Space & Time

Chapter 25 - Across the Seine

"Pan Chocolat! Pan chocolat!" Tannin wouldn't stop demanding more freaking chocolate

filled croissants.

We really enjoyed the French croissants. They were buttery, flaky pieces of heaven but

Tannin was overly passionate for the chocolate ones. Josef made a deal and bought him a fourth

one as we all finished some coffee sitting at two tiny wrought iron tables gathered on the

sidewalk at Café Boulangerie. The Café was starting to get busy with customers as we mostly

sat in silence, except for Tannin of course. We are acutely aware of the daunting task that lay

before us today.

Josef spoke to us in a hushed tone, "We have enough euros to get lunch and dinner and a

hotel room for about two days. Jacque should be expecting us today or tomorrow based on the

text we sent from Gregor‟s phone. I only hope he is at his apartment when we find it. If not we

will have a delicate waiting game to play between the time it takes to meet with him and our

funds running out."

I looked at all the boys and replied, "Let's just hope our luck continues. Then once we

sell these Rubles to Jacque, we can rent a nice apartment for a while and figure out how to get

back in touch with Sonya and the others."

Alexei nodded his head in agreement.

I‟m sure his parents and sister were in his thoughts.

I guess with my parents being murdered and Fredrick's family being psychopaths,

Alexei was probably the most likely to have a normal life once we got some money and started

putting our lives together. Maybe Vlad and Sonya could just adopt all of us. That would be a

riot, Ronnie and me as sisters. Wait a minute, then Alexei and me would be siblings too,

grossness. We will need to think of another plan. Slow down Mika, one-step at a time I told

myself.

Josef was snapping his fingers in my face as I was daydreaming about our future.

"Hello, earth to Mika. Come-in Mika."

He brought me back to reality as he spoke.

I snapped back, "I'm here, gosh you are such a pain in the ass sometimes Josef. Let‟s

go."

We walked off together to make our way across the unfamiliar city. Many of the stores

and shop fronts were now opening up for today's business. There were many small cars

zooming up and down the compact streets. Some of the cars were quiet, as if they had no engine

at all. It was easy to get struck by one if you stepped in front of it. It was quite a contrast to see

the modern dress of the city inhabitants against the backdrop of this centuries old city. Along

with that, the high tech vehicles and bicycles operating on streets that hadn't changed for

hundreds of years was an odd combination.

This part of the city would have looked the same to me in 1968 as it does today. The