SECRETS AND SPIES

Chapter Eleven

My jaw involuntarily drops as Bella utters her shocking disclosure. The implausible claim that hundred pounds when wet Bella could be anybody's bodyguard whirls in my head, and for a brief moment it's like the world has slipped on its axis. Every tragic and troubling event that has happened to me over the previous two weeks would need to be reassessed after hearing her admit,

"Isn't it obvious by now, Edward? I'm working for your father."

Without waiting for a response, Bella lunges towards me, forcibly drags me onto the veranda, reaches behind me to slam the cabin door, and then pushes me towards the bike. I can't go back in as my keys are on the other side so I have no alternative but to do what she says.

"Get on the back," she orders as she takes hold of the handlebars, springs onto the seat, and turns the ignition. I shuffle on behind her and begin a frantic search for the footrests while she slides a bulky looking helmet over her head. I'm stunned when I see her helmet has what looks like night-vision goggles attached to the visor which explains why she and the others don't need to use headlamps.

"Hold on tight," she shouts over the roar of the engine and pushes away before I have the chance to tell her I've never been on a motorcycle before. Luckily I'd pulled on a thick hoodie when the cabin got cold about an hour ago, but I'm wearing loose leather slippers which are not ideal in the circumstances.

There's no opportunity to ask where we're going, so I fling my arms around her waist and pray to any deities listening to protect me from falling off. The bike bumps down the rocky slope until we reach the track where five other riders are revving their engines and yelling at Bella to get moving.

As we join the others, I spot the lights of three vehicles approaching from the direction of the city. Are these guys the enemy, or is the real enemy the girl I'm admittedly enjoying clinging onto? Even more worrying, is this 'rescue' just a trick to take me to a place I really don't want to be? If it is, it's much too late to do anything now. I've handed myself over to Bella and these bikers, which means my fate is totally in their hands.

The pack roars off in the direction of the lake, which ominously is in the opposite direction to civilization. Bella places herself behind the biker who I presume is the leader, because he or she, I can't tell which, is doing the most shouting. The noise of the bikes is so loud my eardrums are throbbing. Nervously I let go of Bella with one arm to try to pull my hood over my head, but the wind whips it away almost immediately.

As we plunge into the starlit blackness, the cold night air stings my exposed face and hands. In less than a minute they're numb. Bella's leathers retain her body heat for her own benefit so I'm hugging the equivalent of a cold hot-water bottle. Without my hoodie, I'd freeze to death. "This is a fucking nightmare," I mutter under my breath even though I totally accept this is the most exciting night of my life so far.

Bella's slim frame is my anchor as we twist and turn across the bumpy terrain. For most of the first few minutes of the ride my eyes are tightly shut; my left cheek pressed against her crash helmet and my knees firmly clamped against her leather-clad thighs. Even if my eyes were open I wouldn't be able to see more than thirty yards ahead; the blackness is too dense, which means Bella and the others must be totally reliant on their night-vision goggles. Knowing the type of land we're crossing, I'm well aware the bike could hit rocks or a sleeping animal, and at any moment we could be propelled headlong onto the unforgiving ground. I try to dismiss this scenario and concentrate on holding on to Bella for dear life.

Even though we're on nifty dirt bikes, our speed is proving no match against heavy-duty SUVs with over-sized wheels that are able to skim over obstacles bikes carrying passengers are obliged to avoid. The vehicles are rapidly closing the gap and even though they are still some distance away, the beams from their headlamps are now lighting the ground in front of us. Bella is shouting something, which I initially presume is reassurance, but when I move my head closer to her face I realize she's speaking into some sort of Walkie-Talkie attached to her jacket.

My eyes are fully open now and I'm feeling more confident on the pillion and with Bella's biking skills. I risk taking a look around to see if I can pinpoint where we are. To my left, the surface of the lake is glittering in the starlight which means we must be close to the bank. Gauging the distance we've traveled, we must be on the far side by now.

When the lake is behind us and we're speeding across a flat part of the plain, one of the riders shouts, "Split NOW!" Immediately the others peel off in a fan formation. The other lightless bikes and black-clad bodies are instantly swallowed by the night, leaving Bella and me alone in the darkness.

