Chapter 13: The search is on

30th/31st August 2009

Carlisle P.O.V

Leaving the house with Emmett and Jasper was one of the hardest things I could do. Part of me wanted to be with Edward, to use my years of training as a Doctor to help him but without understanding what this monster had done to my son, I had little chance of helping him.

Emmett drove us to the airport and Jasper made arrangements for when we arrived, while I took the time to consult the notes I had taken over the years over the Vampiric condition.

I looked, in hope that I could fathom some insight as to what could attack the venom in the way that Edward described. As we boarded the plane I was none the wiser and I spent the journey searching in vain. Intermittently pausing to join in the conversation with Emmett and Jasper, who were discussing where we should start and how we should search.

By the time we arrived in Mexico and booked into our hotel I was mentally fatigued. I'd scoured my notes for hours and had come up with nothing. Emmett and Jasper tried on several occasions to persuade me to stop, but I refused.

Eventually I felt overwhelmingly tired and complied with their request; it wasn't until we were out of the hotel - with my notes left behind - that I realised that Jasper has used his gift to persuade me. A part of me was annoyed, but if truth were told I wasn't getting anywhere with my notes anyway.

We took a walk around the area, getting a feel for the place. We spotted a fair few nomads around and they seemed to recognise what we were, but they kept to themselves.

After we checked out the main area, we ventured to the less populated areas to scope out some hunting grounds. It wasn't the sources we were used to, but there were certainly options.

As we made our way back to our hotel I gave Esme a quick call to check on Edward and keep her up to date with what we were doing.

As I hung up, my heart was heavy. I wish I was there with them, but I had to try at least.

"They are taking care of Edward, it seems Bella is trying to fill his time with fulfilling his wishes. It also seems like he keeps having to recharge. His body shuts down for a while... it's unsettling from what Esme says, but they're adapting." I informed Emmett and Jasper.

I watched my sons battle with their emotions. Their faces flashed with a range of emotions. Jasper seemed to get a hold of himself but Emmett started pacing. Silently, he was raging and he was starting to attract unwanted attention.

Looking over to Jasper I needn't say anything, he simply nodded and I felt a feeling of ease spread through me. I watched as Emmett grew calmer and calmer. The people nearby stopped paying so much attention and after a few moments Emmett was calm enough to be in control of his own emotions. I felt when Jasper ceased using his gift.

"Sorry," Emmett muttered.

Placing my hand on his shoulder and giving a reassuring squeeze I shook my head.

"I think we all share the feeling of desperation and anger, Emmett. Don't apologise, just use your energy to help track this man down."

"What will we do when we find him?" he asked.

Dark thoughts entered my mind and I considered how I would extract the information I needed, but I quickly shook that away. I must not forget who I am.

"Best case scenario we can reason with him, or we find that he has notes detailing what he did. Worst case scenario we have to make him give us the information we need."

I didn't fail to notice the look of surprise on their faces. Neither had ever heard me like this, but, Edward was my priority, I needed to do whatever it takes.

After a few hours in our hotel room discussing plans, we ventured back out, this time seeking out nomads to see if they had heard of this Doctor. The first few we come across have no interest in speaking, I think the fact that the three of us are together puts them off.

We decide to split up. We agree to meet up in a local bar in an hour and see what we've come up with. Once I am on my own it is far easier to be able to find nomads willing to talk.

The first few have no idea of this supposed Doctor death but I find one who not only talks but gives me some hope of a lead.

"Yeah I heard about this Doctor... What is it to you?" He asked.

"He has hurt someone very important to me and I need to find him for answers."

The nomad looked around, seemingly unsure of his surroundings or the possibility of others nearby.

"Meet me back here in 10 minutes, I know someone who can help."

"Okay!"

As he disappeared I paced around, could this really be a lead? I quickly called Jasper and filled him in, but he was much more cautious. He warned me to be careful; I let him know where I was and hung up.

I stood and waited, as time ticked on I started to wonder if I had been had. Ten minutes had come and gone, but I was reticent to leave.

Time continued to pass and finally I gave up but just as I was ready to leave the nomad returned.

"Ah, you're still here..." He said.

"Of course, I said I would stay."

"What was your name again?"

"Cullen, Carlisle Cullen, and you?"

"Romano."

"Well Romano, where is your friend?"

I watched as Romano grinned and looked behind him into the darkened alleyway.

"First of all... I didn't say I was bringing a friend but I do have a few people who want to see you."

I watched on as three others joined us. I couldn't help but think back to the phone call I had had with Jasper. He had warned me to be careful, what a fool I was not to listen.

"I don't suppose the four of you are all here to help me are you?"

Romano cackled and so did his entourage.

"See, the thing is Carlisle... You may be one of us, but you are different too. I can't say any of us have ever come across one of us with golden eyes before. You swan around like you're a human and from the way you are dressed it's clear that you are in the money and well... We want some of that."

"I see," I replied simply.

