Whew! I shouldn't leave you guys on a cliffhanger... just kidding! We need a good cliffhanger every once in a while ;)
Lots of theories on how Edward and Bella are getting out of this. We'll get some answers in this chapter, but not all. (Don't kill me!)
You guys are the best, and hearing from all of you keeps me motivated! Honestly, your reviews got you an extra chapter this week!
Hold on to your hat's! Here we go!
BPOV
The thing about years of emergency medical training is that it teaches you how to remain level-headed when the world around you is going to hell. I know Edward and I are screwed- this is the worst-case scenario. But panicking will get us nowhere.
Edward is in the same frame of mind I am, watching every move the two goons holding us hostage make. He's looking for any opportunity to fight back and put us on the offensive.
"Get out," the man driving, the one Edward calls Caius, commands.
"This is bullshit," Edward snaps as the other man pushes him forward and out the side door.
I awkwardly shove my bound hands in the pocket of the hoodie Edward gave me and fiddle nervously with the object the men have yet to confiscate from me. The man shoving Edward reaches for me next, holding my elbow and yanking me forward. I stumble, falling out of the car, one of my knees landing hard on the cement.
"Let's go," Caius mumbles as his eyes dart behind us, checking for witnesses. "Aro's waiting."
The larger man lifts me by my arm and leads me toward the building while Caius keeps his gun pointed at Edward.
As we approach, a loading dock door rolls open with a metallic creak. My vision has to adjust to the dim lighting inside the warehouse, and I blink as I try to make out a man hovering in the shadows before us.
"Tony, how delightful!" The man steps closer, and I can make out his weasel-like features. His beady eyes twinkle with excitement. "And you've brought a friend!"
"He was on a date," Caius laughs.
"Oh?"
"She has nothing to do with this, Aro. There's no reason to keep her," Edward sneers.
"Tsk tsk, Tony. You know better than that. She's seen far too much for us to have her running off, don't you think."
"Seen what? My unjust kidnapping?"
"Unjust! Ha!" Aro claps his hands, laughing. "Then who do you believe the rat in my organization is?"
"You've got a million guys who would rat you out for a payday. Or maybe a plea deal. Hey, Felix, didn't you and Alec get arrested? How'd you get out with just a slap on the wrist? Huh?"
"If I remember correctly, it was you, mister Masen, who only got the slap on the wrist." Aro's eyes narrow as he glares at Edward.
"I ditched my gun before they got me, and I don't have any priors. This dipshit's done time. They don't let felons with guns walk free."
Aro pauses and glances at Felix. "This is true."
"Your lawyer helped get me outta there!" Felix says, his grip on my arm tightening.
"And Alec is always hanging out in the pool hall. Maybe these two were just waiting for their chance to screw you over," Edward continues.
"Well, fuck me. I can't trust anyone then, can I?" Aro shakes his head.
"You can trust me," Caius says, his eyes not leaving Edward.
"Hmm." We wait as Aro paces the floor, deciding his next step. "Perhaps I can give you a test. I like you, Tony. I want to believe that you are good for my organization. I see a lot of myself in you. We're intelligent men. Business savvy."
"You chose me to run a crew for a reason."
Aro nods, pursing his lips in contemplation. "Felix, release the girl."
I gasp as he shoves me to the side. Nursing the sting from Felix's fingers, I slink away, searching the warehouse for an exit.
"Stop!" I freeze at Aro's command. "My dear, I did not say you could leave. Caius, aim your weapon at her."
Caius listens without argument, and before I can process Aro's request, I'm staring down the barrel of a gun.
"Jesus! Leave her alone!" Edward lunges toward Caius, but Felix gets in the way, tackling him to the ground.
"Oh no. Boys. Stop," Aro says halfheartedly. He laughs at the skirmish as Edward elbows Felix in the gut. I grimace when Felix pulls back so he can land a blow to Edward's nose. It makes a sickening crack, and I fear it's broken.
Edward doesn't back down, fueled by the pain. He shoves Felix to the side and scrambles to his feet. He kicks, his boot connecting with Felix's jaw, then reaches down, confiscating Felix's gun from his waistband.
"Fuck!" Felix grunts, realizing he's on the receiving end of a bullet.
"What fun!" Aro cheers, clapping in excitement. "Tony, that was quite impressive!"
"Glad to be of entertainment," Edward quips.
"Now, shoot him."
"What?" Edward's eyes flicker between Felix and Aro as Felix steps back, hands raised.
"Aro, I didn't do anything! I swear it. I don't even know how the books fucking work!" Felix pleads.
