A/N...Oh, boy... so most of you agreed with me over an angry Mama... And Bella is as pissed off as they come. I know some of you are worried, and I do need to give you fair warning for this chapter. It is rated M for violence...Mercward and his crew does not go easy on some of these people. Just wanted to give you a heads up.
So let's see what Bella does, shall we?
Oh Yeah...and there may be cause for a TISSUE WARNING at the end. Just saying...
CHAPTER 8
BELLA
The station was packed with people. Some looked like they were heading off to work, some looked like vacationing families, and the rest seemed to be making their way out through the front doors toward the gathering for Senator Ruiz's speech.
In my ear, my location, my every step, along with Lilith and Walter's position were rattled off one by one. I shifted my bag higher onto my shoulder, taking a sweeping glance around the station. To my left sat Mickey and Sam in the small food court area. Up top along the balcony that surrounded the main atrium were a few of Benny's men. Through the large glass front doors, I could see Wes standing by the drop off lane, scanning the crowd across the street and glancing inside every now and then.
I walked slowly towards the waiting area just outside a small bar. The carpet was an ugly shade of maroon, the chairs all attached together and black vinyl. Small flatscreen TVs were mounted up in the corners so that everyone could see them, playing the local news or sports – depending on which one you were watching. A small family of three sat by the windows, a businessman typed away on his laptop at the edge closest to the train platforms, but it was the last set of people my eyes finally fell on.
Walter and Lilith were sitting together, but I wasn't stupid enough to think that Rusty wasn't near. I glanced around again, finding him sitting at the bar, a bottle of beer in front of him. However, his gaze was trained behind me, back towards the food court.
I turned around, noticing a young man leaning against the wall by a book shop, a small duffle bag by his feet. "They aren't alone," I muttered in my earpiece. "I've got a suspicious looking guy by the employee entrance. Camo jacket, concert tee, and an iPod."
"On it," one of the Feds stated, and the gentleman at the far end of the balcony started making his way down the stairs.
"Camo seems to be their signature," Benny stated, "because I've got about six men making their way into the park. Two on the west side of the stage, two on the east, and the rest spreading throughout the crowd. My men...shadow them. The first sign of trouble, take them down...quietly...and get them out of the crowd."
"I've got the minivan making another pass through the drop off zone," Edward stated. "It seems he's waiting for a command."
As I closed in on Lilith and Walter, I said, "Here we go."
I dropped my bag in a seat and sat down across from them. My eyes met Lilith's, and I saw...pure hatred, no empathy, and a small wicked smile curling the edges of her mouth.
"Isabella," she sighed, sitting forward.
"Where are the girls, Lilith?" I asked, not having the patience for niceties.
"In due time," Walter said, crossing one leg over the other at the ankle.
"And you are?" I asked, giving him a raised eyebrow, because letting him think we were ignorant was better than spooking him. If he had any clue that we knew everything about him, he'd panic, and we couldn't have him make some rash decision, especially with those girls' lives at stake.
"I'm just helping Lilith get what's coming to her," he answered smoothly, his eyes landing on the black bag at my side.
"You'll need more than money for that," I countered snidely. "You'll need a cage and muzzle...possibly a stun gun..." I muttered, rolling my eyes at the string of profanities that left her mouth.
"Listen, bitch..." Lilith started to lunge for me, but Walter stopped her.
"Show us the money, and we'll bring the kids in," he offered, pushing Lilith back in her seat so hard that she grunted. He obviously knew how to handle her, though he looked like it wasn't out of any sort of caring emotion, but like a trainer with a dog.
I was shaking my head no before he even finished. "It so doesn't work that way with me," I stated, my voice low. "I need to...see what I'm paying for, or this meeting is over. You can take your chances with other...people."
"I'm not fucking stupid, Isabella," Walter snapped, now starting to show his temper. "I know this place is fucking surrounded."
"Then let's fucking cut the shit!" I growled back, my hands in fists in my lap, and I was glad that someone was blaring a baseball game inside the bar to cover my raised voice. "I've got what you want, and you've got what I want. I want to see the girls...now!"
"Yes, but what you don't seem to realize is that you're coming with us," Walter chuckled. "Consider it...insurance on getting out of here," he snorted, waving his hand toward the balcony and the front door. He lifted the front of his shirt, where a revolver was seated in the waistband of his jeans. "Are we clear?"
"I'm not fucking going anywhere until you release my daughter and her friend inside this fucking station," I countered, knowing for a fact that he couldn't do it, but I was surrounded by the best of the fucking best, so my confidence level was really high.
Walter smiled, looked over his shoulder toward the bar, and Rusty nodded, pulling out a cell phone and walking away.
"You're coming," he stated, standing up and pulling me up with him. He buried the muzzle of the gun in my ribs. "Grab that fucking bag, shut your fucking mouth, and walk."
The problem wasn't doing what he was telling me, or even not knowing where he was taking me; it was the chaos that ensued throughout the building and outside. Fire alarms started to wail as billowing smoke began to fill the balcony, the atrium, and the loading platforms outside. The front doors slammed open with civilians pushing their way outside, at the same time the small radio in my ear began buzzing with activity.
The sound of gunfire outside the front doors and in the park across the street met my ears, and I knew then that Walter had just started his distraction. It was chaos in front of a political arena – the perfect way to get Federal officers to jump. It was harmless smoke bombs inside the station, but a fire alarm would always scare innocent people.
"I've guns in the park!" Benny yelled. "Take them down! Take them down! Someone get to Ruiz, now! Don't let him get caught up in this shit..."
"I've got an asshole making their way through the crowd, Benny," Jasper warned. "He's heading straight for that senator."
"Take him down...shoot to wound only, J," Eleazar ordered. "I've got that minivan pulling up front!"
"Leave it," I hissed as I bent down to grab my black bag – a bag that was filled only with clothes for myself and the girls, not to mention Mr. Bunny and my gun. Not one dime was going with us. "I'm off the radio," I breathed, pulling it from my ear like I was scratching it and standing up straight, because this was going to be tricky enough without the money, so I couldn't see adding fuel to that fire by being wired.
The last thing I heard before I pulled the earpiece out was, "Bella, no!" from Edward.
The crowd outside started to scream and run from the activity. I felt, rather than heard, Edward's chopper blades as he swooped closer for Jasper and Eleazar. I could see Wes trying to guide innocent people out through the front doors as we got closer and closer to the exit, which was getting tougher to see with all the smoke inside the station.
