Chapter Twenty Six

Jasper

Bella had finally begun to react to the venom racing around her body and while I hated to see her in distress at least I knew she was going to be OK and would soon be back with me. This made me think of Caden and Charity because the first question from Bella's lips would be were they back home and I would have to admit I had failed to find them. Carlisle had talked me into allowing him to join me on my return to the Quileutes though if he thought he could stop me tearing the place apart he was very much mistaken and Emmett and Rosalie felt exactly the same.

Peter had come back after finally losing James in the ocean but Justin had refused to admit defeat and had gone in after his brother. Alice had gone off to try and trace her mate although so far she had seen nothing helpful to trace the children or Charlie. The strange thing was that since Bella had given birth to Caden, Alice had lost sight of her future, his too, and we wondered if maybe Bella was gifted in some way or Caden might be responsible since Alice had no more luck with the children away from Bella. Edward had stayed close to the treaty border and would contact us if he heard or saw anything but so far apart from the wolf James had killed there was no sign of the pack.

The only good news he had for me was from listening to Sue Clearwater's thoughts as she drove into Forks. Billy Black had fallen victim to a heart attack and was dead. It would save me a job later but it wouldn't save his son if I found he had been a party to the kidnap. Esme agreed to stay with Bella while we made our return visit to the reservation and Edward would come back to be with her once we knew the elders were all accounted for. I had wanted Carlisle to stay behind too but that just wasn't going to happen whether I had given him my blessing to accompany us or not. An hour before the deadline we gathered in the dining room to the accompaniment of Bella's distressed screams.

"Don't you think perhaps you should stay here with Bella? I can take care of the elders Jasper. They know me, they trust me, and perhaps I can get more information from them without you."

"They don't know anything or they would have sent word rather than lose their homes or lives don't you think Carlisle?"

I turned to the others to explain what I expected of them,

"Emmett, you and Rosalie keep the elders together. Peter and I will hunt for any clues."

"The Quileutes are hardly likely to tell you anything if you go in mob handed Jasper."

I turned to stare at Carlisle and saw him flinch.

"We already tried it your way, now we do things my way. If they had anything for us they would have gotten word to us, I already told you. Instead they are arranging to bury two of their own. Well, maybe they should be digging a bigger grave Carlisle. If you don't want to be a party to this then stay behind with Esme."

"No, I'm going and I won't stand in your way if you give me just one chance to speak to Quil Ateara."

"You'll get out of our fucking way Cullen or I'll walk straight over you. Save The Major the bother."

We went in Emmett's truck as far as the treaty line which was deserted as I had expected. Carlisle looked around then at his watch,

"We're a little early Jasper."

"Fuck this."

Peter pushed past him and joined me as I stepped over the boundary, I wasn't asking permission. I was looking for information and if I didn't get it I would make good on my promise to destroy the village.

As we approached I could see several figures standing solemnly beside two mounds of earth. They turned hearing us approach and the old guy moved to stand before the others.

"This is a breach of the treaty Dr Cullen."

Before Carlisle could answer this I broke in,

"There is no treaty, not any more, but then if I don't get what I came for there won't be any Quileutes to worry about. Where are the children and Charlie Swan?"

He turned to glance at the others, all the remaining elders were there, Sue, Harry, Joe, and Quil Ateara. Billy was already dead and Sam Uley was somewhere with my son.

"Quil Ateara, if you have any information then please tell us."

The old man studied Carlisle for a few seconds before answering,

"We do not know where the pack, the children, or Charlie are, only that the pack took the children away. I cannot contact any of the pack and I do not know where they took the children. So, if you must, then destroy our homes, it will not help you find them."

I motioned and while Rose and Emmett watched over the elders along with Carlisle who seemed rooted to the spot, Peter and I headed towards the cabins clustered together around an open area. We kicked in doors but the cabins were empty, the elders had evacuated the tribe knowing we would be back. I could hear the sound of destruction from the cabin Peter had disappeared inside and added my own noise to it. I checked for any clues and not finding any destroyed the interior and we went on to the next and the next and when we returned to the huddled group of elders every cabin was ablaze.

"This is madness, we had no knowledge of what the pack was planning. You are destroying our homes."

"Yes and if the residents had been here I would have destroyed them too, just as I promised. Now, does anyone have something to tell us?"

They looked at each other, crushed by the destruction and coughing from the smoke rising from the wreckage of their homes.

"Well?"

"No, we do not."

I stepped forward about to grab hold of the old guy when the one I recognized as the father of the dead wolf stepped between us.

"You animal, I'm glad the pack took those children from you. You don't deserve to breathe the same air as those innocent babes."

I felt my rage rising and grabbed him by the throat pulling him up until our faces were mere inches apart.

"You have no idea, but for you breathing is something you will no longer worry about. Join your son."

I clenched my fist tightly around his throat watching as his face went red then blue before finally the life went out of his eyes when I dropped him to the ground and turned my attention back to the old guy.

"You find a way to contact the pack and get our children and Charlie back here by tomorrow."

"And if I can't? What then? You've already destroyed our homes."

"Yes, and next come your elders. You stay free to do what you have to but the others come with us and I'll kill one every hour after the deadline."

"The pack will hunt you down and kill you for this."

I smiled but there was no warmth in it,

"Let them try old man."

I nodded to Peter who along with Emmett roped the elders together by their hands and led them away silent but terrified because they knew I would keep to my word.

On the way back Carlisle came to my side and grabbed my arm pulling me away from the others.

"You can't execute these people Jasper."

"Oh, I can. And...I will if I don't get my son and Charity back, you can count on that."

"Have some humanity."

"I did, I let the other Quileutes get away, that's as far as my humanity goes Carlisle. If you don't like it I suggest you leave, because things are only going to get worse. But you could help the Quileutes."

"How?"

"By going back to the old man and helping him contact the pack. He might try harder with you there to explain the reality of the situation and it will keep you out of the violence, if there is a need for more."

He looked at me and nodded sadly,

"I'm probably of more use to you doing that. I have no idea how to fight and no wish to learn. I spent my entire vampire life staying away from its dark side although I understand the necessity for it on occasion and that you had no choice in your early years. I will do all I can to contact Sam Uley, in fact I'll go to his cabin, it's not with the others so Emily might think she was safe to stay there instead of fleeing."

"Good idea. If you get anything you can contact us."

"I will, and good luck, all of you."