SECRETS AND SPIES
Chapter Twenty
Like two belligerent teenagers we stay in separate rooms resting, and most likely sulking, until Sue calls us down for pizza at five-thirty. I love Sue's pizzas only I seem to be eating nothing but pizza lately.
Bella and I meet at the top of the stairs where I'm expecting the atmosphere to be frosty at best. When Bella comes out of Sue's bedroom wearing Sue's clothes it's impossible for me to hold it together. My face cracks into a grin as soon as she appears. I'd accused Bella of turning into Combat Barbie. Now she's 1960's Hippy Barbie – looking more like Carole King in her heyday than GI Jane.
"Great disguise," I say trying to stem the laughter that's trying to explode from me. To be totally honest though, the look suits her. A tie-die multi-colored T-shirt over a mid-length layered skirt in various shades of blue along with her long, curly hair which she's pulled out of her ponytail; she could easily have stepped out of an original photograph of '60s San Francisco. She just needs a few bells around her neck and a flower in her hair, and she'd be one of the kids Scott Mackenzie sings about.
"Yeah, funny," Bella sighs. "Sue's jeans don't fit me, so it had to be a skirt or a dress. I haven't worn either in years. If Sue had a closet of men's hippy clothes, I could've disguised you as Sonny Bono and we'd have matched, apart from your hair."
Indicating that she should go down the stairs first, I follow her to the kitchen where Sue is slicing the pizza into triangles. She's already pulled the blinds down on the windows so we can't be spied on which I was going to ask her to do. Bella takes a seat at the table and I sit opposite while Sue places the pizza and a bowl of salad in front of us.
"Aren't you having any?" I ask when I notice she hasn't set herself a place.
"No, Edward. You guys need to talk. I suggest you use this last half hour to resolve your issues before you go out the door. I'll be in the study if you need a referee. Edward? Bella?"
We both nod in agreement and Sue leaves, closing the kitchen door behind her. There follow at least ten seconds of awkward silence before Bella breaks it with an unexpected apology.
"Sorry for being secretive."
"Yeah, I'm sorry too. We've both been dicks."
"Yeah, well, it's in my psyche to be a dick. You do understand that, don't you? My job was very dangerous so trusting people without question is difficult for me; in fact, it's impossible. I've truly wanted to believe everything you've told me, but I've had to check and double-check you out at every step. I've got strong feelings for you as well, which are distracting when I'm trying to think logically. I have to put these to one side and forget who you are and what you mean to me."
Bella is staring at the pizza while she's talking. Admitting she's been secretive and that she has feelings for me has taken me by surprise as I was expecting Feisty Bella to be on the defensive. I know I have to respond positively, even though I'm still not a hundred percent certain she's telling me everything.
"I get it you've been checking me out. I checked you out, and like you, I don't trust anyone at the moment; even the guys at The Yard. Losing my dad was hard, but treating my friends with suspicion and seeing them as possible enemies has been almost as difficult. I love those guys like family and the thought that any of them could sell me out has been devastating. When Sue told me the basement had been searched I was gutted. This proved there was a Judas in the camp but I didn't know who."
Bella had taken a slice of pizza while I was talking and is tearing into it like she hasn't eaten for weeks. I'm not sure whether she's trying to avoid responding to what I just said but I won't get any more out of her while she's eating.
"This is awesome," she says with her mouth full. "Have some before it gets cold."
We don't talk anymore while we demolish the pizza embarrassingly quickly then finish off with the salad. Sue has left bottles of coke on the table so we have one each.
"Jesus, I need a cigarette," Bella huffs and looks longingly at the door to the yard.
"You can't go out there," I remind her. "Yorkie will be here soon. You'll have to hold on 'til then."
"So we're going for it then? You trust Yorkie to get us away from here?"
"He's our only option. We either escape with him or I'm arrested, either out on the street or from the back of his car."
"Do you really think he wants to help us?"
"I don't know. We'll find out soon enough. I wish I could get in the house before we go but that's impossible. Do you have your backpack here?"
"Yes, and I've charged my cell so I'm good to go."
"Okay. Look … Bella, I'm going to ask you something and I want you to be honest. Are you armed? Do you have a weapon in that bag?"
"Yes, I do."
