Okay, I apologize for taking so long to update this story. Real life got very busy there for a while. I should be able to update every week or two over the summer.
I have to give a special thanks to my betas, Mel and TwiMarti, for their very valuable input into this chapter. Also to Angelgoddess1981 for her wonderful rec of my fic in her story Horse Play.
I would also like to thank my pre-reader, EveryDayBella, for her endless assistance with this story.
As always, I do not own Twilight. I wish I did. All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer
Chapter 4
I could feel the warm breeze ruffle my hair as I stumbled along the dry creek bed. The stones were sharp and painful on my bare feet as I tried to navigate around the larger rocks and small cacti that littered the creek's floor. A veil of moonlight cascaded across the desert,, creating sinister shadows around the boulders and tumbleweeds lining the creek's edge. I felt an urgent need to leave, that I needed to be somewhere else, anywhere else. Yet, I couldn't figure out how I got there in the first place.
Off in the distance, I could hear the yelps of the coyotes, harbingers of the evil that I knew was coming. I quickened my pace, scrambling over the rocks, feeling the edges slice into my feet and knees. I was aware of the increasing pounding of my heart as my anxiety levels peaked. I began to panic. I had to get out of there. The wind shifted abruptly, bringing an ice-cold gust across my exposed skin, swirling my hair across my face. My entire body convulsed in response. Suddenly, the coyotes stopped howling, their silence halting me in my tracks. I frantically began looking around to find what had spooked them, knowing what was there, what I would find. I turned around and froze in place.
He was there, just a short distance in front of me, dressed all in black, a long cloak hanging to his knees. His eyes were closed and his lips were pressed in a tight line, just slightly curved at the ends. His face was turned up to the night sky, and the moonlight danced across his pale features. He didn't move; he stood still as a statue in the night. I knew I should run, but I was stuck, unable to move, my eyes fixed on his ethereal features. Slowly, he brought his face down in my direction, as a menacing smile spread across his face. He gently lifted his eyelids, revealing the bright blood-red irises of his eyes.
I shot up in bed, soaked in a cold sweat, my heart pounding through my chest, and gasped for breath. I suddenly felt my stomach lurch and scrambled to the bathroom, heaving into the toilet.
Once I finished bringing up what little I had in my stomach, I collapsed back onto the cold, hard tile floor, trying to bring myself back to reality. I hadn't had that dream in a very long time. I knew there was a chance the dreams would return once I began to seriously pursue working on the Volturi case. Maybe Agent Banner was correct. Maybe I wasn't going to be able to handle working on that case.
I quickly put that thought aside. I had to find a way to push through it. I couldn't give up on it now. I only had one week left in my FBI training. At the end of the week, we would be sworn in, given our badges, and sent off to our new assignments. Over the next few days, we would all learn in which unit we had been placed and where we would be going. I was completely on edge, wondering if I would get the only assignment I truly cared about.
Ever since I rejected Eric Yorkie five weeks ago, he had been pushing to take the VI assignment away from me. I knew he had his dad pulling strings, and he tried to undermine my training at every turn. Fortunately, he hadn't been successful at the latter. I was still top of our class. Nonetheless, it had been a very trying five weeks.
Five weeks.
Of course, that brought up an entirely different problem. It had been five weeks since I met Edward. I had tried to push all thoughts of him to the back recesses of my mind, but they kept finding a way out. He consumed my thoughts almost as much as the VI case. I never did call him. I just couldn't find the courage to do it. Angela pestered me non-stop but finally gave up sometime in the third week. I wanted to call him. I wanted him to tell me how amazing that night was, to call me his beautiful Bella, to tell me he wanted to see me again. But, what if he didn't? What if that night didn't mean as much to him? It was better this way. It was unlikely that I would ever see him again. He was in Chicago, and if I had my way, I'd be headed to San Diego in two weeks.
I shook my head to chase off the memories of that night as they began to flood my brain. I couldn't think about Edward right now. I had to get up and get ready. Today was our last day of training at Hogan's Alley. I was really looking forward to this last exercise. Hogan's Alley was always my favorite part of training.
I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was damp and stuck to my face and forehead, and my eyes were bloodshot. "You're a fine piece of work, Swan," I muttered to my mirror image. I grabbed the toothbrush and toothpaste off the counter. The tube was almost empty. Five weeks ago, at the hotel, it was almost full.
