Chapter 3 ~ Meeting a Crime Lord

The driver opened the door. Not a moment later, the boss's arm guided her out of the car. He then pulled her towards the awaiting jet and up the short flight of stairs that allowed them on the plane. She could tell the moment she was inside the plane. The noise of the engines dulled, and she could hear two voices. A man was ordering some kind of alcohol from a female stewardess. Bella could hear the women's heals hitting against the floor as she walked down the plane away from where she and the boss were standing.

"It is good to see you, Mr. Volturi." The boss addressed whom Bella thought was the man who had been speaking. However, she did not have a chance to confirm right away since there was no answer.

Oh, no! If this is the man in charge, and he is not happy with Mr. I'm the Man, what does that mean for me? She thought before she was pushed forward about a yard before being guided into a chair facing the back of the plane

While her captor took another shot at conversation with Mr. Volturi, Bella remained quiet. She told herself not to talk unless Mr. Volturi allowed it. Even without her sight, she could feel the power of the man who she could only assume was sitting near her. This man had the kind of presence she knew well; he was confident and in control. She didnot want to anger this man. Unfortunately, that seemed to be just what her captor was trying to do by continuing to speak.

I don't know why Mr. Volturi is not speaking, but Mr. Give Me Attention had better shut up before Mr. Volturi decides he is a stupid bug that needs to be squashed.She had to keep herself from smiling at her thoughts. Maybe Mr. Volturi is laughing at Mr. Give Me Attention as much as I am. It would not be the first time she had seen a man of power have a secret sense of humor. After all, her father was one of those men.

Bella heard the sound of heels again. With each second they became closer and closer. "Here you are Mr. Volturi." The high, sweet voice of the stewardess came a few feet ahead of Bella on her left. As she had guessed, Mr. Volturi was sitting right in front of her.

"Thank you, Heidi. That will be all until after we take off. Please tell Richard to take off once my annoying nephew leaves the plane."

Nephew? Why would he call him Mr. Volturi and not uncle something? She wondered as the stewardess walked past her to do as she had been told. However, it does explain why he hasn't strangled the man.

"I was not being annoying, Mr. Volturi." The man defended himself.

"Yes, Demetri, you were. Your men might put up with you talking at them, but I will not. When I am silent, nephew; I want silence," Mr. Volturi stressed. "Now get off my plane before I decide to punish you."

"What did I do?" Demetri asked confused.

"Is it true that this young lady has not eaten while in your custody and was kept in a closet?" The question sounded more like a statement. It seemed Bella wasn't the only one unhappy with her previous treatment.

Maybe things will not be as bad as I fear, Bella thought hopefully.

"Goodbye, Demetri. I will be in touch." Mr. Volturi said before his nephew could respond.

This time Demetri was smart enough to leave. Bella heard him walk away from her but was barely able to hear him walk down the metal stairs over the roar of the plane's engines. The door was closed seconds after, preventing much of the outside noise from entering the plane's interior.

"Please relax, Miss. Swan." She jumped when his hand brushed against her. A fraction of a second later, she realized he was only fastening her seatbelt. "We will make you more comfortable and talk face to face once we are in the air." In truth, he could take the blindfold off now, but he found the blindfold kept people quiet. He wanted to enjoy some peace after dealing with his sister's son.

Bella responded with a nod. Apparently it was the right thing to do since she heard Mr. Volturi call her a 'good girl' under his breath.

Doing as she was told, she leaned into the chair and prepared herself for take off.

~TS~

Bella enjoyed flying even when she had to put up with the noise and security of commercial air travel. The fact that such a heavy metal object was held up with nothing by air and physics fascinated her. The only part she disliked about flying was the landing. Now, the take off was something she enjoyed. The burst of speed and suddenly finding yourself in the air made her heart jump with excitement and anticipation.

However, she could not enjoy the take off or being in the air on this flight. The future was up in the air.Or at least, it was for her. The man sitting in front of her quietly sipping his drink knew what her future held. In a matter of time, he would tell her what was to come. She only hopped it was something she could survive. More importantly, she hoped she would be given a chance to escape down the road.

The return of the stewardess, Bella thought, meant that the plane was now at a steady, cruising altitude. What was her name again? Started with an 'h'. Helga...Hannah…no, Heidi.

