4 breaking dawn破晓-第102章

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the　job；　and　I　barely　paid　attention　to　the　road。　The　problem　was　keeping　my　speed　from　attracting　
attention　when　I　had　pany。　I　wanted　to　be　done　with　today's　mission；　to　have　the　mystery　sorted　out　
so　that　I　could　get　back　to　the　vital　task　of　learning。　Learning　to　protect　some；　learning　to　kill　others。　

I　was　getting　better　and　better　with　my　shield。　Kate　didn't　feel　the　need　to　motivate　me　anymore—it　



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wasn't　hard　to　find　reasons　to　feel　angry；　now　that　I　knew　that　was　the　key—and　so　I　mostly　worked　
with　Zafrina。　She　was　

pleased　with　my　extension；　I　was　able　to　cover　almost　a　tenfoot　area　for　more　than　a　minute；　though　it　
exhausted　me。　This　morning　she'd　been　trying　to　find　out　if　I　could　push　the　shield　away　from　my　mind　
altogether。　I　didn't　see　what　the　use　of　that　would　be；　but　Zafrina　thought　it　would　help　strengthen　me；　
like　exercising　muscles　in　the　stomach　and　back　rather　than　just　the　arms。　Eventually；　you　could　lift　more　
weight　when　all　the　muscles　were　stronger。　

I　wasn't　very　good　at　it。　I　had　only　gotten　one　glimpse　of　the　jungle　river　she　was　trying　to　show　me。　

But　there　were　different　ways　to　prepare　for　what　was　ing；　and　with　only　two　weeks　left；　I　worried　
that　I　might　be　neglecting　the　most　important。　Today　I　would　rectify　that　oversight。　

I'd　memorized　the　appropriate　maps；　and　I　had　no　problem　finding　my　way　to　the　address　that　didn't　
exist　online；　the　one　for　J。　Jenks。　My　next　step　would　be　Jason　Jenks　at　the　other　address；　the　one　Alice　
had　not　given　me。　

To　say　that　it　wasn't　a　nice　neighborhood　would　be　an　understatement。　The　most　nondescript　of　all　the　
Cullens'　cars　was　still　outrageous　on　this　street。　My　old　Chevy　would　have　looked　healthy　here。　During　
my　human　years；　I　would　have　locked　the　doors　and　driven　away　as　fast　as　I　dared。　As　it　was；　I　was　a　
little　fascinated。　I　tried　to　imagine　Alice　in　this　place　for　any　reason；　and　failed。　

The　buildings—all　three　stories；　all　narrow；　all　leaning　slightly　as　if　bowed　by　the　pounding　rain—were　
mostly　old　houses　divided　up　into　multiple　apartments。　It　was　hard　to　tell　what　color　the　peeling　paint　was　
supposed　to　be。　Everything　had　faded　to　shades　of　gray。　A　few　of　the　buildings　had　businesses　on　the　
first　floor：　a　dirty　bar　with　the　windows　painted　black；　a　psychic's　supply　store　with　neon　hands　and　tarot　
cards　glowing　fitfully　on　the　door；　a　tattoo　parlor；　and　a　daycare　with　duct　tape　holding　the　broken　front　
window　together。　There　were　no　lamps　on　inside　any　of　the　rooms；　though　it　was　grim　enough　outside　
that　the　humans　should　have　needed　the　light。　I　could　hear　the　low　mumbling　of　voices　in　the　distance；　it　
sounded　like　TV。　

There　were　a　few　people　about；　two　shuffling　through　the　rain　in　opposite　directions　and　one　sitting　on　
the　shallow　porch　of　a　boardedup　cutrate　law　office；　reading　a　wet　newspaper　and　whistling。　The　
sound　was　much　too　cheerful　for　the　setting。　

I　was　so　bemused　by　the　carefree　whistler；　I　didn't　realize　at　first　that　the　abandoned　building　was　right　
where　the　address　I　was　looking　for　should　exist。　There　were　no　numbers　on　the　dilapidated　place；　but　
the　tattoo　parlor　beside　it　was　just　two　numbers　off。　