"Okay, Tyler, you ready for this?" I had just finished my last check on my weapon and was tightening my bulletproof vest. I was ready to go. Today I was paired up with Tyler, performing a drug raid.
"Yep." He was also wrapping up his final checks. Ever since his fiasco with the hostages, he had been doing a lot better. Ben and I had taken him under our wings to make sure he became more comfortable with this aspect of the job.
"All right, let's go." I holstered my weapon and headed over to the other trainees who were working this exercise with us. On the way, we passed by Yorkie and another group of trainees. They had just completed their exercise and were dressing down.
Yorkie glared at me and smiled as he turned to address the others in his group.
"So, I have it on good authority that I should get the VI assignment today." He spoke loud enough for both Tyler and me to hear. The others in his group turned and gave me a sympathetic look. We all knew what Yorkie was up to; I just hoped he was wrong.
Tyler and I kept walking along, doing our best to ignore Yorkie's needling. Once we got to the command center, the instructor began going over the exercise.
"Swan, Crowley, you two are going to take the back entrance with Thompson. We have two suspects known to be on the premises. It is possible there could be two more. Suspects are wanted for drug trafficking and dealing in stolen goods. Suspects will be armed and dangerous." I nodded in response, and our instructor continued explaining how we were going to enter and secure the building. "You know the drill. Enter on my mark. Crowley, you're taking the lead on the back entrance. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Tyler responded. Thompson and I nodded in affirmation.
"Okay, team, take your positions."
With those final instructions, Tyler led us around the back of the building. We moved quickly, but quietly, using the building and an outlying shed as cover. Tyler peered around the back of the shed to visually inspect the back door. Once he determined it was secure, he led us out from behind the shed, across the yard, to the door. We positioned ourselves on either side of the door and waited for the signal to enter.
"Alpha, rear team is in position and waiting for your command," Crowley whispered in his mic.
"Copy that, stand by."
I could feel my muscles coiling in preparation to enter the building. Adrenaline was pumping through my body in anticipation of the confrontation we would surely be facing inside. Although this was just an exercise, the environment set up at Hogan's Alley made it feel very real.
"Crowley, ready on my mark." The voice crackled over our headsets. Crowley pointed to Thompson and then to the door, indicating that Thompson would take the door down.
"Go! Go!" came over the set. Thompson mock-fired a shot into the door and kicked it open. Tyler proceeded in first.
"FBI, get down! Get down! Hands over your head!" he shouted. I entered right after him, quickly assessing the room and looking for suspects. Tyler had his gun pointed at a large male suspect lying face down on the ground with his hands now on the back of his head. I proceeded past Tyler toward the next room with Thompson covering my back.
"Careful, Swan," Tyler said to me, then reported into his headset, "One suspect apprehended and secure in the kitchen. Agents checking surrounding rooms."
"Roger that, two suspects secured in front living room." I knew that meant there could be one more suspect present. Thompson and I headed toward the back of the house. As I came around a corner, I found a long hallway to my right that led to what appeared to be two more bedrooms and a bathroom. The doors were all open. Just as I was about to pull back to fill in Thompson, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I quickly pulled my arms up into position, aiming my gun in the direction of the movement.
"FBI, come out with your hands where we can see them," I shouted. In response to my commands, Thompson took a defensive position next to me with his weapon ready too.
"Fourth suspect in back rear bedroom," I heard Thompson report over his headset.
"Roger that. Baker and Martin, make your way around the outside of the building and cover any rear exit points," the command leader instructed the other team members.
I looked around the corner into the hall again, and a paintball came whizzing past my head, splattering on the wall next to me. Then the door to the bedroom slammed shut.
"Shit!"
"That was close, Swan," Thompson hissed.
"I know," I replied. "Suspect has closed door to bedroom. Prepare for potential escape out rear window," I reported into the mic. I turned to Thompson and motioned for us to proceed down the hall.
"Suspect is crawling out window!" The information was relayed through my headset from one of the other trainees, and at that moment, I kicked open the door to the bedroom. The rather large suspect was halfway through the window with his back half-facing us.
"Freeze! Drop your weapon and get your hands in the air," I commanded. I walked toward the suspect, my gun aimed right at him. Thompson was right behind me, mimicking my stance. I could hear additional agents now approaching from the outside. The suspect dropped his weapon on the ground outside the window, and I reached over, grabbing him by his collar and hauling him back inside.
