Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Never will.
Summary: Tramatic events in the past lead Isabella Swan to be a top selling author. Yet, when a crazed fan begins to commit the murders in her books, agent Cullen must step in.
Warnings: Dark themes. Lemons.
Words Right Off The Page.
Chapter Four.
"Aw, Jake."
I had seen a lot of people look like crap, hell, I looked like crap most of the time. Yet, today Jake was the happy owner of the 'I look like a truck just ran me over' Oscar.
His eyes had huge-no- ginormous bags under his eyes, looking as though he hadn't slept for weeks. He looked weak, like even the slightest poke would send his overly large body toppling over. He didn't look like Jake at all.
"Bells," he stated as I wrapped my arms around him. Normally, hugging wasn't my thing, but I was willing to sacrifice anything for this kid. "Who would do this?"
I pulled away and placed my hands on his shoulders.
"Listen Jake, I don't know who would even dare mess with Billy like that. I give you a promise I'll do all I can to help with the investigation."
"What do you mean help? You've talked to them?"
"I wouldn't exactly say tha- Ok, yes, but it doesn't mean that I enjoyed it."
His eyes narrowed and he pushed me away.
"What are you thinking! They already got Billy and Charlie, you really think I want to lose you too?"
He was crying hard now.
"I don't mean I am rejoining the force Jake."
I hadn't weighed my pro's and con's about going back just yet. However, if going back gave me the power to help him, I would do it in a heartbeat.
"You talked to them Bella. After yesturday, I finally understand what they put you through."
No. He would never understand quite the magnitude of emotions I had bottled up during those days. However I can assume that yestuday, dealing with FBI assholes wasn't his forté.
"Listen Jake. You and Billy helped me out when no one cared...it's my turn to repay the favor."
"Bella? Please don't do anything stupid."
"Trust me Jake. I know what I am doing."
I gave him one last hug. The agents had stated only five minutes of time could be devoted to interrupting their interrogation session.
I knew this was horrible, and that I should kick their assess, but I didn't have time. Working fast, was something I used to be good at, I wondered if I had lost my touch.
I jumped into the truck -noting that Jake didn't need it right now- and sped down the highway.
Only two days until this freak would strike. I could tell he was good. His wording showed that he was nothing shy of intelligent.
I whipped out my cell phone and frantically dialed my best friend.
"Bella?"
"Sorry Ali, no time to talk. Is Jasper there?"
Alice, Jasper and Jake were the only ones I would trust with my secret.
"He's asleep-"
"Wake him up. Go ahead and blame it on me."
I heard her sigh. A few moments of grumbling later and I was speaking with a familiar voice.
"Good morning to you too Bella."
"Uh, Jazz, its the afternoon."
"Ah, my days are all screwed up, the force has been crazy."
"Is Tuck safe?"
"We have agents guarding him left and right Bella, there's no way this freak is getting to him."
"Any luck with the IP adress?"
"Nothing as of yet. It's like he's one step ahead, like he knows-"
"Like he knows we're coming..."
I caught the breath in my throat. We were way off.
"Jazz, get those officers off of him!"
"But-"
"We shouldn't be worried about someone from the outside."
"What are you saying Bella?"
"We have a traitor. I am not saying that this is the guy, but maybe our freak isn't working alone."
"I am on it Bella."
"Get me the names of the officers that are with him. I want a background check. If they're playing with me, that means they met me somewhere."
"Why don't you get the information yourself? You have more power over there than I ever will."
"Connections Jazz. If someone put two and two together, we would all be screwed. Everyone I had ever cared for. I already created a disturbance by signing in my number with the bureau."
"Bella-"
"Keep Alice close. She's friends with me, so no doubt they'll try and get to her too. Also, stay safe Jazz."
"Of course Isabella."
I closed my phone and tried to clear my head. The only way to beat this guy was to outsmart him, but if information was leaking between the bureau and this freak, we had to put an end to it now. I couldn't trust anybody, only the two agents that came to my door.
I pulled into the gas bar, needing sometype of caramel colored sugary goodness.
"Too the inventor of Coke, good job!"
Tuck was busy with a customer, very surprising since Forks was usually pretty dead. I soon found myself walking to the front of the desk to pay for my pop and a couple packs of gum.
"Isabella, I thought those folks were talking nonesense when they said you were coming home."
