Chapter Thirty Nine
Charlie
I couldn't believe that Bella, my daughter, had been responsible for what happened to Edward and Carlisle but I'd seen it with my own eyes. Not only was she associating with legendary nightmare creatures but she seemed happy about it. I had only seen this Major for a few seconds but he didn't look the sort of man any father would want his daughter associating with. I needed help to get her back because there was no way I was giving in that easily. Just because I'd shot a vampire and sent him spinning down to earth from a helicopter didn't give me a false sense of security, I knew it would take more than a few bullets to stop them dead but I was going to try. I wondered if Carlisle and Edward would help, I'd already been given the cold shoulder by Emmett and Rose and Esme didn't look any too pleased either.
As we flew back to Seattle I tried Carlisle first,
"I'm not leaving it here."
"I didn't think you would Charlie."
"Are you willing to help me again?"
"I think you stand a better chance of getting Bella back with the wolves help. I'm not a fighter Charlie and The Major and his friends are. I'll give you back up, money for transport, anything you need, but I can't fight alongside you and Emmett and Rose wont."
"What about Edward? He still loves Bella"
"Yes. but she doesn't love him. He'll help if you ask him but I wish you wouldn't."
"Why?"
"Because what you are going to do is very dangerous and I don't want to lose my son."
"You think we'll be defeated?"
"I think you'll have a job to win, especially as Bella is standing with them."
"I still have to try Carlisle"
"I understand that"
Edward came over, he'd heard my words and my thoughts I guessed.
"I'm going with Charlie. He needs our help. Bella has no idea how dangerous her position is."
"Well Edward I can't stop you son but I think you need to question your motives. Bella doesn't love you any longer and that's not going to change whatever you do."
"I still have to go. I can't bear the thought of her in that monster's hands."
"I know."
When we set down Carlisle took me back to the house and I picked up my cruiser, driving straight to the Res. On the way I contacted the station telling Eddy that I was going on an extended leave of absence citing family problems. He knew the score, or thought he did, and was happy to cover the place on a temporary basis. I drove straight to Harry's place, after all it was the Elders permission I would need to use the wolves. Sue invited me in, patting my shoulder,
"No Bella?"
I could only shake my head. In the sitting room Harry sat with Old Quil but they both stood up when they saw me.
"Charlie. It's good to see you safe and sound."
"Yeah no thanks to you though. Now I've come for help again and I expect a more favourable answer this time. My daughter is in danger and its down to one of your own, I want the wolf pack to help me get her back and I don't want any crap about the tribes safety, you're in no danger, this Major isn't interested in anything except my daughter."
They looked at each other as Sam walked in,
"Chief Swan"
"Sam. I guess you know why I'm here?"
"Yes I do and I agree it was the pack who put her in The Majors way even if inadvertently. Jake was wrong to take her to Seattle. I didn't know what was going on, I'd taken Emily to see family in Portland and it was over by the time I found out but what you need to remember Chief is that Bella made any decisions after she saw the leech. Jake brought her straight back home and told her to leave it but she's stubborn."
"I don't care what Jake did after, it was too late by then. What I want now is your help to get her back."
It took a little persuading and a lot of threats but eventually the Elders agreed that the wolf pack would help me rescue Bella from the vampires. When I told them Edward was going along too they baulked but as I pointed out he'd already tried to help once. As it was I promised to keep him away from them, especially Jake, who saw him as a rival. I knew neither of them stood a chance with Bella now but as long as they were helping me I wasn't going to burst their collective bubble. I also got an undertaking from the tribe to find somewhere safe for us to take Bella when we got her away from The Major. They flatly refused to have her there but they found another tribe willing to give her refuge, another tribe with its own guardians. It seemed these strange and dangerous shape shifters were all over the place!
We sat together outside Billy's place, Edward there under sufferance, to decide how to approach the leeches as they insisted on calling The Major and his friends.
"We need to act fast or they might decide to change Bella. If they do there's nothing we can do to help her."
"So let's go, do you know where they are?"
"No but my guess is that they'll return to the cabin in Montana, its his base after all"
I had to agree with Sam, his knowledge of the vampires was much better than mine.
"It's also easily defended." pointed out Jake.
"We have the numbers on our side though. He has what? Four, five, friends, we have the pack plus Charlie and the leech."
Edward looked at Sam coldly but didn't say anything.
"What about your father and the rest of the Cullen family?"
Edward looked at me as he answered,
"Rose and Emmett already declared for the other side although they are in Forks so we can rule them out of any fight. Carlisle won't do anything more, he's staying neutral now, since Bella made her own decision and Esme will stand by his decision."
"Well its good to know we wont have to watch our backs too closely. Charlie why don't you leave it to us? You're the one who's vulnerable in this fight"
"I've got access to a semi automatic rifle, if any of those vampires get to close I'll blow them to bits, it may not kill them but it will sure as hell cost them time."
So it was decided we would travel back to Montana and wait for their return if they weren't already back there. I would get Bella away from those freaks one way or another.
Sam came to speak to me privately after the meeting broke up.
"I heard about Bella's gift, it's going to make things very difficult for us if she decides to protect her new friends"
"That depends on how powerful it is and how many she can affect in one go. I doubt she can repel all of us at the same time and I still don't believe she would attack me, I'm still her dad and she knows I love her."