The Portrait and The Letter
Chapter 19
Edward had been in the adjoining room to the interrogation room where prince Samuel Fell had been kept for two days now. Samuel had given them no substantial information to go on other than confirming the gathering he'd had at his house in Zafra. He had given them names—names they of course knew since before but couldn't yet prove were part of the leadership of The Council. Lord Ascham had, of course, been suspected for years as one of the heads of the group. Mr. Barker as well. And while Samuel was now a sort of witness to their presence, there was nothing of note nor any remark any of the men had given that could tie them to the kidnapping of Victoria's son William and thus to The Council.
When Samuel had confessed that Mr. Barker had said that they would have to go after Abigail and Victoria, however, they had perked up. Edward and Emmett, who were watching from behind the glass together with Abigail and Marcus Raleigh, looked at each other knowingly. They were one step closer to Mr. Barker now. All they needed was to tie him into the kidnapping and it would be enough to really start dismantling the entire Council. If Barker fell, he was certain to take down the rest with him. Edward was grateful for the mask, as it hid his slowly calming expression. This meant Bella truly was out of the woods. The Council would soon fall and using the bait of the letter and the secret of the Fells was no longer their main priority. Edward supposed that Leonore and Victoria had driven The Council to this extreme, but he never suspected they would turn on the Fell family like this.
Marcus whispered something to Carlisle who nodded slowly. He crossed eyes with his SCR agents and glanced back at Abigail and Marcus. Abigail, while just a few hours ago having been informed of them, had never seen the SCR agents before entering the small adjoining room to the interrogation room. Their presence had caused her to utter an involuntary gasp at first glance, jumping back with wide eyes. She wouldn't admit, of course, that they had caught her off guard. What had been told to her of the SCR had her scoffing at first—no such feats could be claimed by anyone—they seemed almost inhuman on paper with their wide range of abilities. But when she saw them for the first time, she had a strong inclination to believe that these masked men could and would do anything. Abigail couldn't help but sneak glances at them every so often, to make sure they weren't just a fidget of her imagination. She knew Carlisle Chaeld, of course, the reclusive Baron of Sorossa who was also present in the room. She had no idea of his involvement with the SCR and all she got to know was that he formed part of the group somehow.
"His Highness confirms a rising suspicion we've had now for a while," Carlisle said with a nod. He turned to Abigail.
"We haven't established enough proof yet that Mr. Barker heads The Council, but this is a step in the right direction. We know his campaign has interfered with various election cycles, including the latest one."
"What made this latest election different from the previous ones?" Abigail wondered. How indeed had she managed to secure a victory over Barker if he had been so successful before?
Carlisle gave her a curt stare. "We interfered."
Abigail's lips thinned as she frowned. "Interfered?" She sounded offended.
"The elections were fair, in every possible way. We stopped Barker from using the same tricks he had done during previous elections. Why do you think he went from being so high in the polls to the actual election results? During the previous elections, his campaign interfered with the votes."
"Dear god," Marcus said under his breath.
"And you've proof of this?" Abigail demanded. "Why was I not informed?"
"Because before we brought this to light we wanted to establish a stronger connection between him and The Council, which we believe he forms part of—probably even commands."
Abigail had been briefed on The Council on her way to the interrogation room at the undisclosed location.
"The Council is dangerous, ma'am," Carlisle continued, "we believe they would have used Samuel as a puppet to place on the throne and govern through. They would have used him against you. They are using this kidnapping as a reason for Her Royal Highness to abdicate the throne to her brother."
"How could I not have been informed of this before?" Abigail demanded with an indignant disposition.
"We have no idea of knowing how wide this organization is spread…but the SCR suspects it has infiltrated even the highest forms of the current government."
"Impossible," Abigail countered. She looked at Marcus for support. "Can't be."
"I'm afraid Chaeld isn't too far off."
"Our priority right now is to find the prince. If we go after Barker now, he might use William as a bargaining chip. We want the prince safe before we can even think to go after Barker," Carlisle added.
"Does Barker know we've taken His Highness into custody?" Abigail asked as she watched Samuel through the one-way mirror.
"Not yet," Carlisle said. "Which is why we have to act quickly."
"His Highness doesn't seem to know where his nephew is," Abigail sighed.
"There is one person left to speak to him," Carlisle said. They had waited with their Ace for the last moment. Marcus had spent hours with Samuel without finding out more than the gathering at Zafra and the plan to hang out Victoria and Leonore to the public by revealing the existence of the SCR—information he said he had gotten from Barker.
But there was one person, they hoped, who might reach out and still touch Samuel's heart enough for him to divulge more.
Just as Carlisle spoke, Emmett left the room, and soon after, the door to the interrogation room buzzed open. He escorted a disheveled Victoria Fell into the room.
