Here's a little o/s I wrote for the awesomeness that was 30 Days of Em. It's published on FF on the 30DOE page, but I feel like sharing my love of the big guy.
Title: Emmett McCarty – The Bear Hunter
Characters: Emmett, Rosalie, Edward, Bella, Alice, Jasper, Seth, OC.
Rating: M for language
Summary: Emmett McCarty, Wilderness Troupe Leader, naturalist, bear expert, Park Ranger is talked into doing a Black Bear special for an up and coming TV station. Follow him as he navigates not just the wilds of Tennessee, but also faces the challenge of a demanding director in order to produce 'movie magic'.
A/N Big thanks to PTB for the comma intervention and to AccioBourbon, Hmonster4 and Theheartoflife for running 30 days of Emmett.
SM owns it; I just kidnapped the characters and played with them a bit. I have no affiliations with Nat Geo, Animal Planet or Americas Funniest Animals, but I did get to fulfil a dream and work with a well known (and sadly deceased now) Australian Croc specialist, when he visited my former work.
I sat around the fire pit smiling to myself; I love it out here in the wild. The wind in my hair, the sun in my face. I love the green of the trees, the deep brown of the earth and the crystal clear blue of the fresh water springs and streams. The Great Smokey Mountains National Park, near Gatlinburg, Tennessee is, and always will be, my home from home. While Rosie isn't that big on the great outdoors, she has grown to love and enjoy our frequent trips out here. The seclusion from day to day insanity of the city is like a little slice of heaven.
"Emmett, tell us 'nother story. Pweaaaase," the timid childish voice of little Isabella Swan drifted over the fire.
"Yeah Em, tell us 'nother story," agreed the blonde haired, blue eyed monkey Jasper.
A cacophony of childlike whoops and squeals from the rest of the children followed. This is what I lived for. The kids from the wilderness group always knew what buttons to press to get 'Ranger Em' to tell them a story.
I smiled at the eager faces of the children around the fire. A small hand wormed its way in between my huge beefy fingers. Little Alice Cullen, a tiny little girl that you could just pick up and put in your pocket. She reminded me of a wood nymph. When she had joined my wilderness troupe she was so quiet and shy and I wondered how she would fare out here. Imagine my surprise when we set foot on the tree lined trail, weighted down with our packs, and she literally vibrated where she stood from sheer excitement. Little Alice lived for the great outdoors; suffice to say I was thrilled.
"Tell us how you became a TV star Ranger Em," Edward Cullen, Alice's 6 year old twin brother babbled out eagerly.
Edward, now there's a kid after my own heart. Where Alice was a wood nymph, Edward would be a guardian. Fiercely loyal, overwhelmingly protective, that boy was a mixture of smart and strong.
To see them both together, you'd know they were related somehow, but twins, no, they were complete opposites. Where Alice was tiny with piercing blue eyes and sleek black hair cut into a cute little bob, Edward was tall and gangly with crazy auburn hair and the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. He was the calm to her crazy.
"Yeah! Tell us about the crazy man and the bear!" Agreed little Isabella.
She was a beautiful little girl, deep chocolate brown eyes that would bore into your soul and long mahogany hair. She had just celebrated her 6th birthday this week. She was both timid and brave, she had a strong sense of what was right and always had her head stuck in a book. She had a gap where her two front teeth used to be; apparently the tooth fairy had had to work extra hard last week as it left her a whole dollar under her pillow. The gap left her with a slight lisp, but that would soon go once her big teeth pushed through.
"Yeah the bear, the bear!" squealed Alice excitedly.
Jasper placed his hand on her shoulder as she was bouncing so hard he was being flipped along the log. She calmed instantly and smiled at him.
Jasper Whitlock was a very quiet child with an old soul. He rarely said much, but when he did it was normally something profound. He could read emotions and situations as if they flashed at him in neon. I smiled at the interactions between the children. I couldn't refuse them when they were so excited, even if they had heard this story many times before. It was something of a tradition now; I always shared the bear story on the first night of our summer camp out.
"Oh I suppose so," I said with a dramatic sigh.
Edward smirked at me knowingly; sometimes I swear that kid can read my mind. I grinned back, winking at him as he laced his fingers through Isabella's. They were like two peas in a pod, practically inseparable. It made me think of my Rosie. I wish she'd come with us, but she was heavily pregnant and didn't want to have our baby out in the woods. When she had told me this, I'd stupidly replied, "Why not? Bears do it all the time." Needless to say that was the wrong response. I could still feel the lump on the back of my head from where she'd thrown her purse at me. I wonder if she had a brick in that thing.
I was shaken from my musing by little Alice. "Ranger Em, tell us about the bear please," she whispered, her tiny hand curled around my ear as if she was telling me a secret. Her big blue eyes imploring with my own.
"Okay Alice, go take a seat."
"Yes!" she squealed before hurrying to sit next to Jasper.
"Okay kids, if I tell you the story, then you'll not argue about going to sleep straight after."
"We promise." They all rallied.
I cocked an eyebrow and looked at each of them in turn. I added another log to the fire and settled back down on my log. I glanced over at them expectant looks on their faces; bright, inquisitive eyes bore into my own.
"Okay, well it all started on a cold Saturday morning in June," I started. The memory of the strangest and somewhat amusing event in my career filled my mind.
"Ok people, two minutes!"
Seriously this feels so fake, I'm sure that Australian guy who played with crocodiles didn't have to put up with this crap. Right, deep breath, "I can do this, I do this every day, I just don't do this in front of a film crew of 25 with a camera shoved practically up my ass."
"Mr McCarty, we're ready for you."
"Fine fine, I'm coming."
One last, deep breath and I stepped out of the huge trailer they'd brought down to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Sure the amenities they had provided for me were great, but they just weren't me. I'd have been happy with my bed roll and my gun; this wasn't real, this was wrong, all wrong.
I froze as the wiry little hobbit of a man ran at me; with his glasses perched on top of his head, his fancy suit rustling as he ran well more like waddled in my direction. I grimaced as his bony finger flicked out from his clenched fist like a switchblade, "Note to self, don't mess with switchblade fingers." I mumbled to myself.
"Mr McCarty, why aren't you wearing what I left in your trailer?"
"Oh I don't know Levi, or whatever your name is, maybe I don't want to look like an idiot," I retorted crossing my arms.
I can't believe that little freak wanted me to dress up like some fucked up Crocodile Dundee. What's wrong with my jeans and lumber jack shirt? Sure the blood stains are a bit disconcerting and I suppose the rips don't really give off the sense that I'm too good at this bear hunting stuff, but my Rosie says it makes me look rugged and handsome and I favour her opinion more.
"Just go and put it on, you're wasting time." He quipped as he raised an eyebrow at me before turning and flouncing off.
"Creepy little fucker," I muttered under my breath.
Ignoring the little freak I strode confidently across the parking lot and directed myself towards the film crew, mentally talking through the bear safety talk I would need to give them before we headed in. This is such a bad idea, I thought to myself.
"Ah Emmett, you're here." A thin, geeky looking guy said. I recognised him as the director, but for all I know he could've been an ice cream salesman. One thing is for sure I'd have my work cut out for me keeping this dude alive out here.
"Yep, here I am," I replied looking him in the eye.
Bear hunting 101, show no fear. Sure he's not a bear, but hey a predator is a predator and this guy was the top of his food chain.
"I see you're not wearing the costume." He eyed me speculatively.
"Nope, not going to either. If you want me, then you get me, not some wannabe Crocodile Dundee on crack."
He snorted in response. That was a better response than what I envisioned.
"So Emmett, the plan is, we head into the park, find a bear, you do your bear voodoo thing for the camera and then we finish up with some nature shots and stuff. You do your diary for the camera and then we pack up and come home."
"Bear Voodoo?" I laughed shaking my head.
"Yeah Bear Voodoo, make nice with the bears, I'd really like some close up stuff, maybe you could wrestle."
"Make nice with the bears and maybe wrestle? Dude, whatever you're smoking, pass it around."
"Look Emmett, the network has put a lot of money into this; Animal Planet and Nat Geo have the Australian and Brady Barr. We've got you and we expect nothing short of spectacular. So whatever it is that you do, you need to be sure that it's more than those other two yahoos or we'll go knock up Grizzly Adams and you'll be out on your ass," he responded with a snarl.
I rolled my eyes and stood at my full height. If this guy wanted to whip out his dick and see whose is bigger I was game, but I was not going to sell myself out just so he could make a mockery.
"Grizzly Adams? You know he's dead right?" I snorted.
"He can't be I used to watch him on TV as a kid!"
"That was an actor dude, Grizzly died in 1860. So unless you got a time machine, he won't be playing nice with the bears either," I responded, a smirk fighting to spread across my face at the sheer stupidity of this guy.
"If you say so Emmett, either way you need to man up and show us the magic."
I figured it would be easier not to say anything, the guy was an idiot, and nothing I say was going to change that. Scratching my head, I followed him across the parking lot to the trail head.
"Right Emmett, time to work your magic," he said before stepping away to stand by some guy with a huge ass camera.
I took in a deep breath and prepared myself for the hell that was to come.
"Rolling...and ACTION."
I leaned against a rock on the trail head and looked into the camera.
"Howdy, I'm Emmett McCarty and today we're at the awesome Great Smokey Mountains National Park to see if we can catch a glimpse of an elusive Black Bear. So how about you'ns join me for a walk through this beautiful patch of Tennessee parkland..."
"CUT!" shouted the freaky little geek, "What the fuck is you'ns Emmett, this is TV, not a journey into hick colloquialisms!" he screeched angrily.
"Dude chill out, that's how I talk, I can't stop speaking normally just because you can't understand me."
I stood there scratching my head, the feel of my fingers caressing my scalp calming me and preventing me from ripping this idiot a new one. I closed my eyes and sighed, 'Why oh why did I sign up for this again?'
The early morning air bit into me, a bitter chill running down my back like icy fingers. I looked up at the slightly dark blue sky, tips of the Spruce trees tickling its underbelly. The sun may just make an appearance today I thought to myself. An unconscious smile spread across my face at the thought.
"Emmett! We don't have all day, I want to see bears!"
That dude is really getting on my nerves. If he pulled this shit out there I was going to leave his ass in a cave, see how he likes to play nice with the bears.
I glanced up at the trailhead, the corridor of trees stood sentinel, just like they had every time I'd been here before. Something stirred within me, anticipation perhaps, it was like the wild was calling to me, like a siren. I hefted my pack over my shoulder; one last look behind me showed that they were set up to follow me. I took a deep breath and I stepped onto the worn trail.
For the next few hours we hiked; I was sure they had better things to film than the back of my head as I led them further into the forest.
"How much further Emmett, so far we have a lot of footage of your ass and too much bloody green. It's like a leprechaun threw up."
I shook my head in distaste, no respect.
"Of course it's green...in case you missed it, we're in a forest."
I clenched my fists in order to stop myself from punching the idiot in the face. Although I doubt that would've knocked any sense into him, you know what they say, 'no sense no feeling.'
A little over an hour later we trudged into a small camp ground that had already been set up by one of the rangers. It was set out in a secure ring, 7 large tents, a fire pit and a latrine. We had fresh water from a nearby spring.
"Welcome to camp gentlemen," I said, waving my hands around like a game show host.
A mass of relieved faces stared back at me; the crew had been working like pack mules all day, dragging equipment without complaint. Now the only person complaining was that punk of a director. He'd done nothing but whine and moan since we set out early this morning.
I unrolled my bedroll next to the fire pit; I rarely slept in tents, unless of course the weather turned bad. A night under the stars would do wonders to soothe my rising temper. Perhaps I'd wake in the morning and find that this was all a bad dream. I could only hope.
"No food in the tents, unless you want to wake up with a bear in your bedroll," I called out.
"And just where do you expect us to eat then, Emmett?"
"Around the fire like normal civilised people?" I responded. "Oh and don't forget to bag any garbage, and use the covered trash cans. We need to prevent any tempting smells from lingering, no need to encourage the bears to be too friendly."
"Emmett, we're here to see bears, so surely this is the perfect opportunity."
"No! If we get bears in camp, then we'll find ourselves in a whole heap of trouble that we really don't want, nor do we need."
I could see one of the younger guys from the crew smirking at our exchange from across the fire pit; it didn't escape my attention that he was filming either. I raised an eyebrow in question, he shrugged and continued to sit and watch the show. I smirked at the camera, hidden slightly by his pack. Rolling my eyes, I mouthed the word moron at the lens before standing and walking to the spring to wash up.
We sat around the fire, talking and laughing as the night drew in. Eventually someone produced a guitar and our time around the fire became more jovial. If it hadn't been for the idiot director the atmosphere would've been almost perfect.
"I'm going to bed. I expect my coffee at 7.30 no earlier, no later," he demanded before sloping off to the largest tent, which he had commandeered for himself. Heaven forbid he should lower himself to share with his crew.
"Is he always this high maintenance?" I asked the kid that had been filming earlier.
"Oh this is pretty tame; when we did the exclusive with Brady Barr in Africa, well let's just say that his desire to get water buffalo up close and personal lead to one invading his tent." He laughed.
Great, I knew this gig was a mistake when I turned up this morning. I'll kill Rosie for talking me into it.
"Wonderful, that ass is going to get someone killed. If it turns out to be me, I'll be pissed."
Eventually the chatter died down and everyone left for their respective tents. I reminded them about not eating in them, nor leaving any foodstuffs or wrappers. It wasn't just to stop the bears coming in, but I despised littering. I added another log to the fire and lay back to stare at the stars.
I must've fallen asleep quite rapidly, as the last thing I remembered were the bright stars shinning in the sky. A soft breeze caressed my cheeks in contrast with the heady warmth of the nearby fire.
The sense of peace was harshly broken by the sound of high pitched screaming accompanied by running footsteps. I mumbled under my breath, "Put the dog out Rosie," before turning in my bedroll to see what the fuss was about.
The sight that graced my eyes will forever be embedded in my memories. The punk ass director was running from his tent in the grimiest pair of briefs I had ever seen, screaming bloody murder. I choked on a laugh. A snort from behind me drew my attention and I looked over my shoulder and spotted the kid from earlier, camera in hand, trying desperately not to laugh out loud.
"Oh my god, I'm gonna send this into Americas funniest Animals." He giggled. Yeah the kid giggled.
I looked back at what he was laughing at as a relatively small black bear cub poked its head out of the director's tent. A pair of his torn trousers wrapped around its head and one of his no doubts, expensive hiking boots dangling by its laces in its mouth.
Ok, well that answers that question. "Hmm, so we've found baby, but what I want to know, is where is mama bear?" I questioned quietly.
Just then a loud roar sounded from where that idiot had run off to minutes before. 'Shit'.
"Follow me, but keep quiet," I said softly to the kid.
He nodded in response.
We approached the sound of the roar. We didn't need to go far, barely 40ft away we found the source of the commotion. Balanced precariously up a Douglas fir was both the idiot in his under-panted glory and mama bear trying to shimmy her way along the branch to bite his sorry ass.
I shook my head and turned to the camera. "Ladies and gentlemen, bear safety 101, if a bear comes into camp, don't climb a tree."
The kid snorted and motioned for me to continue. Perhaps this gig wasn't as bad as I thought.