I walked calmly out the doors, Walter's gun still at my side, and I gave Wes a minute shake of my head when he flinched at the sight of me. I needed them to let me go. I needed to get to Bethy, even if it was being held against my will. And I needed to face the wrath of Walter and Lilith when they finally realized that they didn't have a fucking dime.
Wes' face held worry and anger, but it also held a vow that he would find me. His head spun when screeching tires pulled to a halt in front of the three of us. The side door of the old tan minivan slammed open, and Walter rushed me inside to the backseat.
"Get in and get down," he ordered, looking over his shoulder as Rusty barreled his way out the front doors and dove in the van.
Edward's chopper swung low and dangerous over the scattering crowd that was heading away from fire alarms and gunshots, the side doors open, with Eleazar hanging out one side and Jasper another. Both were aiming in different directions. His blades stirred up dust, debris, and tree leaves, causing it all to swirl around everyone and just adding to the chaos. He should have been higher, but I had a feeling Eleazar was calling his movements.
A woman screamed in the middle of the street when a camo wearing man wrapped her hair around his hand and pointed a gun to her temple, yelling something at a nearby Fed. The D.O.A. member never stood a chance, because Jasper never missed. One resounding pop, and the man's head snapped back. He hit the asphalt, causing the woman to stumble forward.
"Who the fuck are they?" Lilith gasped, her mouth hanging wide as she dove into the car beside me.
"Doesn't matter," Walter growled, slamming the minivan's side door. "Go, Kurt... Drive! They won't shoot while this bitch is in this car. She's worth too much."
The van lurched forward in another squealing of tires, and we bucked over a curb to avoid hitting a few Feds, as well as a small, crying child. The last face I saw was Carlisle, who bolted from the garage, giving the van a face filled with hatred and worry.
Lilith shifted to the very back seat with Rusty, allowing Walter to sit next to me.
He grabbed my ponytail, jerking it roughly and practically spitting in my face. "You'll pay for this shit, Isabella," he sneered, holding up a syringe. "You just couldn't do as you were told, could you?" he asked, slamming the needle into my arm and depressing the plunger.
My world blurred completely out of focus into nothingness.
~oOo~
EDWARD
"Edward, don't even fucking think about it," Eleazar warned as the van that contained my Bella sped away from the shit down below. "I get it...I really do, but if you follow them, they may kill her. She's strong as fucking shit. Let her go for now."
"Goddamn son of a bitch!" I growled, wanting to fucking punch someone or something. Anything. "She knew they'd fuck us over. She just fucking offered herself up!"
"Ed, she needs to get to the girls, and you know it. Now, your dad said land," Jasper said, pointing over to the garage where Bella's car was parked along the far wall. "Set this thing down over there. Benny is giving you clearance."
"Alice!" I barked over the radio.
"As soon as I see her turn them on, I'll tell you, Edward," she answered immediately. "Those GPS chips are off, per her request. She wanted to get to Bethy first, okay?"
"Ten-four," I sighed in fucking utter defeat, setting the chopper down. I powered her down as Eleazar and Jasper piled out of her to run to my dad, who had just emerged from the stairwell.
Once she was off, I scrambled down to join them.
"Fucking smoke bombs," he hissed, shaking his head. "Every last one of them was a diversion tactic! Nothing but fucking smoke!"
"Casualties?" Eleazar asked him and everyone on the radio.
The calls back were two D.O.A. men dead, several civilians injured from trampling and assaults, and two D.O.A. men injured and in Benny's custody.
"Alec, Sam, and Mickey...get your asses to the top level of the garage, ASAP," my dad ordered into the radio, and they all grunted with acknowledgment. He pointed his finger to me. "As soon as they get here, you'll stay close, wait for Alice's word, and you can pounce when she says so. There's a small industrial airfield not far from here. You can store the chopper there for now. Take the SUV that Emmett drove, stay low, stay connected." He pointed to Eleazar and Jasper. "El...Benny's going to have to explain this shit, so you'll help him. Jasper, you'll come with me to question those two men that survived."
My dad grabbed my arm, pulling me close. "She didn't take the fucking money, and she won't turn those GPS chips on until she's ready for you. My guess is they'll head to that compound, but it's several hours drive. Edward, they knocked her out as they drove past me, so they'll need a place to cool off before the last leg."
"Fuck," I hissed, shaking my head as I ran a hand roughly through my hair. "Knocked her out...how?"
"Something in a needle. Now...I think your best bet is to start north, lag back a bit, but be fucking ready for whatever Bella does, okay?"
"Sir," I sighed with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, glancing up at Alec, Mickey, and Sam as they double timed it across the parking lot. I had planned to wait for her, because the thought of going home without either of my girls made me fucking sick. So it was time to get to work. "Sam, take the keys to the SUV from my dad and meet us at the industrial airstrip just across town. Mickey, Alec...you're with me. We're hanging low in town until we hear from Alice. Load up," I ordered.
"Sir," they all grunted. Alec and Mickey jogged to the chopper, and Sam took the keys from my dad.
"Son..." My dad stopped me one more time with a grip to my shoulder. "She's tough. Give her a chance, okay?" he asked, and I nodded as he spun on his heel, barking into the radio, with Jasper on his trail. "Benny, I want those two suspects in a room, now! I have questions!"
I looked up at Sam, who was waiting for me. "Let's go," I muttered, going back to my chopper. "I'll guide you into the airfield."
"Sure, Eddie," he answered, his voice subdued, but I knew he was worried.
I listened intently over the radio as different men checked in, calling an all clear. Emmett called the garage safe, Wes called that the inside of the station was now clear of smoke, but all trains and people were being routed elsewhere, and Benny stated that the senator was now safely away and in the custody of his own security. I could already see the story they were going with: an attempted assassination on a political figure by an unstable militant group. It was easy, and certainly not far from the fucking truth, though I was pretty sure the D.O.A.'s intention wasn't to kill Ruiz, considering they'd used smoke bombs, instead of explosives.
I lifted smoothly off the garage, turning away from the train station and calling into the local airstrip. I used the call sign that Alice had assigned my flight, acting like the media. They granted my access, and Alec spoke to Sam to let him know where to follow me.
