Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Blood And Steel

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 07:

Colombian Rain Forest- DEA safe camp

The team was all here. All except two who were on their way from Florida. Another member had not reported to the meeting room yet. One person that had Jason Connolly on edge. He looked over his assembled team.

“I want to first thank you for all being here. When the President told me I could form a team he assured me I could have anyone who was willing so long as they were from the US or an ally. I want to go around and introduce everyone since I realize that we haven’t all been together yet. I have been busy training Bella for the past few weeks and everyone else has been busy with separate assignments. I have worked at some point with each of you and believe you to be the best in the field. That is why I requested you. You have all read the briefing packets and know what we are up against. Basically anything. The monsters of legend are not legends but very real, very dangerous and they have been operating in our world for thousands of years. For the first time in history we have the weapons and personnel to fight back.

Let me start with Winter Drake and Bella Swan. Winter had been through CIA training and Bella is still a work in progress. The reason they are so important to this team is they carry katanas which no others, man or woman can carry. From all indications these blades can slice through anything. They have been proven to cut vampires to pieces. Winter has killed fourteen vampires by her… her sister and her have killed fourteen vampires. Summer was killed not long ago by fucking vampires and Bella Swan is now the only person capable of carrying Summer’s sword. We don’t know why this is. We don’t know a lot of things but we are learning quickly.

Bella has a history with vampires. She has provided us with a wealth of information on them as well as shape shifters who assisted her escape from the vampires and we will not go after. I gave her my word.” Jason said with a meaningful look towards Bella.

“In addition when these swords are near them the girls are as strong and fast as vampires, even at night. Bella’s training will continue but she knows enough to help us now. In this operation we will not be facing a supernatural foe but we will be using weapons designed to kill them. The weapons are mostly the same as we have dealt with before with slight modifications to handle the heavier ammo.

You have all known me so you all know Ty Gavin and Jack Webb. In addition to them we have Clive Barkley, a member of the United Kingdom’s SAS. Clive glad to have you.”

Clive did not smile or even acknowledge Connolly. He did look around at the others. After a few moments he spoke.

“We were on one mission together. One mission where your team jumped mine to take out the target. Why the hell am I here now?” Clive asked.

“Because I was told to assemble the best and from what I saw you are one of the best. If you don’t think this is true you can go back to London.” Jason told him.

Clive said nothing for a few moments and then smiled. “I think I will stay around. See how this turns out. Waiting for MI6 to find terrorist cells was getting a tad bit boring. Vampires definitely sound interesting.”

Connolly continued to look around the room.

“John Anderson. Navy Seal for 8 years. Expert on all types of aircraft. We will not have air support so he will be important in addition to his skills in weaponry and tactics.”

“Captain fucking America. Whitest boy I ever met.” Ty commented.

“Good to see you too Ty. Glad to see you are still as subtle as ever.” Anderson replied.

“I realize John and Clive that you may not know Dan Hawk but…”

“I fucking know who he is. Damn crazy is what he is. What the fuck is he doing here?” Clive asked.

“I’m one of the best. Didn’t you hear the man?” Hawk smiled.

“I know the officer you put in the hospital. I consider him a friend.” Anderson added.

“You need better friends.” Hawk told him.

“As I was saying tonight our objective is simple. A drug lord. Diego Ortiz. A huge one the DEA has been chasing for years. We are not going in to arrest him. We bring back his head for identification. That is it. Understand? He lives in a very high tech high security compound guarded by guys who have seen combat. This will not be an easy task. The electrical system however will be compromised. There is a party tonight and myself, Winter and Bella will be invited. While we are socializing around and getting the layout of the place, the electrical system will be taken out by the one other member of our team.”

“Who is that?” Webb asked.

“That would be me.”

In walked in a 5’9 beauty who could have pass for a runway model. Her dark raven hair fell just passed her olive skinned shoulders. Her eyes could only be described as smoldering. Dark blue irises completed her perfectly featured face. Her frame was slight yet sensual. She appeared to be between 28 and 30. She was definitely a woman. The type of woman who seemed able to seduce anyone she wished for.

“This is Mina Abrams on loan to us from Israel where she served in the Sayeret Matkal for four years and then the Military Intelligence Directrorate. Things got a little hot in the Middle East since everyone knows who she is, so she was loaned out to us. She will be a…”

“Fuck no! Hell no!” Ty yelled.

