WRONG DECISIONS

Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she brought them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.

Mario shook his head and told his boss, "No, but I'll get something later. I've just learned something from my inside source that I felt you needed to know immediately.

CHAPTER 19: CARDS ON THE TABLE

"Is this information something that is going to happen within the next few minutes?" Marcus asked Mario who shook his head no. "Then sit and tell me while we eat this evening's meal."

So, Marcus motioned for another place to be set for Mario and the two men began eating quietly for a few minutes before Marcus asks, "Okay, my friend, what is this urge information that you felt couldn't wait?"

Without wasting another moment Mario began telling his boss everything that he had been told by his inside source above the conversation that James had had with an outside person. "My source's opinion is that James is working with some law enforcement agency. And that the person on the other end of the conversation is independent with James for reasons of his own just as James is doing."

"Let me get this straight, James is working with another source to set both the Volturi and the Cullen families up to be taken out. Then once that occurs, he's going to maneuver his way into a position to get in with another top family. Am I understanding that correctly?" Marcus muses aloud and then asks his question of Mario just to make sure that he understood the situation.

Then after a moment of silence Marcus expresses his further thoughts aloud, "He is planning and working with an unknown source to bring down all of the major families. But why? The only thing that I can think of is that he is planning a major take-over of all possible territories for himself. And his partner will be an inside source that will keep suspicion off of his doings."

Mario answers yes and then continues to say, "And that isn't all, sir. He is planning to hurt Miss Tori also."

"I knew that asshole was as low as my brothers, hell maybe he's even lower than they are." Marcus ranted about that last bit of information. He could understand why someone, even the feds, would be coming after him and his brothers, but not his daughter. Victoria Volturi was considered untouchable, and Marcus has always made sure that she wasn't connected to any illegal family business of any shape or form. His brothers would even stand with him if she was threatened in any way.

Marcus sat quietly giving thought to all that he had just been told. He knew that with what James was planning would have an adverse effect on the young Cullen children he held hostage and on their mother. However, it was also going to greatly affect his family and the rest of the Cullen family. James is about to set something in motion that is going to mow over his ass.

After both men had finished eating, Marcus thanked Mario for bringing the information to him so quickly and told the man to go home and get some rest. He then left the dining room and headed for his office. Not quite sure what or how to proceed with things, Marcus knew one thing for sure Carlisle Cullen needed to know this information as quickly as possible. So, with that in mind, Marcus reached out and dialed Carlisle's number waiting for an answer.

XXXXXX

With the boys' plan for the meeting receiving Carlisle's final approval, it took no time at all to have everything in place. Carlisle was waiting until the next day for the stranger to call back to let him know of the meeting place and the time.

However, it came as a great surprise for Carlisle to answer his phone with "Yes," and to hear the voice of the person who shouldn't be calling until the next day.

"Cullen, something unexpected was just brought to my attention and we need to meet as soon as possible. A plan needs to be put into place immediately and then acted upon."

"What has happened? Does it have anything to do with my grandbabies?"

"Yes, in a way and with both of our entire families which includes my daughter who happens to be mixed up in this entire mess. Our futures are what is the most important, even before ourselves."

"Okay, meet with me within the hour in the hotel restaurant. I'm assuming the same conditions apply." Carlisle commented.

"It would be best, but I'll understand if you choose otherwise at this point."

"No. I'll stand by the original stipulations."

"Thanks. I'll be there shortly." And, with that said the call was ended.

Carlisle quickly updated his family since once again they hadn't been able to hear both sides of the conversation.

"Dad, what do you think he means about our futures?" Edward asked of his father.

"Son, from the way he phrased it I would say that he is talking about all of the children for they are the future." Carlisle answered Edward before continuing, "That fact along with him calling earlier than arranged is telling me this new information is extremely important and unexpected."

"Pardon me, Uncle Carlisle, but did you say all of the children? You make it sound like more than just Edward's kids are involved." Emmett asked his questions with a bit of a puzzled look on his face.

"If you will stop and remember what I told you a moment ago, he said that he had a daughter that is mixed up in this mess. And, if that is the case then I can understand why he has involved himself in this situation." Carlisle explained as he looked at his entire family.

"Okay, then let's get this show on the road since we don't have much time." Jasper tossed in his two cents worth.

With that said Edward, Jasper and Emmett left the suite to make sure everything was in place to ensure Carlisle's safety since the time factor had suddenly changed. They felt like they had all their bases covered with anything that might unexpectedly show up or appear to be in the making that would endanger the head of their family.

This was one of the times that the family was reverting back to their old ways because of the circumstances involved. Once this was cleared away then Edward and the rest of the family would go back to getting all businesses on the legal side of things again.

XXXXXX

Victoria was quickly getting enough groceries that should do them for a few more days while James was waiting to make his move. Once that was done then the children could be returned to their mother since James wouldn't need them anymore as a bargaining tool and she with James could move on to get away from all of this mess. He would finally feel like he belonged someplace and had the say-so to command the respect that he craved.

Then her father would see that James had value and was worthy of his trust. She desperately wanted to the two men in her life to be able to be in the same room and to have respect for each other without all of the tension that existed now. She wanted to be feeling like she had a normal relationship that her father approved of.

But as Victoria wanted all of this to happen, she had a feeling that something more was going on with James and he just wasn't trusting her enough to tell her what it was. She wished that she could think of some way to get him to trust her further.

