I'm sorry for the delay, but… well, my mom passed away the day after Christmas and writing just hasn't been a priority, not to mention any creativity I may have had ran completely dry. Things are evening out slowly, and I decided it was time to try to write another chapter. Here goes:
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Chapter 8
My eyes widened when Fred sauntered over toward the patrol truck. I wasn't sure what he was going to do. We really didn't know him very well, and while he seemed to have a good amount of control for a newborn, he was still an unknown quantity.
I wasn't sure what we would do if he decided it was lunch time, and I really wasn't sure he understood the ramifications of killing a police officer. Certainly Fred had to realize Officer Mitchell (I'd finally caught his name when he was taking my ID from me) had called in our license numbers and Edward's plates.
Unbidden thoughts of Bree once again haunted my mind. Bloodlust was indeed a powerful force, and could definitely be more powerful than reason. Would Fred lose himself to it? I had to hope Alice would see something like that coming, or that Edward would read it in his mind before he did anything we would all seriously regret. Flashes of Charlie's face replaced the image of Bree… the idea of me being even sort-of-almost-somewhat-kinda-remotely involved in the killing of an officer… I couldn't even think about it.
I continued to gape as Fred silently slid into the cab of the patrol truck.
"Well, your IDs check out. Your parents do know where you are, right," Officer Mitchell stated rather than asked.
"Yes," Alice answered quickly. "We were going to go shopping in Vancouver, but then we heard on the radio about all those people getting sick, so we decided not to go."
"That's been all over the news. I think you kids were wise to stay away. I don't think they figured out what hap…" Officer Mitchell was abruptly interrupted by his truck's horn honking. Turning on his heel, hand on his weapon, moving faster than I expected he could, he found only his seemingly empty pickup.
"What in blazes?" he muttered as he slowly approached the vehicle. As suddenly as it had started, the noise stopped. Only I had seen Fred playing with the horn, grinning like a fool, which was probably appropriate considering how he was acting.
Officer Mitchell rubbed his neck, much in the same way Charlie did. I couldn't help but think maybe it was something they taught at the academy – Looking Perplexed: 101.
"Well, that was odd," the officer said as much to himself as to us. "Anyway, I hate to do this, since you seem like pretty nice kids, but there is a fine for being in the park without a pass. Rules are rul…" This time, simultaneously, the windshield wipers started at high speed, washer fluid spraying on full blast; the hazard lights blink flashed; the overhead light bar lit up like Christmas; very loud emergency sirens began to scream; the radio started blaring some sort of techno pop crap that I hate, and to top it all off, the passenger side door opened and shut.
I felt Jasper's calming waves as he attempted to regain control of Fred, but the problem was, Fred was already calm as could be.
"OK, who's doing that?" Officer Mitchell hissed, this time with his weapon drawn. He looked spooked, and I started to feel sorry for him.
"Well, sir, looks like maybe you got yourself an electrical problem here," Jasper said smoothly as he stepped toward the vehicle. "You should probably have someone take a look at it. Once you start having electrical problems, well, that's just like invitin' the fox into the henhouse."
Officer Mitchell looked at him, puzzled. I wasn't sure if he was weighing Jasper's diagnosis of his truck or trying to understand his strange metaphor, but he mumbled something that sounded like, "Henhouse…" Of course, nothing explained the passenger door opening and closing, but I wasn't about to point that out to him.
After gingerly climbing into the cab of his truck, looking around suspiciously as if the vehicle was going to swallow him whole, Officer Mitchell told us to follow him. We all piled into the Volvo, including Fred, and followed as we were told.
"What in the world were you doing out there, Fred? Were you trying to get us in trouble? We're in a fairly serious situation right now and this really isn't a time for games!" Edward all but shouted.
"Hey, chill out. He was taking forever, so I just gave him some incentive to get moving, that's all," Fred replied nonchalantly. "You're just lucky I didn't make him throw up."
"YOU'RE just lucky you didn't make him throw up!" Edward spat. "What are you? 12? What if we'd been detained? The Volturi are on their way to find you and if you want to live, you might want to stop with the tomfoolery."
"What are you? 112? Who says tomfoolery?" Fred could barely contain his laughter.
"I have half a mind to just turn you over to the Volturi, wrapped in ribbon with a bow on top!" Edward snapped.
"Awww, come on! I'm just having a little fun. Loosen up, Eddie," Fred teased.
"My name is EDWARD!" he shouted with a threatening growl. Fred threw his hands up in surrender, backing away from Edward as much as possible. I thought he might go right through the backseat into the trunk, which would have been the last straw. Damaging Edward's car on top of calling him 'Eddie' would have most likely been the end of poor, silly Fred.
"OK, we should all just try to calm down," I stepped in, attempting to mediate. "Edward, I understand why you're angry, but nothing really happened. We're on our way out, so everything is OK. And Fred, I'm guessing you were a frat boy before you were changed. Am I right?"
"I wanted to be. Never made it to college, though…"
I realized immediately that I'd touched on a sore subject, so I decided to drop it as we pulled in front of the ranger station. Edward hopped out and came around to open my door. I didn't understand why until he glanced at Fred and then I realized he didn't want to leave me in the car with him, despite Alice and Jasper being there.
A woman named Marie processed our paperwork, albeit about as slowly as a human could move and still be considered alive.
"$64!" I exclaimed as she handed us the bill. "That's highway robbery!"
Edward gently took my hand, stroking it soothingly. "Sweetheart, it's a small price to pay to get us back on the road and headed home, don't you think?"
Begrudgingly, I nodded, although I did give Marie-the-Human-Sloth a nasty glare before turning to leave.
Officer Mitchell was waiting for us outside with another man. "Mr. Cullen, I have a little favor to ask of you and Miss Swan. I told our fleet mechanic here what happened with my truck and he thinks I've gone plumb outta my mind. You saw it. Tell him."
"Oh, yes," I jumped in eagerly. "It was almost like there was some sort of invisible person turning everything on and off. But of course, that couldn't really happen. It must be something in the electrical system..." I squeezed Edward's hand.
"See?" Officer Mitchell addressed the mechanic. "Just like I said. I told you I wasn't crazy. Well, you kids have a safe trip home, and if you come back to see us, make sure you keep your park pass in the window."
"Yes, sir, and good luck with your truck. Those 'electrical problems,'" Edward said making little quote signs in the air, "can be pretty annoying. Sometimes you just want to take a sledgehammer to them. Trust me, I know." I grinned brightly, enjoying his double entendre.
We got back in the car and waved as we slowly drove toward the park exit. Fred was waving exaggeratedly and I knew he was allowing himself to be seen. Officer Mitchell just stared, mouth hanging open, eyes bulged, trying to process the sight of a fifth person suddenly in our car. At first I thought he might try to stop us, but then I realized he was probably too shocked because he didn't move at all. He was also probably rethinking his comment about not being crazy. I imagined the poor man would be taking some much needed vacation time after his run-in with the Cullens and friends.
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I very much appreciate your reviews. I'll try to get the next chapter up more quickly…