Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Bodyguard

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 21:

Connolly POV

“What did you do to her?” Uley asked me. Garrett had let me know Sam wanted a polite word out front. I walk out and he begins by yelling at me. Not very nice.

“By her I am assuming you mean Leah. As far as what I have done to her you are going to have to be more specific because quite frankly some of the things we have done are personal and not your business.”

“She is my business. I hear from another wolf she is running patrols alone? I try to contact her and I can’t feel her anymore. The connection to the pack mind is broken. What did you do? Tell me.”

“Sam perhaps you should calm yourself…” Garrett tried.

“Go to hell leech. If I find out you had anything to do with this…”

“You will do nothing Uley. I’m an imprint remember. You can’t touch me. But I can certainly touch you. Hard if I have to. Leah is a member of my team. She asked to join. Since it is your spirits that decided the two of us should be linked you should take it up with them.”

“You are an imprint! You are…”

“Whatever the imprint needs right Sam? The wolf is whatever the imprint needs. I needed her on patrol so that is what she is doing. She is not alone. No one on the team beside Garrett is fast enough to run with her so I have one of my men backing her up with a fully armed drone. I’m not leaving her alone but that is all you need to know. She is mine. She wanted in, I let her. If you are telling me you can’t control her anymore I have to say that makes me very damn happy.”

“She is bound to…” he started.

“No one. Now you want to help us clear out this vampire infestation so she can leave with me and you can stop acting in a manner which would upset your lovely fiancée if she were to find out?”

“Why would I help you?” he asked.

“I’m not asking for your help. I’m asking if you want to be a part of killing a deadly coven of vampires. If you don’t that’s fine. I don’t really give a damn. From what you tell me Leah is not under your control. She is what her imprint needs. If you still love her that means you will help us. If all you want to do is possess her and make sure she can’t find happiness outside of you then by all means stay on the sidelines. I don’t need you. We don’t need you.”

“You stole a member of my Pack.”

“She left you.” I pointed out.

Sam stared at me for a few moments, trying to master the fury on his face. I almost felt bad for him. He did love her. He was forced into the arms of another woman by the same spirits that took over his life by turning him into a vampire killing machine.

I almost felt bad for him.

I believe the problem is he has always been in a position of power over Leah. He loved her and couldn’t have her. She loved him and hated him for his forced betrayal. But Uley thought as long as Leah was in his pack he could always have some measure of control. Then I came along and his only hold on her was gone.

“How many guns do you have trained on me right now?” he hissed.

Okay I didn’t feel bad for him.

“None. Why? Do you want to fight me Sam? I’ve fought and killed tougher people and tougher creatures than you. You want a shot, if it will make you feel better, go ahead and take it. Maybe your spirits will let you take a shot at the imprint. But understand this. I will treat you like any other person I have faced in my life. You try to take me on I will kill you. Think it through Sam. You only get one chance to make the right decision.”

“You are human. Just human.” He said quietly, trying to convince himself.

“Sam in the course of everybody’s life they will meet, at least once, one person they should not fuck with. I’m that person for you. You want to do this, make your move. Change into a wolf, stay as a man, I don’t care. All I need is this.”

I pulled my foot long silver Bowie Knife from my belt.

“Make your move or make your decision. Either way you got five seconds.”

I give him credit. He took four of the five required seconds. But he met my eyes. He knew I would kill him. It’s what I do. What I have always done. I’m a killer. He isn’t. Vampires? Yeah he could kill them. Me? I could kill anything.

“What do you need us to do?” he asked, shoulder’s dropping.

“I need your expertise. I need you to work with my guys and figure out where these vampires are hiding. Then Garrett and I will come up with a plan to destroy these assholes and we can all move on with our lives. You can get married to your fiancée and Leah leaves with us. That’s the way it goes.”

“I know where they are hiding.” Bella Swan’s voice popped up out of nowhere.

I admit I jumped. I didn’t feel as bad when I saw Uley did the same. Garrett simply smirked.

“Where the fuck did you come from?!” I asked while trying to act like I wasn’t surprised by Bella Swan popping out of nowhere right next to me.

“The house. I know where she is. Do you have a map? I can pinpoint it. She is in a cave in a mountain near here. One way in.”

“How do you know that Swan? You sound like a vampire tracker.” I pointed out while giving Garrett a meaningful look. It annoyed me that he didn’t appear as upset as he should have been by what he did or allowed to be done to the pregnant girl we were here to protect. It also didn’t escape my attention that she was starting to master these gifts a little bit too easily. Sure she wouldn’t up passing out a couple times but it seemed she could call on these gifts with a mere thought. Instead of Garrett interrogating scientists at Area 52 he seemed to be watching with a detached bemusement.

