“On to Carlisle!” Alice announced after we’d successfully eliminated two of our guards – the newborns (they had been receptionists some years earlier) – and knocked out and locked up the older one. Jasper had wanted to finish him, but I vehemently refused, as it would have taken too long and I did not want to waste any time.

Even at the speed we were going up the ladder now, I felt we were going too slow. Jasper readily followed Alice up the ladder quickly, handing her bits of corpse as he climbed. I followed behind with my arms full of newborn, going just as fast but wishing I could go faster. Bella had been gone for over two hours now, and I was beginning to panic. Well, beginning was an understatement.

Why had they even kidnapped her in the first place? Then again, neither one of the vampires in power had sent them…so who did?

“Alice?” I asked hurriedly as we ran to the fire out back, “What’s Chris doing?”

“He’s just decided he’s going to be Bella’s supervisor for a ‘while’…” she reported grimly.

Great. A more lethal and influential version of Mike Newton… Not what I needed at the moment.

We dumped the bits of vampire, added more fuel to the fire, and kept going. I could have cared less if the forest burned down.

“Do you know where they are?” I questioned Alice once more as we ran into the garage.

“Oh yes, because once I’ve seen someone’s indefinite future I just magically know their whereabouts too… No you idiot, I don’t, I’m not your personal GPS system!” Alice was becoming irate now, and I felt Jasper hurriedly douse the emotion with calm.

“Which car?” she asked, her voice steady and more melodic again.

Edward, I can guess where they are. Jasper’s thoughts were as quiet as his voice, and I strained to hear more.

“The Volvo,” I replied to Alice distractedly, still looking at Jasper. My expression was one of pleading, and after what seemed like a lifetime of staring, he finally told me.

There was a limo parked some ways away from your house, so I assume they took her in that. They wouldn’t chance running.

“Uh, guys?” Alice looked worried to see her lover and her brother staring at each other so intensely, and I hastily made myself function normally again.