{"id":958,"date":"2024-08-23T01:46:10","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T01:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=958"},"modified":"2024-08-23T01:58:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-23T01:58:33","slug":"chapter-06","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=958","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 06"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 06 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bella was glad that nobody commented on how she thought that Henry might be Grant, her dead twin brother, because that was embarrassing. While she never believed in coincidences, it was just a coincidence that Henry used the name Grant Swan in Afghanistan\/when he enlisted and it was likely he had meant his own sister to look out for, not Bella.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of that, he didn\u2019t look anything like the boy on the picture, while it was very obvious that the girl in the picture was a younger Bella.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was sitting quietly in the courtyard, away from everyone else as she worked on her list of notable associates of the Cullens to give to Myriam when she had the brilliant idea to just double check to see if Henry might be Grant. Bella simply couldn\u2019t let it go. She took a picture of her picture, sent it to her computer and hacked into the FBI database to use their age progression algorithm. It was one of the tools she didn\u2019t have, and never needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She let the program work in the background while she continued to make her list and didn\u2019t notice that Henry sat down next to her. \u201cSo, what did the Cullens do to you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked up and blinked at him. \u201cSorry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBetter question,\u201d Henry nodded. \u201cWhy do they want you dead?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t Myriam tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He relaxed in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. \u201cShe\u2019s the mastermind. If she has a job for me, like this one, she only tells me what\u2019s necessary. In this case, she asked if I wanted to help screw over the Cullens and I said yes,\u201d Henry replied with a shrug. \u201cAnd it\u2019s not because of the money, hell, I don\u2019t care if I get paid for this. I have my own experiences with them that makes me want to do something about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you do something about them before?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI dunno, I wasn\u2019t ready, I guess,\u201d he let out a breath. \u201cOr maybe I was, but while I\u2019m extremely talented and all, I just never found a good team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re very humble,\u201d Bella let out a snort. \u201cAnd you\u2019re right, going up against the Cullens by yourself is a bad idea, but by them now knowing where I am, and sending Emmett, I\u2019m going to talk to the FBI so the Cullens can be taken off the streets faster than any con we can come up with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou still haven\u2019t answered my question.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI could ask you the same thing; what did the Cullens do to you? I mean, no offense, but I\u2019ve been around them for quite a while and I\u2019ve never seen you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs I said, I have my own experiences with them. They\u2019re not good people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded as she looked at her computer, the software had finished and the connection was severed, but she didn\u2019t dare to look at the results. Letting out a sigh, she maximized the window and was stunned to see the result. If she\u2019d add a little bit of scruff and a better haircut\u2026 \u201cI know who you are,\u201d she said in a low voice, making sure nobody else heard them and looked at Henry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSorry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know your real name,\u201d she whispered. \u201cI mean, I already thought I knew who you are, but everyone said I was crazy for thinking that because you never told them, did you? You never told the Michaels that you\u2019re Grant Cullen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He briefly looked surprised before shaking his head, dismissing her claim. \u201cThat is crazy, the Cullens don\u2019t have a son called Grant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot anymore, no. I was told he died in foster care after the cops swooped him up when a con went sideways. Wasn\u2019t even his fault, it was his sister who remained behind after getting stuck, and he went back and got her out, because the cops were bad people and they would hurt criminals, especially if you were a Cullen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He paled then. \u201cHow do you know this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy name isn\u2019t Izzy Shepard. Your friend Auggie Anderson helped me with that name,\u201d Bella said as she turned her laptop around, showing the aged up photo of her and her brother. \u201cIt\u2019s Bella Cullen, and I\u2019m your sister.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait\u2026\u201d He looked at her laptop, and the original picture and then at Bella before looking back at the picture. \u201cThat picture was taken a few days before I thought I\u2019d saved you,\u201d he said remorseful as he looked at her with a sad expression on his face. \u201cI\u2019ve always felt so guilty that I was living a different life, a better one, while it should have been you in this life. You should have had my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was told you were dead, so finding you alive is pretty much a bonus,\u201d Bella smiled at him. \u201cIt also means that I\u2019m not crazy and that Mingus can be trusted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, of course he can be trusted, why do you think you can\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou were swept away by cops and I was later told you died,\u201d she replied as she turned her laptop back to her. \u201cNaturally, I started to take the teachings more seriously and I always did my damnedest to make sure no one got caught and got a clean getaway. Law enforcement is bad. Really fucked with my head in the last month.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou really don\u2019t get told anything, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Henry. Grant. Henry whatever, replied with a smile on his face. \u201cBut I\u2019m guessing that seeing as that\u2019s Neal Caffrey, you weren\u2019t particular a fan of his FBI friend,\u201d he jerked his head towards Neal. \u201cHow on Earth did you two meet? I mean, completely different worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was strange. This man was her twin brother, but she didn\u2019t really feel it. He had some knowledge of how the Cullens worked, but he was nine when he got taken away so he didn\u2019t experience most of it. \u201cI was in Paris, he was in Paris\u2026\u201d Bella shrugged. \u201cEven when Uncle Garrett told him who I was, he didn\u2019t run, because he could tell that I was different and not like a Cullen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you do seem a lot more relaxed than any of our siblings,\u201d he replied. \u201cMust be Uncle Garrett\u2019s doing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella wasn\u2019t even sure if she\u2019d been on his mind for years like he\u2019d been on hers. But, then again, life had been different for him, and while Cole, Nick and Myriam had told her about his skill set, things simply were different. He was no longer a Cullen. Whereas she was, no matter how badly she tried to fight it. \u201cEvery summer he planted the idea in my head that I can do things differently, it finally stuck, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you left.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo I left,\u201d she nodded. \u201cThey gave me about a year to return and then I got shot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s nice, isn\u2019t it? Your own family wanting to kill you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked at him. \u201cJust like they lied about you being dead and using you as an example of how not to screw up because the pigs will get you and kill you, because if you get caught, you\u2019re dead and they\u2019re not going to help you out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrue, but I wasn\u2019t aware of that,\u201d he agreed. \u201cI was scared for a while because like you, I believed what the Cullens had taught me, and the Taylors didn\u2019t have it easy with me, until I met Cole. And Nick. Their parents. I realized I wasn\u2019t as defective as I thought and I eased up. Jason taught me martial arts and he taught me everything I know about guns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey weren\u2019t all lies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd yet, they sent Emmett to kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, because I left.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s because they have something to hide and they don\u2019t want you to find out. It\u2019s not about leaving, even Edward left for a year or so. He tracked me down in Afghanistan so I had to leave and I told Auggie to keep an eye on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella remembered that Edward was gone for quite some time, but she\u2019d believed he was working a long con, that\u2019s what she was told. \u201cHe left? He wasn\u2019t doing a con?