TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2006. When Sookie arrives for her evening shift, Sam tells her that the shifters are ready to reveal themselves on TV and in various public locations. Her brother, Jason, and some friends are in the bar, as are Bill and fellow vampire Clancy, and Tray and Amelia soon enter. Sam comes out of the office just as the bar television flashes a “Special Report,” and everyone at Merlotte’s watches as the shifters announce their existence to the world. To the amazement of the bar patrons, Sam and Tray step forward and change. Sam in collie form takes his place beside a smiling Sookie, while werewolf Tray is hugged by his girlfriend, Amelia. Although most of the patrons begin to accept the shifters, Arlene reacts with anger and hate, quitting and storming out of the bar with her Fellowship of the Sun friends. A happy Sam has just changed back to his human form when he receives a call from his stepfather, who did not know about his wife’s other nature. He tells Sam that he shot her (though not fatally) when she shifted in front of him. Sookie agrees to watch the bar as a distraught Sam leaves to be with his family.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11. Sookie goes into Merlotte’s early to work on finding a replacement for Arlene. When none of her first choices are available, she reluctantly contacts Tanya Grissom, tracking her down at Calvin Norris’s house in Hotshot. Tanya agrees to pick up a few shifts in the evenings, and they arrange for her to start the next night. Terry Bellefleur handles bar duty while Sookie works a double shift in Arlene’s absence. Sam calls at closing to let Sookie know that his mom is expected to make a full recovery and that his stepfather is in jail.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12. Duff, Merlotte’s beer-delivery driver, calls Sookie at home when no one is at the bar to accept a shipment, so she rushes to the bar, nervously signing the invoice on Sam’s behalf. She remains at Merlotte’s and is on the phone with Amelia when Bobby Burnham, Eric’s daytime guy, arrives. Amelia tells her that Eric called the night before and that Octavia finally told Bobby this morning where Sookie could be found. Bobby tells Sookie that Eric has requested that she come to Fangtasia that evening to meet with Victor Madden, the lieutenant of Felipe de Castro, the new king of Louisiana and Arkansas, as well as Nevada. Sookie agrees, and Bobby hands her a black velvet bundle, telling her to present it to Eric in front of Victor. After Bobby leaves, Sookie goes about her day. The customers and employees at Merlotte’s continue to adjust to the news about the existence of shifters. Tanya arrives early for a little brushup training before her shift, and Sookie is able to head to Shreveport in time for the meeting.