Chapter 7: Itinerary

Demitri and I went down the hall into a private meeting room. After I agreed to speak with him, he didn't say anything more after that, instead just leading the way to the room we were in now. I was a bit nervous to say the least, I had no idea what he would need to talk to me about, especially privately.

Once inside he closed the door behind us as I went across the room to wait for him to begin, he didn't say anything for a few moments, instead looked at me for a second and then started to pace around the room. He reminded me of Aro just then, looking deep in thought as he wondered the space before speaking.

"Bella," he began, and then paused, as if to change his mind about whatever he was originally planning to say. "How, are you doing in school?" He finally asked.

I looked at him a little abashed, Demitri could care less about school or how I was doing in it, by the return look he gave me, I'm sure my features relayed as much.

"School's great..." I said to him anyway, it sounded more like a question than an answer.

"Good. That's good." He continued uncomfortably. "I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying it. I know that I haven't been very supportive, but I'm still glad you are happy Bella."

"I am, thank you."

Another awkward silence.

"Was there something you needed to speak with me about Demitri?" I finally asked. More than anything, I wanted to run out of the room, but he was standing in front of the door at the moment, so instead I asked the question.

"Yes." he said eyeing me. "I'm sorry, this is very unprofessional isn't it." He seemed to be getting flustered and started speaking more quickly, it sounded like he was diverting from whatever he originally wanted to talk about and instead started with business. "I wanted to go over assignment details with you, I apologize for not getting right to the point." he finished in a rush.

"OK, well, we should get Felix then." I said taking a step forward.

"No. I'll speak with Felix privately." He told me strictly. "I have some other things I need to speak with him about, it is just easier this way."

"Alright." I muddled concede.

I pulled out a chair at the small table that was in the office room and took a seat, Demitri came over and sat with me, filling me in on everything that I missed and what had been decided on for pursuit tactics.

We would be leaving tonight just as Caius had told us. Our current employment would take us overseas, into the United States and provinces of Canada. The leads we would be following spread out all over the northern and western hemispheres, and some in the southern as well. The majority of them were concentrated in the US, and would take the most time.

We had no way of knowing which leads would prove to be true, and were tasked with investigating them all. We would begin in the southern hemisphere, eliminating the smaller accounts first, then working our way up into the states before finishing with the provinces.

Our expedition would take much longer than I had originally anticipated, I was surprised by the amount of data we would be following up on and a bit concerned that we were only now being sent out to investigate. The witness testimony alone would take weeks, and that's only if they prove to all be false leads. Any concordant of facts would require more examination during our trip, continuing our search and increasing the amount of time to our junket.

I would not make it back in time for my summer class schedule and would need to cancel those before leaving. Demitri must have guessed I would be thinking of that once he finished telling me of our plans.

"If we had known it had gotten this far, we would have said something to you sooner Bella."

"Of course, Demitri, I know that." I said to him with a smile, trying very hard to hid my chagrin. I was really looking forward to my summer classes and now it looks like I will not be able to attend them at all.

"I am sorry, if we didn't need you, of course you could stay." He said to me with concern, I guess my disappointment was evident after all.

"Don't be ridiculous." I told him. "You know that my duty comes first. Regardless, this is far more important than any writing class will ever be." I told him very truthfully. Yes, I was upset, but never enough to stay behind and thwart my obligation.

My sense of loyalty must have pleased him; he smiled at me with such adoration that I had to look away. He wasn't one to display emotion and never have I seen him regard favor.

"If that's everything?" I stuttered out, allowing just a glance to his face. "I have some things to get in order before we go."

"Yes, of course." He said with a deep intonation of approval, while rising from his chair.

I was still so unnerved by his display I wasn't moving as fast as I should have been, he moved behind me to pull out my chair, and then to the door to open it for me.

"I'll see you in a few hours then Bella." He smiled at me again with a nod before turning away.

I watched after him for a few seconds before turning to leave in the opposite direction. I walked a few feet down the hallway, still in a daze over our last moments together, before finally concluding:

"That was the weirdest thing ever." I mumbled to myself as I headed to my room.

(12/19/10)

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