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, he left,\u201d Henry was sure of it. \u201cEdward told me that he didn\u2019t like the way that the family was dealing with shit, and tracked me down to see if I was okay as he had just found out that I wasn\u2019t dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t sound like him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, he tried to kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, that does sound like him,\u201d Bella agreed. \u201cBut why didn\u2019t he tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomehow I believe you weren\u2019t told anything that didn\u2019t have anything to do with the job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course I was told stuff, I had my teachings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry visibly winced. \u201cAnd I was raised after I was separated from you and with a new family. And instructed in other things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee, I don\u2019t know what the difference is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLove. Attention. Affection. Parents saying how proud they are of you for getting straight As in school,\u201d He replied without hesitation. \u201cSocial skills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy parents took care of me and my siblings and it was hard after you were gone, but we made it through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd yet, you left them and now they want you dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, and that sucks but it\u2019s the rules.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFamily doesn\u2019t kill family, Bella. Stop thinking about your\u2026 teachings and stop thinking that the rules are law, because they\u2019re not. You\u2019re free,\u201d Henry told her, a hint of aggravation in his voice. \u201cI took great pleasure in killing Emmett this morning and I will kill every single one of them if I have to even though Myriam doesn\u2019t want me to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was no way that Henry was that angry with the Cullens if he claimed he had had a great family he lived with after he was taken by the cops. He\u2019d only been nine years old, too young to form a normal opinion on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was also no way that Henry wanted to get rid of the Cullens for her, either. It seemed like he had put her and their family in the darkest corners of his memories, to be forgotten and to be replaced with new information. On top of that, she wasn\u2019t quite sure how it had impacted him to be away from her. She had used him as an example to do better. To be better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat aren\u2019t you telling me?\u201d Bella asked, tilting her head as she studied Henry\u2019s face. \u201cThere\u2019s something you\u2019re not telling me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know you, I don\u2019t have to tell you everything,\u201d Henry replied harshly as he got to his feet. \u201cAnd I\u2019d really appreciate it if you didn\u2019t tell the Michaels or your boyfriend about who I truly am, because I stopped being Grant Cullen a long long time ago. We\u2019re related by blood, but you\u2019re not my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGot it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFinish that list. No more messing around. When you\u2019re done, you give the list to Myriam and then you\u2019ll talk to Auggie. Tell him I said hi and thank you,\u201d he instructed as he walked away to rejoin everyone else and Bella wasn\u2019t sure what to make of him. He was right, of course. Henry was a complete stranger, not her brother Grant. Henry just looked like him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She could only be grateful that he was still alive. But Bella wasn\u2019t sure where that left her beliefs, either. His death shaped her to who she was now, and her ideals were already conflicting with Neal\u2019s ideals and ideas about life, and with the Michaels\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was going to worry about that later. She needed to finish the list and talk to Auggie to get the Cullens off the street and out of her hair as soon as possible before they\u2019d hurt someone other than her. Someone like Neal, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was going to continue as if her brother was still dead. Move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was meeting Auggie in an office of the Voodoo museum, it was nice and secluded and in a controllable environment. Myriam was outside the door, and Neal was with Bella talking to Auggie who was recording everything on his recorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It felt like the ultimate betrayal. She was turning on her family, something she\u2019d sworn not to do. If she\u2019d been in trouble before, it was going to be worse now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It felt as if every single thing she told Auggie was another stab in the heart. All the information he\u2019d need individually, but also on jobs. That she\u2019d been involved in as well, and she made sure that she included that, too. She was still a Cullen and nobody got left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, you haven\u2019t even asked for immunity,\u201d Auggie said as he stopped the recorder. \u201cWhy is that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, seeing as you didn\u2019t offer, you didn\u2019t talk to your superiors yet,\u201d Bella replied with half a shrug. \u201cAnd I usually was the one responsible that nobody got caught, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll make sure you\u2019ll get that immunity. Might even have to put you through WITSEC for real this time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Bella shook her head. \u201cAbsolutely not. I love New Orleans and I will not relocate. I\u2019m not going to run. And I don\u2019t particularly fancy leaving Neal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCould get you both in?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Bella and Neal chorused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause while this is brilliant,\u201d Auggie said as he waved his recorder around. \u201cOnce this is all processed and your family is all picked up and all, you\u2019re going to have a target on your back, an even bigger one than you already have. You know I promised your brother to keep you safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know you did, and I\u2019m pretty sure he\u2019ll agree that I\u2019m a grown woman now, able to make my own decisions and ask for help of others if I need them,\u201d she countered. \u201cWhich is also why I didn\u2019t ask for immunity, because I did have a hand in shit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFair enough,\u201d Auggie nodded. \u201cSo you have nothing on your parents?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing that would stick. Maybe if you can find Grant, he might have something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe guy is a ghost,\u201d Auggie let out a snort. \u201cI\u2019ll try to find him. So last chance to back out, are you sure you want to do this? Your family is going to spend a long time behind bars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, she didn\u2019t want to do this but they hadn\u2019t left her with any choice. \u201cThey want to play dirty? I\u2019ll play dirtier and break the rules we set as a family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re absolutely sure about this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Bella nodded. \u201cNow, please stop asking before I chicken out and change my mind and fuck shit up even more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t your fault, Bella,\u201d Neal gently rubbed her hand and smiled at her. \u201cAnd I think you\u2019re very brave to do this, no matter how it all plays out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay to be scared and I know you have friends who are helping you now, but if you want, I could have some agents\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAuggie,\u201d Bella said sternly. \u201cI don\u2019t want to complicate my life even further.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Auggie let out a breath and nodded. \u201cFine. But seeing as you never use your phone, I want you to message me on your new handle if something\u2019s wrong, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFine.\u201d Yeah, she was going to make a new new handle to communicate with Mingus so that he wouldn\u2019t be able to keep tabs on her. \u201cNow what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow, I\u2019m going back to New York and I\u2019m going to hand this in to my supervisor and we\u2019re going to arrest the Cullens as quick as we can. You just stay out of trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Auggie nodded. \u201cI believe Agent Burke is staying in New Orleans for a bit longer though, he wants to catch up with you some more, Neal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat,\u201d Neal smiled widely, not minding his friend\u2019s presence in New Orleans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do want to tell you to be careful though, unless you do want some agents on you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHell no, thanks, both Bella and I will be fine,\u201d Neal said as he looked over to Bella who looked as if she couldn\u2019t wait to get out of the office. \u201cI think Bella\u2019s tolerance for being in one room with the FBI is coming to an end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI figured,\u201d Auggie laughed. \u201cGo. I\u2019ll find my own way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She couldn\u2019t help but wanting to withdraw from everything and everyone, but seeing as the Michaels wouldn\u2019t allow her to go back to her house, Bella wandered around the Michaels home and eventually found access to the tunnels. It was rare to have tunnels or basements in New