MeteorOnAMoonlessNight: Without Wings Chapter Thirteen

Blood pumped through his veins, thick and heavy. Too many thoughts to count raced through his head, and he needed to be focused 100%. Blithers would not get away with this. It didn't matter what alphabet agency the guy worked for, Edward couldn't allow the betrayal to go unpunished. The guy had betrayed them all, hoping to pick them off one by one like tin cans on a split-rail fence.

And all because Edward had politely told him to go fuck himself each time he’d come begging for help after Zion. They hadn’t intended to get dragged into that mess in the first place, and he sure as fuck didn't want to turn into an agency shill afterward. It still rubbed him wrong to think Quinn had been a pawn in an amoral man’s schemes. Both Quinn and his family had thought he was a superb agent, not a do-boy for the staff operations officer.

The Cullens had sat around waiting for the fall, not even realizing it was coming.

For the time being, Dwayne had gotten them private transport to a secure safe house, one secret from even the motherfucking CIA. Bella needed a doctor to tend to her, so Edward insisted Dwayne arrange for one to meet them there. It was strange to rely on someone new, to hope this man wasn’t bullshitting them all. It was true the mercs had plenty to lose if they trusted Blithers the way they had in the past. That was the only reason Edward hadn’t shot them all and pushed them off the helo midair. Trust had never come easily for him, and he’d been proven right every single time. But, sometimes, he didn't have a choice in the matter.

After arriving at the safe house and ensuring his wife was under examination, Edward pulled Seamus, Emmett, Jasper, Jake, and his son into a corner of the safe house living room. Holden and the mercs were securing the area and making plans for provisions in Wherever-the-fuck-ville.

“What’s our next move?” Edward asked. Hopefully, someone had some ideas, because he was stuck.

“We have to get to this Blithers guy somehow,” Jake said.

“He’s too insulated,” Quinn said. “How do we draw him out into the open?”

“We can make him think we all died in the final blast at the compound,” Jasper suggested.

“The mercs could probably get the news to him through some back channels,” Edward said. “But then what?”

“He has to pay,” Quinn said quietly. “I can’t believe he set me up to help murder my entire family.”

“Speaking of family,” Seamus interrupted, “the guys said the rest of them will be here within the hour.”

“I can’t wait to see them.” Quinn rubbed his eyes. “It’s all been a waste of my fucking time.”

“Revenge will be ours, mate, don’t worry.” Seamus patted Quinn on the back.

“He has to pay for this,” Edward muttered. “More than just losing his job, more than taking a bullet between the eyes.”

“His family in exchange for ours?” Jasper asked.

“We don't touch innocents,” Emmett reminded him.

“Since when?” Quinn yelled, clearly fed up. “Look who they were willing to target! What they were willing to do to get what they wanted?”

Edward’s blood boiled again. Murdering a little girl, raping his wife, it was all on the table with these people. There had been no holding back, no mercy when it came to his family. If it hadn't been for Bella pulling the balaclava off the guy’s face back there after she tied him up, they might never have figured out who he was and who hired him.

“We want to hunt monsters, not be them,” Emmett said. “Maybe we can financially ruin them. Their reputations, things like that?”

“It’ll have to be epic,” Seamus said. “We can’t allow them to recover from it.”

“Bella and I saved evidence of the fuckup with Russia.”

Everyone stopped moving for a second at Edward’s admission.

“Such as?” Jake demanded. “The length of Gianna’s fake fingernails?”

“I didn't fuck her,” Edward snapped. It wasn't the first time one of them had insinuated Edward went too far with his pretenses. “I’m referring to all the recordings we took while we were in the trenches.”

“Seriously?” Emmett asked. “I remember having earpieces, but nothing on video.”

“I thought I’d need to use it against either Holden or Kiernan. Instead, it’s Holden’s boss who needs reminding of all the illegal shit they sanctioned.”

“Like killing people off?” Seamus said. “Like the breach of the PEOC they basically allowed to happen?”

“Exactly.”

“Or how about working with Grandpa Charlie,” Quinn muttered.

“None of us saw that coming.” Pacing over a small square of carpet, Edward thought about his options. “We can release the evidence slowly.”

Jasper said, “Draw out the misery?”

“Why not?” Emmett responded. “Make them think it’s over and then hit them again.”

“Bringing shame on them and their families.” Seamus rubbed his hands together. “I like it.”

“Nobody dies?” Quinn checked.

“Not the innocents, but if Blithers wants to have a go at me, then I’m game to give him a new hole to breathe through.”

Jake shook his head. “Sounds like the plans of an evil mastermind to me.”

“What else is new?” Edward countered, stopping right in front of Jake’s face. “After all, every time someone curses my name, a baby demon gets its horns.”

Throwing his hands up, Jake backed down.

Emmett chuckled, slapping Edward on the back. “Stay tuned for a preview of the season finale of the end of the world. Spoiler alert: we're all gonna fuckin' die.”

“Not if I can help it.”

Edward had to walk away. All of them wanted to joke, to make it seem as if it wasn't their lives on the line. Maybe that had always been their way, to laugh in the midst of the horror. Sometimes the only way to survive was to laugh rather than cry.

But he needed more than laughter and jokes. He needed revenge. Let everyone call him names; a son of a bitch, a bastard, the devil incarnate, they were all true in a sense. At the end of the day, none of it mattered.