He fell to his knees and started blabbering about his innocence. This guy was a good actor. It felt so real. I handcuffed him and began reading him his Miranda rights. Thompson left to check the other rooms and secure the rest of the house.
After a minute, our instructor walked in. "Good job, Swan. You all did really well."
"Thank you, Sir," I replied.
"As soon as you finish up here, Agent Harper wants you in his office."
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir." I felt my stomach flip. Agent Harper was giving the permanent assignment information to the trainees. This was it. I would know shortly whether or not I would make it on the team.
Thirty minutes later, I was standing in front of Agent Harper's office. My hands were shaking; I was so nervous. I knocked on his door, waiting for a reply.
"Come in." I heard Agent Harper's voice through the door. I turned the knob, swallowed hard, and entered.
"Hello, Ms. Swan," he greeted me.
"Good afternoon, Agent Harper," I replied.
"Have a seat; it'll be just a minute. We're waiting on one other person." I raised one of my eyebrows, curious as to who would be joining us.
"You were hard to place, Ms. Swan," Agent Harper continued, as he shifted papers around on his desk. "There were quite a few people who wanted to work with you, and a number of assignments that you would have fit into quite nicely. You received very high marks from all the instructors."
"Thank you, Sir." I was honored. I had worked so hard; it felt wonderful to feel that my hard work was recognized. Just then, there was another hard rap on the door.
"Come in," Agent Harper responded again. As the door opened, my excitement grew exponentially, as I recognized the agent walking through the door.
"Good afternoon, Agent Banner. Thanks for joining us." Agent Harper stood and reached out his hand to shake Agent Banner's. Could this mean I made the team? Surely, it must.
"Hello, Bella. Good to see you again." Agent Banner turned to look at me and gave me a big smile. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face in return.
"It's always a pleasure to see you, too," I responded.
"All right, let's get started." Agent Harper motioned for Agent Banner to take a seat near his desk, but Agent Banner shook his head, choosing to lean against the filing cabinets behind him instead. "Bella, Agent Banner requested that he be here when you were given your assignment. So, I will turn it over to him." He smiled at me and then nodded to Agent Banner.
"Thanks, Chuck." Banner turned to face me. "Bella, I have to say that I am quite impressed with what your instructors have had to say about your performance; although, I'm not surprised. As I have said, you're a lot like your father." He regarded me for moment before he continued.
"As you know, we only had one spot open for the Volturi team. And, there was some competition for that spot." He looked upon me seriously, and I nodded again, knowing exactly who he was talking about—Eric Yorkie. Please don't tell me Banner is here to let me down easy because Eric got the spot. I was suddenly very nervous again.
Banner continued, "I had a lot of pressure put on me to make certain selections. This was a very difficult decision for me, but it ultimately came down to one phone call."
I was now a bit confused, and I am sure it showed on my face. I quickly surmised it was probably Yorkie's dad telling him to put Eric on the team. Then it hit me. Oh, God, It's not me. He's picking Yorkie. My spirits were plummeting, and I couldn't look at Banner anymore, so I cast my gaze down to my hands in my lap.
"Charlie called me a week ago." What? My head snapped back up as I tried to make sense of what he had just said. Charlie never told me outright that he didn't want me on this case, but I knew he didn't approve. I just never thought he would interfere.
"Dad called you?" I asked, the confusion clear in my voice.
"Yes. I was just about as surprised as you are now. I was even more surprised by what he had to say." I stared at Banner, willing him to give me the bad news, but secretly hoping that I was wrong about what I thought he would say next.
"Bella, Charlie called to persuade me to bring you on the team." Agent Banner looked at me very pointedly. It took a second for me to fully comprehend the meaning of his words. They were just so contrary to what I was expecting. I looked up hopefully at him.
"Bella, Charlie told me I would be a fool not to put you on this team. He said there would be no finer agent in this class—which I agree with him whole-heartedly on—but he also said that I wouldn't find another agent as dedicated to the cause as you are" He paused as he regarded my response. "He told me that you'd be able to handle anything this case threw at you, both physically and emotionally. He wanted you to have this position."
"I can't believe my dad called you," I murmured more to myself than to Agent Banner. I never thought he would want me on this case, much less fight for me to get it. I found my heart swelling with love for my father.
Agent Banner chuckled. "I know. It took me aback for sure." I realized he heard my comment. I looked back up at him and smiled.
"So, what does this mean exactly?" I didn't want to presume. I wanted to be sure, but I could feel the smile on my face growing wider and wider.
