YOU'RE WHAT!
Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.
The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.
Sam and Felix escorted the young man to an interrogation room that had a two-way mirror hanging on the wall. And, just as both men turned to leave, the young man spoke, saying, "I will speak with you, but only if no one is on the other side of that mirror and you can prove it to me."
CHAPTER 34: EVIDENCE GAINING GREATER STRENGTH
"But-" Felix started only to be interrupted by the stranger.
"As I said, I'll speak with you, but only if no one is on the other side of that mirror and you prove it to me. Also, nothing we say is to be recorded. There is to be no physical record of any kind that could be used to show that I've said one word to anyone." He concluded and walked over to the table that was centered in the middle of the room, he turned to face both Sam and Felix once more as he took a seat at the table.
"I don't know how we can accommodate your request since it's normal procedure to tape everything. It's necessary to have a record of what is discussed during any interrogation session." Sam explained as he watched the very expressive face of the stranger. "However, why don't we start with your name before we discuss anything else any further."
But the stranger shook his head no as he said, "Not my name or any other facts until you agree to my requests."
Sam and Felix looked at each for a moment as if silently communicating before Sam nodded once and motioned for the stranger to come with them. Felix took a firm hold of the stranger's upper arm as all three moved out of the room with Sam leading the way.
The three didn't have far to go as Sam took them next door to the room that existed behind the two-way mirror. As he opened the door and moved further into the room, followed by Felix and the stranger, Sam motioned for the stranger to look around and observe that no one, but the three of them were the only one's present.
"Why are we the only ones in here? Normally, don't you have others in here to observe and handle any equipment that is needed?" The stranger asked in a very puzzled voice. He wasn't understanding what was happening at the moment.
"The answer to your question is very simple, no one had arrived as yet since we haven't started the questioning." Sam explained in a voice that is showing patience with a hint of frustration. "Now, that we've satisfied your demands, as far as I'm concerned, how about we get down to business without any more delays?" Sam remarked as he looked around the room once more as if trying to come to a decision.
"Felix, what do you think about conducting the Q&A in here instead of the other room?" Sam asked his partner and then looked at the stranger with a raised eyebrow as if asking the same question.
The stranger nodded that he would accept that at the same time as did Felix. Although, Felix couldn't leave things at that without making some kind of comment, "Damn strange that we have to give in to a suspect's demands before we can ask him any questions."
"How else would you suggest we do this to get the answers we want and need in an expedient manner?"
"Just because I'm going along with this doesn't mean that I'm happy about it, but I do have to agree with you." Felix sadly told Sam.
So, with that settled, all three men sat down at the table that was off to one side of the room and began with the questions and the answers. And, as it turned out at the end of everything, four hours later, Sam and Felix felt somewhat elated by all that had been told to them. It was everything that had been needed to bring this case to a speedy closure and arrest of all parties.
The young man had told the two Marshalls how he had become involved with the Volturi brothers and about the type of hold that was being exercised over him. He told of all that he had been compelled to do in order to keep his sister safe, in a manner of speaking. And, finally, the young man had been able to supply confirmation as to who the connection to the mole and who was the mole in the DOJ's office. All Sam and Felix had been told confirmed what Charlie had found out and told them about how Charlie's local police friend was supplying information to the son that worked in the Attorney General's office.
Sam and Felix felt that everyone needed to get together in a secure area so that the takedown plans could be discussed and how to implement every action so everything could take place on all fronts at the same time. That way no one would have a chance to escape or of warning any of the others about the takedowns and all of the arrests being made.
It was decided that their suspect had gone from that particular title to that of a witness and would be placed in protective custody under the name of John Anderson.
And after all of the paperwork had been completed, Felix turned to Sam and asked, "Shouldn't you get back to your current assignment by watching over Edward Cullen?"
"Yeah, I'm heading out there now. Why don't you come with me and then we can update everyone as to the latest developments?"
"On the way let's stop and inform Charlie about everything that we've learned from the young man." Felix suggested as they were getting in the car to head away from headquarters.
"Do you think it will secure enough?"
Felix responded by saying, "I think we owe Charlie that courtesy since he was the one that brought in the leads to the missing information as to where our leaks were coming from."
So, a stop by the hospital was done before heading on over to Bella's home.
XXXXXX
The tension that existed back at Bella's was so thick that it would take something a lot stronger than a knife before even attempting to try to cut through it. Edward's parents were upset that all the information they had been told had been withheld from them by their son. They were also a bit uncomfortable with the idea of Edward and his friends being involved with FBI agents that were also assigned to be their guards until such time as they will be testifying in court. And, the last bit of their discomfort comes from the fact that the owner of the home they were currently in was in the hospital after suffering dreadful treatment at the hands of men that had been attempting to abduct Edward or one of his friends.