"Ah, but you do. You've collected for me for years. You know where the money comes from, where it goes, and how it gets cleaned. You're a liability."
"Fuck, Aro. You think it's Felix?" Caius asks.
"Perhaps. Perhaps he worked with Alec, as Tony theorized. Perhaps it's Tony. But someone has double-crossed me, and they will pay the price. Tony, shoot him," Aro says, waving a hand toward Felix.
"What!" Felix cries, stumbling backward.
"My lawyer isn't that talented, Felix. Tony is correct. Your charges got dropped without a decent explanation."
"No, Aro, please!" Felix begs.
"Tony, shoot him. Or Caius pulls his trigger."
Edward glances at me briefly before he narrows in on Felix. He takes a deep breath, and his aim wavers. My heart begins to accelerate in fear. Either Edward kills the man in front of him- or I die.
I shut my eyes, squeezing them tight as a gunshot rings out. At first, I think the ringing in my ears is shock, that this is what death feels like. It's not until I begin to make out the voices around me that I am still alive.
"He's dead. Let her go!" Edward roars.
"If only it were that easy," Aro sighs.
"No! You got your proof! If I were a fucking fed, would I have killed a man in cold blood?"
"Depends on your morals. Regardless, Felix's work was getting sloppy. Did you know he lost four thousand dollars last week? Poof, vanished. He ran his course."
"So you made me kill him?" Edward asks, incredulous.
"Look at it this way. You've made your bones," Caius laughs.
"Oh, fuck you, old man!" Edward raises his gun, but Caius quickly turns and fires.
Edward expects it, diving to the right before Caius's aim can reach him, avoiding the bullet by a split second.
Now's my chance. I pull my pepper spray from the hoodie's pocket and aim it at Caius's face. He screams in pain, swinging his weapon blindly.
"Bella, run!" Edward calls, pointing to a door at the end of the room. As I sprint, I drop the items out of my pocket and focus on staying upright. Shouting erupts behind me, but I don't wait to listen as I use both hands to twist the doorknob and escape to the parking lot.
We need help, but there's no one in sight.
I scour the parking lot and the buildings across the street, coming up empty.
Come on, Bella! You can figure this out!
I change course when I spot the van outside the now-closed loading dock. If I remember correctly, my phone is somewhere in the front seat.
I'm lucky. Caius left the van unlocked. I swing open the passenger door and scan the seat and cupholders, finding nothing. I curse and climb in, checking the driver's side. Tucked into the side of the door, I spot my phone with one of Edwards.
I grab my phone and power it on as I climb out of the van and run behind the building. I dial and cry out in relief when the voice on the other end answers.
"Hello?"
"Jessica! I need help! I need you to get MIke!"
"Bella? Are you okay? What the hell is going on?"
I crouch down, squeezed between an iron fence and the brick wall of the warehouse. "Jessica, please! How do I get a hold of Mike?"
"Jeez, chill. We're at breakfast. Why the hell do you need him?"
Oh, thank God! "Tell him it's about Edward!"
"Okay, hold on…Hey, Bella's lost her mind, and she said she wants to talk to you about Edward?" Jessica tells him before finally handing over the phone.
"Bella?" Mike answers with urgency in his tone. "What's going on?"
"Listen, I don't know if you know Edward Cullen, but I overheard you talking to an Ed at your party, and I thought- I mean, he's in the FBI and-"
"He's my agent," Mike interrupts. "Bella, what happened?"
"Aro Volturi and some guy named Caius took us to a warehouse. Now their associate Felix is dead. And I don't know. I ran, and Edward is still inside!"
"Bella, where are you?"
"Um, God, I don't know."
"Can you get to a street sign or find an address?"
"Yeah, hold on." I stand, my legs shaking as I follow along the wall of the building to the patch of asphalt on the other side.
I spot the road and, on the corner, a street sign. Glancing around, I break for it, running until I can see the name on the sign.
"We're on South Peoria." Looking up at the building, I notice a number at the top. "Eight oh four, South Peoria!"
"Okay, I'm going to get on the phone with the locals and get them out there. When they get there, go out to the street. I will let them know they've got a female civilian."
"Yes, okay! I can do that!"
My heart drops as a gunshot rings out inside the warehouse.
Oh, God. No!
"Mike! Hurry!" I choke. "Someone just got shot!"
A/N: I'm sorry! (Except, not really) So, Bella has some fire in her, but did she do enough to save both of them? Someone's down inside the warehouse, but who? And what else did Bella have in her pocket?
I can not wait to hear your theories!
I'll be back on Thursday!