Chapter Fifty One
Alice
I'd left the family to spend a few days in Anchorage with a friend and that's where I met my mate, he was a friend of hers, Stuart, a nomad who hailed from England. The moment I set eyes on him I knew he was the one. We clicked immediately and I spent most of my time in his company, talking and walking. He was fascinated by my vegetarian diet having heard about Carlisle and I offered to take him back to Denali to meet the family with me. I also explained about Charlie and Bella which concerned him more,
"You have human friends? Friends who are staying with you? Doesn't that make you uncomfortable? Very thirsty?"
"You get used to it and they are very interesting people, besides Bella is Jaspers mate, he just hasn't changed her yet."
"Jasper?"
"My brother, well sort of ex, it's a bit complicated."
"Oh, do I need to worryabout this Jasper?"
"Only if you make an enemy of him. His enemies don't usually live long."
"He sounds like a hard man, don't worry Alice I'm a pretty good fighter myself, as a nomad you have to be. I think I can hold my own."
I was about to explain exactly who Jasper was when I saw it, a vision so clear it knocked me back in my chair and I was unable to speak for a few minutes.
"Alice? Alice what's up? Are you OK?"
I shook my head and tried to get my phone out before realizing I'd left it in my room in my rush to meet Stuart.
"A phone. I need your phone."
He shook his head,
"I don't have one, no one to ring. What's the matter you look shocked?"
"I have to get to a phone. Warn them if I'm not too late. Why didn't I see this before? I should have been concentrating not letting you take all my attention."
He looked at me mystified as I glanced around wildly for a phone but then I had another vision and knew I was too late, he would already know by the time I spoke to him.
"Stuart I have to go back to Denali straight away. There's serious trouble for the family."
He got up quickly pulling my chair out too,
"OK we'll leave now, you can explain on the way, maybe I can help."
Jasper
By the time Carlisle got back Bella was weaker, I'd tried her with water, milk, soup, but everything came straight back up and it was getting serious. He came straight to her room and sent everyone out except Esme while he examined her. Charlie and I stood outside in a worried silence at first,
"I got another weeks holiday so we can stay. Maybe she'll need a hospital."
"Carlisle will soon know Charlie."
"My sickness wasn't this bad and it soon passed so I don't see how it can be the same thing."
I nodded my agreement and Tanya held his arm a little tighter
"He's a wonderful doctor by all accounts Charlie so try not to worry too much."
He smiled at her attempt to reassure him but like me he was terrified it might prove to be something serious so when Carlisle came out looking perplexed it worried me even more.
"Well Carlisle? Is it the same bug I had?"
"I'm not sure it was a bug Charlie but she seems to be suffering from some inability to eat or drink. I think if she's still unable to take fluids by this evening I might put a drip up, she's becoming dehydrated and that can be very serious."
Carmen came up the stairs holding the phone and looking worried,
"It's for you Jasper."
"Take a message for me please."
"No, I think you'll want to take this call."
I looked at her and took the phone from her outstretched hand walking down the landing to speak,
"Yes?"
"Major Whitlock?"
"Speaking."
"Oh good, this is a friend."
"Friend? I take it you have a name?"
"Let's just say a friend...for now. I have a message for you from mutual acquaintances in Europe."
"Italy?"
"No, our other acquaintances. I understand your girlfriend is sick, much like her father was."
"Who are you?"
"As I said I understand your girlfriend is sick. I can arrange for her recovery... if you meet certain conditions."
"What?"
"Really Major, I thought you were a military man with a quick mind, do I really have to spell it out for you? In return for a little cooperation I can ensure that your mate recovers completely."
"And if I don't?"
"It would be very sad to see such a young life wasted."
"Is that a threat?"
"Do I need to threaten you Major? Think about it. Our mutual friends wish you to help them with a small endeavour, the removal of the Volturi from office so to speak."
"You're crazy, I couldn't do that even if I had any interest in such an undertaking."
"Not alone of course, but we were hoping that with some gifted individuals perhaps it would be possible. Now I'm going to give you twenty-four hours to make a decision, when I ring back you can tell me but remember every hour only weakens your mate further and I'm not a doctor but I would say that there must come a point when the damage to her frail human organs would be too great for a recovery. Oh yes, and by the way, if you try to transform her it won't help as our little trick works just as well on our kind. If you decide to help and want to contact me sooner please text me on this number. I look forward to hearing from you Major."
He rang off and as soon as he did I got the call from Alice,
"I'm too late aren't I? Sorry Jazz I was so wrapped up in myself I wasn't watching out for anyone else. It's the Romanians, they think they have a way to beat the Volturi."
"How? And what difference do they think I can make?"
"They have picked up a couple of extraordinary gifts over the years, or so they believe, and this has been carefully planned. The gifts if they are as the Romanians believe, can take out Alec and Jane but they need a way into the citadel which is where you come in. They want you to lead an army into the headquarters of the Volturi."
"Will their plan work Alice? Can they do it?"
"I'm not sure, I don't think so, but either way you lose Jazz. The Volturi will kill you as a traitor if the Romanians lose and the Romanians will kill you if they win. After all they don't want you taking revenge for the threat to Bella."
"So what do I do Alice?"
"I'm not sure about that either but I'll be back soon and we need to talk, all of us. You're going to have to tell Charlie what's going on, he has a right to know and I think he may be able to help in some way. Hold on, I'll see you soon."
Alice
I sat beside Stuart as he drove out to Denali trying to see all the alternatives but whichever way this went I couldn't see a good outcome for Jasper and Bella. I didn't think they would let Bella live in any case, the Volturi would see her as a bargaining chip for any other would be usurper and the Romanians as a nuisance. There was just a tiny glimmer of hope if we could find a way to shelter Bella from this starvation gift and I thought that was where Charlie came into things. There was something a little different about Charlie and his daughter. I thought they might both be gifted in slightly different ways but I couldn't be sure until we tried my idea out and I needed to be there to see the outcome.
"Alice, we'll get this sorted don't worry. I'll offer to help this Jasper if you like. I'm no slouch as a fighter, I told you that."
I smiled and touched his cheek,
"Stuart you are very sweet and I know you mean well but I somehow doubt that Jasper will need your help you see I think you might know him by another name."
"Oh, and who is this mysterious Jasper?"
"His full name is Whitlock, Major Jasper Whitlock."
The silence was deafening for a few minutes as he digested this but then to my astonishment he grinned broadly,
"You mean that don't you? Hot damn! You mean I'm going to get a chance to fight alongside the fabled Major Whitlock? Wow!"
I rolled my eyes, what was it with these guys and their thirst for violence?
