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CMF

CULLEN-MASEN FAMILY

Chapter 28

Once we reached the first floor, we walked towards the back , which would lead us to the stairs going into the underground area I had built. This contained a conference room, wine cellar, gun vault, merchandise vault, interrogation rooms, disposal room, and a washroom to clean ourselves, and dispose of all clothing. We also had a massive incinerator towards the back. They were still working on the tunnel that led down to the waterways, where we had boats, and such bringing stuff to us. We could also leave from this point, as I had a parking garage with various vehicles available.

I tried to make sure we were covered from every angle. I was not going to be caught with my pants down around my ankles. Therefore, money was spent to keep it from happening. Now, if someone was to enter the tunnel from the other end, there were numerous tunnels which lead to dead ends, or different locations. I made sure our asses were covered the best I could.

Now, we descend down to the 'basement' past all the holding areas, on down to the interrogation rooms. We enter to find Jasper, Emmett, Paul, and a couple other men admiring the room, and equipment on display. I do believe I catch Jasper wiping drool from his mouth. I had bought him a couple new chain saws that were on display. Not to be outdone I had also bought Emmett some new knives he had been wanting. He was opening drawers, and oohhing, and aahhing each new discovery.

Now, I lead Paul over to a table, and cabinets to show him a collection of knives I had bought for him. I do believe he kind of gasped as he looked at them.

"Alright gentlemen, I see you have discovered all the new tools I've bought for your use. I take it you are pleased?"

Head nods all around, and big smiles cross their faces. "Alright then, we have a couple people to see what information we can get from them. Now, try to delay their imminent deaths as long as possible, until we get everything we can from them."

I wave my hand at them to get ready to go to work, as I walk up to the men tied to chairs. Oh, which brings me to the extensive room of cages arranged for Laurent to keep some new pets at our disposal. I asked him to go buy an additional copy of the snakes we already had for our use. This would be our primary place for our work, but we would also make use of the other places, too.

The men watched me approach, and you could see in their eyes they knew they were as good as dead. I had no qualms about ending their lives after they made an attempt to take mine, or try to get to Bella. They came to my home, and attacked me. they only succeeded in pissing me off. Now, I didn't look to get any new information, but I wasn't going to take the chance I might miss out on something of value.

"Gentlemen, I do believe you know who I am. Now, as to your failed attempt to get to me, or my family. You made a very bad mistake to try to do any harm to any of us. Now, I'm going to ask you some questions, and depending on how quickly you answer me, depends on how swift, and painless your death is. You know I want information to why the attack, and his future plans. What exactly he keeps trying to get to me. Please, explain this to me," stepping back as I watch them.

Their eyes sweep over the room, at the various tools on display, the people present, and the condition they are presently in. They should know I have no patience for delays, or lies. I want answers, and I want them now.

I motion for one of the other guys to go to work. He walks up with a two by four oak planks. I had a small shipment brought in just for this purpose. This was hard wood, and when it hit, it was bound to break a few bones in the process. The guy took it bringing it right across the thighs of one of the men. Needless to say, he did scream. It didn't do him any good being below ground, and the rooms sound proof. From the looks of it, I'd have to say he managed to break at least one of his thigh bones.

"Now, I can stop this from going any further if you will just tell me everything you know about his plans. Please." We wait a bit more, and he hits the other man across his legs, and I do believe he might have...yes, we have a compound fracture to one of his legs. Blood starts to flow, and his screams echo around the room.

"Someone put a gag in his mouth until he quits screaming. Now, while he's dealing with that, you could stop all this by telling me what's going on. Just tell me, already. Are you enjoying this pain? Do you honestly think Caius is concerned about your pain, your being hurt, tortured? HELL NO! Now, some body better get to talking, as I'm losing my patience."

I walk over to one of the tables, and start looking at the different tools. I do like this ball peen hammer. I got an assortment, and different weights. Even one with a pike on one side. I'm not sure what kind of damage they will inflict, but now's as good a time as any to find out. I pick up the four pound dead blow sledge hammer. Nice weight, love the fact there are no grooves, no wood for blood to seep into. All covered from end to end in urethane, and a steel handle. I liked them at first glance. Now, let's see how they work.

I flip it from end to end, and the men are watching me. Jasper makes a smart ass comment about my going into construction. I tell him I'm thinking about it, but want to see how it works on rearranging certain materials...such as bones, limbs. I walk up to the first guy, and ask him again to tell me everything he knows. He sits there not saying nothing. So, I bring my arm back, and come through as if I were swinging a bat...right at his knees. I never felt the impact through the hammer, but he sure felt it.

