BPOV.
Despite not getting any sleep last night, for the first time in days I didn't feel tired. We'd been ensconced in this bubble in the hospital for 6 days, and I really was eager to get out and taste the fresh air. Edward was sleeping lightly, his hand firmly in mine, we talked into the night once he'd woken and he finally drifted into a light sleep around 7am. Jazz and Alice would be here soon, hopefully then Dr Fairchild would discharge Edward so we could get out of here. I didn't begrudge my time sleeping on that tiny cot across from him, but my back was screaming for a more comfortable bed.
I contemplated my epiphany from yesterday, there had to be more to them taking me from the safe house, I'd been attacked the night before, they could've taken me then. It just didn't add up. Then there were the two weird guys, Gigantor and Waldo, sure they had given me a beating, but they seemed to want information. What did they want? What did they honestly think that I or Edward knew that could possibly help them? Sure I had access to some serious Intel, but there were still things that I didn't have clearance for. Likewise for Edward, I'm sure his team had information on a need to know basis, so did they know we know something about whatever it was they thought we knew, or were they misinformed and just harping up the wrong tree?
I was thinking in circles, and if I was being truthful with myself, it made my brain hurt. I could normally piece together Intel puzzles in no time, but this just baffled me. I loved a conundrum like anyone else, but this was driving me insane. I needed to just shut down, even for a short while. Get away from all this crap, do something normal, buy groceries, take a walk, anything, all I know is that if I had to stay here much longer without contact with the outside world, I was going to crack. It wouldn't be pretty.
I was jolted from my reverie by Edward gently tugging on my hand. I turned my face up to his; he was looking down at me a frown on his face. His eyebrows were knotted and he looked like he wanted to shake me.
"Bella, what's going on in your head? I can see it all over your face, you're expressions are going from happy to confused to annoyed so quickly that I'm getting whiplash."
I smiled back at him, "Sorry, I'm just trying to figure it all out, it's actually driving me a bit nuts." I replied.
"Then stop, not forever, just for now, we'll get out of here and think all this through when we've gained a bit of normalcy." He said with a smile.
"Yeah, I guess you're right, I think I'm suffering cabin fever, normalcy would be great." I huff, blowing a lose hair from my face. "I just think we're missing one final piece to the puzzle and I know it's in the Intel, but I just can't see it."
"Think about later, maybe a break is what you need, clear your mind. How are you at poker?" he said grabbing the cards from the rolling tray at the side of his bed.
"Oh you are so on." I said standing and climbing to sit Indian style opposite him on the bed.
Edward chuckled a huge grin spreading across his face. "Bit of a shark under that prim exterior little bird?"
"Maybe." I said coyly. "Are you going to shuffle or just talk up your game?"
"Oh little bird, you are so on." He replied with a smirk, his eyes glistened with mirth.
The morning stretched out, breakfast arrived and went, yuk! Oatmeal. The nurse popped in for obs twice and still we played on. We were well into our 4th or 5th hand, playing for jello cups when Alice and Jasper arrived. Seeing Alice's reunion with her older brother was incredible and I felt like I should leave and give them space, but Edward wouldn't let me leave. She practically flew to his side the moment she entered the room and saw that he was indeed awake. Jazz held back while his wife clung to Edward like a limpet, before heading to his side and giving him a manly one armed hug and a fist bump. Guys!
"So Bella's filled you in?" Jazz said stretching his legs out in front of him as he leaned back in the hard chair.
"Yep, only you would 'know someone' who could hide us out." Edward chuckled.
"Yeah well, sometimes you need to be able to blur the lines a bit and I didn't think bringing in another agency would make you guys safe, too many ears."
"So what's next?" Edward asked.
"Well Bella’s been watching data through a backdoor or whatever it is that she does, I didn't ask. She's sort of our eyes and ears on the inside."
"And... if she finds something?"
"We use the Intel she has and we plan, and in my opinion we hit hard, before they figure out you guys aren't dead."
"I guess that explains why little bird was all crazy eyed this morning then." Edward said grinning at me.
