In the year 2020, Vampires took control of society and ordered all humans placed in vampire custody. The people who were not captured formed a Resistance movement, headed by the Human Council, which began to plan the Insurgence.

I am, of course, indebted to Stephenie Meyer for this world we all play in, and these characters we all adore. Additionally, I am indebted to hitntr01, who has graciously allowed me to use certain concepts from her wonderful story "In Need of Rescue", which constitute much of the background of my own story. These include: the language Vampiri, the Rules, the machines used to draw blood from humans, Manners Training, and the plot theme of Edward working as a guard at a facility holding humans. Thank you, hitntr01.

Chapter 11 – arriving in Forks

Day 6940 (July 2, 2039)

(Bella's POV)

We drove across country, and I slept in the peace and quiet, free from Vampireville noise. The desert gave way to mountains and then to forest. When I was awake, Carlisle told me a little about his family that I would soon be meeting, including the four he had changed, Edward, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, and the two who had joined them, Jasper and Alice.

Carlisle asked me my name, and I told him "99", as we use numbers for names on the colonies and in the Resistance. He didn't seem to like that, but hey, that's my name. The main reason vampires wanted your name is to put it on bills of sale or other paperwork regarding our captivity or slavery, and they generally wouldn't call us by name even if they knew it. So the free humans who lived in colonies used numbers. Also, back when the colonies were worried about captured members being questioned by vampires, numbers seemed a better way to protect individuals. Turns out, nobody was taking the resistance efforts seriously, so that precautionary step wasn't necessary. But it is nice to be able to give a short f-u to a vampire looking for something to put on a form.

I woke up to tall pine trees along the road. "We're almost home," said Carlisle with a smile as we passed a sign reading 'Welcome to Forks'.

We drove through a small town, just a one-road town it appears. I saw a gas station and a few stores, but it appeared mostly deserted. Carlisle made a quick phone call while I looked around. There were vampires on the streets, as I expected. Some turned to watch our passing car. We crossed quickly to the other side of town, and once again we were driving on a pine tree-lined road. Soon we turn off onto a private drive and pulled up to a stately, colonial style, three-story house.

"We have visitors today," he said. "My friends from Alaska, who also share my vegetarian diet, are here." He wrapped me back up in the blanket and carried me inside, holding me in a sitting position in one arm.

Inside were a TON of vampires. Every time I meet a vampire, the events of their change from human to vampire flash through my mind. This gift can almost be impairing in a crowded room, and this room was crowded. The vampress named Esme met us at the door, and then Carlisle was greeted by Edward and Jasper. Damn, but that looked like Jasper Whitlock, the one Carlisle is calling Jasper Hale. Carlisle continued to introduce the rest of the vampires in the room, including Carmen and Eleazar, Kate and Garrett, and Tanya, but it was getting to be a bit much for me.

I ducked my head into his shoulder, acting shy, while trying to sort through all the information flying at me from the individuals in the room. After all, vampire change events are seldom gentle experiences; most involve a violent, painful death. And in this crowd I am picking up scenes of battlefields, bear attacks, fires, leaps from cliffs, etc. Cripes, did anyone just get bit? So I feigned shyness, and Carlisle said he would take me upstairs to show me my room. I noticed immediately that this room did not have a direct exit into the hall, but only could be entered through his library. A stunning library, filled with books and artwork, dominated by a large desk across from a fireplace. And, perhaps most disturbing, a portrait of what appeared to be Carlisle as a member of the Volturi court hanging over that desk.

My cousins were starting to feed me information through our shared consciousness. Both Carlisle and Eleazar had spent decades with the Volturi. This doctor didn't seem so innocent now, with both his own history with the Volturi, and Jasper Whitlock sitting in the living room. What had I gotten myself into? Well, keep it together. There is a mind-reader in here, trying to get at my head, and that is not going to happen. Plus, on the sofa is a vampress in the early stages of the Blood Sickness. Maybe this will be interesting.

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