“Ty calm down.” Jason said quietly. He regretted not warning Ty sooner. The three of them had a… history.

“Fuck no. That bitch shot me! Right here!” Ty yelled pulling up his shirt and pointing out a bullet hole scar in his shoulder. “She tried to knife your ass, Connolly. You should have snapped her damn neck when you had the chance!”

“It was a misunderstanding.” Jason told Ty.

“She stuck a knife in your thigh.” Ty told him.

“I could have killed the both of you.” Mina told them.

“Bitch you got lucky. Mistake my ass. Do I look like an Arab?” Ty asked.

“It was a mistake. Bad intelligence. It happens Ty. We are all professionals here.” Connolly explained.

“You should have killed that bitch instead of tossing her out the window into that pool.” Ty said.

“Kill me? You both were lucky. Jason is the only man or woman I’ve ever fucked who lived afterward.”

“You fucked her?!” Bella blurted out before she could stop herself.

“Did you say man or woman?” Winter blurted out before she could stop herself.

“Can we all focus on the mission at hand?!” Connolly yelled.

Once everyone had settled down, Bella and Ty looking at Mina with distrust and with Connolly not able to catch Bella’s eye, he continued speaking.

“Mikey Boller and Dante Youngblood. They are on their way here from Florida. Because of Ty and Winter’s work we know the large Cullen vampire was called back to Oregon and supposedly private eyes are watching Renee Dwyer. We know this isn’t true because we now control the man who handles affairs for multiple vampires including the Cullens. That completes the team. That’s it. Us against the supernatural world. Tonight is a run through to see how we do together as a team. Seeing as how we can’t get through introductions without an argument…” Connolly glared at Ty…” It is obvious this is needed. This is not a walk thru. Like I said before these guys are tough and this son of a bitch needs to go down. He is responsible for hits on eleven DEA agents and one US federal judge. We don’t have to make it silent but there are militia in the surrounding area. There are also forced labor from surrounding towns. We don’t want to kill them if we can avoid it. The Colombian military has no idea we are coming in. That’s why we are going in. No one else can be trusted not to have a leak. Mikey and Dante are also pilots and will be arriving in special aircraft developed at the desert base no one speaks of, soon. The aircraft will help us get in and out fast. Once the communications and electricity have been cut we move and I want this done in five minutes. Five minutes to take down the guards, get Ortiz’s head in a bag and get out. There will be civilians at this party, just like there are going to be civilians around vampires. Try not to kill any of them but if you even think you see a gun take the person down. Let’s go over teams.

Bella, Winter and myself are going inside. Winter will be able to get an impression of the entire complex and let us all know. My cover is a possible customer with connections with the San Antonio Mob. Winter and Bella will be my dates.”

Connolly ignored the hhmph from Bella.

Date my ass, Bella thought to herself. Only guy she fucked that lived? He could have killed her. He killed everybody! Why not her? Bella had a fairly good idea why.

“Why doesn’t Mina go as your date and Winter and I could handle cutting off the fucker’s head?” Bella suggested. “Since you two have a history I’m sure it will be more believable.”

“I already have an invitation.” Mina said smoothly.

“Did you fuck Ortiz to get it?” Bella asked sharply.

“What sort of training did the two of you do together Jason? Sounds like I may need to teach her a few things. Like how to control her emotions. Jealousy is unbecoming.” Mina smiled, pissing Bella off even more.

“Stop!” Jason yelled. “This is a fucking mission and I am the leader of this team! If anyone has a problem taking orders you can go back to where you came from!”

That brought silence to the room.

Connolly went over the plan and everyone agreed silently. Connolly looked for Bella afterward but she had walked off with Winter. He sighed. Maybe bringing Mina in wasn’t a great idea. Still she was one of the best in the world and Israel was an ally. He needed the best.

Bella for her part walked outside to the tent she shared with Winter.

“What happened in the desert?” Winter asked.

“How was my Mom?” Bella asked.

“Not good but I think she is better now, knowing you are alive. Out of danger. What happened between the two of you in the desert?” Winter asked again.

“He trained me. Why?”

