Few years later...
"Hello?" One ordinary day, Alice received a phone call from one of her investment companies, an 'immortal' corporate entity managing their property instead of 'mortal' individuals. Of course, she wasn't officially a CEO, but a few executives and building guards recognized her as the 'real secret owner'. Maybe they think I'm some kind of dangerous underground mafia boss or something, Alice sometimes thought. "What's the matter?"
"Ah, sorry to say this, Ms. Brandon" (To avoid attention, Alice didn't use the name Cullen when working with her companies), "but there was an accident. Our new employee... well, he accidentally shut the electricity down in the wrong room... actually, it was a server room, so..." The executive on the other end of the phone babbled, clearly disconcerted.
How didn't I see that? Alice thought, bewildered. She concentrated on her vision, frowning. There was still nothing concerning the given company. "Are you sure?" she asked.
"Of course, ma'am! We've lost several data here and there! So we need some..."
"Oh, alright." Alice sighed, although money was nothing to her. She was more irritated by the fact that she didn't see this. It felt so unnerving. "I'll send someone with loads of cash."
Alice hung up the phone and looked around. Hmmm, the only one not busy is Emmett. "Emmett!" She called aloud.
"Yeah?" Emmett raised his eyebrow, having not listened to the call completely.
"Can you deliver this cash to this address and see if something or someone is... wrong? It feels... not right." Alice handed him the briefcase.
Emmett absentmindedly took the bag. "What do you mean by that? Don't you just know what is wrong?"
"That's exactly the problem. I can't see what's wrong! Something's blocking me."
"The only thing that can block you are unfamiliar shifters and hybrids. Wait... what if...?"
Alice's eyes flashed. "Oh! You're right! Maybe there's a shapeshifter or a hybrid employed in the company! You really should go and figure it out." Since the Clearwater pack was roaming freely across the states, unlike the La Push-settled Uley pack or the three-person Black pack, the Cullens now had no idea where they were or how many there were. Of course, Jake could always use the Alpha connection, but he seldom did that nowadays.
So that was the reason Emmett was walking through the entrance of this mundane, very human-style office building. The guards had once blocked him, demanding his ID, clearly intimidated by his size. But once confirmed that he's Alice's personal stand-in, all of the guards began to treat him like he's a VIP.
He couldn't help but smirk at their quick change in attitude. Alice had insisted that he handle this meeting in her place, and Emmett had reluctantly agreed. Business meetings were far from his idea of fun, but he knew that Alice wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important.
As he made his way through the polished corridors, he noted the curious glances from the office staff. Most of them quickly looked away when they realized they'd been caught staring at the massive man in the sharp suit. Emmett found the whole situation amusing—humans were so easily impressed.
"So, you're the one she sent, right? I'm David Taylor, one of the board members," a boring-looking (in Emmett's eyes) middle-aged businessman said, extending his hand. "If you come this way to my office, Mister—"
"McCarty," Emmett replied.
"Ah, yes, Mr. McCarty. Please follow me."
-Emmett: This is boring me to hell already!
On the way to the office, Emmett Channeled Alice, half out of boredom and half for emergency.
-Liz: Oh, shut up! What are you Channeling me for?! Where the hell are you, by the way?
-Emmett: I'm on some very important, sacred business trip. Oh, right. Invite Alice to this group, just in case I can't call electronically.
-Alice: You haven't met the cause yet, Emmett?
-Emmett: Not yet. I'm Channeling because I'm bored.
-Alice: Idiot.
"Feel free to sit anywhere." Even as he tried to reply to the insult, David arrived at his office. "So... the boss said she's going to compensate for..."
Emmett handed him the briefcase. "That's what I brought. Here."
"Thank goodness." David swallowed hard at the sight of rows and rows of money. "Anything else you need, Mr. McCarty?"
"Actually... I would like to meet the new employee who caused this," Emmett said thoughtfully. He could be thoughtful when needed. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna bite." He laughed at his private joke.
"Of course. You can be hard on him if you want. He needs some serious talk." David excused himself, saying he would bring the newbie to his office in minutes. Emmett nodded, not hiding his boredom. Another waiting, this is getting greater and greater.
The office door opened seven and a half minutes later. Emmett was building a paper tower with disposable tea bags. A young man in his twenties followed David, nervously glancing at the floor with his black eyes. Emmett sniffed the air and detected the unmistakable scent of a hybrid.