"We would like you to come and join the VI team, Bella."
I jumped out of my seat. "Absolutely. Yes, I'm honored. And Dad's right, you will not have another member more dedicated to this than I am." The words flew quickly from my mouth, showing my obvious excitement. I reached out, shaking Banner's hand, and turned to Agent Harper, shaking his hand too. Take that, Eric Yorkie.
"Bella, sit, there's a bit more we need to discuss," Agent Harper said.
"Of course, Agent Harper, sorry," I said a bit sheepishly and returned to my seat.
Agent Banner addressed me again. "Bella, another agent on the team had to take an unexpected leave of absence, and I could use you right away. Could you start Monday?" We were usually given a week off between the end of training and our new assignment. I had planned on spending some time with Charlie, but that would now have to wait.
"Of course, Agent Banner. I can start whenever you need me."
"Excellent. I appreciate that, and I am really looking forward to working with you. Agent Harper is going to get all of the paperwork together for you. We can set you up in temporary housing until you find a place to live." I saw Agent Harper pulling together a rather large stack of paperwork from his desk as Agent Banner discussed the finer details of the move.
"Now, I unfortunately have to run and catch a flight back to San Diego. We'll see you next week." He reached his hand out to shake mine again. "Welcome to the team, Bella."
"Thank you, sir." I almost squealed. Banner exited the office, and I eagerly signed away on all the paperwork, barely able to contain my excitement.
Before I knew it, the rest of the week had flown by, and I now found myself sitting amongst my fellow trainees as we graduated from the training program. I couldn't believe the twenty weeks were over, and I was about to officially become an FBI agent. It seemed like just yesterday I was driving through the gates at Quantico, wondering if I had what it took to do this. Now, I knew I had the skills and determination to make a great agent. I was so excited to begin my new career in San Diego.
I shifted my gaze across the sea of future agents, finding Mike, Tyler, Ben and Angela as they sat listening to the Director of FBI talk about the bright future ahead of us and of the great honor in serving our country. They had already bestowed the awards for best achievement in academics, firearms—which went to Ben—and physical fitness. I was stunned when my name was called, and I was presented with the Director's Leadership Award. It was a great honor to be selected by my peers and instructors. As I received it, I caught Yorkie's glare as his mouth turned down into a disgusted sneer. I'm sure I didn't receive his vote for this award.
Finally, the director asked us all to stand to take the oath of office. We all stood in unison, raising our right hands. I felt my heart swell as I repeated the words.
"I, Isabella Swan, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
I could see the smiles spreading across each and every face of the students around me. We were now officially agents of the FBI. We all sat back down, waiting for our name to be called so we could come up to the podium and receive our badge.
"Agent Isabella Swan." I stood from my chair and walked over to the director. He shook my hand and handed my badge to me. "Congratulations, Agent Swan." He smiled at me, and we posed for a quick picture.
I could see Charlie in the back, clapping and beaming at me. I grinned at him, and he nodded. Even from this distance, I could see tears welling up in his eyes. As I returned to my seat, I stared at the badge in my hand. I was instantly taken back to my childhood, before my mother died. I sat in my father's lap, holding his badge, tracing my little index finger over the bumpy surface. I remember being in awe of my father and wanting to be just like him when I grew up. I now traced my larger index finger over my own badge and smiled.
After the ceremony was completed, all of the new agents and their families gathered in an adjacent room to celebrate the commencement. I quickly found Charlie, and he gathered me into a huge hug.
"Oh, Bella, I'm so proud of you," he said as he squeezed me tightly. I felt like a little five-year-old girl again. I held on to him a bit longer than I intended before letting go.
"Thanks, Dad," I replied. "Come on, I want to introduce you to some of my friends." I grabbed his arm and led him toward Mike and Tyler. They were standing with their own families, chatting about their upcoming moves and assignments.
"Hey, Bella, this is my mother and brother." Tyler waved me over, and I shook hands with his family.
"It's nice to meet you," I replied and continued on, meeting Mike's family and introducing them all to Charlie.
"So, Jessica, it looks like you lucked out and get to have Mike reasonably close."
"Thank God. I was so worried they would send him somewhere like Seattle." Jessica rolled her eyes, acting like that would be the worst place on Earth to live.
"Hey, now, you know I grew up out there."
