minutes；　and　they　were　already　prepared　to　leave。　In　the　corner；　Jacob　was　human　again；　with　Renesmee
  on　his　lap；　both　of　them　watching　us　with　wide　eyes。
  Rosalie　had　traded　her　silk　wrap　dress　for　a　sturdy…looking　pair　of　jeans；　running　shoes；　and　a
  button…down　shirt　made　of　the　thick　weave　that　backpackers　used　for　long　trips。　Esme　was　dressed
  similarly。　There　was　a　globe　on　the　coffee　table；　but　they　were　done　looking　at　it；　just　waiting　for　us。
  The　atmosphere　was　more　positive　now　than　before；　it　felt　good　to　them　to　be　in　action。　Their　hopes
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  were　pinned　on　Alice's　instructions。
  I　looked　at　the　globe　and　wondered　where　we　were　headed　first。
  〃We're　to　stay　here？〃　Edward　asked；　looking　at　Carlisle。　He　didn't　sound　happy。
  〃Alice　said　that　we　would　have　to　show　people　Renesmee；　and　we　would　have　to　be　careful　about　it；〃
  Carlisle　said。　〃We'll　send　whomever　we　can　find　back　here　to　you—Edward；　you'll　be　the　best　at　fielding
  that　particular　minefield。〃
  Edward　gave　one　sharp　nod；　still　not　happy。　〃There's　a　lot　of　ground　to　cover。〃
  〃We're　splitting　up；〃　Emmett　answered。　〃Rose　and　I　are　hunting　for　nomads。〃
  〃You'll　have　your　hands　full　here；〃　Carlisle　said。　〃Tanya's　family　will　be　here　in　the　morning；　and　they
  have　no　idea　why。　First；　you　have　to　persuade　them　not　to　react　the　way　Irina　did。　Second；　you've　got　to
  find　out　what　Alice　meant　about　Eleazar。　Then；　after　all　that；　will　they　stay　to　witness　for　us？　It　will　start
  again　as　the　others　come—if　we　can　persuade　anyone　to　come　in　the　first　place。〃　Carlisle　sighed。　〃Your
  job　may　well　be　the　hardest。　We'll　be　back　to　help　as　soon　as　we　can。〃
  Carlisle　put　his　hand　on　Edward's　shoulder　for　a　second　and　then　kissed　my　forehead。　Esme　hugged　us
  both；　and　Emmett　punched　us　both　on　the　arm。　Rosalie　forced　a　hard　smile　for　Edward　and　me；　blew　a
  kiss　to　Renesmee；　and　then　gave　Jacob　a　parting　grimace。
  〃Good　luck；〃　Edward　told　them。
  〃And　to　you；〃　Carlisle　said。　〃We'll　all　need　it。〃
  I　watched　them　leave；　wishing　I　could　feel　whatever　hope　bolstered　them；　and　wishing　I　could　be　alone
  with　the　computer　for　just　a　few　seconds。　I　had　to　figure　out　who　this　J。　Jenks　person　was　and　why　Alice
  had　gone　to　such
  lengths　to　give　his　name　to　only　me。
  Renesmee　twisted　in　Jacob's　arms　to　touch　his　cheek。
  〃I　don't　know　if　Carlisle's　friends　will　come。　I　hope　so。　Sounds　like　we're　a　little　outnumbered　right　now；〃
  Jacob　murmured　to　Renesmee。
  So　she　knew。　Renesmee　already　understood　only　too　clearly　what　was　going　on。　The　whole
  imprinted…werewolf…gives…the…object…of…his…imprinting…whatever…she…wants　thing　was　getting　old　pretty
  fast。　Wasn't　shielding　her　more　important　than　answering　her　questions？
  I　looked　carefully　at　her　face。　She　did　not　look　frightened；　only　anxious　and　very　serious　as　she
  conversed　with　Jacob　in　her　silent　way。
  〃No；　we　can't　help；　we've　got　to　stay　here；〃　he　went　on。　〃People　are　coming　to　see　you；　not　the
  scenery。〃
  Renesmee　frowned　at　him。
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  〃No；　I　don't　have　to　go　anywhere；〃　he　said　to　her。　Then　he　looked　at　Edward；　his　face　stunned　by　the
  realization　that　he　might　be　wrong。　〃Do　I？〃
  Edward　hesitated。
  〃Spit　it　out；〃　Jacob　said；　his　voice　raw　with　tension。　He　was　right　at　his　breaking　point；　just　like　the　rest
  of　us。
  〃The　vampires　who　are　coming　to　help　us　are　not　the　same　as　we　are；〃　Edward　said。　〃Tanya's　family　is
  the　only　one　besides　ours　with　a　reverence　for　human　life；　and　even　they　don't　think　much　of　werewolves。
  I　think　it　might　be　safer—〃
  〃I　can　take　care　of　myself；〃　Jacob　interrupted。
  〃Safer　for　Renesmee；〃　Edward　continued；　〃if　the　choice　to　believe　our　story　about　her　is　not　tainted　by
  an　association　with　werewolves。〃
  〃Some　friends。　They'd　turn　on　you　just　because　of　who　you　hang　out　with　now？〃
  〃I　think　they　would　mostly　be　tolerant　under　normal　circumstances。　But　you　need　to　understand
  —accepting　Nessie　will　not　be　a　simple　thing　for　any　of　them。　Why　make　it　even　the　slightest　bit　harder？〃
  Carlisle　had　explained　the　laws　about　immortal　children　to　Jacob　last　night。　〃The　immortal　children　were
  really　that　bad？〃　he　asked。
