Chapter 10

Her comrades at Gorsvet were all surprised when she turned up driving Semyon's truck. Semyon had to move over into the middle, allowing Anton to join them up front. Bear, Tiger Cub and Vyacheslav crammed into the back of the truck as Anna drove them over to the hotel Cosmos. It was just a bit before 6:30 when they arrived and Anna parked the van outside. The six of them climbed out and entered the hotel, seeing that Sarah and Kate had already sat down.

"Ready Vyacheslav?" asked Anton.

"Oh yes," Vyacheslav replied. "I'm all prepared to translate between English and Russian. No other Russians except us will be able to understand English, and no other Brits will be able to understand Russian."

"You can do that?" Anna queried.

"I can choose which brainwave patterns to fiddle with."

"Can you actually learn English?"

"Yes, but unfortunately not physically speak it."

"You see Vyacheslav has this little issue, which also corresponded with how he realised he was an Other," Semyon explained. "His psychic energy is so powerful that he often struggles to do things that do not involve it. Like learning languages. He can think in a foreign language, but unfortunately not speak it."

Vyacheslav shrugged. "Hence my telepathic translation."

"Weird," Anna commented.

"Maybe, but normal for me."

The six of them crossed the room and joined Kate and Sarah, who had appeared to take the liberty of dressing smartly for dinner. Anna and her comrades were merely dressed in their Gorsvet jackets and combats, but none of them seemed to be bothered by that in the slightest.

"Hello again!" Semyon greeted cheerfully.

Sarah glanced at him. "Hello."

She then turned to glance in Vyacheslav's direction, he nodding shortly before sitting down at the end of the table. She didn't say anything, but instead simply watched as the rest of the Night Watch officers took their seats. Vyacheslav couldn't help but smirk; Sarah was under the impression that he was using top secret technology, but even some people would have been fooled into saying something about it. Glancing at Semyon, he realised that the Magician possibly had a part to play in that; humans were so easy to manipulate sometimes. It wasn't actually against the rules this time, seeing as it was protecting them from something they didn't understand.

"Did you enjoy your driving lesson?" Sarah asked her daughter.

"Oh yeah, it was a lot of fun!" Anna replied, grinning.

"So then, are you actually together, or…?"

She trailed off, Anna and Semyon glanced at each other.

"We're friends," Semyon said simply.

Anton cleared his throat loudly, Semyon grabbing a bread roll from the basket and throwing it at him. Anton fielded it easily and took a bite out of it, smirking at his friend. Anna glanced at Kate, who was immediately unimpressed by this first impression of the Russian electricians. However, her younger sister was now deciding against commenting after Vyacheslav's warning. Anna imagined that he looked too much like his brother, and Anna knew Kate was wary of Maxim.

"Yeah right Semyon," Bear added.

"Shut it," Semyon replied.

Anna glanced up at Tiger Cub who smirked, Anna unable to stop herself from returning it. Semyon had gone red and everyone took that as a further opportunity to laugh at him. Eventually, Anna reached over and stroked his arm.

"Leave him alone," she noted, affectionately.

Semyon blushed deeper at the contact, Anton unable to stop laughing.

"Oh dear Semyon," he shook his head, smiling.

"Do you want some more bread Anton?" Semyon questioned.

"I wouldn't mind, no."

They all laughed again, but the waiter then came over this time to break up their conversation. They all took their orders, most taking different flavours of soup with rice for starters. Typically, Kate had a vegetarian salad and Vyacheslav, deciding to be different, took a cold meat salad. During the wait, Kate decided to try and get to know the only other female member of the group.

"Are you an electrician too?" she asked Tiger Cub.

Tiger Cub glanced briefly at Bear before looking at Kate.

"Yeah," she noted.

"Did you always want to be?"

She nodded her head. "Hmm."

"I was never aware many women wanted to do that kind of work."

Bear smirked and patted Tiger Cub on the back.

"Perhaps you should blame me," he added.

Kate glanced at him uncertainly, Anna giving her sister a warning stare that plainly said 'say anything bad about Bear and you'll get a first in your overly made up face'. The stare must have been firm enough, because Kate didn't say anything to Bear and turned back to Tiger Cub.

"Do you like being an electrician?" Kate continued.

"Of course," Tiger Cub replied, a little irritated.

"Do you bother much with fashion?"

Tiger Cub's expression was now rather confused.

"No, not really. What's the point?"

Kate shrugged "It looks good."

"Tiger Cub always looks good!" Bear commented.

"Why do they call you that?"

She paused. "It's a nickname."

"So what's your real name?"

"Lena."

"Oh. Ana never bothered much with fashion either…"

"Sorry Tiger Cub," Anna cut across her sister. "My younger sister here is far too fashion conscious and always has weird views about jobs. Construction work is a man's job, HGV driving is a man's job, electrical engineering is a man's job. Trust me, it drive's you crazy!"

"I'll bet."

Kate blushed a little.

"No such thing as a man's job," Tiger Cub grumbled.

"I can think of some," Bear replied.