"Three vehicles, six bikes," Bella yells at me. "We've got a fifty-fifty chance of not being followed."

I realize then why the other bikes had pillion passengers. This would make picking us out of the pack almost impossible unless our trackers are able to spot I'm the only one without a helmet and not in leathers. Whoever planned my rescue, or abduction if this what this is, they certainly knew what they were doing. This knowledge still doesn't make me feel any more comfortable about what is happening, or able to predict when or how this is going to end.

Bella steers the bike in the direction of higher ground while I pray for both of us that our bike is in the lucky fifty percent. I have a rough idea where Bella is heading and estimate that within a few minutes we'll reach the edge of the pine forest which marks where the flat plain ascends towards the base of the mountains.

As we bounce and swerve over the uneven land, it becomes obvious we're not being followed anymore as light from the vehicles' headlamps is not illuminating our path. The roar from the following vehicles slowly fades which enables me to relax for a while, before remembering Bella could still be the enemy, despite her claim that she's working for my dad.

After a few more minutes of being painfully jolted every few seconds, a dense wall of conifers appears in front of us and Bella slows the bike to a crawl. When we're almost at the tree line she stops the bike and indicates I should dismount. She leaps off and attaches her helmet to the handlebars.

"Help me push the bike," Bella orders assertively.

"Yes ma'am!" I respond and get hold of one handlebar and the seat. I do my best to push the heavy bike uphill and deeper into the trees even though my legs feel like Jell-o after the ride and my footwear isn't ideal for walking across damp, uneven ground. The leather inner sole is soon soaked and my feet, which fortunately still have socks on, are not able to grip sufficiently. I'm also cold and feel nauseous from being thrown about, and have to swallow several times to stop myself from throwing up.

The forest floor is treacherous with fallen branches and tree roots poking through a thick carpet of needles and unforgiving bracken. Several times we're obliged to change direction before being able to head uphill again.

"Can we stop here?" I beg as I'm feeling exhausted both mentally and physically.

"No!" Bella hisses. "We've got about another fifty yards or so to go."

"Go where?"

"You'll see."

Sighing audibly I continue hauling the bike while trying to recall why the hell I'd found Bella's feistiness so attractive. At the moment her impersonation of a Marine is wearing a bit thin, especially as I still don't know where the hell we're going.

I'm just about to yell something along the lines of, 'Fuck This', when the outline of what looks like a wooden shelter comes into view. Another few yards further on, the almost igloo-shaped outline becomes sharper so it's plain this is the place Bella has been heading for.

The shelter's sturdily built log walls are topped by an arched roof that touches the forest floor on both sides and covered by green pine branches to camouflage its presence from anyone looking down from above. The lintel of the door-less opening is less than three feet off the ground so the space inside would only be accessible by crawling in on hands and knees. Close up, the shelter looks as though it's been here for years, although the roof has been re-covered lately as the greenery smells freshly cut.

"Help me lay the bike on its side," Bella orders, only in a less authoritative voice than before. As she's saying this she dives into the shelter and drags out what at first glance looks like a thick black sheet before leaving it on the ground by the entrance.

Together we drop the heavy bike on its side before we cover it with the sheet which I notice has a silver lining on the inside.

"The bike's hot," Bella explains. "If they've got heat-seeking drones they'll spot the bike in minutes. The thermal lining won't let any heat escape so will be invisible from above. Now get under cover, because you're radiating heat as well."

As I clamber through the door of the shelter into a cramped and even darker space, there are a thousand questions on my mind. But the one I definitely want answering must be …

"Is my father still alive?"

Bella crawls into the shelter and pulls down a thick black drape that has been rolled up over the entrance, securing it at several points around the edges. We're now in total darkness. When my eyes get used to the lack of light, I can just make out Bella fumbling about on the floor. A few seconds later there's a click and the tiniest amount of light from a battery-operated tea-lamp spreads into the central part of the cabin which bathes Bella in an eerie glow.