I was half-expecting that response but I'm still shocked - one - that she's got a gun with her, and two - that she answered without hesitation.
"How the hell did you get it through airport security?"
"There's a special compartment in this bag that conceals the shape of the gun when it goes through scanners. It's still a risk, but I considered it a risk worth taking."
"Jesus!" I can't help exclaiming. "What else have you got in that bag?"
"Nothing as exciting as that. Girly stuff. Hand grenade. Smoke bombs. Cigarette dart gun – the usual."
"You're joking."
"Course I'm joking. It would've been useful to have a grenade though; even a stun one."
I force a laugh but end up shaking my head. The situation is getting more and more bizarre every second and where firearms are involved, there's the opportunity for one or both of us not getting out of this alive. I know I have to say something.
"This is not my life, Bella. I know you're trying to put me at ease, but what could happen in the next few hours or days terrifies me. I know if I hadn't been suspicious of my dad's death in the first place none of this would be happening. Now I feel as though I'm in a fast-moving car and I can't jump out anymore."
Bella looks at me hard as though she's assessing me.
"If you could jump, would you?"
My response is instant. "No! Not now. I've got to see this through. I can't go through life not knowing what happened. Dad could still be alive and I'd be abandoning him to whatever he's being put through. Those weird emails convinced me to carry on. I'm sure it was him who sent me the one I picked up in the cabin. He was alive then; I'm certain of it. I don't know if he's alive now, but I've got to find out who took him."
"Are you keeping any secrets from me now, Edward? Is there anything you haven't told me?"
I think hard about what I have and haven't told her. The only thing I'm keeping from her is the password to dad's computer which isn't relevant to his safety.
"No, I don't think so, apart from what Yorkie told me about James Hunter's properties in California which I presume he's passed on to you. Oh, and Emmett called when I was on the Headlands. Security cameras picked up Jake being dumped by Asian guys. How about you? What do you know that I don't?"
"Asian? Jesus! I wasn't expecting that. Okay, what I know is still mostly guesswork but I'm good at assessing situations. I'm ready to accept the guys who surrounded your dad's car that night were government people like Yorkie said. Whether they were working exclusively for the government is another matter. There's no way Yorkie's boss would take orders from an unofficial source. I've checked him out and I'd say he's a hundred percent straight."
"Okay … what else?"
"Yorkie is straight too. That's why I called him, to hear from him what he said to you. He has those addresses we can check out. That's got to be our priority."
"Anything else?"
"Only what I can't prove. I do think James Hunter is in over his head. The last time I spoke to him he sounded different. He was angry for no reason. I'm beginning to believe that your dad, or someone closely associated with your dad, really did hire him to protect you, and this presented him with an opportunity to double-cross whoever it was and make money. I suspect he's either working for one of the Titans your dad warned you about or he's selling the contents of your dad's study."
"Yeah, that's what I sort-of worked out. I still don't get why he had you looking after me if he was thinking of doing something illegal. And then sending his goons to harass me in the cabin."
"You're presuming they were his goons. We don't know how many Titans we're dealing with remember. There may be more than two. Also, he may have decided to go down the illegal route after he placed me at The Yard."
"So, you think James Hunter had my dad kidnapped?"
"I don't know who abducted your dad but I'm working on the premise Hunter's working for at least one other governor and maybe knows who did. I do know his financial position isn't good, and my guess is he hasn't got the funds to finance this, so that means there's got to be a bigger player in the game."
"Does he still trust you?"
"I doubt it. The last time we spoke I told him flatly my priority was to keep you safe and that should be his priority too, whether or not he's getting paid posthumously by your dad or someone else."
"Shit! I never thought of that. Who's paying Hunter and how? Jenks' finance people would be able to find out whether dad paid his organization to protect me. They have access to dad's bank accounts. Why the hell didn't I think of this before?"
"Who's Jenks?"
"Dad's lawyer. I've asked Emmett to try and contact him to let him know what's going on. I may need an attorney before the day's out.
Bella smiles and shakes her head.
"I hope not, but as I said, Edward, never trust anything anyone tells you. Look, I'm going to tell you something now, and I hope you believe I'm sincere. Whatever happens once we leave this house, I'll be working for you and your father's best interests. You may not like my methods; you may even hate me by the end of it, but if Carlisle is alive, finding him is urgent now as my guess is his time is running out. The police are taking interest in the case but more importantly, seeing Victoria and Laurent today has made me suspect something bigger's going on here."
