Something new, something as a teaser for the next chapters. :)
"It's time to go back"—a phrase that would have brought me great relief had I heard it days earlier. Yet now, as Liam uttered those words, his smile didn't convey the reassurance I so desperately craved. There was something unsettling about it, a hidden layer behind his seemingly calm expression. I wasn't sure if my discomfort was the result of a growing conviction or simply the stress from my numerous failed attempts to quiet my racing thoughts over the past few days.
I glanced at Liam, his demeanor as unreadable as ever, before the question escaped my lips, though I was trying to piece the answer together myself.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice steady but my mind a whirlpool of questions and speculations. Had he been in Italy with us all along, lurking in the shadows, unseen? What exactly was his role in this intricate web we found ourselves trapped in? And, more importantly, who was he truly working for?
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward's expression, a mirror to my own confusion. His brow furrowed slightly, his gaze flicking between Liam and the surroundings, as if he, too, was trying to piece together the new puzzle we were now entangled in. His usually sharp, analytical mind seemed momentarily clouded by the unexpected turn of events, and I could tell he was grappling with the same questions that plagued me.
"I came to take you safely back to familiar ground" Liam finally replied, his voice calm, almost nonchalant, as if the tension in the air was a mere afterthought. He gave a slight shrug, a gesture that somehow felt too casual for the situation at hand. Once again, I was left with the unsettling feeling that we were being guided through a set of maneuvers I didn't fully understand, a game where Liam held all the cards. He stepped into the house with a sense of familiarity that didn't escape me. Without hesitation, he walked straight to the kitchen, opened a cupboard, and retrieved a glass to pour himself some water. It was in that moment that I knew for certain—Liam had been here before, it wadnt just a safehouse known to FBI. He knew this house, perhaps even better than we did, and the implications of that realization sent a chill down my spine.
"What went so wrong with the plan that we have to be relocated?" I asked, though deep down I knew I wasn't going to get a satisfactory answer. The look in Liam's eyes told me he wasn't inclined to share more than he deemed necessary.
"That's not important right now" he said dismissively. "You have a little time to gather what you've brought. I'll be waiting downstairs." His tone left no room for negotiation. He sat down, crossing his arms, clearly indicating that the conversation was over.
Edward didn't need to be told twice. Without further questions, he disappeared into the room to collect his things, ever the pragmatist. I, on the other hand, remained seated, watching Liam with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. It felt as though he was withholding something important, some vital piece of information that could change everything. But no matter how long I stared, willing him to reveal more, he remained silent, his posture relaxed, as if he had all the time in the world. With a sigh, I resigned myself to the situation and went to pack my belongings.
Ten minutes later, Edward and I were ready, standing by the door, when Liam approached us. He didn't say a word but motioned with his hand, indicating the direction we should go. We walked side by side, the strange feeling that enveloped me was impossible to shake, a deep, inexplicable sense of foreboding. It was as if we were walking straight into our own demise, and yet there was no turning back.
I shook my head slightly, trying to dispel the dark thoughts creeping into my mind. Panic had a way of finding its way in, whether I was awake or asleep, and I couldn't afford to let it take over now.
"Are you okay?" Edward's voice was a quiet whisper, his concern evident. He had noticed the shift in my demeanor, the slight tension in my movements.
"Yes, I'm fine" I replied, though I wasn't entirely sure if I believed my own words. We continued towards the car waiting for us outside, the silence between us heavy and unspoken.
The drive was quiet. Liam, sitting in the front seat, seemed lost in his own thoughts, his usual calm masking whatever calculations were going on behind his eyes. I wasn't surprised by the silence—Liam had always been an enigma, a man who revealed little and kept his true intentions close to his chest. But now, more than ever, it felt as though there were layers to him I hadn't even begun to uncover.
Edward broke the silence first, his voice cutting through the stillness. "Will we still be undercover when we return to Seattle?"
Liam's response was brief and to the point, offering no more than what was strictly necessary. "That is yet to be decided. For now, a place has been prepared for you to stay until we're certain no one is expecting you there."
And with that, silence fell once again. There were no more answers, no further explanations.
I turned my attention to the world outside the window, the landscape shifting as we traveled. The lush greenery surrounding us felt alive, vibrant, a stark contrast to the bleak uncertainty swirling in my mind. It was beautiful in a way that was almost unsettling, as if the world outside was untouched by the turmoil we were experiencing. And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the last time I would see this place. Something about it lingered, as if it were calling me back even as we drove away.
After two flights and what felt like a lifetime of waiting, we found ourselves back in Seattle. The transition was almost too smooth, too seamless. There had been no obstacles, no confrontations, and yet the tension in my chest hadn't lessened. My mind raced with thoughts about the time spent undercover—the connection between Enzo and the Volturi, the looming suspicion that Liam was more involved than he was letting on, and the undeniable fact that my heart had grown more restless with each passing day.
And then there was the elephant in the room—the one thing neither of us could ignore.
Liam dropped us off at our new safe house, a modest home in the suburbs. His instructions were as brief as always: expect more information soon, two keys, and silence.
"What do you expect us to do?" Edward suddenly burst out, his voice filled with frustration. "I didn't come all this way just to be shuffled around without direct orders."
Liam's response was cold, almost dismissive. "If you don't like it here, I'll personally show you the way back to the airport when the investigation is over."
It was the complete opposite of the Liam I had grown accustomed to working with, and the sharpness of his words took Edward and myself by surprise. Without another word, Edward slammed the door behind him and disappeared into the house.
The new surroundings offered little in terms of comfort. The two-story house was spacious enough, with a large living room, a kitchen, and two bedrooms, but there was nothing remarkable about it. There was no hidden basement, no secret exit this time. Whatever threats awaited us, they would be waiting just beyond the front door.
The exhaustion of the day, combined with the tension of the past few weeks, was finally catching up to me. Without a word, we both made our way to our respective rooms, the weight of unspoken concerns hanging in the air. Silence. The following days would reveal more. Of that, I was certain.