I do believe I might have just shattered his kneecap, and rearranged it to the side. Hummm...I do believe I like them. I might have to buy some more different sizes. I raise it back fixing to strike again, and he starts screaming he'll tell me everything he knows. I lower the hammer, and he proceeds to tell me about Caius pretty much going to destroy all my outlying properties, and then he's going to strike close to home. He has plans for a certain woman, and I won't know when to expect them to hit. The man has already been close...very close to one woman, and it's apparently very easy to get to her.

He has plans...big plans for her. Then when he tires of her, if there are no buyers then he will just dispose of her. I also need to be watching some of my more legal businesses as there might be problems with some of them. He tells me that is all he knows, and ask me to just get it over with. He knows he's not leaving there alive. So, I pull my gun and deliver one bullet right between his eyes.

I step back, and motion for Paul, Jasper, and Emmett to take care of the other man, and to either call in a clean-up crew, or dispose of them, and all evidence.

I really am tired of all this shit...from one man, or maybe the entire family. I have yet to determine if they are involved, but if I do they are all dead. I walk up to Sean, and Cal talking about increasing security, surveillance, as we watch them working over this other man. Some men came toting the other body down to the incinerator. We leave the room, walking on down the tunnel, and I comment about it being almost two miles in one direction to the waterways.

I tell them there are numerous other tunnels leading to different places, and some dead ends. We check out some of the other rooms, and then head back towards the vaults, which we check out. I do believe I'm going to like this a lot. Now, I might need to have some installed at different places, instead of having all my goodies in one spot.

We walk on into the conference room, and I'm admiring the table and chairs they finally delivered. I do like it very much, and they ask me about it. I tell them it came from some place in Japan, and was a process they called shou sugi ban. It's some kind of process where they burn the wood, and do different things to it. But, then I take them to my office to show them my desk.

I do believe Sean's jaw dropped open. Cal's eyes get really big, and then he smiles. I explain I paid almost ten thousand dollars for it, and had them replace the top with plexiglass. I told them about my tending to lose my temper, and hitting things. It took them an extra three days to have it cut, and in place. It was well worth it.

We walked on back to the first floor of the warehouse, shutting the opening which became a part of the floor, and very undetectable. I was beyond tired, but knew we needed to discuss what to do with the information. I believed they were coming after Bella, and I didn't know what else to do other than what had been done. She had at present three very qualified men on day shift, and three more at night guarding her. We had surveillance inside, and outside. I had Cane trained to defend her, and I provided her with guns. What else could I do?

I just knew that if anything happened to her, there would be an all out war all along the west coast. I would kill everyone involved, or not. I feel at that point it wouldn't matter to me. I could not lose her no matter what I had to do.

I decided to call it a night, and meet sometimes in the next day, or two to discuss our plans.

I just needed to spend some time with my wife.

A TWO WEEK TIME JUMP

The night of the showing at the art gallery. Bella had spent all day yesterday making numerous trips to, and from the gallery on the placement of each painting. She had to go pick up a dress, and shoes for the event, along with Angela. We were cutting things close, as Christmas was just a week away. I had plans for the new year of spending a week at the house in Bainbridge she liked so much.

I was getting edgy, and didn't want to come down on Bella. I didn't want her to live in fear of someone coming after her. I would take care of it no matter what I had to do.

I had Cal and Ant as our driver, and bodyguards. The car behind us had Tom, and Paul, with Jasper, and Emmett in the lead car. My Bella was having a bad day, and was going to need the use of her wheelchair this evening. We had tried a heated Jacuzzi bath, a pain pill last night, and additional heating pad today, but it was not letting up. It was posing a problem with her being able to get around. With my being persistent of her safety, and considering she would be on her feet otherwise a large part of the evening I insisted to either carry her in my arms, or the use of her wheelchair. She conceded to it's use, but not lightly.

We had moved a majority of her belongings over to my warehouse as our primary dwelling. She still went to use her studio, and I was in search of us a more permanent residence. I was eagerly looking into obtaining some of the surrounding properties to the family vacation home on Bainbridge Island. I was advised by my attorney, and Carlisle, my Consiglerie to hold off until after the first of the year. That there might be some developments to obtain some of the outlying properties at a reasonable price. I wanted the additional land, but was also looking for some other locations.