“I know he trained you. You look to be in much better shape and you haven’t even asked for a cigarette. I want to know what happened.”

“Nothing happened.” Bella lied.

“You need to keep your mind focused on what is important. That team is supposed to support us, not the other way around. He may be in command but you need to realize that is what he is. A commander. A killer. That’s it. Don’t become a game again to another man.”

“Excuse me?!” Bella asked.

“You heard me. We are supposed to be a team.” Winter pointed out.

“We are. At least we would be if I wasn’t sent all over the place going through hell so I can be there for you. Hell I’m a damn alternate. Summer was chosen, not me. I was third place. I’m doing the best I can for you so don’t give me any shit.”

“I thought you were doing this for you?”

“What the hell do the reasons matter? Stay the hell out of my business.”

“Fuck you Bella.”

“Fuck you Winter. Go find the supermodel and see if she can lift this fucking blade.”

“Whatever Bella. I hope you have your shit together tonight.” Winter whispered with a sigh.

“Yeah I hope I do too. But thanks for your main concern being about whether I fucked Connolly in the desert! I told you when we were fourteen you are my friend and that is it!”

“I only told you I was gay because I was afraid to tell Summer!”

“You tried to kiss me.” Bella pointed out.

“I was fourteen. Why are you bringing this up now?”

“Why are you bringing up whatever happened or didn’t happen in Death fucking valley. I got in shape. I learned to fire a gun and use a knife. I learned to fight. I got a lot more to learn but I’ll be damned if I learn it from some special agent spy whore and you sure as hell don’t know what to do. You were more interested in her than he was! Besides that, I agreed to fight vampires. Now I am killing drug lords? I realize you don’t give a shit if you are some CIA government tool but maybe I do!”

“Back off Bella. I just asked a question.”

Bella reached out to her blade and it flew from its resting spot into her hand. Winter raised an eyebrow and did the same, catching her blade deftly.

“Just letting you know you aren’t the only Jedi around here.” Winter told her.

“You want to train? Because I do. I feel like beating the hell out of you.” Bella told her.

“By all means lead the way. When I knock your ass to the ground I will make sure not to stand over you. God forbid you think I’m coming on to you. I suppose you only allow commanding officers to do that.”

“Unlike you, I’m not in the military bitch!” Bella swung her blade at Winter who blocked her with a parry and thrust back, meaning to miss Bella within inches of her ribs. To her surprise Bella simply twisted and hit Winter in the back of the head with the dull side of her blade.

Winter rubbed her head and looked at Bella who was smirking.

Then she punched her.

Both swords dropped and Bella struck back, kneeing Winter in the gut, who doubled over and used her arm to sweep Bella’s legs. Swords were dropped. Legs were wrapped on the ground and the two rolled out, striking each other with their fists.

At least until they realized they were both on the ground, wrapped around each other, at Hawk’s feet.

“I’ll be in my bunk.” Hawk said with smile and walked off.

“Bella, Jason would like to talk to you alone.” Webb told her, walking up as she and Winter untangled themselves from each other and stood up.

“Tell him to fuck off Master Chief. Or are you just chief now? Jack? Asshole? Jason’s whipping boy?”

“Hey listen Swan…”

“Bella! Can I please talk to you?” Jason asked, stepping out of the tent.

“No. I have training to do and I prefer to be alone. When your Israeli whore decides what dress I should wear tonight to be one of your fucking hookers let Ty know and he can tell me. Until then leave me alone before I think of a good place to shove my sword.”

Bella walked off in a huff while Winter sat up from the ground and walked back into her tent, planning to check her firearms.

Webb walked up to Connolly.

“Nope. You were right. I don’t see any problems at all. Thanks for the heads up about the third woman. I like Winter even more. At least I know she doesn’t want to fuck you. The Israeli probably will fuck her, but they will most likely kill each other. I swear to God do you think about anything besides the here and now? Seriously Jason?”

“Hey back off Webb. Me and Connolly been through some shit. He knows what he is doing.” Ty said, stepping up to defend his partner.

“We all been through some shit. That supposed to means something to me Gavin? You ever gone into battle with three women?” Webb countered.

“You ever fought vampires?” Gavin asked in return.

“No and neither have you or your boy, our commanding officer.”