Her eyes were bloodshot with shed tears and her nose red from crying. However, she seemed to have calmed down from the initial shock. Samuel rose his head and came face to face with his older sister. As she calmly sat down before him, his lip quivered and he looked down in shame.
"You don't get to dismiss me so easily now, Sam," Victoria's soft voice came.
Sam looked up and guilt unlike she had ever seen now extended in his eyes. "I didn't do it," he said.
Her eyes started watering as she nodded. "I believe you," she said as her voice broke. "But my William is still missing… Are…these the lengths you'd go to for the throne?"
Samuel's eyes started watering too. "Never," he shook his head.
"Do you even know with whom you've gotten involved?"
"I had no idea they'd go this far," he whispered. "I never wished anything to befall either you or William."
"Sam," Victoria said as she tried to calm herself down. "These people, from what I've been told, have killed before and will kill again to get what they want." She tried to keep her composure, but even stating such a thing made her wary of her son. She grimaced in pain. "I would give up my claim to the throne today if it meant William was restored back to me," she pleaded. She took her brother's hands in hers and squeezed them as the tears welled up again.
"Please," she pleaded.
Samuel started crying at the apparent pain his sister was going through. He shook his head as he tried to shake away the tears as well but couldn't. He knew how selfish and fixated with power he had been, he never knew what it would cost.
"As I told Marcus, it was Barker who suggested we target you and de la Cereda. I never thought he'd go to these lengths."
Victoria gave out a cry in pain as she broke down.
"She's done enough," Abigail pleaded to Marcus and Carlisle. "Don't let her suffer through this," she demanded.
Carlisle didn't divert his eyes from the confrontation of brother and sister.
"Will you not stop this?" Abigail pleaded as she turned to Marcus. She even turned to Edward and Emmett. But Edward understood why Carlisle hadn't taken Victoria out of the room yet. Samuel was willing to try to tie Barker to this kidnapping now, he was willing to become a witness despite his apparent involvement. It would be foolish to stop it now.
Abigail looked about ready to rush in and rescue Victoria from the confrontation with her brother.
"Barker said he wanted me on the throne," Samuel continued.
"Why?" Victoria asked.
"Because you were threatening the fabric of Angloan society—that's how he put it."
Carlisle's eyes lit up at the words—the ideology very reminiscent of The Council's.
"Because of Article 24?" Victoria asked.
"Yes," Samuel nodded.
Victoria collected herself. "That article should have been invoked decades ago, and you know it. Mama never did it because Barker would have stopped her. And she didn't because she would have needed your approval as heir, which you would never have given."
"And why hasn't she now? You have been named heir."
"Because she said it was my fight to take. She said a new era would start with my reign."
Samuel leaned back in shock as he realized what his sister was saying. "She's abdicating to you?"
"That was her plan until William was kidnapped. She was going to disclose it at the Summer Gala. She postponed it now until next week."
Abigail stared at Carlisle and Marcus in shock. Marcus seemed as surprised as she did by the news. Leonore Fell had given no indication of her wish to abdicate. Carlisle didn't let his stance on the thought reflect in his features. He kept looking at the interaction between brother and sister.
Samuel looked to be searching in his mind for something. Victoria wiped her eyes and ran a ragged hand through her dark auburn tresses.
"I remember in Zafra, overhearing Barker having a private discussion with a man I didn't recognize… saying they'd take care of 'them both'. I don't know what that means but that they'd take her to the bird as well… that it was all so ironic, and then they laughed."
As Edward overheard the words the blood in his veins turned to ice and his lips dried. Behind the mask he suddenly started growing queasy, his heart beating madly. Carlisle seemed to react as well.
"Raleigh, please escort Her Royal Highness and Madam Prime Minister back to the palace," Carlisle said.
"Do the words mean anything to you?" Marcus asked with a frown. "Should we be on standby anywhere?"
Carlisle crossed eyes with Edward, a silent understanding between them. "Yes, the docks would be a good place to start. I think we have him."
Edward rushed down the corridor with Emmett quickly following him.
"We should wait for backup—this might be too much, even for the four of us," Emmett said behind him. He had turned off the voice modulator.
Edward didn't answer as he headed for the garage. Suddenly Emmett reached out. "We should contact Wolf and Fox first."
Edward was comforted that he had someone with him who was able to think calmly in a situation such as this. If it had been anyone else that Barker had referred to, Edward would have been cooler under pressure. But he knew who it was now, and he worried that The Council had, once again, misled the SCR.
He turned on the coms, hoping Jacob or Jasper hadn't tried to reach him, Emmett, or Carlisle during the interrogation. As soon as the coms were on, Jacob reached out from the other end, making Edward's stomach drop.