"Please bring a bottle of water and some toast for Miss Swan." Mr. Volturi handed Heidi his empty glass. "Also prepare the sofa for her." He motioned to the section of seating behind him that had been designed as place for someone to lie down for a while. "I am sure, Miss. Swan would like to sleep a little after our chat."

"Of course, sir." The women hurried to the galley in the back of the plane to full fill her employer's request.

Once she was out of sight, she heard Mr. Volturi undo his seatbelt. He then announced he was going to undo hers. "I will also unlock you cuffs. Can I assume that you will not cause a scene if I leave them off as well as remove your blindfold?"

Bella was not going to turn that offer down. Make a fuss in the air or be un-cuffed and able to see. Easy choice. She nodded her head a moment later still not certain if she was to speak.

Unlike his nephew, Mr. Volturi did not patronize her by calling her a 'good girl' every time she cooperated. Instead, once she was back in her seatbelt, cuff and blindfold free, she was asked if her current state was better.

She nodded, thinking that 'better' was a severe understatement.

"I'm glad to hear it, Miss Swan." He leaned back comfortably in his seat. While he did so, Bella took in the man in front of her. At first glance, the man was a gentleman. His chosen clothes were a charcoal gray, pinstripe suit, pale blue shirt, and power tie. All together the items said sophisticated businessman. His shined black shoes and sharp haircut spoke of a man who cared about his appearance. Mr. Volturi's eye told a different story. His eyes pierced dangerously into her, as if he could learn everything about her life with one look. When his eyes caught hers, Bella quickly looked away pretending to be interested in her surroundings. Mr. Volturi did not seem offended.

Perhaps it happens to him a lot? Maybe he likes it that way, she wondered.

Only a second passed before she realized that she really actually should look around her. Was there someone else on the airplane besides the pilot and stewardess? Looking behind her, she found her answer. On either side of the plane was a pair of seats facing each other. On the side opposite of where she was sitting where two burly men, clearly bodyguards for Mr. Volturi, playing some sort of card game. The one facing her saw her looking but casually turned back to the card game once he decided she was not trying to escape the plane.

She turned her attention to the back area of the plane. She saw the sofa Mr. Volturi must have been referring to. Across from the sofa was a cabinet. Beyond that she could see the galley where the stewardess was working on her toast. Past the galley was the open door to the bathroom. She wondered if she would be allowed to use it if she needed to.

Noticing movement, Bella turned her attention back to her surroundings. The stewardess was walking towards them carrying a tray. On top of the tray was a bottle of water, a glass of alcohol, a small plate of three pieces of toast, and a small bowl with something in it.

"Your drink, sir." She offered the glass to Mr. Volturi. Before he took the glass, he pulled a table top down from its spot hanging from the side of the airplane. The top snapped into an upright position forming a table between Bella and Mr. Volturi. The stewardess placed the tray on the table. As before, she asks Mr. Volturi if he required anything else. He shook his head. His silent answer turned the woman's attention to the sofa. Two minutes later, a pillow and blanket sat on the sofa waiting for Bella.

"Please eat, Miss. Swan." He gestured to the food in front of her. "I will tell you why you are here."

Bella was too hungry to refuse his offer. She looked at what the stewardess had brought her. Next to some toast were also a spoon and a red fabric napkin. She assumed it was for what she could now tell were small packages of butter, jam, and jelly in the small bowl.

As she started preparing her first piece of toast, spreading grape jelly on top, Mr. Volturi started the conversation with a question.

"How much so you know about your father's business?"

"Not much besides his occupation and desire to go into politics." She wanted to ask why he was asking but took a bite of her toast instead. It tasted delicious and would settle well on her stomach. The bottled water soothed her dry throat. Never had she been so grateful for a simple meal.

"Your father is an interesting man who hides much of his business ventures from his family and his other associates. He does not mind taking money earned from less favorable means."

Less favorable means? Bella thought as her brain searched for possible meanings of the words.

"I mean criminal means, of course. More precisely, from me and my organization."

Bella stopped mid-bite. Criminal? My father has taken dirty money? It took a minute for her to find her voice and her courage. "May I ask what kind of organization you run, Mr. Volturi?"

Instead of being angry with her for speaking, the man surprised her by smiling. He was pleased she had it in her to speak to him unprompted. He detected a small amount of fear in her tone, but she hid it well.