“Webb shut the fuck up. I’m not in the mood. You want to fight me, then fight me. At least Bella and Winter can work out their differences. I’m tired of the second guessing my decisions. I wanted the best team.”

“This isn’t the best team. It’s the best operators you could find. There are too many alpha dogs and alpha bitches in heat here.” Webb pointed out.

“Maybe we should take it back a notch. Our success depends on us getting along.”

“Shut up Anderson, I want to hear this.” Barker told him in his cheery British accent.

“What about it Webb? You feelin alpha dog right now? Let’s do this.” Connolly told him, already irritated and ready to let out some aggression.

“You boys and your dicks.” Mina said, walking out of the tent. She began to laugh.

“Where the fuck are you going?” Jason asked.

“To talk to your girlfriend and teach her how to be a woman. I think Winter and I can handle her training from this point on. She needs to be her. Not what you want to make her. I understand she had enough of that from the vampire. Now get your heads straight. This has got to be the worst team I have ever seen. Mission time is in three hours. Give each other hand jobs if you must but make it quick and clean up after yourselves.”

Mina walked through a path in the jungle and saw Bella alone by a small stream. She was practicing martial arts moves, a combination of traditional kung fu and jeet kune do. Her form wasn’t bad. Mina could work with her.

“Try straightening your back.”

Bella turned, shocked at being snuck up on.

“What the hell do you want?”

“To introduce myself. I’m Mina.”

“Yeah I heard. The black widow. What the hell do you want?”

“What do you want?” Mina asked.

“Excuse me?”

“What do you want? Obviously Connolly judging by the jealousy you just showed. That was a mistake by the way. Never show your true emotions unless you are alone with the one you truly love.”

“Says the woman who uses sex to kill people.” Bella said snidely.

“I use my body and anything else I need to use to get the job done. Once you decide what you want to be I will help you get there. I will be your mentor.”

“I’m not fucking anybody to kill them. I’m not even sure I want to kill anybody. Monsters? No problem. This? Tonight? I didn’t sign up for this.”

“Then that is the first thing you need to determine. What you will and will not do to accomplish a mission. I could give you a very long speech about how bad this man is. The point is he hurts people. Is it worth it to you to take him out? We can do this without you.”

Bella was silent.

“Yeah.” She admitted finally.

“What do you want to be?”

“Strong.” Bella answered.

“I understand you are strong. Supernaturally strong, correct?”

“No. I want to be strong. Not physically, not mentally. I want… I want to be in absolute control of my life.”

“I can get you there. Jason can teach you to fight, to kill, like he does. He can make you the female version of himself. I can make you, you. It is your choice. You stick to your friend Winter. You won’t leave her. So the option of walking away is gone.”

“What can you teach me that he can’t?” Bella asked.

“Aren’t you curious if he is good? In bed? Don’t you want to know how big his cock is? I can tell you.” Mina said, smiling.

Bella struck.

And found herself held by her very strong fingers, bent towards the ground in a position of great pain.

“You are fast. This is what I can teach you Bella. How can you be in control of every aspect of your life if you cannot control jealousy over something that happened once, long ago between two people whose primary objective was to kill each other? Jason didn’t kill me because he suspected that I had been betrayed by a double agent. He could have but he is not a mindless killing machine. Now you let a simple question anger you so much that you forgot every bit of martial arts you have learned and threw a pathetic, albeit fast punch, allowing me to grab your tiny fingers and place you in a very bad position where your strength is meaningless. If I had a knife I could slice your throat, or bite it out if I was a vampire. Do you understand? Do you have any true idea of how important control is?”

“You want me to be like you? Cold and calculating?” Bella gasped, still bent over, controlled by her fingers.

“No. I want you to be the woman who had the balls to walk away from a vampire and live the rest of her life in poverty and fear simply to stay alive. I want to take that girl and turn her into the woman she is meant to be. Will you let me? I am offering to be your teacher, your guide, your mentor. Not your best friend. I will say things to you that you will not like. But I promise you will like who I make you. Not a clone of anyone. Just someone who can be the best of what is already there.”

Bella nodded.

“Yeah. I want that.”

“Good.” Mina let go of Bella’s hand and she stood up, rubbing her wrist.