Orleans due to the water and soil, but the tunnels to her house were solid and well supported, and seeing as her house was behind the one of the Michaels, she figured this home had access to those tunnels too, which was great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tunnel was a bit damp, like expected, and some rats were there too, but she found her secure door with no problem and made her way inside her own house for some peace and quiet. Neal was with Peter, he was safe, and they wouldn\u2019t miss her if she\u2019d just stay away for a couple of hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She got undressed as she ran her bath, put some essential oils in the water and hummed to herself as she got into the tub and relaxed. Bella was soaking for maybe an hour before getting out and finding something to wear. It was like she was wearing a new skin, fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her home was nice and quiet. She was alone, and it was familiar. No noise, no sounds from the outside. Just her and her thoughts, and it felt good to switch off for a while. To forget. Bella walked into her kitchen and grabbed one of the bottles of wine that she had, took a glass and headed to her computer to redistribute some of the money she\u2019d acquired from the code she released in Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She could also make a patch for it and send it off to the banks so they could patch the holes. Yeah, maybe that was a better idea. Bella had more than enough money to take care of her and Neal even years after her death so she didn\u2019t need more. She put a good portion of it in Neal\u2019s pencoin account and put the money she was going to pay the Michaels in Cole\u2019s account, at least the one that she was aware of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella also sent her uncle Garrett an email saying everything was alright and taken care of and she was almost at the bottom of her bottle when the perimeter alarm went off. Checking the cameras, she sighed and switched off the alarm before making her way to her tunnel door and opened it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m drunk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHi drunk. I\u2019m Neal. And you ran off,\u201d Neal replied playfully and pulled her into his arms. \u201cYou had me worried.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m okay, just wanted to take care of a few things\u2026 have some me-time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d he kissed the top of her head. \u201cHenry\u2019s out front and Jason\u2019s in the tunnels, both are keeping an eye out,\u201d he closed the door and pulled her back towards the patio. \u201cThey want us back in their home by midnight tonight. How about we go and watch a movie?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going to make me watch Dirty Dancing, I\u2019m so not in the mood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah, I was thinking more wine and maybe a true classic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSounds like a plan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The next day, the Michaels left for Portland, Maine with a few of their crew to have fun with some people on Bella\u2019s list, leaving her at the Michaels family home with Neal and Jason, the only familiar faces. It felt stupid to stay at the Michaels home because she no longer felt safe. Her home was more secure than the wide open spaces, even though they were well guarded by good friends of Nick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They called themselves \u2018The Troubles\u2019, and like with the Michaels, a woman was in charge. Her name was Lucy and she mainly hung out in the courtyard while her men had all sides covered, and even the tunnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal kept himself entertained by trying to get away from the Troubles by sneaking past them and getting caught every single time. He found it a challenge. But with just her laptop to do damage with, Bella had started to get a little stir-crazy and spent hours in the kitchen to cook food for everyone, making sure to relieve the kitchen of its contents so that maybe Jason could take her out into the city and go to a supermarket. She made homemade ice cream. Cookies. Dinner. Lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem with the kitchen was that it was quite the professional kitchen and the pantry and the freezer were huge and well stocked. It was strange, because there usually weren\u2019t enough people around to empty the contents of the kitchen, it was almost as if the Michaels had stuffed the kitchen in case of emergencies. It made sense, but it was still freaky. Not even Bella was this prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two weeks later, the group returned after having taken down one of the people on Bella\u2019s list and Bella just wanted to go home. The FBI had taken her siblings into custody and frozen the family\u2019s assets and while she knew she wasn\u2019t safe, yet, she was getting cabin fever. It took her a while to get that at the Vineyard as there were many things to do, but being in a confined space and not surrounded by her own things, the loss of privacy\u2026 it didn\u2019t do wonders on her mental health or her relationship with Neal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal was a total gem though, he tried to keep her entertained, taught her some new tricks, lifted her spirits but she just wanted out. There were simply too many hours in a day where she was conscious. Aside from cooking and maybe spend two hours of watching a movie with Neal, she also took care of a few names on the list with her laptop. Hack, falsify records and alert the authorities. Boring stuff. Easy stuff. Her mind not engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing poker against a con artist, and some of the Troubles was as if playing a game nobody ever could win as everyone was cheating. The first few times it was fun, but it started to become a competition and repetitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But she wanted to enjoy her own home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was well aware that she was acting like a spoiled rich kid right now. An ungrateful brat who didn\u2019t appreciate it that there were people helping her with her problems. She was very grateful, even though the people helping her weren\u2019t planned. Bella would have done it all on her own. But, she would have alienated Neal because she could get obsessive, she wouldn\u2019t have the nice people around her who liked her for who she was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was still fed up. This needed to end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really appreciative with your help but, with you guys back, is it okay for Bella and myself to go back to our own home? After all, we\u2019re connected by a tunnel and I\u2019m sure Bella would give you the access codes to the doors for easy access,\u201d Neal said while they were enjoying the meal he and Bella whipped up in celebration of the Michaels returning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella\u2019s heart swelled as she looked at Neal, beaming with pride. He did know her as well as he could and she didn\u2019t have to say anything, she\u2019d been nervous about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cAs much fun you guys are, we really want to have a little bit of freedom back,\u201d he added as he took a sip of his wine. \u201cIf you\u2019re worried about our safety or don\u2019t trust us not to leave our home, we have a guest room and Nathan and Lucy can stay in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myriam smiled at that. \u201cWhy them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t trust Duke, Dwight is unable to make himself invisible because he\u2019s too big and Jordan is a cheater.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat!\u201d Jordan exclaimed loudly. \u201cI do not cheat!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, you do,\u201d the rest of them nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd Nathan\u2019s most deadly enemy is words while Lucy and Bella have seemed to make some connection and seeing as that\u2019s very rare for Bella. Yeah. Nathan and Lucy will do just fine,\u201d Neal said with a straight face, causing Bella to let out a snort.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, go,\u201d Myriam nodded. \u201cBut don\u2019t use the front door, we\u2019ll have someone in the building opposite of yours, and if there\u2019s anything wrong, use the tunnel to get here. To be honest, I was surprised to still find you here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou told us to stay put,\u201d Neal pointed out. \u201cBut we kinda had enough of that,\u201d he said with a nod. \u201cAnd we both want in on the next job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou got it,\u201d Myriam smiled. \u201cGo, have fun, take Lucy and Nathan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After showing Nathan and Lucy their part of the house, Bella started making a groceries list for one of them to get for them if they wanted to be fed. She then put Neal in her desk chair and nestled in his lap as she waited for her computer to boot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are we doing?\u201d Neal asked playfully as he put his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. \u201cWe just got home and one of the first things you do is go here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBigger screens to see what they\u2019re doing with the Cullens,\u201d Bella sighed happily. \u201cAnd I want to see if you\u2019re willing to forge a painting for us,\u201d she smiled at him. \u201cThere\u2019s this painting of Lorenzo Medici that\u2019s absolutely stunning and it would be perfect above our fireplace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re better at that stuff, I would get the details almost right\u2026 it\u2019s gorgeous, Neal, I think you\u2019ll find it a challenge too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He let out a snort. \u201cI think I know what painting you\u2019re talking about,\u201d he opened the browser after her computer had booted and did an image search for it. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the most striking paintings there is, Lorenzo\u2019s features are well documented and his blue eyes seem to be looking at you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nodded as he found the image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s gorgeous,\u201d Neal smiled. \u201cBut I can do better than that, I promise. I know exactly what we need above that fireplace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReally? You want to make an original Neal Caffrey?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal hummed for an answer. \u201cAlthough when I\u2019m done with it, you may want to hang it in a more private place\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeal,\u201d Bella laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou better do what you wanted to do right now because you and I have a date with our bed that\u2019s long over due.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella bit her lip as she looked at him through her eye lashes. Yes, their current needs were more important than checking up on her relatives who were supposedly in prison. \u201cYeah,\u201d she put her arms around his neck and softly kissed him. \u201cYou\u2019re right, our own bed does sound really nice\u2026 so does our bath\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was no hope that morning when she woke when the sun came up through the half closed curtains. Neal was softly snoring away still, and she forced herself to stay in bed for longer as she was so comfortable, but eventually relented and made her way into the bathroom to get herself cleaned up and dressed before making breakfast and coffee for her love and their temporary house mates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella started off making banana bread with oatmeal so that could go in the oven before she started on the waffles. She made a bit of waffle batter with pumpkin and cinnamon to make a few waffles with, and once they were in the waffle iron the smells were just fantastic in the kitchen. Add the coffee to that and she was in heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She hopped on the kitchen counter and grabbed her mug of coffee before settling there to look out the window. There were cars passing by, pedestrians and cyclists. The occasional drunk tourist stumbling back to their hotel. Bella really loved her home, and hoped that she\u2019d never had to leave New Orleans permanently – make New Orleans her home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She liked the quiet times like these, it made her forget everything else that was going on, it made her feel as if she was back at the vineyard of Uncle Garrett. Peaceful. Ready to take on the rest of the day. Bella knew that he was in hiding right now, Liam had put him away securely, and she couldn\u2019t call him out of fear that his connection wasn\u2019t safe. Liam had assured her that Garrett was fine, though, so that was one worry off of her chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019d been holed up in Bella\u2019s house for a few days now, basically trading the Michaels\u2019 house for hers, and she was itching to take a stroll through the Quarter. Maybe get a few canvasses or replace her baton that she left in the car in Paris. While they had plenty of items in the house to protect themselves, she always liked to carry her expendable baton everywhere, just in case, and she\u2019d felt naked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that was the plan for today. Head into New Orleans. Maybe ditch her escort. While Lucy and Nathan were great at protecting people, they didn\u2019t have a lot of experience with the art of disappearing in the streets. At least Lucy didn\u2019t.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After breakfast, Bella grabbed her bag and waited for Lucy to be ready. She had said she wanted to have a girls day out with Lucy, and she would, in the beginning, have that. Retail therapy. Bella bought some nice artisan soaps at the boutique and then had lunch with Lucy on the waterfront. Excusing herself to use the restroom, Bella headed inside and left through the side door out of Lucy\u2019s sight and made sure to stay clear of cameras before hopping on one of the carts and went on her way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was happy when she acquired her baton and then went on a shopping spree in a comic store, finding figurines and comic posters to adorn her computer room even further. Bella then went to an antique bookstore and picked up a few books on art for Neal and some classic movies on VHS before going back to the Quarter and had a coffee at the waterfront, enjoying the weather and just watching the water. It was nice and peaceful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIzzy Sheppard?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked up to see an older woman standing in front of her. She had red hair, dressed immaculately and she had this air of authority around her. But she wasn\u2019t law enforcement. It was entirely possible though, that she was part of the Volturi or one of their associates. Bella set down her cup of coffee on the table as her free hand slid into her bag to take hold of her baton. If needed, she\u2019d hit this woman so hard she\u2019d stars until the next century. \u201cWho wants to know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The woman handed Bella her business card. \u201cSara Ellis, Insurance Investigator with Sterling Bosch. Can I sit with you for a moment?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked at the card and slowly nodded as she thought of where she heard the name Sara before. And it was then that she knew. \u201cUh, sure? How did you find me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFinding things is what I do, Miss Sheppard, finding people isn\u2019t that hard,\u201d Sara smiled as she sat down. \u201cYou came back into the country last month accompanied by this man,\u201d she said as she pulled up a photo of Neal on her phone and showed it to her. \u201cI watched the CCTV, I know you know him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s Neal,\u201d Bella nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying to find him. Do you have any idea where he is? Where he might be? Any means of contacting him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy is an Insurance Investigator looking for my friend? What did he do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m not looking for him in any official capacity,\u201d Sara replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you introduced yourself to me as an Insurance Investigator with Sterling Bosch,\u201d Bella said confused. \u201cIsn\u2019t that you introducing yourself in an official capacity?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sara\u2019s mouth almost fell open. \u201cForce of habit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook, he\u2019s my friend. I\u2019m worried about him, that\u2019s all. He\u2019s just so damn hard to get a hold of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella reached for her coffee with a small smile on her face. \u201cEx-boyfriend?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sara sighed and nodded. \u201cIt\u2019s complicated. We ended things amicably but you know\u2026 friends with benefits and all\u2026 I mean\u2026 wouldn\u2019t you? He\u2019s a great guy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella shrugged. \u201cMaybe there\u2019s a reason he didn\u2019t stay in touch with you. He leads a busy life, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoes he?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cYeah,\u201d Bella nodded as she took a sip of her coffee. \u201cNeal told me he\u2019s into antiques. Mostly paintings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe just can\u2019t let it go, can he?\u201d Sara muttered under her breath, shaking her head. \u201cAnyway, can you tell him to call me?\u201d she asked as she pointed at the card. \u201cNo matter where he is, I\u2019m willing to travel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor what? A quick fuck?\u201d Bella rolled her eyes at the woman as she finished her coffee and put money down on the table. \u201cDoesn\u2019t sound like the Neal I know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause he\u2019s likely not the Neal you know,\u201d Sara replied quickly. \u201cHe\u2019s a con artist. Suspected of many crimes but nothing really stuck. He did time in jail a while back for bond forgery. You can\u2019t trust him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd yet you want to see him again,\u201d Bella said thoughtfully, anger bubbling underneath her skin. \u201cWhat are you? Some bad boy groupie? Is that your kink? Do bad boys turn you on?