"Oh crap. I'm sorry. I forgot. You know how I am, Bella. I'm a sunshine girl all the way. Just the rain here in D.C. drives me nuts." I chuckled at her. I completely understood, having spent half my childhood in Phoenix, like her, and other half in Forks.
We all pretty much got the assignments we were expecting. Mike was assigned to the Baltimore office, mainly working on white-collar crimes. Angela was assigned to the Washington D.C. field office where she would be working on counter-terrorism. Ben was placed in the Atlanta field office. He had hopes of training for SWAT and then trying out in a few years for the elite Hostage Rescue Team. And Tyler was heading to the West Coast too, not far from me, in the Los Angeles field office. It was so hard to believe we would all be going our separate ways in just a few days. The rigorous training had formed a deep camaraderie between us. They were now like my extended family.
"Mike, where are Ben and Angela?" I asked. Since that night after the physical assessments, Ben and Angela had been nearly inseparable in their free time. It was difficult, because they didn't want anyone knowing that they were seeing each other.
Mike looked up over the crowd and pointed to the back of the room. I turned and could see Ben through the crowd. After saying goodbye to Mike and Tyler's family, I headed back through the crowd to find Ben and Angela with my dad once again in tow. About halfway across the room, I heard someone shout Charlie's name. I turned to find myself face-to-face with a young agent I didn't recognize. He was tall, tan-skinned, with short, cropped black hair.
"Jacob Black," my dad said, as he greeted the agent warmly.
"How are you, Charlie? Dad said you were here for your daughter's graduation, and I decided to pop in to see if I could find you." I looked on in complete confusion, not having any idea who this person was.
"Bella," my dad said, "this is Jacob Black, Billy Black's son." I looked on, still not understanding. I was guessing that Billy Black must be an agent my dad once worked with, but it appeared my assumptions were wrong. "You remember Billy, don't you?" I shook my head no.
"He's my good friend from the reservation. I go fishing with him a lot. Well, more now since you left home." Ah, now I remembered. I had only met Billy a handful of times. Before I left for college, Dad and I pretty much stayed home and hung out together. My leaving for college was probably good for the both of us. "Anyway, this is his son. I don't think you have ever met Jacob before. He's a few years older than you."
"No, I haven't. It's nice to meet you, Jacob." I reached out to shake his hand. He smiled warmly at me as he took my hand.
"My pleasure. Call me Jake, please."
"So you're from Forks? Has Forks become the new FBI agent hotbed?" I thought it was rather odd that Forks seemed to host so many agents. There weren't that many agents to begin with, and Forks was a very small town.
"Uh, I am actually from the reservation, but yeah, Forks essentially. And, I suppose it's not all that unusual; there are only four of us now. If not for Sam, I doubt there would be any agents from there."
"Sam?" I asked in confusion.
"Sam Uley," my dad answered. Ah, Agent Uley, head of the Behavioral Sciences Unit, a serial killer specialist. I knew he was the agent that helped my dad find his current position as Chief of Police in Forks, but that was pretty much all I knew about him. I didn't know his first name. I wasn't even sure what my dad's connection was to Agent Uley in the first place. I don't think they ever worked together while Charlie was active in the FBI.
"I work with Sam here at Quantico," Jake continued. "Sam recruited me into the FBI and has really taken me under his wing. So, what division will you be working under, Bella? Where are you headed?"
"Um, I'm heading out to San Diego tomorrow to work with Agent Banner on the VI case." Jake looked startled at this news and his face grew a bit dark, but he recovered in seconds and planted another stunning smile on his face.
"You really are following your father's footsteps then."
"Yes, she is," Charlie replied. He put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. "I was a bit hesitant about her working that case, but I know she will be damn good at it." I looked up at him and could see him gazing at me with pride in his eyes. Charlie then turned back to Jake. "So, Jake, we were going to head out to dinner in a little bit. Would you care to join us?"
"Ah, thanks, Charlie, but I'm swamped. I appreciate the invitation. I may have to take you up on it the next time I'm back home. I'm glad I was able to catch you here, though. In fact, I have to get going. I have a meeting in a few."
Jake reached out his hand to shake mine once again. "It was a real pleasure meeting you, Bella." He quickly withdrew his hand and reached into his coat, pulling out his wallet. He extracted a business card and handed it to me. "Here, if you have any questions along the way, or if for any reason you have a case that I could assist you on, feel free to give me a ring."
I took the card, looking at the FBI logo printed on the front with his name, and imagined how my cards would look. I glanced up and smiled at him. "Thank you, Jake. I will."
