A/N I want to apologize for the long wait between chapters…I know there's really no excuse for my tardiness with this and I hope that I can post the next one soon…I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter of this story..I would also like to thank katmom for being my wonderful beta...

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I also don't own any recognizable places used in this story.

3.

Time For Action

There were several pictures of Attorney Mitchell and Professor Watson. There was even a couple of Bella's profile as she asked questions.

"These are not helpful," I muttered to myself.

The next picture was of the audience. The guy who had interrupted the lecture was in it. The next few were of the others in attendance and I was thinking that I had nothing to worry about until I reached the last couple of pictures.

"Damn, how could I have been so slow?" I asked the empty room as I stared at my face sitting in the corner of each picture.

I immediately deleted the pictures and went to his computer. I went under Emmett's Documents and found a file named "Photos from Mitchell Lecture". I clicked on it and found the photos I had just seen on the screen in front of me. Next, I went on Internet Explorer and found that he had an AOL account. He was already signed in so I scrolled down to see if he sent any new emails. There was one to with the title "Pics from Mitchell Lecture". I mentally cursed myself at having been so reckless around Bella and Emmett. The mistakes just seemed to be mounting. I couldn't tell if the email to gadams had been received since it wasn't an AOL account.

I could smell and hear Emmett getting closer. He was chatting to one of his floor mates. I raced to the window and glanced down to see if there was anyone near. I didn't see anyone so I slid the window opened and dropped onto the grass below.

I ran to the newspaper office, a one floor brick building, noticing that there was a light on in one of the smaller offices. I stopped dead as I heard voices from inside.

"Are you sure that's her?" a delicate feminine voice asked. "When we hired her I knew she had been in the business awhile, but she seems so young."

"Yes, she doesn't look much older than eighteen," a deeper baritone voice responded.

The female spoke again. "Her file doesn't say her age, but I always thought her to be in her late twenties or early thirties from her reputation. Our employer won't be happy to know that the Swan girl and the McCarty kid are still alive. He'll wonder what's taking so long."

I just stood there, listening. Were they talking about me? Were they looking at the pictures Emmett took? How would they have a file on me? I have always been discreet and if there had been any occurrences where there was information then I simply hacked into the system and deleted it.

"Who has access to that type of information on me?" I wondered aloud. My family certainly knew of my background but they wouldn't have given any outsiders information.

"Yes, I'm sure if she can't finish the job then we'll just have to hire someone else," the baritone voice said.

I found the closest window and looked inside. A petite woman stood by the door. She wore a navy skirt and jacket with three inch heels. She also had shoulder length black hair and glasses.

"How long do you think we should give her? She's already had a few days to complete the contract," the woman asked the other voice.

"We'll give her to homecoming. There will be all kinds of students, parents and alumni strolling around campus that weekend. Ms. Hale might be waiting until then to proceed."

I ran to the other side of the building, hoping to see the other person in the office. I know I should have been flattered that they were talking about me but anyone knowing about me could be dangerous; and now there was a picture! When I reached the other side I saw that the only window where the office sat had the curtains drawn.

"Perhaps we should continue this discussion after homecoming, wouldn't you agree?" the woman suggested.

I could hear someone rising from a chair. "Yes. Allow me to escort you out."

"I can see myself out, thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Amelia."

Footsteps followed their parting words. I kept listening until I heard the sound of a door and that of an engine start up. Amelia's companion left soon after and I moved to the door for a look at him. He was tall and muscular under a gray suit. His skin was darkened by a tan and his brown hair was combed back with gel keeping it in place. He smelled of paper and old leather books.

He flipped open a black cell phone as he walked to a russet colored Chevy Lumina. "I'm on my way," he told the man on the other line.

"Good, how are things progressing?" the other man asked.

"Not as quickly as we've hoped."

"Get here as soon as you can."

"Will do, sir," the man in front of me answered as he sat in the driver's seat.

"Oh, and Garrett?"

Amelia's companion, Garrett as the other man called him, paused before shutting the car door. "Yes?" he inquired.

"We'll discuss this situation in more detail when you get here."

"Yes, sir," Garrett grumbled as he hung up and closed his door. A moment later he was pulling out of the parking space and heading off campus.

Following by foot, I stayed close behind. Garrett pulled into an empty parking lot next to a series of muted orange storage containers. He got out and knocked on the door of the nearest container's silver door. It opened and Garrett walked inside, closing the door behind him. I moved so that I was hidden on the opposite side of the container.

A new tenor voice began speaking a moment later. "You told me this problem would be taken care of."

"It is, sir," Garrett responded.

