I sat on the chair by the window watching as Bella slept, my body craved sleep but I just couldn't bring myself to sleep, terrified something would happen to Bella while I slept, my mood seemed even worse since Bella spoke to Edward, I wanted Emmett, I would even say I needed Emmett. I just wanted to feel safe and loved again.
As I sat watching Bella I could hear the quiet voices of Alice and Jasper in the other room, that they were loud enough for me to hear at all was strange and got my interest, I pulled my feet from under my legs and felt my feet touch the carpeted hotel floor and then crept into the living room, trying not to wake Bella.
Alice and Jasper were sitting together on the sofa, Alice sketching again while Jasper looked over her shoulder. They didn't look up when I
entered, too engrossed in Alice's work, I crept to Jasper's side to peek.
"Did she see something more?" I asked him quietly.
"Yes. Something's brought him back to the room with the VCR, but it's light now" Jasper answered me, all while not lifting his eyes from Alice, I watched as Alice drew a square room with dark beams across its low ceiling. The walls were panelled in wood, a little too dark, out of date.
The floor had a dark carpet with a pattern in it. There was a large window against the south wall, and an opening through the west wall led to the living room. One side of that entrance was stone, a large tan stone fireplace that was open to both rooms. The focus of the room from this perspective, the TV and VCR, balanced on a too-small wooden stand, were in the southwest corner of the room. An aged sectional sofa curved around in front of the TV, a round coffee table in front of it. I felt like my blood had turned to ice,
"The phone goes there" I whispered, pointing down to the paper, I glanced up to see two pairs of eternal eyes stared at me,
"That's my mother's house" I whispered, suddenly Alice was already off the couch, phone in hand, dialling. I stared at the precise rendering of my mother's family room. Uncharacteristically, Jasper slid closer to me. He lightly touched his hand to my shoulder, and the physical contact seemed to make his calming influence stronger. The panic stayed dull, unfocused.
Alice's lips were trembling with the speed of her words, the low buzzing impossible to decipher. I couldn't concentrate.
"Ana" Alice said, I looked at her numbly.
"Edward is coming to get Bella and you, He, Lucas and Carlisle are going to take you somewhere, to hide you for a while" Alice said softly, I was about to ask about Emmett until Bella's voice cut in,
"Edward is coming?" Bella asked, I spun and saw her stood behind me,
"Yes, he's catching the first flight out of Seattle. We'll meet him at the airport, and you'll leave with him and Liliana" Alice said to Bella, I spun back to Alice,
"But, my mother… he came here for my mother, Alice!" the hysteria bubbled up in my voice,
"Jasper and I will stay till she's safe, I swear" Alice promised me,
"I can't win, Alice. You can't guard everyone I know forever. Don't you see what he's doing? He's not tracking me at all. He'll find someone, he'll hurt someone I love… Alice, I can't leave her" I said trying to control my voice but failing,
"We'll catch him, Ana" Alice said trying to assured me.
"And what if you get hurt, Alice? Do you think that's okay with me? Do you think it's only my human family he can hurt me with?" I said panicking even more, Alice looked meaningfully at Jasper. A deep, heavy fog of lethargy washed over me, and my eyes closed without my permission. My mind struggled against the fog, realizing what was happening. I forced my
eyes open and stood up, stepping away from Jasper's hand.
"I don't want to go back to sleep, I just want all this to be over and I don't care about Edward! I want Emmett not him!" I snapped and stormed back to the bedroom and shut the door, slammed it really, so I could be free to go to pieces privately.
This time Alice or Bella didn't follow me, I could hear them all talking in the next room, for three and a half hours I stared at the wall, curled in a ball, rocking.
My mind went around in circles, trying to come up with some way out of this nightmare. There was no escape, no reprieve. I could see only one possible end looming darkly in my future. The only question was how many other people would be hurt before I reached it.
When the phone rang, I returned to the front room, a little ashamed of my behaviour. I hoped I hadn't offended either of them or Bella, that they would know how grateful I was for the sacrifices they were making on mine and Bella's account.
Alice was talking as rapidly as ever, but what caught my attention was that, for the first time, Jasper was not in the room. I looked at the clock, it was five-thirty in the morning.
