Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.
Rated M for a reason.
Chpt 20 Praefectus Operandi
BPOV
It took Pete a full twenty four hours to stop laughing when he found out how Matthew felt about Jasper, by which time The Joneses have joined us in Char's palatial Millburn mansion an' I have recovered from my resultant hissy fit. Jealousy is jealousy, apparently its gender blind an' Matthew and I are never going to be friends.
Gus an' I are waiting in awkward silence for Pete to join us by the car. Jasper currently has him dangling from his big hands in the doorway.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. Kill me. Resurrect me. Kill me again. We've had this conversation before J."
"You will protect her." Jasper commands dropping Pete back to his feet.
"She's my sister J, jeez."
Jasper strides over to the car with Pete trailing along behind him.
"You're drivin'?" He asks, nodding to the vehicle behind me.
I nod and turn my attention back towards the car, which has been troubling me. It looks sleek an' dangerous and I eye the tractor size tyres an' festival of gleamin' exhaust pipes with some trepidation.
"Is it fast?" I ask nervously.
"Yes darlin'." He chuckles. "It has three power settings. Need more gas. Need more gas urgently. An' glider. So keep your foot light."
I roll my eyes. Stupid man car.
He kisses me chastely on the lips an' holds the driver's door open while I climb in.
In the passenger seat Gus smiles at me a little nervously. "You do not drive very often Bella?"
"No." I answer in a sing song voice. "They won't let me."
Pete laughs in the back and Gus reaches out an' braces himself against the dashboard as I set off at an astonishingly fast pace down the drive.
"Sorry about that Pete." I murmur. "I know you hate Carlisle but I appreciate you comin' along anyway."
"It's okay sweet thing, J an' I have had similar conversations before about Char's safety." He chuckles. "An', no offence Gus, but it'll be nice to get away from Jonathan for a while, he's the happiest son of a bitch I've met in my entire life."
"None taken, Pete. He makes my face ache from smiling sometimes too."
A few miles away from the Cullens we pull into a motel to shower an' change our clothes, still wanting to maintain the illusion that Jasper is dead.
Pete takes over driving the last stretch so I can concentrate on relaxing, we've already agreed to let Gus do all the talking since Carlisle distrusts Pete an' I.
"Did you check to see if he's home?" I ask as Pete pulls into the driveway.
"No need." He says tappin his forehead lightly. "He's in."
As we exit the car Carlisle appears at the front door. He smiles widely and warmly when he sees Gus an' then frowns in consternation at Pete an' I.
"Gaius!" Carlisle recovers quickly. "Gaius Ofonius Tigellinus. What an amazing and wonderful surprise. It is so many years since I have seen you."
"It is good to see you too old friend and in the new world of all places." Gus greets him warmly, stepping forwards to grasp his arms in a decidedly roman gesture.
"You are keeping strange company." Carlisle observes, suddenly cool, stepping back and gesturing Gus into the house. "My family are out hunting at the moment, I have just returned from work at the local hospital."
"Peter." Gus commands. "Wait out here."
"Gus." He nods seriously, folding his arms across his chest and turning to face the trees. Very obviously standing guard.
"Bella, you are with me." Gus orders.
I nod and obediently follow him into the house fighting the urge to smirk at Carlisle's nervous expression as I pass him. Gus certainly knows how to take command of a situation.
"Please have a seat Gaius." Carlisle offers politely.
"Thank you, and please call me Gus, I left Gaius behind on the shores of Europe."
Carlisle smiles nervously. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
Gus lowers himself into a chair and I stand behind him childishly enjoying Carlisle's discomfort.
"I understand you are searching for your son?" Gus asks him.
"Yes. Edward. He and my daughter Alice have been missing for over twelve months." Hope an' confusion war in his eyes as he flicks a look between Gus an' I.
"I know where Edward is." Gus informs him calmly. "And I am curious why you do not."
"I don't understand."
"Are you still friendly with Aro?" Gus asks.
"Yes. I assume so." Carlisle answers quickly. "Although it is many years since I have spoken to him."
"You have not asked him for assistance in locating your son?"
"No." Carlisle seems surprised. "It did not occur to me that he might be able to help me. Should I?"
"No." Gus answers shortly.
"Gaius, Gus, may I ask why Bella and Peter Whitlock are with you?"
"Following the death of their sire they have joined my coven." This is the cover story he an' Jasper have agreed on. It makes sense for a leaderless coven to seek strong protection if trouble is coming and they both felt that it might be shocking enough to draw our hidden enemies into the open.
"Oh."
It seems clear to me that Carlisle has no idea about Edward being with The Volturi and Gus must be of the same mind because he takes pity on Carlisle's confusion and mounting agitation.
"Edward is in Volterra." He says gently. "He has become a member of the Guard."
"What?" Carlisle gasps in shock and sinks into a chair.
"Edward is in Volterra. He has become a member of the Guard."