"Cullen?" Jacob called out.
"Online again," Edward answered quickly.
"They were following us; they kept the place under surveillance."
"Is she with you?"
"No, they have her!"
Edward's hands fell to his sides, his breath increasing rapidly.
"When?" Emmett asked.
"Almost an hour ago. We've tried to pursue, but we lost them by the docks again… They knew we were coming—"
"We know where she might be, the prince as well… Raleigh is gathering a force. We might have Barker this time," Emmett said as Edward remained mute.
Edward tried to force his legs to move but couldn't. His mouth felt like it had just chewed sand. Emmett said something to him he couldn't register.
"We have them now."
"What if we're too late?" Edward said.
When Bella was eight years old, she had gone on a trip with her mother and Phil to the cave Alderra, outside of Castell. It was a famous cave network adorned by impressive stalactites that attracted many tourists during the summer months. Bella, not prone to dark and cold spaces, had not been too fond of the trip. However, walking down the lit cave had indeed been awe-inspiring. She mindlessly followed the wooden walkway, her neck hurting from stretching as she looked up.
There was a moment when Bella had turned left after having stared at the cave ceiling for a bit too long, not realizing she had deviated from the group. She came off the lit pathway, delving deeper and deeper until it got too dark, and she became lost.
For about five hours she was sitting in darkness and could not find her way back, crying as the only sounds were the water droplets falling from the long stalactites and the occasional flap of a bat somewhere. It was cold and damp, and the darkness almost grew suffocating.
Bella was of course found and the experience left her harrowed, but not traumatized.
She hadn't thought back to it much, until this very moment.
Wherever she found herself it was damp and cold, a thick black bag had been placed over her head, shrouding her in a suffocating darkness. Her hands were tethered to the icy cold armrests of a metal chair, and her legs as well.
Her mind had been spinning ever since waking up and as she registered her situation, she understood who had found her and what it entailed. And despite realizing she would probably not get out of this one, all she could think of was Miranda and the blood.
She shook as she cried underneath the hood, she cried for herself, for Miranda, for the frustration that she had managed to get this far only to be found by The Council now, at the very end of this fight. She cried because she was angry that she hadn't confessed her true feelings to Edward, which had been so obvious. She had been so preoccupied that he wouldn't want her because he belonged to the same society as Mike that she didn't think to actually have asked him.
The zip ties cut into her wrists and ankles, chafing against her exposed skin and Bella fought against whimpering under the hood. She had no idea where she was, of course, no sense of direction—nothing.
She shivered again, the cold more pressing now and the warm hoodie and turtleneck she'd worn had been removed, only leaving the thin t-shirt and jeans shielding her against the chill.
She thought she heard a set of footsteps in the distance, colliding with wood as they approached. Bella swallowed the growing lump in her throat as the footsteps brought impending doom with them. Was this what Dr. Everett had gone through? Bella knew she was too involved with the SCR to be allowed freedom. The Council would extract whatever information they could from her and then discard her. They had killed before, after all.
The sound of a handle increased the dread now extending with her, nausea slowly rising up in the pit of her stomach. What sounded like a heavy metallic door being pushed open caused Bella to turn her head toward the sound, the steps of someone entering revealing she wasn't alone.
Hushed whispers were followed by the door being shut again and what followed was the most tense silence Bella had ever experienced. There was an expectation in the air, she knew as well as the stranger with her that she was in for a lot of pain, regardless of what she said.
"I know you must be hurting right now," a kind voice said. Bella was thrown off by the amicable tone. It was a man's voice, she couldn't pinpoint his age or anything else—only that there was a deep richness to it, set off by an undertone of resolute authority—this man always got what he wanted, of that she was certain. His accent was mostly neutral, although it hinted at being Safeiran. Bella growled inwardly, if she ever was released, the voice wouldn't be much to go on.
"I want to help you and get you out of this situation, you really don't deserve this, Ms. Dwyer."
Bella didn't dare answer. The footsteps approached and she leaned back in the chair to get as far away from it as possible.
"We have been looking for you for some time," the voice continued, "but then Cullen did a good job in guarding you."
"You know Cullen?" she couldn't help but ask.
A deep chuckle followed her question. "The captain of the SCR has certainly made a name for himself amongst us for the past few years," came the kind reply. She could sense that he was staring at her. "That he should have failed to protect you is quite ironic," the voice sighed. "Do you know what they call you? Their codename for you?"
Bella pushed her lips together. She didn't notice that she was gripping the armrests as if steadying herself.
"Swan."
She frowned beneath the hood.
"Poetic, isn't it?" The voice grew rougher, almost dry as if mocking her. The kindness was gone in the flicker of a moment and Bella knew that whatever this man said, she could no more trust him than she could a rabid dog. He would extract whatever information he wished from her and then dispose of her.
