A/N: My thanks to those who have returned to the final story in what amounts to an Impromptu Trilogy (um…more than three stories, but yeah…). Appreciate having you along for the ride. :)


Chapter 12: Synchronize Cooperatively

Cooperative actions provide synchrony and build trusting alliances. They are part of the give and take that empowers strong, enduring relationships.


Jasper's POV

Unfamiliar caution sectioned off by slices of triumph flared around María when I met her and three of her latest lieutenants at Barcelona's airport. It was the last flight of the night, but even so they were dressed with long sleeves. María wore a skirt with wicked-heeled boots that gave my mate a spark of appreciation.

"At least she has fashion sense," Alice mused lightly.

We greeted them with feigned smiles; everyone knew the importance of keeping up appearances, even María. After more than a century, she was able to blend in when she chose to do so. I noted that she was not as demanding as she had been, before.

After courtesies, I inquired, "How has the south been, of late?"

"Oh," she said, her voice light as we drove back to the village above Barcelona. The house the Egyptians had commandeered was secure. Like a fortress in the older years of the world, there was the outer wall of the courtyard, lines of sight from the roof, and now we had a rotating watch detail.

Sometimes, all of this felt far too familiar.

"Well, mijo," María began again after her voice had trailed away. "There is not as much fighting now as there used to be. But that might change, no?"

I preferred her to call me "my son" to "my love" or "my major" so I ignored the little endearment. "It might, unless we can nip this thing right in the bud."

"I am ready to fight. The humans with their fire, they are gone?"

"Didn't that make the news?" I asked with a glance to my wife as we left Barcelona behind us.

Alice, though she had never before spent time in María's company, was able to speak with her easily enough. Languages were one of her many hobbies. "Look. You are a famous general," she told María, hiding her distaste. María felt nothing but took the words with some caution. "You know how to take territory. What we want to do, here is to, to evict a coven from territory. Perhaps restrict them to another place."

"Or destroy them?" Maria's smile was broad and confident.

"That option has been discussed," I confessed. We started ascending, the long road a ribbon under the wheels of the Mercedes in the dark of night. There were streetlights, but they were few and far between, their illumination limited to the picturesque as opposed to the useful.

"Someone is there," a lieutenant murmured. In the rearview mirror, I saw him jerk his head to point with his long, narrow nose. "He carries a lighter.¿Véa te?"

"I see," I said. "Alice?"

Alice pursed her lips and cocked her head, the hazy light that leached into the night from the streetlights touching her face. I had to smile; my Alice was so charming when she was thinking hard. "He'll be fine if he's not provoked. I can't see anyone responding to him, even so."

Still, the young man with the short black hair and narrowed gaze studied our car as we swept by him. María hissed, moving to press her face against the glass. Once, that would have meant nothing at this time of night with so little light, but today? Today, the humans were watchful.

I pulled into the garage of our temporary fortress. "Come. We'll introduce you and make plans," I said. Then, I stilled when I felt a pulsation of sensation. Over and over again.

"What is it, mijo?" María asked when I froze half in and half out of the car.

"Bella," I whispered.

"Ah, Bella the Destroyer. Well done. I look forward to meeting her," the second lieutenant said. She was tall and slender as a stalk of corn—an image given strength by the shock of cornsilk blond hair on her head. "What is concerning Bella?"

"S. O. S."

Alice squeaked a little. "What? I can't hear a thing."

I made myself move, overcoming the sense of strangeness of having Bella communicate with me thus. "Emotional bursts like Morse Code."

María laughed a little. "Ess oh ess? This is the old signal for danger?"

"For needing help."


Edward's POV

We had decided, Bella and I, to vacate the lower floor of the spacious house. It smelled of the humans that had filled its rooms only the day before, but the odors were not noisome. They merely were. And not as hormone-rich as the countless classrooms I had been subject to for so long, so in all, the house was comfortable.

Except for the other tenants.

Edward? Are they relaxed yet? Bella was cradled in my arms, her forehead pressed to mine. To all outward appearances, we would have appeared to just be sitting in silent enjoyment of one another. In truth, we were spying from a slight distance. Carlisle and Emmett were among them, as strong presence, hopefully to encourage sincerity and to combine their powers of observation with mine.

I nodded, able to enjoy and appreciate her unique scent and the texture of her hair against my skin even as I listened to the minds below. They are, I thought at her, grateful that she had found a way to bridge our minds through the use of her shield.

What are they thinking?

Amun wants to take over Italy. Ideally, he'd like Benjamin to cause a big enough earthquake to plunge all of us that are there into the earth, where Benjamin would then crush and bury them. Amun is rather enjoying the imagery.

And Benjamin?

He is thinking of water. There are depths of water, he is thinking, that he could draw from.

But if he does that, all the humans die! Her body stiffened in my arms. I rubbed her back, feeling the contours of her and wishing we could be off by ourselves. I had grown to like the isolation of Montana.

Edward…

I could feel the renewed tension in her body, in each of her limbs and in the pressure of her head. Kissing her lightly, I encouraged her to continue.

They have to, they can't, I mean, Amun's got delusions of grandeur; he's harmless, but Kebi…? And Benjamin? Can we see to it they stay in Egypt, maybe/

How?

"I don't know," she whispered out loud, clinging to me with more strength.

Then, I heard him. Pressing my forehead to hers, I invaded her mind. Jasper's here. With María.

We need help, Edward. Can I ask him?

He knows we do, Bella.

But if I ask him in María's presence…?

Downstairs, Tia was already thinking how to have humans lined up for the honor and privilege of feeding our kind. With allure on the left and death by earthquake on the right, what choice would there be?

Ask him.

Inhaling, Bella rose to her feet and stood, the very image of vampiric concentration, and proceeded to send emotions to our brother.

I had to smile; the message was simple and effective.

The interior garage door burst open, the knob caving in the flimsy drywall with which it connected. "Saludos. Soy María de San Antonio. Where is Benjamin? I have heard much of him. Introduce yourself, yes?"

Bella and I ran to the upper landing so we could catch a glimpse of Jasper's sire in person. Flanked by two males and one female, the tiny tornado of a woman was dressed in leather and silk, her eyes dark burgundy and sparkling with delight. I plunged into her mind, needing to know what she would do.

All I saw were the images of her imagination as she plotted out the way in which she would eliminate the entire Egyptian Coven.


A/N: This is coming close to wrapping up! Hang on tight - it's gonna get a little more ugly. See you tomorrow. I think.