Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.
Rated M for a reason.
Chpt 33 The Fan and The Brown Stuff
BPOV
"I think I should contact Rutilio." Jasper informs me out of the blue. "Pete agrees."
As we are snuggled up on the couch it takes me a few moments to struggle out of his arms, sitting up so I can look at him. "Why?"
"It'll buy us some time, openin' a dialogue with him."
"How will we get hold of him?" I ask, not at all happy with this idea.
"Edward."
"Great."
"Darlin' we might as well listen to what he has to say. We already think we know what he wants but we might be able to gauge how serious he is by talkin' to him."
"Jasper, he's going to want you to fight and eventually you're going to refuse. Where is it gonna go from there?"
He regards me silently.
Sighing I force my fears out into words. "If he's serious he'll make you. He'll use me, Pete an' Char. We're the only weaknesses you have."
"I'm not invincible Bella." He says quietly.
"I know that Jasper." I reach out my hand placing it on the side of his face. "And it terrifies me to think that something could happen to you. That you could be hurt or k-killed. And it makes me furious that someone might be prepared to use your family against you. And it makes me sad that my existence puts you in danger."
"Bella." Closing his eyes he leans into my hand. "I'm always in danger, I've been in danger my whole life. You make it worth it, you make it bearable. Darlin' you don't make it worse."
"What are we going to do Jasper?"
"We'll start by talkin' to Edward an' then we'll get in touch with Rutilio. Then we'll decide."
With a sigh he digs his cell out of his pocket and dials.
"Cullen residence."
"Hello Esme, it's Jasper, please may I talk with Edward?"
"Jasper! It's so nice to hear your voice. Are you well?"
"Yes, thank you Esme I am very well."
"And Bella? How is Bella Jasper?"
"I am well too thank you Esme. Very happy." I answer.
"I'm so glad and Bella, I'm very sorry about everything that has happened."
I shrug, not sure what to say.
"Edward?" Jasper prompts gently.
"Oh yes." Esme giggles. "Sorry. He isn't here Jasper, he and Alice left for South America a few days ago. Do you have his cell number?"
"Yes. Esme, why have Edward and Alice gone to South America?"
"I don't know Jasper. Edward spends a lot of time there since, well since Bella and I don't think Alice wanted him to be alone while he's so miserable. I think they both just needed a break."
"Thank you Esme, I will call Edward on his cell. Goodbye." Jasper ends the call with troubled eyes.
"Why would they go to South America?" I ask.
"I don't know darlin' but I hope they aren't messin' with Rutilio, he's a very dangerous man."
"Could they do anything to cause trouble for us?"
"I don't see how. He already knows I'm The Major. None of them know where we are, or Pete and Char for that matter. Unless . . . ."
"What?" I ask, my stomach sinking.
"Unless they tell him that you and I are mated, that would be very bad."
"Why?"
"Bella you already know the answer to that. The mating bond can't be broken, mates will do anything to protect or avenge each other. If you killed one in battle you always went after the other, too much risk leaving a survivor like that. If Rutilio knows that you are my mate then we're both potentially in a lot of trouble."
"They wouldn't tell him would they?"
He shrugs. "I don't know darlin' perhaps not deliberately. Edward's not happy he's lost you but he ain't vindictive."
"Fuck." I mutter. I really need to work on my vocabulary. "What do we do now?"
"Call Pete, tell him what we know and then hunt." Jasper laughs, the sound lifting my wilting spirits slightly. "I always think better on a full stomach."
Two hours later we're back at the house with me trying to keep myself quiet and occupied while Jasper thinks, I can almost hear the cogs whirring in his mind.
"I think we'll stick with Plan A for now." He announces suddenly, startling me out of my contemplation and pulling his cell out. "Let's call Edward an' find out what the fuck he's doin'."
Both of us are shocked when a different and preternaturally smooth voice answers. "Ah, Major. How very kind of you to call to discuss my proposition."
"You're stealin' phones now Rutilio?" Jasper snarls into the phone.
"My friend Eduardo is not here at the moment so I took the liberty of answering his phone for him and I am so very glad I did. I have been looking forward to your call."
"What do you want Rutilio?"
"Of course, let us get down to business, as you know I have a very successful operation running at present. We stage fights, large and small, for the edification of our kind. Everyone is entitled to get bored with immortality from time to time and a good fair fight is a chance for us to work off our natural aggression without causing too much trouble. We offer many options, one on one, groups, specific martial arts, matched gifts or specials. All of our fights are conducted under strict rules."
"That sounds nice" Jasper drawls "but I ain't interested in watchin' one. I've seen enough violence to last me a life time, I would have thought you have too."
"Yes Major, I understand you perfectly but a vampire must have a safe way to vent his frustrations and it is my pleasure to provide this service. We have many high profile followers of our programme and of course we often have very skilled fighters lacking a suitable opponent. Sadly it is a great chore for me to provide these clients with worthy opposition."