Bella saying the same words about Victoria and Laurent as the words Yorkie said to me about her, implying something bigger is going on behind the scenes, rings more true now the police are trying to get me off the streets. I haven't got time to think this through right now as Yorkie will be banging on the door any minute.
Bella implying dad's time could be running out has startled me though. Since the moment she suggested dad could still be alive, the only reason I've felt a sense of urgency to find him is that I want him back with me. I've always presumed he would be more valuable to his captors alive than dead so I hadn't considered I could be working against a countdown clock, like in the movies. I feel now I've been half-asleep over the past week. If Bella hadn't prompted me, I'd still only be looking for whoever murdered him.
"Five minutes and we're out the door," Bella says as she gets up from the table, picks my plate and hers up, and places them on the counter near the sink. Reality hits again, and there's a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and it's not from over-indulging on Sue's awesome pizza.
Bella runs upstairs while I visit the bathroom. "What have you got yourself into?" is the question I ask my reflection when I'm checking the state of my sunburn. I haven't got time to answer myself. The sound of Yorkie's car pulling up outside the house and Sue coming out of the study after closing the drapes means it's time to take a risk. Sue flings her arms around me as soon as I emerge then grips me on both arms.
"Don't do anything reckless, Edward. You've got a lot of living to do so don't take any unnecessary chances or put yourself in danger. Carlisle wouldn't want that."
Bella runs down the stairs just as Yorkie appears at the window at the side of the door. He still rings the bell. Sue puts her back against the door and points at Bella.
"You look after him, young lady, or I'll be on your tail for the rest of my life. Do you hear?"
"Yes ma'am," Bella responds and stands to attention to salute her. "I'll guard him with my life."
Sue smiles and then walks over to give her a kiss. "Yes, honey. I believe you will. And look after those clothes – they're vintage!"
Yorkie bangs on the door this time and Sue opens it. He doesn't wait for a greeting.
"You've got to leave now, guys. Crouch down as low as possible and follow me out then wait by the gate. The bushes will conceal you until you're on the sidewalk. I'll open the driver's door wide and pretend to talk into the radio which should block them from seeing you opening the passenger door. Okay?"
We both nod in affirmation and I give Sue another hug and kiss. It's weird but for a brief moment, it's like I'm kissing my mom. I need reassurance before setting out into the big bad world to look for dad. Maybe mom's presence is around me after all.
The time for thinking is over and I follow Yorkie and Bella down the steps. Yorkie strides across the sidewalk and opens the driver's door, grabs hold of his radio and begins reciting 'Mary had a little lamb' as he observes the police cordon at the bottom of the hill.
"Now," he hisses after the longest ten seconds of my life.
Bella scoots forward bent double and opens the rear door. I follow and crouch on the floor behind the front seats, covering ourselves with a black cloth that I guess Yorkie has provided for this purpose. He kicks the passenger door shut with his foot then carries on pretending to talk into the radio for a few minutes then gets in the car.
"Here goes then," he says as he starts up. "Goodbye pension," he adds with a sigh as he pulls away and slowly rolls down the hill towards the cordon.
I hear the whine of Yorkie's window opening as we reach the junction where the road flattens out. He shouts out, 'Hey!' and my stomach sinks. He's betrayed us and is delivering us to the cops. I hear Bella muttering 'shit' under her breath so she's thinking the same.
A cop who obviously knows Yorkie responds.
"Hey, Yorkie. Anything more from Jane Fonda up there?"
"Nope. Just more abuse when I asked whether she'd loaned him her car. Says she hasn't got one which I'll check out. That SUV was definitely rented by Swan this morning so it's possible the neighbor's telling the truth. I'm heading back to the station now. Let me know if anything happens."
"Will do, Yorkie. Go easy now."
Yorkie pulls slowly away and I breathe again. I hear Bella exhale so she was on edge too.
It's getting hot under this blanket/cloth whatever it is so I hope Yorkie puts the air con on before I pass out. Bella fumbles in her backpack, muttering unintelligibly under her breath.
"You're not getting your gun out," I hiss.
"No, idiot. I'm getting a cigarette. I'm dying here."
