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They arrived in Phoenix around three-thirty in the morning. The warm, dry air felt like a slap after the perpetual humidity of Forks, every breath heavy with the scent of asphalt and dust. They rented a car in silence, the words they didn't speak clear in the glances they shared as neon lights and empty streets guided them toward a discreet hotel near the airport.
Edward insisted on getting a room with double beds to keep them all together. They rode the elevator in silence, each of them wrapped in thoughts heavier than the backpacks on their shoulders.
Once in the room, they dropped their bags in a corner, the curtains left slightly open, letting in the blinking lights of the street. Bella sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her hands together while Edward stood by the window, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the darkness outside.
Alice paced back and forth, arms tightly crossed, her brow furrowed. Nate sat in a chair, observing them in silence, analyzing every gesture before speaking.
"We need to plan how to draw him out," he said finally, breaking the heavy silence. "If we wait for James to strike on his own, we could be here for days."
Bella looked up, worry clear in her eyes. "And if he doesn't come…? What if he realizes it's a trap?"
Nate inhaled slowly, letting the air out before speaking calmly. "He'll come. If James is the hunter you all say he is, if he likes this game as much as Laurent said, and as Edward saw in his mind, he won't give up that easily."
Edward turned, dropping his arms to his sides. "And what exactly are you suggesting, Nate?"
Nate looked up, calm determination in his eyes. "Bella and I will go to her old house. It's the perfect bait. It'll be the first place he checks, and all we need to do is leave Bella's fresh scent there before moving to another location. If James catches her scent without sensing the rest of you, he won't hesitate to get closer."
A moment of heavy silence filled the room before Alice burst out.
"No!" she said, her voice unusually loud for her. "Nate, you can't ask us to leave you two alone there. I can't see you in my visions, I won't be able to warn you if something goes wrong."
"That's why you can't focus on me, Alice," Nate replied with unsettling calm. "Focus on James—on when he'll go to Bella's house and when he'll decide to follow the trail."
Edward took a step forward, his face hardening. "I'm going with you. There's no way I'm leaving you two alone with James out there."
Nate raised a hand, calm but firm. "No, Edward."
"Nate, are you serious?!" Edward snapped, his voice barely containing his fury. "James only needs a second to kill you both."
"I know," Nate said, his tone making Bella look at him. "But he won't. Not immediately."
Alice stared at him, incredulous, fear glinting in her eyes. "How can you be so sure about that?"
Nate leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees while keeping his gaze on Edward. "James doesn't want to kill Bella right away. He wants to hunt her, to savor every second, to stretch the moment as much as possible before ending it." He turned to Edward. "You saw it in his mind. James does this for the game, not the prey. He won't kill us until he feels he's had his fun."
Edward clenched his jaw, his golden eyes darkened with frustration. "And what if you're wrong… and he decides to end it quickly?"
"If I'm wrong," Nate replied, his voice deep but calm, "then we'll have to trust that you'll get there in time."
Alice shook her head, breathing unevenly. "This is insane…"
Nate stood up and approached Alice. "Alice, if we don't do this, James will stay hidden, waiting, or he'll get tired and go back to Forks, putting Charlie, my grandma, or even Bella's mom at risk. If we don't force his hand here, he'll keep the advantage. This is our best chance to ambush him."
Edward clenched his fists. "I'm not staying far from Bella's house. I need to be able to get there quickly."
"That's what I want," Nate said, nodding. "You and Alice can stay close, but not so close that James senses you and runs." He looked at Bella, his voice softening. "If I'm right, James will take his time. I just need to buy you a few minutes. I trust I can make him talk." Then he looked at Edward. "Those minutes will have to be enough for you to get there."
Edward turned toward the window, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't like this."
"I know," Nate replied with a small, tired smile. "I don't either."
Alice looked at him, fear reflected in her eyes, her hands trembling as she clenched them into fists. "You have to promise me… that everything will be okay, Nate."
"I promise," he said with surprising calm. "Trust me. Just like I trust you to get there in time."
Bella took a deep breath, moving to stand next to Nate. "So… when do we leave?"
Nate looked around at all of them, keeping calm even as his heart pounded in his chest.
"At dawn," he said firmly. "If we're lucky, James will attack shortly after Carlisle and Rosalie arrive. Even if you can't take him down, you just have to hold him off until backup arrives."
A heavy silence settled as they all processed the decision, the hum of the city outside reminding them that dawn was close, and their game with James was about to begin.
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Nate and Bella barely slept for a few hours. When the sun began to tint the Phoenix streets orange, the room filled with the soft light that marked the start of their plan.
They prepared in silence, checking their backpacks one last time to ensure nothing was left behind. Bella tied her hair back with trembling hands, taking a deep breath before turning to Edward.