After unzipping her leather jacket she detaches the Walkie-Talkie from the collar and presses a red button on the side. She waits a few seconds then speaks in whispers to whoever is listening.

"In position and bedding down for the night; signing off now."

I open my mouth to say something but Bella puts her finger to her lips indicating for me to stay quiet. I'm so stunned by what's going on around me it doesn't occur to me to ask why.

"Have you got your cell?" she whispers.

I nod in affirmation.

"Turn it off," she replies. "If they've got your number they might be able to track its position."

I fumble in my hoodie pocket for my cell and feel for the off button. The screen lights up for a second and a picture of Mitzi appears. I smile for a brief second before it turns black. My hands are visibly shaking as I slide it back into my pocket, and to be frank, I'm embarrassed as Bella seems so in control compared to me.

Bella crawls to the back of the hideout and drags a large black canvas bag from under the eaves, from where she pulls out two rolled-up sleeping bags, two thin blankets, bottles of water, and several packs of cookies. She tosses one of the bottles over to me, unscrews the top of her own, and takes a long drink.

After wiping her mouth she wriggles out of her jacket and shakes out one of the blankets so she can wrap it around her shoulders. Taking one of the sleeping bags she makes it cushion-shaped and sits cross-legged on top of it. When she's comfortable she looks directly into my eyes.

"I suppose you have some questions?" she whispers.

"Too fucking right I do," I reply more forcefully than I intended.

"Keep your voice down," she hisses. "They're probably searching for us right now and I've no idea what equipment they've got access to. If it's military-grade, it'll pick up your breathing fifty yards away."

"Who the fuck are they?" I whisper angrily.

"To be totally honest, I don't know. We've absolutely no idea who is coming after you or why, unless it's for the reason I said earlier."

"Great! So if you're the good guys, why the hell aren't you picking these people up now?" I spit. "If they are my father's murderers, why aren't the cops out there arresting these fuckers. They're not exactly discreet?"

"Because, Edward, if your father is still alive and the guys in the SUVs are arrested, who are probably just hired thugs anyway, whoever's holding him may kill him. Your father's already dead in the eyes of the authorities. If there's no new body to prove otherwise, there's nothing they could be charged with."

"Jesus!" I huff and tug my hair in frustration. The logic of what Bella is saying is sound but it still doesn't answer my next burning question. Who are the 'we' she's talking about and of course, who the hell is she?

And then I recall what was on my laptop when I heard her bike coming up the track. The word, lychees, is an indication dad could still be alive and is somehow trying to communicate with me. Either that or his captors have managed to get the computer password out of him and are taunting me to look for him, even though they warned me to back off. Why would they use garbled emails though, and why would dad not send a proper message if he has access to a computer? Even just the word, 'Help!"

I stare at Bella who is watching me intently. Can I trust her now and tell her what I'd seen on the computer? She could be working for dad's abductors or murderers, so whether to take a chance and trust her is something I've got to make my mind up about quickly. If I told her about the word, she could alert whoever she's working for that dad is able to send secret messages, so keeping this to myself for the moment is the safest option.

"You still don't trust me, do you?" Bella states as though she can read my mind.

"I want to, but I can't. There's too much at stake here. If you really are my bodyguard, why didn't you tell me this when I got back from San Francisco? Why keep it a secret? And another thing, I know you're pissed with me about the alternator 'misunderstanding', (I do the air quotes thing), but I'm going to say this to your face and I don't care if you're pissed with me or not. How the hell do you expect me to believe that a five feet four-inch girl who probably doesn't weigh more than a hundred pounds, can protect me against whoever's out there?

"Because …." Bella hisses then flings her hand up in a stop sign. "Shhhh!" she whispers and points upwards.

Bella dims the light. The hideout is plunged into darkness again. I can hear nothing other than the noises of the forest, only Bella knows something or someone is there. Blood hammers in my ears. My heart gallops alarmingly. Anticipating the moment when the trackers burst into the shack to capture us is agony.