"Jesus," I exclaim, but truthfully I could smoke a whole packet end to end right now. She'll have to wait though as I expect we'll need to stay hidden until we're in a safe area. But no; a few seconds later she lights up and takes a long drag then sighs.
"Are you nuts? You'll set us alight under here."
"Stop fussing," she says and grins then offers the cigarette to me. "Do you want a puff?"
"No," I huff as she takes another drag then stubs the cigarette out on the sole of her shoe.
Yorkie has obviously read my thoughts as I feel cool air flowing around me. The relief is instant and I relax into the situation I have no control over. I'm with two people I want to trust but can't one hundred percent, and on a journey to God knows where. A week ago I was living in ignorant bliss about the shady world I live in. Now I'm in the middle of a nightmare.
I'd been trying to work out which direction Yorkie is taking us by following every turn against my memory of the area. I gave up a few miles ago. Yorkie told us to stay under the rug until we're away from the city because traffic cameras could pick us up. We're traveling on the flat now so I'm guessing we're heading south. We definitely haven't crossed a bridge as the road noise and bumps when you hit the joints in the road surface are distinctive.
The radio crackles into life followed by Yorkie speaking.
"Yeah, Carl. Signing off for the night. Wedding anniversary so I'm not looking to get my ass kicked if I'm home late, okay?"
"Yo, Yorkie. You and Angie have a nice night now."
Yorkie switches to a radio station and Sonny and Cher's 'I Got You Babe' fills the car. Bella and I burst out laughing.
"What's so funny," Yorkie shouts over the music.
"We'll tell you later," Bella giggles as she brushes her hands over her hippy skirt.
A few minutes later Yorkie reaches behind him and tugs the blanket off our heads. "Stay low," he says, "but take a look in the rearview mirror. I'm damned sure we're being followed. There's been the same Jeep several cars behind us since we got away from the city. It's right behind us now."
Yorkie adjusts the mirror so we can see as he speeds up.
Bella brushes strands of hair away from her eyes where they've been dragged over her face by the blanket and stares at the mirror from her position on the floor. It only takes a couple of seconds before she says, "Fuck! It's Victoria and Laurent, and Laurent has a rifle in his hands."
"Who the hell are they," Yorkie says as he hits the gas.
"I guess they're working for James Hunter. I'm not a hundred percent certain. How the fuck did they know we were with you?"
"Do you want me to lose them? This car must be faster than that Jeep."
"You can't guarantee that, Yorkie. They kept up with our SUV this morning. Our only hope is to stay somewhere where there are crowds of people. Out in the open we're dead meat."
"Holy crap!" Yorkie and I say at the same time.
Bella shuffles off the floor onto the seat so she can see where we are. I scramble up too and recognize we're already on the Highway One, heading south towards Monterey. Thankfully the road is busy in this section but I know from experience we'll soon be on an open road with hills on one side, the ocean on the other, and few opportunities to turn off. In simple terms; there'll be nowhere to hide.
Bella hauls her backpack onto her lap and tips the contents onto the seat between us. I know what she's doing without asking.
"I'm not going to shoot them, Edward. I'll aim for their tires. It's our only chance. When I open the window you're going to have to hang onto my legs, okay?"
"Okay," I reply. "Are you okay with this?" I ask Yorkie whose face has definitely gone several shades paler.
"No, but there's no alternative. We'll plead self-defense if it goes wrong. There's a straight section of road about a minute ahead. Tell me when you're ready, Bella."
"Straight road is a difficult shot. Let them get closer. When we go round a bend I'll have two tires to aim at. Trust me. I've done this in training."
"I bet you have," I mutter.
I can see the Jeep in the mirrors but daren't look through the rear window. Bella is tying her hair into a knot, I'm guessing so it doesn't blow in her face when she leans out the window rather than as a fashion statement. As she checks the clip in the pistol my ignorance about firearms means I haven't got a clue what type of weapon it is – it's black and menacing, that's all I need to know.
The hills on our left are lush and green - the sea on our right sparkling blue. White foam is crashing against the shiny black rocks shooting fountains of spray into the air and seabirds are whirling and screeching overhead. It's a sparkling evening; perfect for a leisurely drive on the famous Pacific Coast Highway; the spectacular silver ribbon that rightly claims to be one of the most panoramic drives in the world. I can't help wondering whether this will be the last vista I will ever see. Forget the fact that Victoria and Laurent are armed; in several places, there's a sheer drop onto the rocks below meaning this stretch of highway is not ideal for a car chase.