"They're just boarding their plane," Alice told me and Bella,
"They'll land at nine-forty-five." Alice said, I nodded,
"Where's Jasper?" I whispered,
"He went to check out." Alice said while grabbing a few bits and putting them into a bag,
"You aren't staying here?" I asked confused, but she said she would protect my mum?
"No, we're relocating closer to your mother's house" Alice said, my stomach twisted uneasily at her words, but the phone rang again, distracting me. She looked surprised, but I was already walking forward, reaching hopefully for the phone.
"Hello?" Alice asked, I watched to see who it was,
"No, she's right here." She held the phone out to me. Your mother, she mouthed, I was surprised she never normally wanted to speak to me first,
"Hello?" I asked quickly,
"Liliana? Bella?" It was my mother's voice, in a familiar tone I had heard a thousand times in my childhood, anytime I'd gotten too close to the edge of the sidewalk or strayed out of her sight in a crowded place. It was the sound of panic.
I sighed. I'd been expecting this, though Bella had tried to make the message as unalarming as possible without lessening the urgency of it.
"Calm down, Mom, Bella is fine" I said in my most soothing voice, walking slowly away from Alice. I wasn't sure if I could lie as convincingly with her eyes on me.
"Everything is fine, okay? Just give me a minute and I'll explain everything, I promise, Bella is fine" I said then paused, surprised that she hadn't interrupted me yet.
"Mom?" I asked worried,
"Be very careful not to say anything until I tell you to" The voice I heard now was as unfamiliar as it was unexpected. It was a man's tenor voice, a very pleasant, generic voice, the kind of voice that you heard in the background of luxury car commercials. He spoke very quickly,
"Now, I don't need to hurt your mother, so please do exactly as I say, and she'll be fine" He paused for a minute while I listened in mute horror.
"That's very good," he congratulated,
"Now repeat after me, and do try to sound natural. Please say, 'No, Mom, stay where you are" the voice said,
"No, Mom, stay where you are" My voice was barely more than a whisper.
"I can see this is going to be difficult" The voice was amused, still light and friendly,
"Why don't you walk into another room now so your face doesn't ruin everything? There's no reason for your mother to suffer. As you're walking, please say, 'Mom, please listen to me.' Say it now" the voice said with an almost laugh,
"Mom, please listen to me," my voice pleaded. I walked very slowly to the bedroom, feeling Alice's worried stare on my back. I shut the door behind me, trying to think clearly through the terror that gripped my brain.
"There now, are you alone? Just answer yes or no."
"Yes." I said quickly,
"But they can still hear you, I'm sure."
"Yes" I whispered,
"All right, then," the agreeable voice continued, "say, 'Mom, trust me.'"
"Mom, trust me" trying not to show my panic,
"This worked out rather better than I expected. I was prepared to wait, but your mother arrived ahead of schedule. It's easier this way, isn't it? Less suspense, less anxiety for you" he laughed and I waited.
"Now I want you to listen very carefully. I'm going to need you to get away from your friends; do you think you can do that? Answer yes or no."
"No" I said,
"I'm sorry to hear that. I was hoping you would be a little more creative than that. Do you think you could get away from them if your mother's life depended on it? Answer yes or no." he asked, Somehow, there had to be a way. I remembered that we were going to the airport. Sky Harbour International Airport: crowded, confusingly laid out…
"Yes" I said quickly,
"That's better. I'm sure it won't be easy, but if I get the slightest hint that you have any company, well, that would be very bad for your mother," the friendly voice promised. "You must know enough about us by now to realize how quickly I would know if you tried to bring anyone along with you. And how little time I would need to deal with your mother if that was the case. Do you understand? Answer yes or no."
"Yes." My voice broke.
"Very good, Liliana. Now this is what you have to do. I want you to go to your mother's house. Next to the phone there will be a number. Call it, and I'll tell you where to go from there." I already knew where I would go, and where this would end. But I would follow his instructions exactly. "Can you do that? Answer yes or no" Bella and my mother's face flashed in my mind,
"Yes"
"Before noon, please, Liliana. I haven't got all day," he said politely.
"Where's Phil?" I asked tersely.
"Ah, be careful now, Liliana. Wait until I ask you to speak, please." The voice said, I waited.