\u201d When Sara remained quiet, Bella continued. \u201cI know Neal as a compassionate, smart and thoughtful guy. His mind is sharp and he\u2019s extremely funny. Whenever he\u2019s around, I feel safe with him. I don\u2019t care that he\u2019s a con artist, I\u2019m a big girl and can take care of myself. You, however, should be careful with this obsession of yours. You don\u2019t know who you put in harm\u2019s way with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sara looked at her for a moment, realizing something. \u201cYou know who he truly is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course I know who he is, he trusts me enough to tell me the truth about himself. It\u2019s my job to protect his secret, and if you cared anything about him, you\u2019d back the fuck off because you know damn well what he did and why he did it. If you are his friend, as you claim to be, you respect that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella got to her feet as she looked at Sara. \u201cThen I pity you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cImagine being in my shoes for a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen you know it\u2019s hard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She sighed and tiredly pinched the bridge of her nose. \u201cMiss Ellis, you really need to let him go. From what I understand is that you two weren\u2019t together when he did what he did and you have no reason to behave the way you\u2019re doing now. You\u2019ll only hurt yourself in the process. Hell, get some help, because this obsession isn\u2019t healthy. Like\u2026 at all.\u201d Bella made sure that her hand was still in her bag, firmly holding on to her baton. \u201cEnjoy New Orleans, have a good day,\u201d she said as she walked away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Bella was extremely annoyed and angry with her boyfriend\u2019s ex, she had to keep her head. She needed to make sure that she wasn\u2019t being followed by Sara as she made her way back home, and from what Neal had told her about Sara; Sara was quite good at chasing people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Bella was better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella understood obsession. Obsession with numbers or code wasn\u2019t bad, but people obsessing over other people? That could turn ugly. Fast. And it wasn\u2019t just Neal\u2019s life on the line. Someone with Sara\u2019s resources could fuck shit up for her. She could dig deeper, look passed the surface. Figure out who Bella was, who the Cullens were. The Volturi. No, Sara Ellis was a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She eventually made it back home through the tunnel and she was greeted by the furious faces of Nathan, Lucy, Myriam and Nick. \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou still have a giant fucking target on your back and you ditched Lucy?\u201d Myriam said furiously. \u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMe time,\u201d Bella said as she dropped the bag of goodies on the couch and crossed her arms over each other. \u201cAnd I came back safely. And I won\u2019t do it again, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou keep saying that. You\u2019re a flight risk,\u201d Myriam said curtly. \u201cMaybe I should just handcuff you to your bed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWon\u2019t work,\u201d Neal said amused as he walked into the room and saw the look on Bella\u2019s face. \u201cYou\u2019re pissed off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut not with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Bella shook her head. \u201cWhile I am safe, I did identify a new threat to you, Neal. To us. To all of us, actually, because if this bitch starts to dig even further, we\u2019ll all be in danger of the remaining Volturi and associates of the Cullens. Not to mention old enemies and shit like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnother one?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh yeah, and it\u2019s not even related to me, either. It\u2019s one of Neal\u2019s friends. She has a penchant for bad boys and tried to warn me about him,\u201d she said with a playful smile on her face and then looked at him as she took the business card out of her bag and walked over to Neal to hand it to him. \u201cShe wants you to call her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOhh, ex-girlfriend?\u201d Lucy piped up, intrigued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn ex who\u2019s an Insurance Investigator and uses company resources to hunt down her ex-boyfriend she\u2019s obsessed with and wants to get back with,\u201d Bella replied with a nod. \u201cShe found me because she watched the CCTV of our arrival at the airport and figured I was a friend of his.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFacial recognition and all that, I suppose,\u201d Bella kept her eyes on Neal, searching his face for answers but he looked half ashamed, half scared. \u201cImagine what she could do with her resources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am,\u201d Neal said as he ran his hand over his face, knowing full well the mess that Sara could get them in, or even herself. \u201cWe can\u2019t con her, she\u2019ll see a con coming from miles away. She\u2019s determined enough to keep digging even without her resources at Sterling Bosch so getting her boss to fire her because of this isn\u2019t an option either. This is a disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, glad you\u2019re home safe,\u201d Nick said as he pushed himself off the chair he was sitting on and took Myriam\u2019s hand. \u201cWe\u2019ll leave you to it. Don\u2019t ditch your escort again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re working on an elaborate plan to take down five of your list at the same time and might need your help later,\u201d Myriam smiled widely. \u201cSo don\u2019t leave.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot going anywhere,\u201d Bella shook her head and not before long, she and Neal were alone. \u201cSara\u2019s a bitch. She\u2019s an obsessed\u2026 junkie, jonesing for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe wasn\u2019t like that, at all,\u201d Neal defended himself. \u201cI swear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI realize that. I\u2019ll call her. This isn\u2019t like her, at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd what if she doesn\u2019t give up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Maybe ask Mozzie to deal with her, hypnotize her or something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella scoffed. \u201cYeah right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet me call her and if things don\u2019t work out, we\u2019ll see what else we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal called Sara, and Bella left him alone with her computer to do so, but she doubted that him talking to Sara would actually work. She headed into the kitchen where she found Lucy and Nathan just hanging out and started on dinner. And dessert. Today was a good day for dessert. Some sweet, boozy dessert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou need to stop escaping, girl,\u201d Lucy shook her head. \u201cMaking us look bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going out again. You can have my keys, change locks or whatever, I\u2019m not leaving this house, not even with one of you,\u201d she said as she took her phone to start a playlist and used bluetooth to route it so that Taylor Swift was blaring through the speakers in the kitchen and then started to ignore Lucy and Nathan who were sat at the kitchen island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shit was on her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooking would definitely help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She could erase Sara Ellis, just as easily as she did with the remnants of Neal\u2019s old life. Shitface could do that, despite Bella having recently retired Shitface, Shitface could make a comeback. Sara Ellis would feel the wrath of Bella Cullen for being a potential threat to her and the one she loved. Bella really hoped that Neal could talk Sara out of things this time, he was going to have to up his game this time but she was sort of confident. Neal was a smooth talker. He and Sara had a history and Bella was confident that he could use that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella kept cooking and eventually Lucy and Nathan left, but Neal appeared in the same spot, just looking at what she was doing. The kitchen island slowly filling with goodies and it wasn\u2019t until Bella started yet another project was that she was stopped by Neal pulling her into his arms. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to feed an orphanage, beautiful,\u201d he whispered in her ear. \u201cYou\u2019ve got nothing to worry about, Sara\u2019s backing off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She sighed happily in his arms. \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he smiled as he planted a kiss on her neck. \u201cShe\u2019s going to destroy all the information she\u2019s gathered on you, on me, and she\u2019s going to move on. For her own safety,\u201d he kissed her neck again. \u201cAnd I\u2019m also going to find someone who can keep an eye on her from a distance, to make sure that she backs off and stays that way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd if not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d rather don\u2019t want to think about that, but for now, we have one less thing to worry about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bella hated living like this. The whole not being able to go anywhere because your family wanted you dead thing was terribly annoying and inconvenient. However, she powered through and made the best of things. It involved a lot of baking when she wasn\u2019t on her computer or doing something with Neal. She took solace in the fact that she was in her own home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cole, however, had challenged her to set up a thorough phishing expedition for one of the companies of one of the names on the list that she\u2019d given the family to go after. The best way hacking into a company was always the customer service. She carefully crafted an email with a document and an attachment that they\u2019d have to activate through macros in Powershell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella had set up a Linux server where all the information would come to and where she and Cole had access to. Her trojan had been tested and none of the malware softwares she\u2019d tested it with had picked it up. This is what she loved doing, carefully crafted, well-behaving, seemingly innocent trojan horses and find all the good stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was also a way to see how far she would be able to infiltrate the system, hopefully to the top and their IT department so she could get additional information about the company\u2019s security system and make something for Cole that would allow him to guide the rest of the crew safely through the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella knew that he was only trying to keep her busy and occupied. This was easy shit that he could easily have done himself, but she appreciated the gesture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also tested the company\u2019s firewall to see if she could breach on her own, but she definitely needed that trojan to do the work for her. Now, if only someone would be as stupid to open the email she\u2019d sent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mingus: 5h1tf4c3, I know you\u2019ve retired this handle but you\u2019re here?