CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Bella

Being thrown about on the bare floor of a freezing cart makes my current situation extra uncomfortable. I'm desperate for a pee. Why couldn't they have grabbed me five minutes later? At least I was clothed when they carried me from the house. I could've been in my nightdress.

Edward! Where have you been all day? When he comes by the farm tonight I hope he'll guess where I've been taken. What if he tries to rescue me though? That's the last thing I want. These stupid Elders are only adding strength to my assertions that they have something to hide. If they've taken Jess and Jack, or any others, the meeting not happening could also stimulate curiosity. Well, I hope it will.

Shouts outside. We must be close to wherever they're taking me. I hope it's warm in there. Cotton pants, a thin shirt, and no socks or boots on an October night are effing uncomfortable. What I'd give for a cup of Edward's hot chocolate. Maybe I'll ask for some in return for cooperation (which I won't give after I've drunk it). Stop thinking about liquid, Bella. You really really need to pee.

"Are you trying to blind me," I yell when a searing light scorches my eyes.

Don't let them think you're scared, Swan. You've done nothing wrong, remember?

The tailgate drops noisily. A gloved hand shoots forward and grabs my ankle to pull me toward the edge. "Get out," a gruff voice orders and continues pulling. I can't see anything other than brilliance surrounded by blackness.

"Let her climb down," a softer male voice says somewhere to my right. The hand lets go so I shuffle the final few inches and lower myself onto stony ground.

"I've got no shoes on and need to pee," I shout at the light.

"Tough!" the gruff voice says and pushes me forward.

"I'll piss myself here then," I reply in the angriest growl I can muster.

A tall man dressed in black knocks the light away and takes hold of my arm. "This way," he says. His lighter tone confirms he's not the guy who grabbed my ankle.

I'm lifted onto a path that is more comfortable to walk on. At the end is a wooden building with a narrow door in the middle of a windowless wall that leads into a long, thin lobby. The featureless space is lit by two heavy-duty oil lamps which indicate I'm not on the inside of the Compound wall. From what Edward told me about the Compound itself, I've no doubt they have electric light which I wouldn't be allowed to witness. I'm guessing then that this must be the same place Jack was taken to and, more importantly, allowed to go home from.

The kinder-sounding man steers me towards a door on the left and propels me inside. "Don't take long," he orders before closing the door behind me.

While I'm washing my hands, my reflection in the mirror shocks me. The girl staring back looks exhausted. No surprise there. It must be gone midnight by now and last night I hardly had any sleep, thanks to Edward's surprise visit. If they question me immediately they'll be lucky to get a coherent answer, that's if I choose to cooperate.

Once outside I'm led into a room with a wooden floor, a plain wooden table, and four chairs that don't match. A small window too high to look out from is open a crack to allow fumes from the lamps to escape. It's also letting cold air in. The man throws me a thick woollen blanket which I hastily wrap around my body. A skinny frame is a bonus here as I can maneuver the square so I'm enveloped from shoulders to knees. My feet though are numb with cold.

"You wait here," the man says as he turns to leave.

"How long for?" I ask. The man shrugs his shoulders. I hear the key turn in the lock. "Okay," I say facetiously then shuffle over to the chairs where I arrange them in a line so I can lie down. One chair has an upholstered seat so that becomes my pillow. The rest are plain wood but after folding my blanket so a doubled-over part protects my hip, I get as comfortable as possible and close my eyes.

I don't know how long I've slept, albeit fitfully, but I'm awakened by voices outside the door followed by the lock turning. The oil lamps have burnt out but the fact that I can see across the room tells me it's light outside. A young man and a much older woman come in. I stretch pretending I've had a good night and rub my eyes. "Is it breakfast time yet," I say wearily and yawn. "Jeepers, I really need to pee again."

"No breakfast or bathroom until you've answered our questions," the woman says. She sounds agitated. Good.

"No cooperation then," I reply and lie down again.

"Take her," the man orders then tugs a chair from under my legs.

I smile sweetly at the woman and stand up.

"Put your shoes on," she says as I stumble towards the door.

"Bit difficult, ma'am. Your bully boys burst into my house, assaulted my parents, and carried me out as I am, no doubt to intimidate me. Now if you don't let me go to the bathroom right now, I'm going to piss all over your nice wooden floor … ma'am.

The woman gets hold of my elbow and bundles me out the door. Wow! They are so easily agitated. This is going to be fun.