Bella mattered. She was the only one who knew every last detail about him and never judged him. Sometimes Edward felt like he was stuck in purgatory, waiting for the day the devil came to collect him. He was fine with reigning in hell, but the true torture would be eternity without his angel.

“How is she?” he asked the doctor as he entered the little bedroom they’d set aside for her. He nodded at Dara, who sat in the far corner.

“Concussion, as you predicted. She’ll be okay with some pain killers and rest.”

“Story of my life,” she murmured, reaching for him from the bed she was lying in.

He clasped her hand, feeling how cold her palm was. Rubbing it briskly between his own, he thanked the doctor before he left.

“I’ll give you two privacy,” Dara said and followed the doctor out.

“So, now what?” Frowning, she studied his face. “I can see a plan has already occurred to you.”

“We don’t hurt innocents,” he began.

“Right.”

“But the only thing I can think of is releasing all the evidence we collected four years ago. We thought we’d need to use it against Holden one day, but it would more accurately reflect against Blithers.”

“He was the one in charge of the operation.” Huddling under the covers, Bella frowned again. “What would it damage? His reputation?”

Before answering her, Edward tucked the blankets higher around her neck. “Did you take anything for the pain?”

“Yeah, the doc gave me something.”

“It would kill his reputation,” Edward continued as if he hadn't interrupted himself, “but I’m wondering how much the agency knew about. If they were okay with it, they might not fire him.”

“Just having it out in the open would be enough to fuck with the entire agency.”

He tilted his head, thinking it through. “America in general doesn't know what type of shit goes down on the regular. We would expose that.”

“So it might actually affect a few innocents.”

“We can’t help that. I won’t aim for anyone’s children, and I’ll try my best to leave them out of it. But if they happen to be collateral damage, then so be it.”

Bella sighed. “They won’t be able to show their faces after all is said and done.”

“Which is possibly the true revenge on Blithers. His family will disown him. They’ll all be ruined, and it’ll be his fault.”

“For being a good little shill like the rest of them?” Bella snorted. “Hardly.”

“No, for targeting citizens with their kill plan. For letting Aerinn be a target.” His fists tightened. “For sanctioning your rape and murder.”

Reaching out, Bella smoothed her fingers over his brow. “We can’t prove that was his plan.”

“We all know it was. Adding sugar to bullshit doesn't make it a brownie.”

“I’m not trying to feed you bullshit, love. Just trying to point out that if you want the world to know about that little tidbit, we don’t have any proof of it.”

“I’ll figure out something.”

“You always do.”

“Sleep, aingeal. I’ll wake you in a bit and check your vitals.”

While Bella closed her eyes, Edward stared at the blank wall. Thoughts still churned through him, pestering him with the idea that it wasn’t enough. No amount of payback would technically ever be enough, but he had to ensure their countermeasures were devastating.

Hearing commotion in the outer rooms, Edward rose, kissing Bella on the temple before closing the door behind him.

Leah, Layla, and Aerinn had arrived. They were currently hugging Jake and Quinn, so Edward tucked his hands in his pockets and waited. He’d debated dragging Maeve and Cat there, too, and constantly doubted his decision to leave them be—with plenty of guards covering them. Ben and Angela had decided to stay put as well, with the caveat of an uptick in loyal guards.

“Grandad!” Aerinn shouted, running for him.

“Beagán.” Overwhelmed with emotions, Edward picked her up and squeezed her tight.

“Don’t crush me, Grandad!”

Burying his face in her sweet-smelling hair for just a second longer, he relaxed his hold to examine her face. “You’re well?”

Layla caught his gaze when he looked up. “Yep, just having an adventure.”

“The plane ride was fun,” Aerinn said, smashing his cheeks together. “It was really big.”

“It was a helicopter, kiddo,” Leah said.

The CH-53K King Stallion was big enough inside to resemble an airplane—at least to a four-and-a-half-year-old. Edward asked, “Was it fun?”

“So much fun!” She bounced, kicking her legs, so Edward set her down, and she ran over to where Layla sat, climbing on her lap. “Where’s Gran? I want to show her my new plushie!”

Frowning, Edward replied, “She’s sleeping, beagán.” Aerinn had barely spared a glance for her father because she hadn’t really had the chance to know him.

“Oh.” Putting her finger over her lips, Aerinn whispered, “So we have to be very, very quiet.”

Tears pricked at Edward’s eyes. This precious child was a target for no other reason than being related to him. As though every stupid thing he’d done in his life was still looking to repay him, somehow he had to keep barbarians from coming after an innocent wee one.

Emmett appeared next to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “It never stops sucking.”

“No, I guess it doesn’t.” One day, could he have peace? Each time they thought they’d achieved it, someone came along and showed them how wrong they were.

Quinn stood quietly in the corner, and Edward could tell he’d been crying. Seeing his daughter for the first time since shortly after her first birthday must be difficult, even moreso to know she didn't recognize him.

Gesturing for him to come over, Edward took his son in his arms and hugged him. “Give her time.”

“That’s what Layla said.” Shaking his head, he continued, “But I shouldn't fucking have to. I should have been there the whole time, especially now that I know I was merely a dupe in their fucked up game.”

“I wish I had answers, but I only have a promise. We’ll make them pay, no matter the cost.”