark, "I can get there in a day."

"No, you're not."

"G-, Phoenix. I'm not arguing on this."

"Well, I am." He snaps back. "You do remember why we need all this secrecy, right?"

"That's well and good until things fall apart." She hisses back. "This could easily be a continent-wide crisis. I'm not scared of getting into trouble for stopping million, if not billions of life getting caught in the crossfire."

"Only if things do fall apart. Which is still arguable. You're the Head of operations, Isabella. You're far more valuable in keeping your head down and telling us what to do than getting caught."

"And if things don't go as planned? What am I supposed to do then? I don't have the resources to send back-up! The hiss devastated us, Phoenix! I told you we bearly keeping on top of things as is. I don't understand! You have to realise that if things go South the entirety-"

"Because you're the only one left!" The man growls. Izzy freezes, nothing but the faint sound of rain drumming onto the surrounding leaves. "Emotions aside," Phoenix replies, calming himself. "Izzy, there is literally no one left in our team. Hellens gone. Williams gone. Everyone else... Izzy, if you get compromised, we'll have no one left. That's the only thing that's stopping us from becoming a criminal organization. You know I'm right."

Slowly, she slides down the tree, staring at the barely distinguishable figure of the surrounding trunks in exhausted frustration. "So-, what?" She lets out a sharp breath of air. "I'm supposed to stay on vacation while you're team deals with it?"

"No, I want you to rest and recover - because if things do go South, then I want you to be at the top of your game."

"That's assuming they don't act in the next few days," She muttered tiredly. "And I'm already at the top of my game."

"We both know that's not true."

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you."

"Izzy, sweetheart. I know you. You wouldn't have taken the holiday otherwise."

"Maybe I just wanted to see my family." She sniffs, somewhat annoyed when it starts to rain heavily. "I am allowed to have my time." She adds petulantly.

"Right, because you've never obsessed over duty, of course." And now his tone was sardonic. Lovely. "Izzy, does she know?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

He lets out a tired sigh. "That's a no, then."

"It's a 'none of your business', actually."

"Which is why you took the holiday."

Letting out another breath of air, she swears under her breath. "Again, I don't want to talk about it. What I do want to talk about is next week's possible apocalypse scenario. Because it's my job, remember?"

"And how long were you trapped in the Old House with Faden? A year?"

"Ten months, actually." She snips back.

"Which is my point exactly." Before she can counter that statement, he sharply adds. "I know how your ability functions, remember? I know what it costs, and I know there's no way you'd be okay after a year with constant exposure."

She doesn't bother refuting it, this time, not bothering to shield herself from the downpour as she stares at the stormy sky. "Fine," She finally concedes, tiredly. "Fine. But I want daily reports. Daily. "She repeats sharply before he gets a word. "From you or one of yours. But the second you hit the twenty-four-hour mark and I don't get a report I'm getting the first plain."

"Fine," The man huffs, and she has the frustrating suspicion that he's nowhere near annoyed as he'd like to pretend to be.

"Now that that's out of the way." She snorts, lips twitching and perhaps a little too insistent to move the subject, "How's France like? Get me anything interesting?"

The man doesn't laugh - though she knows it's a close thing - instead dutifully reporting all the foods his eaten, listing the many places he's been to ever since their last conversation.

She makes a note to visit eventually, though. He can't be mad at her if she goes to visit for the food after the AWE.


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"I can't believe you went shopping without me!" Is the first thing Alice tells her when she stops skipping school. An adorable pout on her lips as she stares at her in mild betrayal.

Which with the number of glances she's been getting after the 'famous' fight, is an oddly endearing greeting to be given. "You should have asked," Izzy shamelessly smiles back, taking a seat next to her on the bench. "I would have been happy to have you."

"Well I didn't know, did I?" Alice sighs, sending her a playful glare.

"Well that's hardly any fault of mine, is it?" She sing-songs. "I stand for what I said. If you wanted to tag along you could have just asked." And she was being honest about it as well. There was something possible refreshing in not being able to see another sapient.

"Well, I want to tag along!" Alice replies with just as much lack of shame. Pulling out her phone, she forces it into Izzy's hand. "Number. Now. I want to make plans."

Playfully, Izzy narrows her gaze. "Depends." She replies ominously. "Am I being bribed with food?"

Alice stops to consider it. Tilting her head as she contemplates what and what to not say. "How much food is enough food?"

"Any food is good food," Izzy replies mystically, typing her number as the bell goes off. "Want to go now?" She asks, jumping off the bench as she heads to the car park.

