Chapter Sixty Seven

Jasper

We saw everything from the satellite, Charlie's actions and his death. Bella would have fallen but I caught her holding her close as she sobbed her pain into my shoulder and I let her. Taking her pain away wouldn't have helped, she needed to grieve but I was very impressed by Charlie's actions, he died a warriors death and I would never forget him or it. Even Edward had redeemed himself in my eyes as he strode beside Charlie through the Quileute village. There would be repercussions of course but that was for later. For now Bella could grieve in peace. Darius looked at me and switched off the monitor.

"Now that's what I call a man. I wish I'd met him."

I nodded and picking Bella up took her to one of the battered old couches in the room laying her down and then a blanket appeared at my shoulder,

"I'll speak to Carlisle and Eleazer, you stay with Bella, she's going to need you Major"

I sank down beside her and let her cry until she had no more tears left and her throat was hoarse from the sobs that racked her body. Then I sent her calm thoughts slowly until she fell into an exhausted sleep but I kept my arms around her and I vowed that no one would ever make her heart break again if I had to kill the Volturi and the guardian tribes single-handedly. After a while her sleep became peaceful enough for me to leave her wrapped in the blanket and joined Darius.

Darius

I could see how much The Major loved Bella from the pain in his eyes when her looked at her, I wanted to help but I wasn't sure how. Now the guardians had detected a Changeling they were sure to tell the others and it was almost certain there would be repercussions of some sort. I thought the best he could do was to keep Bella safely out of it. If the Volturi found out and I saw no way to keep them in the dark any human involved in any way with our world would be killed as a matter of course. If not they would be accused of spying wholesale on the guardians, the treaty with the Volturi would be null and void and there would be the mother of all wars with hundreds of humans killed as collateral damage. Then everything got turned on its head by the phone call from Carlisle. He hadn't wanted to talk himself but listened as Carlisle laid out his suspicions to me. When Carlisle finished I put the phone down and the Major swung his chair round and waited for me to speak.

"Well that paints a pretty picture doesn't it. Josie wasn't the one we should have been watching after all, or she was but it was only smoke and mirrors for something else. Any ideas Major?"

"If Josie was a smokescreen then there's someone else we should have watched and weren't."

"You thinking of Dante? I didn't get the idea he was anything more than a gopher."

"Not Dante, you're right about him although we will be seeing each other soon. No, I think the worm in the apple is Stuart."

"You think he's a Changeling too?"

"Either that or one of Caius special agents, in which case I think he'll be headed back this way soon to cause trouble for the Denali's. That way we have to fight the guardians here doing Caius dirty work for him."

"So we're between a rock and a hard place? It's where I always end up when I get involved with you Major. I could have said no, gone on holiday, found a few pretty little girls to quench my various thirsts and relaxed on a beach looking at the moonlight but no...instead I'm busy trying to find a way to save your sorry ass and my own. I know you don't want to hear this but I think we need to get Peter back here ASAFP. If Carlisle is right we're going to need all the intelligent muscle we can rustle up but if you tell him I said that I'll deny it."

"Eleazer is going to contact the guardian tribe in Denali, see if he can manage a little damage limitation while Carlisle speaks to the Volturi. He and Aro were good friends and he's hoping he can speak to him as a friend, warn him on the QT about Caius and hope he'll rein his brother in."

"Is that likely Major?"

"About as likely as you sprouting wings and a halo! Aro will clap his hands with glee if Caius succeeds and blame him if he fails."

Jasper

I knew Darius was right and the very fact he was still working the phones, told me he was in for the long run, and if Peter didn't come back Darius was as good a wing man. I rang Peter's number and waited impatiently for him to answer, or not as the mood took him. If he refused me I would be shaken, Peter never turned his back on a fight even if he were angry with me which admittedly didn't happen often. It rang and rang but eventually he answered,

"Fuck off Major you and your human have fun."

"Peter listen, you can call me what you like later but Charlie's dead and there's hell about to break out in our world."

"Good try Major."

"It's the truth. We had a Changeling in our midst, one that the guardians found out about, and a spy for Caius Volturi"

"You're not joking are you? Who was it?"

"Edward's mate and before you start don't, I need your help Peter."

There was a long silence and I knew he understood how much it had taken for me to say that.

"Be there in a couple of hours."

Then I knew he hadn't gone far despite his anger.

Darius

We couldn't do much until we knew what Eleazer and Carlisle had to report but I could help out there.

"OK I can listen to one of the conversations, which one do you want Major?"

"I think we'll hear what Aro has to say to Carlisle. Whatever the guardians decide to do it will be Aro's decision that means the most to us."

I tapped into Carlisle's cell phone and waited for him to ring Italy, it took some time and we both thought that might be down to Edward. My scanner caught another call first, from Alice to Stuart.

"Are you with Edward?"

"Yes, we have a little job to do Alice. I'll be back soon just stay in the house till I get back. You'll be safe there."

"Stuart don't do this please. Bring Edward back with you before you start a war."

"Alice you know better. You've known all along where this was leading, you just closed your eyes to it all."

"I didn't look Stuart. I wanted this to be an adventure, a normal romance where I don't know every move before its made. I didn't see this until I heard Carlisle on the phone to Denali. It doesn't have to be this way, I'm scared I'll lose you."

"Yes it does Alice, I love you but I have a job and I can't just walk away. You of all people should know that no one walks away from the Volturi. Once this is over I'll take you anywhere you want. We can do whatever you want but I have to finish what I started."

"You sent Josie here?"

"No, but I knew about her. Now I have to go my love but I'll be back soon."

"I won't look, I'm afraid of what I'll see. You realize if Bella gets hurt Jasper will kill you?"

"I understand the ramifications of my actions Alice. I love you."

He rang off and I saw The Major smile,

"Well he may be the enemy but he played his role very well, you have to give him that."