Chapter Eight

Bella

I couldn't believe it, Alice was here just when I needed her most but my new friend Peter didn't look so happy to see her, or her him for that matter.

She smiled at me ignoring him and pushed me inside shutting the door quickly,

"Grab your stuff quickly, I disabled the guy watching your room but I doubt he's alone."

"Watching me?"

"Do you really think a vampire wouldn't notice that you noticed him, or them? You've put yourself right in the middle of something in our world again. I despair of you Bella I really do!"

"Told you they would know about you Bella."

Alice scowled at him,

"Exactly why are you here Peter Whitlock? Surely you have something more important you need to be doing...like hand feeding great whites or disarming bombs maybe?"

I grabbed my things as I listened to them bicker, it was patently obvious they didn't like each other which seemed odd if he was Jasper's best friend. Maybe he blamed her for the divorce but then no he'd said how happy he was they'd broken up. I was confused and stood listening until she grabbed my arm,

"Lets go, now. Feel free to go elsewhere Peter."

He made a face at her but followed us out, not through the door but the window and down the fire escape to her car.

"I have a car too you know, we could use that instead."

She smiled way too sweetly,

"Then why don't you go get it."

"And see you drive off leaving me like a spare prick at a wedding? I don't think so."

She threw my bags in the trunk and Peter joined me in the back just in time as she took off but not in the direction of the airstrip,

"You're going the wrong way."

"Bella, think for a minute. If your friend was taken there then he has been flown out by now. We have to find out where he went but at least your email explained a lot, I was beginning to think I was going mad until it arrived. Now I understand a bit better."

"Don't tell me the great and mysterious soothsayer had a problem with her crystal ball, now fancy that!"

Alice ignored him, instead pulling out her phone and began a conversation with someone who didn't seem very happy that she'd come.

"Is that Darius I hear? Sounds like you pissed him off too Alice but then its what you do best isn't it?"

"Yes, I learned it from you oddly enough."

She stuck her tongue out and started giving this Darius the information we'd given her about Jay which wasn't a lot then put the phone down and turned to me with a familiar smile,

"Its just like old times isn't it?"

"Is it? I don't remember chasing after a stranger who looks like your ex husband before."

"No but we had that crazy drive to Phoenix didn't we? That was almost as weird as this."

"Was The Major running away from you then? I never thought he'd ever get away from your clutches but hallelujah he finally did."

I turned to Peter,

"Can we stop the adolescent bickering now? I'm only interested in finding Jay and getting him back safe. You didn't want Alice to be with Jasper? Well he's not any more so shut up and you Alice just forget what a dick Peter is and work together, please."

They both looked at me in amazement and then burst out laughing nodding in agreement.

"Well we're together again and I missed you Bella although Darius thought I was crazy contacting you after what happened."

"Who's Darius?"

"Oh, you forgot already! Darius is an old friend, he's not my mate but he's sweet, you're gonna like him I know you will."

Peter nodded,

"Now that is one man I can get along with, no bullshit, he just gives it to you straight. Can't imagine what he sees in you though."

I glared at him and he held his hands up in surrender,

"Sorry Alice."

She smiled brightly,

"You're forgiven, we wouldn't want to upset Bella again now would we?"

They both laughed at that as I sat back looking out the window and worrying about Jay. He must be confused and terrified and I just hoped we could find him before it was too late.

Alice drove for two hours chatting non stop at first about what she'd been doing. She and this Darius friend of hers had been to visit Rose and Emmett for a couple of months hence not getting my first email.

"I only got it yesterday when we got back and I drove up immediately. I could hardly believe what I was reading, a Jasper clone!"

"You said it explained things Alice, what things?"

For the first time since I'd met Alice she was silent then she looked at me and grinned a little tentatively.

"I'm not sure I should tell you everything, you know I worry it will change the future but I can tell you I've been seeing visions of Jasper in strange situations."

"Strange?"

"Well, at first I thought they were wish fulfillments, I had a time after the first few visions when I left that made me almost hate him but I couldn't understand what I saw, it didn't make any sense."

"Not trying to say the others did are you Alice?"

She stuck her tongue out again but it was a friendly gesture,

"Like what Alice? Come on you have to give me something."

"Well I saw him tied and gagged in the trunk of a car, now we both know he wouldn't be stupid enough to get himself into that kind of situation besides, what kind of bindings would hold a vampire? I must have seen your professor instead, that would explain it."

"But why would you be seeing Professor Whitlock? You didn't even know he existed until my emails."

"I have no idea but its intriguing. Look we're going to get really confused if we don't think of something shorter than Professor Whitlock, how about JW? That's easier."

"I tried clone but Bella didn't appreciate that."

"You would Peter but then you have such a way with words!"

"Fuck you Alice."

I turned on him again but Alice had simply tossed her head and ignored it, almost as if it were a term of endearment coming from him. I was beginning to think there was a lot more to this Peter and his relationship with Alice than I had first thought.

"OK, but what else did you see? You said visions plural."

She grimaced,

"Oh you caught that did you?"

"Yes Alice I did, so give."

She hesitated and I was sure she was picking her words or visions before answering.

"I saw him being trained I guess, to be a fighter. He's rubbish and that really frustrates whoever is with him and before you ask no I did not see who he was with."

"Rubbish? But even JW knows a fair bit about fighting so that doesn't make any sense."

"Oh, well I guess it might if he's trying to stay alive. Learn slowly and live longer maybe."

"But why? Why would a vampire want JW to be a fighter, none of this makes sense, he's a human, a college professor not another Major Whitlock."

"I really don't know but hopefully Darius can help us sort out the puzzle. Until then I guess we can only wait and muse on the reasons."

"I don't like it Alice, he's a nice guy named after an ancestor he didn't even totally believe in."

"What?"

I explained about the paper JW had written about his famous ancestor and was pleased to see Alice was as outraged as I'd been. But Peter was incandescent at the slight on his friend,

"I hope you put the stupid fucker right, I'm beginning to think we should leave him to get out of whatever crap he's in by himself."

"I tried Peter and that's what got me in trouble in the first place. He suspected I knew more than I was saying but when I was forced to explain he thought I was crazy."

"I'll bet he's changed his fucking opinion now."

"Don't Peter, he must be terrified and very confused right now."

Alice exchanged a look with Peter,

"Are you sweet on him Bella Swan? I always thought you had a soft spot for my ex husband."

I looked at her wide eyed with shock,

"You did? Why? I never had much to do with him Alice. Hey you didn't break up because...no of course you didn't, stupid question."

"You can ask me what broke us up later, once we find out what is really going on with your doppelganger."

She was evasive but I knew Alice wasn't going to give anything away so there was no point in pursuing the matter.