I give myself plenty of time in the bathroom to wake up fully. There's drinking water in a jug so I rehydrate myself before knocking to say I'm done. The woman lunges to get hold of my arm but I shake her off. When I get back to the room another man has arrived. This one is older and I recognize him as Elder Johnson who occasionally visited the school. Only a hard chair is vacant as the younger man has taken the upholstered one. The blanket has also disappeared.

"Isabella Swan?"

Elder Johnson doesn't even look at me when he speaks my name. His tone makes it sound like an accusation.

"That's my name. Can I go now?"

He pulls one of Jess's posters from a folder and lays it flat on the table.

"You've been brought here to answer questions, Isabella. You won't be going anywhere until we're satisfied."

"Satisfied about what?" I reply with as much scorn as I can put into my early-morning voice. "Satisfied that I haven't done anything wrong when you've already decided I have. Your men tore me from my mother's arms in the middle of the night and left me in a freezing interrogation room for something trivial then, just like you did to fourteen-year-old Jack Stanley hours after his mother's disappearance? You terrorized him, you assholes. And now you want me to cooperate when you've already decided how you're going to punish me and my family because I organized a meeting to discuss a memorial garden? What's the matter with you folks?"

"You've been asking questions about the Catchers' victims."

"So what?"

"That's not allowed."

"Who said? Where's that written down? I wasn't taught that in school. You're making rules up as you go along, and you're talking horseshit and you know it. Look, can I get this straight right now, I don't give a crap what you do to me. If you take my parents' farm they have plenty of friends who will offer to look after them. Do what you have to do, I don't give a fuck anymore."

The Elder's face is expressionless. He pushes the poster to one side and leans over the table.

"The posters and the meeting are not the only issues, Isabella. It has come to our attention that your attitude regarding marriage has been causing other young people to consider rebelling. Do you deny that you said you would refuse to marry according to the rules?"

"I don't deny saying that, but I have never encouraged anybody else to do what I'm prepared to. Oh don't you worry – I've thought long and hard about the implications of my rebellious words and the fact that there's no way you would let me get away with not marrying. Just imagine what would happen in Lympi if Isabella Swan was allowed to stay unwed. Every kid coming of age would argue, well what about me, why shouldn't I be let off because I haven't met the love of my life yet? No, you wouldn't allow that, would you?"

"No, we wouldn't. That's …"

"That's why I'm dangerous," I interrupt and give him a forced smile.

Elder Johnson sits back in his chair. The other two stare at me blankly. I guess they've never been spoken to like this before. Am I the first person they've interrogated who doesn't give a shit, and am I only this brave because of my steadfast belief that Edward will protect me? Unless I have a fatal accident in the next few hours, there's no way he's not going to rescue me from wherever they take me. I'm totally confident about that.

The young man bends down and pulls a sheet of what looks like paper out of a bag, but it's shiny. I've never seen paper like this before. He shows whatever it is to the other two, then lays the sheet flat on the table. I can't stop myself from breathing in sharply. My reaction is noted.

"So you do recognize where this is, Isabella? We would be interested to know who took you over the border fence."

"I'm sure you would," I reply and fold my arms indicating my defiance.

"You're not leaving here until you do."

"Fine, I'll stay here then."

"We know who took you."

"Then why bother asking?"

"Do you deny you were taken there by a Catcher?"

"A Catcher? Ha! Don't make me laugh. I'd be dead if that were the case. After everything you've told us about how dangerous they are, a tiny girl like me would have no chance to escape their murderous clutches. Now if you can prove I was with a Catcher at this house and I've lived to tell the tale, this would confirm to everyone in Lympi that you've been lying about how deadly the Catchers are all this time?"

Red cheeks, eyes bulging, my female interrogator looks like she's about to explode. She raises the fattest ass I've ever seen on a woman off the chair and slams her hands on the table to spit the next statement.

"For some inexplicable reason, this Catcher decided not to kill you. For that reason alone, we believe he is the one who has put ideas of rebellion in your head. If you confess to the people of Lympi that this is what he has done, then your transgressions will be forgiven and you can return home."

It's my turn to stand. Leaning over the table I point my finger at her.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe I'll be released if I admit that just with a pat on the head after I've promised not to be a naughty girl again?" I don't wait long for her response. "No, I didn't think you would."

I grab hold of the picture of the Meadow House and wave it in their faces.

"Tell me where paper like this can be made in Lympi, or how this picture has been produced? You can't, so you must have a good reason why you've shown me firm evidence that somewhere out there there's a modern society able to create lifelike pictures like this. Now let me guess your motive for doing this. Your accidental error in showing me this picture has … unfortunately … made it impossible for Isabella Swan to be returned to Forks because there's zero chance she'll keep her gobby mouth shut about a better and more advanced life being lived behind those mountains."

