A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE END OF his speech, a crowd of people gathered around him with news, statements and decisions to make and Kenan tried to stay focused on the various matters discussed. A true mental pandemonium. After those people left, he could finally sit at his desk and rest in peace.
Even after almost an entire term, every time he had to make a statement for television, he would become extremely nervous and the tension only passed after seeing everything finished.
He pulled his tie, already untied, and placed it on the table, stretching his legs wide to try to relax a little, the day had been tiring, his feet hurt in the leather shoes and he felt his muscles twitching after so much tension. He was surprised, however, by his advisor again:
— Sir, we have another problem happening...
— No Peter! Not anymore! Please, give me at least a few minutes of peace today! I haven't even been able to eat for hours because of this damn speech! — But it seems there's a new video on social media...
— Please, just a few minutes, okay?
— Excuse me, sir.
Peter left and left him alone.
The closest people now were his countless security guards around every wall of the huge room filled with presidential figures and objects. Finally the President could stretch his arms, lie down in his master chair and sigh for a few moments with relief at being alone with himself. The moment of peace lasted a few seconds, until the phone rang...
— Oh! For God's sake!... — he grumbled, forcing himself to look at the number that appeared on the phone's screen.
The ringing repeated nonstop. Kenan finally looked to confirm and saw that it wasn't coming from his secretary's extension, but the call was reported as "no number".
Who could it be?
He already knew all the numbers that could have access to that line, only the most important departments in the country, his advisors and secretaries and his family, but they were all numbers he already knew. Finally, after much hesitation, seeing that the ringing wouldn't stop, he decided to pull the phone towards him and answer the call.
— Mr. President — said a male voice, a little muffled and affected by the loud hissing that was disturbing the call, speaking softly and slowly, perhaps that of a man of a certain age, given the way he spoke.
— Do you know how to play?
Kenan was very startled by that inappropriate and provocative question. Confused and surprised, he asked:
— Who is this? — No one answered.
— Who is this? What game story is this? — He asked again.
The voice then replied:
— I know your moves, I see your pawns moving... I also have my moves...
— I should have you arrested for disrespecting my authority like that! How dare you speak to the President of the States like that...
— Do you think I don't know my opponents? — asked the strange voice, in a challenging tone. "I know very well who you are. I am not a coward, I am giving you a hint about myself. Please answer, what makes the American nation?
Kenan fell silent, there was no point in shouting, he even thought about hanging up, but, driven by his own curiosity and admiration for the courageous undertaking the stranger had made in managing to call him, he restrained himself and played his game:
— You hacked into the security system of the world's main government, entered the President's private network and managed to speak to him directly. You deserve credit for this, not for the criminal act, but for the skill in doing so. For this reason, I give you my words.
— Thank you, it is good to know that I will not be underestimated. This makes the challenge more enjoyable! — answered the voice in an almost didactic way. — But... please, give me the pleasure of your answer.
— What makes this nation? — Kenan continued, thoughtfully. — Hundreds of years of history could tell many things, a strong government, leading the world and prioritizing development, our patriotism...
— Madness! You speak, but you seem to not know the meaning of your own words! Or, I would dare say, you don't know what you were elected for...
Greater than the surprise of such a disrespectful response to someone with such political brilliance as him was his anger at such an act. Seized by a strong outburst, he began to shout and impose himself on the conversation:
— How dare you speak to me like that? Who are you after all? Mocking me and giving me political lessons... How dare you commit such disrespect to the President?
The voice just continued, with its soft and syllabic speech:
— What built something is what was there from the beginning, don't point to the result as what you yourself generated. None of that existed, but one thing had always been there...
Kenan almost hung up the phone on impulse, but as in every moment of his prosperous career, he was unable to resist the zeal of overcoming a challenge.
— Just answer now, before I hang up!
— I want to give you just the answer you need, I've been part of what exists since the beginning. I am the people.
Enraged by the tasteless joke and its meaningless outcome, Kenan prepared to hang up, but before he could do so, the call was ended by the intruder himself.
UNCONTROLLED RAGE took over his mind, he could not believe such an offense.
How could someone have the balls to do this to the President of the United States?
And who would be able to have direct access to his office?
Was he facing a new enemy or was it just a hacker trying to prank someone important?
The situation had the potential to become a new problem in his government, but the chances of this whole conversation being real were slim and, in any case, Kenan had bigger problems to solve.
Since it was a private line, no one would have monitored that embarrassing conversation and he decided that the episode should remain confidential.
Greg... you have to solve this shit as soon as possible...