"What do you want," she asked in a shaking voice.
"You know what we want."
"I don't know where they keep the portrait."
"The portrait is of little concern in comparison with the letter."
"I don't know where—"
"You know where it is, Swan," the voice said tauntingly. The footsteps headed away from her and she heard a soft knock on the door. "If I had more time, this would have been a more pleasant interaction but I am afraid time is of the essence," he sighed.
The door opened and more footsteps entered, bringing something with them. Bella started shaking under the hood and gasped as the chair was tilted back by several sets of hands.
"You only need to tell me the theory you were speculating over with Dr. Gonzalez and you will be free to go."
Bella whimpered. "I don't know!" If he wasn't inquiring more about Miranda it surely had to mean that she was gone, and as the shivering grew, tears started pooling in her eyes.
There was a silence that was tense enough to cut through with a butter knife. Bella waited for the pain that was almost sure to follow.
It came unexpectedly, it was cold and wet. Water poured over the bag covering her face and as it saturated the fabric it covered her nose and mouth which prevented her from breathing in. The cloth clung to her face and Bella thought she would drown. Her lungs burned from lack of oxygen and Bella tried to raise her arms, struggling against the zip ties as she suffocated. She screamed against the cloth in desperation and when she thought she was done for, a set of hands lifted the bottom of the bag, revealing her nose and mouth.
She took deep and shaky breaths, whimpering in pain and dread. She cried and wouldn't pretend to be brave or tough, she wanted it to stop and knew that there was nothing that could stop it. She was tilted back to a sitting position.
"Please," she begged as fear and dread laced her voice.
"I can make it stop," the pleasant and almost fatherly voice said. "But you need to help me first."
She cried then, because she knew that if she gave up the location of the letter, the secret of Cullen would die with it. The painting would be safe with the SCR but the proof of the letter and the supposed grave of Cullen would be lost forever.
"You are a researcher, you stand for the idea of Cullen as much as us. The SCR has misled you into believing you need to uncover a secret that should never be uncovered."
"If Fell didn't want it uncovered, then why did he write this letter," she asked shakily.
"A moment of weakness, surely, my dear. All we can do now is to once more protect this secret and the legacy of Cullen and the Fells."
Bella needed to know. "Why do you care so much about it?" She knew fishing for information would only work against her possibility of being set free, but she couldn't help her own curiosity.
"The Council are the custodians of the Angloa William Fell and those after him wished to build. We stand for old values that have seen this country through for centuries. We fight to uphold them in every way possible."
Bella didn't have the courage to argue against him, knowing it would only result in more pain. She pressed her shaking lips closed. "The hypothesis I discussed with Dr. Gonzalez was that the letter must be in Cullen's tomb… which in turn must house both William and Isabella."
A short silence followed and Bella was certain she would be tilted back and feel the suffocating water poured over her face again.
"You know," the kind voice said abruptly, "when we first discovered the true identity of the Swan, we were confounded as to why the SCR would turn to someone like you. But I understand now that we underestimated you."
Bella could hear the smile on his lips and the mere thought of it made her feel sick.
"I wish you no further harm, Isabella. Where do you think this grave is?"
She cried harder.
"I know this is hard for you, but you are doing a service to William Fell and Edward Cullen in more ways than you can possibly know by telling us."
"I am erasing history, a history that all Angloans have a right to know," she cried in a broken voice.
"You are keeping his secret safe from ever being discovered, as it was always meant to be. And has not the SCR done the same throughout the years? Now, where is the grave?"
Bella fought against the tears. Speaking now felt like she was betraying not just her own principles, but Edward as well."
"Under St. Nicholas, but where exactly I do not know."
The voice paused. "Why?"
Bella licked her lips. "Cullen was buried in Raven's Grove after his death at Adelton. The procession to his tomb was, according to historical documentation, inside the forest. Decades later, St. Nicholas was built by order of the king. Part of the forest was taken down to do so, placing it on the outskirts of the woods. I suspect St. Nicholas is not just a church but a mausoleum for Cullen."
She couldn't see his face, but Bella sensed that he was inclined to believe her hypothesis as much as she did.
"That is indeed an interesting theory, Ms. Dwyer," said the voice. "You won't mind if we go inspecting it then before setting you free?"
Her stomach dropped.
"While we are at it, I do have another burning question I was meaning to ask of you. It concerns your captain of the SCR, Cullen." He leaned in closer. "You know who he is, don't you?"
Bella was, for once, grateful for the bag covering her upper face so that the man could not see her expression. He had caught her off guard.
"What do you mean?"
