Mark Spaid - Falcon Down

“Yes, I’m afraid we do,” Tatiana answered.

“I don’t like it here,” Belinda said and there were smiles, though they were suppressed so as not to get Belinda into one of her states.

“Lind, I’ll stand outside while you shower and not let anyone else inside,” Tatiana said.

“You can do that here?” Belinda asked.

“Normally, no but no one will get past me.” They laughed at that.

“I must seem like a baby but it kind of caught me by surprise.”

“Forget it, there are individual stalls but when you step out the shower the whole bathroom can see you. Some of the native girls might be in shock when they see you in your natural state,” Tatiana said grinning and they all laughed at that.

“Yes, it would be eye opening and humbling when they looked in the mirror at themselves. My figure is overwhelming to even an above average looker,” Belinda said with a smile and her head held high. Tatiana looked at Jozette and grinned as Jozette rolled her eyes and sighed.

“We have our girl back,” Tatiana said as she put her arm around Belinda.

“Ma’am, I apologize for the conditions here,” Bonnie said.

“It’s hardly your fault Bonnie and it’s not that bad. We knew it wouldn’t be like a posh hotel in the states or Europe. It’s clean and comfortable.”

“I still feel bad.”

“Bonnie, when Don and I were first married we lived in a crummy apartment above a bar. We couldn’t get to sleep until two a.m. and the whole place smelled of booze and popcorn.” Bonnie looked at Ellen and grinned. “We survived and we’ll all survive here as well.”

“Okay, Ma’am but what about your supper?”

“Trent went out to get something. You, Clarice, Kent, Andrew and I will dine in my room at the deluxe dining table.” Bonnie laughed at that. The hotel had pushed two dining room tables together and covered them with a thin table cloth.

“Does Andrew have to dine with us?” Andrew Bellingham was the foreign affairs advisor to the President. He’d been Secretary of State in a previous administration, had headed the CIA, was ambassador to England and he’d taught international relations for ten years at Harvard. Yes, he was very well qualified.

“What’s wrong with Andrew?”

“He’s too… I don’t know, uh.”

“Smart,” Ellen said with a grin.

“Yes… no… yes. I don’t know but he makes me nervous he’s so smart.”

“He makes me nervous too, Bonnie, but he’s the best and I need him, especially during this trip.”

“Okay, Ma’am.”

“It’ll be fine, Bonnie, and besides we’ll be too worried about the food giving us ptomaine.” Bonnie laughed and shook her head.

“Kind of a strange place,” Andy said.

“We’re in Eastern Europe, very Eastern Europe, very Slavic,” Tatiana said.

“What’s that?” Belinda asked. Justin looked at Little Wolf.

“It’s a cultural thing,” Little Wolf said.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s how the people dress, what they eat, what music they listen to, what language they speak even where they go to church.”

“They’re different than us?”

“Yes.”

“Are they Catholic?”

“No, the Christians are Russian Orthodox, Miss Belinda”

“What’s that?” Belinda asked.

“It’s a religion that is very close to Catholicism. It’s kind of a cousin to Catholicism.”

“You mean they’re like me?”

“No one is like you, Miss Belinda.” Belinda smiled from ear to ear and made a face at Jozette who shook her head but said nothing.

“What about tomorrow?” Andy asked.

“The girls are going for a walk and sight-seeing,” Jozette said.

“So, what do the men do?” Andy asked.

“Well, Warren and I are going to meet and discuss physics,” Dave said.

“I’d like to hear that if I may,” Little Wolf said.

“Be my guest,” Dave said.

“What about us?” Andy asked looking at Justin.

“I have a meeting with the President at nine a.m.,” Justin said. There was a brief silence and Andy sighed.

“A solitary boy, Ebeneezer Scrooge, left alone and deserted by his friends and family,” Andy quipped and Warren chuckled.

“You’re welcome to join us, Andy. We’re going out for lunch afterwards,” Dave said.

“Am I a pathetic case upon whom you’re showing pity or do you need a fourth for bridge?” Andy asked. Dave pondered the question.

“Perhaps both,” Dave said chuckling and Andy grinned.

“Thanks, but I think I’ll wander the city on my own.”

“Suit yourself but the offer’s open,” Dave said.

“We’ll be discussing Quantum Theory. This could be your big chance to broach the world of physics,” Warren said.

“No thanks. I took algebra and geometry but I got a C in Trigonometry and I figured I’d reached my zenith in math.” Warren and Dave grinned.

“We can meet back at the lobby to go out for supper if you like,” Jozette offered and they all agreed.

“Andrew, I seek your wisdom frequently as you know because my knowledge of international relations is sketchy at best.”

“Yes, Madam President.”

“I enjoy your honest approach to things, Andrew, and you are by no means a yes man.”

“I’ve advised Presidents in the past and will do so in the future if asked. You are no more or less familiar with the world than any of them, Andrew said.

“You’re kidding, I thought I was the worst.”

“No, Ma’am, because none of them knew anything and you’re no worse than the rest.”

“I hope that wasn’t intended to reassure me,” Ellen said.

“No, Ma’am, just to make you aware of your need to know more.”

“Your honesty is refreshing as always, Andrew.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.” Ellen grinned.

“Do you anticipate any problems with the treaty?”

“Yes.” Ellen looked surprised.

“You do?”

“Yes, there are always problems with the Russians even back to the Imperial days.”

“Explain, please.”

“They propose ideas for an arrangement such as this treaty then when you meet to finalize it, they have additions and usually take back some of what they proposed initially.”

“Do you expect that this time?”

“If they’re true to form then yes. The Russians are very hard to deal with over any matter.”

“What will they take back or add?”

“Impossible to say, you can’t predict what they’ll do.”

“How should we handle it?”

“Their foreign secretary Vasily Glasovitch, with be there alongside Deniken. I should be next to you on the first day. It is better if the two secretaries argue their side.”

“What about the second day?”

“Glasovitch will be gone and so will I. It’ll be just you and Deniken.”

“What do I do?”

“On the first day you and Deniken will confer with Glasovitch and me and after we have hashed things out the two Presidents will state their positions.”

“Will we reach an agreement?”

“Not right away and there’ll be a recess where we can talk alone,” Andrew explained.

“You and Glasovitch met last year and hammered out the framework of the agreement. Why are we having problems now?”

“That’s the way these things work, Ma’am.”

“Do we give in to their demands?”

“No, not at all. We bargain, we push back against what they’re asking for, we make our case and see what happens.”

“Any predictions?” Ellen asked.

“I never make predictions, it limits flexibility.”

“Will we go back home with a signed agreement?”

“Too early to tell,” Andrew said and Ellen sat back and sighed.