Surprise! I'm back early! I'm ahead on writing and editing, so I decided to share chapter four ahead of schedule. I'm guessing you guys don't mind ;)

Just a quick public service announcement first:

If you haven't already heard, FFN has reset a ton of accounts, so readers are not receiving emails about story updates. Apparently, each account is going to default to this setting every six months. It's weird, I know. If you have stopped receiving email updates, sign into your account from a PC, go to Account, then Settings, and select to turn your notifications on.

Remember, you can also friend me on Facebook to get updates (the link to my page is in my profile). I always post the link to new chapters on my page as well as on various fan fiction group pages.

I tried to respond to all my amazing reviewers from chapter three, and I am aiming to get responses out to everybody for chapter four too. I love hearing everyone's theories or even just seeing anything pop up in that review box! You guys make this process even more fun than it already is!

So, Bella has a lot to unravel with Mr. GQ-Masen-Cullen, but there are a few chapters left before those layers start to peel back.

Are you guys ready for chapter four? Because, tonight, he's Tony.

EPOV

I zip my jacket as the wind picks up. There's a cold front moving in that makes me miss the comfort of my government car. One of the many cons of undercover work- no free ride.

I re-read the text I received from Aro after I left Bella.

You're needed.

It's ominous, and it can't mean anything good.

I text Mike from the L platform, letting him know I've got a date with the doctor and that Aro's got something planned for the night. When I step onto the train, my agency phone gets silenced and returned to the inside pocket of my jacket because tonight I'm Tony.

Drops of freezing rain begin to splash on the concrete as I hustle down Canal Street. The water stings as it hits the exposed skin on the back of my neck, and I curse my luck.

"Jesus, it's like the fucking arctic out here!" Felix greets me at the front door of his dry cleaning business, holding it open and allowing me to rush past him.

"There's a front moving in, I say, shaking myself dry.

"They think it's gonna snow?"

"Nah, just cold fucking rain."

"Here, you want some coffee or something?" He asks, pouring me a cup from his weathered coffee pot.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." I add a couple of packets of powdered creamer and cradle the cup in my hands, relieving my frost-bitten finger.

"Dimitri's already here," Felix says, leading the way through racks of clothing to the dim-lit office where we're expected to wait.

"Either of you have any idea what we're doing tonight?"

"Nah. Caius knows. He's on his way."

I nod and sip the coffee. It's burnt and sour, and the powdered creamer has formed a film at the top. But its warmth sends a pleasant shiver through me.

"Hey, Tony, heard you did good with Benny last night," Demitri says in greeting.

"Doubt he'll be skimming from us again." I smirk like I'm proud of breaking his bones and leaving him a bloody mess.

"Word on the street is Santiago and Big Freddy came up with a few extra bucks when they paid tribute this morning. My bet is Aro gives you a bonus. He's been in a generous mood today."

"Hey, sounds good to me. I've got bills to pay."

"What fucking bills? You live in that shit-hole apartment. Why the hell you don't get a nicer place I'll never understand," Felix laughs.

I join him, but he's not in on my joke. Someday he'll understand the crappy apartment and why Tony Masen never seems to spend the cash that's filtered his way.

"Aro's parking," Caius announces as he walks in.

"Any clue why the fuck we're here?" I ask.

"Remember that little tiff we had with the Irish over the summer?"

"You mean when they were selling on Aro's turf?"

"They're at it again."

"No shit?" I'm disheartened. The agency is dragging its feet. I turned in a mountain of evidence regarding the O'Henry family months ago. Mike's team even flipped one of the Capos after a petty theft arrest.

"That little prick Jamie is running a drop tonight. Aro found out where."

"And tonight, we put an end to this disrespect." Our attention snaps to the doorway, where Aro stands, beady eyes narrowed and fingers steepled in a demented prayer.

"Where's it going down?" I ask, ignoring the churn in my gut.

"You know the empty garage they own off Lake?" Caius asks. We nod in response.

"How the hell we getting in there?" Felix leans in, his face lit in excitement. He lives for blood-baths.

"I found the backdoor when we did reconnaissance." Aro smiles, and I swear I'm seeing the devil himself.

We begin mapping out a plan. It doesn't go unnoticed by anyone that Aro chooses Caius and me to flank him. Demitri and Felix are on lookout and enforcement.

Aro trusts me. A stupid call on his behalf but a win on mine. I can hear Mike telling me I'm close to the top. Close to getting the evidence we need. The evidence that will provide my ticket home.

A second plan forms in my mind. If I can find a way to record tonight's altercation, I may get evidence that can move up my release from this hell.

The drop is scheduled for one am, so we leave the laundromat at midnight. We take two cars, parking on opposite ends of the street. The garage is smack dab in the middle. We're close enough to see when Jamie O'Henry and his crew show up but far enough away not to be caught.

At twelve fifty-five, Jamie arrives in a suped-up black Escalade that makes me chuckle. He couldn't be carrying illegal substances in a more conspicuous way.

A few minutes after, a nondescript tan Corolla pulls up and honks twice. The garage door rolls open, and the car disappears into the building.

"When do you want to go?" Caius asks, looking to Aro for instruction.

