Sign Of The Times || Jasper Hale

chapter 83

"Seattle is in a state of terror..." Alex turns to the screen. The Cullens had put on the news to see how much was out there. A female reporter stands in front of Pike Place. "...Police are baffled by the escalating murders anddisappearances." Carlisle and Jasper watch with concern. Emmet is draped over the couch.

Alex looks over as Edward and Bella walk inside. "Theories range from a vicious new gang to a wildly active serial killer..."

Emmett looks over to Bella and grins. "Look who survived the dog park. Need something for those flea bites?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"I was there too you know." Emmett waves at Alex.

"Yeah, but you're filled with fleas yourselves." She throws a pillow at him and they both laugh.

"Asshole."

"Seattle?" Edward asks as he looks at the news.

"It's getting worse. we're going to have to do something." Carlisle says with a shake of the head.

"Alice still hasn't had a clear vision."

"Too bad, I will kick his blood thirsty ass. Let's go now. I'm bored as hell." Emmett slightly flinches as his wife yells from upstairs.

"EMMETT."

"She's such a pessimist." Edward abruptly looks at Jasper, reading his mind.

"I didn't think of that. But yes, it makes sense."

"Guys." Alex was used to the mind reading and the half conversations, but Bella apparently wasn't.

"Tell us, Jasper." As Jasper speaks, Bella is surprised when he continued beyond the one or two sentences he usually utters when she is around. His slight Southern accent becomes more obvious.

"It takes more than one of our kind to cause the damage they're reporting. Quite a few more. They're undisciplined, conspicuous."

"Newborns."

"Like.. new vampires?" Bella asks Edward and he nods.

"In their first months after the change."

"That's when we're at our most vicious, uncontrollable, insane with thirst."

Emmett throws another grin to Bella. "Something to look forward to." Bella blanches.

"No one has trained these newborns, but this isn't random..." Alex suddenly says and they look at her. They had slightly forgotten that she was there.

Realisation dawns on Carlisle's face. "Someone's creating an army." Jasper nods. Emmett rises, enthusiastic.

"Oh, now we definitely gotta go."

"Wait, an army? Of vampires?" Alex could hear the fear in Bella's voice.

"There haven't been any new born armies in over a century that I know of."

"There is now. And they've been created to fight someone."

"We're the only clan even close to Seattle." Edward softly says.

"Regardless," Carlisle waves it off. "If we don"t put a stop to it, the Volturi will. I'm surprised they've let it go on this long."

"Maybe they're purposely ignoring it. Or even behind it." Alex utters. She knew very well how sneaky they could be.

"He didn't want me to see but it was there." Everyone looks over towards Edward. "He wants Alice and me to join him." He quickly glances at at Alex. They wanted her back too, though he would not admit to that now. "Our gifts would shore up his power. But he knows we'd never choose him as long as our family is alive. An army could solve that for him." Bella takes this in and her eyes widen.

"We can't wait two for graduation; you need to change me now-.."

"You'd be a liability as a newborn." Jasper interjects. He knew the best how new borns could be. "Unable to control your instincts. An easy target." Carlisle puts an empathetic hand on Bella's shoulder.

"There's also your father to consider. And your mother. How terrible would it be for them if you suddenly disappeared?" Bella doesn't argue and Emmett looks around confused.

"But... we are gonna kick someone's ass, right?"

"Fuck yeah." Alex replies and Emmett high fives her.

•

The normal life had to go on and Mrs Pawly was becoming too old to do everything alone for a whole week. Alex had offered to help her even more and the woman couldn't be more glad.

Even Mrs Pawly had noticed something about her and when she had told her about Peter's death, the woman had mourned with her. Though there was a small conversation that Alex couldn't get out of her head.

"Just because I'm carrying it so well, doesn't mean that it isn't heavy."

"You're not carrying it well at all, dear."

Her eyes had changed color a few times, at least that was what the woman had said. Alex had thought that everyone was carrying on with their lives, as if nothing had happened. So she had to as well. But apparently, not as good as she had thought.

She wanted to share the news with Jasper but as she walks into the Cullen home, there is a strange feeling hanging in the air.

Alex sees Edward looking on with concern as Carlisle finishes setting Bella's hand in a splint. She misses Emmett and Jasper but just as she wants to ask where they are or what happened to Bella, Carlisle tells what is wrong with the human's hand.

"It's just a samill fracture. You're all set, Bella." Emmett and Jasper breeze in and see Bella's splint.

"Trying to walk and chew gum at the same time again, Bella?"

"Punched a werewolf in the face."

Emmett looks at her impressed. "Bad ass. You're gonna be one tough little newborn."

"Tough enough to take you on." Rosalie slams down the paper she was reading and walks out to the deck.

"Don't worry about it." Emmett tells a flabbergasted Bella.

"Did you find any leads?" Edward's voice hopeful though he knew the answer from their minds.

"No sign of the intruder. But Victoria continues to make appearances." Jasper says. Carlisle frowns.

"She's toying with us. Keeping us distracted."

"From Seattle?" Emmett looks around but Carlisle shrugs.

"Or the intruder. Or something else."

"Alice can keep tracking her decisions but we have to track her on the ground." Bella quietly sneaks out of the room towards the deck.

"We've already covered the entire southern peninsula down to Quinault."

"We'll search the northwestern trail..." Edward replies to Jasper and Alex shakes her head and zones out. She would hear what she'd have to do.

It was all about Bella's safety once again. Curious to where Bella went, she starts to listen carefully and hears Rosalie tell her story. A story that makes Alex frown. Why did that sound familiar?