"You must know who he is… he has been more attentive to you than he has with other protected victims of the SCR." How could The Council know that?
"I have no idea. He has always covered his face and disguised his voice like the other members when with me," she lied.
A sigh was followed by the chair being tipped back once more.
"Not a very convincing liar, Ms. Dwyer," he said as Bella pleaded for him to leave her. She struggled against the restraints and swore she had no idea who Cullen was.
The bottom part of the bag was placed over her nose and mouth followed by water being poured over her face. Bella screamed and struggled, trying desperately to get air into her burning lungs.
"The way he held you from that horrible assailant that attacked you in your own apartment—and you expect us not to at least suspect there is nothing more between you two?"
Bella was placed down and the bag lifted so she could catch her breath. She cried again, pleading and begging.
The stranger got down on his knees in front of her, placing gentle hands on her bound ones on the armrest. "I'm surprised at your resilience in protecting this Cullen of flesh and blood in comparison with the historical one."
Bella was shaking and crying, she wouldn't give up Edward, she refused. He squeezed her hands gently as she was once more tilted back. She roared out in protest, begging for them to spare her as the bag was placed over her nose and mouth again.
Before the water was poured over her, she heard someone leaving, stopping right by the edge of the cold room. "Call me if she talks… he wants to talk with her as well—not that I think she'll divulge much more to him so take care that you don't harm her too much until he arrives." He paused. "He'll want preparations to be made."
"Where to, sir?" another voice mumbled, almost in a whisper.
"Take her to St. Nicholas as well."
Since Bella's disappearance had been registered by the SCR, two hours had passed. It was in the early hours of the morning. Since it was summer, it was starting to get light already. The Bureau of National Intelligence had gathered a small force and directed them discreetly to the harbor. The SCR agents led by their captain, were placed around strategic locations where they could best observe the harbor.
Carlisle Chaeld and Marcus Raleigh together with the Chief of Police of Safeira were swiftly arguing on how best to rescue the kidnapped Isabella Dwyer without endangering her life. Both Raleigh and the Chief of Police had been made to know of the SCR as the matter with The Council unfolded. It was time for the SCR to finally accept some much-needed help. While Raleigh was reluctant to involve the SCR too much, The Chief of Police was of a different mindset. If anything, the SCR would be more discreet than the BNI and the police force. The police and BNI would, however, lend authority to the arrest of whomever had taken her and it could be a further striking blow toward The Council and Barker. Besides, Carlisle had no knowledge of whom he could trust within the agents of the BNI or the officers of the force. The only people he placed his faith one hundred percent with were, as of this moment, his agents.
Carlisle had been debating with Abigail and Raleigh over the conversation Samuel had overheard. He had a hypothesis, like his captain of the SCR, that Isabella Dwyer was being kept on a ship docked at the harbor. The SCR's codename for her was Swan, and there was another boat by that same name belonging to the government. Whenever the PM had foreign visitors, it could be leased to her office for a luxurious trip along the Angloan coastline. Abigail had refused to believe that the Swan was being used as a vessel to keep the kidnapped Dwyer woman, much less young William. But to Carlisle it made sense. It was, after all, an official ship belonging to the government and it wouldn't be one of the first places any of them would think to look for.
"But then," Abigail had said with growing horror, "someone close to me must have played a part in this."
"Then clean your house, Madam Prime Minister," Carlisle had countered.
It was decided, at two thirty in the morning, that the SCR team would be the first to enter. Their primary task was to find the prince and Bella. Their secondary objective was to hone down on the kidnappers, hopefully, they might find one or two individuals with strong connections to the head of the organization.
Edward sat perched on the rooftop of the Grand Hotel, overlooking the entire harbor and having a front-row seat to the Swan. The ship seemed abandoned for the night, all was quiet.
He held faith that Bella was still alive, that she had not suffered, and that he had not failed her. He wouldn't admit it, but Prince William was not his main priority right now, even if he should be—finding Bella was of utmost importance, and it went against every trained fiber in his body to admit it.
A small part of her had wanted to believe that there was still a way for her to get out of this gruesome situation. Bella had never much appreciated the damsel in distress role she had been cast into, and she knew that if it came to it, she wouldn't give up without a fight. But the torture started getting to her. She didn't know how much time she had spent in captivity, only that the minutes dragged on. It felt like days, but surely it couldn't have been that long.
She had been asked on several occasions regarding the identity of the captain of the SCR, and each time Bella had denied knowing it. Alas, each time she came closer to her breaking point. Whatever will was still in her was quickly waning away however little she wished to admit it to herself.