  〃You　can't　imagine　the　depth　of　the　scars　they've　left　in　the　collective　vampire　psyche。〃
  〃Edward　。。。〃　It　was　still　odd　to　hear　Jacob　use　Edward's　name　without　bitterness。
  〃I　know；　Jake。　I　know　how　hard　it　is　to　be　away　from　her。　We'll　play　it　by　ear—　see　how　they　react　to
  her。　In　any　case；　Nessie　is　going　to　have　to　be　incognito　off　and　on　in　the　next　few　weeks。　She'll　need　to
  stay　at　the　cottage　until　the　right　moment　for　us　to　introduce　her。　As　long　as　you　keep　a　safe　distance
  from　the　main　house　。。。〃
  〃I　can　do　that。　Company　in　the　morning；　huh？〃
  〃Yes。　The　closest　of　our　friends。　In　this　particular　case；　it's　probably　better　if　we　get　things　out　in　the
  open　as　soon　as　possible。　You　can　stay　here。　Tanya　knows　about　you。　She's　even　met　Seth。〃
  〃You　should　tell　Sam　what's　going　on。　There　might　be　strangers　in　the　woods　soon。〃
  〃Good　point。　Though　I　owe　him　some　silence　after　last　night。〃
  〃Listening　to　Alice　is　usually　the　right　thing。〃
  Jacob's　teeth　ground　together；　and　I　could　see　that　he　shared　Sam's　feelings　about　what　Alice　and
  Jasper　had　done。
  While　they　were　talking；　I　wandered　toward　the　back　windows；　trying　to　look　distracted　and　anxious。
  Not　a　difficult　thing　to　do。　I　leaned　my　head　against　the　wall　that　curved　away　from　the　living　room
  toward　the　dining　room；　right　next　to　one　of　the　computer　desks。　I　ran　my　fingers　against　the　keys　while
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  staring　into　the　forest；　trying　to　make　it　look　like　an　absentminded　thing。　Did　vampires　ever　do　things
  absentmindedly？　I　didn't　think　anyone　was　paying　particular　attention　to　me；　but　I　didn't　turn　to　make
  sure。　The　monitor　glowed　to　life。　I　stroked　my　fingers　across　the　keys　again。　Then　I　drummed　them　very
  quietly　on　the　wooden　desktop；　just　to　make　it　seem　random。　Another　stroke　across　the　keys。
  I　scanned　the　screen　in　my　peripheral　vision。
  No　J。　Jenks；　but　there　was　a　Jason　Jenks。　A　lawyer。　I　brushed　the　keyboard；　trying　to　keep　a　rhythm；
  like　the　preoccupied　stroking　of　a　cat　you'd　all　but　forgotten　on　your　lap。　Jason　Jenks　had　a　fancy
  website　for　his　firm；　but　the　address　on　the　homepage　was　wrong。　In　Seattle；　but　in　a　different　zip　code。　I
  noted　the　phone　number　and　then　stroked　the　keyboard　in　rhythm。　This　time　I　searched　the　address；　but
  nothing　at　all　came　up；　as　if　the　address　didn't　exist。　I　wanted　to　look　at　a　map；　but　I　decided　I　was
  pushing　my　luck。　One　more　brush；　to　delete　the　history___
  I　continued　staring　out　the　window　and　brushed　the　wood　a　few　times。　I　heard　light　footsteps　crossing
  the　floor　to　me；　and　I　turned　with　what　I　hoped　was　the　same　expression　as　before。
  Renesmee　reached　for　me；　and　I　held　my　arms　open。　She　launched　herself　into　them；　smelling　strongly　of
  werewolf；　and　nestled　her　head　against　my　neck。
  I　didn't　know　if　I　could　stand　this。　As　much　as　I　feared　for　my　life；　for　Edward's；　for　the　rest　of　my
  family's；　it　was　not　the　same　as　the　gut…wrenching　terror　I　felt　for　my　daughter。　There　had　to　be　a　way　to
  save　her；　even　if　that　was　the　only　thing　I　could　do。
  Suddenly；　I　knew　that　this　was　all　I　wanted　anymore。　The　rest　I　would　bear　if　I　had　to；　but　not　her　life
  being　forfeited。　Not　that。
  She　was　the　one　thing　I　simply　had　to　save。
  Would　Alice　have　known　how　I　would　feel？
  Renesmee's　hand　touched　my　cheek　lightly。
  She　showed　me　my　own　face；　Edward's；　Jacob's；　Rosalie's；　Esme's；　Carlisle's；　Alice's；　Jasper's；　flipping
  through　all　our　family's　faces　faster　and　faster。　Seth　and　Leah。　Charlie；　Sue；　and　Billy。　Over　and　over
  again。　Worrying；　like　the　rest　of　us　were。　She　was　only　worrying；　though。　Jake　had　kept　the　worst　from
  her　as　far　as　I　could　tell。　The　part　about　how　we　had　no　hope；　how　we　all　were　going　to　die　in　a　month's
  time。
  She　settled　on　Alice's　face；　longing　and　confused。　Where　was　Alice？
  〃I　don't　know；〃　I　whispered。　〃But　she's　Alice。　She's　doing　the　right　thing；　like　always。〃
  The　right　thing　for　Alice；　anyway。　I　hated　thinking　of　her　that　way；　but　how　else　could　the　situation　be
  understood？
  Renesmee　sighed；　and　the　longing　intensified。
  〃I　miss　her；　too。〃
  I　felt　my　face　working；　trying　to　find　the　expression　that　went　with　the　grief　inside。　My　eyes　felt　strange
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