Smooth Criminal
Chapter 1: You Only Miss What is Lost
"Bella shoot the damn guy!" I clenched my jaw and kept on a hard expression,
"It's not his fault he was in the wrong place at the wrong time Jacob!" I exclaimed the snap in my toung easily audible,
"You didn't have a problem with the guard" he grumbled,
"Do me a favour and shut the fuck up, Leah, duct tape" I caught the roll of shiny silver tape easily in one fist and began to tape up the guy we found stumbling through the building.
"Let's keep going, if the alarm was raised we have about 15 minutes until the cops get here and the security cameras will turn back on" I said automatically taking the lead.
Me and Jacob were the leaders of our little…gang, well the cops like to call us many other things trained assassins, terrorist group, rich-ass criminals, to name a few. We all have our reasons for taking part in the schemes and crimes but no one questions each other. There are three other groups around our area, each competing for the highest crime rate, or trying to knock a rival group out of the running. We, me, Jacob, Leah and Seth were the Quileute's, and our largest rivals were the Denali's, their leaders Tanya and Cullen, there had always been something off about Cullen, we never knew his first name and I'd hated him since I was 13. Ever since that day…I couldn't forgive him, I couldn't, and that's when it had all started, we gathered our enforcements, thus starting the apocalypse of sorts, I found Jacob, that offered me the support I lost from Cullen, Leah and Seth had been Jacobs best friends and so they joined us. Me and Cullen go way back, but after that night I forgot all that I couldn't cope to remember, namely his first name along with some other shit that left a gaping hole in my heart and mind.
Cullen joined up with Tanya, and her sisters Irina and Kate. We were on top, just. The two other groups were those from Seattle, they called themselves the Blades, full of cocky assed losers who, in my opinion, should just drop dead, but maybe that was Leah's attitude rubbing off on me, she despised practically every man in existence, something happened when she was 16, but I didn't pry, she didn't see Seth and Jacob as a threat of sorts mostly because one, Seth was her brother and two, they acted like immature boys most of the time.
The Blades consisted of conceited little fuckers by the names of Tyler Crowley, Jessica Stanley and their leaders Mike Newton and Lauren Malory. They were third on the pecking order, and right at the bottom was the Fashionistas, well that's what we called them, they preferred the Forks but I think our name is more fetching that a kitchen utensil. They mostly did well thought out minor offences, Alice and Rosalie obtaining their groups nickname as they are always in pristine, designer, top of the range clothes. Their respective others lead the group into the offences but are wary of their girlfriends safety, Emmet McCartney and Jasper Whitlock were their leaders and with minds and brawn like that it would be utterly shocking as to why they didn't wipe the floor with our asses, and everyone else's, but that would be if you hadn't seen them in action, though well thought out their ideas are basic, the worst they've done would be to break into that bank down coronary street, pft, amateurs.
So there you have it, and now we were involved in our latest little time passer, we were planning to steal the diamond in the centre of the museum, but then got distracted. Well, I snooped and found something far more valuable. This made us take an opposing root, but also lead to more guards and people.
"Next left, then down the hall, go" everyone turned to me,
"What?" Seth asked in alarm,
"I'm doing this on my own, go to the exit, Next left, down the hall" Jacobs eyes flared,
"Swan, I'm not leaving you"
"You will, or goddamn it Black-" Leah lay a hand on my should and I shoved her off,
"I'll take him" She said determined and strong, Leah was the only one to stand up to me and at first *cough* first 2 years *cough* I loathed her for it, now she my best mate and I wouldn't have it any other way. Leah dragged the guys away by their ears and I looked slowly round the corner, there was a single guard post about 7 meters down the next corner, the opposite way that lead away from the exit Leah and the guys had just gone down.
Big places like this used T-junctions because they thought it would make it easier to catch people who broke in, but boy were they wrong, it just meant an extra route to escape out of, and I'm not complaining.
I crouched as I scuttled down the hall; my foot falls silent and light. I could heard the guard laboured breathing,
"I don't know! The cameras are down and I can't get a reply from the other posts, there wasn't an alarm raised or anything…" Good no alarm meant little to no chance of me getting caught, that was a plus I was worried that Seth could eat my ice-cream before I escaped the overnight cell.
