Chapter Twenty Eight

Bella

I knew I would have to be careful with Caius, he just needed an opportunity to strike, little did he know that there was absolutely nothing he or his brothers could do that would harm me, they couldn't even touch me but I wasn't going to show them my gifts unless forced to. I wondered why Jasper wasn't here when the others had been so sure this is where the Volturi would have taken him. While I waited I was shown to a suite of rooms in one of the towers that stood each side of the clock tower by a young girl with long blonde hair and a hard sour face called Jane and I remembered Edward telling me about her. She had a gift although I couldn't quite remember what it was. The room was comfortable and beautifully furnished complete with a wall lined with book cases full of first editions and hand bound books in parchment.

Normally I would have fallen on them excitedly but I was feeling drained so I rang the bell pull hanging just inside the door. The girl Jane appeared almost instantly and I had the idea I was a bird in a gilded cage but that was fine...for now.

"Yes?"

"I'd like dinner."

"Dinner?"

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"No. I'll arrange something for you."

"Thank you. Oh, human food please."

She sneered as she went out leaving me in no doubt that she held me in contempt but again that was fine...for now.

She returned half an hour later with a huge silver tray covered with white linen and after she left I pulled the cloth off to find a variety of dishes that must have come straight from the cafés that lined the square outside. There was also a carafe of red wine and a chilled bottle of white along with freshly squeezed orange juice and a variety of sodas. So, was this to impress or just keep the bird happy? I didn't care but my appetite soon disappeared and I knew it was getting close to the time I would need blood to sustain me. My slow conversion must be reaching its end. The food did ease my hunger enough that I knew I would be OK for a little longer but I wanted Jasper and to get out of this place as quickly as possible. After eating I took a book from the shelves and settled by the window to read in the sunlight flooding through. I hadn't been above an hour when something hit the back of the book and bounced onto the floor. Picking it up I saw it was a pebble and confused I looked out to see another flying towards me, bigger this time and wrapped in paper. I caught it, delighted by my super fast reflexes, and unwrapped the pebble putting it beside the first on the window sill. I unwrapped the paper and read the note,

"Bella,

We are outside the town walls. Let us know if there is anything we can do. The lad throwing these pebbles will carry your reply,

Garrett,"

So they'd followed me after all and must have been in the square to see me in this window. I looked around for some paper and a pen finding both in the ornate desk against one wall and quickly scribbled a reply wrapping it round one of the pebbles and dropping it to the boy still waiting below. As I watched he picked it up and ran out of the square, hopefully to my waiting friends. I wondered what they would do when they read my reply. I couldn't say much because I didn't know much yet.

Garrett

Luke and Charlotte had stayed at the ranch while Peter and I travelled to Volterra when Darius informed me grudgingly that Bella had boarded a flight to Italy. We hoped the boy we'd entrusted with the note managed to get it to her and come back. If he wanted the rest of his money he'd better!

"I hate this fucking place Garrett."

"You and me both but this where Bella is and where The Major is, hopefully."

"I don't think so. I'm not getting the feeling we're close to him, it was stronger back at the ranch."

"Maybe that's because his arm was there. Had you thought of that?"

He pondered on this,

"No, can't say as it occurred to me but I don't think he's here. Do you think she'll get back out?"

"Who knows? But I think she might get The Major brought here from where er he is, if he isn't here already that is and maybe we can break them out."

"Break them out? Let me get this straight. You're suggesting that the two of us and Wonder Woman there break The Major out of the Volturi stronghold? Were you dropped on your head as a baby or has idiocy come on recently?"

"Hey, its worth thinking about."

"Yeah? Well I thought about it and it's still a suicidally stupid fucking thing to try."

"You want to fly back? Be my guest."

"Don't get your boxers in a twist, I was just pointing out our chances of success that's all."

The boy came running back with a huge smile and held out a pebble wrapped in note paper and I handed over the rest of the money then we watched as he ran back inside the walls and sat back in the car to read what she'd written. It didn't take long,

"See I told you he wasn't here didn't I?"

"Yes you did and it appears you were right but if he's still at the ranch why couldn't we find him? Have you thought about that Einstein?"

"I prefer to think of myself as Machiavelli but you're right and that worries me. Are you sure Bella only found an arm?"

"Yes Peter, where would she hide more? In her pocket?"

"Hey leave the sarcasm to me, I do it much better than you. So we'd better ring the others and warn them they'll be getting unfriendly visitors. They might as well join us, we can all go to Valhalla together that way."

"Val what?"

"Never mind Philistine, I'll explain later. For now get in the phone while I think about the situation."

Peter

I was trying to pretend I wasn't worried about Bella's note but in truth I was terrified that The Major might already be dead, ashes blowing around the ranch, Aro wouldn't be lying then but if he couldn't produce our friend he wasn't going to get what he wanted so they had a stalemate. The arm worried me though. Why remove an arm if they were going to kill him, unless it was supposed to be a trophy for Caius wall. That was certainly a possibility, he was a sick fucker with a warped sense of humour but still. I heard Garrett talking quietly to Luke who wanted to search for The Major himself but it was too dangerous. The Volturi would be there soon and they needed to get the hell out before the guard arrived or risk capture or death themselves. Luke's words registered deep in my subconscious and suddenly I knew and I felt sick to my stomach.

"Get them out of there now Garrett, they won't find him. Tell them to get to my place and wait for instructions. There's no point flying here, if we can't achieve anything alone then four won't do any better."

Garrett looked at me hearing the chill in my voice and passed the message on before putting the phone down and turning to me,

"What do you know Peter?"