"Black bears are omnivorous, and at this moment our director's rump is look particularly appetising," I continued.
"Get this bear away from me!" he screamed suddenly. Mama bear roared in response inching closer to him along the creaking branch.
"Easier said than done," I mumbled under my breath.
Just then baby came barrelling towards us, complete with hiking boot and trousers dragging behind it. Mama bear had gotten close enough now to tag the director on the ass. He yelped, more in surprise than pain, as she'd been distracted by her cub's appearance. I snorted under my breath; the wrath of this idiot later on would be worth this a million times over.
"Step back slowly, mama's coming down. We don't need to be in her way," I muttered.
With my hand gently pushing the kid behind me, we stepped away from the tree as mama bear gracefully... for a bear, climbed down from the tree and was reunited with her cub. A series of grumbles and growls were exchanged between them before she loped away back into the brush of the forest.
"Beautiful," I murmured to the camera.
"Yeah," the kid replied dreamily.
"Well I guess he got his bear," I said while smirking at the camera.
The quiet of the night engulfed us once more as we looked back up the tree. The idiot had passed out and was dangling over the branch as if he'd fallen asleep on horseback.
"What about sleeping beauty up there?" the kid muttered, his camera zooming in for a closer inspection.
"Well, we could leave him up there till the morning, or we could save on the future headache and get him down now. Just so you know I'm in favour of the first one," I replied, an evil grin spreading across my face.
Sure he would be unbearably pissed, but oh it would be so worth it.
The kid smirked in response, "Guess he stays there then." Before he turned on his heel and headed back to the camp. By the time we arrived everyone was up and mingling around the disaster zone that was formerly the directors tent. Looking through the gaping doorway I was met by what could only be described as complete chaos. Bedding was ripped and tossed everywhere; scraps of food, and clothing littered the ground. I bent to inspect the remains of his pack; candy wrappers and jerky were strewn haphazardly inside and out.
I stood again and turned to the crew behind me.
"Like I said earlier, no eating in the tents, just because the director is an idiot, doesn't give you all free reign to follow in his wake. So if you have any food in your tents, now is the time to clear it up and get it out. I do not want a repeat of this," I said, gesturing to the devastation behind me.
The crowd cleared almost instantly. With loud murmuring and a sense of urgency they all fled to their tents to clear out any tasty treats that they had.
"Why me, what did I do to deserve this?" I sighed to myself.
The next morning as we broke down camp, we were interrupted from our merry ways by the high pitched screams of the idiot up the tree. I shrugged, shook my head and continued to pack up my gear. Five more minutes would not hurt him.
Once I'd finished I walked over to the small clearing the tree resided in only to be faced with the punk, still in his underpants clinging to the tree for dear life. I smiled up at him.
"Morning," I called. "Sleep well?"
"Sleep well? Sleep well?" he bellowed angrily.
"Guess that's a no then."
"Just get me the hell down from here."
"Sure, anything you say."
"I'm on to you McCarty." He snarled.
"Hey, you're the one who climbed the tree."
After quite a struggle, I eventually managed to get him down. Of course he didn't thank me, he was furious. I apparently misrepresented myself as a bear expert, because a bear still attacked him. I laughed in his face. He stormed off to the camp, the tattered remains of his underpants, complete with claw shaped tears across his ass, draping from his body.
It wasn't long before he was shouting again, for one the cub had run off with his pants and he now only had one hiking boot.
"Didn't you bring a change of clothes with you?" I asked.
"Of course you idiot, but I only have one boot and that god awful animal ate my candy."
"So you were eating in your tent last night and then thought it would be logical to climb a tree when a bear, a bear that I warned you wouldn't resist investigating any food type scents, paid you a visit." I shook my head.
"Don't you blame me! If you had done your job with the Bear whispering voodoo stuff, I wouldn't be in this situation."
"Look..." I started through gritted teeth, "I gave everyone the same safety talk, it's not my fault you're an idiot. I am NOT your personal bodyguard, baby sitter or lackey, so shut up, grow a pair and pack up your gear, if you're not ready in 10 minutes we'll leave you behind."
I fumed; he was really trying my patience. Clenching my fists I stormed from the camp and took a seat at the small spring. Never again Rosie, never ever ever again.
Thankfully the idiot was ready when we were. I would've made good on my threat to leave without him. We joined the trail and headed back towards civilisation. Throughout the walk the idiot jumped and squealed at the slightest noise or stirring of branches. It made for some amusing banter amongst the crew. We finally reached the parking lot in the late afternoon. The kid with the camera and a few of the crew guys parted with good wishes and promises to stay in contact. The idiot couldn't get out of there fast enough. So much for me being the next big thing.
I climbed into my Jeep and headed home to my Rosie.
Six months later, life had pretty much gone back to normal. I spent most of my days at the National Park; I was working with rangers on a bear tagging programme. The kid, who had filmed our expedition, had turned out to be a genius: the footage from the trip had been used by National parks as a bear education resource. While I wasn't the next Croc hunter, or Brady Barr or whatever, I was now the voice of reason in a nationwide Bear Safety video. The execs at the TV Station had gotten wind of the 'idiot's' actions during the filming and he was moved on to in house editing. He was too much of a nightmare to let out in public. The kid, who had later told me his name was Seth, was now directing his own Nature Documentaries and I couldn't be happier for him.
As for the story of what happened on our trip, that would grace the ears of many during dark evenings seated around a fire pit. I'm Emmett McCarty – Bear Hunter, and that was my story.
"Right kids, time for bed," I stated firmly, but with a smile.
"Okay Ranger Em," replied little Isabella with a yawn.
I smiled widely and mussed her hair.
"Before you head to the tents kids, what are the rules?"
"Don't roam the woods. Stay in the camp," replied Jasper a serious look on his face.
"And..."
"No food in the tents," responded Alice with a small giggle.
"And..."
"Clean as you go, no littering," added Isabella, blushing in the firelight.
"And..."
"If there's a bear in camp, don't climb a tree," Edward said with a grin. "Oh, and don't forget your pants."
I laughed at his addition. "And always tell me where you're going. Even if it's just the bathroom," I said.
"Yes Em!" they replied in unison.
"Okay, off to bed."
They all traipsed off to the tents together; Edward and Jasper had one, Isabella and Alice the other. As always, I had my bedroll around the fire pit.
"Night Em," they called. The camp ground becoming silent, the only sounds coming from the small brook nearby and the cicadas chirping a jovial tune. Fire crackled, trees swayed and I was lulled into slumber by the sounds of the wilderness and the dreamlike whimpers of the four children, sleeping under canvas nearby.
Friday 31 December 2010
Wednesday 29 December 2010
Chapter 5. 14th June 2010 – Springfield Virginia.
Chapter 5.
14th June 2010 – Springfield Virginia.
The SUV sped through the streets of Springfield, the darkness of the day's events paired with the darkness of night clawing at the bumper, taunting at the occupants, daring them to step out into its deathly embrace. I sat flanked in the rear, wide eyed, nervously chewing on my bottom lip and ringing my hands. All too soon the scenery changed from tall apartment blocks, to highways dotted with sparse forest before finally rejoining civilisation. Store lined streets, dwarfed by smaller apartment buildings and ultimately the tree lined suburban lanes that would be our salvation.
The SUV came to a stop outside a small condo. Red bricks and white slat boards adorned the outside, white columns created a long porch way the length of the front of the house. A black suburban sat in the driveway with two men in the front, one had a cell phone to his ear, while the other looked over at us. Along the street two more men sat conspicuously in a town car. I shook my head, and chuckled to myself, so much for being able to keep a low profile, even my blind old gran could spot these agents.
"Sit tight for a minute," said Edward from my side, "we need to check out what's been set up."
I nodded in silent acquiescence, as Jasper and Edward excited the SUV and strolled to the Suburban. After a hushed conversation with the two agents inside, they stepped into the house, presumably to check it was safe. I shrugged to myself, not used to this much attention and certainly not keen on being under what appeared to be house arrest. A short while later they reappeared from the back of the house having satisfied themselves that it was as safe as it could be and motioned for Emmett to escort me inside. The two agents from the Suburban joined us in the kitchen.
"Ok Bella, this is where we leave you, Agents Tyson and Henry will remain with you in the house." Edward continued, "There's two more guys down the street and there's an emergency button by the phone. The house is alarmed, so you should be fine.”
I nodded to confirm I'd heard him, while glancing at my new surroundings. I wanted to be here just as much as Angela would want to be in hospital at this moment.
Suck it up Swan, swallow some cement and get hard for fuck sake.
Without further ado, Edward and his team left and I watched from the front door as the Black SUV peeled off from the front drive and disappeared into the night. Agent Henry stood beside me like a sentinel, I hoped that he wasn't going to stick so close to me that it would get oppressive, it was bad enough being out of the loop as it was.
"I'm gonna head to bed, unless there's anything else" I said to the agents, before heading up the stairs to the master bedroom.
I didn't think that I would be able to sleep, but the weight of the day's events, paired with my injuries, brought on a sudden all encompassing tiredness and I drifted into an unconscious state the moment my head met the pillow.
**********
15th June 2010 – Springfield Virginia.
I woke late in the evening of the following day, feeling somewhat restless, and very disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. It took me a number of minutes to register where I was on opening my sleep fused eyes.
Glancing at the clock on the nightstand it was nearing 7pm, I'd obviously been more tired than I thought, having slept the whole day, not even stirring for meals or the bathroom. After a quick shower and finding some clothes in the closet, I headed down the stairs to the kitchen. Agents Tyson and Henry were sat at the table drinking coffee and chatting. The house was silent except for them. I walked to the counter and helped myself to a much needed coffee before sitting down. I sat in silence, quietly observing the two agents; they were both young, similar in age to me, no doubt straight out of the farm. I'm sure they were no doubt good at what they do, but would've felt so much better with perhaps at least one older agent on babysitting detail, I didn't feel safe, something felt wrong, but couldn't put my finger on it.
"Miss Swan, the ‘DO’ wants you to check in as soon as you're ready, there's a secure line over there," said Tyson, the elder of the two young agents, I guessed that he had superiority and nodded to him, before walking across the kitchen to call Phil Dwyer.
"Sir? This is Bella Swan," I spoke quietly
"Ms Swan, I'm glad you're safe, now then down to business, I'm afraid you're going to have to lay low for a while, it appears that we have a situation here..." he started before the line went dead.
"Sir?" I tried the line a few time, but couldn't even get a dial tone, something was wrong. I looked over at the two agents, concern etched across my face.
"The lines dead," I stated.
Tyson looked at me speculatively, cocking his head to the side, considering what I had said. Suddenly there was a loud explosion from in front of the house, I jumped, taken by surprise, Agent Henry told me to stay there and insisted I hit the panic button, while he and Agent Tyson went to investigate what was going on. I pushed the button then backed away from the doorway, glancing around the room for anything that could help, a weapon, a hiding place, but came up empty, I eyed the glass doors, but quickly realised they were locked. I leant up against the kitchen wall, partly to hold myself up, but mostly in hope that I could maybe just blend in, I hoped that back up was close and that I'd make it out in one piece, but at that moment that very thought pretty much went to shit as the tell tale thud of gunfire sounded at the front of the house, my final line of defence was now down to me.
'I'm fucked'
"Shit" I muttered to myself.
I pressed myself closer to the wall, holding my breath with my hand firmly clasped across my mouth in fear that I would be heard.
"Bellaaaaaaaa," a male voice called.
My eyes went wide in fear, knowing that Agents Tyson and Henry must be dead, I steeled myself, a sudden shot of adrenalin surged through me, I grit my teeth in determination.
"D-don't c-come n-near m-m-me," I responded.
"Don't be like that Bellaaaaaa, we're going to be great friends," he replied, I could sense his sinister undertone.
"N-n-nooooo," I cried, as the giant man ran at me, tackling me to the floor. I kicked and punched and screamed beneath him, but it egged him on further.
"Don't fight Bella, although I admit this is most enjoyable, I don't have the time right now," He grinned at me.
I cringed as he stroked my face; his hot breath blew across my cheek as he spoke to me.
"So pretty, we have such wonderful plans for you," he sneered at me.
I managed to get a leg free from beneath him and connected my knee to his groin, he let out a feral growl and rolled away as I sprung to my feet and darted from the kitchen.
"You little slut!" he bellowed, while writhing on the floor.
I'd barely reached the front room before my assailant had regained his feet and I felt him slam into me from behind, throwing me across the room, where I landed painfully, my back taking the full brunt of the fall and splintering the coffee table beneath me. I groaned in pain, the wind effectively knocked out of me, as the large man grabbed me around the throat and rammed me against the wall, I gasped in his grip, staring pleadingly into his dark angry eyes. My breaths were coming in shallow gasps, as I fought to remain conscious, but it was all in vain as he thumped me in the jaw and I slumped, succumbing to the oblivion.
*****
Felix heaved her body over his shoulder and stepped out into the night.
Lifting his cell to his ear, he spoke quickly on his way back to his SUV. "I have her.” Before clicking his cell closed.
*****
I was lulled into consciousness some time later, by steady rocking and the low hum of a car radio. I squinted my eyes trying to make out the fuzzy shape of the person driving but saw nothing but the back of the seat. I tried in vain to wipe my eyes only to find my hands were bound behind me and that I was lying uncomfortably in the back, pressed up against a large metal lock box and a wheel brace. I groaned uncomfortably, needing to stretch my legs. My neck cracked with my movement and I winced in pain, perhaps a massage would help, but it's unlikely I'd be getting one soon, if ever.
A number of hours later, the SUV came to a slow steady stop, I could just make out that it was dark, I could hear the steady patter of rain on the roof of the vehicle, the DJ on the radio was talking about a baseball game, I could smell grease, hair gel and after shave, a hint of mint and sugar. The sound of a door opening then closing was soon followed by crunching of rock underfoot, and then the trunk opened and torchlight was waved in my face.
"Ah sleeping beauty is awake, hello princess, you and I need to have a talk, get acquainted some," the man said.
I cringed, I didn't want to get acquainted with him, I wanted to go home, get on with my life and stay the hell out of the way.
"Now then princess are you going to be a good girl for me?" the large man grunted.
I flinched under his stare; my eyes wide in fear, my body trembled as he leant towards me and dragged me from the back of the SUV. The rocky ground scraped against my knees, as I was dragged out into nearby woodland. The fine rain soaked into my clothes, my skin glistened with the moisture, intermingling with my tears. I sobbed into the gag around my mouth. My mouth dry from hours of being stuffed in the back of the SUV and unwillingly being forced to suck on the dirty cloth.
I was unceremoniously dropped, the darkness preventing me from gaining any knowledge of where we were. Fear had a strangle hold on me and I felt that I would die of fright at any given second. I could hear murmuring all around me, heavy footsteps to my rear, I was surrounded by large foreboding trees, their shadows casting an eerie dominance across the ground. I curled into a ball, my arms strained in their bonds behind me, I could smell the rain, it used to be soothing, but now it just felt like a freezing death. I prayed he would just shoot me, or let me go, I would tell no one if he asked it, but I knew I couldn't bargain with this man. He'd killed four agents without batting an eye; he'd taken me from a safe house, ha! What a joke, safe house my arse! Now I was out on my own, in the middle of who the fuck knows where, with a silent killer who held my life in his hands and had no way of knowing when my last second would be.