"I have my hand in many things as you saw from the chop shop my nephew runs for me. It is just a small part of my business, however. I earn most of my living though weapons, drugs, and prostitution, of course."

He noticed Bella flinch when he mention prostitution. He knew how the female mind worked. Now, the woman would fear a brothel was in her future. Such fear tended to cause a woman to do anything, say anything to avoid that fate. A pliable woman was the best kind in his opinion. If Miss. Swan became pliable and submissive, then she just might have a more favorable future ahead of her.

"Continuing on, your father has become," he studied the ice cubes in his glass for a moment in search of the correct word. "Your father has become unhappy with our relationship." Mr. Volturi ended there, letting her figure out the puzzle. It was not complicated. He was certain the woman would figure out why she was being held rather quickly.

Bella's mind did put together the pieces rather quickly. I'm being used to keep my father under a criminal's control. I just never thought father would already have criminal ties.

When two minutes passed, it became apparent to Bella that Mr. Volturi wanted her to speak. He had an expression of anticipation. Is he waiting for me to say I know what is going on? If he knows that I know, I don't need to say it, right?

She decided to say something other than the obvious. She figured asking if she would be let go would be superfluous. After seeing a murder, she would not be released regardless of how much time had past. She wondered if how her father responded dictated how she was treated, and if she'd live. That is the thought she chose to voice. He seemed satisfied with it.

"Whether he cooperates or not really doesn't matter in regards to what happens to you. No, I already have plans for you. If your father chooses not to cooperate due to your kidnapping, then I will continue with the plan I had in place before you fell into my lap. You may or may not be enough to control your father, but there are many other choices available to me."

Bella understood what he was not saying. Her sister, mother, and brother all had the possibility of being Mr. Volturi's next kidnap victim. Deep down, she knew they would go for her sister. She was a small woman that could be controlled. If her schedule was anything like she remembered, her sister would also be easy to reach. If her father still refused to cooperate, his favorite daughter would die or be put in prostitution.

She released a heavy breath. The pain in her chest did not stop, though. Please let me be enough to control father. Please! Please don't let them go after my siblings! Please don't let them go after my mother! She silently prayed.

Noticing the end of her near panic-attack, Mr. Volturi continued the conversation explaining his plans. "You're an intelligent woman, Miss. Swan. I hear you keep your apartment neat and clean. My resources even say you might be a virgin." Her face turned pink at that statement. Her lack of sexual activity tended to be a secret. However, anyone who knew her knew she wasn't the kind to hook up. Considering her dating life was next to nil, her being a virgin was a logical conclusion. However, she doubted the man in front of her had assumed she was a virgin.

As if he knew what she was thinking, he explained that he knew from her doctor's file. "I like to be thorough, Miss. Swan. See it as business, not an invasion of privacy."

That was not going to happen, but Bella nodded anyway. She felt it best not to argue or fight was the man. It would be a waste of what little energy she had.

By now, she was halfway through her bottled water and eaten two pieces of toast. At last, her throat and stomach felt better. The jelly was sweet enough to raise her blood sugar a bit as well. She felt she would survive now, at least until the plane landed.

Like before, Mr. Volturi continued of his own accord. "One of my men, Masen, is in need of a maid, cook, and…a companion of sort." Bella didn't like the look on his face when he said 'companion'. It was clear another word would have fit the description better. "You are going to be one of three girls presented to him." He paused for a minute so she could digest what he was telling her.

"If he picks you, you will be his slave until he tires of you. If he doesn't pick you, then you'll stay in the facility you will be living the next two weeks or so. There you'll serve any man you are told to serve." He paused for another moment then asked if she understood what he was telling her.

She nodded that she did. She meant it too. She understood she was going to be a slave, a sex slave at that. She would either serve one man or many. This was too much for her to comprehend all at once. She was also way too tired for this. She needed sleep. The next thing she knew, she was yawning as if her body was agreeing with her thoughts.

"Perhaps it is time you rest." He commented noticing how tired she looked and acted. "Feel free to lie down. I will answer your questions later."

She accepted gratefully. "Thank you, sir." She tried to smile, but her muscles had frozen after hearing her fate, making her lips remain in a tired line. After standing from the chair, she walked to the back of the plane. The sofa's beige cover was ugly but comfortable. The blanket was soft. The pillow was perfect. Despite everything that was on her mind, she quickly fell asleep.