"Hey! I resent that remark, I was not crazy eyed, just baffled." I said muttering under my breath.
Jasper looked on at our verbal sparring a bemused look on his face. I knew when he'd figured out Edwards’ non too subtle hint at my alternative ID. His face suddenly beamed with recognition and he cocked an eyebrow at a smirking Edward.
"When you say 'little bird' are you saying that she's, you know...'L-I-T-T-L-E B-I-R-D'? As in that awful Stanley woman, get us out of shit little bird?" Jasper rambled excitedly.
Edward sat nodding. "Uhuh, that Little Bird."
"Damn, Emmett’s gonna shit." Jasper laughed.
"That's what Edward said when he worked it out." I said with a giggle. "Although for the life of me, I can't think why."
"Let’s just say, that your locating that Huey sort of fulfilled a dream of Ems. He's always wanted to pilot one, but never had the chance before then." Jasper replied.
"Glad to have been of service, although I wish you'd thrown that bloody woman out, listening to her crap over comms made me want to poke my own eyes out."
We all erupted into laughter; although I'm sure they weren't envisioning the screaming visage of Jessica Stanley as she tumbled from a chopper, like I was. We settled into easy conversation, talking about mundane things, like the house we were staying in, the lake, even the local area and importantly groceries. I'd had enough Jello cups to last me a life time. Dr Fairchild joined us towards the end of morning rounds; he was pleased to see Edward was awake and appeared to have healed well from his wounds. He happily signed discharge papers, stating that we could get out after lunch once all the paperwork was settled. I was tempted to kiss the man, but I held myself back. I would sleep in a real bed tonight and I couldn't wait.
Once we were given the all clear, Alice bounced from her seat beside the bed, grabbing my hand and tugging me from my place on the end of the bed.
"Woah what's the rush short stuff?" I yelled trying to get my balance.
"Edward needs clothes; he can't get out of here in a hospital gown. Come on I saw a store a few blocks away." She said, bouncing from one foot to the next.
"Um and you need me for this because?" I grimaced at the thought of shopping that didn't involve groceries.
"Because the quicker we go the quicker we get out of here and it'll be fun."
"I'm not going to help you pick underwear." I said biting my bottom lip.
"That's not a problem little bird, I prefer to go commando." Edward butted in with a wink and a smirk. I instantly flushed bright red.
I quickly regained my faculties and bit back, "And I thought snake eaters ate commando's" winking in return.
"Touché little bird." He grinned.
Alice grabbed my hand and dragged me from the room before I could say anything else.
****
EPOV
I chuckled as my sister dragged my 'pretend wife’ out of the room to go buy me some clothes, so that we could get the hell out of here. I couldn't wait, as much as I appreciated all the work the medical staff did for me, I needed out. Jasper sat chuckling beside me; Bella was definitely fun to be around. For that I was glad, had she been like that Stanley woman, I know I would've ended up shooting her myself after a few hours, just to get some peace.
"She definitely keeps it interesting huh bro." Jasper commented from beside me.
"You have no idea." I said grinning. Memories from our time away flooded my mind, I'd seen a lot in my time as a Seal, but the time with Bella and the things she endured without complaint, well they made me, a hardened warrior sick to my stomach. She was more than interesting.
"So er, Ali and I have to head back to DC in a few days, you know to keep up the ruse. You guys gonna be okay out here?"
"Yeah, I think we'll be fine," I said absently, but I meant it. "What about contact, I'm guessing cells are a bit dodgy right now."
"We've been using disposable cells, only Me, Em and Bella have them, so the loop remains very small. Perhaps we can embed code communication into our conversations, kind of like that time in Iraq?" Jasper suggested.
"Okay, we'll also need some safe words and an ambiguous emergency phrase. We'll need to settle it before you guys leave." I responded.
