ONCE PREPARED, Tommy opened the door to the suite and there was his wife, waiting for him solicitously. Everything about that place gave an impression of superiority, people always in a good mood, excessive organization, polite and elegant words, something he would never get used to, perhaps.
— Oh! Excuse me! — she said, adjusting the knot of his tie and correcting the fastening of the buttons on his jacket. — Now we can go.
And he began his steps on that perfectly clean carpet.
Tommy was taken to a room on the same floor. Upon entering, he couldn't help but be amazed at the refinement of the place, the tidiness and even the smell of the room where the President ate his meals every day.
It must have been horrible for him to have dinner at my house... — he thought.
Led by the woman who had brought him, he sat down at one of the seats at the enormous, shiny rustic table, with the White House symbol carved into the wood, and waited, looking around every corner of the curious room. Everything was beautiful and exquisite, everything inspired an air the young man had never experienced before.
After the twenty minutes had passed, the door opened and President Kenan Vaine entered, followed by Inspector Floyd Kenagan and another gentleman, leaving a crowd of aides and other officials outside. Without much ceremony, Kenan sat down in his seat and Floyd did so as well. The third man remained standing, continuing the conversation he had been having since the corridors:
—As I was saying, we are employing all of our contract personnel. White House security has never been tighter, sir.
"Excellent, Tyson," Kenan replied seriously. "In our next conversation, we'll discuss the case of the employee who planted the wiretaps. I want full oversight and reports on the hiring process from the last term. I think you can handle that, am I right?"
— Yes, sir. — said the man, turning toward the exit. — Excuse me.
For the first time, Tommy felt some awe at being in front of the President. Perhaps all that reverent atmosphere was generating some sincere respect for Kenan within him. Floyd Kenagan started another conversation:
— Regarding the wiretapping case, I will have a team looking into the investigation later today. The woman, Allison Bates, is in custody and has responded to several inquiries. I left Agent Evans in charge of continuing the work, but unfortunately we were surprised by this whole setback. I need to find out how the case is progressing.
— This is unacceptable, Kenagan, — Kenan replied. — We were all surprised by this event. I still don't know what to think about public opinion of me... But let's talk about more relevant matters at the moment.
— Yes, Mr. President.
As Kenan spoke, people served the three of them their dishes. Culinary arts that the young man had never seen before, an amalgam of delicious smells and colors so beautiful that they only made him arouse his appetite in a unique way, even though he didn't know what it was all about. Definitely a very special menu for Tommy.
Kenan remembered the young man sitting at the table:
—By the way, thank you for accepting to have lunch with us, my dear! — Kenan said, not cheerfully, but receptively. — I would like to thank you for the support you gave us during these two days of agony that we have been through.
— You're welcome... — Tommy replied, deeply regretting not having been able to think of a less robotic and country-like answer.
Kenan found the boy's way of responding strange, but he understood the circumstances he found himself in. He continued his subject:
— I have an offer for you, boy.
Tommy remained silent, just listening to him.
— As you have probably noticed, I am going through a crisis with regard to the personnel who take care of my security. I need new people, and these people need to be capable of facing certain trials, many of which you have already proven yourself capable of. I want to extend this invitation to you: be my bodyguard.