the worries； when my subconscious delivered a verdict it must have been
working on for some time
without my knowledge。
As soon as I thought of it； I felt really stupid for not seeing it sooner。
Sure。 I'd had a lot on my
mind—revenue…obsessed vampires； giant mutant wolves； a ragged hole in the
center of my chest—but
when I laid the evidence out； it was embarrassingly obvious。
Jacob avoiding me。 Charlie saying he looked strange； upset。 。 。 。 Billy's
vague； unhelpful answers。
Holy crow； I knew exactly what was going on with Jacob。
It was Sam Uley。 Even my nightmares had been trying to tell me that。 Sam had
gotten to Jacob。
Whatever was happening to the other boys on the reservation had reached out
and stolen my friend。
He'd been sucked into Sam's cult。
He hadn't given up on me at all； I realized with a rush of feeling。
I let my truck idle in front of my house。 What should I do？ I weighed the
dangers against each other。
If I went looking for Jacob； I risked the chance of Victoria or Laurent
finding me with him。
If I didn't go after him； Sam would pull him deeper into his frightening；
pulsory gang。 Maybe it would
be too late if I didn't act soon。
It had been a week； and no vampires had e for me yet。 A week was more than
enough time for them
to have returned； so I must not be a priority。 Most likely； as I'd decided
before； they would e for me
at night。 The chances of them following me to La Push were much lower than the
chance of losing Jacob
to Sam。
It was worth the danger of the secluded forest road。 This was no idle visit to
see what was going on。 I
knew what was going on。 This was a rescue mission。 I was going to talk to
Jacob—kidnap him if I had
to。 I'd once seen a PBS show on deprogramming the brainwashed。 There had to be
some kind of cure。
I decided I'd better call Charlie first。 Maybe whatever was going on down in
La Push was something the
police should be involved in。 I dashed inside； in a hurry to be on my way。
Charlie answered the phone it the station himself。
〃Chief Swan。〃
〃Dad； it's Bella。〃
〃What's wrong？'〃
I couldn't argue with his doomsday assumption this time。 My voice was shaking。
〃I'm worried about Jacob。〃
〃Why？〃 he asked； surprised by the unexpected topic。
〃I think I think something weird is going on down at the reservation。 Jacob
told me about some strange
stuff happening with the other boys his age。 Now he's acting the same way and
I'm scared。〃
〃What kind of stuff？〃 He used his professional； police business voice。 That
was good； he was taking me
seriously。
〃First he was scared； and then he was avoiding me； and now I'm afraid he's
part of that bizarre gang
down there； Sam's gang。 Sam Uley's gang。〃
〃Sam Uley？〃 Charlie repeated； surprised again。
〃Yes。〃
Charlie's voice was more relaxed when he answered。 〃I think you've got it
wrong； Bells。 Sam Uley is a
great kid。 Well； he's a man now。 A good son。 You should hear Billy talk about
him。 He's really doing
wonders with the youth on the reservation。 He's the one who—〃 Charlie broke
off mid…sentence； and I
guessed that he had been about to make a reference to the night I'd gotten
lost in the woods。 I moved on
quickly。
〃Dad； it's not like that。 Jacob was scared ofhim。〃
〃Did you talk to Billy about this？〃 He was trying to soothe me now。 I'd lost
him as soon as I'd mentioned
Sam。
〃Billy's not concerned。〃
〃Well； Bella； then I'm sure it's okay。 Jacob's a kid； he was probably just
messing around。 I'm sure he's
fine。 He can't spend every waking minute with you； after all。〃
〃This isn't about me；〃 I insisted； but the battle was lost。
〃I don't think you need to worry about this。 Let Billy take care of Jacob。〃
〃Charlie〃 My voice was starting to sound whiney。
〃Bells； I got a lot on my plate right now。 Two tourists have gone missing off
a trail outside crescent lake。〃
There was an anxious edge to his voice。 〃This wolf problem is getting out of
hand。〃
I was momentarily distracted—stunned； really—by his news。 There was no way
the wolves could have
survived a match…up with Laurent
〃Are you sure that's what happened to them？〃 I asked。
〃Afraid so； honey。 There was—〃 He hesitated。 〃There were tracks again； and
some blood this time。〃
〃Oh！〃 It must not have e to a confrontation； then。 Laurent must have simply
outrun the wolves； but
why？ What I'd seen in the meadow just got stranger and stranger—more
impossible to understand。
〃Look； I really have to go。 Don't worry about Jake； Bella。 I'm sure it's
nothing。〃
〃Fine；〃 I said curtly； frustrated as his words reminded me of the more urgent
crisis at hand。 〃Bye。〃 I hang
up。
I stared at the phone for a long minute。 What the hell； I decided。
Billy answered after two rings。
〃Hello？〃
〃Hey； Billy；〃 I almost growled。 I tried to sound more friendly as I continued。
〃Can I talk to Jacob；
please？〃
〃Jake's not here。〃
What a shock。 〃Do you know where he is？〃
〃He's out with his friends。〃 Billy's voice was careful。
〃Oh yeah？ Anyone I know？ Quil？〃 I could tell the words didn't e across as
casually as I'd meant
them to。
〃No；〃 Billy said slowly。 〃I don't think he's with Quil today。〃
I knew better than to mention Sam's name。
〃Embry？〃 I asked。
Billy seemed happier to answer this one。 〃Yeah； he's with Embry。〃
That was enough for me。 Embry was one of them。
〃Well； have him call me when he gets in； all right？〃
〃Sure； sure。 No problem。〃 Click。
〃See you soon； Billy；〃 I muttered into the dead phone。
I drove to La Push determined to wait。 I'd sit out front of his house all
night if I had to。 I'd miss school。
The boy was going to have to e home sometime； and when he did； he was going
to have to talk to
me。
My mind was so preoccupied that the trip I'd been terrified of making seemed
to take only a few
seconds。 Before I was expecting it； the forest began to thin； and I knew I
would soon be able to see the
first little houses of the reservation。
Walking away； along the left side of the road； was a tall boy with a baseball
cap。
My breath caught for just a moment in my throat； hopeful that luck was with me
for once； and I'd
srumbled across Jacob without hardly trying。 But this boy was too wide； and
the hair was short under the
hat。 Even from behind； I was sure it was Quil； though he looked bigger than
the last time I'd seen him。
What was with these Quileute boys？ Were they feeding them experimental growth
hormones？
I crossed over to the wrong side of the road to stop next to him。 He looked up
when the roar of my
truck approached。
Quil's expression frightened me more than it surprised me。 His face was bleak；
brooding； his forehead
creased with worry。
〃Oh； hey； Bella；〃 he greeted me dully。
〃Hi； Quil Are you okay？〃
He stared at me morosely。 〃Fine。〃
〃Can I give you a ride somewhere？〃 I offered。
〃Sure； I guess；〃 he mumbled。 He shuffled around the front of the truck and
opened the passenger door to
climbin。
〃Where to？〃
〃My house is on the north side； back behind the store；〃 he told me。
〃Have you seen Jacob today。〃 The question burst from me almost before he'd
finished speaking。
I