Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Claws

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 19:

Bella walked into the briefing room, feeling on fire. Her breakfast had made her quite nearly feral, the taste of the meat, the screams of the man who had tortured her for so many years, made her feel alive and in touch with her inner animal in a way she had not felt in a long time.

It was important for her to clear her head though. Mother was waiting along with Rick Hanover and four men she did not recognize. They looked like typical ops support team members except for one who caught her eye.

The man was tan with a close cut goatee and short, nearly shaved black hair. What stood out was his size. He was easily 6’5 and covered in muscle. Instead of standing with the others, he stood next to Mother. He was also dressed differently, not in a standard ops uniform, instead wearing a white t shirt and blue jeans that did nothing to hide his obvious strength. Bella walked towards Mother and stood by her other side. She subtly sniffed and was surprised to find he was human. She was also shocked that he looked at her over Mother’s head and winked at her with a grin, as if they were in on a joke that no one knew about but the three of them.

The biggest surprise was that he looked at her at all. The others, even Hanover, were doing their best not to look her direction, most likely put off by the blood that coated her face, dripped off her claws and the sight of her yellow and red tinged eyes.

Mother looked at her and smiled. “Bella dear, stand down. I think you are making the big tough men in the room nervous.”

Bella took a deep breath, closed her eyes and relaxed. After a moment her claws retracted and her eyes shifted to their normal deep brown.

“Begin Rick.” Mother ordered.

Hanover cleared his throat and finally acknowledged Bella’s presence, giving her a quick nod and turning back to the large screen in front of the room.

“Five days ago a Russian Mining company was conducting illegal drilling at a site twenty miles away from the southern part of Lake Baikal. They reached a breakthrough point and a cavern collapsed. That night creatures emerged, a species unknown, humanoid in shape, and slaughtered 46 employees. One was able to send a distress call and beacon before he was torn to pieces.

“Five hours later at dawn, the Russian Military sent in special operations soldiers, trained specifically for Siberian wilds combat. They investigated the site and found the bodies, or skeletons of the miners. They had all been eaten for the most part. The Russians investigated the hole in the ground that the miners had stumbled upon. Only one made it out long enough to report that the team had been massacred. Communication was lost with him shortly after. That night, three nearby villages, mostly nomadic outposts were massacred, the bodies little more than skeletons. We were asked for help by the Russian government since it was apparent these were not humans.

Due to the dense forest around the area, the Organization sent in a group of Jaguars from this base, twenty young women. They came in contact with the creatures as they exited the hole. Video retrieved showed that the creatures were dark skinned, between 5’10 and 6’2 inches, no more than 180 pounds. The girls engaged and were quickly overran. A team of ten Lycan hybrids and their support teams from the Siberian base two hundred miles away were sent in at dawn to investigate the hole these creatures emerged from. They dropped into the cavern below and one support team member made it out. He reported that there were at least 40 of the enemy in a cavern beneath the ground and the Hybrids were slaughtered. The subjects were faster and just as strong as our boys. We lost contact shortly after the support team member sent his last transmission. This is the only photo he sent.”

Bella looked at the screen and felt a chill shoot through her body. They were indeed humanoid, just as he described them but their appearance was more alarming than she could imagine. They truly looked like monsters from hell itself. They had thin wiry bodies, but the eyes were sunk in deeply, probably from lack of use. Though their feet appeared human, each had five fingers tipped off by what looked to be six inch claws and their mouths were filled with razor sharp, very long teeth, reminding her of an alligator or shark. It was easy to see how they could devour another living creature. Their ears were larger, no doubt giving them enhanced hearing but their noses were nearly nonexistent. They had no hair on their heads or bodies.

They were truly monsters from children’s stories.

“What are they?” Bella asked.

Hanover stared at her for a moment before answering.

“I just told you they are an unknown species we have never encountered before. Has your breakfast made you lose your intelligence?”

“You’re lying.” Bella told him.

Hanover scowled and turned to Mother.

“Dr. Hildebrand, I wasn’t aware you allowed your pets to speak.”

Bella felt her anger flare up but kept her face impassive, waiting for Mother to tell her to quiet.

