I'm loading five chapters because I just can't stand this onsie twosie thing. I'm weak, what can I say?

26

Something had gone wrong with the plan Edward and my father had come up with. I needed to remain calm and try to watch Edward's lead on how to respond to those around me. I worried for my father's safety and prayed Edward would keep him safe.

I finally got settled on the cot and went to sleep. I dreamed of Masen and he was running with Lucy, being raised by Emmett and Rose. I called for him, but he wouldn't come to me. He shook his head and called for his father. I was alone and not even my child wanted me. I sat up in a sweat as I struggled to understand where I was. I stood and walked over to the door. I placed my ear against it and couldn't hear anything. I finally went back to the bed and lay down.

I was so hungry when Tanya finally entered the room with a tray of food. She smiled at me and pulled a chair in with her to sit while I ate. I refused to engage her so she finally had to speak first.

"He never loved you," she said sarcastically.

"Whatever," I said with a full mouth.

"Did you think he would give up such an interesting life to raise babies with you?"

I sat back and pushed the tray out of my way before saying, "You won, and he's yours. Now can I go home?"

She smiled widely now and looked up at the small dark bubble in the corner which was obviously a camera. I kept calm and refused to let her rattle me. "I could speak to Aro about letting you go, of course you would need to do something for us first," she said with a disingenuous smile.

"And what would that be?" I asked, not sure I would believe anything she said.

"You need to get us a painting from your gallery," she said firmly.

I had no idea what painting she was talking about. All of our stuff was from local talent and the only pieces of real value were the ones Aro gave us on loan. I shook my head and said, "There's nothing in our gallery."

"Oh honey, you are so naïve," she laughed. "Of course it isn't in your gallery; it is in the safe at Mr. Banner's house."

I laughed at her inference. "You expect me to break into his home and then break into his safe to steal a painting, you're delusional."

She walked over to the door and opened it. "Okay then, you are free to go," she announced.

I had no idea what she was trying to pull. Surely she wasn't going to let me simply walk out of this room and be done with it all. I stood and took a step toward the doorway. She only smiled and held out her hand to hurry me along. I took another hesitant step and she said, "Now, you realize your father will be killed?"

I stopped short and stared at her with complete anger. She thought it was funny and laughed hardily. I moved back to the bed and sat again. Tanya returned to her chair and said, "Emmett has gotten an email from you, telling him to keep Masen. I thought I would take your mind off of it while you're here. I'm sure he's rushed right to your mother's home and taken him already."

I tried not to respond and only stared at her, refusing to give her the panic she so wanted to see. "So what painting do you want me to steal?" I asked her.

She smiled with delight and clapped her hands together. "It is called, The Concert," she informed me. "Painted by Vermeer and stolen in 1990. Your Mr. Banner has it in his safe."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because Edward has seen it, silly girl. Do you think he went with you to Mr. Banner's home for dinner just to accompany you?" she laughed evilly.

I tried to keep a steady gaze, since Edward had never gone to Mr. Banner's with me. It had to mean something that he told them he had. I finally nodded and said, "Okay, I'll do it. But you have to give me my father before I give you the painting."

"Sure," she said, without any hint of truth or attempts to hide her deceit. "And I will accompany you, just in case." She pulled a radio from her pocket and called for Edward. He came into the room and Tanya gave him a deep kiss. I looked away and had to listen to their groaning and smacking lips.

Edward finally came over to the cot and said, "I need to educate you on what to look for."

I glared at him hatefully and said, "I'm the art critic, remember?"

He laughed and it almost made me smile. Tanya didn't find it amusing and kicked his leg to make him stop laughing.

"It is an oil on canvass," he began and I finally looked into his eyes. The grey bore into mine and I wanted to see his love for me, but all I could see was the cold, flat color staring back at me. "Pay attention to the checkered floor. Vermeer was known for his ability to portray depth and patterns. If it doesn't look real leave it and keep searching."

"Search where?" I asked.

"I'm sure he has another safe, in his bedroom possibly," Edward said and I nodded.

"What is the combination?" I asked him.

Edward laughed again and handed me a paper with several possibilities. I looked up in confusion, wondering how he knew this. "I see patterns most people don't," he said proudly. "Mr. Banner was very predictable."

"Okay, so I get the painting and then what?" I asked him.

"You give it to Tanya and then go home," he smiled.

"My home was burned down, remember?" I said to him. "I want my father with me or I'm not doing this."

