Dieter Brandt turned the key in the lock of flat number 46 and stepped inside; Samuel Müller followed him with hesitant steps. Samuel’s blue eyes scanned the room; it was a flat of the utmost luxury, even if he worked his whole life, he wouldn’t be able to afford it. Only politicians, businesspeople and celebrities live in places like this. Dieter is a shrewd man who has built a property empire that no one can rival.

“Do you like the place?”

Dieter interrupted him in a calm, relaxed voice. Samuel looked at him and saw a quiet, refined smile that didn’t reach his eyes; he replied calmly.

“Yes… the flat is marvellous… Are all the flats in the building like this?”

Dieter laughed, a laugh devoid of any merriment.

“Actually, they’re even better than this. To be honest, all nine of my buildings are magnificent and luxurious.”

“So this one is considered modest, then?”

“No, perhaps… In any case, I’ll give it to you for free if you like.”

Samuel shuddered violently, his eyes widening at what he’d heard. He, an ordinary police officer who’d only started work five months ago, was going to get a flat of such grandeur?!

“But what’s in it for you?”

Samuel asked with genuine curiosity; he knew for certain that politicians, however angelic they might appear, never give anything away for free.

“Oh, absolutely nothing in return. I just want to help you.”

Samuel stood rooted to the spot. The idea of being helped like this for no reason didn’t stop his questions; rather, it only deepened his suspicions.

“Mr President, with all due respect, I’m not comfortable with this.”

“Well, will you feel at ease after we’ve had a glass of wine? Or after I’ve slept with you?”

Dieter winked at him, then headed for the drinks cabinet and fetched a bottle of fine red wine.

“Come on, don’t just stand there; come and have a drink with me.”

They sat down together, and Dieter poured wine into two glasses, one for himself and one for Samuel. He raised his glass, swirled it slightly, and said:

“Drink up. I promise you won’t taste anything but this.”

Samuel raised his glass and took a small sip of the wine; it had a strong, tangy flavour, yet was strangely sweet and refreshing.

“It really does taste lovely. Is this Pinot Noir?”

“Correct. Right, enough about the wine—tell me about yourself.”

“About myself?”

Samuel froze in his seat, wondering why Dieter might be interested in him. Was there really anything special about him? Or was Dieter up to something? Dieter interrupted his thoughts, saying:

“Samuel, don’t worry. Think of me as a friend and tell me: what’s your life been like, and why have you started flirting with your colleagues?”

Samuel frowned as he looked at Dieter in confusion; he couldn’t put off the conversation any longer, and besides, Dieter didn’t seem all that bad.

“All right, I’ll talk… but don’t interrupt me.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll listen to you right through to the end, and I won’t interrupt you.”

"Right then, I’ll start.... I was born on what they call a special date: 14 February 2014, and my life has been rather unusual too. My biological mother, Ashley Müller, was in a relationship with a woman called Mia. Of course, they’d been living together without being officially married for years. My mum conceived me using a sperm donor, and I don’t know who he is. I didn’t realise I was a test-tube baby until the war had destroyed everything. Anyway, my mum married her partner in late 2017. It felt strange to me; I used to see children my own age with normal families – a mum and a dad. My schoolmates would always ask me, ‘Where’s your dad?’, ‘Is your dad coming to speak at Father’s Day?’, ‘Why doesn’t your dad come and pick you up from school?’, ‘Don’t you go away at the weekend with your dad?’ And many, many more questions. I didn’t have any answers to them. I simply thought that my dad had left my mum and gone away. I didn’t realise that I was just something created in a laboratory. Anyway…… After the war, I was just entering my teens. I was constantly getting into trouble with Mum and Mia. I used to take it out on them for everything I’d been through, for everything I’d been deprived of. Mia harboured a deep-seated hatred of men and described them as monsters. I knew her father had been cruel to her, but that didn’t justify her cruelty towards me. The same went for my mum, Ashley. She didn’t hate men, but she had a sharp tongue and was cold. She didn’t see what I said as my right; instead, she described me as reactionary, backward, and boringly traditional. To be honest, I don’t know why she defended her marriage so fiercely. I’d see her talking to other women and men without Mia’s knowledge, and Mia wasn’t any better – she’d spend hours on the phone, flirting outrageously with her friends. Anyway, you know about the decisions after 2026? After the war, the new Slavic regime was established and we all submitted to it. My mum’s marriage to Mia was annulled, which caused even more tension in their relationship than before. I was treated as if I were a bargaining chip. Mia always used to say she couldn’t marry a  man. I don’t know when she started caring, but I know she was lying. Then there was my mum, Ashley, who constantly said she didn’t want to continue a relationship that might land her in legal trouble. Anyway, Mia died when I was 16. I didn’t understand what had happened to my mum at the time, but I didn’t want to ask her. The years passed and I was living with my mum, who’d found a job at a state school, and about two or maybe three months ago, she married a man called Frederick Klein. You might know him; he works as a prosecutor at the High Court. Well, he never accepted me – in fact, he probably hated me – and that’s why he asked my mum to kick me out. As for what happened between me and my classmate Felix… It was just a mistake. I mean, I fancied him; I wanted us to be together, even if it was a secret relationship, but it turned out he was more anxious than I was. Was he the one who reported me?”

Dieter set his empty glass down on the glass table, sighed, then leaned back on the sofa and folded his arms.

“Your story is very painful, Samuel. I also had a terrible mother; she put her own interests before mine and my brother’s, but never mind… As for your question, yes, it was Felix. You should have asked about him before taking such a foolish step.”

Samuel sighed and shook his head; he felt completely exposed.

“Do you hate your mother?”

Dieter spoke in a cold tone; the question was not unfamiliar to Samuel… He did indeed hate her, more than the word could convey. He furrowed his brow and his face darkened.

“Yes, I hate her. I hate her so much I wish she were dead!”

“Lovely. We have things in common.”

Samuel replied with disdain. 

“The fact that we hate our mothers doesn’t mean we have things in common! You’ve had a normal life—more than normal, in fact. You had a father, and no one bullied you. What’s more, you’re a billionaire and the head of a stable nation after the end of the world! You’ve got everything a person could wish for, and yet you say we have things in common?”

“You know nothing about my life… and don’t expect me to tell you.”

Dieter poured himself another glass of wine, leaned back on the sofa, and began to drink quietly. Silence reigned between them for a few minutes, until Dieter said in his usual cold tone.

“Didn’t you want to have sex with a man?”

Samuel replied, stammering.

“Yes… I mean, with you? Sir, you… I mean, are you gay too?”

The false warmth on Dieter’s face froze; his brown eyes narrowed with stern resolve, and his icy gaze settled on Samuel’s face as he spoke in a tone devoid of any pretence:

“No, I’m not gay… And I never will be. I’m doing this for your sake, so appreciate it without asking any questions.”

To be continued.........