Warning, there is interrogation mafia style in this chapter. I will mark it for those of you who would rather not read it.

Chapter 9

Edward

Saul stitched my shoulder in the kitchen where a few hours ago I took the lives of two men, the cleaners are still cleaning the blood from the walls and floor.

"I never thought I would ever stitch you up after a gunfight." laughed Saul.

"Me neither. I never intended to be a part of the mafia, but there was no way I could let them take over my family home and hurt my mom," I replied. "How's Emmett?"

"He's doing okay Edward, much like you, he was lucky. He only needed his leg stitched. Alistair made it sound worse than it was."

"Is Emmett with mom?"

"Yes, everyone is in the sitting room. I understand from Marcus that all family members are accounted for and safe. I don't need to explain the rules on stitches."

"Thanks, Saul," I said as I rushed out of the kitchen and headed towards the sitting room.

"Mama are you okay?" I asked, pulling her into a hug.

"Tesoro you worried me, I thought I'd lost you." Lizzy sobbed.

"Mama everyone is fine, come and sit with me," I replied guiding her to the love seat.

"Mama, Emmett, as you know we had our home invaded. Liam O'Sullivan placed every distraction he could come up with to take our focus off what his real goal was, and it appears he played us like puppets. Do you realize what would've happened to you all if I hadn't come home for lunch? There was a composition I should finish for an exam piece, and I would've canceled, but I was speaking to Bella when the car came for me. While I was trying to protect all of you, I overheard two men discussing the things they aimed to do to you and Didyme. They also intended to kill Nettie," I explained.

"Fuck the bastards! I'll kill O'Sullivan myself! Women and children are off limits." Marcus roared.

"Mom, you should have been told us that the Jersey mob have dad and Aro. Dad isn't in London. The truth is that no one has any idea where he is," I informed her.

"Marcus, why wasn't I told? He is my husband, he may not love me, but someone should've told me." Lizzy shouted. "If we as a family had known we would've been more prepared."

"I'm sorry Lizzy, we thought we'd have found him by now. I've made mistakes as the underboss. I should've handled things better," Marcus admitted.

"Where is Alistair?" Didyme asked.

"He was one of the first people to die," I answered.

"Alistair's dead, this shit is serious," Emmett croaked.

"Edward come to the office, so you can tell me everything that happened. I'll keep you updated if we find anything out, Lizzy. Don't leave here Di, and don't leave Nettie on her own," Marcus asked.

We walked in silence until we were in dad's office.

"Take a seat Edward," Marcus said, as he took dad's seat.

"Edward you did well. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you kept my family safe. Didyme means everything to me. It would've killed my daughter if we had lost Nettie. She can't have any more children."

"I don't want to become a part of the mafia. It scares me how natural it was to slit those men's throats. That makes me a monster."

"You're not a monster Edward. You did what you had to do. You kept everyone safe," Emmett reassured.

"What are you doing here, Emmett," I asked.

"You're not having all the fun. I'm a Cullen as well. I want to help find dad. Marcus, how many of our men are still alive? With the number of bodies, I saw when I came in, there can't be many," Emmett questioned.

"The capos are supposed to be giving me a list of whose missing. We've got to make sure we haven't lost any of our territories," Marcus added. "Edward what did you find out?"

"Alistair recruited new men to help set up the new security system he was installing throughout the house, as well as in dad's businesses. One of the main men helping him was one of Jersey's men. He shot Alistair first, then the rest of our men in the security room. Then, he disabled the security system. The extra guards that Alistair had recruited were their men. That's how they gained access to the house so easily. They had cut a hole in the fence between the trees at the back of the grounds; that's how they took our men by surprise," I replied.

"O'Sullivan hired professional gunmen; he also recruited young kids who ran drugs for him. He paid the kids $500 each for coming; they received a bonus if they killed a Cullen. I think they paid someone to take out Emmett." I answered. "But something that has been bothering me. I spoke to Alistair when I arrived. The guy who is tied up is Dan who came as my driver. He knew about Bella's and my personal life. Alistair lost his temper with me when I told him my concerns; I had never seen him that stressed. He had always been calm."