Tiger Cub turned to glance at her partner, observing the look of humour on his heavily unshaven face. She eventually understood what he meant and slapped him on the arm. That immediately came to Semyon's attention, he also understand and laughing with his friend.

"Really?" he queried.

"Oh yes," Bear replied.

"I'll ask Anna for employment then."

Anna then took her turn in punching Semyon on the arm. Vyacheslav laughed and shook his head; he could tell that two of the team would end up with bruised arms by the end of the evening, and he wouldn't need Anton's visions to work out who. Eventually, their starters turned up and they all instantly started to eat. Kate was left behind as she ate slowly, and even Sarah was lacking a bit in speed compared to the Russians. Anna however followed in the lead of her comrades, more or less shovelling spoon fulls of soup down her throat at a time. The Russians did soup well, and spicy tomato with rice was certainly on her list of top favourites.

"You all eat so fast," Sarah commented.

"The faster you eat, the more food you get inside you, so the less hungry you end up feeling," Semyon replied. "And in Anton's case, the longer it takes for large quantities of alcohol to affect you."

"Watch it Semyon," Anton growled.

"You drink a lot… err… Anton is it?" Sarah asked.

He nodded. "Anton Gorodetski."

"Vodka?"

"Hmm, of course. I've got it on record as well; I've been cautioned a few times for being drunk and disorderly, even though it is sometimes an unfair conviction. It's not just alcohol that gets me drunk you see, or in a state of looking as though I'm drunk. My record states quite plainly; known for alcohol abuse."

"Why do you drink so much?"

"Hmm, stress, confusion…"

He trailed off and shrugged. "Work."

"Why so glum Anton?" asked Anna.

Anton sighed. "Just an unfortunate issue I had. I got married a long while ago and about eight years ago, she left me for another man. I've been alone since then, and that's when I because an electrician. You'll understand, I cannot really talk about the details at this minute."

Anna nodded, understanding.

"Well, she doesn't deserve you Anton," she noted.

"Hmm, perhaps not," Anton replied with a small smile.

"If she was unfaithful, then she doesn't deserve you."

"If only all women thought like that, Anna. Thank you."

Anna smiled. "I'd only be devoted to one man alone."

She was unable to glance briefly at Semyon, who smiled at her and almost forced her to return it. They all returned to their starters, Anna noticing that Anton seemed to have picked up a bit. They finished off their food, now waiting for Kate to eat her small salad. No one could see how that was appetising, but seeing as Vyacheslav was currently tuning his brain to act as a two way translator, they decided not to comment. Eventually, Kate finished and the waiter came and took away their empty plates. They fetched the menus, having to wait a little while until the vegetarian menu was given to Kate. Anna had only just realised how much this actually irritated her.

"How can you not eat any meat?" Semyon asked.

"It's wrong," Kate replied, sternly.

"Why? It's never bothered me."

"Do you not a look at a piece of meat and think that it was once a living creature? Do you not look at a strip of bacon and think that was a pig once? Do you not think of a fluffy little lamb when they give you lamb?"

Semyon raised an eyebrow. "Not really, no. Sorry."

"How can you not?"

He shrugged. "I don't like lamb anyway."

"But you eat bacon."

"Yeah, it tastes good!"

"And you don't think it's cruel?"

Semyon glanced up at Bear, who rolled his eyes skyward.

"Listen to this then," Semyon began with a sigh. "I think it's cruel to deny my stomach the luxury of digesting a crispy bacon sandwich smothered in brown sauce. Face it, I think only of my stomach when I eat. Think of it like this; these animals are bred and genetically modified to be used as food for us. That is their life. If they do not end up on our plates, then they haven't lived."

Kate looked horrified, but Bear laughed.

"How did you work that out?" he asked.

"Logic from a hungry Russian," Semyon replied.

"You say they live to die?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"That's awful!"

"It's part of the food chain; we eat everything!"

"Yeah," Anton added. "Except Semyon has an extra large food chain."

Semyon threw another bread roll at Anton, who unfortunately decided to duck this time. There was someone sitting at the table behind him, and the roll hit that man on the back of his head. The man, who turned out to be a rather fat, bald Italian businessman, looked around the glare at Anton. Anna couldn't help but spot the young Italian man she saw in the hotel lift sitting at the table with his colleagues.

"What on Earth?" the Italian growled.

"Sorry," Anton grumbled.

"Russians! Typical!"

Shaking his head and sighing, the fat Italian boss turned away from Anton to continue his conversations to the other businessmen. Semyon laughed, Anton turning an expression on his friend which clearly had 'you bastard' written all over it. Anna smirked, reaching back and ruffling Semyon's hair. Eventually, Vyacheslav turned to Sarah who was ready to discuss Anna's future.

"To the point," he began.

"You said about Anna," Sarah replied.

"Yes. You know she now works for Gorsvet."

"For who?"

"The City Light Company."

"Electrician right?"

"Yes."

"I have been told."

"You also know that her job is here in Moscow."

"That's what Anna told me, yes."

"Yet she lives in England with you."

"Of course, and she's doing a course in engineering."

