Chapter Thirty Six

Carlisle

I still wasn't convinced that joining the rest of the family on Isle Esme was the right thing to do, would we be leading death directly to their door? We had no idea where Jasper was right now, only that Charlie and his ex-wife were hunting for their daughter who was presumably with him. I had never understood Bella, the way she had turned away from Edward but the thought that she and Jasper were something special to each other was simply unthinkable although it seemed that was the case.

We had reached the airport in Seattle and were waiting for a plane south, not directly to Rio, that would be much too dangerous, we would instead fly there by stages so we had a chance to detect Jasper should he be hot on our heels and then we would lead him anywhere but the island.

"At least another four hours until our flight now, I just checked and there's another delay Carlisle, they don't think the weather will clear as quickly as they predicted."

I nodded at Garrett who I had been chatting up the pretty brunette at the airline desk.

"I don't know why we didn't just charter a private jet, we could have been in the air before the weather closed in and no messing around with engine problems either. We could be here until tomorrow the way things are going."

"I have already explained Edward, if the Volturi are getting information to Jasper then our names on a charter agreement would cause red flags on their radar. Just be patient."

We were interrupted at this point by a call from Darius,

"Carlisle, all hell's broken loose in Canada, I just intercepted a call from Felix to Aro Volturi. It seems Bella Swan is the one keeping The Major from fulfilling his orders, he's already turned her and she has some kind of gift that means no one can get close to her. Her father, Chief Swan, is in communication with the Guardian leader and as a result, he knows just about everything there is to know. He's on his way back to Forks where his ex, the hunter is hiding out and Felix suspects The Major is headed there too."

I was still taking all this in when I noticed I had another call waiting and this one was Felix himself.

"Can I put you on hold Darius, I have Felix on the other line."

What Felix told me was more or less the same I had just heard from Darius but there was more,

"Aro says to stay well away from Forks right now but I'd say wherever you are isn't gonna be far enough. The Major has nothing to help him control his compulsion with the girl undergoing the change so all bets are off. You just have to hope he comes via Forks and takes out the hunter and a few Quileutes first, that will give you time to get some distance between yourselves and death but if this girl can't control herself when she wakes up...well, I guess your chances of survival just went down the pan."

"So, it is only Bella who has slowed him down this far? Where is she now? Perhaps if we could get to her while she's transforming and he's busy hunting Chief Swan's ex and the wolves we could use her as leverage."

"Sorry Carlisle, under any circumstances that would be an idiotic idea but under these? It's suicidal, besides you can't reach her. She's got some crazy gift that's protecting her as she changes and if she can't gain control of it when she wakes up then I guess there's gonna be one hell of a front page news story for the Canadian press. The only good thing about it all is that Caius and Marcus are frantically trying to find a way of contacting their assassin and give him an extra shove to make sure he kills her first, now she's out of control she's a security threat besides interfering with their hold over him. Of course, it's not gonna work, I've seen what she can do and I can't think of anyone who could stand against her, not even Alec."

"And Aro? What's he doing?"

"Basically sitting back to enjoy watching his brothers run around like headless chickens, his only concerns are you and Edward. He's busy trying to find a way to break the spell the other two conjured up but I don't fancy his chances. If I hear any more I'll be in touch but for now, my only advice would be to keep running."

Both Edward and Garrett had heard my conversation and I relayed the important parts to Darius.

"I'll keep my ears open for any news on The Major or this girl but Felix is right, it's not a good idea to stay too long in one place."

As soon as I rang off Edward started again,

"So, what are we going to do, Carlisle? Where do we go next? We can't lead him to Isle Esme and we can't stay here. Everyone says the same thing, keep moving."

"I'm well aware of the danger Edward. What do you think Garrett? Keep running?"

Our friend had been silent up to this point but that didn't mean he had no opinion on the matter.

He shook his head,

"You know me better than that, I never run from Johnny Rebel and it's been a long time since I found a decent opponent. I say we head back, find the girl and wait till she wakes up then snatch her. Sure she's gonna be stronger than any one of us but with Edwards gift, we should be able to control her between us. Then we get her to use a little of her influence to stop The Major from killing us all. Tell her we just want to help which isn't a lie, we just won't tell her who exactly we figure on helping, namely ourselves. Once she's got him eating out of her hand we move in for the kill."

"Kill Jasper?"

Edwards tone was horrified,

"We can't do that, he's not in control of his actions, he's not responsible. I mean, you know he and I never got on that well but I don't want him killed, I couldn't kill him."

Garrett snorted,

"You always were way too soft Edward, I guess that sticks in your craw too Carlisle, well don't sweat it, I'll do the deed, you just sweet talk the girl. With him dead, you're home free. The Cullens get a second chance, but you might want to think about branching off for a while, split the family up and pack away the welcome mat for humans, it tends to make the Volturi uneasy and we know only too well what they're likely to do if they get nervous. Let this be a warning shot across the bows for you Carlisle if we live through it that is."

"I should have stayed, tried to help Bella instead of running, by leaving we left Charlie no option but to work with the Quileutes and the hunters putting his life in jeopardy too. Maybe we should go back, we're partially responsible for the carnage after all."