Too old for his own good.
"Tuck-"
"I know, Bella Dwyer. Don't worry, Mr. Black already came in here to warn me."
"Warn you? What did Billy tell you?"
My voice was frantic and icy, something that turned Tuck off. I knew I should apologize, but I needed that information.
"He didn't say much. Just that you're now Bella Dwyer and we need to call you that. Most folks here wouldn't remember what you looked like. Charlie always liked to keep you safe."
"What else did Billy say?"
My voice was softer at the mention of my fathers' name.
"Absolutely nothing. Me and Billy usually have a good talk when his boy drives him to get his cigarettes, but that day he seemed to be in a rush."
I nodded and grabbed my items.
"Thanks Tuck."
"Stay safe Miss. Dwyer."
I waved a reply and decided to head home.
Jasper would be emailing me the names privately and I needed my home computer to figure things out. The dead house, felt even more disturbing under the circumstances.
I was a sugar filled wreck as I waited for the mail to pop up. When it did, I practically fell from my chair.
Adam Longis
Jayson Grenna
Michelle Lawford
That was all I needed to read.
"Larson."
"Stay the fuck away from Michelle, don't mention my name, and make this sound normal."
"Listen Mccarty, I told you and Cullen to back off."
"I know Michelle came in for a book signing, I can remember her face and name. I don't remember her saying anything that hinted towards a threat. Take no chances Tuck, get the fuck out."
"Don't disobey orders Cullen. This is a code 26 you guys are dealing with."
I froze.
Code 26 was a hostage situation. We were too late.
"Are you okay?"
"We'll handle everything here."
"Tuck No! Don't hang up on me you bastard!"
I was screaming into the phone, when nothing but a dial tone reached my ears. He was sacrificing himself, to save me. Fuck.
I ran around the house searching for objects that were kept hidden away. My badge, my gun, and my dad's lucky coin. Call it lame, but I had it the day he died...
I jumped into Jake's old ford and dialed his number only to get his voicemail.
"Hey Jake, I figure I can't just run from my problems anymore. This is my fault and I plan to fix it."
I was on my way out of the city when I noticed a odily familiar silver volvo at the hotel. I needed back up for a mission this big.
I pounded on the door hoping to god this was their residence, and that I was not making an ass of myself.
(-)
Emmet and I had been trying to reach Tuck for two hours when a series of knocks broke our concentration.
"Wanna get that Em?"
I heard his thunderous footsteps make their way to the door, but was surprised by the gasp that left his mouth.
"Miss. Dwyer."
"Long time no see."
I turned only to be met with a beautiful, yet sarcastic, Bella Dwyer.
"Can we help you?" I asked slightly confused on her arrival. I thought she disliked guys like us? Why would she be seeking us out.
"I am never one to beat around the bush, so here it goes. Tuck Larson is likely dead."
"What do you mean?"
Emmet's voice was dark and almost scary.
"Exactly what I said," She replied as Emmet pulled his gun.
"Em!"
"Listen to Edward, I am hardly the one your looking for."
Somehow it felt like she was telling the truth. Even if she did have her secrets, killing Tuck was not one of them.
"Edward?"
Emmet looked at me with confusion, well Bella's eyes held hope, probably that I would believe her.
"How do you know this Bella?"
Emmet put his gun away and Bella sighed.
"There's a few things that the bureau is good at. Fucking people over, and hiding their identities."
I was surprised to be met with an identification badge. I checked it over to see if it was fake, but the only surprise was that her join date was at such a young age.
"Let's just say I have some senoirity over you two."
So her real name was Isabella Marie Swan.... Why did that last name sound so familiar?
"Charlie Swan's daughter?"
Emmet beat me to the punch. I saw that cold rock like facade fade as Bella lowered her head.
"That story really doesn't matter right now. What matters is getting our asses to Pheonix."
She began looking around the hotel room, as if scoping for something important. All me and Emmet had was our Laptop, cell phones and some clothes.
"But how do you really know Larson is dead?"
She opened the laptop and began typing furiously on the keys.
"In my second book, Tragicity, the person who was in love with the victim called them. They made the conversation seem fake, but they knew the code behind it, in the end the guy ends up decapitated."
Emmet shuddered and I stood somewhat confused. How could such a beautiful girl, write such gruesome tales.
