Chapter two:
Making Moves
Turning around to see his sister, Jane, Alec took a second to come back to reality and attempt to erase any suspicion his sister may find. "Have you found any newborn leads, brother?" Jane questioned before shifting her blood red eyes over to the female at the computer. Of course, Jane had her suspicion but never would've thought anything more than a feed for her brother, Alec. "No...just humans, sister." Alec replied instantly. Alec felt drawn to the human girl at the computer but he had also didn't want to risk her life. Jane was suspicious of her brother's reaction, something she has never seen from him after all these centuries, the reaction you would see from a child being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Of course..." Jane trailed off, her red eyes laid upon her brother once more. "Let's go." Jane ordered, turning around to leave the library. Alec had no choice but to follow his sister, but he found himself wanting to learn more about the one specific human.
Passing by the computers behind his sister, Alec glanced back at the female in which they both unexpectedly connected eyes before Alec nervously looked away and exited the library. How would Alec be able to find her again? It wasn't like he could go back to the library after it was supposedly checked out already. Besides, what if the human wasn't at the library again if he did risk going back again? The twins made their way through the busy Seattle streets and back to the hotel where Demetri and Felix had met them. "Spot any newborns?" Felix questioned, standing in the middle of the hotel room. Demetri was stiffly sitting on the couch provided in the room. "No, not as far as I've seen." Jane stated. Felix looked to Alec. "No, but will surely need to keep an eye out - possiblity of them hiding can become problematic." Alec replied, turning to Jane. Alec was certainly trying to get extra time around the city to look for that human girl he had crossed.
Felix went to turn around and about to join Demetri on the couch when Jane caused him to stop with the feeling of pain issuing over him before stopping the pain a moment later. "What about you, Felix? Have you and Demetri found any sighting?" Jane asked, staring the two down. Felix adjusted himself after grimacing from the pain that was issued. "Not yet but Demetri had tracked some movement of the newborns from more in the outskirts of the city, near a dark alley." Felix confessed. Demetri kept a keen eye on the discussion of the three, making sure nothing was slipping. Jane looked from Felix and onto Demetri. "Is that true?" Jane questioned Demetri. Demetri pulled a quiver of a faint smile before it dropped quickly. "Precisely." Demetri confirmed. Jane looked back to Felix before formally exiting the living room part of the hotel suite and went to her bedroom.
Alec followed his sister into the room and closed the door. "I believe there is still more investigation to be done in the city. Newborns tend to flock where their meals are, hence the city has plenty of options. They will tend to show themselves at a proper moment." Alec explained. Jane took a moment to think, taking in her brother's advice into thought. Alec had hoped this was enough to convince his sister into letting him investigate on his own, knowing that Jane didn't like double checking things, specifically retreating back to the same area. "In order to catch any newborn, the Volturi will take any action to finish what they came here for - even when most do not expect it...I'll have Felix go with you into the city." Jane stated. Alec didn't like the idea of having another go along with him, especially back to the library. "You are more important, sister. You surely will need more protection." Alec refuted.
Jane turned her red eyes from the painted portrait of flowers that hung in the room and onto Alec. "Not like you to not want company, brother. Are you sure?" Jane asked, her composure remained calm. Alec knew Jane would become suspicious of his behavior but he also had to counteract. "Yes. You doubt my ability, sister?" Alec questioned. Jane lifted her head up just a half inch in calculation before placing a light smile on her lips. "Of course not. We need to keep a close eye on the problem here in Seattle - in order to be...fair " Jane replied, forming a smirk that laid faintly on her expression. Alec matched her smirk regarding the so called 'fairness' of the situation with the newborns, knowing that Aro had been wanting a reason to snatch the Cullen that can see the future. "Precisely, sister. I will continue scouring the city once we have our meal." Alec replied before departing the bedroom and walking back into the living room.
The four members of the Volturi had departed the hotel for their meal, finding a group of college students at Mount Rainier national park, not too far from Seattle but far enough to hunt, having a campfire and drinking. It was the perfect scene where they could burn the bodies once finished. Once their feeding was done, they split up to continue their revising of the supposed newborn army, knowing that Aro, Caius and Marcus would want a professional investigation of the problem in the city of Seattle. "Where exactly is Alec going?" Felix questioned. Jane pierced her red eyes at the Volturi guard as if she was a tad insulted by his speculating, causing Felix to back off slightly. "Don't act as if you were inconspicuous at the hotel, Felix." Jane pointed out, walking off ahead of him. Felix looked at Demetri who kept his placid expression. "He has his suspicions, it does no good to underestimate a member of our clan." Demetri spewed before racing off, Felix shortly followed.