I was feeling like we were in some fucked up version of a Bond movie with all this skull duggery, but if it kept us alive, while we figured things out, then I was all for it. I'm sure Bella would feel the same; she's a smart woman after all. We sat and talked for the next 30 minutes, while waiting for Alice and Bella to return, we planned and plotted and I think we formulated some sort of plan for when we were left to our own devices. When they returned from their impromptu shopping trip I noticed that Bella was wincing as she walked, while trying to hide it. She was obviously in pain and favouring her right leg more. I mentally held myself back, she doesn't respond well to being molly coddled.
"Finally, I hope you got me some jeans in that bag Ali, I don't need to suffer one of your make overs just to get out of hospital little sister." I said jovially, watching Bella shuffle to the nearest chair to her from the corner of my eye.
"Of course brother dear, would I do that to you?" She replied with a sickly sweet tone while rolling her eyes. "Sorry we took so long, but we had to find you some boots too."
"No worries gave me and Jazz some time to hatch a plan." I responded looking over at Bella as she slumped in the chair. "You look tired Bella."
"Nothing a night in a real bed won't fix." She sighed.
I grabbed the bags from Alice, and slowly slipped from the bed, I'd only moved from it twice to use the bathroom, so was still a little stiff in my movement. I planned on sorting that out with a good soak in the tub once we got out of here. I moved quickly to the bathroom to get changed, hoping beyond hope Alice hadn't gone overboard. I was pleasantly surprised to find a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, flannel shirt and some strong looking hiking boots. 'Thank you Alice' I mumbled to myself. After dressing I emerged from the bathroom feeling more like myself.
"So we ready to get out of here?" I said clapping my hands together.
"Oh I am so ready." Bella replied, gingerly lifting herself from the chair. I think I will be having words with her about over doing it and not looking after herself properly.
Jasper grabbed the laptop and our meagre belongings and we made to shuffle out of the room. Only to be stopped by a nurse standing at the door with a wheelchair.
"Mr Masen, good to see you up and about. I'm afraid that its hospital policy for patients to leave in a wheelchair, so if you're ready to go, then hop in."
I groaned, looking over at Bella and Alice who were silently giggling. Jasper laughed out loud behind me. He should watch himself; he's not too big to thump.
"Seriously? I'm fine, I don't need it." I groused.
"Sorry Mr Masen, those are the rules. I don't make them up and I'm not letting you or no one else break em." She responded.
I rolled my eyes petulantly, "Fine, if it means I can go home, then fine." I said sliding into the chair and crossing my arms with a huff.
"Are you always such a baby?" The nurse asked smirking.
"Oh you have no idea." Jasper laughed. "Come on bro, time to take the invalid home." he said patting my shoulder and grasping the handles.
"You take care now Mr Masen, we don't want to see you back here." The nurse called as Jasper pushed me speedily down the corridor towards freedom.
"I have no plans to return ma'am," I called back to her with a wave.
*****
The drive back to the house was quiet and short. The air was thick; I think all of us were a little caught up in our own thoughts about what had happened over the last few weeks. Thinking about it sent a shudder through me; things could have ended so much differently. The fact that Bella and I were alive and in hiding was pretty amazing. A lot had happened since that day in Spetses, obviously judging by our current situation a lot more had happened since we'd made it back stateside. Jasper had bought me up to speed on what had been happening and I was amazed at the strength that Bella had. I really was in awe of her.
The ride didn't take long, perhaps 20 minutes, not that I was counting. The location of the house was perfect for hiding out, we were surrounded by forest, mountains and the lake wasn't that far off. The only access was via the private road, so we'd be aware of any approaching vehicles. Understandably I had my concerns about approach via the woodland, but Jasper assured me he'd set up a perimeter and we'd be well aware of any uninvited guests long before they arrive. I can only hope that he's right about that.
I sat back in the comfortable leather, relishing the feel and smell as we zipped through Kalispell. Bella sat quietly next to me, her eyes darting left and right, constantly taking notice of her surroundings, as if she was waiting on the other shoe to drop. If there is one thing we needed to do was relax especially Bella, sure there were some pretty nasty people out for our blood, but it would not do us any harm to lower the guard for one evening, especially as we were meant to be dead anyhow. I slowly reached over with my hand and grasped hers; she gasped in shock and locked eyes with me.