"Ah, here we go..."
"Hey what are you doing?!" I demanded as she hit delete.
"This remains between us, and us only okay? There are a few traitors in the FBI working for this freak, so we need to keep information transfer minimal."
"So why trust us? What makes us any different?" I asked as she through our clothes into the suitcases.
"Easy, Emmet knows Jasper, and you're Alice's brother."
It was weird how she knew that Alice was my sister. Sure we were siblings but we were both very different. Perhaps she had already looked up information on me, I wondered if I would get the time to do the same.
"Okay boys let's hit the road."
"To Pheonix?"
"Joy." She replied.
The plane tickets were bought almost instantly, although Emmet sat seperate from Bella and I. She had offered to use the single ticket, but Emmet declined and said he would be the gentleman. Something tells me this was his bad attempt to play match maker.
"So why join the force if you hate it so much?"
She seemed shocked by my open question, but I kept my voice low, just in case some unwanted ears were listening.
"My father....he got me involved. When it got to much for me to take in, he took me away to Forks."
"What happened to him?"
She never answered, and I could do nothing but respect that. The captain announced our arrival and I gently shook the sleeping Bella awake.
"We're here."
She nodded and stretched out, allowing me to catch a perfect view of her well toned stomach.
"You know, your taking it pretty well knowing that your co-worker is dead."
"I don't believe anything till I see it."
"That Mr. Cullen, is a lie."
She whispered in my ear, and I could feel my pants grow tight. I was twenty four and still had raging teenage hormones.
"So you specialize in psyco-analysis?"
"Do I?"
She was such a smart-ass, but that was one of her best qualities.
"So what do we do now? I mean we can't just waltz into the office with our guns out."
Emmet did have a point. Getting in, was something we never disscussed, but something told me that she had a plan.
"Well, I got nothing."
Okay so I was wrong.
"Well, shouldn't we find out who was working? Who was with Larson?"
"Yes, to a point. If we start sticking our nose deep in their information, somebody is going to find out who I am, and what's important to me."
"So that's what they're after? But, why Tuck?"
"He saved me along time ago. I pretty much owed him my life."
"Guys, can we please not talk about him like he's not here."
Emmet's words made me realize exactly how dark we were thinking. We had to have hope that Tuck was still alive, with his head on his shoulders.
Retrieving our luggage, I called a cab and we all crammed together inside the yellow automobile.
"Where too?"
"Lucciano's."
They both looked at me confused.
"Don't want people to track us, or get suspicious right."
They both nodded and I noticed the Bella had unconsciously placed her hand on my thigh. We made eye contact and she turned so red, it made a tomato jealous.
"Sorry. It's just we,re so close together and-"
"It's fine."
This woman was going to be the death of me.
Getting off at Pheonix's best pizza parlour we headed towards my house. Luckily, few happened to know my exact adress, and our luggage wasn't to heavy.
"You have a beautiful home," Bella stated, sounding as though she was in awe.
"Thank you, it definitely has-"
"Bella!"
"Alice..." I finished as my pixie like sister dashed towards us.
"Thank god you're okay. I was so worried with you, and Billy and Jake and the Bureau and..."
"Sorry for her, she really was quite worried."
My brother-in-law wrapped his arms around my sister, probably to help her calm down.
"I told you to keep her safe Jazz."
Bella's words were quiet as Jasper looked baffled.
"Bella..."
"Nothing is going to happen Bells."
"Ya Bella-"
"Shut up."
Being cut off like that kind of hurt.
"They found Billy. They hunted him down and tied him to a lightening pole. They found Tuck....and decapitated him..."
"No-"
"Obviously this is no rookie we're dealing with. I want you safe."
"Why Bella? Why does it matter so much."
Surprisingly she started laughing,
"He's going in order...."
Emmet cleared his throat.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, the next horrifying plot this guy is facing, is when the husband murders the wife, and the best friend is forced to watch."
(-)
A/N: Dun Dun Dun. Wow. Thats all i can say. Bella is a little dark ne? Next chapter we found out about tuck, and who exactly will the husband and wife be? What about the best friend?
Edward seems a little pansy like cause bella seems to be the smart one, but dont worry she will have a moment where to her nothing seems possible anymore.
Please review.
Lex.