Entirely amused, Alice follows suit. "You know, one of these days you're going to get into trouble for skiving. You do remember the lecture you got last week, right?"

"Er-, no actually. Was a pretty boring lecture. I think I lost focus after the first minute."

"Ah! But you do remember it!"

Izzy smirks. "Can't prove it."

"Can so!"

"Then prove it." Silence follows, and Izzy's smirk grows. "Hmm, thought so."

"I will. One day." Alice declares, seemingly happy with her ability to be dramatic even though neither of them is trying to win the argument. "Thought you really should take it more seriously. This is your future we're talking about."

"I thought we were talking about detention?"

"And that's certainly going to be part of your future if you don't start improving that attendance, young Lady," Alice smirks, though her gaze remains curios.

"Uh-huh," Izzy tilts her head, eyes flickering to the sky as she presses her lips together in thought.

"It's going to rain," Alice says, idly.

"Oh?" Izzy raises an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly backwards to get a better look at her. "You know that for certain, do you?"

"I'm a very good meteorologist." She smiles, mysteriously.

"Meteorologist huh," Izzy smirks, amused. "Well, if that's the case-"

"Hide." Alice suddenly jumps, pulling her to the nearby bush. Izzy raises an eyebrow, allowing herself to be dragged even as the branches catch into her hair. "Teacher," She adds.

"You know," Izzy smiles lazily, watching as the man stops in frustration. "If you want to make me stop skiving, helping dodge the teachers isn't the best way to go about it." And then she does smirk, not bothering to glance where she knows the man has already left. "Not that I'm not grateful, Alice." She purs, just a little bit delighted when the woman twitches.

"Careful," She smiles back. "I might just drag you back."

"Promises, promises." She leans forward, feeling just a little delighted. "And here I thought we were having a moment."

"Uh-huh." Alice's response is a simple, teasing smile.

Well if that's the case. "Say," Her smirk turns just a little predatory. "How come you knew he was coming, you were looking the other way, no?

"I have good hearing." She shrugs easily, tilting her head as she peers at her in curiosity.

Not quite meeting her gaze, though.

Izzy frowns, idly weighing the possibility of the sudden thought.

There's been a thought that's been at the back of her mind for a while now. Not quite a concept, but more along the lines of suspicion she's unsure is self-projection or an actual possibility.

After a moment she moves, placing herself on top of Alice's lap before leaning forward. Mind not quite present, she stares into Alice's eyes, for once allowing everything to reach her.

"Er-, Izzy?" Alice asks awkwardly. "What are you doing?"

Izzy doesn't instantly answer, frowning as her face stops just an inch from the other woman. "Don't mind me." She finally offers, frowns depending as she losses herself in thought.

"Little bit difficult right now." Alice offers, a faint if confused smile. "You kind of blocking my entire line of sight."

Izzy shakes her head, still staring as she tilts her head. "What colour is the next passing Car going to be?" She asks slowly, delivery blocking the entire road view from her sight.

Alice blinks. "What?"

"The next car. What colour is it going to be?"

"I-, is this a game?" Alice's smile becomes awkward - perhaps just a little uncomfortable. "Because I'm going with yellow if it is."

It's black.

Izzy frowns, carefully observing her eyes as the car sounds past from behind her. "And the next one?" Before Alice can answer, Izzy continues. "Because I think it's going to be red."

Alice stops breathing, for a moment, staring at her with all the intensity Izzy suspects she can master. "Royal Blue."

"Agreed."

"Silver."

"Same."

"I-," Alice licks her lips, eyes slightly wide as she stares blankly at her. "Forest green with drawn flowers."

"Brunet with glasses." And then she frowns. "Also, terrible taste in cars."

Alice throws her head back, laughing almost disbelievingly, "That's what you're responding to? Her taste in Cars? With your truck?"

"My truck is lovely." Izzy huffs, lazily jumping back as she sends her a teasing grin. "Which reminds me, you owe me are shopping spree. You coming?"

"Co-, what?" Alice blinks seemingly having difficulty following the conversation. "You don't think we should talk about this?"

"I mean, we could." Izzy nods with a faux pensive expression. "Or. We could have fun with it." She smirks, making a point to sway as she heads towards her truck. "And I'm always down for the fun option.

Alice splutters, incredulously.

And with it, Izzy's smirk grows ever so slightly.


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If you felt I should have written something differently, be it personality and/or displays of different states of mentality, please leave a comment! Any advice is welcome and appreciated!

Anyways, Ill See you next time! Ciao!

~Faith