The door to the mansion opened and Ty and his dog ran towards Bella.

“Damn it woman! Why you gotta leave like that? We a team! Team members don’t go invisible and leave there teammates standing with their pants around their damn ankles wanting to know if anything else was gonna happen!”

Ty didn’t seem happy.

“Sorry. I told you I knew where she was. Figured I may as well let these guys know. Quicker she is dead the quicker we are back in Arizona, remember Ty?”

Ty was about to respond when my earpiece cut in.

“Sir we have a vampire at the front gate, holding a human as a shield. He was driving a black Ford Mustang. The human looks to be in bad shape but alive.” John’s voice cut in.

“Do you have a shot?”

“I do.” Max quietly responded.

“Then take it.”

“Sir he is holding one of the humans Swan and Gavin were with at the gymnasium. He also is holding up a white flag.” Dan informed me.

“A white flag? So what? We aren’t kids. You can’t just tie your sock to a stick and expect a time out. Shoot the fucker.”

“He just shouted if we kill him the other hostages are dead.” John informed me.

“Sam and I have lock from behind sir.” Jack told me. “Your call.”

“Hold but keep target. Wait for mine or Garrett’s green light. Rudi you got overhead?”

“Yes sir. Full visual. No vampires around. Leah is approximately a minute out.”

“Leah run a wide circle around us. Stay clear of the vampire and protect the perimeter.”

A loud growl filled our earpieces. I placed a com device in Leah’s ear after she phased. Never occurred to me she could growl at me.

“I don’t want you caught in a crossfire.” I explained. No more growls. I would take that as a yes sir.

“I’ve got this.” Garrett said and took off. I ran to catch up. Bell and Ty started after me.

“Call your father Bella. Make sure he is still in La Push. He could be a hostage. I need to know.” I told her to stop her from following.

Garrett POV

When I reached the gate I recognized the vampire immediately. I remembered him from his file. Gregory. Turned in Greece in 1467. A nomad who evolved with the times. Traveling from one war zone to another. He disappeared off my radar around one hundred years ago. I assumed he was dead. Instead he had apparently joined up with Maria. He wasn’t there during the Southern Wars or I would have noticed. He was a recent recruit.

“All vampires stay back. All vampires. It is very important.” I stressed, hoping Jasper got the message. I wasn’t sure if Esme was still having fun with his feet but something told me I didn’t need him running up here. Or hopping as the case may be.

“Hello. My name is Garrett.” The human did not look good but I detected no life threatening injuries. Bruises and cuts mostly.

“I know who you are. A traitor to our kind. Working with humans on weapons to destroy our kind. I am Gregory. I have a message from Maria.”

“Is the message in your arms?” I asked, nodding at the young man.

“He is a show of good faith. In his pocket is a phone on which you can contact Maria. She awaits your call. If I am harmed and do not return, she kills half of the hostages she has. Friends of the human you protect. Three females and three males. They are unharmed at this time. Failure to contact her in the next twenty minutes means a human dies. I believe she will start with the female first. The deaths will not be quick or painless.”

“I understand. No harm will come to you. Leave the boy and go.”

Gregory sneered a bit and dropped the boy. He backed up quickly into the car and drove off.

“Mike!”

I turned to see Bella running up with Ty at her side. They both knelt down beside him.

Ten minutes later we were inside the compound. Charlie had arrived with Sue. Donna, Jeff and Ty senior were in the living room. Connolly was inside. The team and Leah who I suppose despite her instinctual hatred of me was part of a team remained on patrol. Esme, Jasper, Peter and Charlotte stood in the corner. Sue was upstairs taking care of Mike Newton who despite his gruesome look had mostly superficial injuries.

“Hey I thought you said that Newton motherfucker was supposed to be in jail Charlie?” Ty asked.

“I was fucking with you Leroy Brown. Four years of receiving drunken prank calls in the middle of the night? You have a lot more to look forward to over the years son. Payback is a bitch.”

“Oh.” Ty sighed. “Long as you can take a joke.”

“Good thing Harry Clearwater cant get payback huh Dad?” Bella asked. Charlie didn’t respond unfortunately.

“I’ll make the call.” Connolly decided.

“Bullshit. Your people skills suck. I will make the call.” I told him.

“Nope. That is what she will expect. I got this.”

