Chapter Forty Eight

Carlisle

When I heard Aro's voice on the phone again I knew it was bad news, something was very wrong.

"Carlisle, I am extremely disappointed in you, I thought we were friends."

"We are friends Aro."

"No, friends don't lie to each other Carlisle and you lied to me,"

"About what? Edward?"

"No, this has nothing to do with Edward, at least not directly although he was the one who brought your treachery to light."

"What did he say Aro? Remember he is extremely angry with me right now and he tried to steal from me."

"He told us that you lied about the human girl Alice. That her gift is indeed powerful. Did you think I wouldn't find out? You of all people should know that I learn everything eventually."

"Yes I lied, but I did so in order to protect our world. Sometimes Aro you exploit people for your own ends. I tried to avoid that happening with Alice. No one man should have too much power in his hands. You can read every thought anyone has ever had, you can force people to be faithful to you, make them content whether they want to be or not, you can cut a person off from all senses, you can torture people with unimaginable pain, do you really need more power?"

Aro

I was furious with Carlisle and Eleazar but the more he spoke, the way he admitted his sin, the more highly I thought of him. Carlisle had never been a rebel but he had fixed views on things, a sense of what was right and wrong and he had a point. He was the only person who would ever be so outspoken to my face and I had a sneaky admiration for his courage. Bottom line was I didn't want Carlisle Cullen dead or his "family", not even Eleazar although I might be less magnanimous with him, he was still an employee of the Volturi after all.

"I hear your reasons Carlisle but I'm afraid anything you say to me will make no difference to the outcome of your actions."

"What do you mean?"

"Caius is in the United States and had a meeting with The Major. I'm sorry Carlisle. I will try to contact him but chances are I will not be in time to call him off even if I can reach him. All you can do is try to stay one step ahead while I attempt to limit the damage."

Carlisle

I replaced the receiver with shaking hands, Caius had set The Major on my family? I knew of his reputation and understood it would be impossible to stay one step ahead of him for long. Taking a deep breath and willing my hands to steady I went downstairs to speak to the family, relieved they were all here at the moment. As I started to explain Aro's call Esme and Rose both cried out in terror and I couldn't blame them although they didn't know the half of The Major's terrible reputation.

"What do we do Carlisle?"

"Leave, immediately. Take only what you have to, I'll ring Eleazar and warn him too. Emmett get the Mercedes ready, we'll travel together for now, until I know more."

"You think Aro will let you know if he hears anything?"

"I don't know but I'm hoping Darius will."

As I said that my cell phone went and I recognized Darius number with a sigh of relief.

"Carlisle you need to get the fuck out of dodge, fast. Marcus found out about Bella Swan, how he got the information I don't know because there were no letters or calls I didn't check out."

"Aro just rang, it was Edward and how doesn't matter. We're leaving in a minute but I've no idea where to go with The Major after us."

"It's not just you he's got orders to kill. Aro knows about Eleazar, Caius ordered the deaths of the Denali's too."

"I'm about to ring Eleazar and warn him. He'll need to move fast but having the guardians close by may help.

"Not necessarily, not against The Major, he won't care if there are guardians, it will just make it more interesting for him. There's something else too"

"Just a minute Darius."

I called to Esme to ring and warn Eleazar to save time then followed the others to the car with my own bag.

"Right Darius sorry, go on."

"Bella Swan."

"Bella?"

"Yeah, she's on his list too. I just thought you'd want to know, you seem fond of the human girl."

This changed everything, Bella couldn't protect herself from The Major and he could just as easily take out her father as well, possibly half of Forks if the mood took him.

"You still there Carlisle?"

"I have to go Darius, do you know where he is right now?"

"He's just left Boston on his way so you have a while to escape but I understand he's an expert tracker too so you'll need to be very careful. The best thing you can do is to get yourself into a city and hide among the humans, I can arrange a flight if you like."

I thought quickly,

"Yes that's a good idea. I need a private jet ready to leave from Seattle in the morning."

"Why don't you fly straight from Bellingham? I can arrange that, you'll be out of the state much quicker."

"We have to get Bella first or she's dead. I can't leave her to The Major."

"Carlisle I appreciate your love for humans but it might just get you and your family killed this time. Time is something you don't have a lot of."

Alice who had been passing me as I spoke stopped grabbing my arm,

"Bella? They sent him after Bella too?"

Ignoring her I continued,

"Darius just do as I ask, file any flight plan you like, we'll change it in mid air anyway. Book the others on a flight from Bellingham to Seattle and a motel room, all under…"

"I know false names, I have done this before."

"Of course I apologize. I'll be in touch and thank you my friend."

I put my phone away and pushed Alice to the car where the rest were waiting,

"Get in Alice I'll explain on the way."

I drove towards the airport explaining that I would meet the others in Seattle in the morning and we would fly to one of the major cities, start a run that might only end with our deaths Esme was terrified at the thought of my leaving them but she was also afraid for Bella.

I wanted to leave them at the airport telling them I would join them as quickly as I could but for now to lay low and do everything Darius told them.

"I'll be back before you know it with Bella if she'll come."

"I'm not going without you Carlisle, what if The Major appears? If we are going to die let it be together."

There was no arguing with Esme and once she spoke the others insisted on staying together too, even Charlotte who could quite reasonably have left with danger so imminent now and none of us would have blamed her. I worried that Bella might refuse to go with me, fearing that The Major might kill her father if he didn't find her. It was something we would deal with if it arose but with Esme and Alice there to back me up I thought she might agree to flee with us. After all there would be no reason for The major to wait in Forks if Bella wasn't there and I doubted Aro or Caius would be very happy if The Major caused an incident with the human police. I just hoped Darius was right and The Major was coming for the family first.