I watched out of the corner of my eyes as the others shifted 'til they formed a circle around me. I calculated my options. I was out of my depth but just as I started to worry that this wouldn't end well, I heard the heavy footsteps, then the scent of Emmett.

Romano looked towards Emmett and back to me,; I could see by his reaction that he was wary of how big Emmett was... I couldn't help but smile.

"Let me introduce you. This is my son, Emmett."

"Son?" Romano spat.

As Emmett joined us I watched as he flexed his muscles. I wondered whether Jasper would be joining us too.

Romano's demeanour had changed somewhat; it was clear that the confidence he had a few moments ago had waned.

Emmett and I were shoulder to shoulder now and I was thankful I didn't feel quite so exposed just now.

"So, do any of you have any information for us? I'm sure Carlisle has filled you in with who we're looking for." Emmett boomed.

A tense silence filled the area as Romano looked around at the others and back to us.

"No? …" Emmett continued. He stood by my side; his thick muscular arms crossed in front of his chest and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, did I miss something? Were you not here to help my father?"

Romano finally broke the silence and laughed.

"Who do you both think you are? You come into our territory and walk around like you own the place. You walk around asking questions and seeking out this Doctor Death... and now you stand here mocking me. Do you really think this night will end well for you both?"

I'm hesitant to respond. We have too much at stake to waste time like this and even with Emmett's brute strength we are still outnumbered.

"I..." I begin, but Emmett's voice cuts me off.

"My brother is dying and the sick son of a bitch that did it, is around here somewhere. I don't care whose territory this is, we need to find him and find a way to help my brother. I'm in a horrible mood right now and if you all want to help relieve me of some of my attention, then be my guest. You have two choices; get out of our way and let us get on with our search or continue to threaten us and see what I am capable of when I'm angry."

Even I flinched at Emmett's words and tone of voice. His temper was often his undoing, but perhaps in our current situation it was needed.

Silence hung in the air again and Emmett and Romano were staring intently at each other. Romano signalled for one of his men to advance and I watched on in horror as the man prepared to attack Emmett.

"I got this one, Carlisle."

I watched as the vampire pounced at Emmett and I listened to the sickening crunch as the force of Emmett's fist impacted the Vampires chest. The vampire was flung high into the air and landed against a nearby wall.

Romano looked angry and signalled to two of the other vampires, by this time Emmett looked like he was having fun.

"You asked for it..." he warned, playfully.

Seconds later he had sent the other two vampires flying, in the same direction as the other one. Now it was Romano and his one remaining vampire and the two of us.

Romano appeared to be much less confident now. He was bouncing from one foot to the other, his eyes were wild and he was deep in thought; calculating his next move.

"Had enough?" Emmett teased.

I raised my hand to quiet Emmett down and turned back to Romano.

"It doesn't have to be this way. We mean you no harm. We just came here looking for the doctor who we spoke about."

Romano seemed torn, his eyes darted from Emmett, to me and back to Emmett.

"I have no idea who this Doctor is. Stay off our patch and don't draw attention to us." Romano yelled.

He backed up with the remaining vampire, who was standing. They paid no attention to the three who laid crumpled on the floor, by the wall that Emmett had send them flying towards.

As we walked out of the alleyway past them, we were unsurprised to see that all 3 were fully conscious, but they cringed away from Emmett as we passed. It would appear that they didn't want another round with Emmett.

As we made our way towards the bar to meet Jasper, I couldn't help but feel relieved. First day of searching and I almost get destroyed.

"Thank you, Emmett."

"Don't mention it. I actually rather enjoyed that. Sorry I took so long... when Jasper called in my help I had to find a way to get to you, without drawing too much attention to myself. "

"Did you get any leads?" I asked.

"None! I couldn't get many to talk to me. I think I look too menacing to the ones I tried to talk to. The only one that did talk to me said that he'd heard rumours of a Doctor Death but he thought that it was just something the other nomads spread around to protect their patches. It seems that this whole area is earmarked by one nomad, or gang of nomads."

As we entered the bar, I couldn't help notice that in this particular bar the Vampire to Human ratio was pretty even. This was quite interesting. In all of my years I wasn't used to being in places where such a high quantity of our kind - who did not belong to a coven - would socialise together.

We ordered drinks from the bar to try and blend in and we found Jasper in a side booth, holding his own bottle of untouched beer.

"Anything?" I asked.

Jasper nodded his head, his eyes darted around the room and he pointed towards his ears and shook his head. I nodded to show I understood and looked down as he slid a piece of paper over to me.

I have a lead, but he's a little reluctant to talk. I need to work on him tonight. You and Emmett head back to the hotel and I'll touch base with you soon. I will be careful.

I slid it over to Emmett to read and we slipped out of the booth and left Jasper at the bar. We didn't speak until we arrived back at our hotel.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" I asked Emmett.

"He has more experience of fighting than any of us; he is used to this type of environment. I am sure he'll be fine." Emmett responded.

I sat at a table and buried my head in my notes again, searching in vain for an answer, whilst Emmett surfed the television channels. Both of us finding something to occupy ourselves with whilst we waited for news from Jasper.