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　avoidi