The hurry up and fucking wait feel of things made me uneasy. The loss of my wife made me feel empty. I wanted to storm the asshole's compound right then, taking the lives of anyone that had played just the minimal part in this shit.
"Easy, pretty boy," Mickey soothed from the co-pilot seat. "She'll let us know something soon. You know that."
"I know," I stated firmly. Of all the things I knew, I had faith that my Bella would fight to give us something. Her determination to get to and protect Bethy was almost deadly. It was all that was keeping her from losing it. And that I completely understood.
~oOo~
BELLA
My tongue felt thick and dry, my head fuzzy. I could hear muffled voices nearby, and I slowly – without trying to look awake – tried to take a physical inventory on my body. I didn't open my eyes as I tried to move, but I seemed to be sitting up in a hard seat, my arms bound behind my back, my feet to the legs of the fairly wobbly chair.
I felt okay, just groggy from whatever Walter had injected into me, but my head was quickly clearing. I peeked an eye open, taking a quick glance around at what seemed to be a very old, very cheap hotel room. It stunk, like old cigarette smoke and cheap cleaner, like stale sheets and spilled beer – and pretty recent pizza.
From where I was, I couldn't see anything other than the window that was covered by old, heavy curtains, but I could at least tell that the sun was about to set. I closed my eyes again when voices rang in from the other room, because apparently, there was dissension among Walter's little clan.
"Damn it to hell, Kenny," a male voice hissed. "What the fuck did you give them?"
"Just some night time cold medicine. They wouldn't sit the fuck still!" Kenny yelled back. "Lilith said I could... Hell, they weren't sleeping well at night anyway."
"Shut up," Lilith snapped, "the both of you. Kurt, take them in there with that bitch. Put them to bed."
I waited, holding my breath, because I knew that they were talking about Bethy and Abby, and my heart was about to pound out of my chest. I was going to at least be able to lay eyes on my baby.
But a loud, long string of profanities and the sound of something smashing against the wall of the next hotel room caused me to snap my eyes open completely. Fuck the ruse of being asleep; Walter and Lilith had just discovered what was in my bag.
The door between the two rooms was yanked open, and a fuming Lilith stormed into the room. "You stupid fucking bitch!" she snarled, and I braced myself, because her hand was raised before she was even close enough to me to strike.
The hit was open handed and stung my cheek, my head snapping to the left. I grimaced, feeling my chair rock on its legs briefly.
"What is this shit?" she screamed, holding up clothes and Mr. Bunny.
"Well," I started calmly, taking a deep breath and sitting up straighter, because I knew there would be more hits, "I knew you were a piss poor mother with your own children, so I assumed those girls would need all the help they could get. Am I right?" I asked her, glaring at her with pure hatred.
God, I really just fucking hated that bitch, and there was no way for me to even try to attempt to hide it.
She threw the clothes and the stuffed animal on the closest bed and swung on me again; this time, the fist was closed. The legs of my chair gave an eerie creak, I was happy to note.
I grunted, feeling the sting of a split lip and the warmth of the blood seeping from it running down my chin. I sat up straight again and said, "Hit me again, and I'll kick your ass while I'm still cuffed and in this fucking chair."
I was really, really hoping she'd hit me again, because I was going to use the momentum in my favor. I wasn't disappointed, because she came at me full force this time, despite the fact that three men were trying to stop her.
Her foot landed in the middle of my chest, and I pushed back at the same time, using gravity and my weight to fall to the floor. My chair gave a satisfying crack, collapsing underneath me, the back giving way to allow my handcuffs to slip off. The legs never stood a chance, and I was rolling across the floor backwards, tucking my feet and legs through and bringing my hands to my front.
Launching myself up, I dove for her, driving my shoulder into her stomach and landing on her with a grunt from me and a cry out from her. Using my cuffed hands, I braced myself over her, straddling her stomach. I swung both hands at once, left to right, catching her mouth in a loud and really rewarding smack.
I was just about to swing again, when I found myself yanked away from her.
"Enough!" Walter growled, gripping my hair, but it was the soft click of the hammer of his gun that stopped me from fighting everyone in the fucking room. He pressed it to my temple, his breathing heavy. "Where's the fucking money, Isabella?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.
"No idea," I snickered, spitting blood to the floor. "With my husband? His father? The FBI? No clue." I smirked, looking at him over my shoulder. "Could be with any of them." I shrugged a shoulder in an insolent manner, just to piss him off.
"You're the Twi Tech heiress," he pointed out, his eyes dark with his anger. "Couldn't you fucking spare it?"
"Maybe," I said with a smile. "Who double crossed whom, Walter?" I asked. "You didn't show with the girls."
"Well...now your family will pay double," he growled, throwing me to the bed and reaching into his pocket. "I'm pretty sure that the goddaughter-slash-daughter-in-law of the CEO of a multi-million dollar company will bring a higher price than that little brat in the other room, but both of you...I'm pretty sure Carlisle Cullen won't be able to resist."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "You really have no idea what you've done, do you?" I asked, looking up at his now confused face. "Go ahead...call Carlisle. Call my husband. Let them know what you're asking."
"Oh, we will, Isabella," he told me, holding up another syringe. "But why don't we save that for tomorrow? You need your rest, and we'll be traveling tomorrow." His voice was snide and sarcastic, and without any hesitation, he sank the needle into my neck, once again plunging my world into darkness.
~oOo~
EDWARD
"Thanks, kid. I was starving," Alec grunted as he took an enormous bite of a fast food burger. "You might as well park back here for now," he mumbled with his mouth full.
I nodded, parking in the back shaded area of the restaurant's parking lot. It faced the two lane highway we'd been traveling on, but once the sun had started to set, everyone in the car complained about empty fucking stomachs.
"Eat, pretty boy," Mickey piped up from the back seat. "You're gonna need it, Ed."
"Fine," I sighed, taking the burger she was handing me.
What I wanted was a stiff drink, something to take the edge off, but I couldn't do that. I needed to stay sharp, stay alert. I wanted Alice to call and tell me Bella had activated the GPS trackers. I wanted to find both my girls and go the fuck home. And if – no, when – either of those things happened, I needed to be sober and ready.
We'd dropped off my chopper a few hours prior, making sure we had everything we needed out of it before leaving it. Once we'd checked back in with Alice, she told us to start north. Apparently, Bella had yet to turn on either of the GPS chips.
