Carlisle's POV
When we finally reached the gates of the correction center, the car came to a screeching halt. The driver pulled a phone out of his pocket and pressed one number.
"Jonathon." It was a woman. The same woman I had spoken to.
I didn't react, knowing no human would have been able to hear what she was saying.
"We're at the gates," he said smoothly.
"Are they all there?" she asked.
"I'm pretty sure." He sounded impatient. Probably waiting for the gates to fly open.
"There should be seven of them," she answered tightly. "Count."
He turned to face me, then looked back mentally counting heads.
"They're all here."
There was a pause and I heard the dial tone. She had hung up.
A second later, the gates started to slowly open inward. Jonathon put the phone back into his pocket and started the car up again.
After a few minutes, we arrived at the entrance. The car didn't stop. I looked over at Jonathon questioningly.
"Strict instructions," he explained. "I'm not allowed to tell you too much, but you're going in through the back entrance."
I nodded. A few silent moments later, the car came to a sudden halt.
"Almost missed it," he chuckled.
I could see why. The door was covered by overgrown weeds. There was no pleasant garden as there was in front of the front entrance.
"Alright," he said, opening the car door. "Let's get going."
We all proceeded to exit the vehicle. Esme was by my side in an instant. She took my hand and I looked back to see my family approaching us. We followed Jonathon to the door. Edward was lagging a bit behind, looking the most disinterested.
A man awaited at the door, hidden in the shadows from human eyes.
"This them?" he asked Jonathon gruffly.
"Yeah. They're all here." He looked back at us. "I'm gonna be leaving you all here. This is Chris. He's gonna be escorting you from here. Good luck." I heard a small chuckle escape his lips. "You're gonna need it."
He walked quickly back to the car, jumped in and drove off.
We all turned to look at Chris. He said nothing. I recalled my phone conversation.
"Waller," I said softly, hoping that would mean something to him.
It did. He nodded solemnly and tapped the door twice. It opened.
We walked in and I immediately sense the two guards that were standing on either side of the door. They slammed it shut behind us and Chris suddenly turned.
"You all need to leave your phones and electronics in that," he said, pointing to the steel box attached to the wall. "It's policy. No one's allowed to have phones on them in the restricted area."
I guessed that's where we were heading. We all reluctantly dropped our phones into the box, one by one. Alice was the only one who had to drop two phones and an iPod. Chris then reached into his pocket and pulled out two phones. He placed his one phone carefully in the box and shoved the other back into his pocket.
He must have sensed the confusion on our faces.
"That was a burner," he explained. "Only for work. They get replaced every few weeks."
My eyebrows rose. That was quite an extreme measure to take.
We followed him as he made his way through the halls like clockwork, knowing exactly where to turn and how many steps were between each door.
Finally, we reached our destination.
Before opening the door, Chris turned to us once again. "Once you enter this door, you're not allowed to record anything. All your electronics should have been left at the entrance, but I'm warning you again," he said sternly. "If found with any taps on you, they will be removed and destroyed and you will all remain in a holding cell until they figure out what to do with you."
We all nodded.
He tapped the door three times and after a few moments it creaked open.
We all walked in, Edward right behind us. The room was dark. The globes that hung from the ceiling offered little light. If we were human, we would have had to strain our eyes to see.
There were three people already in the room. We quickly changed that to eleven. There was a guard to the left of us, one to the right, and a figure stood directly before us a few feet away. I could tell it was a woman.
She was facing away from us, leaning forward with her hands on the desk before her.
"You made it," she said softly.
It was the same woman from the call.
"Yes," I said, clearing my throat for emphasis.
A few seconds later, she stood up straighter and turned to face us. She looked to be in her early forties. Her skin was a smooth ebony color, the most notable imperfections being the worry lines gracing her face.
"I'm Amanda Waller, as you've probably guessed by now." She walked towards us with her hand outstretched.
I shook it. Her grip as firm, solid. Just like she appeared to be.
"I'm Carlisle, as you must know. This is my wife Esme," I gestured to her.
Amanda did not shake her hand. She only nodded in acknowledgement. I began introducing everyone, gesturing to them as I did.
"These are my adoptive children. This is Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper and…" I trailed off and looked back. Edward leaned against the now closed door, looking terribly bored. "That's Edward."
"It's a pleasure," Amanda said. "I see you have a rather…large family," she noted.
I smiled widely. "Yes. We love them as if they were our own."
She nodded. It seemed as though she was calculating something in her mind. I would have to ask Edward about that later.
"Let's get straight to business," she continued. She walked to the left of the room where a very large table stood. "Sit, please." Edward remained standing, now leaning on the wall beside us.
