Jan 2008

Chapter 120Other Eyes 2 - A New Goal

Why was she here? I didn't want her around. The last time I really saw her I fell off a building, before that I'd just jumped through a store window. She had brought me so much bad luck that I almost felt hate toward her. But was she the one who did it?

Regardless, I wanted her gone!

Valerie didn't look any friendlier. Kai was surprised at the tension suddenly in the air.

"I want the book." Isabel spoke quietly.

I clenched the book tightly against my chest. "No."

Valerie moved slightly in front of me. "It's not ours to give. Why do you want the book?"

It was a rare sight to see a sort of surprise on Isabel's face. Usually she was totally disconnected from the situation. But now she appeared dragged into the moment by surprise and wonder. After a second it changed back to her normal blank expression.

"I see." She appeared, again, to think for a moment. "The order is very corrupt, I hoped to use the book to bargain with."

I frowned. "Are you going to do something about that?"

She smiled. "No, but they have something I desire."

Valerie, Kai and me all looked surprised. This wasn't like Isabel. Was she playing a game with us? I took a sideways glance at Valerie, raising my eyebrows in an unasked query. She shrugged, she didn't know either. She nodded back though, honesty would be easier.

I took a deep breath. "Isabel, we don't trust you anymore."

She smiled softly. "I'm looking for the other bracelet."

I was unsure what she meant. "What other bracelet?"

Valerie gasped. "Amys bracelet... It's a set."

"What?" I looked at Valerie. "I did see a necklace on her that looked like the bracelet. It's a set?"

Valerie nodded. "Yes, two bracelets and a necklace. Isabel wants the remaining one."

She frowned. "Not for myself."

"For Amy?"

Isabel nodded. "Yes. For her."

Something wasn't right here. Isabel wasn't just more talkative than normal, but she also divulged a lot more information. I had a gut feeling she was trying to influence us, to steer us. But it would be very hard to avoid it. Because now that we knew about it, it was hard to ignore. There was one question that remains.

"Why do you want them for her?"

Isabel didn't answer but simply walked past us, onto the street. She looked around to us. "I must go."

We didn't stop her. I didn't quite know why. I felt confused, many questions still rising from my depth. But somehow I wasn't able, somehow I didn't want to. What was she? She looked innocent enough, but there was something odd going on.

Was someone hunting her?

Now that was an odd thought. The time we saw her caught it looked accidental, at least on their part. But Isabel had something like fear surrounding her. And she showed up here so unexpected. Like she had no choice but to involve us.

She walked out of sight.

"She's being hunted." Valerie narrowed her eyes as she looked into the distance that swallowed Isabel.

"Are you sure?" She was thinking my thoughts, but I wanted to know more.

"No, but there's something wrong with her. She isn't acting normal."

"Are we going to be tempted by her and find the bracelet ourselves." I looked at both Kai and Valerie, my eyes open in question.

Valerie and Kai looked at each other. They smiled and nodded. "Of course!" They said in unison.

And I agreed. It was rare for us to have a purpose and besides moving, the absence of Amy certainly took away some excitement in our lives. Now that we had the chance to do something, we would. It would be tough if Isabel was not on our side after all, if she even had a side. But we would try. Never underestimate us.

I smiled, finally feeling much better. "Let's get our stuff inside and sleep for tonight."

"Tomorrow we will hunt."