"I'm sure it is."
"Major I will be honest with you. I have a very high profile client who has waited a very long time for me to find him a strong opponent and I think this particular client would be extremely pleased to be matched against you."
"Rutilio I ain't interested in fightin' anyone. I'm old an' tired. I just wanna be left in peace."
I can hear chuckling down the phone. "Major, I mean no disrespect but I would hardly describe you as old or tired. Perhaps you are afraid?"
Jasper snorts and Rutilio chuckles again. "I didn't think so. There would be a very good pay day for this fight. Enough to set up a young coven for eternity."
"I got plenty of money an' very simple tastes."
"I am sure Major, I am sure." Rutilio laughs. "Well then, at least think about it for me? My client has been very patient and I am sure he would be very happy if you agreed."
"How will I contact you again?" Jasper asks.
"I am sure Eduardo will not mind if you contact me on his phone, he is not using it. But please Major, do not wait too long."
"Very well." Jasper hangs up. Standing an' beginning to pace. I watch him from the couch and I don't like what I'm seeing, it's as if The Major and Jasper are trying to share the space at the same time and I don't think it's healthy.
"We'd better ring Alice." He decides, dialling his phone again.
"Si, hola?" Jasper and I exchange surprised glances.
"Por favor, ¿puedo hablar con Alice" He asks the strange male voice.
"Yo no conozco a ninguna Alicia."
"¿De dónde sacaste su teléfono."
"Lo encontré en la basura."
"Donde se?"
"Rio de Janeiro." Click.
"What?" I demand impatience raging through me.
"Some randomer's got Alice's phone, he found it in the trash." He shrugs, pacing again.
"Does that mean something's happened to Alice and Edward? Has Rutilio's got them? Why?"
"I don't know, maybe he thinks he can use them against me." Another shrug.
"Can he?" I ask, curious.
He turns to me, his face hard. "No." He snaps resuming his pacing.
I wince. That's harsh. But what would I rather he did? Sacrifice one of us or himself to try to save them? I don't think so.
"So how serious do you think he is?" I want to know how bad he thinks this is.
"Very." Jasper mutters as he paces. "He kept mentionin' a client who was lookin' for a specific fight. That worries me, like he's already got somethin' lined up an' the only thing that's missin' is little ol' me."
"Do you know who it might be?"
He shrugs. "Not really. I can think of a couple but I'm quite young in this world an' there could be a lot people I don't know about."
"What couple?"
Sighing he stops pacing. I know I'm annoying him while he's trying to think but I need to understand what's going on. Opening up my mental shield I let him feel my love and my worry. Immediately he crosses the room lifting me up, gathering me in his arms and burying his face in my hair.
"Sorry darlin'." He whispers, taking a deep breath to steady himself before he continues. "There's a japanese guy I've heard of a few times, Chitose. An' then there's the one that really worries me, Caius Volturi."
"Royalty Volturi?"
"Yeah, one of the brothers. He's a mean son of a bitch with a reputation as bad as mine."
"Why would he want to fight?"
"Same reason as the others. He gets bored, he likes to remind people to be afraid of him. The Volturi approve of the fights. They keep our baser instincts away from the eyes of humans and they give them a chance to size people up, pick 'em out for the guard or to pick out the ones that might be trouble later."
"Oh." I can see how that wouldn't be good.
"Yeah," he runs a hand through his hair "oh."
"Fuck."
Jasper pulls away from me chuckling. "Darlin' we need to work on your swearin', you gotta have more than one word in your repertoire."
"Jasper" I scold "we've got eternity to work on my swearin'. Fuck is more than adequate for now."
"Darlin' I . . . ."
Jasper's phone rings.
"J!"
"Char?"
"Pete's gone. Iestyn's dead and Pete's gone, someone's taken him."
"Where are you?" We both ask at the same time.
"Illinois."
"Did you track him?"
"As far as I could, they were headin' south but then they got in a vehicle an' I lost the trail. They took Pete J."
Jasper takes another deep breath and The Major appears.
"Go north Charlotte. Go to the Cullens. Do not let anyone follow you. Be safe. Wait for us there. We're comin'. We'll get him back."
"Okay J" she sighs heavily "don't be long."
"We won't Char. We're leavin' now." The Major disconnects the call and turns his black eyes on me.
"Um, Jasper. How are we going to get to New Hampshire without me slaughtering the populace?"
"It's going to hurt." The Major tells me, his voice flat.
I swallow, hard. "Isn't there another way?"
"No."
Oh shit.
"We cannot trust that you will be able to hold your shield off long enough for me to keep you sedated on the trip. There isn't another way."
"I love you." I tell him, peeling back my shield so he can feel it.
"Mi corazón, mi cuerpo es tuyo." The Major responds.