"It's important, now, that you don't make your friends suspicious when you go back to them. Tell them that your mother called, and that you talked her out of coming home for the time being. Now repeat after me, 'Thank you, Mom.' Say it now."
"Thank you, Mom." The tears were coming. I tried to fight them back.
"Say, 'I love you, Mom, I'll see you soon.' Say it now."
"I love you, Mom." My voice was thick. "I'll see you soon," I promised.
"Goodbye, Liliana. I look forward to seeing you again, oh and please bring Bella" He hung up.
I held the phone to my ear. My joints were frozen with terror — I couldn't unbend my fingers to drop it.
I knew I had to think, but my head was filled with the sound of my mother's panic. Seconds ticked by while I fought for control.
I sat there staring at the phone in my hands, trying to think of a way to save everyone, but only one choice came to mind to go to the mirrored room and die. I had no guarantees, nothing to give to keep my mother alive. I could only hope that James would be satisfied with winning the game.
Despair gripped me; there was no way to bargain, nothing I could offer or withhold that could influence him. But I still had no choice. I had to try, but I had to protect Bella.
I pushed the terror back as well as I could. My decision was made. It did no good to waste time agonizing over the outcome. I had to think clearly, because Alice and Jasper were waiting for me, and evading them was absolutely essential, and absolutely impossible.
I was suddenly grateful that Jasper was gone. If he had been here to feel my anguish in the last five minutes, how could I have kept them from being suspicious? I choked back the dread, the anxiety, tried to stifle it. I couldn't afford it now. I didn't know when he would return.
I concentrated on my escape. I had to hope that my familiarity with the airport would turn the odds in my favour. Somehow, I had to keep Alice away all while getting me and Bella to my mother's house.
I knew Alice was in the other room waiting for me, curious. I knew there was a big chance I wouldn't see Emmett again and a risk Bella would not see Edward again, although I would do everything in my power to stop that from happening, I took a deep breathe and walked into the other room, the only expression I could manage was a dull, dead look. I saw her alarm and I didn't wait for her to ask. I had just one script and I'd never manage improvisation now.
"My mom was worried, mainly about Bella, she wanted to come home. But it's okay, I convinced her to stay away" My voice was lifeless, I saw Bella give me a sad look,
"We'll make sure she's fine, Bella, don't worry" I said to her, and grabbed my jacket and turned away, I couldn't let them see my face for too long.
My eyes fell on a blank page of the hotel stationery on the desk. I went to it slowly, a plan forming. There was an envelope there, too. That was good.
"Alice" I asked slowly, without turning, keeping my voice level,
"If me and Bella write a letter for my mother, would you give it to her? Leave it at the house, I mean" I said picking them up,
"Sure, Ana" Alice's voice was careful. She could see me coming apart at the seams. I had to keep my emotions under better control, I grabbed Bella's hand and almost dragged her into the bedroom again, and knelt next to the little bedside table to write.
I can't explain much, James has mom, we have to go and get her, I will do everything to protect you both, but maybe you should explain for Edward
I quickly wrote and handed it to her, I saw the shock and terror on her face, I quickly hugged her,
"everything will be fine Bella, there is a plan" I whispered to Bella, choosing my words carefully as I knew Alice could hear, I let her go and watched as she quickly wrote a letter and handed it to me, the letters were hardly legible.
Edward,
I love you. I am so sorry. He has my mom, and we have to try. I know it may not work. I am so very, very sorry.
Don't be angry with Alice and Jasper. If we get away from them it will be a miracle. Tell them thank you for me. Alice especially, please.
And please, please, don't come after him. That's what he wants. I think. I can't bear it if anyone has to be hurt because of me, especially you. Please, this is the only thing I can ask you now. For me.
I love you. Forgive me.
Bella
I folded the letter carefully, and sealed it in the envelope. Eventually he would find it. I only hoped he would understand, and listen to Bella just this once.
Bella grabbed my arm, I looked at her confused she grabbed the piece of paper I had wrote on and scribbled on it,
What about Emmett?
I sighed, I had tried to push him to the back of my head,
Only one letter, I have a plan, trust me and do everything I say from now on, no exceptions
I slid it over to Bella, I watched her worried expression, I gave her a quick hug and looked her trying to imprint a image of her in my brain, I smiled trying to hold back the tears.
It was now or never.