Of course, the other five people in the place could feel the tension that seemed to be rolling off of the older Cullen's. In a way, it could be understood, but at the same time, Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett and Edward were all having a hard time understanding why it seemed to be building instead of lessening with the information that is being supplied.
No one had any idea of what more could be done to relax the older couple. It was a situation that the more the parents learned the more intense they became, but if information was kept limited then it had the same results. It seemed to be no middle of the road that would help to resolve this situation.
"Edward, is there some way you can talk to your parents to just reassure them that you, Jasper and Emmett are in good hands and that no harm is going to come to any of you?" Alice asked in utter frustration as she looked at Edward.
"Alice, what would you have me do? We all have tried to let them know that things are good. I don't know what else we can say or do that would help with the problem."
"I think I know what the biggest part of the problem might be." Rosalie injected in a voice that she hoped was full of confidence.
"What could be causing them the greatest concern? What is it that we've forgotten to address? Surely there's something we can say that would help them to get rid of some of their tension?" Edward threw out his questions.
"Mom? Dad? What the hell seems to be wrong with you two? You're acting like….like….like, hell, I don't know how to describe your behavior. You two are so intense and making the rest of us damn uncomfortable." Edward addressed his parents as he turned in their direction.
Carlisle looked at his son, then turned his gaze to glance around at all of the other occupants in the room before looking at his wife, without answering Edward's questions. As the minutes seemed to slip by, the tense silence grew to almost match the intense emotions that were being felt from Edward's parents, but then, as the silence was about to become too oppressive Carlisle did answer, "Son, we're worried about you." Carlisle paused and held up his hand to forestall Edward from speaking as that is what was about to happen. Edward had opened his mouth to speak instead of allowing his father to continue.
"Edward, I know that you want to refute my statement and tell us that we really have nothing to be worrying about, but it turns out that your statement would be untrue because as it turns out, we do. When we came here, your mother and I were just coming to give you some moral support because your girlfriend was in the hospital.
"Also, we were concerned about some of the happenings that we thought were going on around us at home. And, at the time we never imagined such incidents as what you've told us. Never imagined anything near this kind of horror. These types of things happen to other people.
"Why you didn't see fit to tell us immediately is beyond our understanding. And, to see the consequences of what happened to Ms. or should I say Agent Swan brings our worries and fears upfront and personal as nothing else could have done.
"Then we walk into her room to find someone possibly trying to kill her is getting to be a bit of an overload. So, son, how do you expect us to behave? How can you expect us not to worry and be concerned about any of you?" Carlisle finished and seemed to be exhausted. Neither he nor Esme had anything else to say.
No one had any comment to make to what Carlisle had just said. The turth be told, they had no idea how to respond with anything that would bring some sort of comfort to Edward's parents. Alice and Rosalie knew that the older Cullen's didn't really have anything to worry much about. They had never lost a witness and didn't plan to do so now. With these three it was very much more personal, and they all had more to lose.
XXXXXX
Sam and Felix arrived back at the hospital and entered Bella's room asking how she was doing. Charlie let them know that no changes had been apparent. "She's still sedated." Was all he told them as he turned back to continue holding Bella's hand and closely watching her for any sort of changes.
"Charlie, we need to talk with you. Do you think this room is secure after that young man was here?"
"Yeah, because I checked it out after everyone had left. Checked every imaginable and unimaginable place a bug could be hidden to make sure everything was as it should be. I wanted to make sure that no one could receive any information about my daughter that wasn't on the approved list." Charlie reassured them as he added with a quiet chuckle, "I had nothing else to do since my daughter isn't much of a conversationalist at the moment."
So, with that said Sam and Felix didn't hesitate to fill Charlie in about what they had learned from Bella's young attacker. Charlie's reaction didn't surprise the two Marshalls as being a law officer himself, Charlie wasn't surprised by the cruelty of the extreme criminal elements.
"Well, everything you've just told me confirms everything that I've learnt while out looking for Bella." Was all that he said after a moment or two.
Charlie turned back to look at Bella and then back at the two other men in the room before he asked, "Have you told Rosalie and Alice this information yet?"
"No, we're on our way there, but felt we should stop here in route to bring you up to date."
And, before any of three men could say or do anything else a low groan could be heard coming from the woman lying in the bed.
AN: Is Bella coming out of her sedation? Or, is she possibly reacting to some of the information that was just discussed where she might have caught bits and pieces of the conversation? Are Edward's parents overreacting to everything that they been told and seen? How is this additional information going to aid in the investigation?
Hope you will enjoy this story and will let me know your thoughts, ideas and comments as we move forwards.