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5h1tf4c3: Yes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mingus: Can you ask your puppy to call his friend in the suit?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5h1tf4c3: Yeah, sure, why?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mingus: You\u2019ll hear it soon enough. You\u2019ll hear me soon enough.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5h1tf4c3: I\u2019m not liking this.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mingus: Yeah, me neither. Get your man to call. My friend is respecting your no-phone rule.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a grunt as she started up her phone software. \u201cNeal!\u201d She called out to him. \u201cCan you come here for a sec?\u201d She didn\u2019t have to wait long for him to come into the room and she peeked through the steel bars of the balustrade, her eyes on him as he came into the little loft where her computers were. Neal was only wearing sweatpants and his well-sculpted torso was covered in tiny splatters of paint. \u201cWhatcha making?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat painting you want,\u201d Neal softly kissed her before grabbing the spare chair and sat down next to her. \u201cWhat do you need me for? You okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she sighed as she took his hand. \u201cMingus asked me to have you call Peter. He didn\u2019t want to tell me why, but yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nodded. \u201cWhat if he\u2019s going to tell us that the Cullens have made bail? Or escaped? Or you know\u2026 Worse things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, we won\u2019t know until we call,\u201d he smiled at her. He understood her apprehension. Bella had mellowed out in the last few days after they had dealt with Sara, and while she was still anxious and frustrated, she\u2019d been settling down, getting comfortable. Neal didn\u2019t like being in one place, either, but he made himself busy with art, if he weren\u2019t doing fun things with Bella.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal would rather be outside and enjoy New Orleans, with Bella, but until she was safe, it was going to have to wait. The whole situation with Sara possibly stirred up more shit, more danger, to everyone. It was just a matter of waiting for the other shoe to drop. \u201cMaybe all of this is over,\u201d he mused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella rolled her eyes at him before double checking the firewalls and proxies before hitting the keyboard to dial Peter\u2019s number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBurke.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey Peter, it\u2019s me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHold on,<\/em>\u201d Peter\u2019s voice sounded before movement could be heard. \u201cHey, we\u2019re both here, it\u2019s safe to talk.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d<\/em> Auggie\u2019s voice sounded. \u201cIt\u2019s always fun to use toys to blanket the area.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs Izzy with you, Neal?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cOkay, good. There\u2019s no easy way to say this so I\u2019m just going to,\u201d <\/em>Peter sighed, his voice sounding tired all of a sudden. \u201cA couple of days ago the NYPD did a welfare check on an apartment on behalf of a company as they hadn\u2019t heard from their star employee for a few weeks after returning from a job she had in New Orleans.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSara?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, she was re-offered the job in London but she never showed up there nor got on the flight, so they checked her home. They uh\u2026 found her, Neal. I\u2019m so sorry, but she\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The look on Neal\u2019s face was heartbreaking. Bella gently squeezed his hand for reassurance. \u201cI never meant for her\u2026 Oh my god, what happened, Peter?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo need to go into details, Neal. It\u2019s bad enough as it is. Auggie picked it up and we took the case out of NYPD\u2019s hands,\u201d<\/em> Burke responded. \u201cWe also know who killed her. It was quite easy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, too easy,\u201d<\/em> Auggie added. \u201cThe fingerprints were too clean and the hair samples were almost degraded. Old. As if they came from a brush someone left behind. Not to mention, in my opinion if this person would have killed Miss Ellis, they would have found a better way, a smoother way instead of this messy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know who it\u2019s not and by knowing that, we can sort of make an estimated guess.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou two have been hanging around each other far too long,\u201d Bella said as she kept her eyes on Neal, who was still processing. \u201cIt\u2019s a simple answer. Who did it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we had left this in NYPD\u2019s hands, Izzy Sheppard aka Bella Cullen even though we all know she hasn\u2019t left New Orleans.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSorry, but your Izzy persona is compromised, you need a new name. Your name was all over the place, looks like Sara was trying to destroy everything she still had to destroy to protect you and the Volturi will have that name now. You didn\u2019t buy your house under that name, did you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, suit, I did not,\u201d Bella shot at Peter. \u201cBut I have been using my credit card to buy shit in town so I guess they\u2019ll know soon enough that I\u2019m here. And depending on what kind of evidence Sara has, they might already be here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis has gone on long enough,\u201d<\/em> Auggie said impatiently. \u201cYou\u2019re getting FBI babysitters outside your home. What\u2019s your address?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFuck off, Mingus,\u201d Bella scowled. \u201cUnless you want more people killed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, it would be easier, you know, red shirts,\u201d<\/em> Auggie quipped. \u201cLook, we\u2019ve been taking care of the Cullens and some of the Volturi across the entire world, and they\u2019re thinning out, but\u2026 this death wish of yours\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a fucking death wish anymore, Mingus, Sara died. How many more should die because of me? Keep those suits far away from me and keep doing what you do, we\u2019ll do our thing and we\u2019ll stay safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeal?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh, yeah,\u201d Neal snapped back to reality and ran a hand through his hair, but Bella knew that he was still trying to process what happened to Sara. Collateral damage. \u201cShe\u2019s right, Peter, It\u2019s not ideal, but there\u2019s no hiding from these guys. Even with FBI protection. We know the risks, if you do want to spend extra manpower on protecting people, make sure you and Moz are safe. And Elizabeth and the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWill you be okay?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, Peter. Thank you for telling us,\u201d he took hold of the mouse and disconnected the call and let out a deep breath. \u201cI could really use a hug right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella crawled into his lap and put her arms around him. \u201cI am so sorry, Neal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I am. If it weren\u2019t for me\u2026 and her\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, it\u2019s okay,\u201d she ran one of her hands through his hair, not moving from her spot. \u201cWe all have baggage and mine is particularly nasty. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Neal assured her. \u201cJust hold me for a bit longer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll hold you for as long as you want,\u201d she smiled. \u201cI\u2019m quite comfortable in your lap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella realized that the company that the Michaels were going after next was one of the businesses connected to the Blacks. The CEO was Sam Uley and Bella had met him a few times, he was short-tempered but highly motivated, climbed the ladder quite quickly and of course, being friends with the Blacks was always a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company was La Push Medical, manufacturing pharmaceuticals and specializing in developing new drugs to help patients recover from trauma and also developing new medical tech to help soldiers in the field as well. She wasn\u2019t sure how, but it wasn\u2019t her area of expertise. Some of the files she found made it all look like a fairytale as if it wasn\u2019t going to work, but the government seemed to be on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It simply looked too good to be true. But, from what she could tell, all documents were legal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cole was across from her on his laptop as they were sitting in her courtyard. He needed a few hours away from his family, she gladly provided the space. It wasn\u2019t as if it was just her and Neal in her home now. Lucy and Nathan were still around, too. \u201cNow the fun part starts,\u201d Cole grinned as he cracked his fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella hummed. \u201cYou\u2019re going to create false documents?