"Yeah, thanks officer, so I'll see you in five minutes? Great, thanks again…bye" Fuck. This. Well there goes my ice-cream. I lunged at the guard as soon as he placed the phone back on its stand, I taped him up from behind and made sure he never got a glimpse from me,
"Dude! C'mon man!" he was young, maybe 16, I wondered why they had a guy who was still in school monitoring a station? It narked me that he thought I was a guy but I let it drop, it would be better for me in the long run. I taped his eyes and got up clipping the reel of tape back onto my belt loop and running flat out down the hall,
Second doo, second door
Ahh! Here we are…
Seth's POV
Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.
"Jake clam down! She'll be fine!"
"How can you fuckin know that! You know what she's like!" Leah looked totally disinterested in Jakes panic attack, it was fine for her, she knew her best friend was ok, Jake looked ready to hyperventilate or pass out. Just ad Jake was about to storm in, Bella's slim figure dropped almost catlike from the top window, she landed without a sound and ran over to us at a blinding speed,
"What are you waiting for, get going cops are comin' in 2 minutes!" that started us out of our stooper and we made a mad peg for the getaway car.
Bella's POV
"They need a leader!" Jacob shouted, Leah and Seth had retreated upstairs so we could have our usual argument, this one was different though, this one was serious.
"I am a leader, you know I'd do anything for them! Hello, do you not remember when I was 13?"
"Of course I remember! You were a fucking mess!"
"I was not, and just because I wouldn't shoot that man doesn't mean I'm not a leader Jacob!"
"Bella your actions are being controversial, you can't shoot the outside guard, and the security guy only to not kill a wandering technician and expect Seth or Leah to take anything from that. If they were ever in that situation they wouldn't know who to shoot and who not to shoot!" I huffed,
"They logic is pretty simple Black, you kill where necessary, without killing the first few guards I wouldn't have been able to get to the security cameras and we'd be in a cell right now, do you have any idea how much the country wants us burnt at the bloody stake? It would turn into an annual holiday the world over! I didn't kill the technician because that would have been unnecessary" Jacob was fuming and we were pushing each other's buttons,
"Have it your way swan but your logic makes no sense"
"You don't understand my logic at all, apparently you think its ok to kill innocent people, your dad can vouch for that" I sneered, his fist collided with my face and I neatly pressure pointed his neck causing him to lock up,
"That was below the belt! You fucking know-" the punch hadn't surprised Bella, she had been a subject to Jacobs physical abuse for the last few weeks and Jacobs hers, the difference was that Bella's abuse didn't leave marks.
"Yeah I know it was, but we can't ask you dad either way, I wonder what his last thoughts were when you were towering over him with a knife…" Jacob roared,
"I wouldn't move, it could paralyze you" I said nonchalantly whilst looking through my texts, knowing full well that only Leah, Seth and Jacob had my number, it was just so she didn't have to look at Jacobs pained face.
"What about your dad huh? Remember that bella?" I flinched,
"That was an accident" I whispered, already devoured in horrid, haunting memories.
"You killed him by dragging him into the target zone; you dragged him into your shit"
"Jacob, let's just leave this, we've been over it a million times, we're both horrible people and both equal leaders, and before you have a go at me for what I did on the mission, I didn't want the team to lose both leaders in there today so I was willing to sacrifice myself ok? Next time you can go in alone if it means that much to you; but you can't leave two kids like them alone without guidance, they'll need lessons when we can stand to be in a room with one another without shouting and attempting to kill each other" I mused, Jacob grunted
"Un paralyze me woman" he grunted, I rolled my eyes,
"You're not paralyzed, just kinda…frozen" like my heart.
*~()~*
"Go away Jacob!" I shouted as I hopped out of the black van,
"Bella! C'mon!" Jacob pleaded,
"I'm not listening!" I stormed over to the concrete car park where we would meet the other group leaders, for the annual meeting. It wasn't unusual for us to be fighting when we arrived, but that was because Jacob couldn't stop being a territorial little fucker.
I didn't look at the leaders, I was too pissed at Jacob,
"Remember, you're mine" I growled as Jake whispered in my ear, his arm snaking round my shoulders, I spun round and my fist connected with his jaw with a deafening crunch, I twisted his arm round his back,
"You say that again, or touch me again I swear Jacob I will rip you limb from limb got it you little son of a bitch?" I said in sickly calm voice, I sounded demented, or at least possessed…even to myself.
"Bella…" I heard Alice say in my ear, we had been best friends…but that was a long time ago, before she took sides.