Left alone with her thoughts, the uncertainty as to how much time had passed gnawed at her, slowly breaking down her resolve. The only sound that had intruded on her solitary confinement was what sounded like soft waves breaking against the hull of a ship. For the past hours, Bella had known nothing else and did not strain to listen to anything else. The only other sound that would stand out was the approaching sound of her captors, and with that came the torture.
Thus, she almost believed her mind was playing tricks on her when Bella thought she heard the soft muffled cries of someone. It sounded as if coming through a wall, or escaping through a ventilation shaft. As she strained to listen, she heard the sound became more defined, clearer somehow. She was at a loss for what to do. Bella had no wish to engage with whoever produced the sounds, but the cries sounded so pitiful that, in the end, she couldn't help herself. She ignored that speaking out might in turn alert her captors.
"H-Hello?" she called out with a shaking voice.
The cries stopped, followed by some soft sniveling. The stranger hesitated and Bella's mouth went dry as she despite herself called out again.
"Can you hear me?" Bella asked.
"Yeah," came the frightened voice of what sounded like a young boy.
Her stomach dropped. A boy? What could The Council possibly want with a boy?
"What's your name?"
"W-William," he said in such a pitiful voice that Bella's heart broke for him.
"My name is Isabella, but you can call me Bella," she said, trying to keep her voice even and calm.
"I'm scared," he hiccupped between the soft cries.
"It's okay to be scared," she encouraged. "But everything will be fine."
William didn't seem convinced, but he was relieved that there was at least someone there with him now, someone to talk to at least.
"Do… do you know who has taken you?" She knew it was a dangerous question to ask but she had an obligation. They might both be separated and should either she or he be found first, it was important that they at least knew who the other was.
"No," came the weak voice. "I know they want to scare my mom, though."
"Your mom?"
"She's a princess, but she's going to be queen someday," he said in a faint voice. He didn't sound proud by the fact, rather it seemed to weigh him down.
"Are you Prince William?" Bella asked dismayed.
"Yes."
Suddenly she understood why Edward had been so out of sorts. This must have happened recently, it must also have been why the Director had wanted her back in Safeira, because he needed the SCR agents looking for the prince.
She paled. This must also mean, somehow, that someone close to Victoria and William worked with The Council, because how could they otherwise have gotten ahold of him? The Council, it seemed, would go to great lengths to make sure Victoria renounced her claim. Bella swallowed hard. How far did the black tendrils of The Council really stretch?
"William, listen to me, okay? You will be safe because I happen to know that someone is looking for you." She forced a smile on her face, hoping it conveyed into her voice. Bella knew then that the SCR and Director would be prioritizing William before her. The members of The Council were preparing to move to St. Nicholas, and she had no idea of knowing if the SCR would make it to her or William in time.
"Who?"
"A good friend of mine, and one of the few people you and your mom can trust right now. When you see him, he might look scary, okay? But he is kind and friendly, and he will be friendly to you, especially if you mention my name. Will you do that? Mention my name to him?" she couldn't help it as her voice broke at the end of the sentence.
"How will I know who he is?"
"He wears a black pin with a lion's head on his chest, and his name is Cullen," she said. "Tell him and only him that they will take me to St. Nicholas if they can't get here fast enough. Do that, William, and everything will be alright."
Suddenly, they both heard several sets of footsteps approaching from the far corridor.
"They are coming!" William said in a startled voice.
"I promise you will be safe," Bella said with such conviction that she had to believe it. She knew the SCR was a force to be reckoned with. But she also understood that William would be prioritized before her, she only hoped that he would remember her and that they would make it to her in time.
"I'll tell him," William whispered as she heard the door to her room open.
Someone approached and she was tilted back, water poured over her face. But, unlike before, she tried to keep silent. She didn't wish to frighten the boy in the room next to her. For what felt like an age the cloth was removed and replaced as she struggled to breathe.
As the cloth was once more removed from her nose and mouth, Bella took a big gulp of air, her lungs burning now, and her breath rattled. Her wrists were sore from pulling against the zip ties. Her lips shook as tears ran down her cheeks under the hood.
"Why not just kill me now!" she lashed out hoarsely—anything to be spared the torture for just a second.
"We don't mean to end your life, Ms. Dwyer," came a new voice. This voice was older somehow— decidedly older, worn down, thick and severe. But this voice didn't unnerve her as much as the first, kinder voice had. This voice was truthful with what awaited her, there were no lies to it as it spoke. And, Bella thought strangely, she recognized this voice somehow.
"I don't know who Cullen is," she said weakly. "And you know that as well."
Another round of waterboarding quickly followed her statement and Bella knew pleading wouldn't help her. She was almost starting to consider telling them who Edward was but the logical part of her mind—which was still keeping her primal senses at bay, knew that telling them would not make it stop. Telling them would just bring about the end quicker.
The hood was pulled down again and to her surprise, the zip ties were cut from her wrists.