I　pulled　up　to　the　curb　and　idled　for　a　second。　I　was　getting　into　that　dump　one　way　or　another；　but　how　
to　do　so　without　the　whistler　noticing　me？　I　could　park　the　next　street　over　and　e　through　the　back。。。。　
There　might　be　more　witnesses　on　that　side。　Maybe　the　rooftops？　Was　it　dark　enough　for　that　kind　of　
thing？　

〃Hey；　lady；〃　the　whistler　called　to　me。　

I　rolled　the　passenger　window　down　as　if　I　couldn't　hear　him。　

The　man　laid　his　paper　aside；　and　his　clothes　surprised　me；　now　that　I　could　see　them。　Under　his　long　
ragged　duster；　he　was　a　little　too　well　dressed。　There　was　no　breeze　to　give　me　the　scent；　but　the　sheen　



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on　his　dark　red　shirt　looked　like　silk。　His　crinkly　black　hair　was　tangled　and　wild；　but　his　dark　skin　was　
smooth　and　perfect；　his　teeth　white　and　straight。　A　contradiction。　

〃Maybe　you　shouldn't　park　that　car　there；　lady；〃　he　said。　〃It　might　not　be　here　when　you　get　back。〃　

〃Thanks　for　the　warning；〃　I　said。　

I　shut　off　the　engine　and　got　out。　Perhaps　my　whistling　friend　could　give　me　the　answers　I　needed　faster　
than　breaking　and　entering。　I　opened　my　big　gray　umbrella—not　that　I　cared；　really；　about　protecting　the　
long　cashmere　sweaterdress　I　wore。　It　was　what　a　human　would　do。　

The　man　squinted　through　the　rain　at　my　face；　and　then　his　eyes　widened。　He　swallowed；　and　I　heard　his　
heart　accelerate　as　I　approached。　

Tm　looking　for　someone；〃　I　began。　

〃I'm　someone；〃　he　offered　with　a　smile。　〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　beautiful？〃　

〃Are　you　J。　Jenks？〃　I　asked。　

〃Oh；〃　he　said；　and　his　expression　changed　from　anticipation　to　understanding。　He　got　to　his　feet　and　
examined　me　with　narrowed　eyes。　〃Why're　you　looking　for　J？〃　

〃That's　my　business。〃　Besides；　I　didn't　have　a　clue。　〃Are　you　J？〃　

〃No。〃　

We　faced　each　other　for　a　long　moment　while　his　sharp　eyes　ran　up　and　down　the　fitted　pearl　gray　
sheath　I　wore。　His　gaze　finally　made　it　to　my　face。　〃You　don't　look　like　the　usual　customer。〃　

〃I'm　probably　not　the　usual；〃　I　admitted。　〃But　I　do　need　to　see　him　as　soon　as　possible。〃　

〃I'm　not　sure　what　to　do；〃　he　admitted。　

〃Why　don't　you　tell　me　your　name？〃　

He　grinned。　〃Max。〃　

〃Nice　to　meet　you；　Max。　Now；　why　don't　you　tell　me　what　you　do　for　the　usual？〃　

His　grin　became　a　frown。　〃Well；　J's　usual　clients　don't　look　a　thing　like　you。　Your　kind　doesn't　bother　
with　the　downtown　office。　You　just　go　straight　up　to　his　fancy　office　in　the　skyscraper。〃　

I　repeated　the　other　address　I　had；　making　the　list　of　numbers　a　question。　

〃Yeah；　that's　the　place；〃　he　said；　suspicious　again。　〃How　e　you　didn't　go　there？〃　

〃This　was　the　address　I　was　given—by　a　very　dependable　source。〃　

〃If　you　were　up　to　any　good；　you　wouldn't　be　here。〃　




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I　pursed　my　lips。　I'd　never　been　much　good　at　bluffing；　but　Alice　hadn't　left　me　a　lot　of　alternatives。　
〃Maybe　I'm　not　up　to　any　good。〃　