"I can beat the fucking crap out of him if I want Alice" I spat, shoving Jacob harshly to the ground, he whimpered and groaned lowly, still trying to keep his fucking pride up. Alice backed away, I didn't dare look at her face, I would get that disappointed shit again and I had more than my fair share of that.
I tightly folded my arms across my chest, I wasn't in a fucking good mood,
"Not that I care, or that you have to tell me, but what's got you so wired?" Kate, from the Denali's asked, I glared at the sky,
"I'm at the top of the most wanted list" I grumbled,
"In America?" Tanya enquired, her voice annoying the fuck out of me,
"The world" I whispered, there was an eerie and tense silence that settled over the car park,
"We're not here to talk about my shit; I don't even know why I'm telling you it so let's just get this done ok? I don't want to be here and neither do any of you, not to mention I have to get rid of Jacob's soon-to-be dead body…" I looked up to see Rosalie smile slightly, Leah would be proud of that comment.
The relationship between the groups was fragile, to say the least, this is the most civil they had been for years. That probably had something to do with one group falling apart, their leaders ready to kill each other and one of those said leaders about to be hunted down by every secret and non-secret force in existence.
"So what was your latest offence?" Lauren asked, looking far too pleased at my news.
"We committed arson" Jasper said, calm and collected as always.
"Robbery" Mike offered,
"We raided the new prison for enforcements, zero qualified" Tanya said, looking displeased at having to publicise their failure,
"We grabbed a bit of everything, and I um…" I fidgeted, no one had known what had made me detour from our mission earlier, but I had to say, even if it got my guts ripped out,
"Spit it out" Jessica snapped, I glared hard at her, causing her to hide behind Tyler and Mike, I rolled my eyes,
"I wiped our records, everything, we don't exist" I whispered, jaw dropped, gasps were released and Emmet whooped,
"Thanks for that Swan" I shrugged, not happy that I had done it, but knowing I had to. My plan wouldn't work otherwise.
"How long did it take for your record to be deleted?" Tyler added teasingly, I rolled my eyes,
"A while" though they were all competing against each other, they still appreciated helpful gestures, and when outsider groups came into their territory they stuck together, it was one thing wanting to eliminate each other, it's a whole other thing to have a stranger try and eliminate you rival.
I wanted to look Cullen in the eye so bad, just to see what he thought about my little solo mission, but I was afraid, and I hated myself for it. Fear wasn't a common thing for me, I threw myself out of planes, burning buildings, into burning buildings but Cullen…he just ignited the fear that nothing else could.
I shook my head and thought about my fucked up life, how did I get myself into this shit? It wasn't even like I was a follower, caught up in something by accident, no; I was top of the roost and I had no fucking idea how I got there…
I knew my breath was shaky but I paid no attention to it, I was probably moving too fast, low blood pressure was a bitch. Jacob was groaning on the floor but noticed her unsteady swaying,
"Bella sit the fuck down before you pass out" he grumbled and sat up leaning on his elbows,
"You made pretty sure I'm in no condition to catch you" he seemed annoyed by that fact,
"Not that I'd let you touch me anyway" I slurred as my vision spun and the moonlit sky seemed to merge and the stars were no longer distinguishable, the thick grey cloud merging with the black sky, I was far too stubborn to admit defeat but what was more embarrassing was having Emmet have to catch my limp body,
"Thanks" I muttered and then closed my eyes,
"No problem, I owe you"
"We all do" Kate added, I had a lot of enemies *cough* law enforcements around the world *cough* and sometimes I wish I hadn't moved around and spread my criminal activities in every available country but that was what I did, how I coped, and it looked like it was coming back to kick my ass.
"Bella" I growled softly as I heard Cullen's voice,
"Have you been taking what you should have?" I knew what he was talking about, the medication,
"No, if you haven't realized if I went into a surgery I would be handed in and behind bars" I said snappily, it didn't seem to deter him.
"Jacob could get it for you"
"Won't let me, and move away from her" Jake seethed,
"Shut the fuck up Black" I retorted, my breathing was going back to normal and I pinched the bridge of my nose, I had no fucking idea why Cullen cared so much but it was the most genuine intentions I had seen in a while. Didn't mean I hated him any less, I couldn't forgive him for what he did, not now, not ever.
