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〃He's still planning on noon？〃 I checked。
〃Yes。 He's decided to wait。 And they're waiting for him。〃
〃Tell me what I have to do。〃
She kept her eyes on the winding road—the needle on the speedometer was
touching the far right on the
dial。
〃You don't have to do anything。 He just has to see you before he moves into
the light。 And he has to see
you before he sees me。〃
〃How are we going to work that？〃
A small red car seemed to be racing backward as Alice zoomed around it。
〃I'm going to get you as close as possible； and then you're going to run in
the direction I point you。〃
I nodded。
〃Try not to trip；〃 she added。 〃We don't have time for a concussion today。〃
I groaned。 That would be just like me—ruin everything； destroy the world； in
a moment of klutziness。
The sun continued to climb in the sky while Alice raced against it。 It was too
brigh：； and that had me
panicking。 Maybe he wouldn't feel the need to wait for noon after all。
〃There；〃 Alice said abruptly； pointing to the castle city atop the closest
hill。
I stared at it； feeling the very first hint of a new kind of fear。 Every
minute since yesterday morning—it
seemed like a week ago—when Alice had spoken his name at the foot of the
stairs； there had been only
one fear。 And yet； now； as I stared at the ancient sienna walls and towers
crowning the peak of the steep
hill； I felt another； more selfish kind of dread thrill through me。
I supposed the city was very beautiful。 It absolutely terrified me。
〃Volterra；〃 Alice announced in a flat； icy voice。
20。 VOLTERRA
WE BEGAN THE STEEP CLIMB； AND THE ROAD GREW CONGESTED。 As we wound higher；
the cars became too close together for Alice to weave insanely between them
anymore。 We slowed to a
crawl behind a little tan Peugeot。
〃Alice；〃 I moaned。 The clock on the dash seemed to be speeding up。
〃It's the only way in；〃 she tried soothe me。 But her voice was too strained to
fort。
The cars continued to edge forward； one car length at a time。 The sun beamed
down brilliantly； seeming
already overhead。
The cars crept one by one toward the city。 As we got closer； I could see cars
parked by the side of the
road with people getting out to walk the test of the way。 At first I thought
it was just
impatience—something I could easily understand。 But then we came around a
switchback； and I could
see the filled parking lot outside the city wall； the crowds of people walking
through the gates。 No one
was being allowed to drive through。
〃Alice；〃 I whispered urgently。
〃I know；〃 she said。 Her face was chiseled from ice。
Now that I was looking； and we were crawling slowly enough to see； I could
tell that it was very windy。
The people crowding toward the gate gripped their hats and tugged their hair
out of their faces。 Their
clothes billowed around them。 I also noticed that the color red was
everywhere。 Red shirts； red hats； red
flags dripping like long ribbons beside the gate； whipping in the wind—as I
watched； the brilliant crimson
scarf one woman had tied around her hair was caught in a sudden gust。 It
twisted up into the air above
her； writhing like it was alive。 She reached for it； jumping in the air； but
it continued to flutter higher； a
patch of bloody color against the dull； ancient walls。
〃Bella。〃 Alice spoke quickly in a fierce； low voice。 〃I can't see what the
guard here will decide now—if
this doesn't work； you're going to have to go in alone。 You're going to have
to run。 Just keep asking for
the Palazzo dei Priori； and running in the direction they tell you。 Don't get
lost。〃
〃Palazzo dei Priori； Palazzo dei Priori；〃 I repeated the name over and over
again； trying to get it down。
〃Or 'the clock tower；' if they speak English。 I'll go around and try to find a
secluded spot somewhere
behind the city where I can go over the wall。〃
I nodded。 〃Palazzo dei Priori。〃
〃Edward will be under the clock tower； to the north of the square。 There's a
narrow alleyway on the
right； and he'll be in the shadow there。 You have to get his attention before
he can move into the sun。〃
I nodded furiously。
Alice was near the front of the line。 A man in a navy blue uniform was
directing the flow of traffic； turning
the cars away from the full lot。 They U…turned and headed back to find a place
beside the road。 Then it
was Alice's turn。
The uniformed man motioned lazily； not paying attention。 Alice accelerated；
edging around him and
heading for the gate。 He shouted something at us； but held his ground； waving