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course. Plant them on the server, and you know, call it in,\u201d he said carelessly. \u201cThis is one of the easiest jobs we\u2019ve planned out. However, we also need to be able to get into the building to plant hard copies and other fun and embarrassing evidence, so could you check their security?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you kidding?\u201d she grinned. \u201cI love sifting through terabytes of data!\u201d She happily took a sip of her drink and started the search. \u201cSo what else are you guys working on?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Cole started. \u201cNick and Myriam are out with Henry in Portland. John and Ann are scoping out another place and maybe cause some trouble and you and I are working on this,\u201d he added. \u201cWas wondering if you\u2019d allow Neal to do something too, with Ronon and Myka.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMyka Morgan?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, but Neal knows her,\u201d Bella replied with a shrug. \u201cShe was on our list for assembling a crew.\u201d It\u2019d do Neal good to work on something again. Outside. With his other skills. She knew that he was missing it and he\u2019d be safe with Jason. And he needed another distraction to help him deal with Sara\u2019s death. Plus, a change of scenery would do him some good. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t need my permission,\u201d she let out a snort, shaking her head. \u201cI think you should go and ask him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAsk me what?\u201d Neal asked as he walked in and laughed at the sight before him. Bella and Cole had utilized every inch of the table with their laptops, USB drives, notepads and their drinks. The soda bottle was living dangerously on the edge of the table and so was the now empty plate that had held Bella\u2019s cookies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Bella asked sheepishly. \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou two are such nerds, can\u2019t leave you alone for a moment, can we?\u201d He put the plate on another chair and found an empty spot on the table. \u201cYou having fun?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Bella nodded. \u201cCole wants to ask you something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Neal sat down next to Bella and looked at their friend. He liked it that Bella had someone to be this geeky with. Doing their computer stuff together, someone who understood what she was doing, because his own knowledge of computers was basic. Pedestrian. And while Bella had likened coding to art, he hardly saw the beauty in all the letters and numbers on the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeeing as things have happened recently\u2026 we want to hit several people at the same time and I was wondering if you\u2019d like to join Ronon and Myka Morgan in Texas on a little job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal\u2019s face broke out in one of his famous sparkling smiles. His eyes sparkling. \u201cWill it be safe though?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s her they\u2019re after, not you. Besides, you\u2019ll be perfectly safe with Ronon if you\u2019re scared,\u201d Cole dared him with a playful smile on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGo on, it\u2019ll be fun,\u201d Bella smiled at him encouragingly. \u201cA change of scenery. Bring back some artisan hot sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d she nodded. \u201cLucy and Nathan are here, and so is Cole, I won\u2019t be alone. Like I said, it\u2019ll be fun. Get out, have fun, do what you love most.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love doing you the most,\u201d he winked at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeal,\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d he softly kissed her. \u201cI\u2019m in. When do I get to leave, Cole?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMyka\u2019s coming over tonight to gather some stuff and then she and Ronon leave in the morning after breakfast,\u201d Cole replied as he was typing away on his laptop, only briefly looking up to see Neal\u2019s surprised look on his face. \u201cWhat? We work fast. We started planning the moment after\u2026 they got to your friend. We wanted to hit a few people at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSounds like a plan, I\u2019m in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myka was a force of nature, alright, and like Neal had said, she was drop-dead gorgeous. Flirting her ass off with Bella. Jason assured Bella many times that Neal would be safe while they were in Texas and right after breakfast, they left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was just her, Cole, Lucy and Nathan left at the Michaels\u2019 house, and their servants, of course but they remained at a distance, doing their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny luck on the security?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d she smiled at Cole. \u201cHowever, I\u2019m not touching it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She let out a breath and showed Cole what she had found on the servers. \u201cIt\u2019s on its own network, which isn\u2019t surprising. What is, is that it\u2019s the prototype of the system that another company is working on right now. If I\u2019d infiltrate that, it\u2019d start adjusting to my exploits to take over to dismantle the cameras or have things not work and alert the human security about it. They wouldn\u2019t be able to trace me, or you, but the system learns and blocks. It sees the building as one big computer and any intrusion as a real virus. So even if a human would break in, it\u2019d do it\u2019s best to keep them out or locking them up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell shit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know you don\u2019t want me along on this, so I can code you something to help you out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho says I don\u2019t?\u201d Cole smiled at her. \u201cI\u2019d like you to be on the job but I know that you can\u2019t. You need to stay here where it\u2019s safe. But if you can access the security system from here, you can be on this job, just remotely, we\u2019ll do all the legwork.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, yeah,\u201d Bella smiled widely at him. \u201cI\u2019d like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you think we\u2019re good to go?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re leaving too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, the company is in Mobile, it\u2019s not that far away. Only two hours. I\u2019ll be back for dinner, because I have you backing me up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNathan\u2019s staying behind. I\u2019m taking Lucy. You\u2019ll be fine. You\u2019ll be safe. There are more measures in place than we let on,\u201d he winked at her. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I trust you in getting me in and out safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI uh\u2026 need two more hours to make sure everything is correct. Set things up and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlright, I\u2019ll still be home in time for dinner,\u201d Cole winked at her and handed her a waffle. \u201cGo home, make us look good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTwo hours,\u201d Bella took a bite off of her waffle and got to her feet as she looked at the empty chair where Neal had been sitting on. Safe Neal. Loving Neal. Her Neal. Perfectly sculpted Neal. Ugh, she needed to cut down on the calories. She placed the waffle back on the plate and smiled at him. \u201cThanks for breakfast, drive safely, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her home felt strange without Neal in it, and it was stupid because it had only been less than an hour. She grabbed herself something to drink from the fridge and disappeared into her den, making sure that Cole wouldn\u2019t have a harder time than he would have in Mobile. Neal was going to be gone for a couple of days, and that sucked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, a few days away from each other would be a good thing, too. Ever since Paris they\u2019d only been apart for a couple of hours a few times. She wasn\u2019t clingy. He wasn\u2019t clingy. This was going to be healthy for them. But it wouldn\u2019t stop her from worrying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal knew what he was doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal was in safe hands with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal was going to be fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so was Cole. Seeing as she was going to be responsible for his safety, she needed to be sure that all of her stuff was up to snuff. And it was, she just wanted to make sure before she\u2019d send over everything to Cole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was going to plant the files onto the server and cloud once Cole was in the building, and then guide him to the file room, hoping that the building\u2019s blueprints would be the same still. Because outdated blueprints would be the absolute worst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella hadn\u2019t felt this nervous for a very long time. Keeping herself safe during a job was one thing. Another one had been keeping her family safe during her job. But now someone she hadn\u2019t worked with before? Yeah, this was terrible. This was a terrible idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If she fucked up, she\u2019d have Cole\u2019s brother breathing down her neck and likely everybody else too, she\u2019d fuck up and Cole would get arrested or worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was a bad, bad, bad idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She let out a deep breath and rolled her shoulders and neck before going over her code again. She had two hours. More, if Cole got stuck in traffic. Oh, that would be on her too, wouldn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella hacked Cole\u2019s phone and watched where he was going before tracking him on the road, and the traffic around him. Her mind was all over the place. Focused, sometimes a little unfocused but mainly hyper aware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDarling, I haven\u2019t even left New Orleans and you\u2019re already spying on me?