"Well, for that matter, you can also drop an email to just say hi. Anyway, good luck to you in San Diego, Bella. And, uh, welcome to the FBI." He turned to Charlie to shake his hand as well. "Bye, Charlie. Glad I was able to catch you. Say hi to Dad for me."
"Will do, Jake. Take care."
Jake turned quickly and strode out of the room, and as I watched him leave, I caught sight of Angela in the far corner. I grabbed my dad's arm once again to lead him over to her. "Come on, Dad. I have more friends for you to meet."
I sat on my bed the next morning, staring at my luggage. As excited as I was to be heading to San Diego today, I was also very sad to say goodbye to this place. I had made some incredible friends over the last twenty weeks, and it was hard to believe we were all going our separate ways. I got up and grabbed the last few items off the bathroom counter and packed them into my luggage. I picked up the empty tube of toothpaste and reached over to toss it in the garbage but hesitated as I looked at it. I thought of Edward and that night. I wondered if we would ever cross paths again. I wondered if I hadn't made it on the VI case, if I might have been assigned to Chicago or somewhere close to him. I wondered if he thought of me at all over these last six weeks. I know I thought of him constantly.
I turned the empty tube around in my hand and quickly tucked it into my luggage with the rest of my items. I blew the air out of my lungs in a deep sigh and headed back into the main room when I heard a knock at the door. I was sure it was Charlie. He was coming to pick me up, and then we were going to head to the airport together to catch our flights.
I opened the door to find Angela grinning up at me. I instantly enveloped her in a hug, taking her a bit by surprise. I didn't think I was going to see her again before I had to leave.
"Oh, Ang, I'm really gonna miss you."
"Me too, Bella. But, can you let me in, please." She was chuckling at my exuberance, as I released my hold on her.
"Sorry. Come on in." I took a step back to allow her into the room. She was carrying a small package and handed it to me as she walked through the door.
"Peggy asked me to bring it to you. It was delivered yesterday." Peggy was the secretary who handled a lot of the behind-the-scenes workings of the FBI Training Academy. I took the package and examined it. It was addressed to me, but there wasn't any other information.
"What is it? Who's it from?"
"I don't know. Peggy just asked if I would bring it up with me. Open it. I'm sure it's a graduation gift."
"Yes, but from whom? Who would send me a gift?" I couldn't think of anyone who would send me a gift, other than Charlie, and he would have just given it to me. In fact, he did give me a really wonderful gift—a Glock G22 .40 caliber pistol.
I tore open the brown packaging paper and carefully lifted the lid off of the box. Inside was a very old copy of The Ugly Duckling. I carefully lifted it out the box. How very odd.
"What in the world?" I mumbled as I turned it over, inspecting it.
"What is it?" Angela asked. I lifted it up to show her. "The Ugly Duckling? What are you—five? Who sent that to you?"
"I don't know." I handed the book to Angela as I looked through the paper to perhaps find a card or note.
"Wow, I will say this, Bella, I think it's a first edition. Those are worth some money, even for books like The Ugly Duckling."
"But who would send that to me? It's just very strange." I took the book back and opened it up, flipping through the pages. There, about four pages in, was a note, which slipped out from the pages of the book and fluttered to ground. I reached down and picked it up. It was written in an elegant script on very expensive looking parchment.
Dearest Bella,
Congratulations on your great achievement.
You have truly blossomed into a beautiful swan.
I look forward to working with you in the future.
In place of a signature, there was an elaborate picture drawn in the same ink as the words above it. It was a picture of an upside-down crow. The crow was very simple with its wings spread out, like primitive folk art, but surrounded by a very ornately drawn square border. Angela was peering over my shoulder to look at the note.
"Who is it from, Bella?" she asked as she gently took the paper from me. I shook my head in dismay.
"I have no idea. They didn't sign it."
Angela studied the note and picture. "This is very weird. Could it be someone you are going to be working with in San Diego? It does say they are looking forward to working with you."
"Um, I don't know. The only person I know in San Diego is Agent Banner."
"Well, maybe he sent it. He has known you since you were a child." Angela handed the note back to me, and I looked at the strange drawing, trying to figure out what it could mean. I highly doubted that Agent Banner would have sent this. While I had known him since I was young, it was not a close connection, and this seemed rather out of character for him.
"What do you think this drawing means?" I asked.