"He will be there as you hand over the painting. We have no need of a small town cop, he is so far beneath our possibilities it isn't even funny."

"Then why did you insist we go to him?" I asked.

"Because we needed some authenticity. Nobody would question the credentials of a cop, even if he has an Italian accent."

I knew they were going to use my father's identity to get out of the country with the painting. I wanted Edward to assure me he wasn't going with them, but I didn't see how he would be able to stay behind.

"So what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Tonight there will be another showing. Mr. Banner will be there, since he hasn't had time to replace you after your untimely death. While he is gone you will break into his home and get the painting."

I nodded, it sounded simple enough. Edward walked toward the door and then turned to look at me. "Make sure the painting is in full chroma. If the colors are muted it is a fake."

I looked at him in confusion; Vermeer always used muted and blended colors. I wasn't really a critic but I knew that much. I sat on my cot for the remainder of the day as I contemplated what I would be doing. I wondered if I was caught if they would kill my father, or if I could simply talk Mr. Banner into giving me the painting without breaking any laws.

From Edward's words I figured it had to be a fake, so I wasn't too concerned about becoming an actual art thief. I just worried about not finding the combination and having to go back empty handed. When evening came Tanya entered my room again with clothes for me to put on. They were all black with gloves and a sweater cap.

"This is a bit over the top, don't you think?" I said dryly.

"Black is stylish," Tanya laughed, and waited for me to get dressed. I followed her out of the cell and into the living room. Aro was there and he came over to offer me a kind kiss on the cheek.

"Bella, we are so happy you have decided to join us," he cooed.

I don't know how he thought I decided anything, it was decided for me. I looked down, refusing to meet his eyes and he leaned over to say, "Make your daddy proud."

I sneered and turned my head, wanting his foul breath out of my face. Tanya grabbed my hand and led me to a waiting car. It was dark outside and I looked around to see if there was any means of escape.

"The doors are locked by the driver," Tanya said, knowing what I was thinking.

"I'm not planning on running, I want my father," I said without looking at her.

"Oh yes, Deputy Dan, how could I forget?" she laughed.

I looked out the window as the city grew closer. I thought of Masen and felt my eyes fill with tears. I wondered if he was with Emmett and if steps were being taken to keep him away from me forever. The car pulled down Mr. Banner's street. I had never been inside his home, but I did know where he lived.

Tanya and I got out of the car a few houses down from the Banner's and headed behind the houses into the darkness. We stayed low and when we got to a large block fence Tanya pulled a device from her pocket and shined it at the top of the fence. A red line appeared so she pushed a couple of buttons and the line stuttered a couple of times and then shut off.

"Go," she said and we both quickly climbed the fence. She pointed the device back at the top and the red line reappeared.

We stayed close to the wall and made our way around the yard and to the house. Tanya pulled a key from her shoe and unlocked the door. She instantly ran to an alarm system and punched in a code she had on a slip of paper. When the panel lights shut off she smiled and said, "Edward is a fucking genius."

"A smart criminal, how proud of him you must be," I said sarcastically, and she only laughed.

I wondered why I had to be along if Tanya was going to be the one doing everything. I followed her into the study and she nodded to the safe on the wall. I walked up to it and had to remove my gloves to open it. I used two of Edward's combinations and it finally opened. I saw several rolled up canvasses and tried to find one about the size of the painting I was looking for. I looked at three before finding one that looked like, The Concert.

It looked totally authentic to my untrained eye, but Edward warned me about looking for full Chroma. I rolled it back up and put it in the safe again. "It isn't here," I said and looked around the office for another possibility.

We made our way to the upstairs bedrooms and I searched for anything that looked like a safe. I finally found something behind a large picture in the hallway. I used more combinations and when I got it open only one canvass could be seen. I pulled it out and saw the checkered floor and the images of a Master working with his students at the piano and singing. The colors were all wrong, to bright and vivid, but I rolled it back up and said, "I've got it, now where's my father?"

Tanya held out her hand for me to hand it over and I shook my head adamantly. Her eyes narrowed as she smiled hatefully. She took a step toward me when someone came into view behind her. I gasped, not because I was afraid, but because I was shocked at his presence.

She saw my reaction and turned slowly to face the man standing in her path. I knew this was not going to end well so I turned and ran down the hallway toward a bedroom. I slammed the door and locked it before opening a window and climbing onto the roof.