Disclaimer: I don't own the Host. Stephanie Meyer does. I only own my characters.

Chapter 17

ALPOV:

There was a soccer match going on Jamie invited me and Amy. I declined, but Amy went with him. I was sitting in the hospital again Sandra was in the kitchens helping out. Dan was playing soccer as well.

"Why aren't you playing soccer?" I asked.

"Cause I didn't feel like playing anymore. Where's Amy?" he said defensively.

"I don't know, I thought she was with you. Why?"

"None of your business."

"My sister is my business."

"Fine if you won't tell me I'll find her myself." He said defiantly and strode out the door.

"I don't even know where she is so how could I tell you?" I called after him.

Why Did Jamie want to know where Amy was? Weird. Not like I cared if they were friends or not. Then it hit me. Jamie was hitting on her. Hadn't I seen that stupid little love stuck face on him when he saw her- the same one Dan had on when he was with Sandra? No! I wouldn't allow this. Jamie was nice but I didn't want him with my sister.

Then I had another train of thought: What if she liked him back? Wait! Where was I going? We'd only been here a week.

I was about to go look for Amy myself when the crazy old guy came in. What was his name again? Joe, John, Jim, Jeb? Jeb. That was it.

"Hey. Look kid." He paused seeing my angry reaction to "kid" "You mind if we sit down and have a nice little conversation?"

I shrugged and sat down while he sat down on the cot across from me.

"Alright, just to get it out: We've got some souls in these caves."

I just gaped at him. Then I understood. "Where? Why are they here? Did you capture them? Where are they being held? Does everyone know?"

"Well let's answer you're questions in order shall we?" I nodded gravely. Souls in the caves? Unthinkable. Unacceptable.

"Where are they? Well right I believe they both are working in the kitchen." In the kitchen? What were they free laborers? Well at least these people didn't waste their resources.

Jeb continued "Why are they here? That's very detailed and somewhat personal to them and the people who care about them?" This part made no sense to me.

Jeb sensed but ignored it. "Did we capture them? One was looking for us and walked right out almost to our front door and the other we did kinda capture."

"Wait, Souls know we are here? How did that one find us?"

"Alright listen up, the souls here are family. They are loved. They would never do anything to hurt us and in the event that either you or your family hurts them you shall be kicked out of the caves or killed." I was shocked into silence.

"Now kid,"

"I'm not a kid."

"In my book every hot-head that is under 30 is a kid. I know that you're the leader of this family of yours. You're not going on the raid this week and I know you're upset about it, but you'll have other chances.

"I know how to tell you and your brother apart because you act like a 40 year old and concern yourself with everyone in your family. Your brother acts like a sixteen year old, with that good looking girlfriend of his and being love struck. You on the other hand are more mature and have taken responsibility as your life style. You may act 40 on the inside. But on the outside and deep down you're sixteen. I've seen how you act around your sister. You want to be her best friend and her brother, but you act like her father. Alex, you're sixteen. Don't you think it's time you let someone else take care of you?"

No one ever had told me that. How could I act sixteen? The world was overrun by aliens and I had three people who trusted me with their lives to get them fed clothed and sheltered. And remain free and alive.

"I'll leave it up to you to tell them about Wanda and Sunny. Just so you know who they are, they're the two girls who are partners with the O'Shea brothers, the tall ones with the black hair. Good luck and have a nice day."

I sat. Amy came giggling in with Jamie with Dan and Sandra behind them. I couldn't take it in state my mind was in. I stormed past Amy and started running down the tunnel. I needed to get away. There was darkest ahead. Just plain dark. No light.

A/N: Sorry for like the 4 month wait. I got out of the mood. But now I'm back in it. PLEASE review. I know how strange this is but reviews really motivate me to finish chapters.