"You need to calm down Bella, we won't let anything happen, and no one knows we're here." I said leaning towards her.
Bella gulped and slowly nodded her head, but didn't attempt to pull her hand away. I turned back towards the front, watching the road ahead as we left the main road out of town and headed into woodland. I continued to hold Bella's hand, lightly rubbing my thumb over her knuckles as we drove through a sea of green. I hoped that I bought her a little peace, as much as her touch helped to ground me.
Before long we drew up in front of two story wooden cabin, it had a veranda that wrapped around the second story, linking all of the upstairs rooms. The drive was covered in woodchip and wound through the property up to the front of the cabin, a creek and a large pond finished off the idyllic image. It's a shame that we had to come here under these circumstances, but then again, there weren't many other opportunities that would allow me to come here anyhow.
If I was impressed by the outside, once we went inside I found myself in a whole new world. It was rustic, manly, cosy and it felt safe. Yeah I could definitely get used to staying here. Bella shuffled through the door behind me and Jasper, she looked exhausted, I shouldn't really feel surprised, she'd stayed at the hospital on a constant vigil at my bed for days.
"Ali, why don't you help Bella up to bed, she looks exhausted," I asked my sister.
"No really Edward I'm fine," Bella attempted to argue.
I turned back to her, laying my hands gently on her shoulders and looking her deep in the eyes, "You need to sleep, you've spent who knows how many days at that hospital watching out for me and scanning data, a couple of hours in a real bed are not going to hurt." I said, concern lacing my tone.
"I need to keep track of the data, I'm sure if I give it another look, I can crack it." She tried again.
"Bella?" I asked still holding her still.
"Yes Edward?"
"You're no good to us exhausted, get some sleep, then get something to eat when you wake up and we'll talk about the data. Don't make me get my sister to tranq you." I said a slight smirk pulling up the side of my lips.
"You don't play fair Cullen." She responded with a huff.
"Have to use what I got Little Bird, now shoo, go to bed and sleep."
Jasper and I watched as her shoulders sagged and she shuffled towards the stairs, fatigue flowing through her in waves. Alice followed her slowed pace up the stairs and into a room off to the right. I looked back at my friend and brother shaking my head. "So how about a tour and you bring me up to speed on security." I asked.
Jasper nodded his normal response for most things and we proceeded to walk through the cabin. He pointed out various rooms, as well as amenities, electrical box, panic room, contained water supply and bedrooms. I was pleased to see everything was alarmed and he'd installed digital cctv throughout the premises utilising hidden cameras. The panic room was kitted out with a high powered computer system and viewing screens for the various cameras, outside as well as inside. Jasper had even had laser motion sensors set up around the outside and in the surrounding woodland, I can only hope that we don't have too much wildlife nearby.
I slapped Jasper on the back; he'd done a real good job. He wasn't finished yet.
We walked through the kitchen and out the side door to the garage, inside there were two ATVs and two dirt bikes. There were lockers along the sides with packed bags containing clothing and money and various survival essentials if we needed a quick getaway. He also informed me that we had a boat down at the lake, that we could use to get out of here; even cutting across the lake would give us a good head start if needed. The crowning glory though was the gun case, or should I say cases. There were numerous weapons dotted around the house. The first was an innocuous door inside the entry closet that held a series of handguns, a Sig, two Berettas and an MK23 with silencer, it also had a Benelli Assault shotgun, I instantly felt better knowing we had some arms. Jasper went on to tell me about another case in the panic room, one in the garage and one in each of the bedrooms. I whistled low, I was starting to wonder if we were at war.
"Dude, seriously, there will only be two of us once you and Ali head home, you've kitted us out for Armageddon." I said grinning.
"I don't want you guys caught short, so figured a good spread of weaponry would help." He replied, his slow southern drawl wrapping around his words like a velvet blanket.
"You're a piece of work bro, thanks." I said patting his shoulder.
He shrugged looking around nervously.
"What's up?"