Edward was shaking his head repeatedly and I knew he was afraid, so was I but we had a responsibility to stand by our actions and sort out the terrible mess we had created.

"No, no, no! Carlisle. I'm not going back, are you crazy? Darius and Felix both warned you that he's actively hunting us again and I have no wish to die."

"None of us do Edward but its a matter of principles."

"Screw principles Carlisle, you go back if you want, just leave me out of it."

I tried to persuade Edward to go back with us to find Bella but he was adamant and all I could get from him was a promise not to go to Isle Esme and put the others in danger or Denali although he was hardly likely to turn up there, it would be too close to danger.

"If he tracks you down Edward you know he'll kill you and alone you can't hope to beat him."

Edward shrugged,

"I have a few moves of my own Carlisle, remember I can read his thoughts, I'll know what he's going to do before he does it."

Garrett clapped loudly startling us both,

"Good speech Edward, there's just one little problem with that plan."

"Oh really? And what's that?"

"The Major doesn't need to think to fight, it's instinctual and while you're busy trying to read whatever is churning in that crazy rat hole of a brain of his he'll be busy gutting you and frying your entrails."

"You give him the status of a bogeyman, Garrett. Anyone would think you were scared of him, I know Jazz, I've lived with him."

"Afraid? Sure I'm afraid, only a fool wouldn't be but I know him, how his brain works and I'm warning you, don't underestimate what he's capable of without having to stop and plan it beforehand."

Edward wasn't to be dissuaded from leaving us and I watched sadly as he picked up his bag and walked away to the ticket office for European flights.

"Do you think he'll be safe if he goes overseas, Garrett?"

"In the short term maybe but eventually? If our plan fails then no, not a hope in hell. So I guess we'd better head back and make sure we don't fail. Canada here we come."

Edward

They were fools to walk straight back into the lion's den, Jasper would fall over them if he went hunting for anyone in Forks but maybe it would keep him busy enough to allow me to escape. I would fly to Paris and from there drive through to Italy. When I turned up in Volterra offering my gift to the brothers they would accept me with open arms and then I would be safe from Jasper, I was too valuable for them to allow me to die.

The next flight out was in eighteen hours which was longer than I wanted to hang around in Seattle but couldn't be helped. I considered beginning my journey by driving to Portland, at least that way I would be on the move constantly but when I checked the schedules I found I would still have a long wait, it was all down to this weather front, here and in Portland.

I stowed my luggage in a locker and left the airport for a run, anything to relieve this tension but I hadn't got far before I recognised a figure moving slowly but purposely towards the airport and felt a chill run through my body, how had he gotten here so fast and how had he known where to come? Somehow he had figured out we were still in the area and knew we would be fleeing so I guess the airport was a natural choice.

I hesitated, I could continue to run, he hadn't seen me yet, and get clean away but doing so would leave Carlisle and Garrett to their fate. .With a sigh, I turned back and ran hoping Jasper wouldn't become aware of my presence as I did so, straight back to the airport and Carlisle.

I was just in time to catch them, a bemused looking parking attendant stood shaking his head wondering why anyone would pay for long term parking only to pick it up again less than two hours later. As soon as they saw my face they understood and I wrenched the back passenger door open screaming at Carlisle to "Go go go."

He hit the accelerator and the car took off but only a few hundred yards down the road Jasper was on us and leaped onto the roof attempting to rip it off and get at his quarry inside. Carlisle was swerving the car violently to throw him off but he had a good grip on the roof where my window was wound down a little

"Hold on"

Carlisle whipped the car back and forth again but to no avail until Garrett turned and grabbed Jasper's hand where it dug into the roof lining and bit down on his wrist. I felt venom fly into my eyes and blinked to clear my vision as I heard a howl of rage from the roof then a horrible cracking noise and looked to where Garrett held the dismembered hand in his fist.

"Keep it straight, Carlisle"

With that command, he rolled down his own window and climbed out swinging himself onto the roof where Jasper still clung on snarling loud enough to burst human eardrums. We could hear the savage fight although we could see only a leg or arm as one or the other slid across the roof during the skirmish then there was a piercing scream and I turned to see two bodies hit the road behind us straight into the path of a semi-trailer which mowed them both down before he was able to stomp on his brakes which came on with a terrible hissing noise.

Carlisle slowed and I stared at him in disbelief,

"Are you crazy, keep driving, we don't know how long that will slow him down for, this is our chance."

He turned to me,

"And leave Garrett behind? I don't think so Edward."

I jumped over the seat into the front and attempted to wrestle the wheel from his grip then found myself hauled through the window onto the blacktop. Fearing the worse I looked up but it was Garrett's face I saw with relief.

"Going to leave me behind were you Edward? I'll remember that now get in and shut the fuck up. Carlisle go, now. He won't be down for long. I only just maneuvered him under the wheels to avoid them myself."

As Carlisle drove away I saw a figure roll out from under the truck and the driver, putting down a hand to help as there was no one else around, disappeared into the bushes at the roadside. Garrett was right Jasper would soon be healed, he had all the blood he needed to do so in the veins of the very driver who had mown him down.