BPOV
"Are you sure you're okay?" I ask Emmett for at least the fiftieth time since leaving the motel this morning.
He shoots me a glare while I grip the wheel.
The doctor said he would be discharged the next day so we took that as an opportunity to spring him.
I look back to my accomplice in the backseat.
Carmen sits with her sunglasses on looking bored out of her mind. She's in a sheer black blouse tucked in her black slacks, a vast difference from my black t-shirt and jeans. Em is even wearing sweats.
She has proven to be an unlikely ally to me, but with Eleazar now recovering in the hospital, Carmen volunteered her services since Emmett is unable to be my backup.
I bumped into her at the hospital after she was leaving Carlisle's room, she did the talking while he listened. We knew he was listening because when he was told of Esme's passing you could see the light dim from his eyes.
Edward couldn't stay in his father's presence after seeing that, but these were all after-shocks of the plan Carlisle concocted.
I ease up on the wheel not letting my bitterness seep in because I need to be in full control for what we are about to do. I couldn't let everything else cloud my judgment, that would leave too much room for error.
I needed to go into this excursion knowing we were going to get Coco out safely. I wasn't going to let this family taint this precious child's childhood any longer.
The plan was for Carmen to lead and I would extract Coco while she handles Aro. Emmett would be parked down the street awaiting our return.
From what Liam told Edward, Aro was hiding out in a vacation house of one of his associates in Miami with Maria. It had been all over the news that most of his men had been arrested in raids at each one of Aro's estates.
I see the sign welcoming us to Atlanta.
Only nine hours and thirty-four minutes until we're in Miami.
My body is exhausted, I've been exhausted since Coco was taken from us. I can't sleep in the guest room and I know Edward hovers outside my door every night hoping I would forgive him.
Part of me wants to forgive him, but there is a part of me that sees how unscathed he appears by everything that has happened, all done by his hand. Carlisle is at least suffering from his consequences, though unfortunately, Esme was the casualty.
Though the doctor says he will fully recover, I think his broken heart will slow down his recovery. He's despondent and quiet when anyone visits, I've had a few patients to whom this has happened to when they lost a loved one.
Emmett lets out a staggered breath bringing me back to the present, I shoot him a sideways glance.
The bullet wound was a clean shot, he was lucky no bullet fragments were left behind. The entry and exit of the bullet made the surgeon's job much easier.
"Stop, I'm good, B. Just a little sore," he insists.
Carmen leans forward on the console until she is between us. "Men are the worst when it comes to pain, Dr. Bella. Unlike us, they can't handle it," she says with a smirk.
Emmett swats at her with his hand closest to her.
"Geez, a bullet went through me. I think I can safely say I have a reason to be a little uncomfortable," he says with a huff.
"You better not hold us back," she warns him before sitting back in her seat.
This has become her motto since we've left Boston.
Carmen was an unlikely choice for this task, but I knew Florida fell under her family's jurisdiction. If anyone had their ear to the ground, it would be her.
Emmett grumbles back at her under his breath, but I can't make out what he's saying.
He, like me, has been through a lot and is refusing to talk to Rose. I, unfortunately, had the unenviable task of telling him that they kept us in the dark. Needless to say, he too felt used.
I think Edward and Rosalie's lack of remorse for not only their compliance with Carlisle's disgusting strategy, in addition to excluding any input from Emmett and myself, also made the situation worse for us. We all love Coco, but for her family to just let her be taken like that without thinking of the long-term emotional and mental ramifications they would have on her, made me sick.
Edward has said we'd raise her together, but if this is what he lets happen to his own niece, what would he be like with any of our future children? I couldn't live with that sense of doubt plaguing me.
Carmen's phone starts to ring as it has for days.
I know it's him.
It always is.
"Edward, amor, to what do I owe this daily pleasure," Carmen answers cheerily, I can't see her roll her eyes due to the sunglasses, but I can sense it.
"I am not going down this road with you again, mi amigo. I have business I'm trying to tend to," she says breezily.
I can hear him get louder as she moves her phone from her ear.
"Si, si adios," she laughs.
"Your husband is close," she tells me.
I'm not surprised, I knew as soon as I was gone he'd come after me.
"How close?" I ask.
"He might beat us to Aro's safe house, close," she says with grit.
She wants Aro to die at her hand.
"Ed is resourceful, but he's all over the news, he's not dumb," Emmett says with a wince adjusting in his seat.
"I'm all over the news," I say pointing to the Yankee's cap that's been on my head for the past few days.
A quiet envelopes the car, but I know she is right. Edward is close. I can feel his presence closing in on me.
So for the next few hours, I drive cautiously hoping that when we need to stop for a break Edward doesn't see us.
Edward challenged me in ways that I didn't know I needed, but with what happened to Coco, my trust in him was broken. It was like he had become someone else entirely, I thought he loved her as much as I did.
The quieter I am, the more analytical I get about his deceit. I didn't have a plan for once we got Coco back, but a part of me thinks I should contact my dad and ask for his help. Sue might find me to be an annoyance, but I was sure my dad would help if I asked for it.
When we're an hour outside of Miami, Emmett offers to drive the rest of the way so I let him. His discomfort in the driver's seat does make me worry about him and if we'll be able to leave quickly when the time comes.
"This neighborhood is gated," Carmen says when we're a street away. "The security is shitty though."
I nod, turning in my seat to look at her.
It's dark out so her sunglasses are off, I see how bloodshot her eyes are. Though Eleazar will live he might be paralyzed for the rest of his life. Carmen was still so torn up about his prognosis that she wouldn't talk about it much like Carlisle, but her feelings of guilt were palpable.
