So I had finally managed to monopolise Alice's attention for long enough to get the full picture, well enough of it to satisfy my curiosity anyway.
Fred and Diego had listened intently while Alice had uncovered the story. They now seemed as deep in thought as I was, putting all the pieces together.
The Amazonians gestured that we were getting close.
"Good, about time," Alice said. "Yes, I can see it now, they are alone, good."
"Will you join us?" Jasper asked Fred, who had drifted off slightly from Diego and myself.
Fred turned around to us as if looking for a reply.
"Sure, why not, if you don't mind," Diego replied. "We have come this far."
I guessed we must be near to Rio by now. I could see distant city lights flickering in the basin below us as we skirted the edge of the forest. Wasn't that the coast I could pick out beyond the city? I could see the moonlight reflecting off the ocean.
One of the Amazonians now spoke out in Spanish or Portuguese, I wasn't sure which. I hadn't stayed in school long enough to learn either. I picked out the name Nahuel from the salutation.
Two figures, one male and one female stepped into our path in the distance. The way they had appeared from nowhere, and the grace with which they now moved towards us was unmistakeably that of a vampire, however, there was a human heartbeat drumming a solitary thud, thud, thud from the same direction. Yet Nahuel was a grown man, an adult. I had pictured him a child somehow. I knew at once then that he too was half-human and half-vampire.
"This is Nahuel and his aunt Hulien," Alice announced to us and then turning to the vampire and the half-vampire she introduced us to them, "Bree, Diego and Fred."
We stepped forward to greet each other.
Zafrina looked at her two companions and exchanged some meaningful glances. "Do you mind if we head back now?" she asked.
"No, not at all," Jasper replied, "and thank you for your help."
"It was lovely to see you again," one of the others said smiling, "I don't suppose we can persuade you to stay a little while longer?" she asked Diego.
"No, but thank you," he replied kindly. "We will visit soon," he promised.
"See you again soon," the third one added.
And then they vanished into the forest with one swift movement, as if they were somehow joined together.
"I don't think they wanted to risk another confrontation with the Volturi," Jasper whispered to me seeing that I was a bit surprised by their sudden disappearance.
"The Volturi?" Hulien asked, obviously hearing Jasper's comment, "and there I was thinking this was the social visit you promised."
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Jasper sighed.
"Are they coming for my father?" Nahuel asked.
Jasper nodded. Alice looked apologetic.
"When?" Nahuel looked unconcerned about his father's safety.
Alice was trying to concentrate ."Not long, a day, maybe two. It is hard to tell. This jungle looks the same all over."
"Do you know where your sisters are?" Jasper asked him.
"Vaguely," Nahuel replied.
"Look," Jasper urged, "We would love to stay and chat with you, but you should make speed and find them. Alice can't see their future. The Volturi are ruthless. We think they will kill your father, but if you can steal your sisters away from him you might just be able to save them. Demetri, the tracker isn't with them. It is just Jane, Alec, Felix and a couple of the guards. If your sisters are not with your father when they get to him, they may not bother to look for them without their specialist tracker."
"Not Aro?" Hulien asked.
"No, not this time. I don't think they are expecting any trouble. Jane will have been given her orders."
"Thanks for this," Nahuel said and he shook hands with Jasper. "We will try and warn them. Aro promised he wouldn't hurt my sisters, but I guess he doesn't always play by the rules."
"No, not exactly," Jasper agreed.
And they too disappeared as quickly as the Amazons had.
"So what are you guys going to do now you have been reunited?" Alice asked cheerily.
"Not sure," Diego acted as out spokesperson. "We haven't had a chance to figure it out yet. There is so much to catch up on," and he looked fondly at me.
"Well, remember what I said, it would be fun if you joined us, and we can give you some help with that diet of yours Fred," Alice smiled. "It will work," she announced, "I have a way of knowing these things."
Jasper raised his eyebrows and grinned, "Yeah, sure, come and join us and I can tell you all about my struggles. I could do with having someone around who can sympathise with me."
"Are you heading back now?" I asked.
"Yeah. We want to get back to the family. Our work is done here." Alice sighed, "I don't want to be away from Renesmee too long or she will have grown another foot!"
"Another foot?" I asked, foolishly imagining a child with three feet.
Alice laughed loudly at my obvious misunderstanding. "No, I mean a foot in height. She has an accelerated growth rate over a human child. She will reach full maturity at the age of about seven or eight. She is like a four year old already, yet only four months old."
Alice looked down and pulled a disgusted face at the mud and green slime that was caked on to the bottom of her trousers. "As much as I would love to see more of Hulien and her nephew, and the Amazons come to that, I really don't think I could bear to spend very long here. Ugh," she said again.
Jasper laughed at her. "We can pick up some new clothes at the airport," he suggested, trying to appease her. It was clear that fashion meant a lot to Alice.
"You are going to catch a plane?" I asked. "A regular plane, with humans?"
"Yes, of course!" Alice replied. She didn't add. "Why not?" but she might as well have. It seemed perfectly natural to her.
I guess it made sense, if you were a Cullen. These sophisticated vampires that played at being human had it all figured out. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. I looked at Fred and he was right really, his idealistic lifestyle could work. I just needed a lot of self-control. But at least Bella was no longer human so a visit to Forks would not be quite so much of a challenge.
Alice beamed, "So, we will see you in Forks then."
I nodded, smiling, "promise."
"Oh it wasn't a question, I already know the answer, I have seen it. You will be very welcome and you'll love it." She hesitated slightly as if recalling her vision and then added, "Don't worry about the wolves, I'll let them know when you are coming. They won't bother you." She looked enormously pleased with herself and hugged all three of us before calling over her shoulder, "Come soon!" and then she flitted off toward the city dragging Jasper along before he had the chance to say goodbye properly. He just held his hand up and waved backwards to us.