“Don’t do that. Don’t show weakness to your enemy, even as simply rubbing your wrist. First lesson. You are going back to the camp and look at what you will be wearing like your friend is. You are going to determine what weapons you can hide under the dress you are given and the best way to have access to them.

When the man you are falling in love with asks if you okay you tell him and show him you are fine. Better than fine. I know you love him. He loves you. Start playing a little hard to get girl or he will run over you. His personality is too much not to. You have to be his equal or you will never truly have him. Understand?”

“Yes. I understand.”

Bella walked back to the camp. Once she was away from what she thought was Mina’s line of sight she rubbed her wrist, irritated at herself. Instead of going to the main tent where the wardrobe is she walked into the tent she shared with Winter. Winter stood and the two hugged each other closely.

“You aren’t third Bella. It was always the three of us. You know that.”

“I know. I love you. You know that right?”

“I do. I should have been there. If Summer and I had known… Bella we would have…”

“I know. It’s okay. I got myself into that mess. It was on me. I got out. Sort of. Let’s go over these weapons and take a look at what we can fit under our dresses. I need to go over everything again.”

Winter began taking her weapons apart when Jason opened the door to the tent.

“Bella can I talk to you?” Jason asked.

“About the mission?” Bella asked innocently.

“Uh… yeah.”

“Then talk. It’s not like there are any mission related items you can’t talk about that she can’t hear.”

Connolly was speechless and then shook his head.

“The dresses are over here. Ya’ll need to start getting dressed.” He said angrily and close the tent door. He could swear he heard Bella giggling with Winter as he walked off.

He saw Mina before he waked into his own quarters to prepare.

“What did you say to her? What did you tell her we did? That was nothing and you know it!”

“I am going to turn her into something she was always meant to be.” Mina replied.

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“Herself. Go get ready. I’ve always thought you look good in tux. Keep an eye on my protégé tonight.”

“Your protégé?” Jason asked, surprised.

“Yes.” Mina smiled and winked.

“God help us all.” Jason said, walking off to get ready for battle. The time for matters of the heart were over. Webb was right. He had to separate his feelings for her from the mission. Dante and Mikey were landing with the new carriers. He needed to check them out. It was time to get to work.

Ortiz Mission, Compound of Diego Ortiz

Connolly walked in with Bella on one arm and Winter on the other. Both looked gorgeous. Bella had a black form fitting dress that completely covered her chest and yet still left little to the imagination. The neck line was high and the sleeves tight to her elbows. By looking at her you would never know she had a 9 mm. pistol strapped inside her thigh high enough up that Connolly wished he had been the one who placed it there. Winter was wearing a lower cut red dress that from the waist up covered her modest breasts but not much more. He skirt fell to mid thigh and she looked harmless as well. She had a similar blade strapped to the inside of one of her thighs and a 6 inch blade strapped to the other. Connolly on the other hand was a walking arsenal. He had two handguns on him in his shoulder holsters. Smaller .38s strapped to each ankle. A K bar knife in each jacket arm. There was not a search to get into the compound. Mostly because no one would be stupid enough to start anything here. Another reason is the boss stayed in his office most times, even during parties. He was a solitary and cautious man, surrounded by a team of highly trained mercenaries. As such the security around his estate was weak. Like Osama Bin Laden was believed by the CIA, before his compound was found, Ortiz often moved.

“Winter, can you find Ortiz and give me a lay out of this place?” Connolly asked.

“I’ll need to be alone. Bella come with me to the bathroom.”

Bella followed Winter while Connolly strolled around and smiled at familiar faces. At least those familiar to him. No one here knew him.

“Teams in position?” He asked.

“Team A is ready.” Ty responded. He had Dante and Hawk with him and Anderson flying the jet one thousand feet in the sky. They had parachuted softly on the roof ten minutes ago taking out the two guards on top without ever being seen or heard.

“Team B is ready.”

