Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 39 - Like a Spider with a Fly

Stopping to go through security at the front gate took longer than I expected, but true to his word, Abe had us pulling up at the foot of the commons just as the lunch bell went. As the side guards assembled from the cars on either side of us, Dimitri gave my hand a final squeeze before dropping it and pulling on his Guardian face. Mom looked at me in the rear-vision mirror and said "Just breathe" before she and Pavel opened the car doors.

Abe stepped out first, holding his hand out to me. Mom was immediately on guard at my side, Pavel likewise for Abe. From the corner of my eye, I could see Dimitri stepping back into the far guard position, his eyes dutifully scanning the area for threats.

Students were spilling out of classrooms and into the commons, so our presence was definitely getting the desired attention. Pretty much every Dhampir and Moroi I knew were standing around watching. Someone had evidently alerted Kirova to our arrival, as she came sweeping down the stairs with an unfamiliar look on her face – she was smiling!

"Mr. Mazur!" she said brightly before her eyes fell on me. "Novice Hathaway?" Looking at our group you could see her recognize my mother and Dimitri before her eyes came back to me and then Abe. "Won't you please step inside?" she asked nervously, looking around and discerning most of the school were gawking at our arrival.

Pavel stepped forward, issuing instructions into his radio.

"Secure the building. Group B proceed to your task." Like clockwork the Guardians split into groups, taking up strategic positions around the exits. A smaller group followed us inside and stationed themselves in the hallway outside Kirova's office. Gesturing us inside, Abe and I were seated in front of Kirova's rich mahogany desk. Mom, Pavel, and Dimitri took standard guarding positions while Kirova sat down warily behind her desk.

"Mr. Mazur. Thank you so much for making an appointment to see me. How can I help you?"

"Headmistress Kirova," Abe began. "May I introduce my head of security Guardian Pavel? You know Guardian Belikov and Guardian Hathaway, of course, and our daughter Rose."

You could almost see Kirova's thoughts spinning in her head.

"Your daughter?"

"Yes – Rosemarie Hathaway-Mazur."

Kirova's face was a classic Kodak moment. I never want to forget the look of shock, and then horror, as she realized her most troublesome student was not just the daughter of a highly decorated Guardian, but also that of an extraordinarily wealthy and by all accounts rather dangerous mobster!

"Yes of course," she said, smiling brightly at me. "We're so happy to see you safe Rose," she said, her smile not reaching her eyes.

"Safe. Yes." Abe continued, tenting his fingers. While he said the words quietly, something about the way he said them was menacing. "Janine and I are indeed relieved that Rose was able to make it to the safety of my home after the Strigoi attack during her field assignment. What I am less happy about is why she needed my protection."

Looking at Kirova, Abe said nothing more, but I could tell she found his silence discomforting. More to break the silence than anything else she blurted out, "I think Guardian Petrov should be here for this discussion. She was present during the attack." Lifting the handset on her phone, Kirova dialed a number, ordering Alberta to come to her office.

Abe just sat there as we waited, tenting his fingers and watching Kirova calmly. It was a little scary to see. He was observing her much the way a spider would a fly; a fact which was not escaping Kirova's attention. With a knock Alberta was at the door. Stepping inside, she had her cool Guardian mask on.