Chapter Fourteen
Alice
I waited outside the house for Jaspers return knowing that the others were equally eager to see Edward but he wouldn't return. His fixation with Bella had finally pushed him over the edge and I blamed myself for not seeing it. I listened to the conversation going on inside as I waited,
"Carlisle if Alice is right we have to find Edward and get Bella back before he does something stupid"
"Esme I'm not sure he even has her. We only have Alice's word for it he's involved and you know the two of them have been at logger heads recently."
"Then where is he? Where is Bella? She hasn't just vanished into thin air."
"If we don't find him then Jasper will and you know what that will mean, especially if he's harmed her"
"Emmett's right Carlisle. If we want to avoid a death we need to find him before Jasper does."
"So where do we look?" Carlisle sounded annoyed.
He hated the thought his precious Edward was involved in Bella's disappearance, but I knew he was.
I heard snow crunching under foot and ran to meet Jasper as he staggered through the snow still looking as if he'd fallen down a mountain.
"Is she here?"
I shook my head,
"No, Edward's missing too"
His curse was loud enough to bring the others out. Emmett rushed to his side,
"Jazz, you OK man?"
"Does he look OK Em?"
I took his arm and helped him into the house followed by Carlisle who proceeded to check him out but Jazz was having none of it.
"Where did they go?"
I shook my head,
"We lost Bella's track at a logging trail. There's no other trace of her."
"And Edward?"
"No sign of him either."
"Can't you see anything Alice?"
He sounded desperate,
"Not really, every time I see her its all foggy. I think she's in a building somewhere. But I don't know any more than that."
"Keep trying"
He shrugged off Carlisle and went upstairs to change. Emmett looked at me and we both followed him.
"You going to look for Bella?"
He carried on stripping off, showing the terrible marks of his fall as he did so and favouring his left arm.
Emmett
I couldn't remember ever feeling so helpless but unless we got a lead on Edward or Bella I didn't know what we could do.
"Jazz, you tell me what to do, I'll do it. I want to help."
He looked at me then smiled just a little,
"Em we'll find her. Give me twenty minutes, get your truck ready and pack your stuff. I'm not coming back until I have Bella with me. If you aren't there when I come down I'll know you aren't coming."
He strode through to the bathroom watched by Alice and myself so I looked at her,
"He means it doesn't he?"
She nodded,
"Yes. He has no choice Em"
"What do you mean?"
"Bella's his mate. I didn't tell him but I think he worked it out for himself."
Jasper
I heard Alice's words over the sound of the shower, so that's why Alice had invited Bella for Christmas. The ache in my chest made sense now, the feelings I had when she was close, the peace and tranquillity when she was near me. I had to find her and I vowed I would kill Edward if he had laid a single finger on her. He would die a thousand times for every mark on her body. Having Emmett with me would be nice but irrespective of help I wouldn't rest until she was where she belonged, in my arms. I finished my shower and dressed hurriedly throwing the rest of my clothes in my rucksack and running down the stairs as fast as my still healing body would allow. Standing at the bottom waiting were Alice and Emmett, both sporting similar rucksacks. Esme took my hand,
"Please be careful Jasper."
"Don't hurt Edward unless its unavoidable please"
I turned to Carlisle as he finished speaking,
"If he has Bella and has hurt her I'll kill him Carlisle. That's the only promise I will make you"
Then I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and followed Emmett out to the truck which was waiting on the drive, engine running.
Alice
I'd tried to see where they were but my visions were still foggy and as Jasper turned to me for direction I had to make a decision,
"Go up the mountain."
He nodded and Em turned the wheel gunning the engine as the truck moved down the driveway.
"What did you see Alice?"
I looked at Jasper sitting beside Emmett,
"Nothing, it's a hunch but its all I have."
He nodded then went back to looking out the window before touching Emmett's arm,
"Stop"
I looked forward and saw the car parked in the road a few yards ahead, two people standing by it. I recognised them, Jasper's friends Peter and Charlotte.
Emmett
I pulled up and the man walked to the passenger door addressing Jasper,
"So Major, you in the shit again?"
"You wouldn't be here if I wasn't. Get in"
The two of them joined us in the cab and I started off again,
"Fill us in Major."
Alice piped up,
"Emmett this is Peter and Charlotte Whitlock."
I nodded then went back to driving hoping someone would tell me where to go soon.
I listened as Jazz filled his friends in, nothing new came out.
"So you have no idea where your crazy brother or the girl are?"
"Basically no"
"What's this girl to you anyway?"
"Why does she have to mean anything to me?"
"Cut the crap Major. You wouldn't be getting yourself in a stew like this unless she meant something to you"
"Lets just find her".
Alice
I watched the others then closed my eyes and tried to see more, I didn't see anything but I had a really bad feeling which Jazz picked up on and he turned to me, his eyes blazing.
"Tell me"
"I can't see anything Jazz but I have a bad feeling that something is about to happen and we won't be in time to stop it."
"Are we going in the right direction Alice? Give me something please."
I closed my eyes again, wishing I could see something but there was just a fog with shades moving in it.
"I'm sure were going in the right direction. I think Bella is somewhere up the mountain. We're looking for somewhere isolated, somewhere with shelter. Somewhere beyond the old logging track."
"Well that's narrowed it down Alice. All we have to do is find an isolated spot on the top of the fucking mountain!"