The Next Chapter

Revenge, Redemption and Reunions

Twilight is not mine. Never will be mine. Ever. *WAAAH!* David, Lizzie and Marie are mine in a literary sense. Ren, too.

I do apologize with the sporadic updates with this one. I struggle with this story and finding the momentum is tough. With that being said, please be patient with me on this one. I do intend to finish it. It'll probably take time. I'm hoping to be finished with this by Christmas-time. I've planned out the remainder of the story. We're getting closer to the climax, folks. Originally, I had planned this to be roughly thirty chapters, plus an epi, but I've combined chapters and whatnot. It may turn out to be less than thirty. Anyhow, we're going back to Bella next chapter, in the cabin. And to let you know...no one's dying. Edward's just got a flair for the dramatic, plus he's feeling like ass for being a total douchenozzle to his wife. I would never, ever kill Edward or Bella. I don't think I could handle the fallout of that.

We're going to be alternating POVs in this chapter. I'm thinking that is the best way to make this flow the way that I want. This is the big chapter. You know BIG?!?

HUGE!

GARGANTUAN!

Just sayin...

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Revenge, Redemption and Reunions

BPOV

"You're making yourself nuts, Mike," grumbled Renee. "Counting the money? We should just get the hell out of here. That guy, Goss? He seemed really jumpy when we got the car. Do you think that the cops suspect him, that he's helping us?"

"Hell no," Mike snickered. "Goss is a fucking genius at being an agent. He can cover his tracks. The only time he was an idiot was when he married his ex-wife, Maureen. What a bitch! Took him for everything he had, which was advantageous for you and me. Without him, we would have never gotten this far, Renee."

"If you say so," Renee said. "How much longer with this money business?"

"Another day or so?" Mike replied. "I want to make sure that Dr. Moneybags didn't stiff us. I'm a little over halfway through counting."

"He'd be stupid not to," Renee said, walking over to where I was laying, feigning sleep. She brushed my hair away from my face. "I don't know why I didn't get that abortion when I was pregnant with her. I never wanted children. Charlie was all about having babies. I wasn't and after pushing this out? I was like no more. It was one too many. You know?" She slapped my face a few times before stomping away. "And that little girl? Oh my God! If Bella was like that as a kid? I would have killed myself. Or killed the kid! Even now, I want to kill myself. Listening to her scream and cry? Fucking torture."

"Thank goodness the Nyquil knocked her out," Mike snorted. "A few moments silence. Both of them are obnoxious with their grating voices."

"When's the medication supposed to wear off for Bella?" Renee asked, her voice cold.

"Relatively soon," Mike explained. "She's going to have a hell of headache but it won't matter. She's not going to leave this cabin. Can abortions be retroactive?" Both of them laughed lightly.

God, talk about truly evil human beings!

"What about Marie?" Renee asked. "I can't stand that little brat, but leaving her in a cabin with her dead mother is a bit cruel."

Really, you think?

"When we leave, we'll take the girl with us and drop her off at the first gas station," Mike said, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Some poor sap will take her under their wing and voila! Problem solved." I listened to him shuffle around, counting quietly. The shuffling stopped. "You need to dye your hair, Renee. I also need you to cut my hair. We need to change our appearances in order to pass over the border undetected." A plastic bag rustled. "Red will be quite nice, my dear."