Webb and Barkley were at the back gate. Both had snuck silently up to either side and planted explosives on the corners feet from the guards who had their backs to the gate and faces towards the party. Mikey Boller hovered a few hundred yards away just over the treeline in his jet,

The jets were like none ever seen before. Nearly triangular in shape, they could cut through the air like a jet breaking the sound barrier with ease, they could also hover like a harrier or helicopter when needed in near silence. They could carry up to eight people along with ordinances were loaded for war. Both jets loaded with missiles and bullets. Either could have blown the compound to pieces in a matter of seconds and been back in the States in a matter of minutes. Thanks to the oxygen and artificial gravity on the crafts they could literally break earth’s atmosphere and use the natural rotation of the earth and orbit to be anywhere in the world within an hour, using the right trajectory. A state of the art weapon, only two had been developed at Area 51 so far. Only two were needed at this time.

Bella and Winter went into the bathroom where Winter went into a stall. She knew Mina was somewhere in the building waiting to talk or kill her way to the electrical control room.

Winter sat and closed her eyes while Bella stood outside the stall and made sure no other women disturbed her.

“Help me out here Summer.” Winter whispered.

Her eyesight was clear and flying through the building. Through walls, ceilings, everywhere. Just like before she felt that she was looking through someone else’s eyes. She felt connected to her body unlike astral projectors.

She began whispering what she saw.

“Second floor just guards. Six of them. Third floor there are ten. Ortiz is on a couch watching the party below. He is watching you Connolly. He most likely plans to invite you up. He also has danger room only a few feet from the couch. Steel is thick. We would be unable to breach it if he reaches it. Not in the time given.” Summer’s visions stopped and Winter snapped back to reality with a moan. Catching the attention of one of the bathroom patrons. Bella glared at her.

“Problem?”

“No.” the woman said, intimidated by the glare Bella had given her. Once the bathroom was cleared Winter stumbled out while Bella caught her arm and the two strolled out, arms locked. They met up with Connolly.

“You see the control room?” He whispered.

“Second floor center room.” Winter told him,

“Mina you copy?”

“I will have it. Be ready to move in two minutes at my mark.” Mina told him.

“Teams copy?”

“We are ready Connolly. Just say go and we go.” Ty responded.

Mina made her way up the staircase. She was stunning in a silver gown that draped to the floor and had a slit nearly up to her waist. She approached the first guard at the top of the stairs.

“No one is allowed up miss.”

“I’m sure if you ask Mr. Ortiz he would allow me up. Let him know Samantha is here. He invited me personally.”

“Mr. Ortiz comes down when he is ready. Until then you stay here.” The guard told her, his hand reaching into his jacket to rest on his gun.

Mina leaned into the guard very closely and whispered in his ear.

“I mean nothing personal. You are in my way. It is the way things go.” She whispered and kissed the guard on the ear.

The guard was confused until his ear started burning. Soon his ear drum began bleeding. He touched his finger to his ear and saw the blood.

Before he could say another word he dropped to the ground. Mina ran. Unstrapping a nine millimeter pistol from her thigh she fired three shots killing three guards since she reached the large open area in the second floor. The control stood open in the middle. Two others ran for cover. Mina tossed a grenade in her purse through the control room door before the guard could close it.

The explosion from inside the room, knocked all three occupants to the ground and tore the man inside to pieces. The lights fell alone. Mina was up first firing and taking down the remaining two.

“Control room down. Mission is a go.”

Connolly pulled both weapons and began firing at men he had identified as guards. Winter grabbed Bella and two tables flew on either side of them. Bella didn’t have to ask, knowing that Summer’s spirit had provided the cover. She popped up and began firing along with Winter. Their job was to secure the first. Connolly was to head up the stairs to the third.

Gavin, Youngblood and Hawk detonated the explosives on the roof, directing the blast downward. Outside the gates explodedand Webb and Barkley opened fire, picking off guards as they ran towards the residence.

Inside Bella continued to fire although she was sure she had not hit anyone yet. The lights of the building had gone dark and she was using night vision goggles she had pulled from her purse. She had never used these before and the result was a bit disorienting.

She did see Jason firing, taking down men with guns as he ran towards the stairs.

Then she saw the woman.

A woman had pulled a gun on Connolly from behind. No one had noticed before.

Connolly didn’t see her.

Without hesitation Bella stood and fired. As if in slow motion she saw the woman’s head explode and her gun drop. Both Connolly and Winter looked at her briefly and the all three moved towards the stairs.