"I thought that too. Alistair was quick to send for me to get Emmett as well; I would have sent Garrett and Seth. But he convinced me they would let me bring Emmett home if I told them I was his uncle."

"No way would Alastair betray dad! He's been with our family since before we were born. He's dad's fucking consigliere and our head of security," Emmett puzzled.

"How did you get shot if you had your security with you, Emmett?" I asked.

"I saw a guy following Rosie and me a week ago. I spoke to Sal, my new guard, and he assured me I'd imagined it. Two days ago, Rosie saw the same guy when she looked out of my dorm window. I called Sal. He said he was outside, and no one was there. Today when we came out of Chick-fil-A, I saw the guy again. He got in a car, drove by us, and then started shooting," Emmett said.

"How long has he been your security?" I asked.

"Alistair assigned him to protect me a month ago. Scott had been my guard since I'd gone to Yale. Dad called him back here for another assignment, and Sal was his replacement. Sal wasn't that good at his job, and he's not been around since the shooting," Emmett replied.

"I'll look into that as soon as we find your dad. Your dad had nothing to do with your security. He wouldn't request them to come back here without telling me." Marcus added.

"What the fuck has happened here," Garrett shouted as he rushed into the office with his gun in his hand.

"Stop pointing the gun at me, before I shove it up your ass. The Irish, that's what happened?" Marcus roared. "Why the fuck did you go to the warehouse. You were needed here while I went to get Emmett?"

"Al's sent me. Where is he?" Garrett asked as he threw himself in a chair. "Why has this pussy got blood all over his t-shirt, isn't it your favorite Rolling Stones t-shirt? You should've gone in the safe room with the other women."

Marcus pulled his gun out pointed it at Garrett then said. "Give me a reason I shouldn't fucking shoot you? You are not a made man. If the boss was sitting in this chair would you come in here shouting and insulting Edward? The boss would shoot you between your fucking eyes. You were trusted, and given two men to be Edward's bodyguard, which you did a shit job of." Marcus yelled. "I'm the boss now so give me a reason why I shouldn't shoot?"

Garrett got up and stood near the door, "I'm sorry sir, I forgot my place. I have never seen Edward in here before, I treat him like a brother, and it's just the way we speak to each other."

"Correct that Garrett that is how you and the others speak to me," I replied.

"While you were wasting yours and everyone else's time chasing kids that weren't there, the fucking Irish bastards invaded the land and house. If it hadn't been for Edward, everyone would be dead. How many men did Alistair tell you to take with you, and how many made it back?" Marcus demanded.

"I took seven men with me. We lost four men, but we killed nine of theirs, and one got away," Garrett replied.

"You need to go outside, find Joe and ask him how you can help. Now go." Marcus roared.

"Garrett gets on my fucking nerves. He's pushed us around ever since he's been Edward's guard. I'd love to pop a bullet straight into him. Edward, how can you live with him?" Emmett ranted.

"It's difficult. I've asked Garrett to move out, but he calls me names and refuses to leave," I answered.

"Once this is all over, and before you get back from Italy, I'll make sure he has left your apartment," Marcus reassured me.

"Thank you. How did Liam O'Sullivan become the boss of Jersey? I never remember seeing him or hearing his name before. He would've attended some of the fundraisers?" I questioned.

"He took over from Patrick when he died. The kid is only twenty-five-years-old and a distant relation of Patrick's. There was an internal war to be boss, and this Liam kid came over from Ireland and took over. He will be sorry he messed with the Cullen's." Marcus growled.

"There is something that has bothered me. When I went into my parent's room, I first went to dad's closet to hide. I saw two men in the room. I killed them and then another man who had opened a safe; I didn't know dad had a safe in there. He had taken out papers and photographs. They are still on the floor in the closet I think," I told Marcus.

"Fuck how did they get that combination. Thank you for telling me. I need to make sure those documents are secure," Marcus answered.

"When are we going to talk to the prisoners?" Emmett asked.

"They are already down in the basement waiting for me," Marcus replied.

"Can I come with you?

