Quinn POV

I couldn't believe Jeremiah was behaving like this. It was as if he actually had feelings for that horrible woman. How could he insist that I leave and never return? After everything I've done to find Bella he just expects me to turn around and walk away? Absolutely not! When he told me that woman was taking Bella to the zoo the next day, I decided to follow them. Thanks to my training as a siren I was able to trail them without being noticed.

"Thank you so much for coming." Echo said with a smile embracing who seemed to be Sofia Falcone? This couldn't be good. I had to get closer and try and find out what was going on.

"I shall take the child into my custody. I am really glad that Mr. Wilde has chosen to reconsider his decision. It really is in the best interests of the child to be placed in a stable loving home." Sofia told Echo who nodded.

"Miss Echo what's going on?"

"Your going to go with this nice lady."

"Nu me want Miah! Miah!" Bella screams but Echo just chuckled.

"I told you, Mr. Wilde doesn't have time for the likes of you. He doesn't want you. You won't be seeing him ever again. Don't even think about trying to contact him. He wants nothing to do with you."

At this, Bella's eyes began to fill with tears and I let out a low growl. How could Jeremiah do this to Bella? I was going to find out. Jeremiah looked up from some paperwork that he was doing as I slammed his office door open. "Quinn what brings you here?"

"How could you do this to Bella?"

"I haven't the slightest idea what your talking about. Bella is on an outing with Echo. They will be back later." Jeremiah replied continuing to read his paperwork.

"I just saw Echo handing Bella over to Sofia Falcone. She told Bella that you don't love her and that you don't want anything to do with her and for her to never try and contact you again."

"That's ridiculous! Echo would never do something like that. I told you yesterday, I wouldn't tolerate you trying to besmirch Echo's good name. Now leave."

"So your just going to sit here and do nothing?"

"Look, Bella and Echo are due back from the zoo any minute now. I can assure you Bella is fine." A few seconds later we hear the door of the apartment open. "See what did I tell you?"

"Boss I'm afraid I have some bad news. Your sister has run away. She got upset when I told her that your friend Quinn wouldn't be joining us on our trip to the zoo and she took off running. I searched everywhere for her but I can't find her. I tried contacting the police but because Bella is a teenager they can't do anything until she's been missing for at least 48hrs."

"I had a feeling something like this might happen. This is why I wanted you to break off all contact with her. Now she's run off only God knows where in a city full of dangerous people. What what's she thinking?" Jeremiah replied with an irritated sigh.

"I can't believe your so blind Jeremiah. You always claimed to be the smart one. Why can't you see that Echo is lying? It's obvious that she has feelings for you that go beyond that of  boss and employee. She saw Bella as competition and she wanted her out of the way. So she handed her over to one of the most dangerous woman of this city."

"Quinn, I've had just about enough with your childish jealous behavior. I've known Echo for years and I trust her with my life. She wouldn't betray me like that. I can't say the same for you. Goodbye Quinn."

"You know what, you claim to be smarter then Jerome, but He'd have never taken someone else's word over mine. If you were half the man Jerome was..."

At this, Jeremiah slapped me causing me fall to the floor. I could hear Echo stifle a snicker. "I'm ten times the man Jerome ever was!" He hissed at me. "Leave Quinn and never show your face around here again."

"So be it." I paused at the doorway "you've changed Jeremiah and not for the better." With that I turned and walked out of the room sighing in disappointment. I felt like Nala when she first learned that Simba was alive.

I didn't have time for this nonsense. Bella's life was in danger. Think. Where would Falcone take Bella? Barbara. If anyone knew Falcone's movements it would be Barbara. "Tabitha I need to speak with Barbara it's urgent."

"Ah Quinn, so nice to see you again. What seems to be the problem?"

"Falcone has Bella."

"And that's my problem why exactly?" Barbara asks as she sips an alcoholic drink.

"Falcone will kill her. We've got to stop her. Please Barbara. I'll return to the sirens, I'll do whatever you want, but please help me rescue her."

"I don't know... You've gone back on your word before. Why should I believe you?" Barbara asks.

"I left the sirens because you lied to me about helping me find Bella. I was only repaying the favor. But if you help me rescue Bella, I will return to being by your side. I won't ever try to leave the sirens again. Please help me find her."

At this, a strange woman I've never seen before  cocks her eyebrow at me. "Apologize."

"What?"

"For leaving us. Apologize and perhaps, if it's good enough we might consider helping you." the woman replied with a smirk.

"We don't have time for this."

"The longer you refuse to apologize the less likely we will find your sweet Bella alive." The woman replies seemingly board.

"I'm sorry."

"You call that an apology?" The woman demands.

Barbara smiles her eyes sparkling in amusement. "Come now Quinn, I'm sure that you can do better then that."

"On your knees."

"What?"

"Get down on your knees and show the Demon's head the respect she deserves girl." A woman from the league of shadows demands.

"Never. I'll apologize, but I have never bowed before anyone and I don't intend to do so now."

"Insolent girl! That's no way to talk to our leader. You will some respect girl and curve that tongue of yours or I'll cut it out of your mouth." A woman hisses at me holding a knife to my throat. She would have made good on her threat if Barbara hadn't held up her hand.

"Enough. Leave us. All of you."

"As you wish." With that the woman all turned and left leaving me alone with Barbara and two other Women.

"Look, Barbara I'm sorry ok? I never should have left. I was just frustrated. You don't know how long I've been searching for Bella. I was hurt that you went back on your promise to help me find her. Don't you see, this is your chance to make things right.  I'll do anything to ensure Bella's safety. You know that. Please I'm begging you, help me find her."

At this, Barbara smiles "it so happens that Falcone informed me of her intent to obtain custody of Bella. I told her that should bring the girl to me."

"What? Why?"

"To punish you for your betrayal of course."

"Your dear sweet Bella will receive one strike upon her back with my whip for every lie that you've told and for every month that you've been gone." The strange woman replies with that she snaps her fingers and Bella is dragged into the room and tossed to the floor.

At this, I fall to my knees in submission. "Please Barbara don't let them do this. I'm begging you."

Barbara seemed to be considering the idea but Tabitha had to open her fat mouth. "We can't let her go unpunished Barbara. If she's not punished, then she will never learn to behave. Go ahead." Tabitha said with a nod.

"No! Stop!" I try to reach Bella but again Tabitha snaps her fingers and I find myself being grabbed from behind and held fast in a firm grip. The woman uncurls her whip and smiles at me before giving it a snap. It makes a loud cracking noise and I can't help but shudder. "Wait!"

"Excuse me, but can I say something?" Bella asks.

"Sure kid, what's up?"

"I am not a child. I'm eighteen and I can handle a little bit of pain so go ahead and do your worst. I won't cry and I certainly won't beg you to stop."

"Is that so?" The woman replies seeing this as a challenge.

"Try me."

"Humm. I like your spunk kid. I'll try to make this quick and as painless as possible. No wait, that's a lie. I'm not going to stop till you are begging me for mercy." The woman replies taking her whip and crashing it down upon Bella's back. To my surprise Bella didn't even flinch.

"I'm sorry, was that supposed to hurt cause all that did was tickle." Bella replies with a smirk. The woman brings her whip down upon Bella's back approximately ten to twenty more times and still Bella doesn't cry out. I can tell that Tabitha is getting irritated which only seems to amuse Bella. "Is that all you've got?" Bella asked with a scoff and a slight yawn.

WC 1594