Amanda stared at him for a long time. "Your son. Is he alright?"
The way she asked made me feel as though she didn't necessarily care about his wellbeing, but something more.
"He's fine. Just hit a rough patch at school." She raised her eyebrow so I continued. "He got a bad result on one of his biology quizzes. He's been in a bad mood ever since."
She seemed to nod in understanding.
"Before we begin, I trust that none of you have any electronics on your person."
We all shook our heads.
"Okay. Well, Carlisle, I trust you know the basis of why you're here. The purpose of this meeting is to fully inform you. If you decide to continue working with us, the girl will come home with you. If not, She will remain and you and your family will be allowed to withdraw yourselves. No questions asked."
I nodded so that she could see I understood.
"Where is she?" Emmett asked quickly. It was quite obvious by the tone of his voice that he was excited, anxious to see her.
"She's… secure. We will go to her once the meeting is over."
Emmett's mouth turned down into a frown, but he quickly recovered.
"Carlisle," she said, bringing my attention back. "I have the girl's record and files on that desk." She pointed to the desk she was leaning on when we arrived. "Before I show it to you and walk you through it, let me warn you." She leaned forward and looked me dead in the eye. "This girl… is dangerous. She will spare not thought when it comes to her freedom. She would kill you, and your family, in an instant if she had the opportunity. Before I say more, I need to know that we have your full cooperation. You will do as we say, treat her as we direct you. You will not, under any circumstances, allow her to convince you otherwise. You will not release her from her restraints. You will not take her out of your place of residence, and you will keep all items that could pose a potential threat far away from her. If not, you will not only be putting your family in danger, but you would also be putting your reputation and job on the line if she were to escape. Do. You. Understand."
I knew my answer before she finished her statement. But I feigned deep thought to show her that I was considering it.
"I understand. Believe me, the last thing I want is to put my family in danger." I reached over and squeezed Esme's hand to emphasize me point.
She nodded and turned to her right. She pointed to Chris. "You. Bring me the file that's sitting on that desk."
He briskly brought it over. It seemed to be thicker than the bible. She grabbed it and laid it on the table in front of her.
"This is everything you need to know about her. Everything in this file is confidential and extremely important. You will take it with you if you decide to take her."
She opened the file and, if we had heartbeats, they would have stopped. For a long, silent moment, we stared at the small picture in the corner of the first page. I knew that face. We all did.
It was Bella.
Edward's POV
I wasn't looking forward to this at all. However, I know how much Carlisle was. I'd go along with it for his sake.
So here we were. I leaned against the wall as Amanda barked out stern orders to Carlisle. My eyes remained on the floor at my feet. I had been so distant for the last seven years. I hardly paid attention to my surroundings. I tuned out the words being spoken until it was just monotone chatter in the background.
My thoughts took over. I had no idea why I had let myself be convinced to come back. I loved my family, but being around them was too much. Especially since all they did was think about Bella. All except Rose, of course. For that, I was thankful.
Bella took over my thoughts once again. I wonder what she's doing right now. Probably at work, or spending the day with friends. I grimaced slightly realizing that she may also be cooking for her boyfriend… or husband… or kids…
I needed to stop. This was so unhealthy. I knew she was better off now. I needed to let her go, let her get on with her life. It was better this way.
So why did I feel so lost? If I was so sure that she was better off, why do I constantly find myself wondering?
I sighed, too soft for human ears to pick up. But I felt Alice, who was sitting closest to me, cringe.
Edward, please, think happy thoughts, her mind whimpered before she flooded her thoughts with cute animals and rainbows.
I shook my head and tried to block her out.
I had been lost in my thoughts for a long while. Amanda was still talking to Carlisle, I was sure.
Then, suddenly, my head shot up and I glared at Jasper.
He turned to me, furrowing his brow in concern.
The image in his mind, I knew what it was. Who that was. My jaw clenched. Different hair, different eyes and a different smile, but I knew exactly who that face belonged to. I could never forget.
Bella.
I turned to everyone else, and their thoughts reflected the exact same image. It was impossible that they'd all conjured up the exact same image of her with the same different features.
My practiced breath came to a complete halt when realization finally dawned on me.
Esme looked up at me, her eyes black with worry. Worry at how I would react.
I stepped away from the wall, toward where Amanda sat, looking at the file.
It took all but one second for me to take that page in and understand what it was. But when it did, I felt my body go numb.
Name: Isabella Marie Swan
Aliases: Bella Swan
Crimes: Gang violence, illegal gambling, murder, torture, attempted murder, homicide, evading the law, resisting arrest, prison escape…
The list went on and on. Then, right next to it, was the picture.
