Arduous

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

[Catherine, 13:19, Moscow]

"Why did we have to leave the hotel?" I whined. "There was perfectly good food there!"

Anne looked visibly tired. Bags hung under her eyes, making her look older than her actual age, and the constant yawning kept making her stretch.

As she stretched for the tenth time in an hour, I frowned. "Don't stretch too much. If you're to break your stitches again, I hope it would be from doing something heroic, not from stretching."

Mid-stretch, Anne paused to punch my shoulder. "Bimbo!"

I chuckled. At least she was in a good mood! I usually stayed away from her when she got grumpy. Forks being thrown at my head didn't exactly make me feel welcomed.

Who said I was the violent one?

"How about this cafe?" Anne wondered. A whale was painted on the windows, and it looked pretty cozy inside. It even had a fireplace. Lets just say, Russia wasn't exactly the warmest of places.

"Do you even have to ask me? If it has a fireplace to get out of this awful cold, of course I'll take it!" I exclaimed, already halfway inside. The warmth felt so nice!

We ordered sandwiches, and sat at a table. We ate in silence. Or would have, if Anne hadn't nudged me, mouth agape.

"What?" I snapped. She didn't even respond, but I followed her eyes as they looked at something behind me.

I turned to look at the TV mounted in the corner. The sound was off, but with a request to the person behind the counter, the sound was turned up.

"... has never occurred before. I assure you, though, that the hostage situation is being taken care of. Our federal agency is going to great measures to get Edmonton safely back to the way it was before. For right now, though, I am wanting all the citizens of Edmonton to stay inside, and try to lessen your trips outside. Children are to not go to school. Please stay calm and indoors." The Prime Minister of Canada explained to the press. He kept repeating what he had said.

We figured out that the entire city was under the control of the Russians, although nobody knew who the captors actually were, and their cronies were all over the place, threatening to shoot anyone if they didn't follow the Russians rules. It was absolutely dreadful!

"I can't believe it!" I whispered to Anne. "I thought Jessica and Max had taken control of the situation!"

Anne just shrugged her shoulders in response.

We finished our sandwiches while listening to our Prime Minister speak and reassure the people of Edmonton.

"I should call that guy about that thing." I explained to Anne just as we exited the shop and into the fall weather. She understood what I was talking about even though I was trying to be inconspicuous with my words for anyone who might had been listening.

I dragged Anne into an opening between the buildings. I hit speed dial 2 for Mark. It went straight to voice mail, and I snarled, "I know you're there idiot. It's me Catherine so you better answer the next phone call!"

I redialed Mark, grumbling over idiocy, and a male voice answered on the second ring. "Why hello, beautiful!"

"Don't you dare call..." I started, before hearing him laugh.

"Got it, got it. You don't want me to lie to you." Mark chuckled.

"I am going to feed your fingers to Sally, and your toes to Frederick, I hope you know!" I threatened.