"Right. You must understand that the job she had with us at Gorsvet will take up all of her time. Our contract is exceedingly strict, as is our boss. I'm afraid, the option we would want if for your daughter to continue working with us, however it is her decision and not yours. She may choose to stay here or she may decide to go back home. Either way, you need to respect her choice."

"Anna could stay here?"

"We'd prefer that, yes."

"But where would she stay?"

"That'll all have to be figured out at some time. She cannot stay with her father; given his personal circumstances, it would be too dangerous. Police business; he's actually under out protection. Why, well that's confidential."

"I understand."

"I'll put her up," Semyon cut in.

Sarah glanced at him uncertainly.

"Until she finds her own flat," he added quickly.

"That will be a suitable arrangement," Vyacheslav replied.

"I guess that would be alright," Sarah noted, thinking about it.

Vyacheslav turned to Anna. "What do you think?"

"I don't know," she replied. "Can I think about it?"

"Of course! When's the return flight?"

"2nd January."

"Then you'll have until then."

"What about our seat bookings?" Sarah asked.

"If Anna stays, then I'll sort something out."

Anna guessed that it would have something to do with putting thoughts into the heads of the airport staff, making them think the tickets were just for two people. She then had a sudden thought that if a person could get fat by eating salad, then Kate would be able to fill up two plane seats. That put a rather amusing, but sickening image of her sister in her head; overweight with one of her silly miniskirts, having to lean back against the folded up arm rest. However, the waiter came and gave them their food before she could say anything.

"What would happen with the second plane seat?" Sarah asked.

Vyacheslav waited until the waiters left, just in case their thoughts got caught up in his radius.

"I'll think of something," he noted.

He glanced at Anna and smirked, she suddenly understanding. Vyacheslav could read people's thoughts as well as alter them, and he'd heard what she had thought about her sister. She grimaced; she hoped he couldn't pick up on mental images as well.

"I guess if salad was fattening," she began. "Kate would be able to fit across two plane seats. She'd be able to stick one side of her arse in my seat!"

The Night Watch officers laughed.

"Marvellous idea!" Semyon commented.

Kate blushed, not replying to her sister's comment.

"Don't be harsh Anna," Sarah told her.

"Sorry," Anna replied.

"She's fitting in with us so quickly," Bear added, smiling.

"I have noticed that," Sarah stated.

"They are really nice people mother," Anna replied.

Sarah paused. "Especially Semyon?"

Anna glanced at her friend and smiled.

"Most definitely Semyon."

"Well, so long as you're happy."

They then sat and ate the rest of their meals quietly, Anna joining in with the conversations as soon as they finished eating. Sarah and Kate, who were still slowly finishing their food, were a little bit left out. But Anna could see why Vyacheslav had wanted to set this up. The Night Watch wanted her to stay in Moscow and work in the field with them, and Sarah was the only thing that really stood in the way of that. Vyacheslav wanted Anna's family to see that she would get on with her comrades and be safe in a new Moscow life.

"Are you staying here tonight?" asked Semyon.

"Yes Semyon," Anna replied, smirking at him.

"Then I'll have a lumpy sofa free night."

"Don't make me feel guilty Semyon."

He winked at her. "Certainly not!"

The Night Watch officers sorted out all the money and handed it to Vyacheslav, who paid the waiter. Eventually, Sarah and Kate had finished their meals, adding theirs' and Anna's food to the room bill. They all got to their feet and put their chairs under the table, leaving for the hallway.

"Good evening then," Vyacheslav said.

"How do you say that in Russian?" Sarah asked.

"Добры вечер." (Dobri Vyecher)

"Hmm, I think I'll leave that to you."

Vyacheslav smiled. "Certainly."

Sarah and Kate headed over to the lift, Anna remaining behind briefly and sharing an embrace with Semyon. Eventually, Anton pulled him away by the back of his jacket, allowing Anna to get into the lift. She laughed, waving at Semyon as his pleasant face disappeared from view behind the sliding metal doors. She sighed and leaned back against the lift wall, kicking over and loose piece of plastic on the floor.

"Will you stay in Moscow?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know yet," Anna replied.

"I've never seen you get on so well with people before."

Anna smiled. "I've never met nicer people."

"I would have to agree, they do seem to be lovely people."

"It would be nice to stay and work here."

"If you do, will you come and visit?"

"When I can, of course."

"And will Semyon be coming with you?"

"Maybe, I don't know about that yet either."

The lift stopped at their floor and the three of them got off and headed down to their rooms. Kate and Anna separated from their mother into their room, neither of them really saying anything to each other. Kate had been noticeably down since she'd met the Night Watch officers. She clearly wasn't used to being criticised so much, and she also found it strange to see Anna so popular.

"Good night," Anna told her.

"Yeah," Kate replied.

She changed quickly and got into bed, switching off the bedside lamp. Anna sighed and shook her head, changing into her winter pyjamas and sitting down on her bed. Everything was so different now; looking around, she could peer into the Gloom and see all the electrons flowing around in the wires, giving her the light she needed. Getting into bed, Anna switched off the light and settled down to sleep.