"I fucking hate this waiting shit," Sam muttered, wadding up his burger wrapper and taking a long drink from his cup. "I'd rather just...fucking fight."
I snorted, turning toward the back seat to look at him. "No shit," I huffed. "You should've seen my dad and me when we were looking for Bella the first time. Stuck at a rest area for hours. Something went wrong with the GPS chip then."
"Damn, you don't think..." he gasped, his eyes wide.
"No, definitely not this time," I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "Bella and Alice have tested those damn things so many times that they're fucking experts."
"Tracked her ass to the damn grocery store," Alec laughed, his head falling back to the headrest of the front seat. "Tracked her ass to the mall...the movie theater...the woods...you name it. Those two have put those chips to the test, along with the rest of us."
I grinned over at him, remembering it well. The girls were determined never to let history repeat itself when it came to an emergency. It was like a statewide game of hide and seek around the time Bethy was a year old, which had resulted in Alice becoming damn good at narrowing down location, direction, and even satellite image.
I sighed deeply again, taking a sip of soda. "No...this is just...waiting."
The phone rang, breaking the silence that had settled over all of us. I hit speakerphone, answering, "Talk to me, Alice."
"What road are you on?"
"That county road you told us to stick to. Why?" I asked her, taking another bite of burger that I wasn't even fucking tasting.
"Good, good, good," she chanted, sounding worn out and frustrated. "Stay on that. As you get farther north, you'll see some hotels. Call it a hunch, but I have a feeling they stopped around there. They're old, nasty, cheap things from the looks of it, but they serve a purpose to truckers and shit."
"What have you heard from Carlisle?" Alec asked her.
"Not much," she stated. "He called to check in just after he interrogated those D.O.A. boys. They both were loyal to Walter Bridges, but when they were threatened with being charged with acts of terrorism by Eleazar and Benny, they opened up a bit."
There were a few chuckles in the car, but I asked, "Anything useful?"
"Same shit we assumed," she answered. "Walter's wealth had earned him a high spot in the D.O.A., but when his parents cut the purse strings, that's when shit started to go to hell. They needed a place to live, and he provided it. Now...the taxes on the place have piled up, and about thirty people may lose their home."
Mickey coughed from the backseat. "What? Thirty people? Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Yes, yes, yes," Alice chortled. "Thirty misguided, angry, antisocial gunslingers that follow Walter around like Mary's little lamb. It's ridiculous. And the place seems to run like a little village or cult or...or..."
"Commune?" I suggested, thinking she was starting to stutter like me. Before this was all over, poor Alice would have a nervous breakdown. She barely slept, barely looked away from those computers of hers, and I knew it was because she adored Bethy. Adding Bella into the mix may just send her over the edge.
"Exactly! A commune," she huffed exasperatedly. "I've had the satellite on them since you guys finished at the train station. They live in little huts, though there is a main house. There's a barn, what looks like vegetable fields, a water well, and some livestock. In all reality, I'd be willing to bet that they don't need...town."
I took my baseball cap off, running my fingers through my hair, only to put the hat back on. "What's the access look like up there?"
"Bleak," she stated. "One scraggly little dirt road to get up there. Are you asking from an...invasion standpoint?" she asked, giving a little giggle.
I grinned, because Alice and I worked really well together; it had been that way since the first time I'd spoken to her on the phone. "Yeah, something like that, pixie."
"It would take your chopper, ATVs, and some tough fucking hiking to reach it. It's set deep in the woods and pretty high up on the mountain," she replied. "It would be a bitch to go in."
"Thank you, Alice," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"Edward?" she called.
"Yeah."
"From what I can tell...they're heavily armed and fortified up there. It would be a fucking battle," she said, her voice sounding nervous.
"Okay, thanks again. Call me when you know something," I told her, and she ended the call. I shook my head, looking over at Alec. "We'd better hope that Bella doesn't get taken to that cabin."
He nodded, wadding up his french fry container and tossing it into the bag with the rest of the garbage. "That won't stop us, kid," he chuckled, gripping my shoulder. "Hell, I'm not even sure it would slow you and Carlisle down."
"No shit," Sam and Mickey muttered from the backseat.
I smirked and nodded. "No... No, it wouldn't stop us."
~oOo~
BELLA
I woke up feeling the hits that Lilith had put to my face, but at least Walter had left me on the bed. My hands were still cuffed, but he hadn't bothered to readjust them to my back, so they were still cuffed in front of me. A quick glance around the room gave me a little relief. It was late, and everyone seemed to be quiet for now.
Asleep in a chair, his head back and mouth open, was the young man I recognized as Kurt Vernon. His legs were stretched out in front of him, with his feet propped up in the chair on the other side of the table. He was young, rather handsome, and a little thin. A gun was sticking up out of his waistband, and his hair was short and almost black, his jaw strong, with a touch of stubble. He snored softly, and I relaxed a bit.
I rolled over to look at the other side of the room, and my heart soared. Cuddled around each other were Bethy and Abby. They were sound asleep, a little messy, but completely unharmed, from what I could see. They weren't even tied or restrained in any way. They were still completely dressed, down to their shoes, in the same clothes they'd been wearing since the Lafayette's farm. Lilith's stupid ass hadn't even bothered to bathe them.
Another look to Kurt, and I sat up in bed as silently as I could. There were doors leading to neighboring hotel rooms, but they were barely cracked open. The light from the TV flickered through the room, and the bathroom light gleamed brightly.
I looked down at myself, grimacing that my boots were missing. "Fuck," I hissed to myself, just barely letting the sound out, because the GPS chip was in the top portion of the right shoe. At least I still had Mr. Bunny, who had been left by Lilith after her temper tantrum.
Feeling along the hem of my pants, I found what I was looking for and worked a long, thin metal strip from the material. Alice had hidden several things like that in the cargo pants I was wearing. In less than thirty seconds, I had the cuffs off of my wrists and the metal strip stored back where I had got it. I really needed to thank Mickey for showing me a few of her tricks.
I inched off of the bed, giving a snoring Kurt a wary glance before I walked to the other bed. I needed to see my daughter, touch her. I needed to make sure she was really there, because I'd dreamed this type of shit more times than I could count since she'd been taken from me.
