Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.
Rated M for a reason. Nasty. Very nasty. Even I feel bad . . . .
Chpt 35 Major Whitlock Goes to Washington
BPOV
With only one lead to go on we head south to Washington DC, in search of Hargreaves.
We crept down from the mountains just before first light, stealing some clothes from an empty house an' a car from a nightclub parking lot. We've always been a touchy feely couple but I don't think my skin has been out of contact with Jasper's since his roar of anguish at the lake.
I can't bear to be parted from him, he's everything to me an' now he is all. My brother, my sister, I can't believe they are gone. I can't get past it, I can't think around it. The sights, the sounds an' the scents at the house are at the forefront of my mind, blocking out everything else.
I realise that Jasper is in the same boat when we run out of gas in the middle of Nowhere, Connecticut.
He shrugs helplessly as he steers the car over to the side of the road. While there is no one in sight we push it off the highway into the trees until it's completely hidden from view.
Wary of attracting attention we set off south at a human jog, trying to look as miserable as possible in the driving rain, already resolved to blend in with the humans while The Volturi are searching for us. It isn' hard to be miserable, most of the infrequent traffic seems to find driving through the puddles an' splashing us some sort of civic duty. Before long Jasper is grumbling about 'fuckin' humans' under his breath in that typically elitist vampire way, I can't disagree with him.
After about twenty minutes a trucker stops for us.
"You kids need a ride?" He yells out the window as we approach.
"Please Sir." Jasper responds politely.
Quickly we scramble into the warm truck.
The guy is pleasant enough, a wok smuggler an' trucking stereotype but a devoted church going family man. Once we spun him a good yarn about back packing an' needing to get back to our hostel he an' Jasper fall easily into discussing the latest NASA mission an' the amazing capacity of mankind to confound you.
A few entertaining hours later he drops us off at a truck stop just outside Danbury, blissfully unaware he's been cosied up in his truck with a couple of soggy but inveterate killers.
While we wait for it get dark enough to steal another ride we grab a booth in the diner an' pretend to eat an' drink, both of us actually enjoying the sensation of holding a steaming mug of hot chocolate in our hands. After a while the stench even stops bothering us.
We hold hands across the table but we don't talk.
I occupy myself by listening over the general hubbub, to the older waitresses gossiping about Jasper an' I. They think we are a beautiful couple, that it's cute how we can't stop touching each other an' they love my engagement ring. The two younger ones think Jasper is hot as hell an' are wondering if it would be uncool to try an' slip him their phone numbers.
I look up to find Jasper smirking.
"Don't get any ideas." I growl softly. "I only love you for your mind, you're not that hot."
"Whatever you say darlin'." He chuckles, pushing his thigh in between mine an' rubbing it up an' down.
Stupid sexy vampire. But he manages to get a genuine smile out of me. An' a realisation that every moment with him is precious an' shouldn't be wasted on sorrow and regrets. I guess that makes me selfish but if we survive this I will have eternity to work through the pain of the things I have lost. Char's life attitude has been rubbing off on me. Oh Char, where are you?
"There's a really nice pick-up parked down the side of the building." Jasper's low voice shakes me out of my thoughts. "Time to go darlin'."
I nod, throwing some cash down on the table as we slide out an' make for the door.
A few hours later we are on the roof of the building in Washington which houses Hargreaves's offices. It's the dead of night an' most humans are safely tucked up in bed. Inside the building is one human security guard, snoring gently in the lobby an' three vampires. One of whom is Edward.
Jasper pulls me against him an' lays one of his expert kisses on me. When he draws back it is clearly time to go to work because The Major is staring down at me.
"Shielding?" He asks quietly.
"All systems are go." I mock salute. "We have mental, physical, sound an' scent."
"Then let's get this over with." He snarls carefully breaking the fire escape door open an' leading the way down.
Arriving at Hargreaves's floor we find one vampire standing guard by the elevators an' the sound of voices talking quietly in the conference room. Edward an' the vamp we now know to be Hargreaves are discussing what was going on the in the minds of the humans they met with this evening.
With an ease born of experience The Major crosses the hallway in two quick strides an' decapitates the guard before he even knows we are there. He tosses the head to me an' I shut it out on the fire escape.
Silently we flit down the hall to the conference room door. I put a loose shield around Edward an' Hargreaves before nodding to The Major who kicks the door in with more force than is strictly necessary.
There is a moment's shocked silence as Edward's deep burgundy eyes slide past The Major an' fix on me. Briefly there is a happy smile on his face before it morphs into a hard scowl.
"We were expecting to have to waste a lot to time and energy looking for you two." He sneers attempting to rise to his feet.
"I wouldn't." I warn him.
He relaxes back down remembering my shield.
"Hargreaves." He says conversationally, his face an arrogant mask. "This is Jasper Whitlock and his mate Bella Swan."
Hargreaves doesn't say a word. Wise man.
I risk a glance at The Major, he looks pissed so I step up beside him an' slide my hand into his earning myself a brief smile.
"Is this a rescue?" Edward asks brightly.
"Rescue?" I ask, sharing a confused look with The Major.
"Yes, have you come to rescue me?"
"No." The Major growls.
For a moment Edward looks confused an' then he shrugs.
We both turn to look at Hargreaves who raises his finger an' taps his temple.
"Fuckin' brilliant." The Major mutters. "Perhaps you'd better talk to him?"
Great, like I know anything about crazy people. As I watch him Edward's eager expression slowly dissolves back into the arrogant sneer he was sporting previously.
