Chapter Fifty Five

Charlie

I was about to call it a night, dawn was only an hour away when I saw movement on the drive in front of me, a young man with blond hair, shades, and strangely glowing pale skin stood looking at me as if he knew I was here in the shadows. I took my gun from its holster and opened the door quietly, the interior light having been disconnected but he reacted as if he could see me, a smile crossed his face but there was no warmth in it and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and a shiver run down my spine. Lifting my gun I aimed it at him as he began to walk slowly forward towards me.

"Stop where you are. I'm an armed police officer."

It was as of he hadn't heard me, he continued to walk forwards so I cocked my gun turning my radio on with my chin and requesting back up. At this he smiled,

"They won't get here in time to save you Chief."

As I aimed my gun at the center of his chest it was lifted from my hand, how had he moved so far so fast? He peered at the gun then to my horror bent the barrel upwards with his bare hands and gave it back to me.

I threw it to the floor and readied myself to fight him although how I would beat a man with such strength I had no idea. In the event I couldn't do anything. He grabbed my arm and yanked me forward then took off his shades with the other and I cried out in horror at the bright red eyes they had been shielding.

"Well, well, Chief Swan. Just the man I was looking for."

I heard sirens coming up fast and felt a little more optimistic but his grin just broadened,

"I think we should leave before your friends arrive. If not there won't be any police force left alive to protect the good people of Forks Washington."

He pulled me closer, his oddly cold hard skin against my uniform.

"I have a little task for you. Come on."

Suddenly I was in the air being carried by this strange man through the trees extremely fast, what the hell was he? As we continued up the mountain I saw three other men, all looking like him, fall in behind seemingly only jogging along but going much faster than a car. We finally halted half way up the mountain in a clearing which showed the first snow falls. He dropped me to the ground and stepped away looking down back towards the town while the other three all silent melted back into the trees. I had a feeling they were waiting for someone or something, listening for any sounds that seemed out of place.

"So, its true then, there are guardians here. Do they think they'll be able to save you from me? If they do then they are bigger fools than I took them for. Still it will give the others something to do, they could do with a work out."

"Who are you? What do you want with me?"

"You personally? Nothing, your daughter on the other hand...well let's just say she and I have a date but she's acting coy so you are going to lure her out for me."

I shook my head sure now that this man was the reason Bella had left Forks in such a hurry and I couldn't say I blamed her, he was one scary mother.

"No, I won't do that."

"Of course you will."

"I won't ask Bella to come save me. Not if it means you get your hands on her."

"Oh you misunderstand, you won't have to say anything Chief Swan, words wont be necessary. Now hand me your cell phone."

He held out his hand but I stayed stubbornly still, if he thought I was going to hand my daughter over he was sorely mistaken. I didn't see the punch coming but I felt its impact on my ribs and the sickening snap as several broke. Gasping I folded holding my chest and crying out in pain.

"Your cell phone. I won't ask again."

I heard the sound of large paws on the ground and hoped it was a wolf pack, lets see him fight them off but then there were several loud snarls and yelps and I knew I wouldn't be saved by the wildlife after all. I was trying to get to my feet through the stabbing pain of my ribs when I found myself lifted by the throat one handed. His other hand checked my pocket and took out my cell phone then dropped me back to the ground and I felt the broken edges of my ribs grind against each other making me cry out again.

He ignored me scrolling through my contacts until he found the number he was looking for then rang it and waited for an answer. I prayed if it were Bella's that she wouldn't, that she would be somewhere she couldn't answer and for a few seconds I thought my prayers had been answered but then he smiled coldly and I knew he'd got through. He didn't speak to her though, he was asking someone else to put her on, so who was she with? Someone whose number I had on my cell phone? Then he held the phone out towards me. with a smile and I shouted a warning to her,

"Bella? Bella is that you? For God's sake don't listen to him, he's crazy, stay hidden, don't listen to the crazy ass hole."

His fist flicked out again and this time I felt my collar bone snap and dropped vomiting with pain to the ground, his voice coming from a long way away,

"You need to come home Bella Swan, before I get bored and start ripping your father's limbs off one at a time. Understand?"

I looked up through pain dazed eyes to see him crush my cell phone and drop the mangled remains to the ground before lifting me up and smiling,

"See, it was easy, I told you so."

I tried to speak but pain was pulling me down into velvety darkness and my eyes started to close but before they did I saw something else I didn't understand. One of the men came into view holding a body that was half man half wolf, transforming to a full human as I watched and I recognized the boy, it was Old Quil's grandson and from the look of him, he was dead, or dying.

The Major

It had been easier than I thought, almost fun and I'd got my message across to the girl. Now all we needed to do was wait for her to appear along with her family of bodyguards. The Chief would live but he'd be in considerable discomfort, not that I cared, so long as he could still scream he was useful to me and I indicated Sam should find somewhere to hide him among the trees while I went over to Peter who had caught and killed himself a guardian wolf.

"How many were there?"

"Two, Ben got the other one. They were reluctant to come so far from home. I guess their job is to patrol the reservation boundary for any threat. As we were moving away they weren't sure what to do but the younger one decided to be the hero and his partner had to follow. You want me to dispose of the bodies?"

"Yes, I'd like to hang them from a tree on the boundary but the Volturi won't want to start something with the guardians so find a deep hole and throw them in. I guess I should report in to Aro, I wonder what he'll have to say. Nothing good I'm sure."

I was right, Aro was not happy but there was little he could do, it was a done deal.

"I told you they were to be left alone unless they left the city."

"I never touched them. If they stay where they are then they're safe enough. I didn't invite them to the party only the girl Bella. Its not my fault if they have a martyr complex now is it? You can ring and warn them if you like, I don't care. I only rang to tell you we killed two guardians in the mountains, in case Johnny H starts bitching, we never crossed the boundary onto the res so his wolves were in the wrong not us, we never even fed on Quileutes although I understand their blood is particularly tasty."

"Stay away from the guardians Major. That's an order."

"Whatever you say Aro."