"What?" Esme shrieks from the doorway.
"Edward is in Volterra. He has become a member of the Guard."
"He's what?" Em growls behind her.
"I am not repeating myself again." Gus snaps in exasperation an' I giggle.
Carlisle stands and pulls a shocked Esme into his arms.
"Where is Rose?" He asks Em.
"I'm here." She says, moving to Em's side. "I was just inspecting the piece of trash standing in the driveway."
I snarl.
"Bella." Gus warns.
"Sorry." I mutter, thoroughly chastised by one simple word.
"Carlisle perhaps you should have Rose and her mate wait outside with Peter? I understand from my new daughter that they dislike each other intensely."
"Rosalie." Carlisle orders.
"Why should I leave my own house just because she's here?"
"Because she" Gus snarls with sudden anger "is with me and will not be leaving my side no matter whose house we are in."
"Who the fuck . . . ." Rosalie starts.
"Rosalie, please." Carlisle tries again.
"Come on babe." Em takes her arm an' drags her out. He's always had a lot more sense than anyone gives him credit for.
With calm restored Carlisle and Esme perch on the couch.
"Have you seen him? Spoken to him?" Esme asks with a sob.
"No. I have not been to visit for quite some time. A friend informed me recently."
"I can't believe he would run off and join The Volturi without telling us." Carlisle shakes his head sadly.
"I do not think that he has." Gus states calmly. "I suspect that he has been coerced. Bella believes this also."
I nod. I might have a low opinion of Edward but I don't believe for one moment he would run off and leave his family without explanation the way Alice has.
"I must go to Volterra and demand Edward's return from Aro!" Carlisle exclaims excitedly, surging to his feet.
"And what will you do if he does not agree Carlisle? Batter him to death with a medical textbook? Set your angry daughter on him?" Gus asks mildly.
"You are right." He sighs, deflating before our eyes an' returning to Esme's side. Whatever faults he may have, an' I'm coming to suspect he has a few, he really does love Edward.
"Leave it with me Carlisle." Gus urges gently. "If he is there against his will I will attempt to negotiate his release, if not at least I will be able to give you the closure of knowing he is happy."
"Why should I trust you?" Carlisle asks with more bravado than I would have thought him capable of so far in this meeting.
"Because I am offering to help you and you are not strong enough to take action yourself." Gus says with finality.
"Thank you." Carlisle murmurs, almost grovelling.
"Before we leave, perhaps you can tell me if anything unusual has happened in the last year or so, other than the disappearance of your children?"
With a visible effort Carlisle pulls himself together. "Nothing. Other than a visit from a strange vampire who came to see me at the hospital a short while ago. He was looking for Stefan, who I haven't seen since," he glances at me "since Jasper was living with us."
Gus shrugs lightly as if that's no news at all. "Nothing else?" He asks, feigning disappointment an' disinterest. "What did this strange vampire look like?"
"He was very tall and quite thin, almost emaciated looking. Long dark hanging over his face like crow's wings. I have never seen him before, he seemed satisfied when I explained that I had only met Stefan that once with Jasper, he left. We usually have very little to do with other vampires."
"So I can see." Gus observes dryly rising to his feet.
Eager to be away from here I follow him as he sweeps out of the door, Carlisle an' Esme hot on our heels. Unfortunately we have to pass close by Rosalie in order to reach the car.
"Whore!" She hisses at me as I draw level with her.
I raise my eyebrow at Gus.
He nods, a small cold smile on his face.
"Fuck you bitch." I growl, landing a roundhouse kick on the side of her pretty head neatly knockin' her back into Em's waiting arms.
Esme whimpers slightly an' Carlisle gapes at Gus in shock.
Gus shrugs, still smiling. "The young have very different methods of dealing with things. I find it best to let them get on with it, up to a point, and it was an extremely rude and inappropriate thing to say. We will be in touch when we have news Carlisle, in the meantime I suggest you keep your head down."
With Pete behind the wheel Gus an' I climb into the back seat of the car.
As the trees begin to flash by the window I study Gus surreptitiously. I have learnt a lot more about him today and he intrigues me. He is at once one of the most compassionate and coldest people I have ever met. Two personas like Jasper, but yet Gus flips between them without a moment's notice while Jasper's change seems more like an act of will.
He turns towards me as if sensing my thoughts. "I did not get to be commander of Nero's guard by being a nice man Bella. If Caius had not 'killed' me the new emperor was going to have me executed, and rightly so. One of the advantages of immortality is that it has given me the chance to become a better man."
"You remind me of Jasper." I blurt out without thinking.
"Thank you." He seems pleased at the comparison. "Your mate is a good man and I believe that he is starting to appreciate that eternity provides ample opportunity to atone for your sins."
"Do you know the vampire Carlisle described?" Pete asks.
"Yes. I believe so." Gus answers lapsing into a thoughtful silence.