Alright you guys, here we go!
EPOV
"According to the coordinates, the cabin is half a mile North." My father glanced at a paper map we picked up before leaving the motel.
"It's gonna take us at least an hour to hike up there," Black said as he affixed a magazine to his belt.
"How far out is your backup?" I asked, velcroing my vest into place.
"They're closing in on Ozark. They should be nearby once we reach the cabin."
"Emmett and Alec are thirty minutes behind us. They'll hike up too."
Black eyeballed a few firearms stashed in my trunk's hidden compartment but kept his mouth closed. I was gaining respect for the guy. Didn't mean I liked him, but push come to shove, I could work with him.
My father kept constant watch on the compass as we trekked through the soggy forest ground. The snow partially melted throughout the day but without sunlight, the puddles of mud were turning back into ice.
Fifty minutes in, I spotted a building through the trees. I snapped and pointed, alerting my father and Black. We pulled our weapons and snuck forward, stopping every few yards to listen for unwelcome guests.
"Let's walk the perimeter and see if we can find a good vantage point," I whispered.
Turning West, I climbed uphill until I found a boulder on a hill, overlooking the property. I laid down and crawled to the edge, hidden in the darkness.
"They've got four guys around the perimeter," Black said, joining me.
"They're not tech savvy," my father added. "I haven't seen any evidence of video surveillance or trip wire."
"They don't know what the fuck they're doing," I scoffed. "Volturi has old-school connections. He doesn't know his head from his asshole."
"There have to be more soldiers," Black said. "Is anyone inside the tree line?"
I shook my head. "We would have seen them on our approach. His organization is new. Maybe he hasn't built up enough soldiers yet? Or Maybe he's underestimating us?"
"We don't know how many men are inside," my father pointed out. "That being said, James's father was overly confident, a narcissist. He thought no one could outsmart him."
"How far behind are Emmett and Alec?" I asked.
"Cell service is non-existent." My father grimaced.
"Shit. We need to know what we're up against. I'm moving forward. See that rock over there?" I pointed to another boulder down the hill, fifty yards from the cabin. "If we stay to the left, in the trees, those assholes won't spot us. I'll go first. Cover me."
I shuffled from my post and checked my surroundings before slipping back into the trees. A minute later, I was crouched behind the second boulder and signaling to my team. With my back pressed to the rock, I kept my eyes open for the enemy. Once my father and black joined me, I poised my rifle and turned back toward the cabin.
"The windows are open, no curtains," I muttered. We waited, watching for movement.
"I can't tell how many are in there. All I see are shadows," Black said.
"We've got to get closer."
"Edward, we need to wait for Emmett and Alec. We're outnumbered," My father advised.
I held my hand up, halting the conversation as the front door to the cabin swung open. A scrawny guy with a ponytail stepped onto the porch, followed by a bulkier man who had to be his enforcer.
"That's Volturi," Black hissed. He darted back into the woods and crept further towards the cabin.
Following suit, I pushed away from the rock with my father right behind me. We caught up to Black as he hovered near the tree line, listening to the men on the porch.
"Cullen's gonna come looking for the bitch," the enforcer promised.
Black whispered to us, "That's Marcus Volturi, cousin of James." I nodded and turned back to the cabin.
"Yeah? Where the fuck is Edward then?" James asked, lighting a cigarette.
"You didn't exactly map our location out for him."
"I'm tired of waiting. Call the capos back home and tell them to leak the location. I'm in the mood for a bloodbath."
"You could always take a little aggression out on the girl," Marcus chuckled.
"Fuck, if I start, I'm not gonna stop," James sneered.
A growl emanated deep in my chest as I lunged forward. My father and Black grabbed my arms, restraining me.
"Hey, Marcus," one of their soldiers said, joining them on the porch, "the guys are getting hungry. Think I can give them five to get off their feet and eat?"
"Boss?" Marcus turned to James.
"Whatever," he said, snuffing out what was left of his cigarette. "Just do it in pairs. I don't want the place unprotected." He returned to the cabin with Marcus right on his heels.
The soldier jogged down the steps and whistled, calling the rest of his crew over.
"Boss said five minutes each and we break in pairs. You guys first. Renata, take the North perimeter. I'll take South."
The men split, two going in the cabin, one behind, and the leader headed in our direction.
Without thought, I stepped out from my cover and grabbed the man in a chokehold. I would have preferred to put a bullet in his head, but I figured Black would object. Instead, I squeezed my arms tight until I felt his body sag as he lost consciousness.
"I never saw that," Black muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"He'll be fine." I rolled my eyes. "I'm going to go take a look through the window."