Instead the woman surprised her. “If you want her to kill them, she needs to know the truth. Tell her. That is an order.”

“I was instructed to tell her what she needs to know.”

“This is my facility; these are my girls going in and I am ordering you to tell her or I will. If I have to, I will have you sent to a holding cell that has recently become available and Bella can have her lunch.”

Bella felt a surge of pride hearing Mother taking her side. She probably shouldn’t have spoken out of turn but she had a feeling that Hanover was lying. He knew exactly what these creatures were.

The man paused for a moment.

“1996. The Organization had recently begun experimenting with gene splicing. Until that point human hunters were used to battle supernatural creatures to the best of their abilities. One such group trapped a monster in Iran. This monster resembled a ghoul from legend and was most likely a source of many of the local folklore across the middle east. We developed an underground base in Siberia and began to experiment. These were the first attempts at supernatural human soldiers. We failed in this endeavor. The process had not been perfected, being a new science. The doctor in charge of the operation used the DNA of this ghoul and placed it into human hosts. Unfortunately the ghoul DNA mutated quickly and overran the human cells. Despite being told to limit the number of test subjects to three, the doctor made forty two of them. They quickly became out of control and took over the base, killing all inside. A failsafe was activated and the base collapsed in on itself, burying the occupants. None escaped. We assumed them to be dead.”

“But they weren’t, just buried.” the man next to Mother spoke.

“Correct. The Russian Government banned all mining in the area. However due to the high concentration of minerals in the region some mining companies conducted off the book’s operations. This company had unfortunately been drilling in the area of the base and broke through. Somehow these creatures survived and emerged. They are completely feral, no trace of humanity in them and have been starving for years. They are most likely nocturnal due to years underground in the dark.”

“And their skill set?” Bella asked.

“Incredibly fast and strong, teeth and claws are the major threats. Their hearing is their strongest trait. It will be impossible to sneak up on them. They do have a weakness though. The ammunition we have can damage them. I believe heart and head shots can kill them. Both teams, Jaguars and Lycan hybrids…”

“Were not told what they would be facing.” Mother finished, and Bella detected a light amount of anger in her voice. “I was not told. Our girls tend to use weapons as a last resort. They attempted to take theses mistakes head on as is in their nature and were slaughtered. Now our entire program is in jeopardy. Bella, we will go in weapons first. Land, wait near the entrance of the base where they retreat to every morning, and circle them. When they arrive, open fire, force them into the cavern and blow it up. The Organization wants this mistake to be hidden, wiped clean, before some governments start asking questions.”

“Their intelligence? They have no trace of humanity?” Bella asked.

“They are instinctual, lock onto prey and will attack without hesitation.” Hanover confirmed what she already suspected. “They will not be easy to force into one place but this may work in our advantage. You will have overwhelming numbers, firepower they have never faced and are most likely equal to them in speed. If one gets close to you, your claws should tear out their throat but it won’t be easy. They are very tough skinned.”

“You will be jumping into the area surrounding the base and 96 of you will move in and stay down until you have a definite lock.” Hanover told her. “They must all be wiped out. If some escape you will go after them. Do you think your girls can keep their claws in long enough to pull a trigger?”

“Yes sir. I do have a suggestion that may give us an added advantage.”

“You lead the field team, leave the planning to us.” he told her shortly.

“Speak Bella.” Mother told her, glaring at the man. Bella was almost stunned to silence by Mother’s support.

“We will be using two planes to jump from. High altitude, cut our chutes off at one hundred foot and land in the spruce and pine trees that cover the area, correct? I would recommend a third plane, one that will drop thousands of heartbeat emitters to the ground over a kill zone. If their hearing is on par with ours, our best chance is to negate their hearing, confuse them, bait them and use our superior eyesight to take them down.”

The room was silent for a moment until Mother patted Bella’s back. “A wonderful plan. You have always been top of your class at tactics as well as all your other classes. Make it happen Hanover.”

“Yes, Dr. Hildebrand. It does sound like an excellent tactic. I never relized our pets were so good at thinking. I thought being set loose and hunting were more their forte.”

“Call her a pet once more and I will let her remind you she is anything but tamed. My girls are loyal to me Rick. Don’t forget it. Bella clean up and meet me outside the complex on the West side before you talk to your teams. I need a bit of sunlight.”