She was on the outside of the bed, her face buried in her pillow, with Abby's hand twitching at her shoulder. I knelt beside her, reaching up and lightly brushing her hair away from her face. Her face relaxed in her sleep with a beautiful pout on her lips, much like her father's when he slept. Her braids had been taken down, but her hair was a tangled mess. There were smudges of dirt on her nose, chin, and cheek, and her little fingernails were filthy, but otherwise, she was perfect. She sighed contentedly, but suddenly, I was looking into sweet, green eyes.
"Mom..." she almost squealed, but I placed a finger to her lips and pointed to Kurt.
She nodded quietly, reaching for me and I pulled her down into my lap, wrapping myself around her. She hugged me just as tightly as I was hugging her, and I reveled in the feel, the smell of her. I wanted to talk to her, make sure she was okay, so with one more look Kurt's way, I scooped her up and carried her in the bathroom, sitting on the closed lid of the toilet with her firmly in my lap.
"Pretty girl," I whispered, unable to stop my tears. "You have to be so quiet, okay?"
She nodded, planting kisses to my face, her little face beaming. She reached up to wipe away my tears, giving me another kiss to my cheek.
"I m-missed y-you, M-mommy," she sputtered quietly, but sweetly.
"Oh, Bethy," I groaned, holding her closer and allowing more tears to fall. "We missed you so very much!" I cupped her face, kissing her forehead, her nose, and finally, her adorably puckered lips. "Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"No, Mommy," she whispered back. "But they aren't very nice...except Kurt."
"That one?" I verified, pointing back towards the room.
"Yeah," she answered with a nod, and I was proud my girl could stay quiet. "Kurt gives us doughnuts for breakfast and keeps the mean man away. Kenny hates us."
"What does Kenny do, baby?"
"Yells, calls us names, takes away our food if we make him mad," she rambled, playing with my hair.
"What about Lilith?"
"The lady?" she asked, and I nodded. "She doesn't like us, either, but she stays in the other room."
I snorted, shaking my head. That sounded like Lilith – ignoring children she was supposed to be taking care of.
"But no one's hit you, touched you?" I asked her, and it was the most important question I needed answered.
"No," she huffed, shaking her head. "I told them not to."
"Good, pretty girl. Really good," I sighed in relief, kissing her forehead again and trying not to squeeze her too tightly.
I jumped when a slamming sound came from my left, and I looked up at the window.
"It's just the loose window, Mommy," Bethy soothed, pointing to the window. "It bangs when the wind blows."
"Really?" I asked, setting her on her feet and climbing into the tub.
I pulled the screen away, setting it by my feet, and pushed open the window. It was only a few feet to a planter below, and then down to the ground. I studied the thing, thinking I would never fit, but Bethy and Abby could. But I wasn't sure just how brave my girl could be and for how much longer.
I took a deep breath, stepping out of the tub and kneeling before her. "I need you to be so brave for me," I said, my voice catching, because despite how much I wanted her with me, I needed her to get away. I needed her safe with Edward.
"Okay, M-Mommy," she whispered, her little brow furrowing as she tilted her head at me.
"Stay here, and don't move," I ordered her. She sat down on the edge of the tub as I backed away.
I snuck back into the room, thankful that apparently, Kurt was the deepest of sleepers. I grabbed Mr. Bunny and the clothes that I'd thought to bring. I grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, jotting down a quick note, and tucked everything under my arm, kneeling beside Abby, who had rolled to the edge of the bed in Bethy's absence. With soft caresses to her face, deep, dark brown eyes opened up to me.
"Shh," I told her, smirking at her little smile and bending to her ear. "Bathroom, go," I whispered.
She clambered off of the bed and tiptoed into the bathroom, with me following behind her.
"I told you they'd come," Bethy whispered, and I couldn't help but snicker at my little girl. She was so much like me and Edward, it was scary.
I set the clothes on the lid of the toilet, picking up two little sweatshirts. "Arms up, both of you," I told them, tugging the hoodies over their heads. Both girls had ridiculously long hair, so with a quick twist, I pulled their hair up so that it wouldn't catch on anything.
The last thing I did was pick up Mr. Bunny, feeling around in his ear. With a firm click, I activated the GPS tracker. A small, red, LED light glowed dimly through the material.
"Bethy, look at me. You're going to get Daddy, okay? But I need you to do exactly what I tell you." I waited until she nodded before I continued. "I'm going to lower you both down outside. You take Mr. Bunny, Abby's hand, and don't let go of either, understand me?"
"Yes, Mommy," she sniffled, because she'd just realized what was happening. "Come wif us," she urged, big tears filling her eyes.
"I can't fit, Bethy," I told her. "You have to go help Daddy, okay? He needs you to help come get me."
She nodded solemnly, but looked up at the window and back at me.
"Once you're outside, I need you to run, baby," I told her. "Can you both do that for me?"
"Yeah," they both said, nodding slowly.
"You hold Mr. Bunny, hold each other's hand, and run. Got me?" I verified, before standing up.
"Where do we run to?" Abby whispered, wide eyed and scared.
"Doesn't matter. Just run. If one of these people follows you, I want you to hide," I told them, stepping into the tub. I reached for Abby. "Be brave, and Mr. Edward will get you home to your Mom, okay?" I asked her, and she nodded. "Okay, stiff legs, and I'm going to shoot you out the window. Hold my hands."
I held her tight until she was just mere inches from the planter, and then I let her drop. She wobbled a bit, but held steady, looking up at me.
After telling her to stay there, I scooped Bethy up, who was now full on crying.
"I wanna stay wif you," she sniffled, gripping my shirt in two tight fists.
"Shh, baby," I soothed her, rocking her a bit. "I really need you to be brave, pretty girl. Please?" I begged, wiping her tears away. "Mr. Bunny will help you find Daddy, okay? So don't let go of him, and don't lose Abby." I kissed her cheek, wiping at more tears. "You have to do this for me, Bethy. Now...tell me," I urged softly, trying not to cry with her.
"D-Don't l-lose Mr. Bunny, h-hold Abby's hand. R-Run. Hide if s-someone ch-chases us," she rattled off to me perfectly, still sniffling. Finally, she whispered, "Go find Daddy."
I knew that the second I'd activated Mr. Bunny's GPS, Alice was on it. I also knew that Carlisle would never have taken everyone back to mine and Edward's house; he would have left someone close. And if I knew my godfather and my husband, it was Edward out there waiting.
I took the note I'd written and tucked it into Bethy's hoodie pocket, whispering, "For Daddy, okay?" I asked her.
