Mitya Rodiontsev, a young employee of the research institute, became one of those who were in the close entourage of the director's secretary. Having become a ‘man of the entourage’, Mitya was no longer engaged in science, but was now doing favours for those who needed him, openly respected him and saw him as a future leader. But one day Rodiontsev was not invited to the director's office for the weekly tea party. . . .
