Chapter Fifty Six

Jasper

When we got back the others were eager to hear what we found and of course, once Peter heard Edward was back with Carlisle he was ready to kick ass.

"Little Sis, that bastard deserves to have his nuts put in a vice. Just let me loose on him for a few hours, please?"

Bella laughed at the idea but shook her head.

"He'll keep Peter. Who knows, Alice might even be using him as a lure to split us up. Some of us go looking for Edward which leaves the others more vulnerable to attack. I have a feeling she's busy plotting."

"I hate to burst your fucking bubble, Bella, but if we stay here behind the barricades isn't that playing straight into her hands? She just has more time unmolested to do her diabolical plotting. I say we go on the offensive."

"Exactly how Peter?" she asked him which stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I'm fucked if I know. I'm a soldier, not an officer, I just follow orders I don't make them up too."

"Then, for now, we wait. I want to make sure we're not being lured into anything."

He blew his cheeks out, then nodded dubiously.

"OK, but I hope we're not going to regret this inactivity, Bella."

Bella

I knew Peter had a valid point. We could sit here for years waiting for Alice to make a play and our inactivity would give her all the time she could ever want to firm up any plans, but I was reluctant to split our group up yet. I was scared, not for myself, but for the others. They'd all been through hell for me and I didn't want that happening again, not when I was capable of defending myself and them. And I guess that was my main reason for keeping us all together, but Peter was right, we would have to act at some point. We had to locate Alice and take her down. The galling thing was that she would know what we were going to do as soon as we decided and there was no way to avoid that... Or was there? I wondered if my shield might prevent her from seeing our decisions, but then again, if we split up she would see our plans in those who were no longer shielded. Frustrated, I found myself beginning to loathe Alice Cullen even more than I had.

Jasper

I knew Bella was undecided exactly what to do and when Emmett came to me with an idea I thought might just work I agreed to put it to her. He thought we had to make some move if only to try to find out where she was.

Carlisle had contacts all over the world from his time living in Volterra and elsewhere and Em wondered if he might help us locate her if, in return, we agreed to leave her alive. It was a long shot, but it was about all we had right now.

As I had expected Bella was not keen.

"NO, NO, NO."

"Bella it's just a suggestion and we can't sit here doing nothing forever."

"You know as well as I do that Carlisle won't give Alice up to us."

"He might if we offered him a swap."

She frowned.

"A swap?"

"Yes, Alice for Edward"

She stared at me as if I had lost my mind.

"You'd give Edward another chance, after all he's done?"

"Think about it, darlin'. Alice is a much greater threat to us. Edward is a spent force and he's easy enough to find."

I saw she was considering this, she didn't like it, but she hadn't thrown it out straight away. Finally, she spoke.

"Do you think he'd go for it, Jazz?"

"He might. He has Edward safe at his side and if he takes the deal, then Edward will remain safe... As long as he behaves that is."

"OK, I could be persuaded, but who do we send to offer the deal? I don't think I could face him again, knowing he's already lied to us once. I might just decide the hell with it and rip his lying tongue out of his head and I'm really trying to keep him alive and out of the real crap."

"Why not Emmett and Rose? Edward can hear their thoughts so he'll know it's a genuine offer and Carlisle might be inclined to believe them a little easier than he would us."

She nodded, looking thoughtful again.

"So that will leave us with Peter and Charlotte. I guess I can live with that. Carlisle isn't a threat, so Rose and Em will be perfectly safe."

"Ah well, I think it might be a good idea if one of us goes with them, just for back up. After all, we have the fighting experience."

This drove the smile from her face as quickly as it had appeared.

"You think Alice might be close enough to pose a threat to Rose and Em? Then I don't think it's good to split up, Jazz. I have a really bad feeling."

"That's Peter's line. Besides, I think maybe you are seeing Alice as more dangerous than she really is, Bella. She's still on her own remember? I just think it's always better to have someone who can fight with a group going into enemy territory."

"Being on her own didn't stop Alice before and she can always make new friends, Jazz."

I could see there was no point in pressing Bella, this was a decision she must make alone.

"Well, it's your call. But I'd feel happier if someone went with Emmett and Rose, or I could go with Rose and Charlotte."

"Why not take Peter?"

I stared at her incredulously.

"Do you really need to ask?"

She laughed as the reason dawned on her. Peter and Carlisle? Not a good combination at the best of times!

"No, I guess, but I'm not agreeing until we've discussed it with the others."

Peter

As soon as I heard it, I thought it was a brilliant idea which for some reason made Bella even less enthusiastic.

"What? It's fucking brilliant! Well done Em. The doctor can use his contacts on our behalf for a change, sneaky bastard."

Bella rolled her eyes, but I was used to that reaction from people and ignored it. I was only interested in her next words.

"OK, Emmett you go with Rose, but I want someone else with you."

I put my hand up like a good little schoolboy.

"I'll go, Miss. Can I? Please?"

Maybe I'd acted a little too eager because Bella began shaking her head immediately.

"I don't think so, Peter. Oil and water come to mind."

Char laughed.

"I think you mean dry tinder and matches, Bella."

Now I was getting pissed off.

"Fuck! Does nobody trust my diplomatic skills?"

The resounding 'NO' from every mouth nearly deafened me.

In the end, it was decided that Emmett, Rose, and Char would go to Seattle while I stayed home minding the kids.

"Fucking babysitting duty, again."

Bella smiled at me,

"That's right Daddy. You get to hold my hand and the others get a better chance of success."

"Hey, I'm just underestimated. I can be really good at the diplomacy crap. I can just listen. Hey, Carlisle, help us find Alice or I'll start at your toes and barbecue upwards. Works every time."

