Chapter One

The next morning, Alita awoke early as usual. She yawned as she sat up. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and jumped out of bed. She walked down the stairs. It was going to be a good day, Alita hoped.

"Morning, Daddy." She said. John turned and smiled.

"Morning." He said.

"Where are you going? It's Saturday, the day we go see Grandfather." Alita said.

"I'll be to the village later, Alita. I have to see a friend about a situation." John said. Alita shrugged. She didn't want to give away that she knew that there was more to his story than he was telling her. She would be in trouble for sure if her parents knew she had eavesdropped! She knew it was wrong, but she hated it when her parents kept things from her.

"Naomi was just here looking for you." John added, mentioning Alita's best friend Naomi, Thomas's daughter.

"Oh, thanks!" Alita said. She ran up the stairs and got dressed in her mother's village's clothes. They were more comfortable and she wore them more than anything else. She nearly knocked John off of the staircase as she ran from the house.

"Bye, Dad!" She called. John shook his head. She was as energetic as Meeko had been when he was younger.

"Naomi!" Alita called out to Naomi, who was sitting on the ground under the shade of a tree. Naomi looked up, hoped to her feet, and ran to greet Alita.

"Alita! I was just looking for you." Naomi said. Naomi was Alita's best friend in Jamestown. Her two village friends were Nakoma's son Retja and a girl named Leilani.

"Daddy told me." Alita said. "Naomi, can you keep a secret?"

"Alita, we've known each other for our whole lives! You know I can!" Naomi said.

"Last night, I heard my parents talking. Ben was arrested." Alita said.

"Ben? You mean Ben Brown? The one who's always going around making bad jokes? Ben?" Naomi asked. Alita nodded.

"Yes, that Ben." She said. "According to Daddy, he's the second one arrested this month."

"People get arrested everyday, Alita. That's nothing new." Naomi pointed out.

"You're missing the point, Naomi. Ben and Hal are friends of our fathers. And our fathers were a part of the Virginia Company that came here twelve years ago!" Alita said.

"What are you meaning, Alita?"

"I mean that isn't a bit odd that the last two people arrested were both a part of the Virginia Company?"

"I guess it is a bit odd." Naomi agreed. She and Alita were quiet a minute. Then, the Jamestown sheriff Sheriff Laney walked by. He was headed towards Lon Allen's door.

"See what I mean, Naomi? Sheriff Laney is headed towards Lon's house! I don't know what he's doing, but I can guess. If he's arresting Lon, then that only leaves Harold Sullivan, Samuel Truman, Henry Wilson and…" Alita stopped.

"What? Alita, who else?" Naomi asked.

"Our dads." Alita said, looking at Naomi. Naomi looked worried. Thomas was the only person Naomi had. Her mother Kathleen had died during childbirth and her father had never remarried and never would.

"Alita, who would be doing this?" Naomi asked.

"I don't know. Dad went to see what he could find out about Ben, but I doubt he'll learn much." Alita answered. Who could be doing this? Her father had no enemies that she knew of. Then she remembered her mother mentioning someone the night before. Ratcliffe. But who was Ratcliffe? She couldn't ask her father or mother about it! She'd be in trouble for sure for eavesdropping! She hadn't meant to; she had just not been able to sleep. But who else could she ask? Alita could only think of one person, er, friend. And that friend was her mother's mentor, Grandmother Willow. Grandmother Willow had been her mother's mother, Alsoomse's, mentor before Pocahontas, and now she was Alita's, too. And most likely, if Alita ever had a daughter, she would be hers, too.

"I think I know who I can ask. Bye, Naomi, I have to go with Mama to the village today!" She said. "But don't forget to tell your dad to watch out." Naomi nodded.

"I will, thanks, Alita. Be careful." She said and Alita ran off to find her mother and head out for the village.