frantically to keep the next
car from following our bad example。
The man at the gate wore a matching uniform。 As we approached him； the throngs
of tourists passed；
crowding the sidewalks； staring curiously at the pushy； flashy Porsche。
The guard stepped into the middle of the street。 Alice angled the car
carefully before she came to a full
stop。 The sun beat against my window； and she was in shadow。 She swiftly
reached behind the seat and
grabbed something from her bag。
The guard came around the car with an irritated expression； and tapped on her
window angrily。
She rolled the window down halfway； and I watched him do a double take when he
saw the face behind
the dark glass。
〃I'm sorry； only tour buses allowed in the city today； miss；〃 he said in
English； with a heavy accent。 He
was apologetic； now； as if he wished he had better news for the strikingly
beautiful woman。
〃It's a private tour；〃 Alice said； flashing an alluring smile。 She reached her
hand out cf the window； into
the sunlight。 I froze； until I realized she was wearing an elbow…length； tan
glove。 She took his hand； still
raised from tapping her window； and pulled it into the car。 She put something
into his palm； and folded
his fingers around it。
His face was dazed as he retrieved his hand and stared at the thick roll of
money he now held。 The
outside bill was a thousand dollar bill。
〃Is this a joke？〃 he mumbled。
Alice's smile was blinding。 〃Only if you think it's funny。〃
He looked at her； his eyes staring wide。 I glanced nervously at the clock on
the dash。 If Edward stuck to
his plan； we had only five minutes left。
〃I'm in a wee bit of a hurry；〃 she hinted； still smiling。
The guard blinked twice； and then shoved the money inside his vest。 He took a
step away from the
window and waved us on。 None of the passing people seemed to notice the quiet
exchange。 Alice drove
into the city； and we both sighed in relief。
The street was very narrow； cobbled with the same color stones as the faded
cinnamon brown buildings
that darkened the street with their shade。 It had the feel of an alleyway。 Red
flags decorated the walls；
spaced only a few yards apart； flapping in the wind that whistled through the
narrow lane。
It was crowded； and the foot traffic slowed our progress。
〃Just a little farther；〃 Alice encouraged me； I was gripping the door handle；
ready to throw myself into the
street as soon as she spoke the word。
She drove in quick spurts and sudden stops； and the people in the crowd shook
their fists at us and said
angry words that I was glad I couldn't understand。 She turned onto a little
path that couldn't have been
meant for cars； shocked people had to squeeze into doorways as we scraped by。
We found another
street at the end。 The buildings were taller here； they leaned together
overhead so that no sunlight
touched the pavement—the thrashing red flags on either side nearly met。 The
crowd was thicker here
than anywhere else。 Alice stopped the car。 I had the door open before we were
at a standstill。
She pointed to where the street widened into a patch of bright openness。
〃There—we're at the southern
end of the square。 Run straight across； to the right of the clock tower。 I'll
find a way around—〃
Her breath caught suddenly； and when she spoke again； her voice was a hiss。
〃They're everywhere？〃
I froze in place； but she pushed me out of the car。 〃Forget about them。 You
have two minutes。 Go； Bella；
go！〃 she shouted； climbing out of the car as she spoke。
I didn't pause to watch Alice melt into the shadows。 I didn't stop to close my
door behind me。 I shoved a
heavy woman out of my way and ran flat out； head down； paying little attention
to anything but the
uneven stones beneath my feet。
ing out of the dark lane； I was blinded by the brilliant sunlight beating
down into the principal plaza。
The wind whooshed into me； flinging my hair into my eyes and blinding me
further。 It was no wonder that
I didn't see the wall of flesh until I'd smacked into it。
There was no pathway； no crevice between the close pressed bodies。 I pushed
against them furiously；
fighting the hands that shoved back。 I heard exclamations of irritation and
even pain as I battled my way
through； but none were in a language I understood。 The faces were a blur of
anger and surprise；
surrounded by the ever…present red。 A blond woman scowled at me； and the red
scarf coiled around her
neck looked like a gruesome wound。 A child； lifted on a man's shoulders to see
over the crowd； grinned
down at me； his lips distended over