"Just... well this whole situation stinks, I felt it in my gut in DC and it still stinks, I don't like having Ali involved, but regardless of what we do, she'll be involved because some scum sucking mother fucker can't help but make things personal. I don't like leaving you guys behind, I know we have to keep up appearances, but it just doesn't feel right."
"I'm with you, but I guess we just have to see how it plays now. We'll keep in touch and if it goes to hell here, we'll head south, whatever happens, I don't want to see you back here, I can't risk anyone else getting hurt because they took a risk to see us."
We finished up in the kitchen and sat at the table discussing how to stay in contact and code words that we would use to keep updated. Alice joined us shortly after and flitted around preparing food. She handed us both beers and went back to chopping and dicing vegetables.
"Edward?"
"Yes Ali?"
"Your room is the one next to Bella's. Oh and Edward, I'm glad you made her get some rest, she won't listen to me or Jazz, she keeps on pushing." She said, while she stood at the counter.
"Thanks sis, don't worry I'll make her rest, even if I do have to tranq her."I said, swigging my beer.
"Already done brother dear, I slipped her a couple of sleeping pills, told her they were headache pills. She'll be out for the rest of the night." She said with a sneaky grin.
"You are a devious pixie Ali." I said. "But I like your style."
*****
It was late the next morning that Bella shuffled down the stairs to the kitchen, just as Alice said; the pills knocked her out for the night. I was sat at the kitchen table with Jasper; we were discussing everything that had been going on in DC while I was 'away'. Emmett had made a short call to us this morning to give us an update on how things were and see how Bella and I are. We kept the call short, just in case we were being watched; my gut told me someone was keeping tabs.
She looked more rested than yesterday, but I could see that her leg was paining her. I patted the chair beside me and motioned for her to come sit, while I strode over to the coffee machine and grabbed her a cup. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Bella sat with a grimace, trying to stealthily stretch her injured leg without bringing it to anyone's notice. I ground my teeth together, she shouldn't try to hide it, if it hurts then she should let me take care of her. Too damn stubborn for her own good. I moved back to the table, placing the cup of steaming coffee in front of her. She smiled in thanks.
"So," she said curling her fingers around her mug. "Whose idea was it to slip me sleeping pills last night?"
"Mine... and I'd do it again in a heartbeat too, you needed the rest Bella." My buoyant sister called from pantry.
"You didn't need to drug me Ali, I was tired enough to sleep without being medicated."
"You know as well as I do, that had I not you would've come back down after your shower and tried to work some more on your data. So just learn from it, because I'm sure Edward won't put up with your martyr complex when we're gone."
Bella glared at Alice, before swinging her head at me, "You wouldn't drug me would you?"
"If you don't listen and take care of yourself, then yes, I'll do it in a heartbeat." I replied honestly. "Oh and don't think I haven't noticed you trying to hide that your leg is giving you pain. You need to take better care of yourself Bella, if you need pain pills then say and we'll get some, but don't push yourself so damn hard, we're safe here, so use the time to recuperate, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Bella huffed and took a large swig of her coffee, hopefully we were getting through to her, I knew she would want to get back to the data and try to figure out what the connection was. As I saw it, it was the key for this to be over, but not at the detriment to her health, if doping her and making her sleep for the whole time we were here in order to get her to heal is the only way I could get her to think my way, then data be damned.
"So, me and Ali head back to DC tomorrow, we've stocked up with enough food and supplies for the next month, so you guys shouldn't have to hit town too often. We'll go through everything again today so you know what's been set up." Jasper drawled, his Texas twang wrapping around his words.
"Where you heading out from?" I asked, hoping it wasn't somewhere too close.
"Missoula, it's a bit of a trek down the 93, but it’s far enough away to not draw any attention to you guys." he replied.
"Thanks." I said and I meant it, more than he could know.
