AN. Another edited and replaced chapter. Thank you for all the reviews and follows. I love you guys.
I don't own the Twilight series just in case anyone was wondering.
The Heart of Darkness
BPOV
In the weeks that followed I spent less and less time with Edward. When he was on babysitting duty, as he called it, he tended to sit outside on my porch all night. I saw him breathe a sigh of relief every time Carlisle announced that he had to be on a mission that night so somebody else would be looking after me.
Tonight it was Jasper's turn. Great, the only one who spoke even less than Edward. At least when Alice or Emmett stayed over they treated me like a friend. They would sit on my bed and chat with me until I went to sleep. Rosalie was distant but she did sit inside at least and look through fashion magazines.
Jasper sat outside in the same seat that Edward sat in. He pulled out a crumpled packet of cigarettes from his jeans pocket and lit one while staring off into the distance. I was about to walk inside when he stopped me.
"Bella, don't think that I hate you because of the way I treat you."
I turned and stared at him in confusion.
"I am sure you are brilliant at what you do and that eventually, we will be as close to you as we are to Angela. It's just that we are very different people. We have spent our lives in such very different worlds. I have looked death in the eye many times and I have killed more people than I care to remember. What I do is no longer just a job it is part of who I am. The same goes for all of us. Emmett and Alice seem to have less trouble interacting with normal civilians then the rest of us do. I guess it's a personality thing."
After that long speech, which was more then I had ever heard him say, Jasper took another drag and the glow lit up his face in the darkness.
"Things are difficult at the moment with Angela leaving, the threat on you and the build-up to one of the biggest takedowns we have ever been involved in. Just do your job Bella, and take my advice and leave Edward alone."
He got up and left to check around the house. I sat down in the chair feeling a little stunned. I was glad he had finally spoken to me but I wasn't really sure what to make of what he had said.
The next day was chaos. A big break had occurred last night and the whole team except for Carlisle would be leaving in a few hours. Angela ran around me frantically packing and stopping every few seconds to remind me about something to do with the bar that I needed to take care of while she was away.
I was disappointed to be left out and scared to be left alone all at the same time.
Carlisle walked up next to me.
"Bella, I know you are worried but it has been six weeks since we received that bullet. I am sure if James was going to act he would have done it by now. Edward believes he was just trying to scare you. I think he is right and you will be just fine."
I thanked him and went to the bar still feeling uneasy. I started the stock take with Jacobs help.
Jacob was tense as well and kept running his hand through his long dark hair.
"You alright Jake?"
"Yeah, I just have this feeling that something is going to go badly wrong. I know they can handle themselves and that Sam and Angela will be well protected but I still feel uneasy."
"Let's just hope you are wrong." I gave him a small smile before turning back towards my laptop.
"Yeah, I hope so too."
An hour later when I went into the backroom everyone was gone.
Shit, now I had that uneasy feeling as well.
I quickly put on the denim skirt and black shirt that Alice had left for me. It was time for me to become bar staff tonight.
The night passed in a busy blur. The bar was packed. Angela's husband Ben arrived at about 9 to help out and shortly after that Esme, Carlisle's wife, arrived as well. We finally closed at two am by which time my feet ached and my head was spinning. I have no idea how they do this every night.
Jacob drove me to my door and looked around to make sure I was safe.
"Look after yourself Bells. You are a good friend and I don't want it to be you I had the bad feeling about. If you get scared just call me and I will fetch you."
"Thanks, Jacob. Now get back to Vanessa before she starts to worry."
He smiled and waved before driving off into the night.
I walked in and made sure the door was locked and all the windows latched.
Thank God I was so tired, I fell asleep in seconds after lying down.
Two days passed and we had very little word from the specialists.
Anything they told Carlisle he kept well under wraps and he just told me that things were fine.
It was early evening and at least today the bar was shut. I was planning to take Jake up on his offer to spend the night with him and Vanessa. The thought of going to my room when I was this wide-awake terrified me.
I was sitting in the secret office going through some paperwork. I could hear Carlisle in the office above talking on the radio he sounded agitated.
"Fuck, shit, crap, get out of there now!"
Carlisle came running down the stairs. He was sweating and looked terrified.
"Bella, get on the system now. This isn't a practice anymore Angela has been taken hostage by the syndicate and we need your help to get her out."
I was on my feet in seconds. Fear pulsed through me as I punched in my password and pulled on a set of headphones.
I could hear static and gunfire.
I was shaking like a leaf and then I felt Carlisle's hand on my shoulder.
"You can do this Bella, but you need to concentrate. I need your help to get Angela and my team out of there. Pull yourself together now."