Bella's sharp intake of breath alerts me to a high-pitched whirr which cuts through the silence. Even though there's a roof covering us, I automatically look upwards. The drone lingers over the shack for what feels like an eternity before it slowly moves away. Relief is premature. There's a crack, and another, followed by a shuffling noise directly outside the shelter. In the impenetrable dark, I feel rather than see Bella move from her sitting position to station herself in front of the heavy drape. There's a distinctive click from inside the cabin which tells me she really is holding a gun this time.

A sudden urge to yell out and break the tension overwhelms me. Instead, I shove my fist in my mouth and hunch forwards into a ball, until I hear the unmistakable snort of an animal blowing through its nostrils before it wanders away, totally oblivious to the anxiety it caused. Bella audibly exhales.

Sensing Bella's body warmth indicates to me she's moved away from the entrance and is back on her cushion. I stay silent because it's clear now why I have to follow her directions. I'll talk when it's safe to talk. I desperately want to hold her hands, only she may take this as a sign of weakness. Even though I'm terrified, I certainly don't feel weak. If we are attacked, I'll fight to the death to protect Bella and myself. The danger isn't over though as the drone returns to hover over the hideout once more before moving away again.

Darkness has sharpened my hearing. The mountain's nocturnal predators' howls and screeches mute my own and Bella's shallow breathing. Trees rustle and snap in the night breeze. Animals scurry past the hideout. As I stare into the inky blackness I've never felt so alert and close to nature as I do now. If my stomach muscles weren't screaming in pain and I could breathe properly, this would be an incredible experience.

It's impossible to assess how long we've been in the dark when Bella leans forward and flicks the lamp back on which illuminates the small gap between us. A warm glow brushes her cheeks and picks out auburn highlights in her hair. Her beautiful eyes look mysterious in the half-light which reminds me why I'm so attracted to her, even though the events of the last half-hour are a massive barrier between us and issues will need to be addressed.

"You've got a gun," I whisper.

"Yes." Bella replies. "Forget about the trackers. We're in mountain lion and bear country. It's for my protection as well as yours."

"Thanks for reminding me," I reply slightly facetiously. "Forgive me for saying this though; the last thing I feel is protected."

"Are you still concerned your bodyguard is only five feet four and weighs a hundred pounds?" Bella responds aggressively.

"Does it really matter what I think, Bella?"

"Yes, it does to me."

"Why?"

"Because you're the reason I'm here, Edward."

"What do you mean by that? I thought you were working for my dad."

"My contract is indirectly for your father, so yes, that's why I'm here. When he died, I could've walked away from The Yard and you immediately, but I didn't. I like to finish the jobs I start. Admittedly, I still need to be near my mom and I've begun to like living in Colorado. I really enjoy working at the Yard. I like Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice. I even like Jake. But most of all … I like you, Edward. You're the only reason I've stayed."

I swallow hard as I digest what Bella has admitted. Does this 'like' mean just like, as in 'you're an alright and cool kinda guy', or does it mean 'like' as in … really like. I have to tread very carefully here as even though this is totally the wrong place and time to be thinking like this, I don't want to mess up this opportunity by saying the wrong thing.

"I like you too, Bella. To be honest, I more than just 'like' you, even though the girl I know as Bella Swan has turned into GI Jane. When you threatened to leave this morning I admitted that to you, remember?"

Bella nods her head. Her eyes are fixed on the tea lamp. She doesn't respond so I continue.

"Jake told me you said you didn't date co-workers because it could get messy, which is why I've held off asking you for a date."

Bella smiles and shakes her head.

"That was a bullshit line, Edward. I'd only been working with you guys for a week when Jake pounced on me. I thought that statement would shake him off. I was wrong."

"So would you consider going on a date with me?"

Bella nods her head and smiles broadly even though she still can't look at me as though she's embarrassed. "I'd like that," she quietly replies.

I reach over the lamp and take her hand and give it a little tug. "Come here," I whisper.

She shuffles over to me and I kiss the top of her head as she snuggles against my chest.

"In any other circumstances, this would be very romantic," I chuckle as I wrap my arms around her.