I shrunk into myself, thinking of everything I had achieved, I thought of Renee and Phil, thought of Charlie back in Forks. How proud he was when I graduated from MIT, how he told the guys down the station that his little girl was head hunted by the CIA! That's right, the CIA. How I'd cracked that case in Seattle, the promotion to Senior Analyst and Ben and Angela's engagement. I thought back to missed opportunities, the cute guy at the lodge last time I went home, the blind date Angela had set up with that awkward kid from IT. Angela! She'd looked so frail, so broken in the hospital, but she would get better, the injuries would heal and she'd get her happy ever after with Ben. I sobbed; there would be no happy ending for me, for all I knew I was going to die right now in the middle of nowhere and at the hands of the big crazy man behind me.
No I was not going to feel sorry for myself, so I'd not completed all of my goals, but I'd made an impact in my chosen life, I'd proven myself in my field, I'd stood up for my country and I would die with honour. I may not want to die right now, but that didn't mean that I wouldn't do so proud for what I was. A new determination filled me; I moved to my knees, straightened my back and looked on my captor with a face that said, 'you may have bested me, but you'll never beat me'. I was ready to take whatever came, with pride and honour.
****
The large man stood by a tree, mumbling into his cell phone, he raked his hand through his hair with agitation. Demetri had said this woman had knowledge of what they were planning and could also prove to be a useful source of Intel, which they could use to further their plans. Felix however felt she was nothing more than a waste of air. An unnecessary stumbling block, she was in the way and as far as he was concerned the sooner she was dead the sooner they could complete the mission and move on.
He groaned into the cell phone, angry that he was being forbidden from disposing of her, this was the perfect spot, woodland for miles, hell he wouldn't even need to make a clean kill, her blood would draw predators in and they'd eat her alive. He grinned at the image that appeared in his head, it would only take a few cuts, perhaps he'd break one of her legs so that she had limited mobility too, if she didn't bleed out, she'd maybe starve to death or succumb to the elements the possibilities pleased his twisted mind. But no Demetri wanted her. He huffed with annoyance, and strode over to her, she'd risen from the floor and was eyeing him with a defiant glint, perhaps she wasn't a complete waste, and perhaps he could have some fun.
****
I glared at him, I'd heard him literally begging to kill me, but he'd been denied it seemed. However, the wicked glint in his eye told me, my nightmare wasn't over, I forced myself to sit taller, pushed my chin out in defiance and dared him to kill me, for I was not going to crumble and tell him or anyone else anything, I am a patriot and I will fight for my country. He growled at me, his face literally inches from my own.
"Now then princess, what makes you so special that my bosses want you alive?”
"I'm not telling you anything, I'll die first.”
I cocked my head at him a smirk across my lips, mission 'piss off the big guy' in full effect. He ground his teeth and glared at me, before backhanding me across the cheek. My head shot sideways with the force of it, blood pooled inside my mouth and I spat it out before righting myself in front of him, a look of absolute defiance across my face.
"Fuck you" I spat.
He kicked me forcefully in the stomach and I fell back against the leaf covered ground, the breath knocked out of me, I gasped in pain, but grit my teeth and forced myself to sit back up.
"Is that all you have, arsehole?" I smirked.
He blew out a breath in anger, before kicking me again, I fell back, sure that he'd broken a rib this time.
"Stay down if you know what's good for you," he sneered into my ear.
I gasped for air, struggling to gain my balance to right myself, I fixed him with a glare,
"What if I don't, it's not like you're allowed to kill me.”
****
Felix stomped back over to the trees and leant against one to regain his composure, she was proving to be an insufferable bitch and he wanted nothing more than to put her out of her (his) misery. He turned back to her to see her still struggling to right herself, he walked over and grabbed her under the arm and dragged her back to the SUV, forcibly throwing her into the trunk, where she smashed her head into his lockbox. Serves her right if it knocks her out. The more he thought about it, if she was unconscious it would be better for him, he didn't think he could put up with her crap all the way to Port Angeles.
Bella groaned, her head was throbbing, she was in agony from his kicking her in the ribs. She was second guessing herself over defying him, was all the pain really worth it, No she couldn't think like that, the pain was nothing if she could find a way of stopping these sickos, it would be worth it. She would take whatever they had to throw at her.
Felix loomed over her, an evil sneer plastered over his face, he grabbed her arm roughly and stuck her with a needle, forcing the plunger all the way down. The heavy concoction of barbiturates would keep her sedated and he would get the peace he craved. Bella eyed him woozily, her vision blurred, her tongue felt like cotton, she wondered if he'd finally decided to kill her, this was the end, her final thought as she slipped into unconsciousness was that she hadn't stopped them, and that she had failed.
Wednesday 20 October 2010
30 Days of Em
Bookmark this link for the stories hit.
That's right, sort of like 30 days of night only better. 30 Days that's right 30 days of nothing but Emmett centric tales.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
No one would be surprised to hear us (AccioBourbon, Hmonster4 or Theheartoflife) say we love a good Em. But we have an issue - like that commercial where the guy reaches the end of the internet, it seems we've maxed out most of the stories on FF (which, to be honest, isn't a whole lot).
There is so much potential for the big guy, and we know that some writers out there might be kicking around ideas, but lack the forum or motivation to dig in. That's why we are kicking off Debunking the Myth - 30 Days of Emmett - a 30 day challenge of drabbles and one shots that will run 11/15 to 12/15.
Not a contest - 30 Days of Emmett will exist similar to a m/c story on FF. Each day, a new one shot or drabble will be posted - the authors will run the gamut, and there are only a few hard and fast rules:
- Em must be the main character or part of the main pairing
- No cliches - that means dumb jocks and oafs need not apply.
- All entries MUST be beta'd. If you don't have one, let us know, we'll see how we can help.
You read right - pairings are open, genres and universes too. AH, AU, Canon, Angst, Drama, Comedy - it's all wide open to explore.
What do you think, are you up to the challenge? If so, sign up here, we'll be in touch re days open and to answer any questions you might have.
Come on peeps, bring out your Em - let the big guy free!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
There is so much potential for the big guy, and we know that some writers out there might be kicking around ideas, but lack the forum or motivation to dig in. That's why we are kicking off Debunking the Myth - 30 Days of Emmett - a 30 day challenge of drabbles and one shots that will run 11/15 to 12/15.
Not a contest - 30 Days of Emmett will exist similar to a m/c story on FF. Each day, a new one shot or drabble will be posted - the authors will run the gamut, and there are only a few hard and fast rules:
- Em must be the main character or part of the main pairing
- No cliches - that means dumb jocks and oafs need not apply.
- All entries MUST be beta'd. If you don't have one, let us know, we'll see how we can help.
You read right - pairings are open, genres and universes too. AH, AU, Canon, Angst, Drama, Comedy - it's all wide open to explore.
What do you think, are you up to the challenge? If so, sign up here, we'll be in touch re days open and to answer any questions you might have.
Come on peeps, bring out your Em - let the big guy free!
Sunday 17 October 2010
Chapter 4 - 15th June 2010 - Somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.
Chapter 4.
15th June 2010 – Somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.
"You shouldn't have left her behind," the red head screeched.
"Look Vicky just shut the hell up; we don't need to be bogged down by some dorky little bitch, who doesn't know how to keep her nose out of our business." The blonde man grunted through his teeth.
"Bogged down? Are you fucking serious James, she's intelligence, at the very least she should be rotting somewhere out of the goddamn way," she responded.
He grabbed her roughly around the neck pushing her to her knees before bearing down against her and snarling into her ear.
"Listen. To. Me. Victoria, we don't have room to drag some whiny little bitch around, we don't have time or resources to deal with her. Fine we should've killed her, but you will get it into your thick head, I. AM. IN. CHARGE. Do not question me.”
She had the good sense to flinch in his grasp to show that she had received his message loud and clear. There was no further conversation between them as they stalked to the large SUV parked at the back of the dank and derelict looking warehouse they'd exited.
The vehicle peeled into the early evening traffic in downtown Port Angeles, moving away from the warehouse district and heading towards William R. Fairchild Airport. Pulling into the small parking lot, the man killed the engine and they sat in silence.
The rear passenger door opened and a figure in dark jeans and charcoal grey sweatshirt climbed into the back.
"James," he nodded
"Demetri," he returned.
"Vicky," he clipped at the woman.
"Good to see you Demetri," she replied.
"Felix not with you?" asked James.
"No, he has some 'other' business to attend to before he joins us. He'll be along on Wednesday." Stated Demetri, leaning back in his seat, his hands stretching above his head, while he yawned. Obviously tired from his flight.
"Will he need collecting or has he made... arrangements?" asked Victoria.
"He's a big boy, I'm sure he'll catch up with us." He retorted.
They each nodded in agreement, before James pulled the vehicle out of the parking lot and headed to the warehouse. There was very little conversation, apart from Demetri asking for an update and Victoria filling him in on recent developments and griping about not killing the 'Intelligence bitch' in DC.
Demetri frowned at this, he didn't like loose ends.
"Hmm..." he pondered before flipping open his cell and hitting 1 on his speed dial. He listened to the familiar sound of ringing before it was picked up.
"Demetri my brother! What gives?" said the male voice on the other end.
"Felix, change of plans, it appears we have a stray, I need you to head to DC and do a little housekeeping." Demetri said, sounding bored.
"No problem brother, I'll have the house cleaned and locked up and join you later." Said Felix.
"Thank you brother, I'll send you details shortly." Responded Demetri, before flipping the phone closed.
The ride back to the warehouse was short and soon they were pulling round the back and entering through a dark, secluded alleyway. The warehouse itself was the perfect cover for their needs. Partially derelict, it provided little use for commercial storage, little to no invitation to the homeless to use for shelter and boasted a perfectly useable, lead-lined shelter. James had rigged up generators to avoid using the electrical supply thus avoiding detection. Demetri surveyed his surroundings, not totally impressed, but not entirely disappointed either.
"It has promise, I'll give you that." He muttered.
"We've only been here a few hours, come I'll show you the stuff," said James.
Demetri nodded his acquiescence and followed him to the shelter in the far corner of the warehouse; James flicked a switch next to the door before hefting the large wheel on the door and pulling it open. The door swung open to reveal a large anti-room and a series of steps that descended into the floor. It was lit with one fluorescent light, the walls a gunmetal grey colour, lined on one side with matching lockers.
Demetri raised one eyebrow in question to James, who smirked and gestured for him to follow him down the stairs. They descended in silence, into the darkened basement space the lights flickering on only when they reached the bottom step. Demetri looked up, somewhat surprised by what he found, expecting a dark, damp wreck of space, he was greeted by surgically clean space, thickened glass separated the corridor from the room ahead of him, an ante-room with what appeared to be controlled air supply and secondary door to an attached lab. James smiled smugly; for all intents and purposes he'd done well and knew that Demetri would be pleased by this.
Demetri glanced at James, before walking towards the viewing window that overlooked the Lab. He looked in pleased to see the items he had requested had been delivered and set up according to his demands.
"You've done well James," he said, pleased with this development, "but don't lose sight of the bigger picture, mistakes have been made and now we have some 'cleaning' to do.”
"Yes Demetri," James muttered behind him, "I'll have Vicky bring up the information on the girl, what do you want to do with her?”
"She may be useful, I'll have Felix bring her here," he said before walking into the anti-room and changing into a white bio-suit and entering the sealed lab.
James pushed the intercom on the wall by the window, "Is there anything else you need me to do Demetri, perhaps I can help in there?”
Demetri laughed, a loud, brash laugh, blatantly amused at James' suggestion of help. "You know how to build a bomb James?" he quipped, highly amused.
"Um no," said James, blushing slightly, while rubbing the back of his neck self consciously. "I ah, you know, just wanted to help.”
"Pepperoni Pizza, extra cheese, no peppers and a large coke!" said Demetri before returning to assembling his tools.
James grumbled to himself, before nodding and heading back up the stairs, leaving Demetri to his work.
"Vicky!" James called loudly as he walked up the stairs.
"Yes James?" she purred, appearing at his side instantly.
"Cut that shit out Vicky, Demetri wants you to get information on the Intel Bitch, use the contact."
"Fine!" she sneered angrily, before storming off down the stairs and cutting off down a darkened corridor.
Victoria sat in one of the small ante rooms, she fumed to herself, furious at James' behaviour towards her, angered by the involvement of the Volturi, and pissed to being treated like some lackey. She pulled out her cell and quickly dialed the number to her contact in Washington.
"Yes?" said the voice at the other end of the line.
"I want information on the Intel Bitch, where she is, security details, everything." Victoria sneered down the line.
"That wasn't part of the deal, you promised no innocents would be hurt, yet so far we've got one Analyst dead, and admin in ICU and another analyst in a safe house, tell me how is this going to help the mission?" the voice responded.
"I don't have time for your shit, now give me the information or it will be you that dies and not that bitch." screeched Victoria angrily.
"Fine! she's at a safe house in Springfield, I'll text you the details. I-I don't like this, things are getting out of hand, you said this would be a simple job, promised that only the target would be harmed, you never mentioned involving anyone else." The voice stuttered down the line.
"Grow some fucking balls, honestly do you think we'd just go in half cocked, pull a trigger and blam mission over? Seriously, I wonder sometimes how you got to the position you're in. Now shut the fuck up and send me the information, if I have to call you for it again, I will reroute our man to have a word." Victoria growled before ending the call.
Seconds later her phone beeped with a new text, she opened it smugly, her informant had at least listened to her threat.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was hours later that Victoria descended the stairs and stood in front of the window to the lab. She straightened her shirt, fixed her hair before buzzing the intercom to get Demetri's attention. He looked up from his lab station and gestured for her to wait one minute, before resuming tightening a screw.
"Yes?”
"I have the information on the woman, she's in a safe house in Virginia," Victoria said nervously.
"Send the information to Felix and then leave me in peace unless you come with good news or pizza," he grumbled.
Victoria nodded at him before turning and heading back to the warehouse, where she fired off an email to Felix on her iPhone.
She sauntered over to James who had his head under the bonnet of the SUV; his jacket had been flung over a steel workbench, his jeans wear smeared with smatterings of grease and oil from working on the vehicle. Victoria wrapped her arms around his waist and worked them up his chest. Feeling the muscular planes of his abs and pecks under her fingers.
"Vicky, do you have nothing better to do than pester me?" James groaned.
"I've done all that's been asked of me James, I won't be ordered around by Volturi scum, I don't care how much they're paying.”
James slammed his hand down on the grill of the vehicle, his nostrils flared, and his eyes wild, anger permeated his every pore. "For fucks sake Victoria, if the only way we'll be taken seriously is by joining the Volturi, then that's what we'll do, do you understand me?”
"Y-yes James," she stuttered.
"Now leave me the fuck alone, find something useful to do, go play in traffic for all I care.”
She knew he didn't mean it, he was stressed, that's all, since Laurent had gone missing, everything had gone to shit, and they could've done this alone if he wasn't MIA, but now they were stuck with Demetri and Felix.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Felix sped down I-495 towards Springfield, according to Victoria the woman, Bella Swan an Intel Analyst with the CIA had been moved to a safe house near the Brookfield Plaza in Springfield. He had no idea what her security detail was, but one thing was for sure, she was either coming with him or he would leave her cold and dead.
