Chapter Fifty Two

Jasper

I had tried everyone I could think of but with no success then Darius came through,

"Major, I hear you are looking for a rogue nomad"

"I guess you could call her that, why? Do you have something?"

"Well as everyone else was running around like headless chickens I thought I'd let my snooper programs do the work and guess whose name came up this morning? Bella Swan. That is who you are looking for isn't it?"

"Yes. Where is she?"

"I can't tell you exactly at the moment but I can tell you where she'll be very soon. This girl has a serious death wish, either that or she is supremely confident. Any idea which?"

"Not at the moment. So where will she be?"

"Denali"

"Why there? It's in the heart of guardian territory."

"I think that's the point. She has issues with the Quileutes or I'm assuming so seeing as she set fire to their village."

"She did what?"

"She torched the Quileute village and now she's off to take on the Quileute elders and the two remaining wolves or at least so I gather. She's a fascinating girl, can I ask why you are so interested?"

"Bella Swan is my mate, I changed her and now I need to find her before she commits suicide in the snow."

"Well a little birdie tells me her father is on his way up there too. He and Johnny H are friends it would seem".

"Friends? I guess I need to find out why he's friends with the people who attacked and tried to kill his daughter but first I have to stop her doing anything stupid."

"Well good luck with that. She's already killed, you know."

"No I didn't, who?"

"Actually it was a friend of mine. Or an acquaintance anyway. George supplied false Ids for me on occasion and I think she's done the same for Bella although her payment was a broken neck. This Bella Swan means business".

"Do we know her new identity?"

"Not yet, I'm working on it but George had a good security system, I should know I set it up for her."

"When you find out let me know. I'll be on my way to Denali and Darius, thanks for the heads up."

"You know the Cullens have friends living in Denali. Maybe they could help out if she's got a head start on you."

"I don't want the Cullens involved unless it's really necessary. I have Peter and Char with me."

"And that makes you feel better?"

I laughed, he and Peter were friends despite their constant bickering whenever both were in the same room which admittedly wasn't often thank God.

I told Peter Darius news,

"Denali? Great, we get to freeze our fucking asses off now looking for a girl who is totally insane. Why else would she go in to the guardians backyard with all guns blazing? You sure about this mate thing? Maybe we could try Hawaii, find you a nice native girl in a grass skirt. Sip coconut milk on a beach in the blazing sun. Sound appealing?"

I shook my head and he sighed

"I thought not. OK then but if I get frostbite I am going to be majorly pissed."

"I'll remember that Peter now shut up and drive. We have a plane to catch."

"I take it we aren't telling the Cullens where we're going?"

"No, we aren't"

His grin widened,

"Now you are talking Major. Lets get this show on the road."

We were lucky to get seats on a flight leaving soon but I knew we would probably not get to Denali before Bella did, still that couldn't be helped, I just hoped she would plan her action and not just act. As it was I ran into Charlie at the airport. He was waiting for a ride but he recognised me and came over eyes blazing in anger.

"What the hell are you doing here? Did you know where Bella was?"

"No, I know as much as you do. A friend tracked her here and I guess we both know why."

"Yeah, revenge but she's going to get herself killed if she isn't careful. The guardians know she's coming."

"But they don't know whether she's already here do they? Because Bella Swan is using an alias."

"How the hell did she get false ID?"

"I have no idea Chief Swan but she's clever and resourceful so she found a way. I want to stop her before she kills again."

"Again? But no one at the village was hurt, she warned them to leave."

"Well the person who furnished her with the false ID is dead and we think Bella did it. If her emotions have taken over she wont even think hesitate in killing anyone who gets in her way. Bella is a vampire now, she thinks like one, like a new one, even if she isn't acting like it most of the time."

"So what do you plan on doing Jasper?"

"Stopping her, taking her away from here and teaching her the right way to act. All the things I should have done from the beginning and didn't because I allowed myself to be chased off by Carlisle Cullen and Garrett."

"He's the one responsible for her going off the rails. Carlisle told me"

"I bet he did, I'll bet he couldn't wait to tell tales out of class the ass hole"

Charlie turned to face Peter who had joined us after renting a car.

"And just who the hell are you?"

"Oh sorry, forgive my lack of manners. I'm Peter Whitlock, here to stop the crazy lady before she rips a few wolves apart or at least that's what I've been told. And I always do what I'm told. You must be the crazy lady's father, tell me does insanity run in the family?"

I closed my eyes in despair, couldn't Peter manage just once not to upset everyone? Especially someone I wanted on my side?

"No insanity doesn't run in the family, it must be a vampire trait."

Peter burst out laughing,

"You got me there, I guess we're all a little crazy but did you know your daughter has a mean right hook?"

"What?"

"She punched The Major square on the jaw. I've waited decades to see that and it was well worth it"

Charlie turned back to me,

"So tell me, why did my daughter think it necessary to punch you?"

"She thought I abandoned her, lied to her, and she's pretty angry right now."

"Yeah that bit I get but to kill the Quileutes? That's a little extreme."

"Oh not all of them Chief Swan, just the elders and she could have set fire to the village without warning and barbecued those still living there but she chose not to, does that sound like a homicidal maniac to you?"

"No but it doesn't sound like my daughter either."

"Yeah well your daughter's a vampire now and we have anger issues, well some of us anyway. She feels they ruined her life so she's looking for revenge, an eye for an eye and all that crap, can't say I blame her but I know you don't want her leaving a trail of dead Quileutes laying around pointing towards her so we're here to make sure it doesn't happen."

"And can you?"

"Does a bear shit in the woods?"