The meeting broke up and Bella headed to the locker room, peeling out of her suit and showering, watching the red water fall from her body into the drain.

A sharp pain in her chest caused her to lose her breath for a moment. Until now she had experienced a constant ache and hoped it remained that manageable. The pain was gone quickly and she briefly wondered if something had happened to Leah. She dismissed that idea. She had no time to worry about what she left behind if she wanted to survive what was to come.

It struck her how easy it was to fall back into her former mindset. In what she thought of as the real world, there were so many different issues she had to deal with. The emotions she felt out in the field confused her constantly. Her relationships with Charlie, her team, the Cullens, Leah, even Sam and Billy were so different than she grew up with that she was changing into someone she didn’t know and was struggling to become.

She would never give up her friends and family. Bella knew this in her heart. She was dedicated to taking down the Organization… but here she felt so in her element. This was wrong, what they did to these girls and despite her innate hatred of the Devil Dogs she admitted they were wronged as well. Now she would risk the lives of 96 girls, many younger than she, in an attempt to clean up a mess the Organization had hoped was dead and buried. Still this was her natural element. No matter what she felt she was in Forks, not fighting her nature in her home felt so good. Even being nearly killed by Winston was more comfortable than sorting her feelings out about Charlie, Leah, imprinting.

She also learned she was more valuable to Mother than her long time colleagues. After striving to impress the woman her entire life, Bella felt like she finally had. She finally felt unconditional love from her. Even the prospect of turning into a full Jaguar did not worry her as much. Mother believed she could control the change and that gave her confidence.

What would Charlie think if he ever found out she had just eaten the meat off a man, no matter how vile he was? Bella had been determined when she came to Forks to show the man the monster she was. Despite her attempts, he loved her anyway. Leah accepted her in her true state, the Cullens treated her like family and she was beginning to trust and form a bond with Billy Black of all people.

Would they have ever looked at her the same if they had seen her this morning, ripping a man’s heart out of his chest and crushing it? Would they see her as a person if they had seen her ripping the muscle off his legs while he lived?

Of course they wouldn’t. Only Mother understood that part of her and encouraged it. In Forks she was seen as a protector, a person who fought to save humans. They had never truly saw the other side of her.

Redressing in her uniform, she walked quickly towards the West side, not wanting to keep Mother waiting.

After Bella had walked out of the briefing room, Mother stayed behind with Rick Hanover.

“You did well.” Erin told the man. “Bela’s loyalty has been further cemented.”

The man nodded but was still annoyed. Erin told him she suspected Bella would speak up. Her daughter’s time on the outside and made her more emboldened she suspected. This needed to be encouraged, so long as she remained faithful.

“Yes, I enjoy being scolded in front of one of your pets.” Hanover told her. “She did have a good idea about the heartbeat emitters.”

“A pity a seventeen year old girl has a better mind for tactics than you do with all your years of experience. Do not call her a pet. She is a warrior I have hand carved. Her loyalty and submission are important for what is to come. I can find many field generals, Hanover. Jaguars are a rare commodity. Don’t forget it.”

“I don’t want every girl here knowing that these monsters are the fault of the Organization. It may put ideas into their heads, ideas we don’t control.” the man countered.

“Bella won’t say a word. She will tell the girls what I tell her to. They need to know the strengths and weaknesses of these monsters, not where they came from.”

“You certain?”

“Of course I am. Bella does what I tell her to do. When she was 15, I chained her in a furnace and lit her on fire and when her vocal cords regenerated, she thanked me. She is vicious, the perfect mind set for the perfect killer. I am proud of my work.”

The man laughed quietly. “I’m sure Winston was proud of his work as well. Have you seen his remains yet? Does anything remain?”

Erin smiled slyly. “I watched the video feed. He is mostly only organs and bones now. Bella doesn’t like organs, just meat. He did me a great service once, turning a newborn into a small unassuming girl who is the strongest predator our program has ever seen. His usefulness had come to an end. It is all working out the way I expected. Julie’s death, her time in the outside world, enough to realize she doesn’t belong there, her return to her natural habitat. Bella will survive this mission. She will return to Forks and do my bidding. I placed her in Forks with her father to show her how truly different she is. I have no doubt she will kill Charlie Swan soon out of frustration if nothing else. The kill code her team has is ineffective. I told them to kill her if she goes feral. They will fail but the attempt will cement her to me even more.”