I took a deep breath and looked at my screen.
"Bella stop fucking around give me an exit."
I heard Edward's voice yelling at me.
I squinted at the building plans and all my training hours with Angela came flooding back.
"Edward, above you to your left is a trapdoor into the buildings cooling system."
I heard the clunk as the trapdoor moved and a thud as Edward pulled himself through.
I could hear he was breathing fast and trying to calm himself down.
A single gunshot went off followed by a fuck yeah from Edward.
"Okay, Bells I am in the vent I need to know where the rest of the team is."
"Emmett and Jasper are three floors below you in a courtyard. I see three suspects with them but they appear to be holding their own. Alice is in the same vent heading towards you but I can't see Rose."
"Get a latch on Rose I am going to Alice."
I searched for the pink beacon that would signal Rosalie's location but she wasn't on screen.
I scanned through plans of nearby buildings until I found her. She was two buildings away and closing in on the white beacon that marked Angela's position.
"Edward, I have found Rose. She is two buildings across at the Diamante building on the second floor. She appears to be going after Angela on her own."
"Dammit Rose, I am going to kill her myself. Always trying to be the fucking hero."
I switched channels and I could hear him ordering Rose to stay put.
"I can't Edward they might hurt the baby."
"Rose, you are putting yourself and all of us in jeopardy. Stand down now and that's an order."
"No Edward. Tell Em I love him if I don't make it."
"WTF Rose?"
Then all I could hear was gunfire and screaming.
"We are on our way there Bells. Get Emmett and Jasper there as soon as they are clear."
"Understood and good luck."
I switched channels again and sent the order to Jasper and Emmett.
Carlisle flicked a switch and I could see the image from a camera mounted on Edward's right shoulder.
He was running up some stairs. The scene I saw next brought a chill right through me.
Angela was sitting tied to a chair. A gag was in her mouth but blood leaked down her chin. She had been badly beaten and appeared unconscious.
Edward was to the side of the door and I saw his 9mm swing in front of him.
A man appeared and I couldn't stop the gasp that escaped my mouth as the bullet flew from Edward's gun into the man's head. It was seconds and his brains spread across the wall.
I knew they killed people but to really see it was more then I could take. I grabbed the wastebasket and vomited.
I had never seen anybody die before and seeing that changed forever my perception of Edward and the other specialists. Till that moment it had just been a game in my head but this was very real.
"Bella, scan the nearby rooms for more suspects this one is clear and get me a hit on Rose."
His voice was so calm.
"Bella, I asked you to do something."
Now his voice sounded like the day he put the gun to my head.
"Bella, for fuck's sake I need an answer right now. If you can't do this job then hand over to Carlisle. I will not risk my life or that of the people I am in charge of because you are scared or some crap."
I handed the headset to Carlisle and walked towards the couch.
"Edward, two suspects in the room to your right. They are standing next to the door. Rose is in that room with them. Emmett and Jasper are two steps behind you. Get Alice to take Angela to the car."
I watched the image as Angela was picked up and handed to Alice.
I heard the two explosions as the two suspects were killed but I couldn't look and I didn't want to know who had shot them.
My teddy bear of a friend Emmett was a cold-blooded killer and so was the man who featured in all my dreams. Haunting, dangerous Edward.
Carlisle coughed and I looked up at him. The friendly look of earlier was gone.
"That could have gone really badly, Bella. You need to get to grips with the reality of what we do or leave. You have until tomorrow morning to think about it."
He stood and walked out of the room.
Twenty minutes passed and I heard the headset crackle.
"Carlisle we have a problem. Please, answer now."
I walked over and picked up the headset.
"How can I help you, Edward?"
"Bella, you can't help me at all. You are not a team player and you proved that today."
I sighed and tried to stop the tears that were threatening to overflow.
"Carlisle isn't here Edward, he walked out a few minutes ago. It's me or nobody."
"Fine, try and get this one right. I need you to phone Memorial Bay Hospital. Angela has gone into labor from the shock of today's events. You need to lie and tell them you found her beaten up and mugged along the beach. Alice has some normal clothes here with her and will take her in. You have two minutes to make the call and contact me. Your name today is Tracey Stevens and you work at the hotel."
Shit, Angela was in labor. At thirty weeks she was far too early. I had to do this for her and for the wonderful friend she had been to me.
I phoned and told them the story as directed. The nurse was understanding and told me to get there as soon as possible.
"Edward everything is arranged as requested."
"Good, we should be back at the bar in twenty minutes. Phone Ben, and explain the situation and tell him to get to the hospital. Get the medical kit ready and find Carlisle. Rose got herself pretty badly beaten up."
