Disclaimer's: And we're back to this.... Don't sue me, K?
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Race had apparently explained the situation to Madame President, because she didn't even look fazed when we landed on the roof and entered through the top flight of steps on floor 7 billion and walked all the way down to floor 1 where her office thing is(That's how it seemed to me. I was still tired and feeling kinda dizzy, but Race definitely didn't need to hear that).
She also had the Embassy guards flocking around us. I couldn't see anything in front of me or behind me because my view was blocked by guards. Jonny and Hadji were on either side of me and didn't have a problem with any of this. They had been exceedingly calm about the answering machine message and seemed quite at ease here. I hate them...
Madame President was in her office. Another guard opened the door for us and we walked in.
"It's wonderful to see you all again," she said, "Unfortunately under such awful circumstances. Come here, Jonny. Let me see how you've grown." He always was her favorite, that much I knew from the show. He kissed her cheek and she smiled.
"And here's Bandit," she said, "Whenever I know you're coming I always have plenty of these." She pulled out a box of dog biscuits and gave 1 to Bandit, who settled down in the corner with it, never taking his off of us. Even the dog could tell how nervous everyone was.
"Hadji, Benton, Race, it's good to see you, too, and your guest. What's your name, dear?" she asked.
"I want to know your name..."
Serd's voice came back to haunt me. I couldn't speak for a moment. I just stood there. My manners have only improved since I left home. Everyone was looking at me, especially Race.
I blinked and forced myself to answer, "My name is Cayla."
"As I told the others, it's wonderful to see you, except under such awful circumstances. Any friend of Jonny's is welcome here. How was your flight?"
"I slept through most of it," I said, "It was a long morning."
"I can only imagine," she said, "Your bags have been taken to your room. We'll show you where they are at bedtime. We don't want you too far away today, so I'm afraid sightseeing is out of the question. All of the entertainment here is on the first floor where we are now. Jonny and Hadji will no doubt show you around."
"If we could have a word with you," Race said, looking at us kids, "Alone."
That was our cue to leave. Jonny and Hadji took me to what we would call a den in our houses. This den however was as big as my house. the boys turned on video games, but I sat there and watched them. Dr. Quest and Race came into the den and took the boys out of the room with them for a minute. They all came back in together. Jonny handed me a cross-shaped pin.
"It's a transmitter," he said, "If you need us or we get separated, push the stone in the middle. It'll send out a signal. We all have a receiver." He showed me a small box that was pinned to his shirt pocket, "All the guards have 1, too. Someone will always be around to help if you need it."
"Serd can find me here, can't he." I phrased it as a statement, not a question.
"If he looks hard enough," Race said, "He could find you anywhere. that's why we didn't take you home. We can protect you to some extent. We didn't want to endanger your parents, too."
I said nothing. There was nothing to say.
"Stay on this floor today," Dr. Quest said, "That's where we'll be, too. We go as a group. If not a group, we split it as either you 3 kids together, or Cayla and Race and you 2 boys with me. We aren't taking any chances. there's only a small chance that Serd can find us tonight, but if he does, we'll be ready."
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Well, Madame President knew how to keep her word. We kept ourselves occupied until bedtime, when we were shown our rooms. Since we weren't allowed to be alone, here's the sleeping arrangement: In 1 room, we have Dr. Quest and Race, each with their own single bed. In the room next to them was Jonny, Hadji, and me, the boys in a double bed, me in a single one next to them. No one was alone and there were guards everywhere.
We didn't even bother unpacking. Race told us we weren't staying anywhere longer than 2 or 3 days so hopefully Serd wouldn't catch up. This meant I would be seeing a lot of different countries, learning about different cultures, and picking up great souvenirs. If only I wasn't running from almost certain death. Oh well, you can't have everything...
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The attack didn't come that night, but I wasn't too relieved. We left that night and I hadn't seen an inch of the Embassy, let alone any of Russia. All I had was the view from the windows. At least I could say I had been to Russia. I swear, when I get back home (if I do) none of my friends will believe my summer.
"Come on, breakfast time," Jonny told Hadji and I, "I'm hungry."
That's right, we also weren't allowed to leave our rooms without all the other people in it. The same went for Dr. Quest and Race. No one could be alone.
We went down and ate a quick breakfast. It was no fun eating in Russia if you can't enjoy being in Russia for longer than 2 days. We were going God knows where next. the plans were a secret to everyone except Race. We'd find out when we got there.
On the tour of the Embassy that followed (finally, somewhere besides the first and second floors), I discovered a huge library.
"There are books from almost everywhere in here," Madame President said, "Many of your great American classics and ones from our country as well as others."
I knew where I'd be until we left. After the tour, the boys brought me back and we all sat and read for the remainder of the day until dinner. Or rather, Hadji and I read, while Jonny looked for a book that had pictures. He's not stupid, it's just that visual aides help everyone.
When he couldn't find any, I said, "Come read this with me. It's a book of German fairy tales. It's the original Grimms Brothers fairy tales. Even you should be able to like this."
In case you don't know, the Grimms fairy tales are much more violent and graphic than the Americanized version. They all usually take place in the Black Forest. Like in Hansel and Gretel, the witch isn't shoved in an oven and turned into a gingerbread cookie that the kids eat. The kids escape and bring the whole village back with them and they burn the witch at the stake. After about 2 such fairy tales, Jonny had enough and went and sat with Hadji. I find it interesting to read the original versions of stories. Philistines...
Madame President said that was a common book here in Russia as well as Germany, and that I could take it with me. I thanked her about 27 times. This is a souvenir that I could use forever, not to mention read on the plane ride to Mystery Town, Planet Earth.
Dinner was... interesting to say the least. I got to try authentic Russian cuisine. I do not like borsht (beet soup), nor did I enjoy some kind of meat that I thought it best not to ask about. Leeks are good, though, and so is bread, so it was a soup and crackers kind of night. I didn't feel bad, though. Jonny almost choked when Madame President, remembering my like of fairy tales, told us about some Russian ones that rivaled Grimms in the gory department. That wasn't too bad, but when I remarked to him that the meat he was eating could very well be anything. (He was remembering the fairy tale called The White Snake). I'm a really cruel person sometimes, but everyone else thought it was funny...
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After dinner, we had to take our bags back up the zillion flights of steps to floor 7 billion and onto the roof again. Once everything was loaded, we had to say good-bye to Madame President, who was sorry to see us go.
Race hugged her good-bye and said that we might double back here for another visit if Serd didn't get too close. We all hugged her good-bye (she got teary-eyed when Jonny hugged her) and got into the jet. As we closed the door, I heard her say, "Dosvidanya." which I later learned meant, "Go with God." then, we left. Race still wasn't saying where we were going...
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Well, how's that? Where should we go next? I'm running low on places to go that will be relatively safe to hide. this is where you people come in. REVIEW!!!!!!!
Ja ne! The Management