Hanover chuckled. “You say these girls aren’t pets but they kneel at your feet while you run your fingers through their hair. They consider it a reward to sleep at the foot of your bed. I will never understand how you can torture these girls so much yet they still beg for your approval and love. They are truly pathetic.”

Hildebrand slapped the man, causing him to stumble back. “My girls may be weapons but they are not pathetic. They are mine.”

The man shook off his embarrassment of being slapped by the woman. He was not one of her pets but he knew what she was capable of and had no desire to be a kitty treat.

“My apologies, Dr. Hildebrand.” he told her quickly.

The woman smiled at him and patted his cheek, causing him to flinch. “Trust in me Rick. In a year, maybe less, many things will change for both of us. I have to go. Organize the weapons, outfit the girls and prepare a third plane with the emitters. I want this done and pray that most of my girls make it. If not, it will set back my plans by perhaps a year or longer.”

Erin walked through the sprawling complex, only making a short stop to observe her seven year old’s sparring. They showed promise. Unfortunately since their healing factors had not quite kicked into their fullest potential there were quite a few bloody noses and lips, along with the occasional black eye. Erin had made a kingdom for herself, one where girls were turned from ordinary mortals into extraordinary creatures, superior to humans in every way and loyal to her. She used pain and love equally, in a way no other in the Organization could understand. The Devil Dogs were no better than common pit bulls, liable to turn on their owners at a moment notice. Not her girls she thought with satisfaction.

She found Mac waiting by the door for her as always. He was another of her greatest discoveries. Though human he was strong, dangerous and completely loyal to her for very different reasons. He did not work for the Organization, he worked for her.

“Everything go well, Ma’am?” he asked, opening the door for her.

“Hanover is still useful for now. He will have to die before our move is made. It will need to look like an accident.”

“No problem.” he assured her. “I like Bella. I see what you are talking about. Hard as nails, that one.”

“Yes she is. I want you to be friends with her. She must see you as a confidante.”

“I will make sure of it, ma’am.”

The two waited in the courtyard surrounded by the Rainforest. It truly was a lovely place. Erin had always believed Jaguars to be the deadliest predators in nature and this area was their natural habitat. Though the jungle held many dangers, it still felt like home.

Bella was with them moments later.

“Mother.” she greeted.

“Bella, I want you to meet Mateo Asua.”

The man offered his large hand. “Call me Mac. Everyone does.”

“A pleasure to meet you Mac. Have you been here long?”

Erin placed a hand on the big man’s shoulder.

“You have never met Mac but he has been with me many years. He does not work for the Organization. He is my personal bodyguard when I travel away from the base. He also does errands I am not always able to tend to when I am at the base. Mac is a former Green Beret. There is no human I trust more than this man.”

Bella was surprised, both by the sincerity of her words and the fact that she had a bodyguard not associated with the Organization.

“Bella, I asked you to come outside because I did not want us to be possibly overheard. I want to have a conversation with you that is only to stay between the three of us. This goes no further and I must insist you speak your heart, without regard to what I may want to hear. Do you understand?”

“Of course, Mother.”

Erin placed an arm around Bella’s waist and began walking further to the edge of the jungle.

“Bella, what do you feel about what you have just learned about our enemy?

Bella began to speak then hesitated.

“The truth Bella. You can trust me, right?”

“Of course Mother. I… I am angry. I am angry that the Organization made a mistake, that they buried experiments, not knowing if they would die or become more feral. I am angry that they have been the reason for the death of humans we were made to protect. I am angry that my sisters have already died trying to correct this mistake and more will likely die.”

Hildebrand touched Bella’s cheek. “I feel the same way. I was not told what we were dealing with when I sent the first team of your sisters. I felt betrayed when I was told the truth. Hanover will pay for his subterfuge one day, but not right now. I have taught you much over the years, have I not?”

Bella nodded her head quickly. “Everything I know.”

