THE FIVE FINISHED THE MEAL prepared in a hurry by Greg, without much observation or pause for tasting. Before the silence could create an echo, the girl decided to start a conversation:
— Are you satisfied? — he asked with a certain charisma.
—It was certainly very good. — Kenan gladly played the FBI's most famous agent.
— Yes, yes, thank you. — Floyd Kenagan replied socially.
— I hope everything works out... — Katherine tried to be attentive.
Kenan was surprised to see that, even after so many problems, the young woman was still trying to please them. He felt sorry, then a little satisfied. He replied:
— Do you have faith that you will, my young lady?
—I hope so, she replied blushing.
— If we have people like you in the White House, everything will definitely work out! — Kenan said encouragingly.
Tommy just stared at him with an unfriendly look.
"People like us?" Katherine asked. "We're just ordinary people... I... I'm just a librarian, I deal with books."
"My dear," Gregory Evans said softly, "everyone has their own power to change something. A dedicated librarian can shape thoughts and guide lives through their choices."
—I don't disagree, she replied thoughtfully. —but it's not like being... well, a President . Someone who has power over an entire nation, or even over the biases of the world...
Kenan let out a friendly laugh and leaned back in his seat, his fingertips intertwined as he rested his arms on the table.
— Yes, without a doubt, but this same President can follow an ideology built by the librarian's books. Do you understand?
Katherine stepped back, embarrassed. Floyd Kenagan could only watch the conversation and wonder where Kenan was going with this.
— Look at it this way, — Kenan continued. — You and your husband were essential for us to escape the situations we had today. Who would have thought?
— Let's get to the point. — Gregory Evans interrupted the conversation. — What time are you leaving?
— I don't understand... — Kenan replied.
Tommy took the floor:
— I want to know how long it will take for my wife to be out of danger.
—We can't leave now! — Floyd Kenagan exclaimed nervously.
— Calm down! We don't need to get excited, — Kenan said. — You know what happened to us today, don't you?
— We all know, — Tommy replied passively.
— You know what happens if I'm exposed to people, don't you?
— I remember well how it was.
— Forgive me for bringing up the case, but your wife almost...
— Leave Katherine out of this! — Tommy said irritably.
— Okay, I just want to show you the reality. In fact, I don't even know how you haven't suffered the same insults...
— Maybe it's because I don't care. — Tommy took his last bite and dropped his cutlery onto his plate.
— That explains a lot... — Kenan replied with a dose of sarcasm — it just doesn't explain why Greg and Kenagan didn't suffer from this outbreak either.
— Greg is a mystery to any science.
Everyone laughed.
— Maybe it's because of hyperthymesia.
—And what the hell is that? — asked Tommy.
— People who remember absolutely everything in their lives — replied the President — probably the fact that he doesn't forget things is the weak point of this device that messes with people's heads.
— It's our advantage...
— And Kenagan? — asked Tommy.
— Not even God can explain that... — Greg replied, laughing.
The Chief Inspector looked at his long-time friend, but gave in to laughter.
— Be direct, then — Tommy said, changing the course of the conversation.
Kenan Vaine let out a soft sigh as he prepared for the explanation.
— We need a strategy, a plan so that I can travel to the White House safely. I can't just go out on the streets and expose myself to threats. I don't even know what will happen when I get there!
—How do we know nothing will happen? — Kenagan added. —How do I know no one there was affected?
— Even the transmission networks were hacked! — said Greg.
—I assume you've thought of something... — Tommy said, touching his wound that was bothering him a little after he had moved carelessly.
— I still don't have a plausible solution. The ideal, I believe, would be to make a direct trip there and without any strange armed soldiers on the way, so as not to have any conflicts.
—And how would you achieve this? — asked Tommy.
— First, we have to get some contact with the central office, but so far we have no telephone network.
—By the way, — Floyd Kenagan said, — Greg, do you have a home phone?
— Yes. — Greg said, standing up and showing where it was.
Floyd got up and walked over to the phone.
—If we make contact, how long before we have someone picking us up here? — Gregory Evans asked.
— It wouldn't take long, but we'll need protection... — replied the President.
— What kind? — Tommy asked eagerly.
—We cannot defend ourselves from attack if we do not have armed security with us, someone I can trust not to succumb while we travel.
— Send someone from there!
— It would be risky. We need to have someone who we know is not under the effects of this attack we suffered. — Kenan said, resting his elbows on the table and holding his hands together.
Finally Tommy looked at him grimly, with a look that showed understanding. He leaned back in his chair and replied:
— I see where you're going with this...
Kenan didn't say anything else. He looked around until he saw Floyd Kenagan, who was on the phone, trying to reach someone. He saw Gregory Evans looking thoughtful, his eyes moving from side to side with his head down, as if he were searching for the answer on the floor.
"What are you talking about?" Katherine asked as she sat back down at the table.
— I'll go. — Tommy said, looking at Kenan as if he ignored his wife's arrival.
Kenan gave a small smile. Katherine didn't understand:
— What are you going to do? What happened?
— It would be essential. — Kenan replied, looking at the young man defiantly but triumphantly.
— I already said I'm going. If it will move things along and get Katherine out of danger, it's the best thing to do.
— What are you going to do? — Katherine asked. — Are you going with him? You can't go in this state!
— K aty. — Tommy said, looking into her eyes. — Just listen to me. I'll be fine. The worst is over, but we still need to get you safely to the White House. I'll be back soon. Okay?
— No, Tommy! You're not in any condition! Look at this on your belly!
Tommy held her hands, trying to calm her down:
— I've been through a lot, Katy, but I couldn't watch something happen to you. Just let me do what's best for us.
Tommy looked at Greg who nodded, he didn't imagine that the agent knew about his double life, but he knew that the best thing at that moment was to keep the secret between everyone.
Katherine hated it when he acted like a big shot, talking to her as if she were his guard, but she sensed an unusual seriousness in what she had heard. She tried one last word:
— Since when do you know what's best for us?
Tommy didn't try to convince her, not only was it unnecessary, it would be impossible. Katherine had always been the reason for the two of them, even though she was a bit emotional. In every complicated moment, she tried so hard to get things back on track. He knew this, but he had a mission:
Protecting the one who had saved him from his own life...
—That's right. — he said looking at Kenan.
— Very well, — replied the President. — You will do your country a huge favor.
— I love clichés... — replied the young man in his old sarcasm.
— Don't worry, Tommy, Katy will be safe in my house, it's a completely safe place.
— Thank you, Greg, you live up to what Benedetti said about you.
— I hope that old bastard is right.
Tommy smiled.
That said, they could hear Floyd Kenagan's conversation on the phone, when he said:
— These are the coordinates, I only want the pilot in the helicopter, understand? Only with the pilot! We will be here.
The darkness of dawn was somewhat deceptive at that time, because it would be dawn soon. They couldn't even rest, and they would already be leaving for another mission.