The extraction had been swift, the SCR had not been expected. Jacob and Emmett had entered the ship first, followed by Edward. Jasper kept surveillance.
The BNI and police moved into the ship after the SCR agents to fully secure it, followed by Carlisle, The Chief of Police, and Raleigh.
William had first been found by the agents at the bottom of the ship, locked away in a small cabin. By the looks of it, it seemed The Council did not suspect they would be found, or otherwise there would have been substantially more security surrounding the young prince. But there was also an indication that there had been more members of the Council there and that the BNI, Police, and SCR had just missed them.
As not to frighten the young prince, the SCR agents did not interact with him. Their appearance was, after all, not conventional, and for the prince it might be easier to trust the police in regular uniform than agents decked out from top to toe in black.
Abigail had gone to inform Leonore and Victoria personally of their victory. She wouldn't mention, however, that there was still an innocent person in the clutches of The Council.
Bella was nowhere to be found on the ship, despite it having been combed through. Edward thought that having William left behind and so unguarded was odd. Maybe William's kidnapping had been a diversion for The Council so that they could get their clutches on Bella. The kidnapping, if anything, revealed the capabilities of the secret organization and if they had managed once, they might again. And that might be enough for Victoria to forfeit her claim.
The Swan, now filled to the brim with men of the law, was searched through for anything that might lead them to The Council. William, sitting wrapped in several blankets outside in the opened back of a police van hadn't spoken with anyone, not even Abigail whom he recognized. He insisted on speaking with the man with the Lion pin, leaving the police confounded as to whom he meant. But William was true to Bella, the woman on the other side of the wall. He had promised he would only speak with her friend, and thus it had to be so.
Meanwhile, the captain of the SCR approached his commanding officer inside the ship as the final search had been concluded.
"Ehm… sir?" Raleigh, the Chief of Police, and Carlisle were informed of the SCR agent by a startled BNI officer. They were in the main room of the main deck, a vast stateroom with a large dining table. The BNI officers had started compiling several stacks of confiscated material which had been gathered all over the ship. Most of it was uninteresting documentation, relating to purchases, and receipts for food and drinks. The Chief of Police, Chuck Waters, was sorting through a small stack of papers with an officer, muttering with him in hushed whispers while Raleigh was leaning over a map of Safeira as Carlisle pointed at it.
"Sir," Edward's disguised voice said as he approached them.
Chuck glanced at the SCR agent with a raised eyebrow, although he had known of the SCR before tonight, their appearances left him uneasy. Raleigh looked up as Carlisle continued to look at the map. "Is the search completed?"
"No trace of Swan."
Carlisle's eyes flickered up to meet Edward. Edward could read pity and compassion in Carlisle's golden eyes, compassion he did not wish for right now. He was angry—furious.
"Is Swan the woman that has been helping you retrieve this item The Council has been trying to locate?" Raleigh asked.
"She is," Carlisle answered. "The woman that was taken from Dr. Gonzalez's apartment yesterday evening."
"She was here," Edward intercepted.
"According to what evidence, Cullen?" Carlisle demanded harshly.
"We a chair with restraints downstairs. She was held—"
"We have no idea where they have taken her… I am sorry."
Edward's shoulders dropped. He remained in his stiff stance, with his hands behind his back and his legs slightly further apart than shoulder width. "Permission to keep looking, sir," he said.
"We have no idea where to even start," Carlisle said looking poignantly at Edward. "And there is evidence here tied to the office of the PM herself, I need you here, Cullen."
"De la Cereda?" Raleigh said. "She can't be involved."
Carlisle tapped a set of printed emails. "No, but someone close to her is."
"I believe they wanted to know the location of the item," Edward continued. For once, the identity of The Council concerned him little. "Permission to search with my team."
"What if it is a dead end?" Carlisle cut off. "It wouldn't be the first time The Council sent the SCR on a wild goose chase."
"If we keep from acting quick enough like two years ago, she will be dead by the time we find her," Edward countered harshly.
Carlisle's lips pressed together.
A police officer entered awkwardly into the main deck cabin, aware of the growing tension between Carlisle and the masked SCR agent.
"What?" asked Raleigh as the officer glanced between him, Chuck, and Carlisle uncertain of whom to direct his question.
"Well sir, the boy keeps asking for someone," he said awkwardly. "Problem is that we don't—" He stopped in his tracks as he caught sight of the pin.
He pointed at it. "Might your name be… uhm Cullen?" he asked in almost a silent whisper, looking up at the insect-like goggles before quickly diverting his eyes nervously. The masked man before him unnerved him for some reason.
Edward stared down at the pin and then up at the police officer again. Raleigh, Waters, and Carlisle perked up as well.