“You will start a war before four sentences are out of your mouth.” I pointed out. Go fuck yourself is one of his favorite little sayings in negotiations.

I suppose he was about to argue but at that moment the phone we found on Newton flew out of my hand and landed in Bella’s.

“I’ll make the fucking call. The two of you know nothing about negotiation. Now everybody sit down and shut up. Let me do what I do.” Bella directed us firmly. I looked at Connolly who shrugged his shoulders.

“By all means Bella. Do what you do.”

Bella POV

There was no chance I would allow these idiots to negotiate for the lives of my friends. No, I had a plan. The makings of a plan.

It was more of a general idea.

I dialed the only contact in the phone and placed it on speakerphone. She answered immediately.

“Hello Garrett? What have you done with my Jasper? I know the negro still lives.”

“No that bitch did not just call me a negro!” Ty yelled. I turned to him with my finger to my lips.

He mouthed sorry.

“This isn’t Garrett. My name is Bella Swan. We have never met but I am sure you have heard of me. You sent Jasper to kill my fiancée correct?”

“Ahh the white girl so many vampire and humans love.”

“Maria I haven’t called you a Mexican whore so why don’t you return the favor and leave racial terms out of this?”

“Fair enough chica. Where is my Jasper?”

“We have him. If you hurt one hostage we kill him.”

“There is absolutely no way you can hold Jasper.” She responded.

“A couple weeks ago you would have said no bullets could possibly kill a vampire. Would you agree?”

“You make a fair point. You have someone I want. I have people you want. Are you willing to talk?”

“That’s why I called.” I told her.

“Why are you calling? Why not Garrett or the human soldiers leader?”

“They lack people skills. Maria let’s cut to the chase. What do you want to just go away?”

“I want Jasper.”

“You had Jasper. You sent him after Ty. Why?”

“If he killed your neg… your fiancé you would never forgive him. Any chance of you taking him as a mate would be gone.”

“There was never a chance to begin with.”

“Yes there was. You are his mate. I know this. If you accept him any chance of having him would be gone. I let him play with the little girl Alice. She was never a threat. You are a threat. You have but to say a word. In ten years you could tire of your fiancé and he would come to you. I can’t take that chance. I love him.”

“You love him?” I asked doubtfully.

“No one understands my creation better than I do. He is mine and I want him. Release him or I kill the hostages.”

“That’s it? I send him to you and you let my friends go and never bother us again.”

“Of course not. As I said you could still call to him as long as you live.”

“I got news for you sister. Neither me nor my man are planning on dying here. That’s a deal breaker.”

“I see. You would not even surrender yourself for your friends?”

“Nope.” I handed a sheet of coordinates to Connolly with one word. He nodded and went into the other room.

“Then we are at an impasse. Should I kill a hostage to show my resolve?”

“You do and I have Jasper’s head air dropped to you.”

That shut her up.

“You would kill him? You are bluffing. I know you must feel something for him. He is your mate whether you accept it or not.”

“He is under your control. The Jasper I knew is gone. I will order his death in a second.” I looked at Jasper who showed no surprise. He merely nodded his head. I wonder if he knew I was serious and not bluffing at all.

“So Jasper for the hostages?” she asked.

“No, you would kill the hostages if I sent Jasper to you. If I surrendered myself you would kill the hostages anyway. No matter what I offer you, you have no way of proving that you won’t hurt the hostages. Those people are my friends but at this point I have to assume they are already dead.”

They weren’t. I knew they were there. I could feel them.

“I give you my word.”

I managed not to laugh out loud.

“How did that work out for Victoria?” I asked.

“Point taken. You want me to go away? I want the weapons. I want the weapons the military has. All of them. Give me the weapons and Jasper. I also want to know why no gifts work on you. Give me the hardware and information and I…”

“You what? Will use them to take over the vampire world?”

“Yes and have a fighting chance against the human world. With your weapons we would still have the advantage of strength and speed.”

“Why would I give you an advantage?”

“If you want your friends back you have no choice. Do not believe you are in a position of power. If you really wanted Jasper dead he would be dead. I can attack. You have no idea where I am. I have the numbers. I can attack your mansion now and kill all inside, vampires and humans.”

“I know exactly where you are.” I told her honestly. Connolly walked back in and nodded.

“I doubt that.”

“Fine. I will prove it. Consider this a gift.”

Connolly whispered a command and a moment later I heard an explosion loud enough to cause me to jump away from the phone lying between us all.