He joined I-95 and then left at the Tower shopping centre, before he continued down Old Keene Mill Road until he found Westmore Drive. The woman should be just down the street in Castine Lane. From here he could scout the property without detection. He parked up his SUV and walked along the block, dressed in jeans and dark sweatshirt he blended in well with the locals. He took his time to scope the area, noting a dense pocket of trees between Castine Lane and Westmore Drive, lighting was infrequent which would give him plenty of cover in darkness. He walked past the house; a black suburban was parked in the drive and a town car along the street. So there would be at least 4 agents on her protection detail. He continued on his walk and returned to his SUV to plan.
As darkness fell Felix slipped into the back of his SUV, a lockbox in the back provided him with a Kevlar vest, and a silenced MK23. He also pocketed some C-4, remote detonators and twosilenced MK23. He also pocketed some C-4, remote detonators and two flashbangs, which he could use to disorient anyone that got in his way. Happy with what he had, he exited his vehicle and disappeared into the night, using the dense tree line along Westmore Drive to get as close to the safe house as possible. Peering through the darkness at the rear of the house he could make out the shape of a woman in the kitchen at the rear, a set of French doors opened out onto the back yard, a wooden deck stood over the first floor, creating a balcony for the upper level, he presumed this was a bedroom. Two men sat at a table in the kitchen, rookies, totally oblivious to his presence, not a clue as to the danger their ward was in. Felix smiled to himself, this would be too easy. Stepping stealthily across the yard, he followed the fence line to the side of the house and clipped the telephone line, not that he'd give them the chance to use it anyhow. He crept slowly along the side of the house towards the front yard; he could see the Suburban on the drive. Removing a large knife from his belt he made his way to the vehicle, there was an agent stood at the front, smoking and talking on his cell. He wouldn't know what hit him. Seconds later he fell to the ground clutching at the gaping wound on his neck, blood pouring over his hands and down his shirt as he gasped for air, soundlessly pleading for help. His vocal chords severed, he bled out where he fell. Felix used this time to puncture all four tyres of the vehicle, rendering it useless, before placing a block of C4 under the wheel arch and heading towards the town car down the block. The agent sat, sleeping in the front seat, so much for keeping watch, he never woke despite the thud of the .45 shells hitting him in his chest.
Felix shook his head in disappointment, he'd hoped for a little fight; perhaps the two in the house would make things a little more interesting. He returned to the house and took up position on the front porch, just out of sight of the door, but with a perfect view of the suburban. He pulled a detonator from his pocket and flipped the switch; the vehicle flipped into the air and fell back down with a huge smash, fire licking its way across the upholstery inside. The front door swung open and the two agents from inside spilled out on the porch, four shots thudded into the night and the two agents fell to the floor, dead. Felix grinned as he stepped over them and entered the house.
15th June 2010 – Somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.
"You shouldn't have left her behind," the red head screeched.
"Look Vicky just shut the hell up; we don't need to be bogged down by some dorky little bitch, who doesn't know how to keep her nose out of our business." The blonde man grunted through his teeth.
"Bogged down? Are you fucking serious James, she's intelligence, at the very least she should be rotting somewhere out of the goddamn way," she responded.
He grabbed her roughly around the neck pushing her to her knees before bearing down against her and snarling into her ear.
"Listen. To. Me. Victoria, we don't have room to drag some whiny little bitch around, we don't have time or resources to deal with her. Fine we should've killed her, but you will get it into your thick head, I. AM. IN. CHARGE. Do not question me.”
She had the good sense to flinch in his grasp to show that she had received his message loud and clear. There was no further conversation between them as they stalked to the large SUV parked at the back of the dank and derelict looking warehouse they'd exited.
The vehicle peeled into the early evening traffic in downtown Port Angeles, moving away from the warehouse district and heading towards William R. Fairchild Airport. Pulling into the small parking lot, the man killed the engine and they sat in silence.
The rear passenger door opened and a figure in dark jeans and charcoal grey sweatshirt climbed into the back.
"James," he nodded
"Demetri," he returned.
"Vicky," he clipped at the woman.
"Good to see you Demetri," she replied.
"Felix not with you?" asked James.
"No, he has some 'other' business to attend to before he joins us. He'll be along on Wednesday." Stated Demetri, leaning back in his seat, his hands stretching above his head, while he yawned. Obviously tired from his flight.
"Will he need collecting or has he made... arrangements?" asked Victoria.
"He's a big boy, I'm sure he'll catch up with us." He retorted.
They each nodded in agreement, before James pulled the vehicle out of the parking lot and headed to the warehouse. There was very little conversation, apart from Demetri asking for an update and Victoria filling him in on recent developments and griping about not killing the 'Intelligence bitch' in DC.
Demetri frowned at this, he didn't like loose ends.
"Hmm..." he pondered before flipping open his cell and hitting 1 on his speed dial. He listened to the familiar sound of ringing before it was picked up.
"Demetri my brother! What gives?" said the male voice on the other end.
"Felix, change of plans, it appears we have a stray, I need you to head to DC and do a little housekeeping." Demetri said, sounding bored.
"No problem brother, I'll have the house cleaned and locked up and join you later." Said Felix.
"Thank you brother, I'll send you details shortly." Responded Demetri, before flipping the phone closed.
The ride back to the warehouse was short and soon they were pulling round the back and entering through a dark, secluded alleyway. The warehouse itself was the perfect cover for their needs. Partially derelict, it provided little use for commercial storage, little to no invitation to the homeless to use for shelter and boasted a perfectly useable, lead-lined shelter. James had rigged up generators to avoid using the electrical supply thus avoiding detection. Demetri surveyed his surroundings, not totally impressed, but not entirely disappointed either.
"It has promise, I'll give you that." He muttered.
"We've only been here a few hours, come I'll show you the stuff," said James.
Demetri nodded his acquiescence and followed him to the shelter in the far corner of the warehouse; James flicked a switch next to the door before hefting the large wheel on the door and pulling it open. The door swung open to reveal a large anti-room and a series of steps that descended into the floor. It was lit with one fluorescent light, the walls a gunmetal grey colour, lined on one side with matching lockers.
Demetri raised one eyebrow in question to James, who smirked and gestured for him to follow him down the stairs. They descended in silence, into the darkened basement space the lights flickering on only when they reached the bottom step. Demetri looked up, somewhat surprised by what he found, expecting a dark, damp wreck of space, he was greeted by surgically clean space, thickened glass separated the corridor from the room ahead of him, an ante-room with what appeared to be controlled air supply and secondary door to an attached lab. James smiled smugly; for all intents and purposes he'd done well and knew that Demetri would be pleased by this.
Demetri glanced at James, before walking towards the viewing window that overlooked the Lab. He looked in pleased to see the items he had requested had been delivered and set up according to his demands.
"You've done well James," he said, pleased with this development, "but don't lose sight of the bigger picture, mistakes have been made and now we have some 'cleaning' to do.”
"Yes Demetri," James muttered behind him, "I'll have Vicky bring up the information on the girl, what do you want to do with her?”
"She may be useful, I'll have Felix bring her here," he said before walking into the anti-room and changing into a white bio-suit and entering the sealed lab.
James pushed the intercom on the wall by the window, "Is there anything else you need me to do Demetri, perhaps I can help in there?”
Demetri laughed, a loud, brash laugh, blatantly amused at James' suggestion of help. "You know how to build a bomb James?" he quipped, highly amused.
"Um no," said James, blushing slightly, while rubbing the back of his neck self consciously. "I ah, you know, just wanted to help.”
"Pepperoni Pizza, extra cheese, no peppers and a large coke!" said Demetri before returning to assembling his tools.
James grumbled to himself, before nodding and heading back up the stairs, leaving Demetri to his work.
"Vicky!" James called loudly as he walked up the stairs.
"Yes James?" she purred, appearing at his side instantly.
"Cut that shit out Vicky, Demetri wants you to get information on the Intel Bitch, use the contact."
"Fine!" she sneered angrily, before storming off down the stairs and cutting off down a darkened corridor.
Victoria sat in one of the small ante rooms, she fumed to herself, furious at James' behaviour towards her, angered by the involvement of the Volturi, and pissed to being treated like some lackey. She pulled out her cell and quickly dialed the number to her contact in Washington.
"Yes?" said the voice at the other end of the line.
"I want information on the Intel Bitch, where she is, security details, everything." Victoria sneered down the line.
"That wasn't part of the deal, you promised no innocents would be hurt, yet so far we've got one Analyst dead, and admin in ICU and another analyst in a safe house, tell me how is this going to help the mission?" the voice responded.
"I don't have time for your shit, now give me the information or it will be you that dies and not that bitch." screeched Victoria angrily.
"Fine! she's at a safe house in Springfield, I'll text you the details. I-I don't like this, things are getting out of hand, you said this would be a simple job, promised that only the target would be harmed, you never mentioned involving anyone else." The voice stuttered down the line.
"Grow some fucking balls, honestly do you think we'd just go in half cocked, pull a trigger and blam mission over? Seriously, I wonder sometimes how you got to the position you're in. Now shut the fuck up and send me the information, if I have to call you for it again, I will reroute our man to have a word." Victoria growled before ending the call.
Seconds later her phone beeped with a new text, she opened it smugly, her informant had at least listened to her threat.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was hours later that Victoria descended the stairs and stood in front of the window to the lab. She straightened her shirt, fixed her hair before buzzing the intercom to get Demetri's attention. He looked up from his lab station and gestured for her to wait one minute, before resuming tightening a screw.
"Yes?”
"I have the information on the woman, she's in a safe house in Virginia," Victoria said nervously.
"Send the information to Felix and then leave me in peace unless you come with good news or pizza," he grumbled.
Victoria nodded at him before turning and heading back to the warehouse, where she fired off an email to Felix on her iPhone.
She sauntered over to James who had his head under the bonnet of the SUV; his jacket had been flung over a steel workbench, his jeans wear smeared with smatterings of grease and oil from working on the vehicle. Victoria wrapped her arms around his waist and worked them up his chest. Feeling the muscular planes of his abs and pecks under her fingers.
"Vicky, do you have nothing better to do than pester me?" James groaned.
"I've done all that's been asked of me James, I won't be ordered around by Volturi scum, I don't care how much they're paying.”
James slammed his hand down on the grill of the vehicle, his nostrils flared, and his eyes wild, anger permeated his every pore. "For fucks sake Victoria, if the only way we'll be taken seriously is by joining the Volturi, then that's what we'll do, do you understand me?”
"Y-yes James," she stuttered.
"Now leave me the fuck alone, find something useful to do, go play in traffic for all I care.”
She knew he didn't mean it, he was stressed, that's all, since Laurent had gone missing, everything had gone to shit, and they could've done this alone if he wasn't MIA, but now they were stuck with Demetri and Felix.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Felix sped down I-495 towards Springfield, according to Victoria the woman, Bella Swan an Intel Analyst with the CIA had been moved to a safe house near the Brookfield Plaza in Springfield. He had no idea what her security detail was, but one thing was for sure, she was either coming with him or he would leave her cold and dead.
He joined I-95 and then left at the Tower shopping centre, before he continued down Old Keene Mill Road until he found Westmore Drive. The woman should be just down the street in Castine Lane. From here he could scout the property without detection. He parked up his SUV and walked along the block, dressed in jeans and dark sweatshirt he blended in well with the locals. He took his time to scope the area, noting a dense pocket of trees between Castine Lane and Westmore Drive, lighting was infrequent which would give him plenty of cover in darkness. He walked past the house; a black suburban was parked in the drive and a town car along the street. So there would be at least 4 agents on her protection detail. He continued on his walk and returned to his SUV to plan.
As darkness fell Felix slipped into the back of his SUV, a lockbox in the back provided him with a Kevlar vest, and a silenced MK23. He also pocketed some C-4, remote detonators and twosilenced MK23. He also pocketed some C-4, remote detonators and two flashbangs, which he could use to disorient anyone that got in his way. Happy with what he had, he exited his vehicle and disappeared into the night, using the dense tree line along Westmore Drive to get as close to the safe house as possible. Peering through the darkness at the rear of the house he could make out the shape of a woman in the kitchen at the rear, a set of French doors opened out onto the back yard, a wooden deck stood over the first floor, creating a balcony for the upper level, he presumed this was a bedroom. Two men sat at a table in the kitchen, rookies, totally oblivious to his presence, not a clue as to the danger their ward was in. Felix smiled to himself, this would be too easy. Stepping stealthily across the yard, he followed the fence line to the side of the house and clipped the telephone line, not that he'd give them the chance to use it anyhow. He crept slowly along the side of the house towards the front yard; he could see the Suburban on the drive. Removing a large knife from his belt he made his way to the vehicle, there was an agent stood at the front, smoking and talking on his cell. He wouldn't know what hit him. Seconds later he fell to the ground clutching at the gaping wound on his neck, blood pouring over his hands and down his shirt as he gasped for air, soundlessly pleading for help. His vocal chords severed, he bled out where he fell. Felix used this time to puncture all four tyres of the vehicle, rendering it useless, before placing a block of C4 under the wheel arch and heading towards the town car down the block. The agent sat, sleeping in the front seat, so much for keeping watch, he never woke despite the thud of the .45 shells hitting him in his chest.
Felix shook his head in disappointment, he'd hoped for a little fight; perhaps the two in the house would make things a little more interesting. He returned to the house and took up position on the front porch, just out of sight of the door, but with a perfect view of the suburban. He pulled a detonator from his pocket and flipped the switch; the vehicle flipped into the air and fell back down with a huge smash, fire licking its way across the upholstery inside. The front door swung open and the two agents from inside spilled out on the porch, four shots thudded into the night and the two agents fell to the floor, dead. Felix grinned as he stepped over them and entered the house.
Thursday 14 October 2010
Chapter 3 - June 14th 2010 – Ashton Heights – Arlington VA.
CHAPTER 3
June 14th 2010 – Ashton Heights – Arlington VA.
"Miss, miss, can you hear me?”
I could vaguely make out a bright light shifting from one eye to the next, my shoulder being forcefully shaken. I groaned at the sensation as my head moved. I could taste blood down the back of my throat, UGH!
"She's coming round, no visible signs of concussion or bodily trauma other than the broken nose.”
Everything was fuzzy; I could make out shapes, the ground felt hard beneath me, how long had I been out?
"Angela?" I whimpered
"Is that your friend miss? She's in bad shape, but we'll have her fixed up in no time. You're lucky, when the truck exploded outside your condo, it's a miracle the whole place didn't go with it." The voice continued.
"huh?”
"We're going to move you to Virginia Hospital Center, you're friend will be there too, stay calm miss and this will take no time, you're going to be fine." He said.
"Hey Tyler can you bring the gurney in once you see the other lady out with Eric.”
"Sure thing Mike." The other EMT shrugged.
"Now then miss, I really can't keep calling you that, you have a name?" he smiled at me.
"Bel, Bella" I mumbled, it really did hurt to move my head even the tiniest amount.
"Ok Bella, I'm Mike, you have a broken nose, my initial observations don't point to any other injuries, can you tell me if anything else hurts?"
"I have a sprained ankle from this afternoon, but other than a woozy head nothing hurts." I replied
"Good good, as a precaution I'm going to put a brace on your neck, they'll likely remove it in the ER, is there anything you need to take with you when we leave?" he continued.
