Chapter Two

The next day, Ben packed a picnic basket and drove off to meet Angela at her house. He met her at the door with a kiss and a huge bouquet of roses. Angela's face flushed and Ben thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Angela gazed back into Ben's beautiful blue eyes, and checked quickly in her bag to make sure the small folded notepaper that she wrote on as a surprise for Ben was still there. They smiled at each other as Ben opened the Dodge Neon's door for Angela.

"So where are you taking me?" asked Angela suspiciously.

"Just a park I thought would be nice for a picnic. It's a beautiful day, but not as beautiful as you" Ben tried to wink in an appealing way, but Angela only snorted to hold back her laughter.

"Oh, Ben! You're so funny!"

Ben lay on the picnic rug, basking in the rare sunlight and trying to gain the confidence to complete the challenging task before him. After a delicious lunch thoughtfully prepared by Ben, and the love of her life with her, Angela couldn't have been happier. Then Ben pulled out a squashed chocolate cake with messy pink and green icing and little candy hearts sprinkled over it. It took her a few minutes of silence to actually figure out what the writing said.

MARRY ME ANGELA

"Oh!" Angela whispered.

"Angela, I've loved you ever since I met you, and I want to continue loving you for the rest of my life, through every action film, and every musical" (for Angela loved musicals)

"Angela Christine Weber, will you marry me?"

"Oh Ben!" exclaimed Angela, her face red and lost for words.

"I love you, and I love your jokes, and your eyes, and your hair, and everything about you-" she cut off, suddenly realizing how stupid she sounded.

"I even love all your silly action movies!" finished Angela, breathlessly. Ben blinked. Silly?

"Of course I'll marry you!" Angela threw her arms around Ben as their mouths melted into a kiss.

"I wrote this for you, Ben" began Angela, a little unsteadily because of the flurry of emotions that overcame her, "My Very Smart and Beautiful Ben!

Ben is like a shimmering ocean blue;

His eyes are like sapphires glittering.

Every time he walks by he gives me flu,

When he walks by, my heart starts flittering.

He loves me as much as he loves comics,

His tuxedo makes him look very tall,

He moves with as much grace as action flicks,

He's there to catch me if I ever fall.

I dream of him taking us far away;

We'll zoom across roads in his dodge neon,

I think that we'll go on Valentine's Day;

Maybe somewhere exotic like Leon.

He's a very smart and beautiful Ben;

I will love you Ben, time and time again.

Ben was embarrassed to realize he had tears in his eyes. Angela reached over to kiss him, when she was quickly yanked to her feet as she and Ben sprinted down the trail, abandoning their perfect afternoon.

"Ben, what is it?" Angela frantically cried as they reached the car and zoomed away.

"That man, I saw him in the shadows. He's after us!"

Angela's face went white as she recalled the strange affair at Bella's reception.

"What'd he look like?" she asked Ben, who kept glancing at the rear view mirror.

Ben shrugged briskly, "I don't know… he was… tall… I think I recognize him from somewhere…"

At the same moment, Angela and Ben figured out his identity, "at the wedding!"

"His name was Xavier" continued Angela, "he's a friend or… relative of the Cullens"

Ben's eyebrows knitted together as he remembered something.

"No, that's not it. He was in the movie, too!"

Angela gasped, "the man at the back? How do you know that? It was so dark in there"

"I have a gut feeling. And his eyes…"

"He was the crazy one!" exclaimed Angela, on a roll, "the one who went berserk at the reception"

"He's been following us" muttered Ben, highly disturbed.

Angela thought for a moment. The man had pushed the drum on top of Ben, and she recalled the strange day at the movies when Edward and Bella wanted Ben to leave the movie theatre, because Xavier was there. And at the reception, Xavier didn't attack anyone, because the person he wanted was not there.

"No, Ben… I think he's been following you"

Suddenly Ben swerved, and almost hit into a tree.

"Oh no!" he yelled as he saw a dark figure advancing towards the Dodge Neon in the faint evening light.

"Ben! How can he run that fast?" exclaimed Angela in horror, hands covering her eyes to block out the impossible sight.

"I don't know, Ang, I really don't know…"

"What can we do?" Angela's grief-stricken face peered at Ben through her fingers as he swerved the car again, racing against time.

"There's only one thing I can do. I'm taking you home," Ben decided, his jaw set.

"What?!"

"If Xavier is after me, then I won't have you near me, Ang. I won't risk it. Then I'll go to the Cullens."

"But, Ben…"

"I love you, Angela," said Ben, momentarily taking his eyes off the road to kiss her.

"I love you too"

The evil man came steadily closer to the Dodge…

Ben and Angela were startled as a thick beam of sunlight broke through the clouds. Adjusting to the light, they squinted to the spot where Xavier had been, but he was gone.

"It's not over yet… there's something seriously strange about that man and I will find out!," Ben said as he pulled back onto the highway and headed for Angela's house.

"Oh Ben! Please be careful. That man is dangerous, and I can't lose you," Angela begged. They were at her house now, and Angela slowly climbed out of the Neon.

"Lock the doors and windows, and stay safe, please. I promise I'll be back soon". Ben prayed he could keep his promise.

"But what are you going to do?"

"Find answers," and with that he turned on the engine, waiting until Angela reluctantly went inside her house, and sped off to confront the Cullens.

Ben took a deep breath and began to speedily walk to the Cullen's front door. Something peculiar on the ground caught his eye, and he went to pick it up. It was a note.

Ben,

I have your precious Angela, and if you ever want to see her again, alive, you will follow my instructions carefully.

You will come to Seattle, there is a run-down hotel entitled: The Black Ribbon. Meet me there, in room 11, at midnight exactly, alone, and your Angela will be free.

The clock is ticking, Ben.

Sincerely,

Xavier Ivanov

Ben was shocked and terrified. What did Xavier want with him? And where was Angela? He felt a wave of panic. Angela.

Angela woke in a small, dusty room. She was sitting on a very old, very uncomfortable wooden chair and her hands were bound together behind her. She looked towards the door. There was no possible way of escape.

Already, she missed Ben. Angela couldn't remember a thing, only that as she started to lock the door at her house, and all went black.

"Help!" she cried in her small voice, knowing that her attempts were futile. Barely any light was in the room, only a small ray from between the curtains.

"Help!!" Angela shouted, louder than before. What did Xavier want with her and Ben?

Suddenly, she heard the door slam open, and she quickly shut her eyes, afraid.

"Hello, Angela," said an accented, soft voice from the door. Angela couldn't figure out what accent he had, but she thought it was Russian.

"What do you want?" she managed.

"Don't try to be brave. You know what I want" he growled.

"I-I-I don't know"

"I want Ben. And I will have him. Look at me"

"Why do you want him?"

"Look at me and you'll find out"

Angela bit back her fear and uncovered her eyes. As the slit of light hit Xavier's skin, it seemed to reflect, like a diamond. His eyes were black, and black and red around the edges. At first glance, he was menacing, but all of a sudden his face changed.

"I love you, Angela"

Angela reared back, "WHAT?!"