"Edward." I ask. "Where are Pete an' Char?"
"Aro has them."
The Major takes a very deep breath.
"Why?" He growls.
"Treason." Edward shrugs as if the reason isn't really important.
"They are innocent." The Major's so calm it's scary.
"Well yes." Edward laughs. "We know that now, but I am afraid we didn't at the time."
"What, time?" The Major demands.
"When we dismembered them for transportation of course." Edward's voice is cold an' inflectionless. "I'm afraid we may have left a few bit and bobs behind for the fire."
The Majors fist smashes through the wall, startling all of us. His nostrils are flared an' his eyes are blazing dangerously.
"Release him." He snarls. "I'm gonna rip him to fuckin' pieces!"
Before I can react Edward's high pitched scream rents the air. Inside my shield he's gone absolutely berserk, screaming, howling an' smashing up furniture. Even The Major's mouth is hanging open.
Hargreaves is desperately dodging around, trying to stay out of Edward's way as he starts throwing himself against my shield. He's totally crazed, eyes wide an' staring, venom dribbling out of his screaming mouth.
"Can you subdue him?" I ask The Major.
"Yes, but you'll have to drop the shield."
I nod, moving over to stand guard on Hargreaves.
As soon as I drop the shield The Major focuses his attention on Edward who leaps for him snarling viciously. The Major catches him easily round the throat an' slams him into the floor pushing so much lethargy at him that Hargreaves collapses to the floor with them. It takes a while but eventually Edward calms an' stills.
"What the fuck was that all about?" I demand, pulling Hargreaves up by the collar of his shirt an' giving him a shake for good measure.
"He's not right." Hargreaves struggles to fight off the backwash of The Major's gift. "Boris, the guard, he's always with Edward in case something sets him off."
"What set him off?" The Major asks keeping a sharp eye on Edward's still form.
"You threatened to dismember him." Hargreaves takes a deep breath as I shove him into a chair, releasing his shirt. "He spent many months boxed up in pieces, before and after he came to us. He's unstable but Aro is very pleased with his gift and won't destroy him."
"Fuck."
I put my shield around Hargreaves again an' sink down into a chair closing my eyes in despair. What a fucking mess.
Eventually I open them again to find The Major staring at me.
"We can't take him with us." He says quietly. "We can't trust him. I don't think we should, you know, in case we can't come back for him. Even if we did . . . ."
Oh for the love of . . . . what else? How much more . . . .
"Can you shield him, keep him contained for as long as it takes?" He asks me seriously, an' I know what he's really asking me.
I shake my head. I can't. Can't guarantee it won't slip. Can't risk using energy on it if there is a chance we can get Pete an' Char back. Can't. Won't. It's almost the same.
Suddenly I am so angry I can barely contain it an' my body starts shaking violently.
In an instant The Major is on his knees in front of me, gently rubbing my arms until my trembling stops an' I feel in control again.
"I'm sorry." He whispers his black eyes almost soft, almost.
"I know." My voice is barely audible.
"Shield him again so I can concentrate?"
I nod.
He springs to his feet an' looms over Hargreaves who regards him warily.
"Are you going to co-operate?" He growls. "Because as you can imagine I'm in an even shittier mood now than I was when I got here."
Hargreaves nods emphatically.
"Good. Was anyone killed when my coven an' the Cullens were captured?"
"Yes but I don't know who. Edward is the only one I have spoken to since it happened and he didn't give me any details."
"The human?"
Hargreaves just gives The Major a look as if to say what do you think the Guard did to a human running with vampires.
"Why didn't the Guard kill everyone?"
"Aro wanted some captives until matters are resolved."
"Resolved?"
"Obviously he is now seeking Rutilio Asturias."
"And Bella and I?"
"Aro is curious, he wants both of you brought to him."
The Major slowly moves his gaze to me, then to Edward and finally back to Hargreaves. He growls an' Hargreaves visibly shivers.
"I'm just a politician." He stammers as if that's some kind of defence.
"Where is Aro?"
Hargreaves explains the arrangements for The Volturi's sojourn to the US as The Major questions him carefully.
While they are talking Edward stirs an' regains full consciousness.
Realising he is trapped in position by my shield he starts shouting an' cursing, his mouth spewing vicious and hateful things about me, my family, the Cullens, The Volturi, Rutilio, humans. It's awful, a glimpse into a mind destroyed, the boy I once knew is gone and eventually I soundproof the shield unable to stand it any longer.
When he's done questioning Hargreaves The Major stretches himself back to his full height.
"Thank you." He says sincerely.
Hargreaves's eyes swell with hope even as The Major reaches down an' twists his head from his shoulders.
He turns back to Edward whose eyes are wide with terror.
"I'm so sorry Edward." I sob, wishing that I could cry.
"Please don't dismember me." Edward pleads quietly. "I couldn't bear that again. Please."
"Don't worry." The Major assures him. "I won't."
Edward's expression clears an' he nods very slightly.
Bringing back his arm an' clenching his fist The Major punches down into Edward's head, pulverising it with one powerful blow.
He remains there for a few minutes, his arm through the ruin of Edward's face, fist buried in the floor. His harsh breathing begins to calm as the twitching of Edward's limbs subsides.
I walk forward laying my hand gently on his shoulder.
"Is he dead?" I ask.
"Yes." He replies quietly. "His body will technically live on until we destroy it but Edward Cullen is dead."