"Let's give them a few minutes to get settled. Allow their nerves to dwindle. We don't want them jumpy. That's how someone ends up shot."

We watch the building like hawks for ten minutes until Aro opens his door without a word and steps onto the curb. Caius and I follow suit while Felix and Demitri do the same down the street.

Aro motions us toward the back of the building. Felix is a skilled lock pick and gets the back door open in less than a minute. Aro goes in first, with Caius and I close on his heels. The other two stand guard, guns drawn.

The back door leads into an office where we can hear the conversation inside the garage but remain hidden in the shadows. I turn my back on Caius and Aro in the ruse of closing the door. In reality, I pull my agency phone from inside my jacket and open my recording app. I slip it into my side pocket before rushing back to where the other men are perched, listening to the deal going down.

Sound echoes off the concrete walls of the building, and it's easy to make out the individual voices arguing inside.

"Nah, man. You said twelve G's. I ain't paying fourteen." I know the voice, Jamie O'Henry.

"Man! I got you some grade-A premium shit right here! You know how in demand this is right now? You're gonna be able to sell it for at least three times that much!" I shake my head in disbelief. The supplier is Embry Call, one of Jacob Black's followers. No wonder Black's been getting cocky. He's in with the Irish.

"Bull shit? You know who buys this shit? High school kids! They ain't paying top dollar for pills! They pay whatever the hell's in their fucking piggy banks!"

"Go to the private schools, colleges! Those kids have daddy's money! Besides, I'm telling you this stuff sells on the street. It's cheaper than dope, and the high is better."

"Fentanyl," I mutter. Caius nods as Aro holds his hand up, silencing us.

We wait until they're done haggling, and the product begins to move hands before we make ourselves known.

Aro's confidence supersedes his intelligence as he steps from his hiding spot into the light, leaving Caius and me to scramble, raising our guns and aiming them toward O'Henry and Call. An O'Henry associate pulls his gun, appearing from behind the trunk of the Escalade.

"Oh, fuck me!" Call panics and glances around, desperate to find an escape route.

"My dear Jamie. How long has it been?" Aro asks, continuing his trek forward, despite Jamie and his henchman pointing their weapons toward him.

"What the fuck are you doing here, old man?" Jamie growls.

"Where are your manners, son? Is that any way to greet an old family friend?"

"You ain't our friend anymore, Volturi!" Jamie cocks his gun, and I raise mine, pointing it at his head.

"No, I suppose not." Aro isn't phased. "A friend would not be planning to sell on another man's turf, would he?"

"You don't have a say on where we sell. And you're stuck in the past, anyway. You don't give the people what they crave. No one wants cocaine and heroin anymore."

"Hmm. I suppose the boy has a point," Aro says, turning to Caius and me. "Perhaps we should help ourselves to some of his product and do a trial run."

"No way!" Embry butts in. "You want this. You gotta buy it!"

Caius fires so fast that we're all taken by surprise. Blood flies across the hood of the Corolla as Embry's body goes limp, slamming against the side of the car and sliding to the ground.

"What a shame," Aro tsks. "Now Jamie, where were we?"

"This ain't your shit! Liam, shoot!" The man behind the SUV steps forward and opens fire as Jamie ducks away, hiding on the opposite side of the car.

Caius takes Liam down in a single shot while Aro doesn't move an inch. I can't decide if he's lost his mind or got too much faith in Caius.

"Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. How you make me out to be someone I'm not. Son, I do not ask twice. This product is ours. So silly of you to believe I would let you disrespect the Volturi family by encroaching on our sales."

"You're gonna start a war with my father over a couple fucking pills?" Jamie screeches, still hiding behind the car, his gun aimed at us from over the hood.

"A couple pills?" Aro laughs. "A couple God damn pills turn into a couple God damn blocks, which turns into an entire fucking territory!"

Aro finally pulls his gun, firing it at Jamie's hand. Jamie's cry rings out in a vile scream, ricocheting against the cinder block walls as he falls back.

"Masen, finish him," Aro orders as he walks toward the back of the Corolla to admire his bounty.

I'm stock-still. It's the first time he's given me a direct order to kill. Aro trusts me. It's the final test.

For a moment, I consider coming clean, arresting them on the spot. But that would only lead to one thing- my death. I close my eyes and will my nausea away.

"What the fuck you waiting for? A gold-plated invitation?" Caius laughs.

"I-"

"Aro gave you an order, go!" He shoves me toward the SUV, where Jamie is lying on the ground, grasping his mangled hand.

"Fuck." I tug at my hair as my gun wavers. I'm shaking so hard I can't keep it steady enough to shoot.

"Just fucking kill me already!" Jamie sobs, and a part of me feels bad for dragging this out and torturing the guy.

I take a steadying breath and hold my weapon with two hands. I know what I need to do. I aim and fire two shots.

I hit him in the side, above the hip, below the lungs. I pray to God I haven't hit anything vital and that Jamie can hang on long enough for me to get help. He gasps for breath as shock takes over his body. He looks at me in disbelief before whimpering and dropping his head to the concrete floor.

He's still, too still. My heart is racing, and I haven't even lowered my weapon. I'm in my own state of shock.