"Are you sure you want to Edward?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"If he's going, I'm coming as well," Emmett said.

~TTS~

Most of our men were now at the house. Marcus seemed relieved that we'd only lost one made man.

There were now five capos that reported who they had lost. We were lucky we had only lost sixteen men. Someone would return them to their loved ones over the next couple of days. Marcus was happy when he was told there were another seven prisoners. One of them were thirteen-years-old. Twenty-nine of their men were dead in the boathouse. Marcus had plans to use their bodies so the feds would think O'Sullivan was to blame. It would keep the cops busy trying to solve what had happened. We would have a chance to find dad and regroup.

The house smelled of bleach, and mom had insisted that they polish all the surfaces, and the windows were opened. The combination of both wasn't a pleasant smell. Thankfully, the entrance hall carpet that held Alistair's blood was being replaced.

Begins here

I learned the way into the cellar in the west wing. By pushing a panel in the first room, steps were revealed that led to the basement.

In a dingy, cold hallway of the west wing, was a basement. It had several doors off the main corridor, the door was open on the left-hand side. I stood at the door looking into the room. There seemed to be several chairs bolted to the floor, in various areas around the room.

The two men I had captured were tied to the chairs in the middle of the floor, with their legs tied to the legs of the chair. Their arms were tied behind their backs.

Both the men had swollen faces, their eyes almost closed, with tape over their mouths. I was surprised to see the woman was also tied to a chair with tape over her mouth as well.

"Have they said anything yet, Seth?" Marcus asked.

"No sir, not a thing other than questioning my mother's marital status." Seth chuckled.

Marcus removed his jacket and took off his tie.

"Remove his gag," Marcus instructed.

"Tell me why you came to the house, Dan? That's what you told Edward they call you?"

"Fuck you, they said he was a nerd and wouldn't cause any trouble," Dan spat out.

Laughing Marcus replied, "Well your boss told you wrong. Who told you about the family and where did you get your information from?"

"I ain't telling you shit," Dan spat out.

Marcus stuck a knife in Dan's knee, pulling it along his leg. His bone was exposed, the blood dripping onto the floor. Pouring liquor on the wound made Dan scream in pain.

"Fuck you, I hope you burn in hell with the rest of the Italian scum," Dan screamed.

"He was the one along with his friend I killed who said what they had plotted to do to mom, Didyme, and Nettie," I said.

"Oh, I'm gonna love this," Marcus said as he pounded on the guy's face. You could hear the bones break with every punch. Then, Marcus twisted his neck until it snapped.

"Take his gag off," Marcus instructed pointing at the other guy.

"Why did you come here?"

"To watch the mighty Cullen's burn and go to hell where they belong." He shouted.

"You don't sound Irish. Are you sure you're Irish? Have they been recruiting from the back streets of New Jersey?" Diego asked.

"Fuck you," he shouted.

"This is getting old," Marcus sighed as he repeatedly punched him in the face. Marcus' knuckles were bleeding.

"Pass me the hedge cutters, Seth. He tried to take something that didn't belong to him. He loses his fingers."

I watched in horror as one by one Marcus cut off the guy's fingers.

"Now tell me why you came here!" Marcus yelled.

"Go to hell" he whimpered.

Marcus pushed his hand in a bucket of salt. The guy let out a blood-curdling scream. As he passed out.

"Wake him up, then gag him. I'll be back soon," Marcus informed them.

Pulling the tape of the woman's mouth, "Have you got anything to tell me?" Marcus asked her.

"Why should I, your rules say you can't touch me," she laughed.

~TTS~

"What pisses me off is that we obey the code and don't touch women and children. But they would've killed Nettie," Emmett whined to Lizzy.

"I'm sorry, but I wasn't trying to listen to your conversation. You're saying that you've got a woman prisoner that can kill that little girl and you can't do anything about it? Your code of practice protects women and children, correct?" Rosalie asked in disbelief.

"Babe, you shouldn't have heard that, but yes that's true," Emmett sighed.

"Oh, is that so? That bitch isn't getting away with this so easily. I hear she needs a doctor's attention, take me to her now!" Rosalie demanded.