Elder Johnson snatches the picture from my hand. I can see his mind working, his left eye twitches with confusion. Threatening frightened Lympians is his style, not feisty bitches who don't give a fuck what the Elders do to her. My mind is working fast. The Elders know about Edward and me but need me to confirm this. Why? Is this about discrediting him as well? That must be it. This is more about Edward and his family in Seattle than insignificant Bella Swan. I must keep my mouth shut then and not be tricked into giving them any weapons to attack Edward or his family.

Without speaking the three stand. Is the interview already over? Surely they haven't admitted defeat so easily? While they are filing out the door I say, "Byeeee." The lock is turned. Bravery is one thing when you're facing the enemy. It's more scary when you have time to think about the implications of what you said and what might be.

I'm alone again but without the blanket. Maybe they're planning to freeze me to death?

The Gathering Hall: Saturday afternoon.

Jack and Jessica are already at the hall when Eric and Angela arrive. All had notes about Bella's arrest pushed under their doors last night but they don't know by whom. All have had arguments with their parents, or in Jack and Jessica's case, their father, about whether or not to still turn up for the meeting. All are frightened yet determined to see this through, even if only one person turns up at three o'clock. They know by now the posters were removed overnight, however, they are unaware of Edward's efforts to post notes under the door of at least one house or business on every street in Forks plus several farms and outlying businesses.

Jess is perched on the platform edge with her head in her hands. Angela wanders over and puts her arm around her shoulders/.

"Don't worry, Jess. We're doing nothing wrong."

Jess shakes her head and wipes her eyes. "I know that, but I'm sick with worry about Bella. What do you think they'll do to her?"

Angela kisses Jess on the cheek. "I don't know, but she'll rely on us to do this without her. Maybe this is the only way to save her from being banished, or worse."

Tyler arrives looking just as concerned as the others. Jess takes Angela's free hand and squeezes it. "You're right, we have to do this for Bella, but the chances are that no one will turn up now. Everyone will presume the Elders don't want the meeting to go ahead when they see the posters are gone. Aren't you scared, Angela?"

"A bit," Angela replies and smiles. "They can't take all of us away though, Jess. That in itself would cause uproar in Forks. I think we're safe for the moment, but we'll be marked people forever after this."

Tyler opens his bag and pulls out a sheaf of papers.

"Mom and I thought our hands were going to drop off after doing all these," he says as he hands out a sheet each and waits for their response.

"They're perfect," Angela says and beams at Tyler.

Eric pats him on the back and hands his copy back. "Hide them for the moment, Tyler. If an Elder comes in before we've had the chance to hand them out, they might snatch them away."

"Good thinking," Tyler responds. He takes the bag into the bench store where he finds a good hiding spot.

"So now we wait," Eric sighs and joins Angela and Jess on the platform. Jack and Tyler do Rock, Paper, Scissors for a while until they're bored. Not unexpectedly, Lauren doesn't show.

At three o'clock, the unmistakable sound of a horse and cart approaching the hall halts their conversation. Hearts quicken. The cart stops some way away. They all exhale. False alarm. A few minutes later, more horses, but they also stop some way away. A long wait follows until more horses and at least one cart can be heard. Eric wanders over to the largest of the four sets of double doors to look out. There's no one there.

"Waste of time and effort. That's what that old lady said. She was right," Eric sighs.

Angela joins him and they hug. "Give it a little longer, Eric. Another half hour at least?"

Eric turns back into the hall and then stops. Both have heard voices coming from behind the high hedge that screens where horses are tied up. The voices get louder. Jess jumps to her feet and runs to the nearest door just as about twenty adults appear. Angela claps Eric on the back.

"I guess the first ones waited to see whether anyone else showed," she calls out. "Come on, Gang, we have work to do. Start pulling those benches out."

Renee has spent over two hours getting ready. She's determined to walk into the Gathering Hall with her head held high. Best dress, hair elegantly styled instead of the usual farmhouse knot, and her mother's party shoes worn on special occasions only. She'd been saving them for Bella's wedding day, but today could be just as important.

After completing Bella's daily chores, Charlie has bathed, shaved, and trimmed his mustache. He was tempted to wear his Border Guard uniform but has decided against it. Today he will be proud 'Farmer Swan,' with his wife beside him. Maybe by the end of the day, they'll be just Charlie and Renee Swan with no home to go to, but so be it. The last twenty-four hours have brought him to his senses.

