Shot Down In Flames

Chapter Twenty Four

When we'd finished our suicide notes we walked out to find Alice lent over the desk gripping it with both hands.

"Alice?" Bella asked her curiously.

She didn't react when she called her name, but her head was slowly rocking side to side, and I saw her face. Her eyes were blank, dazed.

Bella hurried to her side, reaching out automatically to touch her hand.

"Alice!" Jasper's voice whipped, and then he was right behind her, his hands curling over hers, loosening them from their grip on the table.

Across the room, the door swung shut with a low click, "What is it?" he demanded.

She turned her face away from us, into his chest, "Bella, November," she said.

"We're right here," I replied to her words.

Her head twisted around, her eyes locking on mine, their expression still strangely blank.

I realized at once that she hadn't been speaking to us, she'd been answering Jasper's question.

That can't be good.

"What did you see?" Bell said, there was no question in her flat, uncaring voice.

Jasper looked at her sharply, she kept her expression vacant and waited.

His eyes were confused as they flickered swiftly between Alice's face and Bella's, feeling the chaos... I could guess what Alice had seen now.

I felt a tranquil atmosphere settle around me, obviously for Alice to recover.

"Nothing, really," she answered finally, her voice remarkably calm and convincing, "Just the same room as before."

She finally looked at myself and Bella, her expression smooth and withdrawn, "Did you want breakfast?"

"No, we'll eat at the airport," I was very calm for the current situation. Bella went to shower and I decided that I might as well sit and watch TV in her room.

Almost as if I were borrowing Jasper's strange extra sense, I could feel Alice's wild, though well concealed, desperation to have the pair of us out of the room, to be alone with Jasper. So she could tell him that they were doing something wrong, that they were going to fail...

When she was done, Bella dug through her bag until she found her sock full of money, then emptied it into her pocket.

She was anxious to get to the airport, and glad when we left by seven.

We sat in the back of the dark car, Eris on my left and Bella on my right. Alice leaned against the door, her face toward Jasper but, behind her sunglasses, shooting glances in our direction every few seconds.

"Alice?" I asked indifferently.

She was wary, "Yes?"

"How does it work? The things that you see?" I stared out the side window, and my voice bored.

"Edward said it wasn't definite... that things change?" Bella finished my question, struggling to keep composed.

That must have been what alerted Jasper, why a fresh wave of serenity filled the car.

What's up with you guys?

Doesn't matter, but I'm going to need your help later.

Uh, sure?

Thanks.

"Yes, things change..." she murmured, hopefully, "Some things are more certain than others... like the weather. People are harder. I only see the course they're on while they're on it. Once they change their minds, make a new decision, no matter how