"Hmm, I don't really know. Well, it doesn't matter. I'm sure you'll figure it out. The person who sent it to you will say something, I'm sure," Angela continued. "Now, put that thing away, and let's talk a bit before you have to leave."
I took one last look at the note, trying to decipher its origins, but to no avail. I sighed, and carefully placed the note back into the book and put the book back into the box. I then tucked the box deep into my luggage and zipped it up, quickly putting the book and its note out of my mind. I would try to decipher its origins when I got settled in San Diego. Besides, Angela was right—the person who sent it would surely identify themselves at some point.
I walked over to Angela and plopped down next to her on the couch. "Okay, Angela, tell me all about your week away with Ben." And with a wide grin and a glint in her eye, she told me all about her upcoming trip with Ben to the Caribbean until it was time to leave for the airport.
Hours later, I sat comfortably on the 747 taking me to San Diego. Charlie had taken me to the airport, and we'd had lunch together while waiting for our flights. I was sad that I was not spending time with Charlie before starting my new job. I wanted, no needed, the reassurance he could provide. I was now off on my own to make my own way. I knew that I had taken similar steps when I left for college and then again when I went to the FBI for training, but somehow this felt different.
I was really on my own now, completely independent. It was up to me alone to make it or break it in this world, and that thought both terrified and thrilled me at the same time. A great part of me wanted to curl up next my dad and have him hold me and tell me I would be all right. A part of me just wanted to be his little girl again. But then, there was that other part of me—so independent and so determined to make my mark—that felt the thrill of a new adventure. I often felt as though the two sides of me were at war with each other.
A ping from the speakers brought me out of my thoughts as I heard the captain announce our descent into San Diego. I glanced out the window at the pinkening sky and observed little points of light flickering into view across the desert mountains where families were probably sitting down to dinner or watching their TVs. I wondered about all the people down there—What their lives were like as they went about their daily routines? Tomorrow it would be me, going about my business and starting my new life. I couldn't wait.
The next morning, I stood by my rental car, parked outside the FBI building on Aero Drive, and drew in a deep breath. I gently swiped my hands down the front of my grey trousers and then up over my shirt and jacket, making sure it was all in place before I made my way to the building. It was a large, impressive structure, four stories tall. I walked up to the door, observing the FBI seal emblazoned on the front glass. I lifted my chin, straightened my shoulders, and yanked the door open. I was ready. I walked up to the front desk in the lobby, where a lady in her mid-thirties was busy typing on the computer.
"May I help you?" she asked, barely looking up from the computer.
"Um, yes. I'm Isabella Swan. I'm supposed to start here today." This time she looked more directly at me and smiled.
"Oh, yes, Agent Swan. We've been expecting you. Welcome. Have a seat, and I will let Agent Banner know you're here." She indicated an area behind me where there was a small row of chairs placed against the wall. I quietly took a seat, while she made a quick call to Agent Banner.
"Can I get you anything, Ms. Swan? Coffee, maybe?"
"No, thank you," I replied. I had already had two cups at the Starbucks near the apartment, and all that caffeine, on top of my nerves, was making me jittery. I didn't need to compound the problem.
I didn't have to wait long before Agent Banner came through the door. "Hello, Bella." He smiled and strode purposefully toward me, his hand outstretched. I immediately stood and took his hand, shaking it.
"Hi, Agent Banner. It's good to see you again."
"Well, Bella, I hope you are ready to get going." He turned and began walking back toward the door he had just emerged from, and I promptly followed. As he walked, he continued talking to me about the office. "We always have meetings every two weeks on Monday mornings to evaluate the current status of the VI case. As you know, the VI case has its own staff, but we still lend a great deal of support to the other cases here in the San Diego office. So, you will be working on other cases as well." He looked at me, and I nodded in understanding. I knew this already.
He was walking swiftly through the office, and I had to take large strides to keep up with him. I was dearly hoping that he would slow down before I tripped over my own two feet.
"We have one of our Monday meetings today, which is another reason that I wanted you here this week. I thought it would be a good way for you to meet the team and get you caught up on the status of the case."
"Oh, yes. I agree. Thank you."
"Okay." He stopped for a minute, looking a bit distracted, giving me minute to catch my breath. "This is the first floor. This office has four floors. Our team is situated on the third floor." I realized at this point that we were standing in front of an elevator. The doors slid open, and we stepped inside.