"That's not a good idea, Rosalie," I told her.

"Edward my dad has been in your dad's pocket for years. I know who all of you are." Rosalie laughed. "Now take me to her."

We took Rosalie to the interrogation room.

"What the fuck is she doing here Emmett? Are you fucking crazy?" Marcus roared.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Hale, I understand you've got a female who has appendicitis," Rosalie said holding out her hand.

Marcus looked confused.

"I don't have any medical equipment. Do you have anything I can use to operate with? Rosalie asked.

"Yes, we've got a scalpel, and other medical instruments," Diego replied taking her over to a table.

"Wonderful! Is there a table where I can perform surgery? I did my first appendectomy last week, I cut the patient's stomach longer than I needed to, but other than that I passed." Rosalie chuckled.

"You're not touching me, you crazy bitch! You can't do anything under your rules." the woman laughed.

"Am I right that no man can harm you? Well you may have noticed I'm a female, so the rule no longer applies. Can someone help me undress her from the waist down and get her prepped for surgery?" Rosalie asked again.

Diego and Seth laughed as they dragged her over to a table while they ripped off her clothes.

"Marcus, you can ask her questions while I operate. She won't be asleep. What's your name? I like to be able to call you by your name while I'm performing surgery on you," Rosalie said.

"Fuck you! You're just an Italian whore." The woman spat.

"Mine name is Doctor Hale; I'm independent of this group of men. I'm of English descent on my father's side, and Irish on my mother's, but both my parents were born here in New York as was I," Rosalie replied.

Making a show of putting a pair of disposable gloves on, Rosalie then put some KY-gel on her finger.

"To confirm my diagnosis is right. I will have to insert my finger up your ass to see how inflamed your appendix is."

"Screw you," the woman screamed.

"Roll her on her side," Rosalie instructed.

Laughing Emmett and Seth helped roll her to her side. Rosalie forced her knees to her stomach as she pushed her finger up her ass.

"Yes, it's inflamed. Roll her onto her back," Rosalie asked.

"Why did you come to our house?" Emmett questioned.

"Fuck you!" she yelled.

"How did you manage to get Alistair to employ your people?" Emmett continued.

"Wouldn't you like to know, go fuck yourself," she snarled.

"Emmett would you assist me by passing me the instruments as I need them please," Rosalie asked. "Scalpel?"

"You, crazy bitch you can't cut me without an anesthetic," the woman shouted.

"Well answer the question. Why did you come to the house?" Marcus asked.

"Go to hell."

Rose pushed the scalpel into her flesh.

"Stop, stop. My name is Siobhan O'Sullivan. I'm Liam's sister. He said you wouldn't hurt me." Siobhan shouted.

"They told you no man would hurt you. They wouldn't. I'm a woman, I don't give a fuck about you," Rosalie said, as she cut deeper.

"Why did you come?" Marcus asked again.

"To kill all you Italian scum. Cullen sent his mistress away with their kids. We didn't need them, they can't take over as they are not Italian Cullen's. Liam said if he killed all the Cullen's, he'd be able to take over."

"What other family? What's she talking about?" I asked.

"Don't listen to her she is just trying to cause problems between you all," Marcus answered.

"Okay," I replied not convinced with the answer.

"Why were you in the bosses' safe?" Marcus asked.

"To get documents for Cullen to sign before someone killed him. Then Liam could take over everything, including his businesses," Siobhan cried.

"Where are they holding Carlisle and Aro," Marcus continued.

"I don't know! I don't know!" Siobhan screamed as she passed out.

"I understand this gentleman has a bullet in his shoulder. Did you say he needs it to be removed?" Rosalie asked.

"That's right Doctor Hale." Marcus chuckled. "The boss will love this."

"Emmett, Edward if you would like to watch, I'll show you how to remove a bullet," Rosalie said.

"Can I watch I've as well? I've never done it before either," Seth asked.

"First when you have a gunshot you need to look for an exit hole. The patient hasn't got one, so you must try to locate the bullet to remove it before you stitch the wound. This might hurt a little. First, you push your finger in the hole moving it around to feel for the bullet," Rosalie explained.

