The President's office was just like we had seen it in on the Internet, all filled with expensive paintings and leather furniture. Underneath said furniture was the Presidential Seal woven into the light beige carpet. Red and blue curtains hung in front of huge windows with golden tassels attached at the edges.
I felt very American just standing there.
Our new friend Mr. President had taken a very professional-looking position at his huge desk and was watching us with expectant eyes. The flock made no move to sit on the plush couches, or to grab up any of the tiny brownies on the glass coffee table. And let me tell you, that's restraint if I've ever seen it. No matter how trusting the President of the United States may be, we still have that annoying paranoia wired into our DNA, and it never, ever seemed to be very lenient.
Not even for mini brownies.
"Um, just a question. If we've already agreed to this whole 'protect the world for the sake of the United States and all of its advasaries' thing, why aren't we out there doing it?" I asked him from my position on the back wall.
"Oh, don't worry, Maximum." the President chuckled, "You will be soon enough. I just wanted to introduce you to someone." he smiled proudly. I nodded solomnly, but was getting seriously impatient on the inside. We didn't have time for some congressman or Secretary of State! We were supposed to be saving the world, remember?
The door opened, and all eight of us--the flock plus Total plus the Pres--looked up. A young girl, who looked about my age or a little older, waltzed through the doorway, followed by two stiff security guards. At first I thought she was just lost, like she had picked the wrong door in a one-in-a-million chance, but she surprised me by walking straight up to the President's desk, grabbing a bottle of water and one of the brownies on her way there.
"Hey, sorry I'm late." the girl spoke very confidently for someone who was in the presence of her country's leader. She hopped up and took a seat smack on top of his desk. The President's famous desk!
I was preparing myself for an angry glance from the President and his immediate call for security when he smiled happily at her and stroked her shiny cascade of thick, dark brown hair. She calmly took a bite of brownie and crossed her legs.
"Everyone, I would like you to meet Katherine Moore." the President announced. "She's quite a remarkable child, aren't you, Kitty?" he smiled at her like a proud father. Kitty smiled and unscrewed the top of her water bottle in response. I eyed her suspiciously.
"And these are the fugitives." Kitty glanced at us from her perch on the desk and laughed once, hopping down and moving toward us fluidly. "I've heard so much about you." she said. I glanced over at Fang, hoping to see my lack of trust mirrored in his eyes. Instead he was watching Kitty walk over, his eyes locked on the way her hips moved in time with the swing on her silky hair.
Great. Another reason to not like her.