After a delicious meal, Nathaniel finds himself sitting with the President and the First Lady, Malia having been sent to bed albeit begrudgingly. After Alexander had stormed off, they managed to have some fun and forget the whole event.
"You are really good with kids, Malia is usually shy with strangers and in less than five minutes you had her in your pocket."
"Well, I like kids, maybe it's because I'm still one?" He gave her a wolfish smile that made her grunt in amusement.
"You are no kid, Nathaniel."
"If I'm not a kid, what am I?" He asked, sipping into his drink of orange juice.
He had not missed the hidden smile that the couple exchanged when he ordered an orange juice when they had asked for two coffee after dinner was over.
"Something else, I will find out the truth about you someday." She stated, challengingly.
"I'm an open book for you to look into Linda. After all you can tell when I'm lying, it seems unfair even considering I can't do it to you."
"Each person has their talents, I can read micro expressions on people's faces. What are yours exactly? "
"Reconnaissance, infiltration, assassination. Hand to hand combat specialist, sniper with basically every weapon on the planet and knife mastery. Not as glamorous as yours but it's equally helpful depending on the situation." He shrugged.
"Sniper with every weapon on the planet? I can tell, you believe that to be true but I think you are delusional." She shakes her head in disbelief.
"William?" Nathaniel asked.
"It's true dear. Each time based on the report he comes unarmed and always manages to kill everyone with their own gun with an accuracy unmatched by anyone in the army or intelligence. So far, he never missed a bullet in action, that stat had Tobias rattle in more way than one." The President said with a little smile, thinking back at that conversation.
"And how are you so accurate with firearms?"
"Video Games." Nathaniel answers with a smile, making Linda laugh.
"You don't strike me as a gamer."
"Maybe because I'm not. To give you an idea, when I was ten I liked to read my mother's case files rather than playing outside. I always like to read, that was why I didn't make a lot of friends in school I guess. I was and still am to a degree a loner who likes to do things my way."
"I can still see it in you. I did not expect you to be so forthcoming with information about yourself." Linda said surprised.
"It's because I want you to feel at ease. I'm going to ask you something that you will not like even a little bit." Nathaniel added ominously.
"What do you want to ask of me?" She asked curiously.
"It's more to the two of you. Tomorrow is Saturday, since it's not a school day I want to take Alexander out of the White House to have a talk."
Exchanging a stare, the couple seem to have a silent discussion before William answers him.
"Well, I don't think he will be okay to come with you but I think we can convince him to do it. Go with him with an extended escort of Secret Service agents and everything will be fine for us."
"No, sir. I don't think you understood me correctly. No convincing, no Secret Service escort. Just me and him, alone away from here." Nathaniel shook his head.
"What!? No!" Linda shouted with firmness.
"Linda, he does not listen to you anymore, you said it yourself. I think I can get through to him but only if we are completely alone with no outside interference."
"I don't care, find another way!"
"William?" Nathaniel asked for help, seeing the mixed feeling painted on his face. Turning to her husband, Linda was surprised to see the expression on his face.
"Are you actually considering this craziness?" She asked in disbelief.
"Linda, we tried everything and he stone-walled us every step of the way. We are actually considering sending him into a military school to prevent him from causing more trouble. If Nathaniel's ideas have only a little chance to succeed, I think we should go for it."
"Linda, you invited me to dinner in hope that would do exactly that so why are you so categorical? I promise nothing would happen to him, I will protect him with my life if the need arises." He swore wholeheartedly.
That seemed to placate her a little bit as she started to calm down, walking around.
"You will keep him safe?" She asked again.
"Yes, He will come back to you unharmed, I promised."
"He better be! If he were to be injured in any way, I will be taking it on you. Do not mistake me, I know how skilled you are but I will make you pay if something happens to my son because of you. Do we understand each other?" She asked threateningly.
"Yes, I have no doubt about it Linda." Nathaniel nodded seriously.
"Do you need something?" William asked.
"In fact, I do." Nathaniel starts to tell him what he needed before tomorrow morning making the father and mother pair knitting their eyebrows hearing what he asked for.
"Why in the hell will you need that? And how are you going to convince Alexander to follow you out of the house without him throwing a tantrum?" Linda asked.
"I think it would be better for everyone if you were to not know about this. For your own piece of mind." Nathaniel advised.
"Fine!" Linda said through gritted teeth. "Just remember your promise." She grunt before leaving the room angrily.
"Well, I can see the resemblance with Alexander on that one." Nathaniel said with humor making the President grunt in amusement.
"You know Linda is trusting you a lot to let you take Alexander out for a day, I hope he really comes unharmed or you'll get an earful and you will not like the experience, trust me."
"I will protect him, you can be sure of that. Besides, I already got one of those today."
"Really? From who?" William asked curiously.
"My grandfather, let's just say he was not really happy to learn I was working for you." Nathaniel sighed bitterly.
"What? You told him?" William asked, dumbstruck.
"I had no choice, the truth was out the moment he saw me kill five terrorists with two throwing knives in two seconds. Anyway, he deserved the truth, we are all going to be a target, not saying anything would put them at risk, something I would never do. You should prepare yourself to get a phone call from him soon enough." Nathaniel added.
This time, it was not Nathaniel who sighed.