XXXXXX

After making sure that all preparations were ready for the coming meeting, Edward took some time to wonder where Bella was and how his children, the children that he never knew existed until they were kidnapped and being used as pawns in a very dangerous game, were doing? All three had to be really scared and wondering what was happening to get them back home.

He also felt that Charlie should be informed about all that was happening since Edward was positive that Bella had kept silent about everything.

Charlie had the connections, Edward was sure, that could be of help and to make sure that this entire situation would be shown to be on a legal side on paper.

Ever since Bella had divorced him and left, Edward had been working his ass off to get everything on the legal side as he had promised Bella in the very beginning. But things got screwed up due to some bad decisions on his side and he has had to pay the consequences.

Now he had a chance to get her back along with their children once all of this shit was over. Up until now, he had no idea where she was even living. He had the idea that it would be close to Forks where Charlie was but that was all that he could guess.

Things were going to be different now since she had been the one to make the contact, and Bella was going to have to accept the changes because he was determined to be a part of hers and the children's lives. He was damn sure that his family was feeling the same way. And, yeah, in a manner of speaking, she had been told that in no uncertain terms back in Chicago but then a lot of things had been said in the heat of the moment and with the shock of the surprising information that Bella had brought with her.

Of course, Edward wasn't under any mistaken conception that it was going to be easy to get his family back. He probably would have to work his ass off like he has had to do to get all of the family businesses transferred over to the legal side of things.

In the beginning he had faced a lot of opposition from his father but finally was able to get him to see reason and until this mess, things had been moving forward at a quiet but quick pace.

As Edward reached this point in his thoughts, he noticed that everyone was ready to get into position for the meeting.

XXXXXX

Carlisle was seated at the back of the restaurant facing the door when he saw none other than Marcus Volturi walking in and taking a look around. Wondering who Marcus might be meeting, Carlisle kept a close eye on him. He knew that Edward, Emmett and Jasper were watching as well through the security cameras. Seeing a Volturi in the restaurant must be making them as nervous as it was him.

It didn't take long before Marcus saw the person he had been looking for, so he made his way in that direction. And, as he approached Carlisle Cullen, he kept a sweeping look around to make sure he wasn't about to encounter any surprises.

Carlisle kept a watch on Marcus Volturi as he approached but also kept looking behind him to make sure no unexpected surprises were going to show that would spell danger for a lot of innocent people.

Once Marcus was at the table, he simply said, "Cullen."

And Carlisle replied, "Volturi, what can I do for you? I'm expecting someone to show up for a meeting very shortly."

"Yes, I know. You're meeting me. I'm the one that called you to set this meeting up."

To say that that piece of information was a bit of an understatement hit Carlisle like a wall of falling bricks. He was shocked into silence as his brain seemed to have decided to take a vacation at that moment.

Next Marcus asked, "May I be seated and can we get this meeting underway. I, like you, would prefer it if we didn't take any chances of being seen talking together. You never know who is out and about at any given moment."

Having recovered from the shock, Carlisle suddenly remembered his manners and motioned for Marcus to take a seat.

Marcus made sure to sit where he could see the door but that it would be hard for someone to see his features. Once he was seated and sure that things were as arranged, Marcus looked at Carlisle and began to tell him all that he knew which included the information he had received from Mario just a short time ago.

"So, this James person is the one that called me to come and take out the Volturi family to get the twins back and is using your daughter as well for his own selfish means.

"Then add into the mix that he is working with an outside agency of some kind to bring us both down if we don't kill each other just so he can look good from both ends of the candle.

"Okay, I can understand your concern but why are you so invested in this affair? Why don't you just take this James person out yourself and return the children to us as a gesture of good faith?"

"My daughter thinks she's in love with James and that James is just doing this to try to prove himself to be able to advance within whatever family he chooses to work with.

"Also, she made me promise that I wouldn't hurt James if the moment came that I stepped in to put a stop to all of this. She had me make that promise when she had brought me the news of what James was doing by calling you.

"From what I understand is that the original kidnappers were taken care of by another outside source and then James got a hold of the kids after taking out that bunch. And I'll let you know that my brothers are trying to find the children to use for their own gains.

"I can also tell you that my daughter is the only one taking care of the two and that James has had nothing to do with them.

"Now, to answer the other part of your question as to why I'm so invested in this affair; my wife and daughter had gotten caught in a situation like this years ago. My wife didn't make it out alive and I almost lost my daughter at the same time.

"These children, like my daughter, are our families' future and they are untouchables. Untouchables aren't supposed to be messed with by anyone." Marcus finished speaking and waited to hear if Carlisle had any further questions or anything else to say.

"The only thing I'm going to suggest at the moment is that we adjourn back to my suite, and we all sit down to form a plan of action. However, I do want to make one thing very clear, this James person will not be coming out of this alive. He has messed with the wrong people." Carlisle finished speaking and waited to see what Marcus's response was going to be.

All Marcus did was nod his head in agreement and both men rose at the same time to leave the restaurant.

AN: The meeting has taken place sooner than originally planned. Marcus has put the facts out there including why he was wanting to help get the kids back safely. What is going to be Edward's and the rest of the family's response when they find out what all Marcus told Carlisle and when Marcus walks in the door with Carlisle?

Thanks for reading and looking forward to your comments.