"I really don't get you two" Rosalie said, oh please do not do this, she did it to everyone else and it annoyed the fuck out of me,
"Talk about kick a soldier while she's down Hale" I muttered, Emmet chuckled,
"I'm just saying you hate each other but you're all, are you ok? At every available opportunity!" I rolled my eyes weakly,
"Maybe that's because Cullen hear can't deal with guilt any better than I can" I averted my gaze to the ground, it fell silent again and I was shocked out of my thoughts by a hand on my arm lifting me up,
"C'mon let's get you in the car" Edward said quietly,
"I can walk by myself" As if just to prove his point he loosened his grip and I swayed uncontrollably,
"Not a word" I grumbled, hoping my blush wasn't prominent in the moonlight.
"Sure thing" I could hear the humour in his tone and I glared ahead in an attempt to not punch Cullen, I would regret that and I knew it.
"What do you want me to do with Black?" Cullen asked, his tone laced with an irrational anger that I couldn't understand,
"Leave him here for dead?" Cullen raised an eyebrow but I could see in his green eyes he wouldn't want anything more than to take me up on my suggestion,
"Really?"
"At least leave him stranded" I said deflated,
"Will do, can you drive?" I nodded automatically,
"I'll go get Emmet" I growled at his retreating figure, the smirk all too visual for my liking. Emmet had always been like that father figure she lost, she would have said Edward used to fill the roll but he didn't, it wasn't like that between them. Anyway, whatever they had was lost now for sure, especially after how she had treated him.
Emmet was constantly looking out for Bella and as he made his way back over here with Edward trailing uncertainly behind, she realized she was happy she had a friend like Emmet, even if they did compete.
"Need a chauffeur bells?" I smiled and nodded slightly, the moonlight finally broke through the cloud cover and hit my face, my eyes squinted and Edward's hands began to shake, Emmet looked furious and I couldn't think why.
"What?" I asked, my face scrunched up in puzzlement but I hissed as the facial gesture hurt the cut and bruise on my face, I cupped my cheek…shit! That's what they saw I clenched my eyes shut,
"Don't say anything" I muttered,
"Bella if he's-"
"I deserved it" I replied, having no idea why I was defending him, the asshole deserved their wrath,
"No you don't, you don't deserve anything he does to you" Edward's voice seemed to be desperately roped into control and I chanced a look at him, his eyes were intense and I had to look away, but that look was there, the same one that was there when she hated him for the first time, the same time her life turned completely 360. He was being an overprotective fool.
"Not now Cullen" Emmet looked between the two,
"Why can't you just make the fuck up already?" I glared, because I'm a self-centred bitch?
"Because I think its better that the captain goes down with the ship, not the whole crew" I muttered,
"Bella what are you planning-?"
"Nothing that you need to be worried about"
"Fine don't tell me but get some ice on that-"
"Emmet! I need to go home!" Rosalie called, Emmet sighed,
"Can you two get along for long enough for Edward to drive you home?" I looked at Edward, he had that burning determination in his eyes again, I nodded slowly,
"Better take my weapons off me" I grumbled Emmet grinned and jogged back over to Rosalie, not realizing I had been serious.
"I don't know why you help me" I muttered, I saw Cullen's hand tighten around the steering wheel,
"Neither do I" he muttered, but I could tell he was lying, he knew his head inside out, unlike mine that was a cluttered mess.
"Yeah you do, now spill, I'm trying really hard not to shout right now"
"You have to understand Bella that my priority was you back then ok?"
"Not anymore?"
"That's not the point"
"Of course it's the point!"
"BELLA"
"DON'T MAKE ME PUNCH YOU"
"I never did understand that…" I paused at how quickly him anger had extinguished, as well as mine,
"Understood what?" I asked,
"You punch, not slap, girls normally slap" I rolled my eyes,
"I prefer more impact"
"Yeah, saw that with Blacks face" grunted,
"He deserve everything he gets"
"Don't I know it" the rest of the car journey was filled with a tense silence; I never knew where I stood with Cullen. One minute it was like they were kids again, the next they would be ripping each other's throats out, well, Bella would be ripping Cullen's throat out whilst Cullen stayed calm maybe Bella hate him further. But he was good at heart, under all the facades and walls they both had they were once the same, once two halves of the same person, as her father had said. But that was once, a long time ago.
"Bella…" I shook my head,
"Leave it Cullen" you'd think she'd remember his name, but no, she completely wiped him from her life, the doctors had called it a selective mind. I chose not to remember the things that hurt but it was some sick S&M that she remember that night, so vividly, relentlessly, ever night.