\u201d<\/em> Bella could hear Cole\u2019s voice coming through her computer. \u201cHacking my phone? Such a lousy one way street.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She huffed as she turned on the text to speech on his phone and texted him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m flattered, but I know my way to Mobile,\u201d<\/em> Cole replied. \u201cNo need to track me and track the traffic around me. Everything\u2019s going to be alright and I\u2019ll arrive safely in Mobile for our job.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She didn\u2019t respond to that and continued to look over the code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI trust you. Don\u2019t be nervous, okay? It\u2019s an in and out job despite the tricky security system. Take a breath, take a long relaxing bath and I\u2019ll call you when I\u2019m in Mobile and at the company. And damnit, stop tracking me, mom!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, mom!\u201d<\/em> Nathan echoed in the car.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was Bella fucking Cullen. She was 5h1tf4ce. She had this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re here,\u201d Cole said after Bella picked up the phone. \u201cWe have you both on our earpieces, now, what did you arrange for us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re Cole Reese and Nathan Shaw, representatives of a foundation that aids the less fortunate and want to see if you can get a sponsorship from La Push Medical,\u201d Bella replied as she put her phone on speaker. \u201cI sent both of you an email with more information. That\u2019s your in. Somewhere during the conversation you\u2019ll have with Daphne Vanderlaan Cole will excuse himself and will head to the file room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about the security?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf all goes well, security should be a breeze,\u201d Bella replied as she typed on her keyboard. \u201cI don\u2019t actually have access to the cameras without alerting the security system, I could try to spoof one of the computers that do have normal access to it but it\u2019s going to be tricky.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s okay, we\u2019re big boys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be here when you need me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, mom,\u201d Cole and Nathan echoed, laughing. \u201cWe\u2019re keeping an open line so you can listen in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you boys,\u201d Bella kept listening in and stayed with Cole after he excused himself from the meeting to direct him towards the file room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey uh, mom?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat is it with the mom thing all of a sudden?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re keeping an eye on us, take care of us\u2026 you\u2019re mom,\u201d Cole grinned. \u201cAnyway, there\u2019s a slight problem. Need a code for the door and the visitor swipe card doesn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight, I can help you with that, but the security system will think something\u2019s wrong and might trigger because it\u2019s possible that the keypad has a biometric sensor. Without eyes on it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m aware of the risk, but we need to leave the physical copies in there to make the case against them airtight. Confidence, mom. Don\u2019t second guess yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cole had sent her a picture of the keypad but it was still unclear if it was biometric.\u201cOkidoki,\u201d Bella let out a breath and looked through the files to get the code for the door. \u201cUhh, try 070297.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m in,\u201d Cole\u2019s voice sounded and Bella winced when she saw the security system react to the code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, so, the system knows something\u2019s up. I think it was a \u2014\u201d There was static for a second followed by nothing. \u201cCole? Cole are you there?\u201d Bella was going to give it two minutes before having to make the decision to either do something very stupid – hack the security system instead of tickling it, or alert the security guys by having Nathan pulling out of the meeting in search for Cole. Two minutes. Onehundredandtwenty seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathe in, breathe out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She kept looking at the timer on her phone, but it kept slowing down, the seconds were ticking away far too slow for her liking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathe out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathe in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathe in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathe in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, wait, out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathe out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With only 30 seconds to go, she let out a breath of relief when she heard the connection getting picked back up. \u201cSo I take it that there was no communication possible inside that room?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou scared the shit out of me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine. It\u2019s all put away where it\u2019s supposed to be, their filing system was quite easy. I\u2019m going to get Nathan and get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella listened in on the conversation that followed and let out a sigh of relief when she heard Cole and Nathan exit the building safely and walking towards the car. \u201cCome back home safely, I\u2019ll have food ready when you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat kind of food, ma?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella rolled her eyes and disconnected the call before grabbing her drink and headed to the kitchen to start cooking. \u201cThey made it out, Luce,\u201d Bella told her bodyguard who was sitting at the kitchen island, reading a book. \u201cThey\u2019ll be home in two hours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat,\u201d Lucy said as she put her book down and rounded the counter with a smile on her face. \u201cSo, what are we cooking?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI dunno,\u201d Bella sighed as she leaned against the counter. \u201cI\u2019m thinking lasagna, with a tomato and cucumber salad as a side, but then again, my lasagna is always so luscious, so decadent\u2026 maybe we\u2019ll have to go with rice and steamed broccoli and steamed salmon or something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFuck that, lasagna is better,\u201d Lucy huffed. \u201cEspecially yours. Hell, you don\u2019t even have to cook for us, we can order in or one of us can cook.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I want to. Cooking is my coping mechanism and I enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlright, mom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnough with the mom already! That joke is getting very old right now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlright, alright,\u201d Lucy laughed, shaking her head. \u201cI\u2019ll shut up and let you do your thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal called her a few hours later, telling her about their temporary digs in Texas, and what the plan was. She told him about her day and that was it. Nathan and Cole went to the Michaels\u2019 house, and Bella was alone with Lucy in her own house. A few days and nights without Neal would be fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 06 Bella was glad that nobody commented on how she thought that Henry might be Grant, her dead twin brother, because that was embarrassing. While she never believed in coincidences, it was just a coincidence that Henry used the name Grant Swan in Afghanistan\/when he enlisted and it was…<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":933,"parent":935,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-958","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChapter 06 - MeekoBuggy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chapter 06 - MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chapter 06 Bella was glad that nobody commented on how she thought that Henry might be Grant, her dead twin brother, because that was embarrassing. While she never believed in coincidences, it was just a coincidence that Henry used the name Grant Swan in Afghanistan\/when he enlisted and it was... 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