"Um, just my bag, it's the brown messenger bag by the door.”
"Ok Bella, no problem, we'll get you situated on the gurney and get you out of here. The police are going to want to talk to you at some point." He stated.
I groaned, a little out of pain and a little at the thought I was going to need to call this in to the office.
A short drive later we arrived at the ER. The only saving grace was that by coming in an ambulance we avoided the waiting room and went straight to triage. A petit dark haired nurse in pink scrubs helped Mike and Tyler move me from the gurney to a bed. They bid me goodbye, depositing my bag at the bottom of the bed, while the nurse collected a trolley of supplies and returned to the side of the bed. She was a pretty little thing, like a little anime character, short dark hair, big blue eyes and an unnerving amount of energy. She seemed to dance around me.
"Hi! I'm Alice and I'll be your nurse today." She smiled at me, bouncing on the balls of her feet and flicking her pen light over my eyes.
"Bella" I responded gingerly.
"Well no concussion Bella, pupil dilation is tip top, but we need to get your nosed fixed. I'm going to take some blood first, and then I'll get the Doctor to come sort that for you." She trilled in her bird like voice.
I groaned as the throbbing raged from my nose.
"Do you have any allergies Bella?" the little nurse asked, "You look like you could do with some pain meds.”
"Nope, no allergies." I responded.
"What about medications, are you taking anything, are you pregnant?"
"No...nope." I blushed.
"Good good, I'll be right back." She replied, before turning on her heals and darting from the curtained cubicle.
Moments later she returned with a syringe, which she emptied into my arm, before logging onto my chart. The throbbing in my head began to slowly diminish and I began to feel somewhat more lucid.
"Ok Bella, I'm just going to pack this blood off to the lab and the doctor will be along shortly." She stated.
I nodded, closing my eyes briefly.
I was jogged from my thoughts by a light cough, I opened my eyes to be met by a stunningly handsome middle aged Doctor, blonde hair, kind looking blue eyes; he had an air of calm about him. He looked vaguely familiar, the cut of his jaw, his physical stance, I'd seen it somewhere before. I shrugged at my inner musing; I'd never met this Doctor before, despite spending an inordinate amount of time visiting this particular ER over the past 5 years.
"Ah you're awake, I didn't want to disturb you, you looked so peaceful. I'm Dr Carlisle Cullen." He smiled offering me his hand in greeting.
I took it with a smile of my own, but grimaced at the pain from my nose. Dr Cullen smiled kindly at me, checking my chart and taking his own observations.
"So, Miss Swan, you've been in the wars a bit this evening, but your stats are good, your blood is fine and apart from a broken nose and a brief loss of consciousness, you're fighting fit." He stated.
"Bella, please, I'm sure there's no need for pleasantries when we both know you're going to be realigning my nose anytime soon." I replied with a slight smile.
"Quite." He smirked. "Shall we get this over and done with now, so you can go see your friend?" he replied.
I nodded in agreement. He carefully placed his hands either side of my nose, a determined look on his face and a quick nudge and a crunch or two later he stepped back. "There, not even a need for surgery." He smiled. "I'll draw up a prescription for pain meds and get Alice to arrange for you to visit with your friend in a short while. Please if there's anything else, don't hesitate to ask.”
"Thank you," I said, "I really just want to see Angela, and then forget about tonight.”
With that he bid me goodnight before turning on his heel and leaving the cubicle, Alice appeared as he left, whispering in his ear and gesturing to a tall figure in the waiting room. I could just make out a head of bronze hair, before the curtain fell back and blocked my view. Alice stood at the end of my bed smiling, her buoyant enthusiasm and seemingly endless energy mildly addictive in my current state.
"Hi Bella, how are you feeling?" she grinned.
"Good thanks, the Doctor fixed my nose and said you could help me go see my friend." I responded with a smile.
"Sure thing, I think you might want to change first though, so I've borrowed some spare scrubs from the closet for you, I'm afraid it's either that or have your butt hanging out of a gown." She stated joyfully.
I blushed at her kindness, "Oh um thanks, and you really didn't have to."
"Of course not silly, I'm sure you'd rather be clean than wander around all bloodied and looking like you're dressed for Halloween." She trilled happily. "I'll leave you to get changed, and then we'll go see your friend in ICU, just click the call buzzer when you're ready and I'll be right back." She left the cubicle swiftly, dancing like a little fairy down the hall towards the waiting area. I shook my head to clear the fuzziness in my brain, chuckling lightly to myself.
An hour later I entered the ICU, Angela was in a much worse state than me, she'd been brutally beaten; she had a punctured lung from a broken rib that she had endured, 3 broken fingers, and a severe concussion and was in a medically induced coma. Ben had arrived shortly before me and was camped beside her bedside, looking pale and distraught. He had risen to greet me when I hobbled in, and we both collapsed into each other, sobbing at what had happened.
"I'm afraid I might lose her Bells, what will I do if she doesn't wake up?" he cried.
"Don't think it Ben, don't even dare to think it, Angela is so strong, much stronger than me, we have to believe that she'll wake up, we can't think any other way, you hear me!" I replied through my sobs.
He sat back and looked at me, his handsome face marred by tears and concern. "You look like shit Bells.”
"Thanks, you don't look so hot yourself." I chuckled mirthlessly.
We stayed huddled together for a long hour, clinging to each other in order to stop the inevitable fall out, until Alice re-appeared at the door.
"Sorry to interrupt you guys, Bella, there are some officers who want to talk with you; I can send them away if you like." She gestured to the two tall police officers standing beside the nurses' station.
"It's ok Alice, I have to talk to them some time and I have to make a call to my office too. Is there a phone I can use nearby?"
"Sure, you can use the one at the nurses' station, would you like me to get the officers to wait for you somewhere more um private?”
"Thanks," I said before hugging Ben tightly and standing to leave the room, "I'll be back as soon as I can ok.”
He nodded to me with a slight smile before turning back to Angela. Alice darted ahead of me and spoke to the two officers, directing them to what I presume is a family room or some such, while I went to the nurses' station to call Al.
"Hi, this is Bella Swan, can you patch me through to Al Berty's office please." I spoke clearly.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but Mr Berty's office is currently inactive, all of his calls are being forwarded through the DO's office. May I ask the nature of your call so that I can advise you accordingly?" the abrupt operator stated.
"I work with Mr Berty Miss and I was not aware that he would be out of office for at least another four days. If you could kindly patch me through." I responded firmly.
"I'm sorry ma'am, as I said Mr Berty's office is currently inactive, I'll patch you through to the DO." She responded officiously.
"Hello, Director of Operations office, this is Lauren speaking how may I help you?”
Ugh just my luck, that bloody woman was the bain of my life, if not for the incessant gossip, it was the malicious sneers in the staff lunch hall, she had the mind of a teenager and the attitude of harpy.
"Hi Lauren, this is Bella Swan from Intelligence, I've been trying to call Mr Berty, but have been put through to the DO's office instead. What's going on?" I tried to remain polite, when really I was more frustrated than anything.
"Bella, I'll put you right through, there's been out and out panic here this evening." She responded swiftly.
Hmmm something's wrong. I didn't have time to ponder anything, before I heard the calming twang of Phil Dwyer, Director of Operations on the line.
"Bella, glad to hear you're ok, it's been one hell of a night," he said.
"Yes sir, but what's going on? I've had my car blown up, my roommate almost beaten to death, my nose broken and now I can't get in touch with Mr Berty." I ground out breathlessly.
"Where are you?" He asked, "Virginia Hospital Center, I have two police officers waiting for me in the family room, I presume to ask questions." I responded
"Ok, I'm going to make a call to get rid of them. I want you to stay there until you're collected..." he started
"What the hell is going on?" I yelled down the receiver.
"Bella," his calm voice continued over the phone, "Al Berty was found dead in his apartment this evening, there are no confirmed leads but we have a hunch that this has something to do with the data stream you followed regarding the Volturi.”
I could feel my throat tightening, I gripped the counter for support, my legs felt like lead weights, "Oh god" I stuttered.
"Bella?" He called over the phone, "Yes?" I replied shakily, my breathing laboured, a bead of sweat meandering down my forehead.
"We have a team on site to collect you, we'll have guards posted to your friends room, stay where you are, they'll come to you, your contact is Cullen, understand me, kick up a stink, make some noise if anyone else attempts to take you somewhere.”
"I understand sir, are they bringing me in?" I stammered. I knew it from the moment Al had run to me at lunch, that today was going to be bad, but how bad could this be?
"That's a negative Bella, I'll be in contact once you're on a secure line." He said before hanging up.
I lowered the receiver with shaky hands, expelling a loud breath, my body shaking with a mixture of fear and adrenalin. This couldn't be happening to me, I don't do front line anything, I'm one of the unknown shadows, there's nothing glamorous about intelligence work, hours upon hours spent hunched in my office, trawling over internet traffic, email communications, radio comm. Chatter, cell phone transcripts, in the grand scheme of things I'm a flea bite on a mangy dog.
Alice appeared at my side, looking concerned, "Hey Bella, you ok, you look like you're going to face plant at any given moment.”
I shook my head, tightening my hold on the counter as my legs gave way. "Wooah there," she called as she caught me around the waist and led me to a large chair against the opposite wall.
"Put your head between your legs and take deep breaths, just like that, in and out, you're doing fine Bella.”
My ears were buzzing, my vision was blurring in and out, so I concentrated on her calming voice as she talked me down. She was interrupted by the chime of the ICU door buzzer being wrung from outside, she reassured me that she'd be right back before standing and walking to the cctv monitor and pushing the door release. I felt a light tingling crawl up my back and I noticed a pair of military issue boots appear in my immediate vision. Before looking up I heard some light mutterings between Alice and an unfamiliar voice, followed by a light cough in front of me.
"Miss Swan, I'm Cullen and we're here to collect you." This voice I knew, I'd only left it earlier this afternoon in the parking garage. I guess fate was playing a pretty twisted game with me today.
I looked up to see a concerned pair of brilliant green eyes staring back at me, I could see the hint of shock cross his face before he disguised it with a professional mask. I guess I did look like shit after all. I took a second to glance behind him, the huge bear like guy was stood there eyeing me with equal concern, Alice was engaged with a pretty intense conversation with the skinny blonde guy from earlier, and she seemed to know him.
I groaned and dropped my head in my hands, Alice looked over from her conversation and ran to my side, "You ok?" she asked worriedly.
"I think I'm gonna puke," I mumbled under my breath, my vision dotting, sounds buzzing around me.
She flitted from my side, quickly returning with a kidney dish and a bottle of water. "Ok Bella, just like before, deep slow breaths. In and out, In and out, there you go, is that any better?”
I nodded to her; I don't think I could say anything right now. The jarhead crouched in front of me, the look of concern etched across his face, god his beautiful, handsome face, I could just lick it, what the fuck?
"You ok there Miss Swan, we have to leave soon, so if there's anything you need to do, it's better you do so now." He stated kindly.
Just then Ben ran from Angela's room shouting, "Nurse, Doctor, anyone help, she's, she's, oh god, the alarms are ringing and I can't lose her, do something, please." I looked up to see his stricken face, pale and distraught. Alice ran to the room, I followed as fast as my sprained ankle would allow, to see her hit the lever on Angela's bed to flatten it out before climbing onto the side and calling for a crash cart. I clung to Ben, as Alice pumped her chest. The Jarhead, Cullen jumped to her side and pumped an ambu bag between Alice's frantic movements. They continued CPR until the doctor and two more nurses arrived and wheeled in the crash cart.
"Charging”
"CLEAR!”
ZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP
Angela's body rose from the bed and dropped back down.
"Continue CPR." The Doctor called and Alice and Cullen resumed their procedure.
"Charging, CLEAR”
ZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP
Angela's body rose once more.
Beep, Beep, Beep
"Ok we've got her, good job there people.”
Alice climbed down from the bed ushering me from the room. Cullen followed her. Ben mouthed a thank you to them, before resuming his position at Angela's side. I quickly hugged him good bye, before joining the three soldiers waiting at the nurses' station. Alice said she would be here for the rest of the night and would let us know if there were any changes to Angela's condition. I thanked her for her kindness, before turning to Cullen, who was in quiet discussion with his men.
I coughed lightly from behind them. "I um guess I'm ready to go now." I said quietly.
He nodded, "We'll brief you in full once we're enroute, in the meantime, you'll be with me, Jasper will be taking point and Emmett will be following up the rear. We'll not let anything happen to you. There's some agents stationed in the hall for your friend, so she'll be fine. No matter what I need for you to listen to everything I say, and react accordingly without question, at this moment until we get you into the vehicle, I need you to stick to my side like you've been glued on, can you do that Miss Swan, or would you prefer to have a wheelchair?”
"I can walk Edward," I responded I'm not totally incapable.
He smirked, his cocky grin lighting his eyes, before nodding and gesturing for me to join him for 'a walk'. We left the ICU, Jasper taking up the forward position, ahead of us, Edward lead me, his arm wrapped firmly around my waist holding me tightly against him. I know he was just doing his job, but it felt so intimate being held so close like that. He smelt amazing, I couldn't get attached, he probably had a hot little wife somewhere, he's just doing his job, and once this is all over we'll go our separate ways, never to cross paths again.
We made it to the dark SUV in quick time; Jasper went ahead checking underneath and in any nooks and crannies while we remained just out of sight. Edward holding onto me tightly, Emmett a number of feet back appearing to be oblivious to everything around him, yet no doubt totally tuned in to it. Jasper signalled that all was clear and climbed into the front passenger seat; we followed Edward directing me to climb into the back, where he promptly followed in beside me. Emmett joined us on my other side. One quick glance around and Edward motioned for Jake to get us out of there.
June 14th 2010 – Ashton Heights – Arlington VA.
"Miss, miss, can you hear me?”
I could vaguely make out a bright light shifting from one eye to the next, my shoulder being forcefully shaken. I groaned at the sensation as my head moved. I could taste blood down the back of my throat, UGH!
"She's coming round, no visible signs of concussion or bodily trauma other than the broken nose.”
Everything was fuzzy; I could make out shapes, the ground felt hard beneath me, how long had I been out?
"Angela?" I whimpered
"Is that your friend miss? She's in bad shape, but we'll have her fixed up in no time. You're lucky, when the truck exploded outside your condo, it's a miracle the whole place didn't go with it." The voice continued.
"huh?”
"We're going to move you to Virginia Hospital Center, you're friend will be there too, stay calm miss and this will take no time, you're going to be fine." He said.
"Hey Tyler can you bring the gurney in once you see the other lady out with Eric.”
"Sure thing Mike." The other EMT shrugged.
"Now then miss, I really can't keep calling you that, you have a name?" he smiled at me.
"Bel, Bella" I mumbled, it really did hurt to move my head even the tiniest amount.
"Ok Bella, I'm Mike, you have a broken nose, my initial observations don't point to any other injuries, can you tell me if anything else hurts?"
"I have a sprained ankle from this afternoon, but other than a woozy head nothing hurts." I replied
"Good good, as a precaution I'm going to put a brace on your neck, they'll likely remove it in the ER, is there anything you need to take with you when we leave?" he continued.
"Um, just my bag, it's the brown messenger bag by the door.”