The morning flowed by, filled with planning and discussions; both Bella and I were shown all of the security set up in and around the house, by lunch we were both lagging and in need of sustenance. We ate in comfortable silence, none of us needing to say anything; we knew this was one of our last meals together for a while. After lunch Bella disappeared to the panic room come computer lab and set herself up scanning data. I took a time out to spend with Alice and Jasper. We spent the afternoon shooting the shit, laughing and joking. As the day wore on the atmosphere changed, like an assassin creeping up on us, a shadow steadily grew, stifling and shrouding the jovial air and filling me with a sense of dread.
It felt like these last few hours, were the last time I would see them. Ever.
We retired to our own rooms early that night, even Bella. She'd given us space to enjoy our time together and I was thankful to her for that. Although I wouldn't have minded at all if she'd stayed with us. It took me hours to finally drift off into a restless sleep; my brain just wouldn't turn off. I didn't matter what I tried, I just couldn't get the thought out of my head that we were missing something important, something obvious. It was there in our grasp if we would only reach out and take it, but I just could wrap my fingers around it. I was frustrated. I didn't like the not knowing, I like to have a plan, but how can you plan when you have no idea what you're up against?
My dreams were littered with family, friends, my guys even Bella, always pursued by faceless evil. I woke up too many times panting and sweaty. I'd seen death many times over, killed people with my own hands, but nothing compares to seeing those you love die before your eyes. The vividness shocked me; I could still see the light drain from their eyes after waking breathless and shaking. I'd never been wracked with nightmares before, despite the many nasty things I've seen. I tried numerous times to go back to sleep, only to waken again and again to horrific images of death and destruction. In the end I was too shaken to try anymore and got up to have a soothing shower instead.
The hot water calmed me, but didn't make me want to climb back in my bed and sleep. Sleep was the last thing on my mind. So I descended the stairs and headed through the kitchen to the basement and panic room. If I wasn't going to sleep, then I would go through the systems, double, triple check our security, view the feeds, hell even go through some of Bella's data, perhaps some fresh eyes would help with that. I sat at the console for hours, pages and pages of what appeared to be random events tracked across the screen in front of me. I dozed a few times. I was startled by a hand touching my shoulder. It was rare for anyone to get the jump on me.
"How long have you been down here?" Bella asked tentatively, I'd swung round in the chair so fast when she'd surprised me, that I think I may have scared her a little.
"A while." I replied, rubbing my eyes.
"Find anything?"
"Not really, it all seems unconnected, random even." I replied with a yawn.
"I think that's the key, it's too random." She said glancing at the screen over my shoulder.
"Huh?" was my smart response.
"It's too random, like it’s contrived, not really random at all."
"Okay, so how are they connected?" I asked, figuring that was the important question.
"I don't think that's important, it's the randomness that connects them. Think about it, if it was too obvious, whatever they are planning would've been put to a stop by now. I think some of what is in the data is planted to lead us the wrong way. We need to weed it out."
I sat there dumbfounded, how the hell would we be able to work out all that? I scratched my head and looked up at Bella, her face was blank other than the set of her jaw, she looked like she meant business. She was ready to duke it out with the mind fuckery and lord help anyone or anything that got in her path. I pulled the second desk chair alongside mine and gestured for her to sit. She'd been standing long enough. She flopped down in the seat next to me, exhaling loudly as the leather seat moulded to her.
"So where do we start?" I asked.
"First we make a list. All the events that have lead up to now, be they from the data, or actually physically happened to us." She stated methodically.
"Then?"
"Then we get the big red pen out and cut the shit out of it." She answered with a grin. Her eyes twinkled, she shivered in anticipation. I likened her to a modern day Miss Marple, a super sleuth of the modern age.
So there we sat, trawling through data, gulping coffee and wielding our red pens. Only stopping when Alice and Jasper appeared to bid us goodbye and good luck. They left quickly, with a promise to call and let us know they were home and safe. Alice cried of course, I was a little choked up myself, those feelings I had yesterday that this would be a last real goodbye bubbling under the surface. I squeezed the shit out of her when I hugged her goodbye; I even hugged Jasper, none of the manly fist bumps for me. He knew what I was doing and I could see the cogs turning behind his eyes. He saw that I was thinking this would be my last chance to do it properly. He didn't call me out though, for that I will be eternally thankful.
