Codename: Bedlam

Chapter 4

**Revealed**

The day had finally come, we were all set and waiting for the speeches to finish and the dining to begin. Serving a gala dinner for the President and some of the most important politicians, not only Russian ones, is very exciting. The Ukrainian President, the Romanian President, a Saudi Prince and Ambassadors from each continent were all there. We heard clapping coming from the main hall, that was our cue to put on our happy faces and start putting Champaign on trays. The nerves in my stomach started to twist inside of me, almost making me throw up. This was not the time to get sick, I kept having to remind myself.

"Okay everyone! Gather around now, we have three minutes," Vasili yelled at us. The nerves were nothing to him anymore. "Now, we have cocktails for about fifteen minutes, then everyone will gather in the dining hall to sit and eat. Please, no dropping food on our guests, especially the President. Be on your toes, give them what they want." He said to us.

            Pasha, Vitoria, Vladimir and I grabbed our trays of Champaign and started out the kitchen doors to the gathering hall where they would be shortly. I am one minute away from serving the President of Russia a glass of Champaign. The seconds hit hard on the wall clock, as if on cue, the doors opened right at the needle hit 7. The President of Romania and two ambassadors, one from Poland and one from China, entered first. Then the ambassadors from Switzerland, Armenia, the Czech republic and France followed closely behind them. Everyone in the room brought an assistant, they would stand close behind them taking notes and checking calendars. This room was a veritable hive of corruption, it was impressed into their suites.

            "Champaign?" I asked walking around the room. No sign of the President, yet there was so many people in the room I could not be sure. As I come back with my fourth tray, I see him, he was on the other side of the room, starting to usher everyone into the dining hall. When they all started moving into the dining hall, we moved back into the kitchen to start grabbing plates. These will not be delivered through the standard practices of food servitude. We each have an elongated cart, holding twelve plates. The plates were placed in a cloche, not only to keep warm, but because they are stacked six on six. We would be serving a famous, delicious dish called Pelmeni. Pelmeni is a dumpling made from thin, unleavened dough; they are filled with minced meat, onions, mushrooms and turnip. We were ready to serve, this time I let them know, "I'm serving the President, I call it." They chuckled and let me take it.

            When we entered, I made my way over to the head table where the President was sitting. I had such tunnel vision, I was unaware of the stares. As I served the table, smiling and answering what the menu was, then as I turned to move the cart to the next table I saw it. The couple was staring at me from across the room. The same man and American woman from the restaurant. Once I saw them, I tuned out the words being said around me, I was too focused on them to even acknowledge the President telling me thank you. The woman noticed me, and quickly looked away like she was hoping I had not seen. She whispered something to the man and he nodded, standing and leaving the room before I had even finished serving the second table. I left to get my second cart of plates, when I returned to serve their table, he was sitting back in his seat. I must be overreacting, they are obviously just guests, there are simple explanations to what I had felt.

            The dinner went another hour before we served the sweets, which was chocolate Morozhenoe. Vitoria and I snuck a spoonful or two of what was left, so delicious and creamy. Vasili was making final rounds, as were we with the vodka and wine. Running around all night was tiring, but at least we get to meet all the important people; Abram, Bogdan and Serchenko have barely moved from their positions all night. Thankfully, we will only have to clean the dishes and wipe the tables. The tables and chairs will be picked up by the janitorial staff, as well as the rubbish.