"No" he rarely refused her, saying that, this was the first time they had been on civil terms in a while.
"What do you mean, no?" I snapped,
"I want to talk to you so that's what I'm going to do" I growled in frustration under my breath, he was still waiting for my consent though, now he's a fucking gentleman?
"Go on then, before Leah comes out here and makes some sick comment" I muttered,
"I-I just-…I can't,-" she had never seen him so lost for words, it frightened her, he ran a hand through his hair,
"No matter what ok, I still want what's best for you, always" my jaw dropped…audibly, and my stomach clenched,
"But-"
"No buts, I mean it, now I suggest I go before I pummel that guy at the door" I took a fleeting look to the front door, Seth, I laughed,
"C'mon, that's Seth" I rolled my eyes,
"The age gap didn't stop black going all possessive and territorial did it?" it was true, though Jacob was 19 he was a cocky little motherfucker, Seth was 17 and Leah turned 18 a few months ago.
"And what are you doing now?" I cocked an eyebrow, referring to his almost animalistic protection, it annoyed the fuck out of her that he didn't think her capable of making mature and thorough decisions…then again she hadn't given him much else to go on.
"But we're the same age" I scoffed,
"What does that have to do with anything?" my tone was demanding as I glared at Cullen, my voice rising,
"Everything" he muttered,
"Stop being so damn cryptic!" his eyes shot to mine, they were soft, almost pleading,
"Bella, I just- can I just…night" I said pinching the bridge of his nose by the end, a pang of guilt hit me, the tension took its toll on both of us, it always had. And frequently I thought why can't I just forgive him? Like Emmet had said, but she always came to the same conclusion. She didn't know, she did things that simply weren't her when they were separated, almost in desperation.
What for was the question though.
"Thank you"
"You're welcome" his posture relaxed slightly at my words and I contemplated my next move, I wanted so bad just to make it all better, hug him like they used to when they were younger, best friends, happy. But had never been enough, well that's what she had gathered. Leah had always tried to talk to her about it all, never pried just set the conversation in motion so I didn't have to make the awquard first move that Leah knew I was too proud to make. In the end I settled for telling him something I hoped would be far more valuable than the kiss she wanted to give him.
"Cullen?" she could see it hurt him that her selective amnesia had chosen to forget his name, but he hid it well, for the most part.
"Yes?" his tone was tired, strained and sounded as if he just needed something, and I secretly wanted the something to be me, fat chance you went all bitch fest on his ass too many times to count, it's a sad say when your own thoughts tell you the one thing you have left, the one thing you want, no longer wants you, it's just…sad.
"I miss it" I got out the car quickly as to avoid making a fool of myself, I got to the front door where Seth was before I was spun round, I looked innocently up a Cullen,
"What are you doing?"
"Did you mean it?"
"Mean what?" she played dumb, please don't say it here, not in front of Seth,
"That you missed it, what we had" I squeezed my eyes shut as I heard Seth's intake of breath, I had to be a leader, even if my fucked up life just made my status crumble, in front of a group member no less.
"I don't have any idea what you're on about Cullen!" I said, my lie was so damn convincing I nearly believed myself. Seth exhaled the breath he had taken in, probably in relief. Edward's expression was a mixture of sympathy annoying as fuck, anger a turn on but the expression hurt, confusion don't be confused as well, you don't have to suffer along with me, and most of all hurt, it completely consumed his face, not even bothering to hide it.
"Whatever Swan, let me know when the cops catch you" and as she saw Cullen's slumped figure retreating a quote she knew all too well, and reminded her why she was doing that of which she was, popped into mind;
'Rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success' that's all well and good, but what if god and Satan were giving you a ultimatum, sacrifice happiness for success, or giving everything up, dropping the façade and the walls to explain everything, to show the weak side that was hidden behind the mask.
Yep, that's one fucking heavy ultimatum.
Tell me what you think, if you love or hate, this is my second AH fanfic, and the first I found hard to write so until I can finish its next chapter this is just so my readers don't get bored =) nothings saying this will continue, I just wanted to give you something that had been wrote for a long time. It might interest you to know I wrote I'm 506 and Smooth Criminal at the same time and had to choose which one I would post, obviously, I chose I'm 506 but I thought smooth Criminal needed to be shown too.
P.S. by saying I wrote them both at the same time, I mean I wrote their first chapters, so I only have this chapter done, happy reading :D
Sasha XxxX