It made no difference to her decision and I was forced to watch as the others drove away. I glanced at Bella who looked more worried than ever.

"Hey, Bella, they're all grown up now, they'll be fine and I haven't had a single bad feeling about this."

She looked at me and nodded gravely.

"I know, Peter, I know."

Alice

Smiling, I stood up and stretched glancing around the beautifully appointed hotel room. I'd been here for days just watching, but I didn't mind. I'd been waiting for this, I knew eventually they would decide that waiting around wasn't a good idea and they'd decide on an action that would split them up. All I needed now was one more action which I knew was coming and I'd have them. I'd finally get some revenge for what she'd done, that bitch, and him. Enjoy contentment in the arms of my man because that feeling isn't going to last much longer. Pretty soon he'd have no one in his arms.

Edward knew what he had to do, they were bartering his life for my whereabouts and he was happy with the deal, especially when I gave him my blessing to pass on what he'd "learned" from Jane in Volterra. Carlisle knew that they were in contact, Edward still thought Bella had lied to him, that Rachel was still alive, a prisoner in Volterra, the poor deluded wretch and he was waiting patiently to hear from her through the little blonde witch.

Jane hated every one of Bella's little party, after all, they were responsible for the deaths of Felix and Rachel, her only real friends. This worked to my advantage, of course, but then most things did.

Bella

When the guy's decided they wanted to hunt I insisted we all went together. Peter may not have feared problems, but I still had this uncomfortable feeling between my shoulder blades that just wouldn't go. I sensed that something bad was fast approaching.

Peter was quieter than usual, but whether because he missed Char or because he felt something he didn't say. When she rang the following evening he answered and I think she sensed he was in a strange mood because they chatted for a while before she got to the real reason for the call.

"Carlisle insisted he didn't know where Edward was at first, but when confronted with the scent evidence he finally admitted he was there at the house but then began begging us for his life. It was all quite pathetic really. That was when Emmett laid out our offer, Alice for Edward. Again, Carlisle wasn't happy, but he agreed to try his contacts. He did point out however that it would take a few days to get a message to everyone and hear back from them all."

I had a horrible feeling we were being played but by whom? Carlisle or Alice? Either way, there was nothing I could do about it and Rose, Charlotte and Emmett decided to wait to hear from Carlisle in Seattle. As Emmett put it.

"He's got no excuse to delay if we're close by putting pressure on him."

The guys busied themselves with the horses while I sat waiting for news and worrying. I guess I should have been more attentive but I never expected the danger to be so close or come with such rapidity.

Peter

The stallions we had bought were young and skittish but looked like they'd become really good horses once trained and I was glad of the distraction while we waited to hear from Seattle. I hated all this fucking waiting around and I think I was concentrating too much on the horses and not enough on my surroundings because by the time I felt something was wrong it was too fucking late.

I saw shadows at the edge of my vision, then flames began licking the barn and the horses started to panic. I grabbed the halter of the smallest and tried to lead it from the smoke-filled barn into the clear air outside, but it was strong and frightened and it took precious time to calm it without injuring fragile legs.

By the time I was safely out the barn was well alight, but there was no sign of the Major. I let the horse I'd led to safety go, its halter rope dragging in the dust and ran back into the barn. There were flames everywhere and smoke made visibility almost nil. I shouted his name but the smoke irritated my throat and made me cough so I stopped breathing and followed the wall around to the next stall. The horse was still in there and had sunk to the ground so swearing I picked it up and carried it out through the flames, hoping it was just smoke that had dropped it and wondering where the fuck the Major had got to.

Outside I saw Bella rushing towards me screaming the Major's name. I shook my head and grabbed her just in time as the barn roof ignited and started to crash in on the now empty stalls.

Relieved, I saw the horse I'd just rescued stagger to its feet and cough, hopefully, it would be OK. The rest of the horses and foals were out in the paddock and safe by the look of things, but Bella had other things on her mind.

"Where's Jazz?" she screamed, looking around in panic.

"No idea, He wasn't in there, I checked, but he never came to help. He knew the stallions were in there, but he never appeared. He'd never leave a horse in a burning building, Bella. Something's wrong."

She looked on helplessly as the roof of the barn collapsed completely and the walls tipped inwards leaving just a huge pyre.

There was nothing we could do until the fire burned itself out except wipe the horses down and lead them to a quiet corner in the paddock with fresh water. Neither seemed to be badly hurt, the one I'd carried out, Figure, had a scorched hind quarter and mane, but he was up and breathing with just an occasional cough while mine seemed fine. I was aware things could change very quickly with horses, but I had more important worries for now.

"What happened?" She said, grabbing my arm and shaking me.

"No fucking idea. One minute we were looking at the horses and talking, the next thing I knew the place was ablaze, but I think I saw someone at the corner of the barn."

"Arson, you think? But why?"

Then I groaned as the truth hit me.

"It was a fucking diversion, and it worked. I think this was Alice's doing and it worked, she snatched the Major... Or someone did."

She rushed around the now smoking bonfire that had been the barn, but there were no tracks, no scent trails, just the smoke and ash that had once been the barn.

Realizing he was really gone, Bella fell to her knees screaming and I put my arms around her trying to comfort her and all the while wishing he was here to punch me out for taking liberties with his mate.

She collapsed into me, her shoulders heaving, then she stiffened and looked up into my face.

"I will find him and when I do whoever took him is dead. Alice Cullen too."

I'd seen that look before, but not in her eyes. It was his look, the one that came just before the limbs started flying. I could work with revenge better than with the emotional screaming, I understood it only too well.