“Bella stay here and watch the door. Anybody comes in that isn’t ours, shoot them.” Winter told her. Bella nodded and lay on the floor gun pointed at the door. The adrenalin coursing through her veins not allowing her to dwell on the woman she had just killed.

She nearly fired when Webb and Clive ran in. Noticing the goggles on their head had stopped her. They ran past, motioned to Bella on the ground to follow and continued up the stairs. Three and a half minutes had passed.

After the explosion on the roof Hawk, Dante and Ty had jumped in and engaged. The explosion had taken most of the guards to the ground. Ortiz lay on the ground covered in a fetal postion next to the control room. Ty and Hawk began firing. One man stood up and Hawk grabbed the man’s rifle and beat him with it, cracking his skull fatally with one swing. Ortiz began rolling to the control room and hit the button, closing the door.

Connolly entered with Winter, soon followed by Webb, Bella and Clive.

“Where the fuck is he?” Connolly asked.

“In there.” Ty pointed out. “We need to blow it.”

“We can’t idiots. Winter told you the safe room was unbreachable.” Mina said finally arriving on the third. “Apologies for being late. I needed to get my hearing back. What do we do now?”

“Winter can you do it?” Connolly asked.

“I’ll try.”

“Winter closed her eyes and saw Summer fly through the foot thick steel. Inside was a very scared Ortiz trying to get a hold of anyone left alive inside the compound and the Colombian military. She saw a button. The button simply said abierta.

Winter concentrated to the point her nose began to bleed. Bella caught her from behind. The button was pushed by an invisible force and the doors were opened. Ortiz stood there speechless

“Thirty seconds Connolly.” Ty reminded him.

Bella focused. From the jet carrier above the tree line one hundred yards away, her sword flew off the seat it had been placedd on, scaring Boller. It flew the hundred yards over the trees through the window, causing the others to jump away, and into Bella’s hand. She walked up to Ortiz who stood with wide eyes and sliced his head off using both her hands on the blade, covering her face with his blood.

Turning to the others, face and body covered in blood, she asked a simple question.

“Anyone else need killing because my friend has had a long night and I am ready to get her home.”

“I think we are good lass.” Clive responded smiling. Connolly tried to hide the passion the site of her placed him in. If he didn’t get out of here soon it would be obvious to all. Winter looked at her with surprise and a bloody nose while Mina looked on with pride.

“It is definitely time to go home. Time is up.” Jason commented.

The jets landed silently in the front yard amid dead bodies of guards. It didn’t appear any civilians were killed. The team loaded into separate vehicles.

“Where to Commander?” Boller asked Connolly.

“Nevada for now. Our new home still has a week of work. It’s time everybody sees what we are working with.”

“You mean… the base?” Boller asked.

“I mean.” Connolly confirmed.

“Area 51 coming right up sir.”

On the flight back the transports did not bother reaching orbit. Instead they flew at a leisurely pace towards Nevada. The objective? The Groom Lake testing site. Winter’s head was on Bella’s lap while she slept deeply. Mina sat next to Bella.

“You shot a woman on the first floor?” Mina asked. Already knowing.

“Yes.” Bella answered.

“Why?”

“Because she would have killed Jason. He didn’t see her.”

“You called your blade from a ship hovering in the air far away to cut off Ortiz’s head, scaring every man on this team whether they will admit it or not. Why did you do it?”

“It had to be done. I knew Jason or one of the guys would use a knife and that would take too long. I knew what had to be done. Winter couldn’t do it so I did. I was ready to get out of there.” Bella told her in a monotone voice.

“Good.” Mina replied with a smile.

“Good? I killed a woman and sliced a guy’s head from his shoulders I didn’t even know. I saw the fear in his eyes when he realized I would do it. How is this good?” Bella asked.

“You have learned two things tonight. You will kill to protect your loved ones and you will kill when it must be done. These are important things to learn about one’s self. This was lesson number two. When we get to where we are going we will continue. You still have a lot to learn Bella Swan. I look forward to teaching you.”

Bella caught Jason’s eye from the open cockpit where he sat next to Boller. He winked at her and grinned even though she was covered in blood she could feel begin to dry and stick to her.

She held back a smile but didn’t look away from his eyes.

She wanted him.

But Mina was right. She would never be a puppet again. She would have him on her own terms.