She was holding up a plaque with her details. One that you were given to hold for an arrest picture. Her hair was wild and…blond? Her eyes, still as intense and scorching as ever, were a dazzling blue. Her skin was even paler than I remember.
A small black heart graced her left cheek and she was smiling widely. It wasn't the smile I once knew. Not the loving, endearing, clumsy smile of Bella Swan. This smile was evil, malicious, vindictive and… not Bella.
I was frozen in place, my mind racing. For a moment, I refused to believe it. My mind was trying to convince me that it was one major coincidence, that this wasn't possible, that there was no way this could be the Bella we left in Forks all those years ago…
But the longer I stared at that picture, the clearer it became. This was Bella. It was her. Of course it was her. That face was unmistakably hers.
A new thought appeared and my eyes widened.
That means…we're here for Bella. She's the criminal from the news. Bella… she was a criminal.
I must have been standing unnaturally still for a long time as I processed this because Alice forcibly pulled me into a seat before Amanda could notice.
I turned away from the file. I couldn't bear to look at that picture. I tried to focus on the thoughts of my family, but that didn't offer me much peace either.
Bella, oh God, Bella, Alice's mind repeated. Are you really a criminal. This isn't Bella, it isn't her.
I cannot believe this. I cannot. Jasper's mind was frozen
Oh great. Somehow I saw this coming. I knew she's break eventually, Rosalie seethed.
I shook my head and tried my best to compose myself. There was no escaping this now. Whatever hope I once had at believing Bella could live a normal life was shattered to pieces.
I lifted my head to Amanda, a new resolve arising. I tried to read her mind, get a glimpse into the words she would soon speak. Trying to get a preview into what she was going to say about Bella. Her mind was like a black hole. Controlled, almost forcibly. I couldn't see anything of substance.
I inched closer, impatient. I needed to know. I needed to know everything.
Carlisle's POV
The moment she opened the file exposing that picture, I knew what was coming. I waited calmly for Edward to compose himself before turning back to Amanda.
My mind was racing, but I couldn't draw attention to that. I'm sure we were all curious as to what was going on. Why was Bella in this file?
We were all very still at this point. Too still. I swung my leg back and lightly kicked Emmett back to life. This motion continued between us all like a domino effect until we all appeared to be relatively at ease.
"This is Isabella Swan," Amanda started. "She's most commonly known as the Joker's girlfriend."
She looked up and upon seeing our confusion, explained further. "The clown king of crime, as he's more commonly known. The worst criminal I've ever seen. He's demented. A gangbanger. Responsible for almost as many deaths as the military causes over a span of months."
She takes a breath. "After a freak accident, he was left…demented...psychotic. He's insane, fearless, manipulative… We've captured him before," her voice rose. "Threw him into Arkham Asylum for the criminally insane."
She touched the picture of Bella. "That's where Bella here was working. She was assigned to him. To be his therapist. She met him every week and always reported progress. She thought she was curing him." She paused. "But she was falling in love with him."
I blanched and my eyes moved to Edward's face. It didn't change. He was seated now, seeming to concentrate immensely hard at each and every word that left Amanda's mouth. However, we all were.
"One day, during their session, he made a particularly strange request. Any normal person would have rejected it immediately. However, we suspect that by this time, Bella was already too wrapped up in her obsession with him."
"What was the request?" Alice asked, very softly.
She looked at Alice. "A machine gun."
My eyes widened.
Amanda smirked at my response. "I know right. Talk about a workplace romance gone wrong."
Edward's POV
As she spoke, the images flashed through her mind. I saw them all, cringing at each one. Bella, looking so professional at work, long brown hair cascading down her back. This 'Joker's' face from behind a prison cell.
Bella helped him escape, I finally realized. Amanda remembered the scene, and I saw it as she did. The Asylum up in smoke. Guns blazing, guards being shot down. And Bella was responsible. I flinched.
"They became the king and queen of their base city, Gotham," Amanda continued.
I growled at the image of the Joker beside Bella, her clinging to him like a child, looking at him longingly and lovingly. That look should be for me. Her hair was different in this memory. Blonde. I wonder why she changed it.
Amanda smiled reluctantly. "And God help anyone who disrespected the queen."
I saw what she was thinking then. It was only in her mind for a moment, but I saw it. Anyone who looked at Bella the wrong way, shot dead by this man. It might be the only admirable thing about him.