He looked at her with a mix of pain and determination in his golden eyes. He took her hands, pulling her closer as he brushed her cheek with his thumb.
"Please, be careful," Edward murmured, leaning down to press his forehead to hers.
"I will," Bella replied, her voice cracking a little before she met his eyes.
"I love you," Edward said before leaning in and kissing her, a slow kiss filled with promises and fears neither of them dared to name.
Standing by the door, Nate looked away out of respect, though the tension in his jaw made it clear he felt the urgency of the time ticking away.
As Bella and Edward said their goodbye, Nate walked over to Alice, who had stayed in the corner, hugging herself as she watched the scene silently.
"Remember, Alice," Nate said firmly, lowering his voice so only she could hear, "this entire plan depends on you and your gift. You need to keep track of everyone's timing. Even if Carlisle and Rosalie arrive before James, remind them to stay at the airport, blending their scent with the crowd, so they don't scare him off."
Alice looked up at him, her golden eyes reflecting uncertainty, but she nodded. "Okay. I'll try to focus on the visions and keep them clear." She took a deep breath before adding, a hint of vulnerability in her voice, "I promise we'll get there in time."
Nate held her gaze, analyzing every flicker of emotion before nodding seriously. "I believe you," he said, taking her hand gently and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
Alice glanced toward Bella and Edward, who were holding hands once more before parting, then back at Nate, as if she wanted to say something else.
For a second, her mouth opened, but Nate gave her a small, tired yet genuine smile. "Anything we need to talk about," he murmured, "can wait until we deal with this first."
Alice let out a short, ironic laugh, shaking her head slightly. "I wish I had your confidence, Nate."
"I'll lend you some for now," he replied softly, not letting go of her hand until he saw a small smile forming on her lips.
Alice took a deep breath and nodded, letting her hand slip away slowly, as if reluctant to let go.
Nate turned to Bella. "Ready?"
Bella slipped her backpack over her shoulders, glancing at Edward once more before nodding firmly. "Ready."
Edward brushed Bella's hand one last time, his expression rigid as his eyes shone with the fear of losing her.
Nate and Bella exchanged a final look with Alice and Edward before stepping out the door, the click of the lock echoing in the room as a reminder of the imminent danger.
They went down to the hotel lobby and walked toward the rented car under the morning Phoenix sun, rising in a clear blue sky so different from Forks that it felt like another world.
Nate opened the driver's door and turned to Bella. "It's time," he said as she settled into the passenger seat with a trembling sigh.
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Following Bella's directions, they drove through the quiet Phoenix streets until they reached her old house, a modest structure with slightly worn paint but a front yard still cared for, with a few flowers resisting the dry heat.
Bella paused on the sidewalk, looking at the house with a small, nostalgia-filled smile. She pulled a small keychain from her backpack, turning the key in her fingers before slipping it into the lock.
"My mom only took a few things when she moved," she said softly as she opened the door. "She never liked packing too much."
Nate smiled as he followed her in, letting Bella enter first. "It's a nice house," he said, scanning the walls lined with wooden frames, old photographs, and a few children's drawings taped up, survivors of time.
Bella walked slowly through the living room, brushing her fingertips along the back of a chair, her eyes tracing each corner as if memorizing it one last time.
Nate watched her in silence, letting her have that moment before clearing his throat softly.
"Bella, we need you to leave something with your scent, but subtly. Something James can find, but that looks natural."
She blinked, pulling herself out of her thoughts. She reached up to her hair, pulling out the tie holding it in a loose ponytail. She looked at it for a second before setting it down on the mantle next to a picture frame.
"This will do," she said.
"Perfect," Nate nodded. "Something else with your scent will help strengthen the trail."
Bella nodded with a small blink, taking off the jacket she wore. She held it for a second in her hands, taking a deep breath before rubbing it against the couch cushions, the backrest, and a few pillows, leaving her scent on every surface.
When she finished, she slipped it back on, zipping it up with a small tug as she ran a hand through her hair.
"All set," she whispered, though her gaze remained distant, as if she was leaving a piece of herself there.
Nate nodded, scanning the room with analytical eyes. "Good. Now we need to leave before James shows up too soon." Then he turned to her, pausing before he spoke. "Bella, do you know a place nearby… somewhere empty, where not many people go? It will be safer if we draw him out somewhere he can't hurt anyone else."
Bella lowered her gaze, walking slowly to the sideboard where family photos still sat in worn frames. She ran her hand over the pictures, each one showing different moments of her childhood.
For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn't answer, but then she looked up, a spark of determination in her eyes.
"I think… I know the perfect place," she said, her voice barely trembling. "It's close. And not many people pass by."
Nate looked at her, weighing the seriousness in her tone before nodding. "Then let's go."
Bella took one last deep breath before turning toward the door, casting a final look at the house that had once been her refuge, now turned into bait.