Magic Children

Chapter 18 Ural Mountains, Russia - Angel

"This is disgusting."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did they serve you caviar and steak while you were in solitary for the last decade?" Felix is still presenting me with something he's claiming is food.

"No, they put a tube down my throat, thank you for asking, what is this supposed to be?" I gesture to the plate which I float in the air in front of me in order to gesture at it. I'm changed into a thick turtle neck, a deep green sweater, and thick snow pants, as well as boots. They had no real water to wash my hair with, but they did have wipes for my face which will have to do. I also want to shave, it's been weeks, not that I'm allowed razors but the guards use electric on me now and again. I much prefer a straight razor. In theory. I've never actually used one. But I prefer the aesthetic.

"That's disgusting," Felcia says, "And stupid why didn't you get food?"

"Straight jacket and muzzle----what is this?" I ask, pointing to the inedible glop.

"It's field rations, they're only half bad and it's all you're getting, princess," Felix says, sitting down across from me.

"My standards of living have not been altered due to my temporary confinement-----there must be something else? People cannot live off of this?" I ask, poking at it with a fork still without touching it.

"Funnily enough they do," Felicia says, "It's that or peanut butter; we have that as well. It's somewhat frozen."

"I may just abstain unless I can identify a food group," I say, studying it. It appears to be a mass that may contain beans I do not know for sure.

"All right, once you're done hypnotizing your food, we'll go over the plan," Felix says.

"What is it intended to be?"

"The plan?"

"The food."

"Pasta—spaghetti."

"It isn't though," I set down the plate, "I appreciate the offer. I'm considering eating it."

"Dare I ask when you last ate?"

"Put food in my mouth? Months, possibly close to a year at this point that's why it's not overly appealing now—with this, I did expect a first meal to be a bit more put together," I admit.

"Sorry to disappoint, let's go over the plan," Felicia says not overly sorry.

"This is a map of the surrounding mountains. We are here," Felix points to an inscrutable map that's barely in English. "There, just there, is a Russian nuke base. We need to get into it, quietly without them sounding any alarms and take pictures of what they're doing."

"And I'm the getting in?" I ask.

"Correct, they told us that you would be able to get us in. It's not half a day's walk in the snowshoes and luckily we have a pair for you," Felix says, pleased with himself.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you think I have any intention of setting foot outside this fucking tent? No, not happening," I say, poking at the food with the fork still they did say there were meatballs. That is not how meatballs are intended to look ,also that might be part of a rat. "I'll warp over there, let myself in, and you hike on over and meet me, yeah?"

"How do you plan on getting us in?" Felicia asks.

"I'm gonna open the front door or whatever sort of door they have, and if I can't figure out how to open it, just break it. Total disclosure, I'll probably just go with that second one. I'm not necessarily patient," I say, giving up on the food. I'm not eating that. I'm not that hungry yet.

"All right, we take what pictures we need, then reconvene here," Felicia says.

"Do we need to be worried about how you'll prevent us from being noticed?" Felix asks.

"Nope."

"Because you can't just wreck the place and kill them, this does need to be subtle," Felicia says.

"Message received, I can be subtle, when are we doing this?" I ask.

"Tomorrow, figured we'd let you sleep first after the flight here."

"That's fine," I wouldn't care I'll do it today. But they could be right. A night's sleep out of my chains might do me some good.