"The targets are still clearly alive, so it has not. Or have I missed the obituaries? These kids are the spawn of two prominent members of Forks so one would think their deaths would make the papers."

"You have not missed them."

"Do you know the damage that they can cause if what they found gets out?"

Garrett was exasperated as he spoke. "I'm well aware of what they've discovered, sir."

Tenor voice ruffled a bunch of papers.

"And I have taken steps to keep what they found under wraps," Garrett continued, as if his companion didn't do anything.

"That's why we hired a professional," Tenor said tersely.

I wanted to bust in there and grab the guy and rip his head off for his implication that I wasn't a professional.

"She came highly recommended," Garrett told him. "And I've already spoken to Amelia…"

"Yes, she told me," his companion interrupted.

"When did you talk to her?"

"Right before you got here." There was rustling as a phone was extracted from a jacket pocket. "I must commend you on finding someone so young looking," Tenor added.

"She sent you a picture?"

His companion didn't answer him. "Having one who is so young, it gives an advantage. She can easily blend in on a college campus."

"We were surprised to see a picture of her. In her other jobs she's been invisible," Garrett said earnestly. "Anyway, Amelia and I both feel that we should give her until the end of homecoming weekend to complete the contract or we'll hire someone to replace her."

"And are you doing anything to make sure that the Swan girl and the McCarty kid are visible?"

"Yes, sir. I have already asked Isabella and Emmett to cover the Saturday festivities. There will be a pep rally for the football team that afternoon. That should give Ms. Hale ample opportunity to kill them."

"Good," Garrett's companion said.

I made a quick side trip to campus before returning home. There were signs everyone advertising homecoming and the events of that weekend. I took one off a bulletin board, making note that the pep rally was at noon. There was only a short time to prepare.

There was a light drizzle as I arrived early at the clearing where the pep rally was to be held. There was already a small gathering of students and faculty. I had dressed in jeans and a University of Washington sweatshirt so I could mingle without looking suspicious.

Bella and Emmett arrived ten minutes after I did. Bella took out her tape recorder and began asking people questions about what they thought of the football team and their chances of winning in the game which was to be played later in the afternoon.

"We are going to mash them into the ground," Eric told her.

Emmett took pictures of various people, including Eric, whom he gave a high five after hearing what he told Bella.

By noon, the clearing filled with more people, making the crowd near two thousand. Both Emmett and Bella settled into a spot near the stage, a medium sized platform that held a dozen chairs and a microphone stand upon it. Cheerleaders lined up in front of them and Emmett grinned as he took some pictures. A small band also arrived; setting up near where Bella and Emmett were. Next a short, bulky man with receding brown hair came on stage and took the mike. He was wearing a baseball cap with the school's logo on it and a purple polo shirt with the words "COACH" emblazoned in gold.

"Good afternoon, folks, I'm Coach Sarkisian and welcome to this year's homecoming weekend," he said to everyone. Everyone applauded. After a couple minutes he continued speaking but I didn't hear a word. Instead I inched towards Emmett and Bella, my hand on the hilt of my knife, which was sheathed next to my right thigh, under my sweatshirt. Emmett was looking through his camera, snapping more pictures and Bella was watching Coach Sarkisian speak, holding the tape recorder so it could catch what he was saying.

I was a foot away from them when I heard a gun click about a hundred feet behind me. I glanced back and saw a figure clad in camouflage peering into the scope of a rifle aimed directly where Emmett was standing with Bella. The only thing I could think was that the man who Garrett spoke to must have hired another hit man, unsatisfied with what had happened thus far.

I knew I had only seconds to make a move so as carefully as I could I hurried over to Bella, my hand grasping the violet colored hilt of the knife tightly. I was undecided if I should use it to get her attention. When I reached her I placed my hand around her wrist instead of using my knife. She gasped.

"Shh, don't make a noise," I whispered. Her eyes were wide with fear and confusion but she nodded.

Emmett looked over when he heard Bella. His concern for her quickly turned to confusion as he saw me.

I grabbed his arm, noticing how his muscles twitched with my touch. He didn't pull away, just stared at me. "Come with me."

There was another gunshot that hit the leg of the platform. It flew close to one of the cheerleaders, a girl with flaming red hair, and she screamed loud enough so the band stopped playing and the others were wondering what had happened.

Bella turned at the scream. "What happened?"

Instead of answering her I told both of them, "We really need to go now."

They glanced back at the crowd that was gathering in front of the cheerleader and back at me before nodding reluctantly. I started towards the edge of the clearing, Bella and Emmett flanking my sides.