The Seer strolled in the garden, breathed the leaves’ freshness, enjoying silence. The Functionary phoned and told him about the incident on the Pobeda station.
“It has begun,” the Seer was rubbing his forehead hard. “The Power emerges. What next? Soon he will come to the City. Who will stop him? Could he be not a harbinger of the disaster, but a person that can save and protect us? Why did he take the girl with him? She was the reason for the conflict. What if he just wanted the fight and tested the power? Subconsciously?”
The Seer remembered about the Soldier, caught the information, “Will we see each other soon? Yes, very soon. Now he is not afraid of me”, then he grinned and said aloud: “I will find you myself.”
Incredulously he looked at his big beautiful house, lovely garden, well-groomed trees, flowers, and said through his teeth:
“All that’s missing is peacocks”.
The Soldier was brought into the office.
“The key, quickly,” the Chief ordered to his assistant. “Give order to bring us some food.”
He unlocked the manacles himself, apologized for the rudeness of his people.
“I’ve heard a lot of good about you. It’s an honor for me to see you here. I wish the circumstances were different,” he nodded on the manacles.
“No offence. I understand,” the Soldier said good-naturedly.
“Great. Let’s eat, drink some brandy.”
“Call the girls,” the Soldier continued.
The Chief laughed carelessly. “That’s my boy. Made the old man smile… To the Stranger!” he declaimed rising the glass of brandy.
The Soldier sneered: “Overacting”, but nodded and emptied the glass. They ate and drank unhurriedly. Having finished the meal, the Chief asked,
“Do you want to read the dossier of your friend?”
The Soldier assented by a nod. Reading the information he realized that the Stranger was not a naïve dreamer with a mysterious power, but a person that went through the mill and knows life. Though the profile was based on the facts, the details were changed, that’s why it formed the different vision of the Stranger. He looked like a martyr, his opposites like villains. The recent events were mentioned too, as well as persons responsible for them: the Seer and the Functionary, the inner investigation being initiated against the latter.
“What do you say?” the Chief asked, following closely the Soldier’s reaction. He was pleased with the effect.
“What do I say?” the Soldier repeated. “The world is unfair. The Stranger has the same gift, but he doesn’t boast of it. The Seer broken the laws of hospitality, he attacked my friend but met the rebuff. The Stranger took mercy on him. The Seer has everything. This man has bought the world. And he decided to finish the Stranger, the pariah, with your hands, because he was not able to beat him.”
“I agree with you. The Stranger is a unique person, but he is alone and the Seer has everyone in hands. It’s unfair. Believe me, we bear him no malice.”
“I need to see him.”
“Whom?”
“The Seer. I have to talk to him.”
“Can you persuade him not to persecute the Stranger?”
“I will try,” the Soldier looked at the Chief meaningfully.
“We will not help you.”
“Just don’t interfere.”
“We have no right to arrest you. Have some rest, think it over. Then, if you like, we’ll continue this talk. I’ll show you the way.”
The chief was very happy and gave the Soldier a hug at parting. He believed that they had a chance to get the better hand in the long and exhaustible confrontation of the two legendary special services.
The job requiring a lot of preparations was reserved for the Soldier, but first of all is sleeping. He was on the verge. He came home, took hot shower, ate a sleeping pill that he could not go without for a long time and drowned in a leaden nervous sleep.