ChapterTwelve: Search

After all the paper work and everything was situated we headed out.

"So where are we going first?" Jake asked, eying the McDonalds we just passed.

"We need to check out the old studio first. Let's see if we can get any information on James' whereabouts. That will make it easier to find Edward."

"Then can we eat?" He pouted, dramatically clutching his stomach. I laughed.

"Yes, then we can eat."

I was pretty nervous as we pulled up to the old studio. I wasn't sure what I would find there or how that would affect me. I hadn't been back since the incident.

Jake squeezed my hand reassuringly and, with a deep breath, I headed in, Jake on my tail. When we saw Sam I had to hold Jake back a bit and swallowed back the rising bile in my throat.

"Hey Sam." I said, fighting off a grimace. Not that he was a bad guy or anything, he just looked a little too much like his brother to keep the memories away.

"Hey Bells, long time no see. What can I do for ya?" he said smiling.

"Um, actually, I was wondering if you could get me in touch with James." At that I saw his smile falter a bit, but he hid it well.

"Well, he doesn't really come around here that much anymore. But if you wanted to start training again I could definitely help you with that." He replied, obviously looking for a change in subject.

"Where is he Sam." Jake demanded, getting right to the point.

"You know I can't tell you guys that." Sam said, dropping the smile completely from his face.

"I said where the fuck is he Sam!" Jake was getting angrier.

"And I said that I can't tell you that Jacob." Sam said, letting his temper rise a bit himself.

The next thing I knew Jake had Sam lifted off the ground by his collar and had slammed him into the wall. Jake was seething, so much so that he was actually shaking with anger.

"I played nice Sam, now tell me where the hell that fucker is right now or so help me I will rip your arm off your body." Jake said in a dangerously even, low voice.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Sam asked me, fear evident in his eyes.

"He hasn't had a decent meal in the last twelve hours and getting this over with is the only way he is going to get food. I would definitely do what he says if I were you. You know how Jake gets when he's hungry." I replied smoothly. Sam's eyes widened as I'm sure memories of Jake's worse days flashed before his mind.

"He's down in Cali, got himself involved in some gang called the Volturi. He's been doing some physical enforcement for them. He got himself dug in pretty deep. He's actually pretty high up on the food chain for the short time he's been with him. I'd watch my back around him if I were you guys." he rushed out, his eyes darting back and forth between me and Jake. Jake finally dropped him and walked back over to me.

"Let's get some food."

"Seriously Jake, a happy meal?" I laughed at him as we drove out of the Phoenix city limits.

"Seven." he countered behind a full mouth.

"Oh right, sorry. Let me rephrase that. Seriously Jake, seven happy meals?"

"Yep." he smiled at me at a rare moment between bites where his mouth wasn't stuffed with food. I rolled my eyes at his childish behavior, but had to hold back a laugh as I saw him admiring the hot wheels car he pulled out of one of the boxes.

This was why I had gone to Jake, why he had been my shelter over anyone else. Because even at the worst moments, the ones where I feel like I can't live with myself or the other people on this earth any longer, he can make me smile. And nobody else had been able to do that after the incident with James. And yet, at the same time, I could have serious conversations with him, and truly know that he knew where I was coming from.

I pondered this and many other aspects of my life as I drove on towards California. Some time between finishing his happy meals and crossing the state line Jake had fallen asleep and I was left to my thoughts. I took the opportunity to worry about Edward. If Sam was right, and James was working for that gang, he would have a much harder time getting away with what he was planning to do, especially if he was as high up as Sam was saying.

I couldn't help but pray that we found James before Edward did, for his sake. And mine. Because if Edward was hurt, or killed, then I know I would end up doing something I wasn't going to be proud of. And I didn't want to do that to Charlie or Renee.

Several hours later we pulled up to a hotel and settled in for the night. I didn't realize that we hadn't slept in beds for over a day and a half, and I knew that if I didn't get some sleep, I'd end up crashing at the worst possible moment.

After a few hours of sleep we headed out again in search of the night club where the Volturi was based. The Volterra Lounge.

Sam had said it was somewhere in Hollywood, a big hotspot for some of the biggest stars. It was also the cover for most of the drug dealing they had going on. I knew getting in was going to be difficult and getting to the right people was going to be even harder. What I was hoping for, though, was just to prevent Edward from getting in. But as we pulled up, I knew I was already too late.

People were running out of the club and the sound of gunfire rang out in the night air. In the midst of the chaos Jake and I were able to sneak inside. Well, I was and Jake followed to make sure I didn't get myself killed.

The gunshots stopped and we figured the shooters had been knocked out, which was confirmed when we came across a bulky looking guy sprawled across the floor with a gun in his hand. I quickly took the gun and tucked it in the waist of my jeans. You never know when a gun can come in handy.

We crept along the hallway until we heard voices coming from an office about five feet away. We stayed low and got closer, so we could see what was going on.

"Where is he." The smooth voice demanded calmly. No answer. A gun went off. "I don't like to play games Demetri, now where is he." Still no answer. The man sighed, another gunshot sounded. This time followed by a cry of pain from the man now known as Demetri. "Surely he can't mean that much to you, that you are willing to risk your life for his. I would much rather get the information I needed and be on my way."

"Fuck you." Demetri spit out. Another gunshot followed by another cry of pain from Demetri.

"Now I'm sure you have better manners than that. Care to try again?" He replied sweetly.

"Alright! Alright! He's in Chicago, we have another base there. He's working with Caius. Some hotel front. Please, just let me go!"

"I'm sorry Demetri, I don't think I can do that. But I will make this a lot less painful." The smooth voice said just seconds before one last gunshot was sounded.

The smooth voiced man removed the empty magazine from his gun and turned to leave. He saw me standing at the door and froze.

"Bella? What are you doing here?"