Rosalie pushed her finger into the gunshot wound as the man screamed.

"Where is Carlisle being held?" Marcus demanded.

"Fuck you," the man screamed.

"I've located it," Rosalie said. "Pass me the forceps?"

"I'm sorry Doctor Hale we don't have any, but we've got these pliers," Seth replied.

"Not a problem. Once I remove the bullet, are there any other bullet wounds?" Rosalie continued.

"Yes, Doc in his knee, but it's shattered." Seth laughed.

"Okay, deep breath, "Rosalie said as she pushed the pliers into the wound.

"They've got him in the warehouse on the 3rd dock. It's the warehouse that's used to keep our guns. It's the biggest one, with extensive surveillance." He screamed while he vomited.

"How did you get Alistair to hire your men?" Marcus asked as Seth pushed his finger in a bullet wound.

"We have his nephew, but he will be dead by now," he screamed again.

"Do you need me anymore or can I leave," Rosalie asked.

"Stitch her side up please, Rosalie? Seth, when Rosalie has finished, take Miss. O'Sullivan into the bedroom and lock her in until the boss tells us what he wants to do with her. Then put this one out of his misery," Marcus requested.

Ends here

~TTS~

It had been just over two hours since Marcus had left to get Dad and Aro. Chelsea and Gio boarded a plane to come to be with Nettie, straight after Didyme told them what had happened. Chelsea broke down on the phone. I wouldn't be surprised if Nonna and Nonno came with them.

"Heard anything yet?" Emmett asked as he sat next to me on the doorsteps.

"No, I'm just hoping everything will be okay. I don't want to watch mom go through the shit of burying him. Then there will be no one who will run the Cullen family," I said rubbing my face with my hands.

"You're the eldest, and it's expected of you to stand up. But I know you don't want to. If need be I'll stand up, but you must be my consigliere," Emmett replied.

"Let's not think about that yet," I answered as we sat in silence again.

Cars coming towards the house broke the silence. We jumped to our feet, pulled out our guns, and stood to the side of the pillars at the front of the house.

As two cars pulled up, Marcus was in the back of one of the cars with someone wrapped in a blanket.

"Put your guns down, and come help you two," Marcus yelled.

Pushing our guns in the back of our pants, we made our way to the car shocked to see our father beaten and naked. Emmett pulled the blanket tighter around dad and carried him into the house and up to my parents' room.

"What happened Marcus?" I asked as he carried Aro into the house much in the same state as my dad. He took Aro straight up into one of the guest bedrooms.

"They had been hooked up along a track by chains. They were both naked and beaten with bats, and whips. The boss has been shot in both his knees and arms and had two fingers cut off. His back will need stitching too, Marcus," told us. "Saul, can you treat Carlisle? Rosalie, can you help Aro? I'll get someone to bring medical supplies."

"Not a problem. What am I looking at?"

"They cut all of Aro's toes off on his left foot, and all his fingers on his right hand. They've shot both his knees, and his back looks as bad as Carlisle's. They cut his face near his eye," Marcus answered.

"They will have to answer to the cops, how they killed all the people we left near the dockside, some of them young teenagers." Marcus chuckled, "Have they cleaned the boathouse?"

"Yes, everywhere is clean," I answered.

"Edward, your father wants you!" Saul shouted down the stairs.

I climbed the stairs, knocked on my parent's bedroom door waiting to be asked in.

"Come in Edward," Carlisle rasped.

"You wanted me, dad?"

"Saul can you give me a few minutes with my son."

"I'll be right outside the door," Saul said.

"Edward son, Marcus told me how you kept your mother, Didyme, and Nettie safe. You secured the house and stopped the Irish bastards from getting what they wanted. I know you don't want to be a part of the family, but you are a natural. There's something I'd like you to think about while you're in Italy. I want you to join the family. I will wait until you finish school. I won't ask you for an answer until you graduate." Carlisle whispered. "I'm proud of you son."

Thanks, as always to my beta EdwardsFirstKiss who has made this readable. Also, Klcivinski and Carole for pre-reading the chapter.

Any mistakes are mine.