"Ok Bella, no problem, we'll get you situated on the gurney and get you out of here. The police are going to want to talk to you at some point." He stated.
I groaned, a little out of pain and a little at the thought I was going to need to call this in to the office.
A short drive later we arrived at the ER. The only saving grace was that by coming in an ambulance we avoided the waiting room and went straight to triage. A petit dark haired nurse in pink scrubs helped Mike and Tyler move me from the gurney to a bed. They bid me goodbye, depositing my bag at the bottom of the bed, while the nurse collected a trolley of supplies and returned to the side of the bed. She was a pretty little thing, like a little anime character, short dark hair, big blue eyes and an unnerving amount of energy. She seemed to dance around me.
"Hi! I'm Alice and I'll be your nurse today." She smiled at me, bouncing on the balls of her feet and flicking her pen light over my eyes.
"Bella" I responded gingerly.
"Well no concussion Bella, pupil dilation is tip top, but we need to get your nosed fixed. I'm going to take some blood first, and then I'll get the Doctor to come sort that for you." She trilled in her bird like voice.
I groaned as the throbbing raged from my nose.
"Do you have any allergies Bella?" the little nurse asked, "You look like you could do with some pain meds.”
"Nope, no allergies." I responded.
"What about medications, are you taking anything, are you pregnant?"
"No...nope." I blushed.
"Good good, I'll be right back." She replied, before turning on her heals and darting from the curtained cubicle.
Moments later she returned with a syringe, which she emptied into my arm, before logging onto my chart. The throbbing in my head began to slowly diminish and I began to feel somewhat more lucid.
"Ok Bella, I'm just going to pack this blood off to the lab and the doctor will be along shortly." She stated.
I nodded, closing my eyes briefly.
I was jogged from my thoughts by a light cough, I opened my eyes to be met by a stunningly handsome middle aged Doctor, blonde hair, kind looking blue eyes; he had an air of calm about him. He looked vaguely familiar, the cut of his jaw, his physical stance, I'd seen it somewhere before. I shrugged at my inner musing; I'd never met this Doctor before, despite spending an inordinate amount of time visiting this particular ER over the past 5 years.
"Ah you're awake, I didn't want to disturb you, you looked so peaceful. I'm Dr Carlisle Cullen." He smiled offering me his hand in greeting.
I took it with a smile of my own, but grimaced at the pain from my nose. Dr Cullen smiled kindly at me, checking my chart and taking his own observations.
"So, Miss Swan, you've been in the wars a bit this evening, but your stats are good, your blood is fine and apart from a broken nose and a brief loss of consciousness, you're fighting fit." He stated.
"Bella, please, I'm sure there's no need for pleasantries when we both know you're going to be realigning my nose anytime soon." I replied with a slight smile.
"Quite." He smirked. "Shall we get this over and done with now, so you can go see your friend?" he replied.
I nodded in agreement. He carefully placed his hands either side of my nose, a determined look on his face and a quick nudge and a crunch or two later he stepped back. "There, not even a need for surgery." He smiled. "I'll draw up a prescription for pain meds and get Alice to arrange for you to visit with your friend in a short while. Please if there's anything else, don't hesitate to ask.”
"Thank you," I said, "I really just want to see Angela, and then forget about tonight.”
With that he bid me goodnight before turning on his heel and leaving the cubicle, Alice appeared as he left, whispering in his ear and gesturing to a tall figure in the waiting room. I could just make out a head of bronze hair, before the curtain fell back and blocked my view. Alice stood at the end of my bed smiling, her buoyant enthusiasm and seemingly endless energy mildly addictive in my current state.
"Hi Bella, how are you feeling?" she grinned.
"Good thanks, the Doctor fixed my nose and said you could help me go see my friend." I responded with a smile.
"Sure thing, I think you might want to change first though, so I've borrowed some spare scrubs from the closet for you, I'm afraid it's either that or have your butt hanging out of a gown." She stated joyfully.
I blushed at her kindness, "Oh um thanks, and you really didn't have to."
"Of course not silly, I'm sure you'd rather be clean than wander around all bloodied and looking like you're dressed for Halloween." She trilled happily. "I'll leave you to get changed, and then we'll go see your friend in ICU, just click the call buzzer when you're ready and I'll be right back." She left the cubicle swiftly, dancing like a little fairy down the hall towards the waiting area. I shook my head to clear the fuzziness in my brain, chuckling lightly to myself.
An hour later I entered the ICU, Angela was in a much worse state than me, she'd been brutally beaten; she had a punctured lung from a broken rib that she had endured, 3 broken fingers, and a severe concussion and was in a medically induced coma. Ben had arrived shortly before me and was camped beside her bedside, looking pale and distraught. He had risen to greet me when I hobbled in, and we both collapsed into each other, sobbing at what had happened.
"I'm afraid I might lose her Bells, what will I do if she doesn't wake up?" he cried.
"Don't think it Ben, don't even dare to think it, Angela is so strong, much stronger than me, we have to believe that she'll wake up, we can't think any other way, you hear me!" I replied through my sobs.
He sat back and looked at me, his handsome face marred by tears and concern. "You look like shit Bells.”
"Thanks, you don't look so hot yourself." I chuckled mirthlessly.
We stayed huddled together for a long hour, clinging to each other in order to stop the inevitable fall out, until Alice re-appeared at the door.
"Sorry to interrupt you guys, Bella, there are some officers who want to talk with you; I can send them away if you like." She gestured to the two tall police officers standing beside the nurses' station.
"It's ok Alice, I have to talk to them some time and I have to make a call to my office too. Is there a phone I can use nearby?"
"Sure, you can use the one at the nurses' station, would you like me to get the officers to wait for you somewhere more um private?”
"Thanks," I said before hugging Ben tightly and standing to leave the room, "I'll be back as soon as I can ok.”
He nodded to me with a slight smile before turning back to Angela. Alice darted ahead of me and spoke to the two officers, directing them to what I presume is a family room or some such, while I went to the nurses' station to call Al.
"Hi, this is Bella Swan, can you patch me through to Al Berty's office please." I spoke clearly.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but Mr Berty's office is currently inactive, all of his calls are being forwarded through the DO's office. May I ask the nature of your call so that I can advise you accordingly?" the abrupt operator stated.
"I work with Mr Berty Miss and I was not aware that he would be out of office for at least another four days. If you could kindly patch me through." I responded firmly.
"I'm sorry ma'am, as I said Mr Berty's office is currently inactive, I'll patch you through to the DO." She responded officiously.
"Hello, Director of Operations office, this is Lauren speaking how may I help you?”
Ugh just my luck, that bloody woman was the bain of my life, if not for the incessant gossip, it was the malicious sneers in the staff lunch hall, she had the mind of a teenager and the attitude of harpy.
"Hi Lauren, this is Bella Swan from Intelligence, I've been trying to call Mr Berty, but have been put through to the DO's office instead. What's going on?" I tried to remain polite, when really I was more frustrated than anything.
"Bella, I'll put you right through, there's been out and out panic here this evening." She responded swiftly.
Hmmm something's wrong. I didn't have time to ponder anything, before I heard the calming twang of Phil Dwyer, Director of Operations on the line.
"Bella, glad to hear you're ok, it's been one hell of a night," he said.
"Yes sir, but what's going on? I've had my car blown up, my roommate almost beaten to death, my nose broken and now I can't get in touch with Mr Berty." I ground out breathlessly.
"Where are you?" He asked, "Virginia Hospital Center, I have two police officers waiting for me in the family room, I presume to ask questions." I responded
"Ok, I'm going to make a call to get rid of them. I want you to stay there until you're collected..." he started
"What the hell is going on?" I yelled down the receiver.
"Bella," his calm voice continued over the phone, "Al Berty was found dead in his apartment this evening, there are no confirmed leads but we have a hunch that this has something to do with the data stream you followed regarding the Volturi.”
I could feel my throat tightening, I gripped the counter for support, my legs felt like lead weights, "Oh god" I stuttered.
"Bella?" He called over the phone, "Yes?" I replied shakily, my breathing laboured, a bead of sweat meandering down my forehead.
"We have a team on site to collect you, we'll have guards posted to your friends room, stay where you are, they'll come to you, your contact is Cullen, understand me, kick up a stink, make some noise if anyone else attempts to take you somewhere.”
"I understand sir, are they bringing me in?" I stammered. I knew it from the moment Al had run to me at lunch, that today was going to be bad, but how bad could this be?
"That's a negative Bella, I'll be in contact once you're on a secure line." He said before hanging up.
I lowered the receiver with shaky hands, expelling a loud breath, my body shaking with a mixture of fear and adrenalin. This couldn't be happening to me, I don't do front line anything, I'm one of the unknown shadows, there's nothing glamorous about intelligence work, hours upon hours spent hunched in my office, trawling over internet traffic, email communications, radio comm. Chatter, cell phone transcripts, in the grand scheme of things I'm a flea bite on a mangy dog.
Alice appeared at my side, looking concerned, "Hey Bella, you ok, you look like you're going to face plant at any given moment.”
I shook my head, tightening my hold on the counter as my legs gave way. "Wooah there," she called as she caught me around the waist and led me to a large chair against the opposite wall.
"Put your head between your legs and take deep breaths, just like that, in and out, you're doing fine Bella.”
My ears were buzzing, my vision was blurring in and out, so I concentrated on her calming voice as she talked me down. She was interrupted by the chime of the ICU door buzzer being wrung from outside, she reassured me that she'd be right back before standing and walking to the cctv monitor and pushing the door release. I felt a light tingling crawl up my back and I noticed a pair of military issue boots appear in my immediate vision. Before looking up I heard some light mutterings between Alice and an unfamiliar voice, followed by a light cough in front of me.
"Miss Swan, I'm Cullen and we're here to collect you." This voice I knew, I'd only left it earlier this afternoon in the parking garage. I guess fate was playing a pretty twisted game with me today.
I looked up to see a concerned pair of brilliant green eyes staring back at me, I could see the hint of shock cross his face before he disguised it with a professional mask. I guess I did look like shit after all. I took a second to glance behind him, the huge bear like guy was stood there eyeing me with equal concern, Alice was engaged with a pretty intense conversation with the skinny blonde guy from earlier, and she seemed to know him.
I groaned and dropped my head in my hands, Alice looked over from her conversation and ran to my side, "You ok?" she asked worriedly.
"I think I'm gonna puke," I mumbled under my breath, my vision dotting, sounds buzzing around me.
She flitted from my side, quickly returning with a kidney dish and a bottle of water. "Ok Bella, just like before, deep slow breaths. In and out, In and out, there you go, is that any better?”
I nodded to her; I don't think I could say anything right now. The jarhead crouched in front of me, the look of concern etched across his face, god his beautiful, handsome face, I could just lick it, what the fuck?
"You ok there Miss Swan, we have to leave soon, so if there's anything you need to do, it's better you do so now." He stated kindly.
Just then Ben ran from Angela's room shouting, "Nurse, Doctor, anyone help, she's, she's, oh god, the alarms are ringing and I can't lose her, do something, please." I looked up to see his stricken face, pale and distraught. Alice ran to the room, I followed as fast as my sprained ankle would allow, to see her hit the lever on Angela's bed to flatten it out before climbing onto the side and calling for a crash cart. I clung to Ben, as Alice pumped her chest. The Jarhead, Cullen jumped to her side and pumped an ambu bag between Alice's frantic movements. They continued CPR until the doctor and two more nurses arrived and wheeled in the crash cart.
"Charging”
"CLEAR!”
ZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP
Angela's body rose from the bed and dropped back down.
"Continue CPR." The Doctor called and Alice and Cullen resumed their procedure.
"Charging, CLEAR”
ZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP
Angela's body rose once more.
Beep, Beep, Beep
"Ok we've got her, good job there people.”
Alice climbed down from the bed ushering me from the room. Cullen followed her. Ben mouthed a thank you to them, before resuming his position at Angela's side. I quickly hugged him good bye, before joining the three soldiers waiting at the nurses' station. Alice said she would be here for the rest of the night and would let us know if there were any changes to Angela's condition. I thanked her for her kindness, before turning to Cullen, who was in quiet discussion with his men.
I coughed lightly from behind them. "I um guess I'm ready to go now." I said quietly.
He nodded, "We'll brief you in full once we're enroute, in the meantime, you'll be with me, Jasper will be taking point and Emmett will be following up the rear. We'll not let anything happen to you. There's some agents stationed in the hall for your friend, so she'll be fine. No matter what I need for you to listen to everything I say, and react accordingly without question, at this moment until we get you into the vehicle, I need you to stick to my side like you've been glued on, can you do that Miss Swan, or would you prefer to have a wheelchair?”
"I can walk Edward," I responded I'm not totally incapable.
He smirked, his cocky grin lighting his eyes, before nodding and gesturing for me to join him for 'a walk'. We left the ICU, Jasper taking up the forward position, ahead of us, Edward lead me, his arm wrapped firmly around my waist holding me tightly against him. I know he was just doing his job, but it felt so intimate being held so close like that. He smelt amazing, I couldn't get attached, he probably had a hot little wife somewhere, he's just doing his job, and once this is all over we'll go our separate ways, never to cross paths again.
We made it to the dark SUV in quick time; Jasper went ahead checking underneath and in any nooks and crannies while we remained just out of sight. Edward holding onto me tightly, Emmett a number of feet back appearing to be oblivious to everything around him, yet no doubt totally tuned in to it. Jasper signalled that all was clear and climbed into the front passenger seat; we followed Edward directing me to climb into the back, where he promptly followed in beside me. Emmett joined us on my other side. One quick glance around and Edward motioned for Jake to get us out of there.
Chapter 2 - June 14th 2010 – CIA Headquarters - Mclean VA.
Chapter 2.
June 14th 2010 – CIA Headquarters - Mclean VA.
"Bella!”
I heard the familiar sound of Al Berty calling across the quad, he was running anxiously towards me, his face was red from the exertion and he was jostling a thin file in one hand while trying to push his way towards me.
"Hey Al, what's up?" I looked up at him concerned.
"Bella, I'm so glad I caught you," he eyed me knowingly, I went to respond but he raised his hand to stop me, "That data stream you've been following this morning, there's been a development, you're onto something, something big!" He continued breathlessly.
I hadn't even realised I was holding my breath until it whooshed out of me with such a force that I dropped my sandwich, I really wasn't hungry anymore. I looked at Al, questioning what could be so big that he would actually run to find me. There was really only one thing, Major Terrorist Action.
"It's really that big isn't it Al?" I stated, my voice shaking.
He nodded in response and gestured for me to follow him to the ready room; it's going to be one hell of a long night.
In the 5 years since I'd graduated MIT and joined the Counter Terrorism Analysis unit within the CIA, I'd done pretty well for myself; I'd proven to have a knack for routing out trouble in the most extraordinary places, from white supremacy groups stock piling weapons, to religious fanatics making fertiliser bombs in their basements. I'd cross paths with many of them over the web, but this latest data was my big one, I had used my technological skills to infiltrate a cell, with connections to the Volturi, a violent group, known for having their fingers in all kinds of rotten pies. Terrorist activity it seems is their brand new flavour.
Thirty minutes later we were convened in the ready room with the director of operations, the head of counter terrorism analysis, and various military and other unnamed agencies. I joined Al at the front with the hastily prepared power point presentation and a docket of bulleted information sheets. And so it began.