"A love note, Mommy?" she snickered softly.
"Yup," I said with a grin. "Make sure he gets it. Now..."
"I love you, and be safe," she sang in a whisper.
"You, too, Bethy," I sighed, kissing her one last time, before easing her out the window. I poked my head out, point to my right. "Love you. Go!" I hissed.
Once the girls were out of sight, disappearing into the darkness, I pulled myself back in and replaced the screen in the window. I stepped out of the tub, gasping when I realized Kurt was leaning in the doorway.
"They gone?" he asked, but I didn't answer him. "Seriously, did you get them the fuck out of here?"
I nodded, unsure of what he'd do. Bethy had said he was nice, and everything we'd pulled up on him indicated that he was not a real bad guy, but still, I was in his captivity, and I could see the gun in his waistband. My gun.
"Come here," he sighed, holding up the handcuffs. "We gotta make this shit look good," he whispered, grabbing my wrist. "I never understood why Lilith wanted those kids. It's not like she spent any time with them," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "In rehab, she came this shy of saying she didn't miss the ones she had."
He put the cuffs around my wrists, but I noticed that he'd left them fairly loose.
I smirked up at him. "You're done with her shit," I guessed.
"Like weeks ago," he snorted. "But I have to protect my dad... These pieces of shit aren't exactly trustworthy."
"Your dad was caught, Kurt," I told him, wincing at his shocked face. "He's been helping us, though."
"How much trouble is he in?"
"I'm not sure, but...I'm sure we can work something out, since he's been cooperative."
"Okay," he sighed, looking like a huge weight was lifted from him. "Now...let's make this shit look like you tried to get away. As soon as we do this, they'll move you to the mountain cabin. They'll try to find those girls first, but we have to send them on a wild goose chase, because you're really who they wanted. Ready?" He smirked, giving me a wink, and I nodded, liking him instantly. "Okay...hit me!"
~oOo~
EDWARD
My knee bounced in the booth of the all-night diner. I'd had way too much fucking coffee and way too much time to think. Mickey and Alec were in the next booth over, babbling to each other over the merits of a good piece of pie, which only made shit worse for me. My Bella made the best fucking apple pie on the goddamn planet.
I yanked my baseball cap off, slamming it down onto the table and running a nervous hand through my hair.
"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked, suddenly appearing at my side. Her innuendo was hard to miss, and I found myself trying damned hard not to roll my eyes at her.
She was young, with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. I'd put her somewhere between twenty and twenty-five, though I'd gotten really bad at nailing down ages on women, because I just fucking didn't look. I didn't need to. Bella was everything to me. This girl didn't hold a candle next to my wife.
Her name tag said Harley, I noted as I pushed my coffee cup toward her, but said nothing as she refilled it. Sam, who was sitting in the booth with me, did the same, but it was Alec that saved me.
"Ah, amore," he crooned, causing her to blush almost redder than her hair. "I was wondering if you could please get me another piece of your...cherry pie," he said, leaning on the word cherry.
I grinned into my coffee cup, shaking my head. Who knew I needed a wing man to avoid getting hit on?
"Are you Italian?" she asked in a flirtatious manner.
"Sì, rosso, sono italiano ... tutto il senso alla mia anima," he answered her, and I'd known him long enough to know that he'd just called her "Red" and that he'd said he was Italian to his very soul. I wasn't fluent, but when you knew Alec, you picked up his bullshit. He spoke it flawlessly – bullshit, that is.
She squeaked and turned away from him, even more flustered than before, walking around the counter to get his dessert.
"You have no shame," Mickey laughed, putting her face in her hands. "Jesus, Alec, did you teach Eddie that shit years ago? 'Cause damn, he used to be able to do that everywhere we fucking went!"
I barked a laugh, looking up at her, and then him. Back in the day, he was fucking fantastic to go out with, especially for a barely in his twenties man. The women flocked to him, loving his sense of humor, just like Emmett, but he was smooth – really fucking smooth.
"Look at the kid's face," Alec chuckled. "I didn't need to teach him anything when he's walking around with a mug like that. A little guidance on the art of conversation, some sweet compliments, and a girl is putty in your hands...right, kid?"
I sighed, rolling my eyes and smirking at him. "Whatever, Alec. However, you are smoother than Emmett ever was, that's for sure."
"Aw, Em's a clown...but it worked for him," he chuckled, shaking his head. "And Jazz has that Southern charm shit going for him..."
Mickey rubbed her hands together, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh, damn, I can't wait to tell Bells this shit!"
Sam's impassive face finally broke into a smirk. "Miss Bella owns this man...heart, body, and balls," he chuckled, punching my arm as I snorted at the truth of that statement. "I have a feeling she's well aware of what Little Eddie here is capable of."
I nodded, my smile falling, because Bella did own me. I was just about to go crazy with worry for her. It wasn't that she couldn't take care of herself, because she could. It was the worry about what she could be put through. Miller had really messed her up a long time ago, and even though it had brought us together, I'd never fucking forget the fear that would fill her face over simple things like touching. I worried about what she'd find when it came to our daughter, and...fuck, I was just really worried. I didn't know if it was strength and bravery that caused her to decide to go with Walter and Lilith, or fucking insanity over the loss of Bethy. I couldn't judge her, though. At all.
Harley, who actually had Harley Davidson ink on her leg, reappeared and dropped off Alec's pie with a smile, a giggle, and another blush, before she had to go greet another patron that was just walking in.
"Easy, Ed," Sam said softly from across the table. "We'll get them. If we have to fucking climb that mountain, we'll fucking get them."
I swallowed thickly, nodding a bit. "I know...but fuck if I didn't try to shelter them from shit like this," I sighed, sitting back in the booth.
"Not your fault, kid. And it's not Bellissima's, either," Alec said, turning in his seat to face me. "Time, man...time."
My phone rang and vibrated across the table, and I snatched it up when I saw that it was Alice. The four of us froze.
"Please, God..." I breathed, squeezing my eyes closed before answering it. "Talk to me, Alice..."
"Holy fucking shit," Alice sqeaked over the phone, "Mr. Bunny just came online."
I stood up, tossed way too many bills down onto the table to cover our tab, pulled my cap back on, and said, "Where? Tell me!"
Sam, Alec, and Mickey slid out quickly from their seats and followed me out to the SUV. We piled in, and I started the engine.