“I have not told you anything about the Organization we serve though. Not the truth of them.”

Bella stilled for a moment. She had learned much about the Organization since she had left the Base from her friends’ investigation but to give any sign that she knew more than she should would be disastrous. She would have to tread carefully.

“I don’t understand Mother. I thought the Organization was a secret branch of the United Nations.”

“That is true… to an extent. The Organization is backed by many countries, by many influential people in those countries but no single country knows the full extent of our reach. We have been in existence for centuries, dating back to a time when our founders used every method imaginable to kill vampires and other creatures we face today. Many brave warriors fought the Lycans, Ogres, Shifters of every type found around the world. Vampires have until the past two decades been a problem of course. Our forebearers even tried magic until science came along. The Organization is led by a council, made up of seven men and a high councilor. Despite the many components of our vast organization the high councilor rules overall.”

“One man?” Bella asked. She and her team had not come close to discovering the people in the US who supported the Organization. They guessed that a select group was at the top but she had no idea that one man sat on a throne.

“Yes. Unfortunately the Council has made many mistakes over the years, like the one you are correcting in the morning. I believe they have deviated from our original purpose of protecting humans from those more powerful. Bella, I need you to answer honestly and I promise you will not be punished if you think you answer incorrectly. This conversation goes no further than us three, understand?”

“Of course Mother.” Bella assured her, wondering if Mother would actually give her the names of the High Council.

“Are you loyal to me or the Organization? Before you answer both, I want you to tell me where your true loyalty lies.”

Bella thought for a second, knowing what Mother wanted to hear but also wondering if this was a test. Should Bella say she was loyal to the Organization? If she said Mother would she be punished? If she said the Organization, would she fall out of favor?

“I can practically hear your heart racing Bella. Calm yourself and answer honestly. This is not a test. I want to know what is in your heart.”

Bella relaxed a bit. Mother’s heartbeat gave no indication of lying. If she had to choose where would her loyalties fall between Mother and the Organization It was an easy answer.

“My loyalty lies with you, Mother. Always.”

Erin let out a sigh of relief though she didn’t doubt Bella’s answer. Everything she had done in these girl’s lives had bound them to her and her alone.

“I am glad to hear that. I love you my daughter. I believe in the Organization’s stated goal. However I fear they have lost their way. The Devil Dogs are brought up to be little more than animals. It is clear that young boys cannot handle being modified with shifter DNA. There are other ways. Your sisters are beautiful. Not only great warriors but smart, disciplined. Could you imagine a world where the girls are given more time to grow? To not be activated until they are 21 perhaps. More training, more preparedness, not being treated as disposable weapons. Even now the Organization sends their best assets to thin the herd so to speak while the wild animals clean up after you. Had we gone into Italy with a greater force, used the Dogs as well, or perhaps have more controlled warriors, the death toll could have been avoided. Julie could still be alive. Alas, I was only allowed to send a small force into the bowels of hell. I want to change that.”

“You do?” Bella asked, fighting to keep the doubt out of her voice.

“Of course. I love you all. I hurt every time one of you dies. I worry about you the most. But I am powerless to stop it. The Organization gives me an order and I must follow. I plan to take the council down, replace them completely. I want a council that is inclusive, one that represents the interests of humans and their guardians. I want to become High Councilor and I want you by my side when I do.”

Bella’s mind was racing with possibilities. She had long thought that her friends’ ideas of taking the Organization down would never happen. But what if it could be made better from the inside?

But what of the newborns taken from their nurseries?

“Nothing will ever be perfect Bella. Weapons have to be forged in steel. When you were 15, sparring outside next to a campfire and Candice threw a burning limb at your face, what happened?”

“I lost the fight. I became distracted by the fire. I was afraid of it.” she admitted.

“And what did I do?”

“You chained me in the furnace and lit me on fire.” Bella told her quietly.

“You hated me then. I hated that I had to do it. I had to bear your hate though. Do you know why?”

“Because a fear of fire made me weak. I survived the torment and never feared fire again.”

“When your vocal cords were regenerated you thanked me. You understood, even then, why I did what I did. It was always my desire to make you stronger, no matter how much your hate hurt me. I took that burden though it pained me. I think you would agree that my methods have succeeded.”