"We'll cover you," my father said as Black cuffed the unconscious soldier.
Clouds rolled in, blocking the moon and allowing me to slink through the shadows as I closed in on the side of the cabin.
The single side window was shoulder height- just low enough for me to see in. I peeked my head over the sill and scanned the open space. Six men congregated near a stove and table across the room, but I hardly registered them. In the middle, tied to a fucking chair, was Bella.
My hand curled in a death grip around my Glock and my finger itched to pull the trigger. I imagined a bullet sailing through Volturi's skull.
Bella's shoulders slumped in defeat. Blood matted her hair to her cheek, and her clothes were torn, hanging from her body.
James Volturi was leaving that cabin in a body bag.
Movement by the door pulled my attention away from Bella. The two soldiers who'd taken a break were headed back out to the porch.
I crouched down and began to creep toward the tree line, formulating a plan. My father, Black, and I couldn't take on eight men. We had to wait for Emmett and Alec.
"Going somewhere?" The cold barrel of a gun pushed against the back of my head as I paused at the corner of the cabin.
"No, but you are," I sneered at the soldier behind me.
I twisted and dropped down while pointing my gun up and under my target's jaw. I didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. My silencer muffled the sound so that the thud of his body dropping to the ground was louder than the shot itself.
I kicked him away as I peered around the corner. One of the soldiers, returning from break, let out a shrill whistle to call the other men.
"I don't see them," he said after a minute.
"Something's off-" the other's response was cut short by a cry emanating from the woods. Shit, my chokehold friend was awake. "What the fuck was that?"
The two men drew their weapons.
"Come on, this way!" They ran toward the tree line. I darted out behind them.
"Stop! FBI!" Black ordered as they approached the trees.
"Bullshit! It's the fucking Cullen's!" The captive man screamed.
Like morons, the soldiers halted and opened blind fire into the trees. Once I was confident I had the shot, I fired, hitting one of the men in the shoulder.
"Shit!" I tried again and hit center mass.
"Edward! Nice of you to show up!" With my gun still pointed in the direction of the second soldier, I turned my head toward James and his three men sprinting from the cabin.
I stalled, trying to decide if I had the skill to take out all four at once.
"Put the fucking gun down!" James demanded.
My hand wavered. The numbers didn't stack up in my favor. As I dropped my arm a scuffle broke out near the trees. The second soldier fell as my father stepped forward, placing a bullet right between the man's eyes. He didn't stop there. My father aimed again, grazing one of Volturi's guards in the shoulder.
"No, you don't!" Marcus raised his gun at the same time and fired.
The metal ripped through my father's thigh, and he dropped to the ground in agony.
"Mafankulo!" I cursed. Where the fuck was my backup?
"Not so fucking tough now, are you, Cullen? You thought you and your old man could take us down? I love it- two for the price of one!" James said, already at my father's side and kicking the weapon from his hand.
My arms were grabbed and twisted behind my back by two of the Volturi enforcers. I was able to fight one off and elbow him in the gut, but the other yanked my arm up far enough that I feared it would pop from the socket.
"You sick fucks aren't gonna win this battle. You know that, right?" I sneered.
"Yeah?" James Laughed. "Cause it looks to me like we're doing pretty fucking well! Take him inside!"
The man that held my shoulder hostage kicked my leg forward, forcing me to move or risk having my arm torn off. I gritted my teeth through the pain.
James and Marcus lifted my father to his feet. Blood flowed from his wound as he attempted to bear weight and move forward.
We were shoved into the cabin. My father was unceremoniously dumped on the floor, while the men holding me stood me up straight and dragged me to the middle of the room.
"Bella!" I breathed as my heart raced at the sight of my angel. "Amore, mi dispiace molto!"
"Edward!" She sobbed.
"Bella, it's going to be okay, I pro-mise!" I tried to soothe her, but my voice hitched as my arm was twisted further.
"You and I have very different versions of 'okay'," James sneered. "Oh, who to deal with first?" He clapped his hands as he wandered the room. "First, we have good old Pops, who- let's be honest- will probably bleed out anyway."
I grimaced. My father was turning pale as he attempted to fasten his belt around his leg as a tourniquet. His strength was waning and he couldn't get the strap as tight as it should be. He fastened it and slumped against the wall, breathing heavily as he gazed in my direction.
"Where's Black?" I mouthed.
"Backup," he mouthed back.
"Then we have our Principessa." James ran his hand over Bella's head, stroking her hair as he leered at her.
"Don't fucking touch her!" I spit, struggling against the men who restrained me.
"Oh, Edward, Edward, Edward! If only you knew what I had planned for your darling Isabella… well, you'll know soon enough. I'm going to allow you the privilage to watch every fucking moment."