"Take a right out onto the road," she said, and I could hear her typing away furiously at her computer. "You're not far...less than five miles. Go until I tell you to stop, because Mr. Bunny is on the move. Slowly, but moving, nonetheless," she stated.
"God, Alice, you're gorgeous," I breathed into the phone, smiling at her giggle. "And no more bullshit about facial grids. You still haven't convinced me that science knows what's pretty or not."
"You were a nine-point-eight, you jackass!" she huffed, and I could almost see her rolling her eyes. "No woman has scored that high. No wonder Mick calls you pretty boy."
"I did that shit to shut you up!" I snorted, rolling my eyes at Mickey's laughter. "Talk to me, Alice...I'm closing in on five miles."
"Stop the car," she ordered. "You're right on top of the signal. What's around you?"
I pulled the SUV into a parking lot of a boarded up gas station. "I've got an old, closed up gas station, woods...lots of woods on either side of me, and like a mile ahead, there are like three signs for motels." I scanned the area, deciding to get out. "Everyone out! Keep your eyes peeled," I ordered, and the car emptied of everyone in it. "Weapons at the ready. Don't take any chances," I commanded, motioning for them to spread out.
"Hang on, Edward," Alice said, typing away. "I'm going to use your cell signal and narrow it down for you."
"Okay," I breathed, my eyes scanning the darkness.
"Got it, got it, got it," she sang. "Go forward about two yards, on your right. The signal is still moving."
"Ten-four," I huffed, breaking into a run, stopping when she told me to. I pulled the phone away from my ear so that I could hear what was around me and not Alice's furious typing skills.
It was then that I heard the snap of a twig, the hushed whisper, and the pounding of footsteps on my right. I spun to look, and my heart stopped.
"Bethy?" I called as I unceremoniously ended the call, and the girls screamed. "Come here, it's just me," I told them, and they burst out of the darkness of the forest, their little legs running as fast ast they could.
"D-Daddy!" my daughter gushed, flying into my arms. She was holding Abby's hand and didn't look like she was about to let it go, and Mr. Bunny was firmly tucked under her arm like a running back with a football.
"Jesus, Bethy," I groaned, wrapping my arms all the way around her, because it seemed like ages since I'd seen her last. I pulled her back from my neck to look at her. "Are you girls okay?" I asked, pulling little Abby to me, because she looked lost and tired and like she could use a hug.
"Yes, Daddy," Bethy said as Abby just nodded.
"You sure? Abby, sweetheart, you okay?" I asked her, setting a girl on each of my knees.
"I want to go home, Mr. Edward," Abby whispered, clinging to me fiercely.
"Okay, sweetie," I sighed, kissing both of their foreheads. "Where's your mom, little sweetness?" I asked.
"Back there," she said, pointing towards the motels.
I nodded and started to stand up with a girl in each arm, but Mickey suddenly appeared, offering her help.
"Come here, Miss Abby," she crooned. "I'm Bethy's Aunt Mickey," she said, introducing herself, but before Abby would move, she looked to Bethy, who was nodding.
Sam whistled from across the road, pointing towards the motels. "We've got company," he stated, and I could see his worry, because the damned road had been dead since just after one in the morning and that car was pulling out of a motel up the way.
"Get them in the car! Now!" I snapped to Mickey, and we turned to run.
Mickey opened up the back door and ushered Abby into the SUV, turning to take Bethy from me.
"Girls, get down onto the floor, and don't move, okay?" I said, waiting until both little bodies were huddled behind the driver's side seat. "Good girls," I breathed, pulling my weapon from the small of my back. "Alec," I called.
"Got you, Ed," he stated, bolting from behind the SUV to the other side of the road, because a beat up sedan was rumbling to a stop.
We had the vehicle surrounded, though I wasn't sure they knew it. I could barely see from the shine of the SUV's headlights combined with the shine of the sedan's. When a bullet pinged off the asphalt at my feet, I dove behind the gas station's old rusty sign pole. Glancing around, I saw that Mickey was well hidden on the other side of the SUV's fender. I could see her face; they'd have to get past her to get back those girls.
I heard another gunfire pop loud in the quiet night and the sound of breaking glass. However, it was the sound of a man's scream that made me smile. I took a chance and stepped away from my hiding spot, motioning for Mickey to stay put and for Alec and Sam to approach with caution and weapons up.
When I got to the shot out driver's side window, I couldn't help but sneer. It was the fucker that had dared put a gun to Abby's temple, the one that told me he'd throw the two girls out on the highway going sixty. It was Rusty fucking Carnes, and he was holding his shoulder as it bled beautifully down his arm.
"Oh hell," Alec sighed, once he realized who was driving. "Walking dead man," he muttered to Sam, who only shrugged.
Using the butt of my gun, I cleared away the rest of the glass from the window and smashed it into the motherfucker's face. "Don't move," I growled low.
"Shit," he spat, not able to hold his arm and his busted face at the same time.
A quick scan of his car told me that when Alec had shot him, he'd been unable to hold his weapon. It was lying on the floorboard on the passenger side, among fast food bags and dirty clothes.
"Gun," I muttered to Sam, who smashed the passenger side window and grabbed Rusty's weapon.
"What did I tell you when you took these girls?" I asked Rusty, gripping his shirt and smacking his face hard. He groaned and shook his head. "Tell me!" I snapped, slamming him into the steering wheel.
"Th-That I was dead, okay? Fuck, stop smashing my fucking face!" he cried out.
"That's right...dead," I said, looking over at Alec. "Find me a stick, man. About the length of a broomstick," I told him, and he smiled, running off to the edge of the woods.
"Did you think I was lying, Rusty?" I asked, and his head snapped around to meet my gaze. The look of shock that I knew who he was was written all over his face. "Oh, I know you," I crooned, smiling evilly at him. "Rusty Carnes...stupid enough to have a child with a fucked up bitch – same bitch that killed her, too, if I'm not mistaken. Ex-con...did four years for narcotics possession, attempted robbery, and assault on a police officer. Tsk, tsk," I chuckled. "Tell me, Rusty," I continued, smacking the lump that was forming on his forehead from the butt of my gun. "Did you think I wouldn't follow through? Did you think I was just some...regular dad? Look around you, man. No one will know what happened to you. No one. From the smell of you, your past record, and the fact that there's not a soul out here to see it, they'll think you were just another piece of shit drunk driver."