Alec made his way to downtown Seattle, his destination - the public library. Of course the day was turning into evening and didn't know when the library would close or if the human girl would still be there but Alec would chance it and see. Walking up to the doors of the library, he noticed the lights were still on and using his advanced hearing, he heard an older male ask when they closed. 'How long are you open for? I have work to do since my computer decided to shut down this afternoon.' 'We are open for a couple more house, our hours changed.' 'Thank you, ma'am.' Alec entered the library and looked around, searching for only one person - the female he met earlier with the long, dark blond hair and ice blue eyes. Was she still there? Alec checked the computers, nothing. Checked the romance aisle he was previously in, nothing. Alec was about to give up, figuring the effort on coming back to the library was for nothing before his vampiric hearing picked up a certain voice - her voice. 'I need to print three papers, please'
Frozen in place for a moment, Alec realized that she was still here at the library this whole time but the thought that went through his mind was why. Why would someone be stuck in a library for hours? Alec did not know of anyone that would read on their free time like he would and found this girl even more interesting. Alec turned his red eyes to focus on the girl by the front counter who was paying for her papers she had intended to print out before heading back to the computers to print. Alec found himself edging closer towards the computers, sliding into an empty seat at a free computer that was a seat over from hers, that was also unoccupied. Moving the mouse, the computer screen flashed back onto the desktop and Alec pretended to surf the internet while he sat stiffly in the seat, with his back straight, his ears focused on her heartbeat. The girl glanced over at Alec with her ice blue eyes, putting a small smile on her pink lips while she stacked her three papers and set them to the side. "I thought you had to go?" the girl questioned.
Alec froze for a moment, his hand hovered the computer mouse briefly as he heard her voice directed at him. "I had. But, I needed to return." Alec replied, his tone remained flat and clear. The girl took her seat once again and exited the window where she was typing, putting it back to the desktop before looking back at Alec. "Oh, okay. You don't sound like you are from around here." she stated. Alec was beginning to wonder if this was a good idea, not wanting to risk exposing his kind and having the Volturi question him - he should know the rules especially, being in the clan. "Correct. I'm not, I'm just visiting." Alec clarified. The girl found herself interested in Alec, not only for the fact she found him attractive but his composure seemed rather calming. "I hope you're liking Seattle. I'm originally from Texas but, my dad is in the military so we move around a lot. I'm Bethany." Bethany introduced herself.
Alec listened profoundly as the female explained where she was from and there it was - she had told him her name. Bethany. Was it his turn to spill his name? It was obvious. Turning his focus from the computer screen, Alec looked over at Bethany as his kind struggled slightly on how to communicate with a human that caught his attention. Alec was normally used to brief communication with humans, only in order to blend in while out doing duties with the Volturi, otherwise he had just fed on them. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Alec..." Alec replied, he became indecisive about his location to spill. 'Should I say Europe or Italy? Aro wouldn't be too displeased if I just said italy, right?' thought Alec. "I'm visiting from Italy." Alec added. Bethany seemed even more interested in Alec, knowing that he was from a country she wanted to visit. "Italy? How lucky. I've always wanted to visit. Is it nice there?" Bethany asked. Alec formed a wry smile onto his lips as he focused his hearing onto the background noise, scoping out any hints of his sister or the other guards coming near the library. "Yes. It's vibrant and especially during the St. Marcus day festival, where everyone dresses in red for the event." Alec mentioned briefly. Bethany nodded lightly. "What about the food? I heard authentic Italian restaurants there are amazing." Bethany asked.
That was something Alec wasn't too familiar with since he never ate human food, not at least since he was thirteen in human years which had been centuries ago. "It's phenomenal. From minestrone soup to pasta cuisines, cannot choose wrong." Alec explained, just from his knowledge he has seen casually around his city of Volterra. "Sounds good. Hey, I have to go...I've got school in the morning." Bethany pointed out. Alec furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, curious since it was Friday evening and normally schools are out on weekends. "I thought school students were out on the weekends? Unless it's quite different of course here in the United States?" Alec questioned. Bethany smiled softly, brushing her hair behind an ear. "That is normally how it works...for public school. My mom teaches me, I'm homeschooled. It's my last year, I graduate early in homeschool." Bethany corrected, gathering her papers and placing them into her binder.
"Mind me asking, what is your age?" Alec asked. Normally you never ask a woman their age but Alec was simply uneducated when it came to dating or romancing a girl. "Um...I'm currently sixteen. I'll be seventeen in January though. You?" Bethany replied, she had to admit - she was curious as her guesses kept fluctuating from his physical appearance and how his personality came across. Alec was indeed around 1,200 years old as it would be in human years but he knew he couldn't directly state that but knowing she was sixteen, it seemed a little off-putting that he was physically thirteen. Maybe he could lie? "Fifteen. Can I see you again?" Alec asked forwardly. It was selfish of him to wanting to keep seeing her, putting her in harm's way but this was the first time he had ever been in a thousand years, even endured his sister's several flings throughout the years from within the Volturi. "Sure. We can go out for coffee tomorrow after my schooling?" Bethany suggested. Alec knew he couldn't drink coffee or tea for the matter but would have to make something up as he went along. "Of course." Alec replied. Bethany gave him the location where to meet and left the library. Alec returned to the hotel, spotting it empty besides Jane being there. "Find anything interesting, brother?" Jane questioned, sitting on the couch.