"So where do we go?" I ask timidly.
"There is a break in the southeast side of the fence, teenagers use it to sneak in and out of Mami and Papi's homes," she smirks. "One of my clients lives here, my men come and go all the time through that hole."
Emmett turns to me warily as he pulls up to the break in the fencing Carmen indicated.
"Don't, we'll be fine," I tell him.
I surprisingly trust Carmen and it's only Maria and Aro in the house.
"Keep the lights off but the car running," Carmen instructs before getting out of the car.
I follow behind her making sure my holster is secure to my hip.
We're in dark clothing so I don't anticipate us getting caught easily while we venture into this neighborhood at night. It's also a good bit later in the evening, so hopefully, we can get in and out without too much of a showdown with Aro.
The plan was for me to get out with Coco so Carmen could handle him. We weren't to deviate from the plan, this is something she's been adamant about the past few days.
We move to the southeast edge of the property where the stone gates are located. There is a large hole dug under the foundation of the gates. Apparently, Carmen's connections were very reliable.
Carmen army crawls under the gate first with me following quickly behind her.
When I climb out she is brushing the dirt off her seemingly expensive outfit.
We move through the backyards of five houses before she stops looking over a hedge. The house is about the size of our house, not grossly huge, but big enough to get a little turned around.
The lights are low downstairs and there is only one light on upstairs. Carmen turns to me holding her finger to her lips.
I nod.
She moves us to the front of the house which is oddly completely dark. Aro's intentionally keeping the porch light off.
Carmen digs into her pocket pulling out two tools that look like they are used for picking locks.
"I'll open the door quickly, sneak past and disable the alarm code. It's twelve, thirty-one, eighty-five," she murmurs.
"Twelve, thirty-one, eighty-five," I repeat.
"Exactly," she nods with a smile.
She turns back to her work and with the click of the lock turning she offers me a quiet "Go".
I hurry by opening the alarm panel and plugging in the code.
It beeps lowly before it deactivates.
Carmen is beside me, giving my shoulder a squeeze. I follow while we do a quick sweep of the downstairs where there are no signs of life.
She is quick to move us upstairs when I hear Coco.
"I want my angel mama," she cries out before I hear. "I want my Bewwa."
I start to move forward but Carmen grabs my bicep stopping me and shakes her head.
"They are gone, you are going to live with me and your Nonno," I hear Maria tell her.
"Nooooooooo," she cries.
That is when everything spirals so quickly.
Coco runs out into the hallway where she spots me instantly.
"Bewwa," she squeals, taking off to me.
"Ar—" Maria starts to bellow before Carmen shoots her in the head.
We both have silencers on our guns, so Coco luckily doesn't hear the shot or when Maria falls limply to the floor she just keeps running until I snatch her up in my arms.
I hold her to me quickly making my way down the stairs.
"Maria?" Aro says from the hallway.
I'm at the bottom of the landing when I hear the first shot from Aro. I hear Carmen stumble, it's the second shot that clips my shoulder when I feel the searing pain.
With Coco in my arms, I jump off the landing, diving us onto the carpet so we are hidden.
"He went down the other side of the hallway, Bella," Carmen calls out, a hiss in her voice evident.
There must be stairs in the kitchen, I can see it's across from us.
Coco is now wailing and scared.
Through my pain I pick us up moving toward the open door when I hear another shot, I dodge going down a side hallway.
"Shhh, baby," I soothe in Coco's ear trying to calm her down.
I know she's scared but her cries are alerting Aro to where we are.
I move us to a dark room bumping into some furniture. Coco's cries turn more to hiccups, her face buried into my neck on the side that isn't hit.
Aro starts taunting me from the hallway.
I let my fingers brush through Coco's hair while I kiss her temple.
Regret seeps through my bones.
This is why they let Aro take her because they wanted to draw him out. They also didn't want Coco to see what would happen if we fought for her. If I can't get us out of here, she'll see my death.
I move her over to my other side where the pain slices through me, I use my free hand to grab my gun. He got my dominant side so I won't have an advantage when I shoot.
The door opens, and light from the hallway shines past Aro's shadowy figure in the doorway.
"You need to show your face and take accountability for what you have done, Isabella," he says chillingly before a cackle rips through him. "You took three of my children away from me. A girl who merely struck it lucky enough to worm her way into my organization."
With Coco clinging to me I try to shield her from my next steps as best as I can, but I shakily hold my gun up.
He raises his up but still doesn't see where we are hidden in the room.
He remains in the hallway when he turns ever so slightly.
He sees us.
I slide Coco down, turning with my gun aimed.
I watch him move his finger on the trigger, but suddenly he's grabbing his chest. Blood begins to pour down his bare chest onto his robe until he falls forward.
I drop my gun scooping Coco back into my arms and making sure she can't see. I stand moving closer to the doorway.
Carmen had to have got him.
I step around him peering out into the hallway where my father and Edward stand.
"Dad?" I ask, while his gun is firmly in his hand.
"Bells," he sighs.
Coco has me in a death grip. The pain in my shoulder starts to become unbearable as I stagger forward.
"Doc," Edward says, stepping forward.
I sag into him.
"Fuck, she's been hit," he says taking Coco from my arms and handing her to my dad.
Coco's wails pick up until everything fades to black.
A/N: I can say we are wrapping up. I have to say many thanks to CoppertopJ for her edits and support in this chapter. Any mistakes are my own.