Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.
AN: Okay, I'm just making sure and shamelessly promoting my sequel "Rapid", but just so you know, the sequel to Hopeless is out! And since I hate AN's without a proper story, I've put in a small part of one of the chapters.
Diana scrolled through the document on her laptop, sighing. She hated paperwork. Sure, she enjoyed her job, but it wasn't fun when it had to do with paper.
Her phone rang.
Turning to it, Diana frowned. Not a lot of people knew her personal number, and even fewer dared to call or had a reason to call at this time of night.
"Diana Bennett speaking."
"Cut it out, Anna."
"Di? What the hell are you doing calling this late?"
"Met our charming new stepbrother yet?"
"No," Diana frowned, eyebrow crinkling. "I didn't know we had one."
"No?" Diego sounded as confused as her. "Derek Pearton? Now officially Bennett-Pearton?"
"No." Diana frowned, more alert now than her coffee ever made her. "Dad never told me anything like this."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah."
There was silence for a while. Diana's mind raced. Why wouldn't her father have told her? He told her everything. Every single thing.
"You think there's something he's not telling us?"
She could almost sense Diego nodded over the phone. "Duh. He tells you everything…"
"Ok. I'll look into it. I need a picture and some of his basic info."
"Already sending it to you." Silence again. "Diana? I don't have a good feeling about him. Something's gonna happen. And soon."
Diana tensed. She had learnt long ago that if Diego had a 'feeling' about something, it wasn't good. She had also learnt to listen and follow Diego's instructions should it have anything to do about it…not like Benito and-no. She mentally shook her head. She couldn't think about this.
"Got it. Anything else?"
"I don't think he's human, but I can't place what he is."
Diana frowned. "That's rare. When did he join the school again?" she asked as she opened the email, seeing the contact details and such on.
"Not too long ago, about halfway through the semester."
Halfway? Wasn't that when her dad went to visit her aunt?
"I'll look into it. I just wrapped up my case."
"Diana? I'm scared."
That frightened her slightly. The last time Diego had said that, it had proven to be true, as the chain of events started, that eventually led to the deaths of most of her family.
Diego was all she had left - her dad didn't count.
"Don't worry, Di. I'll find out who's doing this."
Diego nodded, and hesitated, before speaking. "Oh, and our principal was murdered today. I found a - you know what, never mind."
"No, tell me. If it's important, I need to know. What's this about your principal being murdered?"
Diego sighed. "He was found dead this morning. And I found a note which I think was addressed to me. 'This is just the beginning, brother dear. What do you think that means?"
"Well, obviously, Derek must've wrote it. None of our other step-siblings were anywhere near L.A. during that time. That means he has had to have planned something."
"But with corny sentences like that?"
Diana nodded. "Someone must be behind this. Someone that's directing Derek."
Diego sighed again, before speaking softly. "Diana? Will I have to move again?"
Diana couldn't bear that tone. So fragile and vulnerable. "I don't know, Diego. If the news gets out about this, you might need to move - and quickly. It won't take long for students to put what is happening together. Out of all of this, you're the only factor that has remained common. You were in Half-Peak, and then moved to Valley. It won't look good."
"The vice-principal's been to see me today. He said that the school board was thinking about expelling me from school. Maybe suspension if I'm lucky."
"They said what?" Diana growled into the phone. Dammit. She didn't need to worry about her brother's education above all of this. "I'll handle it. If someone's targeting you, we have to be careful." She sighed, and, suddenly, the paperwork seemed like a picnic in the park. "Be alert. Make sure your friends are close-by at all time. And stay safe."
A hint of a smile was in his tone, though worry coloured it. "You as well, sis."