“The gift I talked about is that you are still alive. That drone could have sent a missile into the cave you are hiding in and blown you to nothing rather than missing by one hundred feet. We are trying to be nice here. I would suggest you do the same. How is that position of power feeling now?” I doubt the missile would have had any affect but if she was afraid of our bullets that had to have scared the hell out of her.

“Fine. A straight up exchange. Jasper for your friends. You will have to take my word though that I will never come for you or your family. Like you I have no intention of dying.” Her voice did not sound confident any longer.

“Here is my offer Maria. My friends released, and you get Jasper. But we want the kid vampire. The one who controls others for you. You trade him for Jasper and my friends.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Jasper can control your army. We want to make sure this vampire is dead. His power is too dangerous.”

“I would not give one of my own. What sort of leader would that make me?”

“The kind that turned innocents and then killed them based on how well they could fight. Southern Wars ring any bells?”

“You will not have him. I will kill him myself. It is a simple matter not to meet his eyes and I promise you he is not a very skilled fighter.”

“Nope. I want him and my friends and you want Jasper. That’s the deal. No weapons. You would just turn them against us.”

“I will not agree to those terms.” She told me.

I looked at Connolly and we heard another boom erupt from the phone.

“Then we kill you now. That was strike two. I guarantee the third is coming straight down the middle.”

She said nothing. I wondered for a moment if she hung up the phone.

“I will agree to your terms. I will meet you with your friends in the morning. I will kill this vampire you wish dead in front of you and return your friends. You will give me Jasper and we will end this. No more games. You may bring Garrett. That is it.”

“My future husband, Garrett and The human military leader will be with me. You will also be observed by drones and satellites. You try to fuck us over and I will rain hell down on you. Understand?”

“Of course. I would not want to take a chance on strike three taking me out as you say. 8 AM in the clearing to the North of the Cullen house?”

“See ya there sista.” I told her and ended the call.

“So that good enough?” I asked Connolly.”

“No it wasn’t good enough.” Dad piped in. “Sure we get back those kids but it isn’t going to end. What the hell is going to stop her from coming after you again? Any of us?”

“It won’t be a problem, will it Jason?”

“No ma’am.”

“Why is that?” Donna asked.

“Because we are attacking the bitch tonight.” Jason told her.

“Raiding her cave? Those kids will be dead regardless.” Dad pointed out.

“Nah. I see where you are going with this boo.” Ty said figuring it out. “No way that bitch is staying in one place now that she knows we know where she is. No way she keeps her word. She is going to plan to move everyone against us tonight.”

“Which is why we are attacking the bitch tonight. First.” Garrett concluded.

“She will try to move the hostages, in case she actually has to go through with an exchange.” Esme suggested.

“No. She will leave them where they are with a few guards. The weakest will stay. The strongest will follow her encircling this place.” Jasper whispered.

“So we wait for her to move her army. A few of us will go in to rescue the gang while the rest of you set up a trap.” I finished.

“What the fuck you talkin about a few of us? Your ass is stayin somewhere safe Bella. Let these vampires and soldiers who get paid for this shit handle her.”

“Ty, I can get us in that mountain without being seen. You know this.”

“Just because you are invisible doesn’t mean you can’t be smelt or heard Bella.” Garrett noted.

“I know. But I can get us in with a distraction. Let me and Ty have some guys. Give us a way up that mountain and I can get my friends out. The rest belong to you, right Jason?”

“With Rudi on the drones if Sam will help we can ambush them in the woods as they encircle this mansion. It would be easier than a brute force war. They do have the numbers. She doesn’t know Jasper is with us. She doesn’t know her vampires gifts don’t work with those bracelets. I doubt she knows about the Wolves. Not much anyway. Leah hasn’t come across any scents and she has probably been focusing on us and not La Push. Yeah this could work. We could pick them apart. Positioning is the hardest part. Positioning and getting Bella and Ty into that cave and out. I think Peter and Charlotte should go with them. Can the four of you get it done if there are less than five vampires there?”

“That’s a bit of an insult but I will forgive it since you don’t really know me. Yes. We can get it done.” Peter said.

“I don’t like this Bella. You need to think about our kid.” Ty whispered.

“I am. I can’t have this bitch bothering us Ty. We can’t let those people die up there. I don’t want you to go. You need to stay…”

“Are you out of your fucking mind woman?” he asked. I suppose it was a fair question.

“Probably baby. I guess I can’t talk you out of coming any more than you can talk me out of it. Get our nines ready baby. Bout time to roll up on some bitches and be heroes.”