Newborn Army

[London, England - March 29th 2006]

{Frank's POV}

I have heard whispers. Not a fortnight ago there was a vampire that had attempted to blackmail the Volturi into killing him. Apparently, there was a human woman there. I do not know names but reports say his eyes were golden. Vegetarians. Like me. I imagine that he is probably connected to Carlisle Cullen, the head of his own prodigal coven of 8 vampires. They are nominally the enemies of the Volturi as they have several members with special gifts. Gifts. Abilities. These damned traits turned 'powers' have been the bane of my existence. I have heard of many and seen some. Aro's ability to see someone's entire life with but a touch. Jane and her illusionary pain inducement. Charles' lie detection. There have even been rumors of a woman with the ability to see the future. . . I wonde- NO. NO. I cannot go down that path once more. I have been heartbroken and alone for longer than I care to truly remember. I am 115 years old this year. My sweet sister would be 105 years old. She is almost certainly dead. I failed. I never found her. Yet my existence still has a purpose. I have one of these special abilities. The Volturi named it "Protective Empowerment" which is a fancy and vague way of saying that I can psychically mark someone who is truly innocent and in need of protection. While I have someone marked and am acting in their best interest I am incredibly powerful. Stronger and faster than even a newborn, resistant or outright immune to many other vampires' special abilities, and the ability to find the person I marked anywhere in the world so long as they still need protecting and remain innocent. 

The Volturi have hunted me for decades both for the murder of my creator and because they believe my ability to be dangerous to them. For they do not need protection nor are they innocent. My ability does not work on any one of them and they resent me for it but it has been easy to evade them when I mark dozens of children every decade or so. By continuing my never-ending crusade of destroying evil vampires I have thus acted in the best interest of those children and I get to keep my enhancements. I was tracking a brute. A hunter of epic proportions named James. He has disappeared but he was headed West the last time I caught his scent, metaphorically speaking of course for one cannot track a vampire across an ocean by scent. 

I picked up the newspaper from Seattle, dated not 3 days ago. Serial murders? A gang recruiting? I've seen something like this before. It is an army. I believe the Cullen coven is located somewhere in the Northwestern United States, this must be a war. But who is waging this war? And for what reason? It doesn't matter. I'll figure it out when I get closer, for the innocent are always the ones to suffer the most during a war. And I exist to protect the innocent.

~~ Time Skip ~~

[Forks, Washington - April 3rd 2006]

{Alice's POV}

I have another vision. A war. Dozens of corpses litter the streets, vampire, human, and shifter alike. Nearly half my family will be destroyed if we cannot trust the stranger that is coming. The same man I first saw when I became a vampire. I am finally going to meet him. Jasper is nervous but he has no reason to be, he and I are meant to be and I know this new man, Francis, won't come between Jasper and I. I know he is important to us all, me especially, but I do not know how. It is odd. But nevertheless I must convince my family to trust this man for he is our only hope to combat this rising newborn army. We still don't know who is behind this venture but we have many theories. It is time I talked to the others.

"I've had another vision," I said walking into the kitchen. Carlisle, Esme, Edythe, and Rosalie are there, Jasper is out back, Edward is somewhere off with Bella, and Emmett is somewhere. 

"What is it this time? The newborns?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes, and no," I responded somewhat awkwardly.

"Thank you Alice for that generous answer," Rosalie deadpanned at me.

"Rosalie, let her explain." Carlisle gently admonished his adopted daughter.

"The newborns have headed south. They are gathering greater numbers. We are vastly outnumbered. But there is a possible avenue of safety," I explained succinctly so as to not annoy Rosalie any more than I had to. I knew that she was even more tense lately since the vote to turn Bella into a vampire.

"What avenue?" Carlisle asked, placing the bowl of fruit onto the counter before him.

"We need to convince the wolves to help us," I stated confidently.

Nearly everyone rolled their eyes in disbelief at this statement. But I knew that there was someone else coming as well and we needed every hand we could get.

~~ Time Skip ~~

[Forks, Washington - June 13th 2006]

{Bella's POV}

Jacob gave me this charm bracelet with a little wooden carving of a wolf. I know he is in love with me but I love Edward. I like Jake, I like him a lot but I know that Edward is the one for me. The silence between Jake and I is growing awkward but then I see Alice on the stairs, blank-faced and not breathing. I rush over to her as Jacob and the other wolves follow.