"Good evening gentlemen, my name is Alfred Berty, Senior intelligence Analyst, Counter Terrorism branch CIA, this is my colleague Bella Swan, the analyst who uncovered this information.”
I'm glad Al was taking lead on this, I really didn't like standing up and putting it on the line, especially with the information that I was dredging up. I know I'm good, but I'm a background girl, I blend in, hide out and log it all down, I don't sit at the front, I'm an information gatherer. Nerves were getting the better of me, I messed my lip with my teeth, while wringing my hands, if I could be wrong just once, let it be this time.
"We've or should I say Ms Swan has uncovered a plot by a Cell operating on the behalf of the Volturi, she's been tracking a shipment of weapons grade plutonium, which up until this time was scheduled to arrive at San Francisco at 0800 this morning. The ship, Embassy Star arrived, however the shipment did not, and our sources within the Coast guard have reported radar traffic within the vicinity of the ship at the 15 mile marker, which leads us to believe the shipment, was removed prior to docking.”
I sat straight backed beside the laptop in the darkened room, trying to not look intimidated by the amount of testosterone surrounding me. I pondered just what they would do with the information I'd pulled, I worried that I'd read it wrong. No! I know my stuff, I'm not wrong on this!
I was knocked from my musing by a cough from the far side, I couldn't make out who was talking, but I instantly had my hackles up.
"So Ms Swan, what leads you to think that your information is important enough to drag me away from an afternoon off with my family?”
Can this guy be any more of an ass? I mean seriously, I didn't call anyone here, I just did my job, passed it on, and got dragged here when I really wanted to be eating my lunch with my friends.
"With respect sir..." I began
"Master Chief, I work for a living Ms Swan" he interrupted. Ass!
"Well Master Chief, with respect, which I'm sure I have enough to pick up the slack for where you lack, I'm the best at what I do, I gather the Intel, I interpret and then I pass it up the line, I'm only here, because I was ordered to be here, but by all means, do carry on, and when one of those scum bags blows up someone you love, just remember that I could be that person who could've told you how to stop them."
I'd barely stopped talking before my pager started beeping, the shrill tones filling the air as it vibrated on the table in front of me. Of course I blushed in embarrassment before plucking it off the table and eyeing the small LED screen. "shit" I mumbled under my breath, the three numbers I hated to see, 911 appeared before me, damn I only get those when I've picked up something big. Al was still briefing the assembled men in the room, so I jotted the numbers down in front of him, his eye's widened in concern , I shrugged, my lip firmly planted between my teeth as I eyed the room, before glancing back at Al, he nodded minutely, his agreement that I should leave.
With that I picked up my bag, offered an apologetic nod to Al and left the room. I know it's not professional, but I was not going to stand there and take that shit, and I needed to check out the data that caused my pager to buzz my emergency number, I was annoyed, god was I annoyed, no I was pissed, seriously pissed, just where did that guy get off. I stormed to the restroom and slid into the first available cubicle, slamming the door behind me and kicking the sanitary bin.
"Arrrgh! Son of a bitch!”
I sat down in a bid to reign in my anger, clenching and unclenching my fists. I can't believe he got to me, I can't believe I let some jarhead do that to me. I eventually calmed down enough to leave the cubicle, walking to the counter I quickly splashed my face with water and attempted to tame the raged reddened face staring
back at me in the vanity, before heading up to the sanctuary of my office.
That room was my second home, although with the number of hours I've been putting in lately, I'm considering moving in permanently. It was spacious, although the view of air conditioning ducts left much to be desired, and comfortably furnished in deep brown leather and cream carpeting. I'd styled it myself, when I was promoted after I'd cracked the Seattle Vampire Army a seriously weird group of occultists, who rampaged Seattle last summer, robbing blood banks and draining hobo's of all of their bodily fluids, to create a bio weapon. My breakthrough had come by pure fluke, when I was actually on vacation walking home, past the community blood bank near my hotel, I'd snapped a couple of handy shots of a random van that had torn into the parking lot like it's wheels were on fire, before a group of hooded guys jumped out the back and ran in. I called it in, and the Intel gained from them, along with the vehicle records for the van, led back to a small cell of 3, 2 men and 1 woman, we managed to get a French guy called Laurent, but the other 2 got away.
I settled into my desk chair, kicking off my shoes and taking deep breaths. Thankfully, Angela my closest and probably only friend other than Al had left me a fresh sandwich, seeing as I lost mine when I was unfortunately interrupted earlier. I quickly logged into my computer and waited for the alert to load up on the screen, I sat dumbfounded as two familiar faces appeared in front of me. Why the hell hadn't they been picked up before? There on the screen in front of me were immigration alerts for Demetri Volacof and Felix Breshnev. Shit!
They apparently entered the country on separate commercial flights from Florence Italy, what I couldn't understand is why the hell they'd let them in, why do we even bother with watch lists if they're not even going to act on them until after the fact, seriously! I sat fuming at my desk, according to the data Demetri had been ticketed for Seattle while Felix was on a flight to Dulles. Shit that's a bit close to home.
I slumped back in my chair, why would two of the Volturi's most ruthless killers be here in the US? Why Seattle, Why Washington? What is the connection to the Embassy star? Was there a connection to the Embassy Star or am I winding myself up? I sat with my eyes closed, tapping my pencil against my temple, there's got to be a connection to this, not a coincidence, not a coincidence, no such thing. This was getting me no where, I scrubbed my tired eyes, I really need to get some sleep, but I can't leave this, this is important, if I could only connect the dots. I pulled up the files on Demetri and Felix and settled in to read.
Demetri Volacof
29 yrs born Kiev, Russia
Former Russian Military. Dishonorably discharged for theft of explosive material November 2001.
Skills: Demolition expert, particularly explosive armaments, Chemical and Biological warfare, Guerrilla warfare, medal holding sharp shooter.
Recruited by the Volturi prior to leaving the military, considered very dangerous, noted as primary bomb maker in recent time.
Well shit, that doesn't look good.
Felix Breshnev
27yrs born Moscow, Russia
Former KGB hit man.
VERY DANGEROUS.
Alias: Alexis Dostoyev
Highly proficient in Hand to hand, Stealth, breaking and entering.
Sadistic, likes to torture his mark. Ladies man, predatory in nature.
Joined Volturi along side Demetri Volacof, very close to leadership and highly trusted/feared in the ranks.
Considered the house cleaner, deals with problems with marked efficiency. Noted to be very hot tempered, do not underestimate.
Jesus Christ! Why are they here? I fired off an email to Al, even if I can't figure it out tonight, he'd have as many facts as me and they do say two heads are better than one. I just wish I could figure out what the connection was. I felt drained and all I wanted to do was go home, turn on my stereo and take a long soak in my bath. I decided that's exactly what I was going to do.
Twenty minutes later full from eating my much needed sandwich, I stepped out into the parking garage and headed for my truck. My trusty old pickup, looked like it had had better days, but I would drive it over a new car any day. As I approached I noticed that I was blocked in by a huge black SUV, could my day get any worse? Seriously, this is a designated space parking garage, could they not park somewhere else?!
As I prepared to leave a shitty note on the asshole's windshield, the elevator dinged from behind me and the raucous sounds of laughter and male voices assaulted my ears. I fingered the can of mace that dangled on my keys, while I fumbled with the lock to my truck.
"Dude, I liked her, she was feisty!" said one booming voice
"And hot!" said another
"And that blush when you interrupted her, man I'd love to see what else would make her blush..." followed another.
The footsteps grew closer and the damn lock chose just this moment to stick on me. Why did I get up today?!
"You ok there Miss?" a familiar voice called behind me, as I struggled with the damn door.
I tensed at the sound of it; I don't believe it, Asshole from the meeting, just my damn luck.
I didn't turn, but mumbled in response, "Fine thanks."
I gave it one hard tug, which caught me off guard and sent me flying backwards. A strong pair of arms wrapped around my own to steady me. My bag scattered across the ground, one of my shoes flew under a nearby car and my right ankle buckled painfully under me. "Oww shit, goddammit." I yelled before wincing at the pain in my ankle.
Just kill me now. Tie me up, throw me in the river, I don't care; just put me out of my misery.
"Thank you." I muttered as he released the hold on my arms and stepped back. I still hadn't looked him in the eye and I had no desire to either. I just wanted to get out of there. I stepped forward tentatively on my right foot, almost immediately I stumbled, the pain sending a shock wave up my leg. I bit into my lip as I grabbed the door of my truck to steady myself.
I felt a presence behind me...a fluttering in my stomach, tingles raced up my spine, I held my breath.
"Are you sure you're ok there Miss, you look like you've hurt..." the familiar voice said, almost choking as I turned to face him.
I was met by the most stunning green eyes I had ever seen, I was certain that even my blush was blushing. They confounded me. I shook my head to clear my brain from the dazzling effect they had on me.
"You!" he said
"Hey hey it's little Miss Feisty!" said the booming voice that belonged to the biggest man I had ever seen.
"You dropped your things when you fell." Said green eyes; as he handed me my bag and missing shoe.
I took them from him, nodding my head; my voice had chosen this time to desert me. I can't believe my luck; I really should've called in sick today.
"Miss at least let me look at your foot, you look like you hurt it pretty bad there, I'm a medic, and I wouldn't feel right to leave you without making sure you were fit to leave." He looked at me, imploring with an impish little smirk on his handsome, cocky face.
"I'm fine; I'll just pop into the ER on the way home." I said through gritted teeth.
"And wait for 2 hours for what I can do in 5 minutes." He responded.
I sighed, I really didn't want to spend the rest of the evening in a hospital waiting room, nor did I really want some Jar Head man handling me either.
"Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot, I'm Edward." He stated offering me his hand and that impish grin again, before continuing, "The Bear is Emmett, gangly dude is Jake and blondie is Jasper.”
They each nodded at me in turn.
"Bella," I offered taking his hand and nodding at the others, who were watching with rapt fascination.
"Well Bella, may I apologise for how I treated you before, I was having a bad day I guess. I really didn't mean to bust your balls so to speak." He responded the hint of that smirk curling up one side of his lips.
"Um fine." I muttered. I really didn't want to hang around anymore.
"So, let's check out your foot eh, Emmett, get my bag from the truck." He called.
Great, so not only did he call me out in front of everyone, but he'd blocked me in my parking space and embarrassed me into a klutzy meltdown. I mean seriously what else can this guy do to me? I just want to curl up into a ball and forget it all happened. I threw my bag into the cab of my truck and sat sideways in the seat as Edward gently manipulated my ankle, I grimaced as he added a little pressure to the ball of my foot. Show no pain, suck it up and you can get home and break later.
"The good news is I don't think it's broken, but you do have the makings for a nasty sprain," he stated.
I sighed and nodded at him, a little lost for words, he really wasn't as much of a jerk as I thought he was, either that or he has a guilty conscience, yep that must be it. Jar Head with an angel on his shoulder, perfect. He gently dressed my ankle before looking back up to me, why did he have to be such an asshole, a conceited, beautiful, handsome, rugged, gorgeous, bronze, sex haired asshole. I shrugged myself out of my musings; he smirked at me before standing.
"You should take some Tylenol and rest and ice, try to stay off it as much as possible, oh and you really shouldn't drive either." His eyes pierced into my own.
"I'll be fine, thank you; I've had worse and this truck practically drives itself anyhow." I replied closing the door. I've got to get out of here.
He nodded and joined his friends at the SUV, the big one, Emmett, clapped him on the back before they climbed in and peeled out of the parking lot. I turned the key and my truck roared to life, sitting back against the worn leather seat, I breathed out, taking stock of my disastrous day.
A little over 30 minutes later I arrived home, my small condo in Ashton heights was simple but perfect for me, a short drive from Arlington cemetery and Fort Meyer and far enough out of DC for me to feel less like a rat in a tunnel. I put my truck in park and noted that Angela was already home, her Lexus was parked in her usual spot and she'd put the porch light on. I grabbed my bag and hobbled in depositing my keys on the sideboard by the door and my bag to the rack that stood next to it. I could hear the TV in the lounge area and the light was on in the kitchen.
"Ang! I'm home, how about we call for pizza, I really can't be bothered with cooking tonight," I called out while making my way to the lounge area. She didn't respond, that's odd, I know she's home.
"Ang? Did you hear me?" I called, I heard a faint murmur to my left, and I reached for the light switch as I reached the door to the lounge, "Ang why are you sitting in the dark?”
I froze as I met an unfamiliar face, "who are you and how did you get in here?”
He was tall, at least 6 ft, had long blonde hair drawn back into a ponytail, piercing blue eyes, his face scrunched into a snarl, he looked almost feral. Dressed in stone washed blue jeans and a tight fitting black t-shirt, he was built, I mean this guy was seriously built.
"I'd like it if you left please," I stumbled nervously, pointing to the door.
He laughed, a low, menacing laugh, almost like a growl. Are you kidding me, who growls?
"Tut tut Bella is that any way to welcome a guest into your home?" he sneered at me.
I recoiled at his close proximity to me. "What have you done to Angela, why are you here?" I snapped. When did I grow a pair?
"Ah yes, your little friend, she's been most... helpful," he said stroking my cheek.
"DON'T. TOUCH. ME" I glared at him.
He laughed again, before barking out an order to someone I hadn't noticed before to bring Angela out. An equally built red headed woman dragged Angela out from the hallway leading to the bedrooms. They had really done her over, her face was heavily bruised and her eyes so swollen that she could barely open them. She looked terrible, her body crumpled under her own weight and the woman unceremoniously dropped her where she stood. A sadistic grin spread across her face, a malicious glint in her eye as she trained her sights on me. I fisted my hands at my side, the anger building.
"What did you do to her you bitch?" I shouted.
She threw her head back, a loud barking laugh flew from her mouth, before she looked back at me and strode across the room and firmly punched me in the face. I never had time to react before I hit the floor.
The man bent down to me, grabbing my hair so that his face was inches from my own.
"Just a little warning Bella. If you know what's good for you or what's good for your friends." he stated firmly,
"You'll stop looking.”
Blood was flowing freely from my nose, I'm sure it was broken, the smell of rust was getting all too strong and I could feel the beginnings of nausea and a blackout gaining on me. Bright white dots were bursting like stars in front of my eyes. Don't faint; don't faint, not now, not now.
The last thing I registered before I succumbed to numbness was the silhouettes of our attackers leaving, the click of the lock on the front door opening, then nothing.
June 14th 2010 – CIA Headquarters - Mclean VA.
"Bella!”
I heard the familiar sound of Al Berty calling across the quad, he was running anxiously towards me, his face was red from the exertion and he was jostling a thin file in one hand while trying to push his way towards me.
"Hey Al, what's up?" I looked up at him concerned.
"Bella, I'm so glad I caught you," he eyed me knowingly, I went to respond but he raised his hand to stop me, "That data stream you've been following this morning, there's been a development, you're onto something, something big!" He continued breathlessly.
I hadn't even realised I was holding my breath until it whooshed out of me with such a force that I dropped my sandwich, I really wasn't hungry anymore. I looked at Al, questioning what could be so big that he would actually run to find me. There was really only one thing, Major Terrorist Action.