Max's　face　turned　apologetic。　〃Look；　lady—〃　

〃Bella。〃　

〃Right。　Bella。　See；　I　need　this　job。　J　pays　me　pretty　good　to　mostly　just　hang　out　here　all　day。　I　want　to　
help　you；　I　do；　but—and　of　course　Tm　speaking　hypothetically；　right？　Or　off　the　record；　or　whatever　
works　for　you—but　if　I　pass　somebody　through　that　could　get　him　in　trouble；　I'm　out　of　work。　Do　you　
see　my　problem？〃　

I　thought　for　a　minute；　chewing　on　my　lip。　〃You've　never　seen　anyone　like　me　here　before？　Well；　sort　of　
like　me。　

My　sister　is　a　lot　shorter　than　me；　and　she　has　dark　spiky　black　hair。〃　

〃J　knows　your　sister？〃　

〃I　think　so。〃　

Max　pondered　this　fora　moment。I　smiled　at　him；　and　his　breathing　stuttered。〃Tell　you　what　I'll　do。HI　
give　Ja　call　and　describe　you　to　him。　Let　him　make　the　decision。〃　

What　did　J。　Jenks　know？　Would　my　description　mean　something　to　him？　That　was　a　troubling　thought。　

〃My　last　name　is　Cullen；〃　I　told　Max；　wondering　if　that　was　too　much　information。　I　was　starting　to　get　
irritated　with　Alice。　Did　I　really　have　to　be　quite　this　blind？　She　could　have　given　me　one　or　two　more　
words。。。。　

〃Cullen；　got　it。〃　

I　watched　as　he　dialed；　easily　picking　out　the　number。　Well；　I　could　call　J。　Jenks　myself　if　this　didn't　
work。　

〃HeyJ；　it's　Max。　I　know　I'm　never　supposed　tocall　you　at　this　number　except　in　an　emergency___〃　

Is　there　an　emergency？1　heard　faintly　from　the　other　end。　

〃Well；　notexactly。　It's　this　girl　who　wants　to　see　you___〃　

　fail　to　see　the　emergency　in　that　Why　didn't　you　follow　normal　procedure？　

〃I　didn't　follow　normal　procedure　'cause　she　don't　look　like　any　kind　of　normal—〃　

Is　she　a　badge？！　

〃No—〃　

You　can't　be　sure　about　that。　Does　she　look　like　one　ofKubarev's—　？　




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〃No—let　me　talk；　okay？　She　says　you　know　her　sister　or　something。〃　

Not　likely。　What　does　she　look　like？　

〃She　looks　like　。　。　。〃　His　eyes　ran　from　my　face　to　my　shoes　appreciatively。　〃Well；　she　looks　like　a　
freaking　supermodel；　that's　what　she　looks　like。〃　I　smiled　and　he　winked　at　me；　then　went　on。　〃Rocking　
body；　pale　as　a　sheet；　dark　brown　hair　almost　to　her　waist；　needs　a　good　night's　sleep—any　of　this　
soundingfamiliar？〃　

No；　it　doesn't　I'm　not　happy　that　you　let　your　weakness　for　pretty　women　interrupt　—　

〃Yeah；so　I'ma　sucker　for　the　pretty　ones；　what's　wrong　with　that？　I'm　sorry　I　bothered　you；　man。　Just　
forget　it。〃　

〃Name；〃　I　whispered。　

〃Oh　right。　Wait；〃　Max　said。　〃She　says　her　name　is　Bella　Cullen。　That　help？〃　

There　was　a　beat　of　dead　silence；　and　then　the　voice　on　the　other　end　was　abruptly　screaming；　using　a　
lot　of　words　you　didn't　often　hear　outside　of　truck　stops。　Max's　whole　expression　changed；　all　the　joking　
vanished　and　his　lips　went　pale。　

〃Be