"Bends ahead, Bella," Yorkie shouts and points to where the road disappears and appears again before disappearing completely behind a hill.
"Perfect," she replies as she shuffles onto her knees. Yorkie presses the button which opens her window as Bella gets into position. A blast of hot air enters the car killing all the benefits of the air conditioning, but that's the least of my concerns.
"When I lean out, grab the waistband of my skirt and one of my legs," Bella orders. "I'll do this on the second bend, okay?"
"Okay," I reply trying to sound encouraging but genuinely I think I'm going to throw up.
Yorkie purposely slows as we round the first bend. A truck passes on the inside and nearly hits the Jeep which cuts the corner as it tries to gain ground. "Not too close," Bella shouts, so Yorkie speeds up again. As we hit the next bend and the Jeep disappears for a couple of seconds, Bella shouts, "Now!"
She flings herself through the window and twists onto her side. As I grab her leg Yorkie slows down as soon as the Jeep appears. Bella fires, one, two, three shots, then waits a second before firing two more. I hear brakes squealing and I'm thrown against the back of the seat as Yorkie puts his foot down.
"Wait 'til I get back in," Bella screams as she's flung against the edge of the window. Yorkie brakes, which throws Bella against the opposite edge. As I drag her in, her head collides with the top of the frame.
"Are you two trying to kill me?" she yells as she pulls up her t-shirt. Already I can see three red lines forming on her skin under her arm. I want to kiss them better but doubt whether that suggestion would go down too well at the moment.
"They're still following us," Yorkie yells and accelerates to a frightening speed. Bella and I spin in our seats and watch the Jeep hurtling towards us but it's obvious they have a problem. Victoria, who is driving, is fighting to keep the car steady on the road while Laurent is leaning out the passenger window aiming a long rifle at us. His first shot smashes the rear window; the bullet zipping past my ear and embedding itself in the front passenger seat. His second shot misses the car altogether. Diving to the floor I hear Bella muttering 'Holy Shit' under her breath and Yorkie reciting the Hail Mary. I'm beginning to think the chances of any of us getting out of this situation alive are diminishing rapidly.
"They're losing control," Yorkie yells as we careen around the next bend and the Jeep disappears from view. I don't feel great sitting in the back of a car at the best of times and my head is swimming now. If I vomit I won't know whether it's from car sickness or abject fear.
"It could be a ploy," Bella barks assertively. "They've done the same driver training as me. Feigning a problem so your opponent relaxes and then they come at you unexpectedly is a common trick. Keep your speed up as though they're still behind us. I'll tell you when we've lost them."
"Yes, ma'am," Yorkie replies and accelerates again. I'm a good driver and know this busy road well, but I'd never chance the speeds he's achieving which is over eighty in some sections. I wish he'd put his blue light on if he has one and then at least the cars in front of us would get out the way.
I haul myself onto the seat again feeling mildly embarrassed that I dived for cover while Bella stayed in place. We're driving through a section of the highway where the drop to the rocks below is not survivable. Luckily there's not much traffic coming in the opposite direction so Yorkie sticks to the centerline of the road when he can and only overtakes when it's safe to do so.
Bella is constantly checking the road behind us while I fix my eyes ahead to aid the queasiness. The shell stuck in the passenger headrest is a constant reminder this is not a game. They've made it clear they're prepared to kill us but I'm still unclear why, other than Laurent seeking revenge on Bella for what happened years ago. If they were trying to make us crash, there's no logical answer for that ploy either, other than dad is alive and they're trying to catch me as a means of coercing dad to give up his secrets. If they accidentally killed us, that would defeat the object.
If I could guarantee they'd let dad go after he'd given them his knowledge I'd happily walk up to the gate of whichever property they're holding him and give myself up. But not knowing which Titan has him prevents me from doing this. If I offered myself up to James Hunter for instance, how valuable I'd be would depend on what knowledge he has on where dad is being held. The whole situation is a collection of if's and but's. I can't decide what to do next because I've got no concrete information to work with.
