The Pseudo-Chronicles of Mark Huntley

Capitol Gains - 11/04/04

Thursday, November 4, 2004

Rence, who had never been to the Capitol building before, was surprised that you could just basically drive right up to it. 

There were obstructions, but they were the media’s fault, not the government’s. News vans and cameramen and reporters jammed the whole area, playing out their Election Night spiels with the majestic dome in the background of their shots. 

Rence pulled the sedan into the crowded lot in front of the West Front's grand plaza and said, "Isn't this when the intruder alarms go off?"

"Nope, only if you step on the grass," I said.

"We're definitely not going to fit in, though," he worried, looking through the windshield at the logos of the various news vehicles. Capitol guards waded through the jumble, keeping an eye on things. They had guns.

"We'll just wait here for the guy," I said. 

A silver who worked in Congress would meet up with us and escort us into the building, so sayeth Rafael.

Naomi nudged me. "What if he isn't able to see us in all this mess? We should get out and get closer to the Capitol."

"But where?" I looked at the huge complex of the Capitol and sighed. "I don't know where you go in. Our friend-to-be works in the House, but I don't even know which side that is."

"South wing," Alyce spoke up, leaning forward. She gave me a grin. I could feel Naomi frown behind me. "Sounds like someone was playing hooky during civics class, Mark."

I'd tried to persuade Alyce that coming along with us would put her in danger. I told her it'd make me feel a lot better if we could just drop her off elsewhere. 

But she'd dug in her heels, especially after I mentioned where we were going. A strange look had crossed her face, and she'd said, "Now you really won't get rid of me." Patriotic-minded beyond reason, I supposed.

"All right," I said. "Everybody wants to get out, we'll get out— just don't blame me if the Capitol Police smash you up nose-first against one of those vans." 

Naomi opened her door and got out, and I crawled out after her. I glanced back at Alyce, who was opening her own door. "Are you sure you don't want to— uh— wait in the car?"

She shook her head, her wild brown hair staying perfectly in place as her head moved. The wonders of hair spray. "Wait in a stolen car by myself? No thanks, sport."

Rence laughed. "The kid does have a good point."

Alyce cast a withering look at him. "Kid? I'm seventeen. I'm 'legal' in the District and Maryland." She turned her head ever so slightly in my direction. My face reddened, I couldn’t help it. "So kidhood is behind me."

Rence's face had also made like a tomato. "Uh... er..."

"She still can't vote, boys," Naomi cut in. "Come on, we're wasting time."

We gave the reporters, cameramen, and Capitol Police as wide a berth as we could on a roundabout path to the House side of the Capitol. Still, it was naive of us to think that we could just slip by without being noticed by anyone. 

Either the Capitol guard himself saw us or some alert bystander tipped him off to our presence; I heard him holler, "Excuse me!"

"Run for it?" Alyce whispered.

"Did you not notice the guns?" I shot back. "Everybody stop."

"Excuse me," the guard said again, hustling up to us. "Could I see your press passes, please?"