"It still could be," Bella giggles, "but I … sorry, I mean we've got to stay alert."

I kiss her on top of her head again and then lightly place my fingers under her chin and tip her face upwards so she's looking into my eyes.

"Would kissing you make us less alert?"

"That depends on the kiss," she answers smoothly.

"Hmmmmm," I reply then gently touch my lips on hers.

"Still alert?"

"Mmmm Mmmm," Bella nods and grins.

I kiss her again, applying more pressure this time, lingering for a few seconds before giving her a questioning look. She returns a mischievous smile which is encouraging.

"No problems yet. My ears still work," she responds as she slides one hand behind my neck, burying her fingers in my hair. Her other hand gently strokes my cheek before she roughly pulls my face towards hers, opens her mouth, and covers my lips with hers.

I don't need a written invitation to take this further. Without interrupting the kiss, I shuffle onto my knees before slowly easing her onto her back so her head is resting on the folded sleeping bag. As she wriggles underneath me to get comfortable this has an exquisite effect on a certain part of my anatomy. Drones listening in or not, I can't stop myself moaning in gratitude. After breaking for air, I push my tongue into her mouth, work my fingers of one hand into her hair, gripping the back of her head so I can control her movements. My other hand clasps her free hand, holding it above her head.

I'm on fire, only I know this is as far as we dare go. For a start, we're both listening out for danger. More important though, I'm unprepared for such an unexpected encounter. In other words, grabbing condoms was not a priority when Bella dragged me out of the cabin half an hour ago. Kissing, sadly, must be the only item on the menu. I'm absolutely taking full advantage though.

Bella's mouth is soft and warm, and she's definitely a very experienced kisser. One of her legs has hooked itself over my hip which is distracting. On any other encounter like this that particular movement would be a definite green light for me to ask to go further. Dammit. As my passion levels increase I'm becoming more aroused and it's impossible to disregard what's going on in my pants. Bella moving under me isn't helping my self-control either so restraining my hands from wandering is a nightmare.

When we break for air she brushes my hair away from my forehead and kisses the end of my nose. I roll onto my back, pull her on top of me and we lie still for a while, listening to the night breeze in the trees surrounding our hideout. We kiss again but more gently this time. Bella sighs and I take that as a signal to stop.

"Too distracting for my bodyguard?" I ask as my eyes search for clues in her face as to how my kisses have affected her.

"Just within limits, Mr Cullen," Bella quips. "I suggest no further advancements at this stage."

"Message received and understood, ma'am," I reply and salute her. She giggles and rolls off me so she's lying by my side.

The bare ground beneath me is hard on my shoulder blades and hips, but that doesn't take anything away from what I'm feeling. The memory of our first kisses will go to the grave with me.

Bella shuffles down so she can lay her head on my chest. I'm sure she can hear my heart pounding but this time it's not through fear.

"You need to sleep," she whispers as she cuddles up closer.

"I know, but before I shut my eyes I need you to tell me how you came to be my bodyguard. I know your dad's a cop, but this isn't a normal profession for a girl of your age, and, I'll risk saying this, your physical stature."

Bella sits up again and I'm expecting her to retaliate for that moderately sexist comment, even though it wasn't meant that way. It's probably gone midnight by now but I'm wide awake, so if we're going to talk about anything, how she came to be my bodyguard is probably the best bedtime story imaginable.

"Okay," she says and shuffles onto her knees. "If we're doing this now we might as well be warm," she adds as she grabs hold of the spare sleeping bag and blankets. After shaking them out we lie on top of the sleeping bag. Bella covers us with the blankets while I rearrange the other sleeping bag so it's wide enough for both our heads.

Bella snuggles up beside me and when we're both comfortable, I'm ready to listen to Bella's tale, which turns out to be totally not what I expected.

A shorter chapter than usual. Hopefully, the thin slice of lemon is a small compensation?

So, how has Bella come to be a bodyguard and a landscape gardener? The two professions hardly go together. Contrived or a coincidence? Will he believe anything she tells him, and will she be entirely honest with him now?

Lots of revelations to come including who has hired her.

Joan x