"It's really that big isn't it Al?" I stated, my voice shaking.
He nodded in response and gestured for me to follow him to the ready room; it's going to be one hell of a long night.
In the 5 years since I'd graduated MIT and joined the Counter Terrorism Analysis unit within the CIA, I'd done pretty well for myself; I'd proven to have a knack for routing out trouble in the most extraordinary places, from white supremacy groups stock piling weapons, to religious fanatics making fertiliser bombs in their basements. I'd cross paths with many of them over the web, but this latest data was my big one, I had used my technological skills to infiltrate a cell, with connections to the Volturi, a violent group, known for having their fingers in all kinds of rotten pies. Terrorist activity it seems is their brand new flavour.
Thirty minutes later we were convened in the ready room with the director of operations, the head of counter terrorism analysis, and various military and other unnamed agencies. I joined Al at the front with the hastily prepared power point presentation and a docket of bulleted information sheets. And so it began.
"Good evening gentlemen, my name is Alfred Berty, Senior intelligence Analyst, Counter Terrorism branch CIA, this is my colleague Bella Swan, the analyst who uncovered this information.”
I'm glad Al was taking lead on this, I really didn't like standing up and putting it on the line, especially with the information that I was dredging up. I know I'm good, but I'm a background girl, I blend in, hide out and log it all down, I don't sit at the front, I'm an information gatherer. Nerves were getting the better of me, I messed my lip with my teeth, while wringing my hands, if I could be wrong just once, let it be this time.
"We've or should I say Ms Swan has uncovered a plot by a Cell operating on the behalf of the Volturi, she's been tracking a shipment of weapons grade plutonium, which up until this time was scheduled to arrive at San Francisco at 0800 this morning. The ship, Embassy Star arrived, however the shipment did not, and our sources within the Coast guard have reported radar traffic within the vicinity of the ship at the 15 mile marker, which leads us to believe the shipment, was removed prior to docking.”
I sat straight backed beside the laptop in the darkened room, trying to not look intimidated by the amount of testosterone surrounding me. I pondered just what they would do with the information I'd pulled, I worried that I'd read it wrong. No! I know my stuff, I'm not wrong on this!
I was knocked from my musing by a cough from the far side, I couldn't make out who was talking, but I instantly had my hackles up.
"So Ms Swan, what leads you to think that your information is important enough to drag me away from an afternoon off with my family?”
Can this guy be any more of an ass? I mean seriously, I didn't call anyone here, I just did my job, passed it on, and got dragged here when I really wanted to be eating my lunch with my friends.
"With respect sir..." I began
"Master Chief, I work for a living Ms Swan" he interrupted. Ass!
"Well Master Chief, with respect, which I'm sure I have enough to pick up the slack for where you lack, I'm the best at what I do, I gather the Intel, I interpret and then I pass it up the line, I'm only here, because I was ordered to be here, but by all means, do carry on, and when one of those scum bags blows up someone you love, just remember that I could be that person who could've told you how to stop them."
I'd barely stopped talking before my pager started beeping, the shrill tones filling the air as it vibrated on the table in front of me. Of course I blushed in embarrassment before plucking it off the table and eyeing the small LED screen. "shit" I mumbled under my breath, the three numbers I hated to see, 911 appeared before me, damn I only get those when I've picked up something big. Al was still briefing the assembled men in the room, so I jotted the numbers down in front of him, his eye's widened in concern , I shrugged, my lip firmly planted between my teeth as I eyed the room, before glancing back at Al, he nodded minutely, his agreement that I should leave.
With that I picked up my bag, offered an apologetic nod to Al and left the room. I know it's not professional, but I was not going to stand there and take that shit, and I needed to check out the data that caused my pager to buzz my emergency number, I was annoyed, god was I annoyed, no I was pissed, seriously pissed, just where did that guy get off. I stormed to the restroom and slid into the first available cubicle, slamming the door behind me and kicking the sanitary bin.
"Arrrgh! Son of a bitch!”
I sat down in a bid to reign in my anger, clenching and unclenching my fists. I can't believe he got to me, I can't believe I let some jarhead do that to me. I eventually calmed down enough to leave the cubicle, walking to the counter I quickly splashed my face with water and attempted to tame the raged reddened face staring
back at me in the vanity, before heading up to the sanctuary of my office.
That room was my second home, although with the number of hours I've been putting in lately, I'm considering moving in permanently. It was spacious, although the view of air conditioning ducts left much to be desired, and comfortably furnished in deep brown leather and cream carpeting. I'd styled it myself, when I was promoted after I'd cracked the Seattle Vampire Army a seriously weird group of occultists, who rampaged Seattle last summer, robbing blood banks and draining hobo's of all of their bodily fluids, to create a bio weapon. My breakthrough had come by pure fluke, when I was actually on vacation walking home, past the community blood bank near my hotel, I'd snapped a couple of handy shots of a random van that had torn into the parking lot like it's wheels were on fire, before a group of hooded guys jumped out the back and ran in. I called it in, and the Intel gained from them, along with the vehicle records for the van, led back to a small cell of 3, 2 men and 1 woman, we managed to get a French guy called Laurent, but the other 2 got away.
I settled into my desk chair, kicking off my shoes and taking deep breaths. Thankfully, Angela my closest and probably only friend other than Al had left me a fresh sandwich, seeing as I lost mine when I was unfortunately interrupted earlier. I quickly logged into my computer and waited for the alert to load up on the screen, I sat dumbfounded as two familiar faces appeared in front of me. Why the hell hadn't they been picked up before? There on the screen in front of me were immigration alerts for Demetri Volacof and Felix Breshnev. Shit!
They apparently entered the country on separate commercial flights from Florence Italy, what I couldn't understand is why the hell they'd let them in, why do we even bother with watch lists if they're not even going to act on them until after the fact, seriously! I sat fuming at my desk, according to the data Demetri had been ticketed for Seattle while Felix was on a flight to Dulles. Shit that's a bit close to home.
I slumped back in my chair, why would two of the Volturi's most ruthless killers be here in the US? Why Seattle, Why Washington? What is the connection to the Embassy star? Was there a connection to the Embassy Star or am I winding myself up? I sat with my eyes closed, tapping my pencil against my temple, there's got to be a connection to this, not a coincidence, not a coincidence, no such thing. This was getting me no where, I scrubbed my tired eyes, I really need to get some sleep, but I can't leave this, this is important, if I could only connect the dots. I pulled up the files on Demetri and Felix and settled in to read.
Demetri Volacof
29 yrs born Kiev, Russia
Former Russian Military. Dishonorably discharged for theft of explosive material November 2001.
Skills: Demolition expert, particularly explosive armaments, Chemical and Biological warfare, Guerrilla warfare, medal holding sharp shooter.
Recruited by the Volturi prior to leaving the military, considered very dangerous, noted as primary bomb maker in recent time.
Well shit, that doesn't look good.
Felix Breshnev
27yrs born Moscow, Russia
Former KGB hit man.
VERY DANGEROUS.
Alias: Alexis Dostoyev
Highly proficient in Hand to hand, Stealth, breaking and entering.
Sadistic, likes to torture his mark. Ladies man, predatory in nature.
Joined Volturi along side Demetri Volacof, very close to leadership and highly trusted/feared in the ranks.
Considered the house cleaner, deals with problems with marked efficiency. Noted to be very hot tempered, do not underestimate.
Jesus Christ! Why are they here? I fired off an email to Al, even if I can't figure it out tonight, he'd have as many facts as me and they do say two heads are better than one. I just wish I could figure out what the connection was. I felt drained and all I wanted to do was go home, turn on my stereo and take a long soak in my bath. I decided that's exactly what I was going to do.
Twenty minutes later full from eating my much needed sandwich, I stepped out into the parking garage and headed for my truck. My trusty old pickup, looked like it had had better days, but I would drive it over a new car any day. As I approached I noticed that I was blocked in by a huge black SUV, could my day get any worse? Seriously, this is a designated space parking garage, could they not park somewhere else?!
As I prepared to leave a shitty note on the asshole's windshield, the elevator dinged from behind me and the raucous sounds of laughter and male voices assaulted my ears. I fingered the can of mace that dangled on my keys, while I fumbled with the lock to my truck.
"Dude, I liked her, she was feisty!" said one booming voice
"And hot!" said another
"And that blush when you interrupted her, man I'd love to see what else would make her blush..." followed another.
The footsteps grew closer and the damn lock chose just this moment to stick on me. Why did I get up today?!
"You ok there Miss?" a familiar voice called behind me, as I struggled with the damn door.
I tensed at the sound of it; I don't believe it, Asshole from the meeting, just my damn luck.
I didn't turn, but mumbled in response, "Fine thanks."
I gave it one hard tug, which caught me off guard and sent me flying backwards. A strong pair of arms wrapped around my own to steady me. My bag scattered across the ground, one of my shoes flew under a nearby car and my right ankle buckled painfully under me. "Oww shit, goddammit." I yelled before wincing at the pain in my ankle.
Just kill me now. Tie me up, throw me in the river, I don't care; just put me out of my misery.
"Thank you." I muttered as he released the hold on my arms and stepped back. I still hadn't looked him in the eye and I had no desire to either. I just wanted to get out of there. I stepped forward tentatively on my right foot, almost immediately I stumbled, the pain sending a shock wave up my leg. I bit into my lip as I grabbed the door of my truck to steady myself.
I felt a presence behind me...a fluttering in my stomach, tingles raced up my spine, I held my breath.
"Are you sure you're ok there Miss, you look like you've hurt..." the familiar voice said, almost choking as I turned to face him.
I was met by the most stunning green eyes I had ever seen, I was certain that even my blush was blushing. They confounded me. I shook my head to clear my brain from the dazzling effect they had on me.
"You!" he said
"Hey hey it's little Miss Feisty!" said the booming voice that belonged to the biggest man I had ever seen.
"You dropped your things when you fell." Said green eyes; as he handed me my bag and missing shoe.
I took them from him, nodding my head; my voice had chosen this time to desert me. I can't believe my luck; I really should've called in sick today.
"Miss at least let me look at your foot, you look like you hurt it pretty bad there, I'm a medic, and I wouldn't feel right to leave you without making sure you were fit to leave." He looked at me, imploring with an impish little smirk on his handsome, cocky face.
"I'm fine; I'll just pop into the ER on the way home." I said through gritted teeth.
"And wait for 2 hours for what I can do in 5 minutes." He responded.
I sighed, I really didn't want to spend the rest of the evening in a hospital waiting room, nor did I really want some Jar Head man handling me either.
"Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot, I'm Edward." He stated offering me his hand and that impish grin again, before continuing, "The Bear is Emmett, gangly dude is Jake and blondie is Jasper.”
They each nodded at me in turn.
"Bella," I offered taking his hand and nodding at the others, who were watching with rapt fascination.
"Well Bella, may I apologise for how I treated you before, I was having a bad day I guess. I really didn't mean to bust your balls so to speak." He responded the hint of that smirk curling up one side of his lips.
"Um fine." I muttered. I really didn't want to hang around anymore.
"So, let's check out your foot eh, Emmett, get my bag from the truck." He called.
Great, so not only did he call me out in front of everyone, but he'd blocked me in my parking space and embarrassed me into a klutzy meltdown. I mean seriously what else can this guy do to me? I just want to curl up into a ball and forget it all happened. I threw my bag into the cab of my truck and sat sideways in the seat as Edward gently manipulated my ankle, I grimaced as he added a little pressure to the ball of my foot. Show no pain, suck it up and you can get home and break later.
"The good news is I don't think it's broken, but you do have the makings for a nasty sprain," he stated.
I sighed and nodded at him, a little lost for words, he really wasn't as much of a jerk as I thought he was, either that or he has a guilty conscience, yep that must be it. Jar Head with an angel on his shoulder, perfect. He gently dressed my ankle before looking back up to me, why did he have to be such an asshole, a conceited, beautiful, handsome, rugged, gorgeous, bronze, sex haired asshole. I shrugged myself out of my musings; he smirked at me before standing.
"You should take some Tylenol and rest and ice, try to stay off it as much as possible, oh and you really shouldn't drive either." His eyes pierced into my own.
"I'll be fine, thank you; I've had worse and this truck practically drives itself anyhow." I replied closing the door. I've got to get out of here.
He nodded and joined his friends at the SUV, the big one, Emmett, clapped him on the back before they climbed in and peeled out of the parking lot. I turned the key and my truck roared to life, sitting back against the worn leather seat, I breathed out, taking stock of my disastrous day.
A little over 30 minutes later I arrived home, my small condo in Ashton heights was simple but perfect for me, a short drive from Arlington cemetery and Fort Meyer and far enough out of DC for me to feel less like a rat in a tunnel. I put my truck in park and noted that Angela was already home, her Lexus was parked in her usual spot and she'd put the porch light on. I grabbed my bag and hobbled in depositing my keys on the sideboard by the door and my bag to the rack that stood next to it. I could hear the TV in the lounge area and the light was on in the kitchen.
"Ang! I'm home, how about we call for pizza, I really can't be bothered with cooking tonight," I called out while making my way to the lounge area. She didn't respond, that's odd, I know she's home.
"Ang? Did you hear me?" I called, I heard a faint murmur to my left, and I reached for the light switch as I reached the door to the lounge, "Ang why are you sitting in the dark?”
I froze as I met an unfamiliar face, "who are you and how did you get in here?”
He was tall, at least 6 ft, had long blonde hair drawn back into a ponytail, piercing blue eyes, his face scrunched into a snarl, he looked almost feral. Dressed in stone washed blue jeans and a tight fitting black t-shirt, he was built, I mean this guy was seriously built.
"I'd like it if you left please," I stumbled nervously, pointing to the door.
He laughed, a low, menacing laugh, almost like a growl. Are you kidding me, who growls?
"Tut tut Bella is that any way to welcome a guest into your home?" he sneered at me.
I recoiled at his close proximity to me. "What have you done to Angela, why are you here?" I snapped. When did I grow a pair?
"Ah yes, your little friend, she's been most... helpful," he said stroking my cheek.
"DON'T. TOUCH. ME" I glared at him.
He laughed again, before barking out an order to someone I hadn't noticed before to bring Angela out. An equally built red headed woman dragged Angela out from the hallway leading to the bedrooms. They had really done her over, her face was heavily bruised and her eyes so swollen that she could barely open them. She looked terrible, her body crumpled under her own weight and the woman unceremoniously dropped her where she stood. A sadistic grin spread across her face, a malicious glint in her eye as she trained her sights on me. I fisted my hands at my side, the anger building.
"What did you do to her you bitch?" I shouted.
She threw her head back, a loud barking laugh flew from her mouth, before she looked back at me and strode across the room and firmly punched me in the face. I never had time to react before I hit the floor.
The man bent down to me, grabbing my hair so that his face was inches from my own.
"Just a little warning Bella. If you know what's good for you or what's good for your friends." he stated firmly,
"You'll stop looking.”
Blood was flowing freely from my nose, I'm sure it was broken, the smell of rust was getting all too strong and I could feel the beginnings of nausea and a blackout gaining on me. Bright white dots were bursting like stars in front of my eyes. Don't faint; don't faint, not now, not now.
The last thing I registered before I succumbed to numbness was the silhouettes of our attackers leaving, the click of the lock on the front door opening, then nothing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)