“Yes.” Bella admitted. That event had been a nightmare for her but she survived. She did hate Mother for it, for chaining her inside that iron pit, pouring the gasoline on her despite her pleas for mercy… but she never feared fire again. She learned she could survive anything. No pain was too great that she could not overcome it.

“These lessons in life cannot be learned by most humans. Most are not strong enough to be chosen for something greater. We will always need more Jaguars, but these lessons can come slowly. You know the importance of these lessons but you also know how the girls are feeling. On the council, by my side you would have a say in how the programs are ran. You could change the world Bella. You could make humanity safer and your sisters more effective, giving them a better chance at life. No one outside of us knows the trials our girls have to overcome. Together we can make them stronger. Shut down out of date and dangerous programs like the Lycan shifters, build smarter, more effective warriors. We could allow those girls who wish to love, the freedom to do so. I never believed in romantic love. I thought it would make a girl weaker but you showed me that it made you stronger. We would never mate with humans but what if other male shifters, more controlled men like our tiger shifters in Africa were allowed to train and intermingle with other females. What if one day breeding happened through love and no child would ever need to be taken from their mother again. You and I, we could do that, together.”

Bella had no words. She felt Mother’s gaze as well as Mac’s. The silence was heavy while she took all this in. Yes, it would be hell for the chosen but Mother always said to be greater you have to walk through hell and come out the other side stronger.

“What would you need me to do, Mother?”

Instead of answering, Hildebrand hugged her, winking at Mac who was behind the girl with a large grin.

“After you win this fight, and you will win, I will have to send you back to Forks. The Organization wants to breed you but I won’t let them. You will be brought in once a month for testing but only I will test you. The Organization will not see any of the data. We will manage this eventual shift and work to overcome it, make you even more powerful. You will only go after targets I give you unless attacked. I can’t have you attacking with no regard to your own life. And while you remain in the field, either I or Mac will stay in contact with you. You will also be given assignments. There will be people that need to die for the greater good if we would succeed and you and Mac will be my hands in making this so. I will need you for that. You won’t have to hide the killer inside you. Then once the right pieces have been removed, we strike. I have other allies but I need you. I need you to lead our girls, to take back control over our Organization and bring about a new day. Can you do that for me?”

“I will do anything you wish Mother.”

“Then go prepare your Jaguars. Lead them to glorious victory and remember while you are fighting this battle, soon you will be fighting the very men who have caused your sisters so much death.”

Bella turned, her mind reeling at what she had just heard.

“Bella?” Mother stopped her.

“Yes Mother?”

“Tell the girls every aspect of the Ghouls that you have learned but do not tell them their history. They will learn when the time is right. I want them focused on the monsters, not the lie they have been told, understand? It is only for us, right now.”

“Of course, Mother.”

Bella walked into the Base, leaving Erin and her bodyguard alone.

“She is loyal. Would you really give her a place on the Council?” the man asked.

“She will be on my right and you will be on my left. Bella is perfect. A legend to the girls, and under my thumb. Everything I have ever done to her has been to make her stronger and loyal to me, even torture. I have shaped every thought she has ever had. She knows she cannot fit into the world. She knows her calling. Most importantly she does everything I say. Would you like to see her kneel at my feet, before I send her back?”

“No, I’m good. If you say she is the one we need, I believe you. What do you want me to do?”

“Once she is in Forks, I want you to check in on her regularly. I will give her targets and you make sure she stays alive. Observe her support team, see if they are capable, watch her for signs of any changes. Have her reassure you of her loyalty often. I believe I will visit her myself occasionally, give her missions in person. I am interested in her relationship with this father of hers. I also need to assure that she is not taken with a human girl. The last thing I need is for her to fall in love again, especially with some local tramp.”

Mac shook his head. “I don’t like the idea of leaving you alone that much. There are snakes everywhere and if anyone gets a hint of what you are planning, they will take a shot at you.”

“I’m more dangerous than I look. All my girls are dedicated to me, not just Bella. They won’t dare attack me in my home surrounded by my very deadly children. It will all work out Mac. Trust me.”

“With my life.” the man assured her.