"This is Norman Ellington," David introduced, "the infamous troublemaker." Norman looked down in shame at the jest. "Just kidding, Norman! He's a good employee; this is his very first mistake."
Norman glanced anxiously at Emmett, then at the eight-story paper tower, and back at Emmett again. "Uh... hello. I'm really sorry for this. I won't do it again, I promise!" Tears welled up in his eyes with fear.
"Now, now, calm down, kiddo. I didn't say anything!" Emmett reassured the young hybrid as gently as he could manage. Why am I even doing this? Jazz is professional at this, not me. Damn Alice. "I just want to talk to you about something. But not here."
"Not here?" David asked. "What do you mean by that?"
"It's none of your business now," Emmett replied rather coldly. "Can I borrow him for... a day or two? I will send him back in one piece. Like I said before, don't worry. We don't bite."
"Uh... well, if the boss approves..."
"I already asked Alice."
"Alright then." David handed Norman to Emmett, as if the newbie had no free will. "Take him for two days, and please don't bite," he added with a snort at the last word. Emmett grinned widely, flashing his perfect teeth. David shuddered unconsciously.
-Emmett: He's a hybrid! And a new one!
-Alice: Really? I thought he was a new shifter from the Clearwater pack we didn't know. What's his name?
-Emmett: Norman Ellington.
-Alice: Bring him home, I'll inform everyone.
"So, Norman," Emmett began, leading Norman to the passenger seat. "How did you end up here? You know you're not normal, right?"
Norman, cautious and wary, eyed Emmett warily. "Not normal? I don't know what you're talking about..."
Emmett laughed heartily and gave Norman a friendly slap on the back, though not too hard. "You're not giving away your secret that easily, huh? That's good, but you can trust me. I can explain. Seriously, I mean business. We all have secrets of our own, you know."
Norman sighed, realizing he wasn't getting out of this conversation anytime soon. "Besides the part where I'm not normal, whatever you mean, how I ended up here is quite simple. I graduated college, applied for this company, and here I am." He looked uncertain, unsure of what else Emmett wanted from him.
"And here I guess, you were not more than ten years old when you graduated that college," the older vampire grinned widely, baring his teeth as if to intimidate the younger man. Norman shuddered.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked instead, ignoring his fight-or-flight instinct. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"To my family," Emmett answered instantly. "Don't worry, they're really nice and can provide you with all the answers you're going to ask about your nature."
"My nature?" Norman tilted his head.
"Uh-huh," Emmett nodded absentmindedly. "Your nature. You'll see."
The rest of the ride was filled with an uneasy silence, heavy with tension. Unlike Chris, who had at least been given some explanations when Carlisle found him, Norman was left in the dark. His mind raced with a thousand questions, each one only adding to his anxiety. Every unfamiliar turn on the road made him grip the seat tighter, the sense of impending unknown pressing down on him.
By the time they arrived, Norman's nerves were frayed, his thoughts tangled in confusion and fear. He stepped out of the car hesitantly, glancing around as if searching for some clue to what awaited him.
"Finally!" Alice exclaimed as soon as she saw the two men walking toward the house. "Welcome, Norman! You see, I'm the real boss of your company, and my family and I will—"
Norman was beyond startled when Alice approached him in full vampire speed. "H-how did you just move so fast?!"
Alice grinned. "Shall we get inside? We'll explain everything. Liz has informed everyone, so they're all here!"
The 'explanation' of all things regarding vampires, hybrids, and shapeshifters went pretty much the same as those with Chris a few years ago. Norman was also invited into the Channel, just in case. They liked to contact their friends this way nowadays. Some nomads don't even have a phone, so this came in handy. As Norman stood up to go home and get some sleep (it was already past midnight), Carlisle, who had been unusually quiet during the conversation, spoke up.
"Norman, if you don't mind," he said thoughtfully, "Can I take your blood to run some DNA tests?"
Everyone in the room was surprised, besides Edward, who already knew what his father was thinking. Norman was surprised too. "I don't mind, but why...?"
"I think you resemble someone I know. Maybe... this someone is your half-brother," the patriarch said calmly, so as not to startle anyone again. "I'm going to contact him as soon as possible to take his too."