"So?" Caius asks from where he collects Aro's bounty of fentanyl.

My head shoots up, and I realize I'm coming close to blowing my cover. I force myself to move, tucking my gun into the back of my waistband. With shaking limbs, I kneel down, avoiding the pool of blood collecting on the floor. I reach forward and feel the pulse point on Jamie's neck. I nearly cry in relief when I feel the repetitive beat telling me he's still alive.

"Thank fuck," I mutter before standing and meeting Caius's stare. "He's gone."

"Take care of it," Aro demands.

"Okay, yeah, sure," I mumble.

"Get this fucker out of here too. Use the Corolla to transport them, then torch it," he says, kicking at Embry with the toe of his shoe.

I get to work, making it seem like I'm preparing to drag a couple of bodies into the back of the car. By the time I'm on my knees, pretending to move Jamie, Aro's slamming the back door behind him.

"Fuck!" I take Jamie's pulse again. He's starting to fade. I know I need to move fast.

I reach into his pocket and pull out his cell phone, scrolling through his recent calls. There's one number he calls multiple times a day, so I dial it and pray for an answer.

"Hey, baby!" A female picks up after the second ring.

"Hey, who is this?"

"Who the fuck is this?"

"I'm a friend of Jamie's. He's hurt, real bad. He needs to get to the hospital- fast."

"Oh my God!"

"What's your name?"

"V-vicky!" She sobs.

"Vicky, I need you to listen to me. You know the old garage on Lake? I need you to come down here and get him. You got a car?"

"Yes!"

"Get the fuck in it and get here, now!"

I hang up and wipe my prints from Jamie's phone before I put it back in his pocket. Just in case, I don't need the local cops out looking for me. That's a cluster-fuck no one wants.

I grab my agency phone, intent on calling this in, but I freeze when I see the screen.

I've recorded everything. In my hand, I carry the evidence of who shot Jamie O'Henry.

I'm at an impasse. The recording has information that can put Aro's crew away for a long time, but it's also a replay of the worst moment of my life. In court, the defense will use the tape as evidence against me to ruin my testimony.

I turn off the recording and dial Mike.

"Newton," he grumbles.

"Hate to wake you, but we got a problem."

He comes to quickly as I run down the events of the night. I make it clear that I did everything in my power to save Jamie O'Henry, but if I hadn't shot him, I'd be the one dead on the floor.

"You've got to get guys down here, but it can't be obvious. Aro's expecting me to clean up the bodies and dispose of the Corolla. They're coming back later for Jamie's car."

"I'm texting a crew right now. Edward, don't worry about the shit with O'Henry. We can use the evidence against him and get him off the street."

"The second Aro finds out he's alive, I'm fucked."

"We'll figure something out. The girlfriend's coming to get him?"

"Yeah."

"Tell her to give the hospital the name James Hunter. I'll send our guys over to handle things."

"You sure this is gonna work?"

"I'm not going to let you get made, okay?"

There's a pounding on the garage door, and I disconnect with Mike. I roll up the heavy metal just far enough for Jamie's girl to duck under.

"Oh my God!" She screeches.

"He's not dead, but he's fading fast," I explain as she runs to his side.

"He needs an ambulance! Why the hell didn't you call nine one one!"

"Because there's another dead body over there and evidence of a drug deal gone bad! You want him linked to all that?"

"Oh my God!"

"Your car out front?"

"Yeah," she sniffles.

"Help me carry him out there. Then I want you to drive him to Chicago Mercy."

"He'll die in the car!"

"Drive fast."

"I'm calling nine-one-one!" She whips out her phone, and I swipe it out of her hands.

"You can't call the cops from here!"

"Fine. I'll call them from McGillicutys! It's around the corner."

"And tell them what."

"I don't know- that we were in a drive-by or something!"

"Jesus. Fine. Let's get him out of here before anyone comes back and realizes he's not dead."

Jamie's semi-coherent, so we're able to swing his arms over each of our shoulders and help him stumble toward the car. I feel bad for Vicky, who gets blood from his hand all over her leopard print top.

"One more thing," I say as I close the door to the passenger side of the car. "Tell them his name is James Hunter. There are people out there who think Jamie O'Henry is dead. They'll come after him if they find out he's not."

"Thank you!" Vicky throws her arms around me, and I stumble, unprepared for the emotional onslaught. "What's your name?" She asks.

"You can call me… Ed."

"Thank you, Ed!" She's behind the wheel and speeding off in a flash. Down the street, I see a couple of cold cars rolling in.

I sigh and take my phone out to check the time- two oh five am. I open my texts and click on the first thread, typing a quick message before I complete the transition back to Agent Cullen.

Hi Dr. Bella, it's Tony Masen. Hope you're having a good night. I can't wait for Friday. I'll be thinking of you until then. -T

A/N: Agent Cullen is carrying the world on his shoulders. I think it might be time for him to have someone around who isn't involved in the world of fighting organized crime. Maybe a certain doctor? Their first date is up next. Will things be smooth sailing, or are we going to have some bumps in the road? I might be nice and let them have a couple of good nights- we'll have to wait and see!

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