A/N: No salutes here - time to get to know a bit more about James and to understand... this whole fic... a bit better. Enjoy.

APOV

I sat in the chair, thinking to myself, as I waited for Jasper to return from the second search. We always checked twice; especially now.

James was... different.

We'd learned that the hard way.

It was back when we first began to hunt James- the early days, when we first realized he was very strange. He was nothing like the others, the ones we had hunted before- he was a completely different case.

James was the leader of the Hunter Gang- a notorious crime organisation. He was an experienced man; having worked under his father over the years, learning his methods and his as well as learning from his mistakes.

James' gang was focussed on a lot of things, anything kinky, illegal, wrong in the slightest, James managed to cover. Human trafficking was one of his favourites; he would lure in the weak, homeless, the broken. He would promise the women payment, drugs, sex, companionship- anything he thought they would have wanted, as long as he got them to follow. The men were coaxed in with drugs and cash and power- loyalty and money kept the organisation on its feet.

The fortunate ones were sold; he'd sell them whole, sell their body parts, sell their souls- until there would be nothing left to give.

Sometimes he'd find one that fascinated him.

The first time we'd found his headquarters, we got to know what happened to them.

After that day, Dad had pulled back from being a part of our operations. He would only offer advice and help train people. But he always came.

After that day, the last pieces that were left of my brother twisted and curled into a sickening grey, leaving him a gloomy shadow of his former self.

That was why I was shocked at his reaction to Bella.

We had lost James for four weeks, but we had connections that allowed us to be able to find him. He had purchased a house in the forest, miles away from any signs of civilisation.

We waited three days once we pinpointed his location.

We planned this carefully, even more so than usual. Even our attire was better co-ordinated than normal. We had the building surrounded, all James' new sacrificial guards gone, incapacitated or dead. We had entered the house, hearing movement, smelling whatever the fuck James liked to wear on him all the time.

By the time we'd found the master bedroom, he had disappeared.

I was the first to get there, quite ready to place a few bullets into the fucker's head, yet knowing I couldn't. As soon as my hand touched the knob I was electrocuted, but the jolt was weakened by the material of my gloves. I managed to push the door open, hearing movement right until the moment I stepped in.

The window was open, shining bright light onto the person on the large mattress. Sadness was my first reaction. I was happy that we found a woman that was clothed and with all her body parts. But her head was on its side, her clothes and hands were stained with blood and dirt.

I thought the beautiful girl was dead.

"Is she dead?" Edward asked, his tone actually holding emotion.

"I haven't checked." I whispered.

Edward walked toward her, rolling her onto her back. He climbed onto the bed and checked her pulse, letting out a sigh of relief.

"She's alive. She's probably heavily drugged, but she's alive."

Edward moved her hair out of her face, his knees of either side of her unconscious body. He looked down at her, seeming confused and fascinated.

"She can't stay here." He stated.

I nodded. "He'll just come back for her."

"And witness protection won't be of any use when it comes to James."

I nodded again, arching my eyebrow and suggested the only logical option I could think of.

"Let's take her back with us."

I looked up at Edward, my eyes pleading. He nodded this time, agreeing. He had never even looked back at me.

"Let's take her back with us."

A/N: Someone should spot my fic-salute this chapter, it's pretty obvious. Its special to me 'cause it's the first fan-fic I ever read. Please review and let me know if you did see it.

Next half up soon- this is another effort to keep updates steady. My RL would make you stressed just reading it. I'm already putting you through my suspense fic, so I won't put you through that.