Heartbeat [Alec Volturi]

Diversion

These people were delusional if they thought I would let them keep me here. I just needed to figure out how I was going to make my escape.

As if hearing my plea, a timid knock sounded from the other side of my door.

Demetri poked his head in. "I know you told us to go away. But Felix and I thought it would be more fun if we didn't" I bit my lip carefully, watching the man, his friend standing sheepishly behind him. "Look, we know you're probably really scared right now, but the way I see it - you're stuck here. Might as well make the most of it."

Felix, likely too eager to stand aside anymore, pushed the door open to join the conversation. The longer they stood there, the more I relaxed. They weren't exactly attacking or threatening me.

"So, you in?"

"A tour. I'd like a tour." They both looked at me. "Please."

Felix's face lit up and he grabbed my hand. I winced at the sudden contact and he released me, checking his excitement. It seemed an odd personality trait for such a large man, but it was somehow endearing. "Let's go!"

"Err...do you think you could help me put the bed back. Apparently, lifting it back up is more difficult than pushing it off." Felix let out a booming laugh and the two started walking down the hall. I jogged to catch up with them before falling into step.

"Don't worry about it. Heidi's probably already redecorating."

"But it's my mess, I wouldn't want—"

Felix held out a hand. "Trust me, kid, you'd only get in the way." I gave him a puzzled look.

"Super strength, 'member?" Demetri chimed in with a grin.

"Right."

They led me through the halls, pointing out their rooms which were a floor below mine. They couldn't tell me much about the paintings on the wall, but I recognized a few and made them stop occasionally. One of them, however, caught my full attention.

"Is this...it can't be." Demetri and Felix flanked my sides to look over my shoulder at the painting I had pointed out. "This is En Canot. This is supposed to have been destroyed by the Nazis."

Demetri seemed to laugh it off, "is that the story they came up with?"

"It's a forgery, right?" I wished at the moment I had my father's eye for art. He'd posed as a forgery expert so many times but I'd never paid much attention past the types of paint and how to mix them so that it could be used to fool even the best of experts.

Felix shook his head. "Nuh-uh — real deal."

"That's impossible..." I trailed off, staring at the painting. I was never one for Metzinger, but I couldn't help but be in awe of the rare opportunity that I was being presented with. "This is over 2 million dollars."

Demetri eyed me. "you know your art for a kid in the 21st century."

"Between education with the nuns and my father's work with forgeries, it was hard not to." I paused as we continued, wondering if I should admit the rest of my background or not. "And I may have forged a Degas or two."

"So you're like, a criminal."

"I was a kid. I barely knew what I was doing." 'Monkey see, monkey do', my father would say when he had a heist that required such a skillset. Now that I'm older I see the impossibility in such a talent. It was highly unlikely and easily discredited. Which is exactly why we pulled it off. Most of the time. "I was just a good copycat."

A few floors down, another painting made me pause and I hesitated to stop at it. Two people were standing side by side in a portrait style. Though it was more elegant and flattering than most old portraits you'd see of kings and queens.