Vasilievich stopped talking, and looked at Rutra. Rutra understood what all this story was about, but he still didn't understand what it had to do with the past videoconference. The chief was silent, so he decided to ask about the essence of the story.

– Do you believe there is a realistic possibility of such a program?

– It's called Perimeter. Let's go, you must thoroughly understand the subject and know it thoroughly. It's gonna be a big job.

One could guess from the expression on Vasilievich's face that he was pleased that Rutra had asked the question.

They got up and went to the elevator, took it up and went out into the courtyard of the research institute. A service car came to pick them up. The license plates bore the code 39 – the vehicle code of the 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Its functions include control over the maintenance, development, and operation of Russia's nuclear arsenal. Everyone in the car was silent, as if that was the way it was supposed to be.

At last we arrived at Bolshaya Znamensky Lane, house No. 19.

Two junior officers met them, calmly, dryly, and led them through the gate without checking their documents. The officer on duty looked carefully at the monitor, the system beeped, then he nodded to the escorts, and everyone went through.

The guests were led into a small office where a thin man with the rank of lieutenant general sat behind a long desk.

– Fyodor Ivanovich Sukhov," he introduced himself.

– Yury V. Zhemchuzhny, Senior Inspector at the UN of the Main Department of Control and Oversight Activities of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.

Ruthra was a little taken aback that he had to come here so soon and unexpectedly, and in a role he did not know. He had already heard about Vasilievich's methods of work and yet he did not know which name to use. His boss saved him. At that, he looked sternly at Rutra.

– My deputy," he said, pointing to Rutra.

– Paskhovsky Artur Lvovich," Rutra introduced himself.

In the car, he was handed fictitious documents. Due to the rush, he was a bit disoriented, but deciphered the situation.

They said hello and settled into their chairs.

– Now my assistant will tell you a little about our department," the general said, pointing to his assistant.

The young captain, electronic pointer in hand, stood at the wall with the telepanel and began to narrate, while at the same time moving the pointer across the panel, on which various images appeared that related to his story.

– A little general information," he began. – The tasks of the 12th Main Directorate are to study the destructive factors of nuclear explosions and to develop means and methods of atomic defense for troops and the population. Nuclear munitions were assembled in the following military units. We have prepared a printout for you.

"Claimed the news," thought Ruthra.

– The number of central nuclear weapons bases doubled in the ten years following their transfer to the Department of Defense.

– Excuse me, excuse me," Zhidkov interrupted him. – All these objects need to be checked?

– According to the topic you are interested in and the way the question is posed, in any regime point, especially those related to nuclear weapons, a hidden, disguised signal source can be installed. I mean, there is a technical possibility, the facility complies with the access regime," the general explained.

Vasilievich nodded. Rutra already understood what he was talking about. The problem Vasilievich was talking about was very serious, not to mention someone who didn't trust someone. After all, clearly the problem had not arisen "today", apparently the military had made every effort to resolve it. It was clear from what was going on that they had failed, since the President's administration, as Rutra already knew, was interested in it. The assistant continued after a moment's hesitation.