I growled and shoved my good shoulder toward the guard to my right, causing him to stumble. I hooked my foot around his ankle, tripping him. He let go long enough for me to free my arm and swing around to land a punch to the nose of the other guard.
"You broke my fucking nose!" He growled but tightened his grip. I went to swing again, stopping when James aimed his gun toward my temple.
"No!" Bella screamed, fighting against her restraints.
The first guard grabbed my arm again, holding me in a firmer grip. Blood trickled from the second guard's nose.
"Can't anyone do their fucking job?" James cried before whipping his pistol against my face. I felt my lip split, and the room spun.
"That the best you got, fucker?" I smirked, spitting blood to the floor.
"Edward, stop, please!" Bella cried.
"Yeah, Edward, stop!" James crooned, going back to stand behind her. She shivered in fear, making me shove forward, only to be pulled back with a rough tug. "I'm going to give you a choice." He grinned. " Either your little girlfriend can suck my cock, or I tug your fingernails off one by one." He stood behind Bella, running his finger across her cheek. Her face paled and twisted in agony.
"Don't fucking touch her!" I screamed.
"Fingernails it is!" James laughed. "You know, removing nails is one of my favorite pastimes? My Uncle taught me the best way to do it when I was a boy. The trick is adding salt at the end. Gives the whole process a little kick!" He said, gathering tools from the table. As he came toward me his guard's grip on me tightened.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed movement in the window.
"Hold his hand out," James instructed. "Marcus, leave the old man and come help." My father was nearly unconscious, fighting to keep his eyes open. "I hope you enjoy this as much as I do," James chuckled.
"Oh, I think I will." I grinned, lifting my foot and slamming it flat into James's kneecap. With a sickening snap, he fell backward, landing hard.
I laughed as he screamed and writhed in pain, "Pezzo di merda del cazzo!" I roared, spitting on him. I was greeted by a punch to the gut by one of his men.
James pulled his gun and stood, using Bella's chair to support his weight. Growling, he raised his arm pointing his gun at my head. "You're time's fucking up, Cullen. Say goodbye to your sweetheart."
A bullet ripped through the air.
I landed in a heap on the floor.
BPOV
My ears rang with a shrill inhume scream.
I squeezed my eyes shut, barely registering the commotion that broke out around me. Voices screamed and cried out in pain, my own mingling with them.
Behind my lids, an image I couldn't comprehend was looping through a constant replay. The horrendous details were a torture worse than anything physical I could have endured.
Edward's face splattered with blood and twisted in agony.
His limp body collapsing to the floor, the two burly men being pulled down with him.
Edward was dead.
He was dead because of me.
My screams turned to gut wrenching sobs. I wanted to die too.
"Kill me! Please, kill me too!" I wailed, opening my eyes.
I twisted in my chair, unable to look at the heap in which Edward laid lifeless on the floor. Where was James? He didn't need me anymore. He'd gotten what he wanted. Why wouldn't he put me out of my misery?
I blinked, trying to clear my vision. I gasped and flinched away from a body lying stock still on the ground next to me. I glanced down to find James looking back, with a vacancy in his eyes that chilled me to the bone. I took a shuddering breath, scrunching my brows in confusion as I noticed blood trickling from a circular wound between his eyes.
"H-how?" I stuttered. I scanned the room and found a slew of people rushing into the cabin.
In the corner, Carlisle sat slumped against the wall… but next to him were Emmett and Alec pressing cloth to his injured leg and reassuring him the bullet made a clean exit.
Nearby Marcus was being cuffed by the FBI agent who'd cornered me months before.
Another agent appeared before me, asking a slew of questions I couldn't answer. All I could do in response was choke out a sob.
"Edward," I whimpered as my eyes betrayed me, dragging back toward his lifeless form.
All that was visible were his legs. One of the guards still laid over Edward's torso. Suddenly I had no greater urge than to see his beautiful face one last time. I knew he wouldn't look the same. His eyes would be empty, his face ashen, but how could I let go without touching him once more?
"Please! Please let me see him!" I cried as agents hovered over the bodies. My face crumpled, and my heart incinerated as they rolled the large man off Edward's chest.
Blood splattered across Edward's face and pooled on his shirt. His eyes remained closed, scrunched together in pain.
"Oh, God!" I crumpled in on myself as my arms were freed from their restraints, and I buried my head in my hands.
"Ugh! Jesus fucking Christ! That guy weighs a fucking ton!" Edward huffed, sucking in deep breaths.
Wait.
My pulse pounded and I watched in a stupor as Edward rolled to his side and pushed himself up.