After Charlie left Edward in the kitchen, he regretted he kept quiet when he and Waylon saw those carts without horses through the border fence. Even as far back as when he first saw the sail-less ship from his favorite spot on the hill, he'd had plenty of opportunities to speak up. He was a boy then. Now he's a man. More importantly, he's a husband, a father, and a respected member of the Forks community.

Fear of retribution! That's what silenced him, and everyone else in Forks. Not anymore though. His mother is alive and well, and he's determined to make certain his friends and neighbors are aware of that fact by the end of the day.

"Time to go," he calls, putting his head around the bedroom door. Renee is sitting by her mirror, as pretty as when they said their promises in front of the Elder nearly twenty years ago. He hadn't seen this Renee in a long time. Hard work had aged her. His behavior had aged her. That also was going to change from now on.

Charlie holds his hand out. Renee stands and takes it.

"Family first," Charlie says then kisses his wife with true affection for the first time in years.

"Yes, Charlie. Family first. Let's go."

Benches are filled as quickly as Eric and Tyler can pull them from the store. Angela lost count after a hundred people and more are still pouring in, including Jake and Billy who take seats at the back. When all the benches are occupied leaving latecomers to stand at the side, Jess and Jack begin to hand out the information Tyler and his mother prepared, now only enough for two per row. Names, ages, and ailments of those the Catchers had taken are listed alphabetically. It takes about a minute for the outrage to begin. As expected, the crowd believes the Catchers behave the same as wolves following a herd - picking out the oldest and sickest to attack. Vitriol is explicit.

Jess and Angela climb onto the platform and clap their hands as a signal to stop talking. The crowd is almost silent when another family enters the hall. All heads turn towards the door where Michael and Carol Newton and Mike and Frances are standing. Instead of finding seats, they head for the platform and climb up.

After a quick discussion with Jess, Michael steps forward to address the crowd just as Charlie and Renee arrive. As they head for the platform hand in hand, there are audible gasps, followed by total silence. The people of Forks have realized that something extraordinary is about to happen.

Michael begins the speech he spent all this morning preparing. He knows this will end his and Carol's livelihood and probably Mike's future as a doctor if the Elders prevail, but he confidently knows he has the full support of his wife and children.

"Friends and neighbors, thank you for coming today. I need not mention the original reason for this meeting because I suspect you've guessed already it's not about a memorial garden, but something much more serious now that Isabella Swan has been removed from Forks by the Elders.

"Bella recently came to see me at my clinic where she put to me her claim that the Catchers take very sick people away from Lympi. Not only that, she told me she had actual proof that the Catchers do not kill these people, but instead they take them to a medical facility beyond the Wastelands to be treated. She asked me if I suspected this. I told her that I did."

Gasps and screams from the audience. Michael puts his hands up to calm them before carrying on. One man though jumps to his feet.

"What sort of evidence does this girl have, Dr Newton? We want to see this for ourselves before we take your word for it."

Charlie steps forward to stand next to Michael. He pulls the note his mother left for him in the barn and holds it above his head.

"My mother, Charlotte Swan, was taken by the Catchers eleven years ago. Dr Newton will confirm that she was sick with cancer. A few months later I found this letter in my barn. As you can see, it was written on blue writing paper. I thought it odd because blue paper is not made anywhere in Lympi. My Isabella turned eighteen in September. The night after her party, a long letter from my mother was left in her bedroom, written on the same blue paper. I've seen and read this letter, and it convinced me then that my mother, Charlotte Swan, is alive and has been living somewhere beyond the Wastelands."

Jess steps forward. "I've seen Bella's letter from her gran with my own eyes, and so have my brother, Jack, and Mike, Angela, Eric, and Tyler. When our mom was taken, Jack watched the female Catcher talk to our mom before leading her away. She was willing to go with her. Our mom was also very sick. Dr Newton will confirm that too. Now I know many of you will not believe …"

"Silence!"

All heads turn towards the door closest to the platform. Three male Elders wearing their bright blue sashes have entered the hall. About twenty men, all dressed identically in black, have also pushed their way through the residents and are now standing by the doors blocking all four exits.

Fear spreads like wildfire. Michael steps back to be with his family. Mike pulls Jess into his arms and whispers in her ear ...

"Crap, Jess, we've certainly done it now."

They certainly have.

Next chapter, we find out what Edward has been up to while all this has been happening and then more of what is going down in the hall.

Joan x