The next day Ruthra met with Hent, the latter was in high spirits.

– Well, did you bring the scientist to the coffin? – he asked, ostensibly seriously.

Ruthra realized that Hent was joking like that.

– How can you think that of me," Ruthra said with supposed indignation. – I tried my best to save him, and he went in there himself.

– What conclusions, what is your opinion? – Hent asked seriously now.

– I connected to you during the explanation to the members of the operational staff, nothing else so far.

– Yeah, I wrote it down. And further investigation, details, chronology of events at the firing range?

– Yarovitovich said he'd take care of his own. By the way, he sends his regards to you.

– Thank you," Hent laughed.

Ruthra, realizing he didn't quite get the humor, decided to clarify for himself.

– By the way, here's a question. He can call you, can't he?

– Well you businessman, even here forget to have a conversation about it," he said and pointed his finger downwards.

– And yet – what, there's no connection?

– Forget it. Of course there is, why would there be a "hub"?

Rutra wanted to ask what was behind "saying hello" to someone you could call, justifying it as not personal curiosity.

– That's it, cease and desist. Remember only the main task. The nuclear center in Sarov still hasn't figured out anything, continue the investigation, go to them, we need to understand what the point is. What are your thoughts on the matter?

– Perhaps it is because the operation of their supercomputer is based on the principle of parallel computing, while the program is encrypted using the serial mode principle.

– So check on another computer based on the right principle. If it helps, of course.

– You don't think so?

– I think some results should have been here.

– There's a supercomputer at the firing range, too. How does it work?

– It's the same. Even if there were another, he can't be "distracted".

– Which one can I use then?

– You had Los Alamos on your program, there.

– That's not what I was supposed to check with them, something else.

– And you check it out, we'll make a deal, it's in our system.

– How do I get the program out?

– You don't understand the level. The program is ours, it's being protected for us, not from us. We'll take it out in a special case, with an escort. Just finish it here. At least I'll be sure that everything we could check was checked. Do you understand? Think like they do. They knew we'd be looking where something related to top-secret storage. Something we don't see. That's why I gave you this assignment, knowing that you think abstractly, unconventionally.

– Thank you. Let me check what I've already outlined, so that I can feel more at ease in this sense, and then I'll calculate the completely unbelievable. Once I'm done in Russia, I'll go overseas. I want to check the data centers, Los Alamos, Area 51, NSA, and then I'll see what sequences arise. You won't have any problems?

– Oh, I see the level. You've obviously benefited from the range. It won't be a problem, we have a single center and purpose.

– Just a question. I realize I'm supposed to be above some "coasts", but still – why take control of our Perimeter system and not theirs?

– You probably know the answer to the question, you just want confirmation. What they have is already under control. You'll see for yourself at Area 51. And only Russia has the Perimeter system. That's it. Whoever created it didn't just make it clever, they envisioned a lot of things. It's not just one person, it's a team, you can't get into their brains like you can into ours. They will get into anyone's brain and soul.