We were standing around waiting for Bella, and Angela so we could leave for the gallery. I had just sat my glass down when I heard them coming down the hall. I turned looking up, and about stumbled over my own tongue. DAMN, my Bella was a knockout. She was wearing a very form fitting red dress that had a slight tail off to her right side, low neckline, with altering sleeves...one as a drape, and a cap sleeve on the other. She just looked magnificent. I see she is also wearing her diamond necklace to finish it off. Very nice.

I can still see a slight grimace on her face. I can also tell from the way she is walking it is becoming a chore. I motion for Ant to get her wheelchair to take down to the car. I walk up to her, taking her hand pulling her close, and lifting her hand to lay a gentle kiss on it. I ask her if she is ready to go, and I pull her coat over her shoulders. I grab her gloves handing them to her, and before she can say a word I have swept her up in my arms.

We head for the elevator, and I can feel the look Bella is giving me. I will not be deterred. I look at her, leaning closer giving her a light kiss, and begging with my eyes to allow me this pleasure to carry her.

We arrive at the garage, and Cal already has our door open. He walks around to the driver door while Ant helps us get inside. We take off for the gallery, and I'm sure is going to be a grueling evening. It is still going to be an evening of unveiling some magnificent paintings by my wife. I've had the pleasure of watching her bring quite a few of them to life. It was one hell of an experience.

We arrive at the gallery, Cal pulling up at the front, Ant climbing out and popping the trunk to retrieve her wheelchair. I can see she is about to protest, but I beg her with my eyes to please let me do this for her. She acquiesce to my desires, and I'm sure before the evening is over she will be thankful.

We enter the building to a rounding applause, and Bella develops that beautiful blush I love. She thanks everyone, and I take her coat, then help her into her chair. We move around to meet different people, the director of the gallery, and then we move around looking at the different paintings in this setting. They love marvelous, and people are quite moved by them. I see a lot of sold signs going up on quite a lot of them. I walk over to two sets of paintings...one listed as Pandemonium, Pandemonium II, and Pandemonium III. They have a title that I find quite befitting for them.

Now, my personal favorites are War, All Out War, and Blood Splatter. It makes me think of the ensuing war about to happen all due to one individual. I would be glad when it was over so I could set other things into motion, and enjoy the full benefits of my wife.

I felt someone come up behind me, and then they were beside me commenting on the paintings. The things they were saying made me turn abruptly to see if it was who I thought. It was of all people Caius, and I just about made a move to remove him when he brought to my attention a few gentlemen currently in my wife's company.

"All it will take is one move of my hand to let them know to put things into action, and your pretty wife will be no more, Edward. Now, that I have your attention I'm going to let you know I am coming after you, and all you hold dear. You won't have any idea when it will happen until it's to late," as he takes a step back looking at me.

"Your dead, Caius. I WILL kill you, I promise. You have threatened the one thing you should NEVER have approached. Such a foolish mistake, boy. My advice to you is run...run as far as you can. But know I will find you, and I will end you. If your family is involved in this those paintings are just a beginning of the war I will wage on you."

I then step back from him, watching him, waiting...and he turns heading for the front door. His men fall in place beside him, and I just about hit the floor. I walk as quickly as I can to Bella pulling her as close as possible. Cal and Ant come over very concerned telling me they tried to follow those men, but there had been a car waiting out front, and was gone before they had a chance to do anything.

I ask them to find us some place to be alone for a few minutes, and see if they got anything worth a damn to drink. Cal comes back with a glass of scotch, which Bella had them get a bottle of the kind I liked, and they bring her a glass of wine.

We move over to a little spot away from everyone, and I proceed to tell her that was Caius, and I told him I would kill him for threatening her. She understands why I'm so upset now. I try not to hold much of anything from Bella. To be informed, is better prepared.

I promise to protect her no matter what. I try quickly to change the subject, and ask her how the showing is going. She is very impressed. they have just about sold all of the paintings. I told her I'm buying at least three of them, and I tell her about the ones' titled War, All Out War, and Blood Splatter. I'm going to hang them in my office. She burst out laughing, and I join her.

My Bella can bring me back from the very edge. She is really all I need. I sit looking at her, and realize I would be nothing without her, and if she were to die I would not be far behind her.

But, not before I end this turmoil with Caius. No one threatens my life...my Bella. Never.

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Alright, we got another chapter, and as I said things are coming to a head. Caius' head...removed from his body, preferably. Going to become a reality.

Now, let me know what ya'll thought.

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Thanks muches...