Alec appeared at my side, chuckling down at the man in front of me. "Any last words?" he asked Rusty as he handed me a stick.
"You won't find her," he sputtered, spitting blood out the window, just barely missing me. "They've checked out already," he snickered, trying to jerk his thumb behind him toward the motel. "Boy, oh boy, were they ever pissed she set those girls free..."
I smiled again, saying, "Oh, I bet they were. But guess what... I know where they're going, asshole. And by the time I get my wife back, Walter's little Boy Scout cabin on the mountain will be ash."
His eyes widened again, and his mouth gaped like a fish out of water at what I knew about him. If I didn't have the answer before, I certainly had it now. From the look on his face, I was spot on with where they were headed.
"Say goodbye, Rusty," Alec sang like a child, waving at him.
Sam appeared at my side, holding his hand out. "Let me," he grunted, his face dark and almost scary. He jerked a chin toward the SUV and said, "Don't let them see you do this. Let me, okay? Pick me up on your way back."
I looked up at him, and then at two little faces peering around Mickey through the SUV's windows. I nodded back at him, handing the stick over.
"Come on, Alec," I sighed, walking away from the fucker that had dared point a fucking gun at two little girls – at my little girl. It felt like unfinished business, but I knew he was right. "You drive," I said, tossing him the keys. I pulled out my phone, calling Alice, but it was my father that answered.
"Son?"
"Hey, I've got the girls," I said, crawling into the back seat with them. Bethy immediately clambered up in my lap.
"And Bella?"
"We're going to check, but the...guy we just questioned said that they're gone," I told him, having to watch my language again. "I'll call you back."
"Sure, Edward," he muttered, and we ended the call.
Alec drove quickly up the street, but slowed down. "Bambina, which one, sweetheart?"
"That one, Unca Alec," she answered. "Rooms two, three, and four."
"Smart girl," I chuckled, kissing her temple and vowing to myself that Alice deserved a medal for that computer game she'd written for Bethy. It really fucking worked, because my three year old knew her numbers.
When we pulled in, all three doors were open, and what looked like a motel employee was wandering around. She was an elderly woman, who looked up when we parked the car.
"Are you the cops?" she growled as we piled out of the SUV.
"Stay here, ladies," I told the girls, and they nodded, clinging to each other at the sight of the motel.
"Not exactly," Alec answered the old woman, pointing to the rooms. "Empty?" he asked, and she nodded.
"Hell, yes, empty," she huffed. "Empty, with broken lamps, non payment for the last night, and they made a helluva lot of noise when they bolted out of here like bats out of hell."
I grimaced, shaking my head. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet. "Here, ma'am," I sighed, handing her more than enough to cover the three rooms and the damage. Hell, from the look of the place, the amount I'd just given her could have rented me a room for a fucking month. "No need for the police. That should take care of it."
Slightly placated, she sniffed, taking the money, and looked up at me. "Thanks," she said, smiling a toothless smile and walking away.
"Search the rooms anyway," I told Alec and Mickey. "I need to tell Bethy..."
I walked to the back door of the SUV, waving my daughter forward. "Little sweetness, are you about ready to go home?" I asked her, trying to put this shit off – or cushion the blow... I wasn't sure which.
"Not wifout Mommy," she huffed, looking at the motel rooms and back up to me. "M-Mommy s-said that I w-was suh-posed to help you c-come g-get her," she stated, but my little girl wasn't stupid; she could read me like a book – just like her mother.
"She's not here, baby," I told her, catching her before she could storm inside the room.
"No, Daddy!" she cried, fighting me and reaching toward the motel. "She said to bring you back. She said, Daddy... She told me to be brave and to go get you!"
"And you were brave, Bethy. You did just what she told you to," I told her, kissing her temple, because my girl was just about to lose it. "We'll find Mommy, I promise."
"But I want her now," she said, finally losing her composure. "I want Mommy!" she screamed through hiccuping sobs and heartbreaking tears.
Bethy never really pitched tantrums, and this wasn't one of those anyway. This was pure heartbreak, and probably a touch of exhaustion thrown in on top of it all. This was huge tears and a trembling chin, and more sadness than I could help her with.
"I want Mommy, too, little sweetness, but we have to find her first," I whispered to her, trying not to cry with her, because she was fucking killing me. In all fucking honesty, I wanted Bella back just as much as she did. I wished I could emotionally break down with her.
"Daddy...no," she sobbed, wrapping her arms around my neck and burying her face in my neck. "You hafta get her for me..."
I looked up when Mickey and Alec emerged from their search, and both of them looked wrecked as they watch Bethy completely shatter. It wasn't something that happened very often, because she was such a happy-go-lucky kid.
"I'm sorry, Bethy," I whispered, kissing the top her head and rubbing her back as she cried. "I promise to find her, baby. I promise," I vowed to her over and over.
I jerked my chin toward the SUV. It was time to go. I crawled into the very back seat, keeping a still crying Bethy in my arms. Mickey took the seat next to Abby and helped her strap in. Alec cranked the SUV and pulled back out on the highway, just as a large fireball loomed in the distance.
"Pick up Sam," Mickey muttered wryly. "Guess that stick to the gas pedal worked, huh?"
"Yeah," I sighed, slouching down in the seat so that I shifted Bethy onto my chest, because she was crying herself to sleep. "Call my dad, Alec. Tell him we're heading home."
With one last glance at the motel, I sighed and shook my head. Once again, I had half my family, and despite how grateful I was, I wanted it whole. I closed my eyes, inhaling my sad little girl's hair and sending up a silent message to Bella.
I love you and be safe.
A/N...I know, I know... This was a true roller coaster of a chapter. But the girls are safe. Bella is holding her own, and took quick advantage of a golden opportunity. Still with me? Still chanting HEA? ;)
Coming up, you'll get to see where Bella ends up. You'll see Edward deal with Bethy being home. And a little more info.
I need to thank JenRar for beta'ing everything I've sent her. Thanks to GooberLou, who helped me plan the ransom drop gone wrong. And to MedusaInNY for all things that have to do with my blog...and her big love sent my way just about every day.
Everything I've written is beta'd...so we're on track for Sunday posting. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about this one. You were quite supportive of Bella in the last chapter. Are you still? ;) Okay...until Sunday... Later.