The Host_ A Novel - Stephenie Meyer [212]
The Seeker’s body blocked the light, and I could see again.
It was a man. Probably middle-aged-his features conflicted with one another, making it hard to tell; his hair was all white, but his face was smooth and unwrinkled. He wore a T-shirt and shorts, a blocky gun clearly visible on his hip. One hand rested on the butt of the weapon. In his other hand was a dark flashlight. He didn’t turn it on.
“Having a problem, miss?” he said when he was a few feet away. “You were going much too fast for safety.”
His eyes were restless. They swiftly appraised my expression-which was, hopefully, sleepy-and then ran along the length of the van, darted into the darkness behind us, flashed forward to the stretch of highway ahead, lit by our headlights, and came back to my face. They repeated the course another time.
He was anxious. This knowledge made my palms sweaty, but I tried to keep the panic from my voice.
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized in a loud whisper. I glanced at Jared, as if checking to see whether our words had woken him. “I think… well, I think I might have fallen asleep. I didn’t realize I was so tired.”
I tried to smile remorsefully. I could tell I sounded stiff, like the too-careful actors on the television.
The Seeker’s eyes traced their route again, this time lingering on Jared. My heart jumped painfully against the inside of my ribs. I pinched the pill tighter.
“It was irresponsible for me to drive for so long without sleep,” I said quickly, trying again to smile a little. “I thought we could make it to Phoenix before I would need rest. I’m very sorry.”
“What’s your name, miss?”
His voice was not harsh, but neither was it warm. He kept it low, though, following my cue.
“Leaves Above,” I said, using the name from the last hotel. Would he want to check my story? I might need someplace to refer him to.
“Upside-down Flower?” he guessed. His eyes flickered around their course.
“Yes, I was.”
“My partner, too. Were you on the island?”
“No,” I said quickly. “The mainland. Between the great rivers.”
He nodded, perhaps a little disappointed.
“Should I go back to Tucson?” I asked. “I think I’m quite awake now. Or maybe I should take a nap right here first -“
“No!” he interrupted me in a louder voice.
I jumped, startled, and the little pill slipped from my fingers. It dropped to the metal floor with a faintly audible clink. I felt the blood drain from my face as though a plug had been pulled.
“Didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized quickly, his eyes repeating their restless circle. “But you shouldn’t linger here.”
“Why?” I managed to whisper. My fingers twitched anxiously at the empty air.
“There was a… disappearance recently.”
“I don’t understand. A disappearance?”
“It could have been an accident… but there might be…” He hesitated, unwilling to say the word. “Humans may be in this area.”
“Humans?” I squeaked, too loud. He heard the fear in my voice and interpreted it the only way he could.
“There’s no proof of that, Leaves Above. No sightings or anything. Don’t be anxious. But you should proceed on to Phoenix without unnecessary delay.”
“Of course. Or maybe Tucson? That would be closer.”
“There’s no danger. You can continue with your plans.”
“If you’re sure, Seeker…”
“I’m quite sure. Just don’t go wandering off into the desert, Flower.” He smiled. The expression warmed his face, making it kind. Just like all the other souls I’d dealt with. He wasn’t anxious about me, but for me. He wasn’t listening for lies. And he probably wouldn’t recognize them if he was. Just another soul.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” I smiled back at him. “I’ll be more careful. I know I couldn’t fall asleep now.” I glanced at the desert out Jared’s window with a wary expression, so the Seeker would think that fear was making me alert. My expression tensed into a taut mask as I caught sight of a pair of lights reflected in the side mirror.
Jared’s spine stiffened at the same time, but