The Protector (Complete)

Chapter 9

Greta kept her eye on her students as they bounded across the street to the street vendor selling hot pretzels. Although they had a giant breakfast, they had stopped at three different vendors on the way from the hotel to the convention center where the Computer Olympics were being held.

"Here, Miss Klassen," Isabella said as she came bounding back over nearly running into her teacher. "I got you a pretzel."

"Thanks, Isabella." Greta took a bite of the soft pretzel, which brought back the first time she had one just like it so long ago. "We need to hurry if we want to get to the convention center to sign in before the Olympics begin."

"Are we going to be late," Sofia whispered suddenly worried.

"I made sure we left with plenty of time," Greta reassured her.

"We could have taken the car provided for us," Patrick reminded her. "I don't know why we had to walk."

Greta stopped and put her hand out to stop Patrick from moving further. "Listen, Patrick, you will change your attitude right now, or I will take you out of the Olympics."

"I was just saying..."

"Did I ask for an explanation?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Just say 'Okay, Miss Klassen.'"

"Okay, Miss Klassen," Patrick finally grudgingly said. He wouldn't have given in so quickly if he hadn't caught sight of his clan members following the group. Although they weren't close to them, he knew they could easily tune their hearing and catch the conversation. Any disobedience to his teacher would be promptly brought to his father.

For the last two blocks to the convention center, the three young teenagers stayed by Greta's side. As they entered the building, they were bombarded by the conversations taking place by the hundreds of teenagers and adults in the room. Immediately Greta picked up several different languages being rattled off by the different cultures represented at the Computer Olympics.

"This way," Greta said, pointing to the tables off the right under the sign printed in several different languages that labeled the area for registration. She headed over to the only free person. "I'm here to check in my students."

"Name of the school," the young woman said in English with a thick Czech accent.

"Weston Prep."

The woman's head snapped up as did the older man standing next to her. Immediately he stepped over. "I'll take this, Irena." He waited for Irena to take the group he had been handling and then turned to Greta. "I am Joseph. I will help you. You are from Weston Prep? In the United States?"

Greta nodded her head. "I have three students."

Joseph typed a few things in the computer. "Ah, here it is. Patrick Goetz, Isabella Dymek, and Sofia Patterson."

"That's the three I came with," Greta replied. She waited as Joseph found the three folders.

"These are for the students. They will go in through those doors," he pointed to the left side of the building. "You can come back at three at the end of the day."

"I'll wait for them in there."

Joseph felt his face drain slightly of color. "Oh, um, we don't really allow teachers to go in with the students."

"Well, I'm glad you'll make this exception for me," Greta said with a flashing smile.

"We can't make exceptions. The Computer Olympics are only for the students. Adults aren't allowed in the room." Joseph quickly tried to make the rules clear.