"Thanks for coming in today, Mr. President," the Mayor of the city said.
The President rose from his chair, and the two men shook hands.
"I'm always glad to help you in anyway I can, Mayor Taylor," the President said with a smile. The President's smile, though, did not reach his eyes, which were full of concern.
"You know I could have just called your office," the Mayor said, gesturing to the man sitting next to him.
"Yes," the President replied. "But I owe it to you to do this in person." The President turned and faced the other man. He had just arrived from the country that the town was located in.
He stood five and a half feet tall, with deep, brown eyes, a craggy face, and a thick, bushy beard. His dignified gray beard made him look no older than thirty.
"Good morning, Mr. President," said the man.
"Good morning, Wallace," the President began. "This is the Mayor of Silver Spring, that is, the head of our secessionist government."
"How do you do, Mayor Taylor," said the man, shaking the Mayor's hand.
No one present knew whether the man was the Mayor of Silver Spring. He wore a simple black robe, whose front was a simple breastplate. The only mark on the breastplate, though, was the Seal of the House of Representatives, which was not normally a part of the seals of individual cities in the country.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Mayor," the man said.
"You must be from Silver Spring," the Mayor said, leaning on the table, looking out the window. "How can I help you?"
"The House of Representatives of Silver Spring has heard that you're having trouble with gangs, and we would like to send you some peacekeepers," the man said.
"I think it's a little more than a mere gang problem," the Mayor said. "The gangs have been around since before I was even born. The problem seems to be getting worse." He leaned forward on the table. "Right now, I can't even go to the grocery store because of masked gunmen, and I'm supposed to be guarding it, for God's sake!"
The man from Silver Spring turned to the President and said,
"We heard about that, and I'm glad that you weren't hurt."
"How did you hear about that?" the Mayor asked, surprised.
"We have representatives in Goldman Field," the President said. "I'm glad that you weren't hurt. "The man from Silver Spring gulped and reminded himself that the President had given him the mission to give peacekeepers to the mayor.
"I think you should take the peacekeepers," the President said. "It may stop the violence. That grocer is one of my constituents, and the problem is close to home."
"As you wish, Mr. President," the Mayor said.
"Do you know when you'll send them?" the President asked, picking up a piece of paper.
"Today, if you wish," the man said. "You're welcome to come along."
"I'd be glad to come, too," the Mayor said.
"I'm sorry." The man turned to the President. "I'm supposed to go alone."
"How will you show who the peacekeepers belong to?" the Mayor asked.
"I've got a peacekeeper that will serve as a translator," the man said, "but there is one other item I should warn you about."
"What's that?" the Mayor asked, surprised.
"You must obey any order I give," the man said.
"I don't understand," the Mayor said.
"If I order you to do something, you must do it," the man said slowly.
"What kind of things are you talking about?" the Mayor asked.
"The peacekeepers will have the right to command you as they see fit," the man said.
"You mean my police force," the Mayor said.
"Exactly," the man said. "They may order them, and then the peacekeepers may order you."
"Obey me?" the Mayor said, amazed. "That's ridiculous!"
"I must warn you about this," the man said. "You could die. I'm only here to keep you safe."
"You're being ridiculous!" the Mayor said. "If you wanted to kill Mayor Taylor, you wouldn't be sending him guards, right?"
"It is my duty to protect the people of Silver Spring, in any manner I see fit," the man said.
"I still say you're being ridiculous," the Mayor said.
"The peacekeepers will arrive on horseback," the man said. "There is no other way."
"I can send my police on horseback, too."
"They will not obey you. They will obey them."
"I can't believe you're saying this."
"If you refuse to accept the peacekeepers," the man said, "they will be captured and killed. All we want is to protect you. If you refuse to take them, it will mean that you wish for us to kill them. I wish to avoid this, but I must warn you that the decision is yours to make."
"I know you're from Silver Spring, but this is nonsense," the Mayor said.
"Mr. Mayor," the President said, walking around the table, standing next to him, and putting a hand on his shoulder. "This may not be nonsense. What if the separation did something to the peacekeepers? I heard that the Prime Minister of the country was killed by his own guards. Maybe you should take the peacekeepers."
"I'll take them," the Mayor said, turning to the other man. "I'm sorry if I offended you, sir."
"You don't offend me," the man said.
"Thank you, sir," the Mayor said, shaking his hand.
"Is there any way I can return to the city with you?" the President asked.
"Yes," the man said. "I'll have the peacekeeper who is the translator stay in the city with you. That would be better, of course."
The man turned to the President and said, "Thank you, Mr. President."
"It's been my pleasure," the President said.
The peacekeepers led the Mayor and the President to their horses and the two men rode across the town.
"You won't believe this," the Mayor said.
"It can't be too bad," the President said. "We're only at 15,000 feet already."
"Excuse me?" the Mayor said.
"We're fifteen thousand feet up," the President said. "But you should see the city from here."
"I'm not sure what to make of this either," the Mayor said.
The two leaders rode alongside the peacekeeper.
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