After they had left, we locked the door and returned to the panic room, I'd dubbed it the bat cave; it was like a super hero's wet dream down there. We only stopped for bathroom breaks and to eat or refill our coffee mugs. Bella reminded me to take my meds and I did the same for her. Turn abouts fair. It was late evening when we finally stopped. I don't know if it was a natural end, fatigue or we'd just had enough. We both lay our pens down almost simultaneously. I chuckled and then Bella chuckled and we both rocked back in our chairs, our laughter filling the room.
"So..." I started, just as Bella did the same. "So..." We both chuckled again, she gestured for me to continue.
"What do we know?" I asked.
"Okay, well..." She coughed. "We know the players; they're playing a clever game. A dangerous game."
"Explain..." I said steepling my fingers.
"Okay, first we have the Seattle Cell, James and Victoria, they're strictly small time wannabe terrorists, they neither have the mental ability, nor the resources to do anything huge. There was once another guy, Laurent, he's in Guantanamo, I caught him a year ago. He was the brains, without him they would be doomed to fail, so as I see it, they either went to the Volturi for help, or the Volturi went after them."
"Why would the Volturi want small time terrorists in on their big plan?" I asked.
"As pawns, scapegoats, deflection..." She said stopping mid sentence raising her hand to her mouth. "That's it! That's the connection, they’re the decoy. We were meant to go to Port Angeles, more were meant to die on the boat, hell you and I should still be in Bourtzi being tortured by that crazy little midget. It's a ruse, to take us away from the real plot."
"The real plot being?" I was on the edge of my seat by now, everything she said was making sense.
"Okay let’s look at his methodically. This started with the Plutonium on the Embassy Star, now they need some pretty skilled people to be able to do anything with it, so in order to get them in place; they need to put us off the scent. I notice that Felix and Demetri have entered the country despite being flagged. So step one, try to put me off, James and Victoria invaded my home, beat me up, and blew up my car."
I nodded to show I was following.
"You guys show up at the hospital and take me to a safe house under Phil Dwyers orders, meanwhile they've teamed up with the Volturi, who send Felix to 'clean house' and take me. That means I must have a use, because otherwise I would've been killed that night. You follow the data to Port Angeles and get blown up. We end up in Bourtzi, although I think I went somewhere else first, but I can't be sure. We escape and are found by your guys, and bought back to DC. Someone attempts to kill you in the hospital, despite the armed guards. We're killed off on paper and come here. Don't you think, it's strange that they had so many opportunities to kill us when they had us, yet no one tries until we're back stateside?" She asked.
I hadn't thought of that, I had no memories after the fight on Spetses, but my gut told me to go with her on this, she was right, they did have plenty of chances to do away with us. So why didn't they? What did that mean now?
"There's someone on the inside, someone perhaps high ranking or at least with access to higher level stuff, we've obviously gotten too close for comfort, so despite us having whatever Intel the Volturi think we do, this person is intent on silencing us before we figure them out. James and Victoria won't be a problem for us, they're insignificant pawns in this game, sadistic assholes, but insignificant in the big picture. The Volturi will get rid of them the moment they get their plans set. Our biggest problem is going to be finding out who the traitor on the home team is. They've been good at covering their tracks so far, but we weren't looking for them, so they may have left clues." She concluded sitting back in her seat, her hands crossed behind her head.
"Wow, and to think you got that from random data." I said blowing out an unsteady breath.
"Yeah, well I've had a feeling in my gut, something felt off even when they had us in Bourtzi, it was too clean cut." She said. Her chocolate brown eyes boring into mine.
"That's pretty fucked up Little Bird." I said.
"Yeah, but I think that if we don't find this person, things are going to get a whole lot worse on the fucked up scale." She responded dryly.
"I think you're right, I also think we should call it a night for now, hit the sack for a few hours and then give it some attention when we're rested." I said hopefully.
She yawned in response, before nodding her head tiredly. "Come on," I said grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room, "You're dead on your feet. You need to sleep Little Bird."