"The decision's been made," Alice states coming out of her vision-induced trance.

"What's going on? You're not going to Seattle?" I asked.

"No. . .They're coming here," Alice said with fearful eyes.

Edythe, Edward, Jasper, and Carlisle are debating out on the balcony as Alice heads out towards them I follow behind her trying to listen in on what they are saying. Jacob follows behind me like a guard dog. Quil and Embry are nearby, guard-dogging the guard-dog. Edward notices Alice coming toward them and reads her mind, I think he does at least as the signs he is using his gift are still difficult for me to determine but what he says next confirms that theory.

"How long?" Edward asks with nothing prompting him to speak.

"They'll be here in four days," Alice responded.

"This could turn into a blood bath," Carlisle comments drearily.

"Who's behind it?" Edward asks.

"I didn't see anyone I recognize. Maybe one. . .," Alice said sullenly.

"I know his face. He's local, Riley Biers," Edward stated, clearly reading her mind once more as Edythe nodded her head in agreement with her twin, "He didn't start this."

"Whoever did is staying out of the action," Alice responds.

"They must be playing with the blind spots in your vision," Carlisle intuits.

"Either way, the army is coming. . .and there aren't enough of us to protect the town," Jasper states, his southern lilt coming out a bit more strong.

"Hold up. What damn army?" Jacob asks with a light growl in his voice, as Jasper moves subtly closer to Alice.

Jacob looks like he is about to explode. Carlisle and Edward share a look. Edward shakes his head, no, but Carlisle decides differently.

"Newborns. Our kind." Carlisle says with resignation in his voice and eyes.

"What are they after?" Embry pipes up from the doorway, stepping forward once.

"They were passing around Bella's scent. A red blouse." Alice explains her vision to the wolves.

"Then they're after Bella?" Embry asks lightly.

"What the hell does this mean?" Jacob questions with an even more pronounced snarl.

"It means an ugly fight. With lives lost." Carlisle sighs and looks down.

The weight of it lands on all of them. Jacob shares a sober look with Embry and Quil. They share an almost imperceptible nod.

"Alright. . .We're in," Jacob says after a few seconds of heavy silence.

"No. You'll get yourselves killed, no way." I say desperately, finally butting into the conversation that is literally about me.

"I wasn't asking for permission," Jacob says like he is challenging me once more.

"Edward," I plead to my boyfriend giving him a light pout. I don't want Jacob or the wolves to get killed because of me. Not when I cannot reciprocate his feelings.

"It means more protection for you," Jacob interjects before Edward can even open his mouth.

"Jacob," I breathe his name hoping my pout works on him better than it did my boyfriend. I am then ignored.

"Do you believe Sam will agree to. . .an understanding?" Carlisle questions, ignoring me as well.

"As long as we get to kill some vampires," Jacob says with a smirk on his face, purposefully attempting to antagonize the Cullens.

"Jasper?" Carlisle turns to his eldest adopted son.

"They'll give us the numbers. And the newborns won't know they even exist. That'll give us an edge." Jasper muses as though he is a general preparing for battle. Which I suppose this is, a war council like some kind of historical fantasy movie.

"There's one more coming," Alice suddenly blurts out like she didn't want to say anything but the glare that Edythe was sending her was enough to force it out of her.

"The bearded man? Francis?" Carlisle asks his daughter. Francis is a strange topic in the Cullen household. Alice saw him in a vision once a long time ago but recently she has been seeing him again. Nobody knows who he is or what he wants. Just another stranger who somehow is involved in a plot against my life once again. Joy.

"Yes, he will be here tomorrow. We need to be careful," Alice implores her family and the wolves as Jasper tightens his jaw, eternally nervous about the existence of this man he knows is inexplicably connected to his mate. The wolves stare at her in confusion, Edythe and Edward simply nod to her words while Carlisle looks to be deep in thought.

"Well then, I suppose we will finally discover who he is and what he wants tomorrow," Carlisle states with a slight smile like it is a foregone conclusion that this man is here to help us. I am not yet convinced, "Meet us at the clearing at dawn"

Jacobs nods silently and he and the wolves turn to leave. I suppose I will get to meet this mystery man in the morning.