"We're pretty much going straight to the meeting, and then after, I'll get you set up with Barbara. She'll help you get settled into your office and get all of your paperwork completed. She'll need to get you a card key to access the offices too."
"Uh, okay." I wasn't sure what else to say. I was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed with the pace of things since Agent Banner had marched into the lobby. The elevator bell dinged, and the doors slid open once again to reveal another office floor that looked much like the floor below it. There were offices that lined the outer walls, and the interior was filled with cubicles.
Banner turned to his left upon exiting the elevator and proceeded quickly down the hallway with me in tow. He stopped at an office door, clearly marked with his name, and ushered me inside. I took a seat at one of the chairs in front of his desk as Agent Banner took his chair opposite me. He sat back in his chair, appearing very relaxed and regarded me.
"The meeting should begin in a few minutes, but I wanted to take a minute to welcome you." He gaze scanned his office before returning to me. "This is my office. Please feel free to come see me anytime. My door is always open."
"Thank you, Sir," I replied.
"I try to keep communications amongst my staff and team members open and honest. I feel it makes for a stronger team. So, if you ever have any questions or concerns, always feel free to come knock on my door."
"Thank you, I appreciate that."
"Now." He slid a large pile of manila folders across the desk in my direction. "These are copies of some of the most current projects for the VI case. These are your copies. I would like you to look through them today and familiarize yourself with them."
I nodded as I reached out to grab the stack of folders off his desk. There were probably a dozen or so in the stack.
"There are currently five permanent members on the VI team, including yourself. We each have roles and projects that we head up, but for now, you will work as support to each of these members until we establish a more defined role for you."
"I understand. I'm really looking forward to getting started. I want to thank you again for adding me to your team."
"I think you're going to be a great fit, Bella. I'm very glad to have you." Agent Banner glanced at his watch and began to rise from his chair. "I'm sorry. I'm sure this has been very rushed for you this morning. Things will slow down after the meeting. But, we need to head on over to the conference room. I do want to catch you later so that we can talk more about getting you settled in. How about lunch?"
"That would be great." I stood from the chair, clutching the stack of folders, and followed him out of the office and down the hall to a small conference room. As I entered, three faces looked up from the table. There were two men who appeared to be in their late thirties or early forties on one side of the table and another younger Asian man at the other end. Banner took a seat at the head of the table and indicated for me to have a seat as well. I sat at the far end, next to the young Asian man.
Banner then introduced me to the group currently at the table. "This is our newest member to the team, Agent Bella Swan. Bella, this is Agent Andres Rodriguez, Agent Rob McKinley, and this is Timothy Parks," he said, pointing to the Asian man next to me.
"Hello, glad to meet all of you. I'm looking forward to working with you," I said. They all smiled and shook my hand, welcoming me to the team.
"Timothy is support staff for our team. He is not an agent, but he is an FBI employee. He is our IT guru, I guess you could say."
"I do a lot of the computer hacking and database searches to retrieve information on the Volturi," Timothy added. I instantly thought of Mike Newton and imagined Timothy as his West Coast counterpart. Agent Banner began talking casually to one of the other agents, Andres, while I sat a bit uncomfortably in my seat. I wasn't sure why we hadn't started the meeting, but my uncertainty was quickly addressed by Timothy.
"We are waiting on two more members," he leaned over and told me.
"Oh, okay."
"So, are you getting all settled in? What do you think of San Diego so far?" he asked.
"Well, I only just arrived last night, so I haven't really gotten a chance to see it. I used to come here on vacation when I was younger, but it has been years since I've been here. I don't really remember much about it."
"Well, you're gonna love it. Best kept secret in the U.S." Just as he was finishing his sentence, a loud burst of laughter was heard right outside the door. I turned my head to see what was causing the commotion, when I caught sight of a messy head of bronze hair. My heart instantly slammed in my chest as my mouth dropped open. It couldn't be.
"Ah, good, we're all here," Agent Banner exclaimed. "Bella, this is Edward Masen and Lauren Mallory, and this is our newest agent, Bella Swan." I watched as Edward's head pivoted in my direction and the smile dropped from his face replaced by shock at seeing me. In the next instant, I heard the grating voice of the woman next to him.
"I know you." I recognized her instantly. It was woman who laughed at me in the hall six weeks ago. Oh yes, you do.
I really hope you are continuing to enjoy my story. Your reviews really help to inspire me, and as a thank you, I will send out a teaser for the next chapter for anyone who leaves a review.