- Over at the Mellower's mom's (a.k.a. Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham), Tendai is getting sick of her laundry list of rules.
- They can only eat porridge while the dogs get steak. Evidently they are show dogs and more special than humans.
- Rita is starting to feel better, but Tendai is still dealing with his chicken pox, and Kuda has come down with it, too.
- At least Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham puts ointment on their spots so they don't scar.
- He wishes Rita would be nicer to Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham. The two of them bicker about everything and it's getting annoying.
- Not only that, but Tendai can tell that Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham is proud of her family's heritage in Parliament and doesn't want to be treated like some nanny or servant, which Rita insists on doing.
- They've already been there a couple days, and Tendai knows something is wrong.
- He's asked to call his folks a bunch of times, but each time, Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham has an excuse.
- At first, she claimed she called and their parents weren't home; then she told them their parents were on vacation in Beijing.
- Tendai couldn't see that happening with the kids still missing, though.
- Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham also said they can't go home yet because they'll infect too many people. Sure, but germs don't spread over the phone.
- It's clear that Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham has an ulterior motive, but we're not sure what it is yet.
- Tendai figures she wants ransom money but doesn't think his dad would pay it. After all, that only encourages gangs to hold important people hostage.