**Chapter 21**

We got up the next morning real early to join my group with my stake strapped in his usual place at my side. Look myself over and in the mirror tied my hair back in a tight ponytail. I felt sick and I had to puke first before I joined my group. I hastily brushed my teeth and rushed to join my group, where Alberta were handing out real stakes to the novice's. They quickly fasten it to their belts and we all set out. Picked a new location down town and parked the cars out of sight. We remind the novice that this exercise is about working as a team. Mani and I set out. Asking him if he is ready. Tonight he looks more determined then yesterday.

'Yes, guardian Belikov. I'm ready. I won't let you down.' We waited near a clubs alley. We waited for quite a while then a strong looking strigoi male. He parted ways from someone he must knew. I pretended to be walking casually behind the strigoi while Mani waited in the alley stake ready in his hand. As we came to the alley, I kicked the strigoi with all my might like you will kick a door in. The son of a gun was fast and really strong. Mani and I surround him. The strigoi focuses on Mani since he looked like a bigger and stronger threat then me. Wrong move, on our enemies' part. He struck out and fist Mani into a wall. Mani shook it off quickly and charged the strigoi ramming the strigoi back into the wall behind him. I stepped in and burned the strigoi's neck then Mani did it on the other side of the strigoi's neck. He hold Mani off for a minute as I told him to keep burning the strigoi as I asked the strigoi a question.

'Is there any strigoi next in Montana?'

'Go to hell.' The strigoi cried out between burns. I pressed my stake in his neck a little.

'Now once again. With some effort, is there any strigoi nests in Montana?' I asked again.

'Only a small one about 10 not to far from here out on the old farm road.' He spilled. Mani didn't need more encouragement from me and he staked the strigoi. I pushed Mani's arms u a little more so he can pierce the heart completely. I let go of Mani. Just to observing Mani's face. He was now in kill mode.

'How was that?' I asked Mani.

'It was incredible. I did not know you can use strigoi for important in tell like that and still get to kill them once they spill their guts like that.'

'Something I picked up when I was in Russia.' I told him. It only works when fighting strigoi in a team environment doing it alone can get you killed. I warned him. We head back to the cars. Having some water while we wait for the other four teams to return. Mani is clearly on a adrenaline high he could not stand still or shut up for a minute. Two hours later out remaining four groups returned one by one some with freaked out expressions and looked a little battered. We finally head back to school as Alberta and Sonja finally returned.

The novice talked about their experience with us. I told Alberta about the small strigoi next on old farm road and that we should check it out once the field trip is over. We reached the school in time for dinner. Wrote our reports. We all had dinner then went to bed. I was just so tired, these twins is searing a woman out big time. We finally scored the novice on their performance on each individual day. Their observation skills their team work and of course the last day's performance, which we will give them tomorrow. Took a very welcoming shower before I hit the hay.

The next day we chose yet another new location. Mani and I took off. We instructed the novice that we are only here as their 'moroi' and they need to protect us. Mani walked in front of me. We spotted two strigoi leaving a club. A male and a female strigoi. Keeping me pinned in a corner in a dead end alley. Mani took a couple of strong hits but he got up and kept on protecting me. The man here was clearly the younger one between the two of them and looks like Mani figured it out. Well I hope he has. Mani had his stake in his hand ready for action. Nope clearly not, because Mani is now going for the fang bearing woman. He burned her legs. She drop to the knees holding her legs crying out in agony. She got back on her feet attacking Mani heads on. The man try to get to me but Mani didn't let them.

'Focus, keep a clear head.' I told Mani. The woman was clearly older and protected her heart quite well from Mani's stake but for the man not so much. Mani fought him beautifully then staked him so fast before he could give Mani another blow to the face. The woman cried out when she saw Mani stake her mate. She was so fast and strong she hit Mani so hard he hit the dumpster and it folded around him. He shook his head a couple of times then got back on his feet. He sprinted to get to me, But it was to late the woman has turned to me . My stake was already in my hand.

'You think you can stake me little girl?' The woman spat at me.

'Actually, yes and I'm not a little girl, you bitch.' I said jumping her we both fell to the ground rolling around fighting with her. I eventually managed to burn her face and arms Mani saw the opening I left for him and he staked her so hard. Mani helped me up. I made sure the man was properly staked and he was. Out of breath we head back to the cars.

'Guardian Belikov, thank you for back there.'

'You're welcome, just remember when you protect your moroi that they won't have their own stakes and they would be scared out of their minds, and if this happened to them back there they would either be dead now or strigoi themselves. Understand.'

'Yes, guardian Belikov.' He said with a heavy shrug.

'What have you learned tonight?'

'Hmmm…' He said not meeting my eyes.

'Come on now. What have you learned tonight?'

'Strigoi's are really strong. Take out the youngest out first then the stronger older ones. Keep yourself always between your moroi and the strigoi.'

'Good what else?'

'That you ego can get your moroi and yourself killed.'

'Great work. Just remember what you learned here tonight. When you write your report for guardian Alberta tonight. You write down everything including what you just told me.'

'Yes, guardian Belikov.'

'Excellent.' We reached the cars and four of the eight look really defeated. The rest look over excited like they just received an extra saucer of cream. Mani and I were the lasts to arrive back at the cars tonight. We all head back to the schools. Alberta complimented me about this field trip idea. Now seeing the effect it has on the novice she think it will make them much better guardians.

'It is the whole idea of this field exercise.' I told her.

'Excellent.' She said and softly patted my arm. The rest of the novice in the group followed. Some showed more promise than other. The ones I saw had a little more attitude and their big egos where squashed after all their field trips. The average of the field trip scores was between 7 and 8 out of 16. Which is not that good it average between 40 and 50%. Which is not good at all. Students need at least 70% or higher to pass the field trip exercise. Vivian and I had a meeting discussing just that the scores.

Students how fail the field trip assignments have to retake it over the summer school. When everyone else have holidays they have to retake their field trip assignments to pass their senior year. We called Alberta and the other novice teachers in to hear their opinion, they think we should make the retake of the field trip just before their final trial test, but they agree that the pass rate should be 70% and higher. So we kept it that way and changed the retake of the field trip. Vivian send out a memo with attached document telling how to go about the field trip, to all the novice teachers around the world. After two whole weeks of being away from home we are finally head back to court by car. We stayed at a not to bad rat infested motel. My little bump is starting to show. Lay in the bath tub, rubbing my baby bump.

'Mommy and daddy love you two so much already.' I whispered to them. Got out and almost slipped in the bath, I grabbed a hold of the towel railing. Got out carefully and dressed for bed then set out to phone Dimitri.

'Hello.'

'Good evening, Mr Belikov.'

'Honey. How's the field trip going?'

'It was very educating for the kids. We are almost half way back to court already. Staying over at some cheesy motel.'

'Good you need to rest. How are you feeling, my Roza?'

'I'm alright so far. Just missing you and Junior so much.'

'You'll see us real soon. We miss you too. Yesterday Junior asked when is mommy is coming back. He missed you more then we know.' Oh, I wish I could hug you two right now do you know how much I miss you?'

'I might have some idea because I love you even more then you could even imagine Roza. Now get some rest you must be really tired with those extra two you are carrying around.'

'You have no idea.'

'I might have some idea. Sweet dreams, Roza.'

'Sweet dreams Dimka, give Junior a hug and a kiss from me. Bye.' I said and hung up then went to bed really tired.

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