"Who needs protection?You?"
"No, I don't need protection. You will protect the people I love. My wife, my two sons, my parents, my siblings and their families. Here's the list."
"But not you?"
"Right. Not me."
"For how long?"
"A year, maybe two. I have to accomplish many things. To do that I need to be free. Those, who will be against it know me well. They know I cannot be intimidated or coerced. But I can be scared for the loved ones as we all can."
I glanced at the list. It contained many names. Something odd struck me. I raised my eyes at the man and saw him smiling.
"Yes," he said, "You will have to protect the whole town. That's simple."
The PM was visibly amused. He relaxed in the chair and poured himself a glass of water. Then he opened his briefcase and produced a package,
"Here are maps, schematics and blueprints; the whole stuff about my hometown. And here are 10 million dollars in cash. Will that be enough?"
"Do you want to know how we'll do it?"
"No. There's only one condition. You have to be invisible. Whatever you do, the people of the town have to live their lives as usual."
"What if someone wants to leave?"
"The children of mine have to stay in school for two years more. No one from the list will leave before that. Of course, if someone not on the list would like to leave, you can't protect that person. But as you may see, nearly the whole town is on the list. Two years--
The man got up. In the dimmed light coming from the narrow window he looked huge, powerful, even menacing. He shook my hand.
"We all count on you," he said.
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