"Why do you ask?" the dark voice demanded poignantly, causing the officer to grow flustered.
"His Highness will speak only with Cullen," the officer said. "He seems to trust no one else. Not even De La Cereda can get to him, and she has met him on several occasions before, from what I understand.
Edward's chest tightened with renewed hope. Surely, William couldn't have known of him or the pin before. "Take me to him," Edward demanded.
The officer looked at the imposing agent, sending a questioning glance Raleigh's way.
"You heard the man, Stevens." He leaned away from the map. "I should like to accompany you," he said to Edward.
Edward chewed his lip under the mask. He gave a curt nod and made for the door, the BNI officer was quick to follow with Raleigh hot on their heels.
William Fell sat huddled under a few blankets despite the summer warmth, his pale face peeking through, his eyes bloodshot from hours of crying. But despite the ordeal, he was otherwise unharmed. He had been informed that his mother was on her way, and while he couldn't wait to bury his face in her embrace and know that he was safe, he knew he had an obligation, a mission to speak with Bella's friend and tell him everything he knew.
Abigail de la Cereda stood close by, having tried to comfort the young boy, but William had been resolute that there was only one with whom he would speak.
But he wasn't prepared for the black shadow that approached the police van from the ship. The black silhouette looked like something from a nightmare and William grew paler still as he realized that this thing was approaching him! But Bella had promised that her friend, Cullen, could be trusted, and William had to trust her. He gulped loudly as the imposing shadow slowed as he closed in.
Edward was aware of not making any hasty moves as to alarm the already frightened poor boy. He knew how he looked and he had no wish to further perturb William on this night. As Edward was about to walk the final few steps up to William, a captain of the BNI stood before the young boy, protectively blocking the way.
"Lad needs some space," the captain said with a disapproving frown. Edward stared him down, a full head taller than the captain.
"The boy asked for me," Edward said, just as Raleigh and the BNI officer approached with hasty steps behind.
"Let him through, David, it's okay," Raleigh called out.
Abigail watched from afar, her glance shifting between Edward, the captain, and William. Her mind kept spiraling to revelations that someone had been betraying her, and that someone was trying to use her to cancel Article 13. She didn't know whom to trust anymore, besides the BNI and SCR. She would have to have a long conversation with the queen and Carlisle when all was done by the docks.
David reluctantly stepped aside, allowing Edward to approach William. He took a few final steps and kneeled before the boy, getting down on his level.
William stared wide-eyed at the man before him, his lips pressed together for want of finding a relevant word to say. He took in every inch of the agent, from the bug-like glasses to the padded vest, resting his eyes on the black lion pin. The moment he caught sight of the pin, he seemed to relax a little. William looked at the ensemble before him and leaned toward Edward.
"Are you Cullen?" William asked faintly.
"I am," Edward said, the dark voice making William jump in place.
"She said only to trust in you," he whispered.
Edward smiled behind the mask and gave William an encouraging nod. Edward turned to the curious onlookers. "Could we have some space?" he asked.
David exchanged a quick glance with Raleigh but they knew William wouldn't speak until he was certain only Cullen could hear him and thus ordered the surrounding officers to clear the immediate area.
When it was only William and Edward, the young prince couldn't help as curiosity replaced fear.
"You're not really Cullen, are you?"
"If I were, that would make me really old, wouldn't it?" Edward chuckled behind the mask.
William gave a strong nod. "She said that everything would be fine if I spoke with you."
"Did she tell you her name?"
"Isabella Dwyer, but she said I could call her Bella."
Edward couldn't help as a sigh of relief escaped him. Something in William's eyes haunted him.
"They… they hurt her, I think," he said in a stifled whisper, growing pale yet again as he remembered her screams even if she had tried to suppress them. He could see how Cullen visibly tensed before him. "She said they would take her to St. Nicholas and that I had to tell you."
St. Nicholas, Hayes. Was that where Bella believed the letter to be? Was it maybe the real grave of William and Isabella Fell? He darted up suddenly, there was no time to lose.
"You'll save her, right?" William asked, hopeful.
Edward glanced down. "I will," he said with such fierce and unyielding determination that William was inclined to believe him. "Thank you for telling me. What you have said to me you can't say to anyone else, understand?"
William nodded vigorously.
Edward turned from the young prince, tapping his coms which he had left on. "We have a lead now," he said, directing his statement to Carlisle.
"Then what are you waiting for?" came the words on the other side.
A/N: Thank you as always for the lovely reviews! Still a few chapters left but sad to see yet another Angloan story coming to a close :(
FYI, the harbor of Safeira, where The Swan is located, is modeled after Nybroviken and Strandvägen in Stockholm.
Cheers,
Isabelle