"You-you're dead!" I hollered. "No! I'm seeing things! Wake up, Bella!"
Edward's ghost gazed at me before jumping up and rushing forward.
"Jesus! Bella, are you okay? Oh, God, Amore! I'm gonna kill that fucker all over again!" The ghost ran his hands down my face, gently examining the cut near my hairline. "Bella, answer me!" He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me.
"She's in shock," the agent nearby explained.
"You're a ghost!" I cried, battling my urge to pull him to me and live in delusion for the rest of my life.
"I can promise you, I am not a fucking ghost," he laughed. His eyes danced with relief and humor. "I'll show you." He leaned in and placed his lips on mine. I couldn't hold back my urge any longer and I threaded my hands through his hair.
His body was solid and warm against mine, his hair soft against my fingertips, and his lips urgent in need.
He- he was real.
"Not a ghost," I muttered, pulling back. "Edward, you're- Oh my God, you're okay!" Another round of sobs broke from my chest.
"Shhh, Amore, I'm here. You're safe." He pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me.
"But- but how? I heard- and then you fell- and-" I rambled as he wiped my cheeks of tears.
"Emmett. I saw him out the window. I knew he had a shot. When I kicked James, it gave him a chance to take it."
"I thought James shot you!"
"Nope, I ducked. Emmett and Alec shot those two fuckers," he said, indicating the bodies of the dead men behind him.
"Edward, I thought-"
"I'm okay. We're both okay," he crooned.
"Oh, God, I am so sorry! All of this is because of me. I was on my way to quit at the library. I should have called you- I don't know. God, I'm so stupid!"
"No, Bella. I should have told you about the stipulation, let you know what you were getting into. I should have listened, given you a say"
"Our fight- it was pointless!" I sniffled. "I love you so much! Edward, I do want to marry you. God, I never want us to be separated again!"
He grabbed my face and kissed me with a passion that made my core heat and my head spin.
"I love you too, Amore. Do you mean it? Really? You want to marry me?" His eyes filled with hope as they searched mine.
"Yes! Yes, I do!"
"Shit- I left the ring- it's okay right? I mean- does that matter?" He muttered. "Oh, fuck it." He shifted positions, kneeling in front of me. I raised my brows in confusion while he grabbed my hands and took a deep breath. "Isabella Swan, you are my world. I've never loved anyone the way I love you. Please, will you be my wife?"
I gasped, my chest fluttering with excitement. "I-" And then over Edward's shoulder, I noticed a paramedic with bloody gloves passing through the door. "Wait, are you serious?" I shook my head, exasperated. "Edward! There are dead bodies on the floor! You can't propose in the middle of a crime scene!"
"Wait, hold up!" Emmett, who was following the paramedic out the door, slapped his knee and roared in laughter. "Dude, did you just propose? Like literally, there is a corpse inches away from you!"
Edward glanced down at James's dead body and grimaced. "Shit." He let go of me and stood, shoving his hands in his pockets as his cheeks turned pink.
"Oh, this is fucking classic!" Emmett broke out his phone and started texting. "I gotta tell Alice."
"Shut up, Jackass, and put the fucking phone away!" Edward growled, lunging toward his brother.
"Too late!" Emmett grinned, holding the phone out of reach.
"Oh my God, let's maybe talk about this later?" I pleaded, standing on shaky legs.
"Testa di cazzo," Edward growled, causing Emmett to break out in hysterics again.
"Hey Pops, listen to this!" Emmett called, finally passing through the door.
"Oh, fuck, Amore! You need a hand?" Edward asked, reaching over to steady me. He slipped his arm around my waist and guided me outside toward an ambulance.
Exhaustion seeped into my bones as my adrenaline waned and the previous few days caught up with me. Edward stayed by my side, steady as a rock.
An overly helpful, protective rock.
After he poured water down my shirt, trying to hydrate me, I had to tell him to knock it off.
As the sun rose, I finished my final rounds of questioning with Agent Black, who I was shocked to find out teamed up with Edward to bring James down and save me.
With a shake of hands, Agent Black released us. Edward wasted no time whisking me into a waiting car.
I closed my eyes as we drove away, ready to leave the entire ordeal behind me.
I was lulled to sleep by Edward's detailed account of his plan to burn the cabin to the ground.
A/N:
Whew!
A lot happening, but we're back to normal for Edward and Bella. So what comes next? ;)
Translations:
Mafankulo!- Mother Fucker!
Amore, mi dispiace molto!- Love, I'm so sorry!
Principessa- Princess
Pezzo di merda del cazzo!- Piece of shit!
Testa di cazzo- Dickhead!