"You can slow down now," Bella says as she shuffles from her kneeling position. "Turn off when you can and head inland. They could've called whoever they're working for so we may be driving towards a welcoming party. We'd best get off this road as quickly as possible."
Yorkie grunts a response while I slump into my seat and stare at the roof of the vehicle rather than the stunning view zipping by. Giving up to the police would've been less dangerous than being shot at by a dreadlocked assassin. Instead, I'm on the run from the police and hired thugs employed by industrial spies.
Tranquil Colorado seems like a million miles away but I've no option now than to see this through to the end. Coming out unscathed is not going to happen either, as too much has happened to me in the past two weeks to return to life as it was. Coming out of this alive will be a miracle.
"You okay?" Bella asks as she refills the clip with bullets. I'm beginning to wonder whether she really does have a grenade in her backpack. Nothing would surprise me anymore.
"Yeah, everything fine and dandy," I reply, copying Jake's expression. "Couldn't be better," I add as Yorkie slings the car left and heads at speed along a narrow road cut between two grassy hummocks. I'm tempted to ask Bella for one of her cigarettes but resist. Having a first puff after a few days of abstinence would probably make me feel even sicker than I already am.
Bella doesn't respond but leans forward to talk to Yorkie.
"Do you have the addresses linked to James Hunter," she asks. Yorkie puts his hand inside his jacket and pulls out a small notebook and passes it to her.
"They're scribbled on a page at the back. One's in Bakersfield; the other in the Emerald Lake Hills area."
"Where's Emerald Lake Hills?" she asks.
"I suppose it's part of Silicon Valley - very close to Redwood. If we continue heading east we'll end up not far from there. D'ya want to take a look?"
Bella looks at me as if I'm in any position to have a view on this. I shrug my shoulders which she takes as confirmation that I'm cool with it.
"Yeah, okay. It might be worth the trip so I know what I'm up against. Have you seen this place?"
"Yep," Yorkie replies. "Nothing much there. It's a secluded Spanish style villa on a big plot surrounded by forest. Helicopter pad. Security cameras everywhere, but that's normal for the area."
"Does Hunter live there?" I ask Yorkie.
"I thought Bella might know but obviously not if you haven't heard of Emerald Lake. I presume you know he runs his business from an office in Atlanta. I'd expect that's where he has his home."
"Didn't you go to his training camp in Bakersfield?" I ask Bella.
"No need. They couldn't teach me anything, and that's not boasting. I've met up with James twice since I left the Service, both times in Atlanta. All our business is done over the phone and the internet."
Bella's explanation of her contact with Hunter seems plausible so I don't question her further. I've no idea how 'ex-military undercover personal protection security operations' work so have nothing to add to the conversation. It's a world I've never had cause to contemplate apart from watching action movies, but they are so far removed from reality that I don't give them a second thought once I leave the movie theatre or turn off the TV. To know this world actually exists and I'm caught up in it is frightening.
The runaway train I jumped on outside Jenks' office could be approaching its final destination but what will be waiting at the station is anyone's guess.
And then I think of my dad and what he could be going through and why he allowed himself to get in so deep in the first place. Or, and this is something I haven't really considered, whether he didn't know what he was getting into until the day he wrote the letter.
If he's alive now and waiting to be rescued, I'll never find out for certain unless I take some chances. If Bella is willing to take a risk finding answers for me, backing out now would be cowardly, and an action I'd regret for the rest of my life.
I really should have named this chapter 'The Great Escape'. Another Steve McQueen movie!
Thanks for all your reviews - don't we all love Sue? I'm sure she does respect the police really, but she's like a momma-bear where Edward's concerned.
So, they're technically on the run, even though they're with a cop (different). Edward still doesn't trust Bella but she's his only option. Checking out a house that could possibly be where his dad is being held at least is a step forward.
Bella getting a gun through security at the airport is a bit unbelievable in this day and age, so maybe she still has friends in the Security Services who are helping her out? A lot of you guys think she might still be in the Army which is a possibility of course. Lots of answers coming VERY soon.
Laurent trying to shoot either Bella or Edward in the car was a shock, or maybe, like Bella, he was aiming at their tires and missed. Still scary though.
Next chapter - I have a little surprise for you. Well, actually, it's a very BIG surprise. I hope you enjoy it.
Joan x