Acquisition, Attn: Jane

Aro sent for Jane. He had a mission that required her special skills of gentle persuasion. He chuckled to himself. He had long wanted to add to his family, Edward and Alice Cullen. They would augment his own powers greatly and this was of utmost importance to him. He was even interested in Bella. The thought of her potential made him almost ecstatic. He smiled at the thought of all three of them in the dark robes of the Volturi. He may never need to add to his family again with those three in the guard.

And why would they not want to be with us. It's a great honor to be chosen to serve. Ahh, the things we could accomplish with all of them by our side. he thought to himself. He looked out over Volterra as the sun began to set and waited for Jane and Alec to show up.

Jane, with Alec by her side, knocked on the big stone door. Aro told them, in his soft voice, to enter. She pushed the door open. Aro had his back to them. He turned around to face them. He smiled. Jane knew what was happening - he was sending her out again. She smirked, and felt sorry for whoever it was going to be - she wasn't in a generous mood.

"Jane, Alec!" Aro said welcomingly and gestured for them to come forward.

"I have a task for you, my dear ones." he said with a certain amount of glee. "It has long been known of my desire for two of the Cullen family to join our glorious guard, certainly not to take your places!" he said as he knew of Jane's consternation that the guard wasn't enough as it was.

"I require you to make a small trip to Forks, Washington to check on our friends and deliver a message for me. Are you willing?" he asked.

Jane frowned. Yes, she wanted the Volturi guard to increase, but that didn't mean that Aro had to recruit the Cullens. She especially despised that Alice. Jane didn't want to have to go ask them to join her family.

But it was a great opportunity - a great opportunity to finally torture the Cullens. Of course she probably wouldn't be able to make that human feel any pain, but inflicting pain on that Alice would be enough.

"Yes, master. We are willing to go," Jane answered for both her and Alec.

Aro smiled brightly. Jane was smart and a devout follower. "Excellent, dear one!" he said and moved to sit in his chair.

"I want you to go to our dear friend, Carlisle and convey my happiness if he and his family are well. Then I want you to discuss, gently if you please, the option of joining the guard to our friends Alice and Edward. And see if his little friend, Bella would be interested in joining us." he said rubbing his hands greedily together and a jovial smile on his face.

"Please stress, in the best possible way of course, our desire to have them here and that I request an audience with them soon. And that I prefer to NOT have to come there for now." he insisted.

He extended his hand to Jane. "Can you do this for me, my little one?" he asked.

As Jane listened to Aro's instructions, she raised an eyebrow - because of Aro's request to be gentle with them. No way was she going to waste this chance to have a go at the Cullens. But, she would do anything for her master.

"Yes, master."

She had promised Aro to be gentle, but Jane's idea of gentle isn't that gentle.