"Bella… lost her mind, to put it simply. She went crazy, became just as demented as he was. Several psyche evaluations showed that she was not stable. She was crazier than him; and more fearless. From then on, every crime committed, they worked together. She was his partner, obeyed his every word. He controlled her, used her. And she was obsessively in love."
She sighed. "We caught them a few times. But they always escaped. Now that he's got her, he uses her as a pawn. He leaves her behind to be caught, promising to come back for her." She stopped. "He always does. That's why we need to work fast."
No image this time, but I couldn't help but imagine it. Bella… my Bella, holding onto someone else. This murderous animal, no less. Him touching her, kissing her… killing with her.
My lips curled into a snarl. Alice laid a hand on my back and I calmed down some.
There was a long silence. Carlisle was the first to say something.
"How did you catch her now?" he asked.
"They were shooting up an underground gambling ring. We received word from a vigilante to come quick. Joker shot her in the arm and left her for dead… as a distraction. He ran."
He didn't even have the goddamn decency to treat Bella with respect. He left her. Left her to die, to be caught. What kind of a partner…
I trailed off, realizing how ridiculous I sounded to myself. It's better that he did leave, that she was caught. Now, we could help her.
Amanda closed the file, sliding it across the table to Carlisle.
"That's everything you need to know. You can read it on the plane home." She watched Carlisle stop it before it slid off the table and looked at each of us. "We don't need any of you to be the hero. She's too far gone for friendly chatter to make a difference." She looked at Carlisle. "While I do expect you to try your hardest to rehabilitate her, that's a secondary concern. As far as I'm concerned, there's no hope for her."
Her mind remained blank. I held my breath.
She continued. "The primary focus is information. We need you to coax her into trusting you. Get her to tell you where the Joker may be hiding."
Carlisle nodded, his mind wandering to thoughts of the old Bella.
"However, do try your hardest," Amanda repeated. "She was a good kid… from what I hear. Bringing her back may be impossible, but do try."
Carlisle nodded once again.
Amanda pushed her chair back and stood.
"I'll take you to her now, considering you're still up for the challenge." She raised her eyebrow questioningly.
Carlisle wasted no time. "I'm doing this, Mrs Waller."
She smiled. "Come."
Alice's POV
We all stood and followed Mrs Waller out of the room and through the hallways. I still couldn't comprehend this.
What happened while we were gone? How could I not have seen this? I know I wasn't looking, but I should have seen something.
I was frustrated with myself, and as we walked painfully slowly to where Bella was, I felt my anxiety rising.
Jasper put a hand on my back and I instantly felt calm. I looked back. Edward wasn't lagging behind anymore. He was right where I expected him to be. Almost walking alongside Mrs Waller.
He needed to calm more than I did. I looked at my husband, who understood immediately. But as soon as he focused his energy on Edward, his head snapped back and a snarl emitted from deep within his chest.
Whatever he was feeling, he wanted to feel that way. I shook my head and accepted it.
The atmosphere was tense. None of us looked at one another as we walked, each of our minds racing, each of us thinking our own thoughts.
I felt the reassuring touch of Jasper's hand again. I tried my hardest to relax into it but I just couldn't.
I felt many things, but among them was overwhelming regret. If we hadn't left, this wouldn't be her life. She wouldn't be a notorious criminal. She wouldn't be in love with a psychopath.
If I was human, I would be crying. Even so, dry sobs threatened to escape my lips every now and then.
We finally stopped in front of a large door.
Mrs Waller turned around. "This is our most maximum security unit. Since she's been here, shes killed five guards and put others in the hospital. I don't want any of you to be alarmed when we enter. There are two very large cages that carry and electric current, please refrain from touching them." She paused before pushing the door open and stepping slightly forwards.
We were right behind her. I smelled her. Bella's scent. I knew it was her. I leaned to my right to peer around Mrs Waller, and I saw a figure crouched on the floor, in the corner of the smaller cage.
There was no bed, no comfort. Just her. Bella. Her now blonde hair fell to her waist. She seemed to be laughing at something. Then she looked up, directly at us.
I could tell she could only see Mrs Waller.
She stood up slowly and walked towards the wall of bars in front of her.
"Are you the devil?" I heard her ask quietly. Her voice sounded timid, but different. Almost child-like and small.
"Maybe," Mrs Waller responded.
She stepped forward, and so did we. I saw Bella's eyes widen.
I just couldn't believe what we were seeing.
A/N Okay, I know that was hella long, but I really wanted to get in as much detail as I could, so that I can start the basis of the story soon. I did warn that these chapters would be bulky. I was thinking about shortening them soon. What do you guys think? Do you prefer them the length that they are now, or would you prefer shorter chapters? Let me know! Thanks for reading!