Никанор Стариков – The Snipe’s Flight (страница 9)

Music was primitive, but Alice moved to its step with surprising, almost predatory grace. She not just danced – she studied me. Its movements were call, question which I had to answer with the same movements. I tried to correspond, accompanying role of slightly drunk, confused navigator, but inside everything has been compressed in spring. When it has nestled on me, in me the storm of emotions has blown up. Its soft and gentle embraces, has begun to smell her skin, the aroma of its gentle flower perfume confused me, reminding that I not only the agent, but also the man in young, strong body. For many years loneliness have created in me emptiness which this body desperately tried to fill. After dance it, without releasing my hand, has pulled me to rack.

– Two shot «Auruma Dust». For courage, – she has thrown to the bartender. Also has looked at me. I wanted to refuse, but her look did not leave space for maneuver. We have clinked glasses. Liquid has burned throat, leaving aftertaste of rancid cranberry and pure alcohol. The second shot has followed the first almost instantly, on its initiative. In the head has hooted, but the consciousness tempered in strict sober years kept as the rock. The body reacted differently: heat spread on veins, relaxing me.

And then there was what had to happen. We did not arrange. Just at some point when Gena has begun to shout the obscene song, and the captain, frowning, tried to stop up him with elbow, our views have met. In her eyes there was only understanding, fatigue and that call of flesh which is heavier than any arguments of mind. She has silently taken me by hand and has led from bar, without looking back at the others. Nobody has called to us. Here, on the outskirts of civilization, it was in the nature of things. We have silently gone to hotel to enjoy ours in the friend arisen desire which appears between the man and the woman.

The hotel into which Alice has brought me was called «Well». The poor, six-storied building from combined concrete panels stuck to the building of port as parasite. The elevator did not work. We have walked upstairs, the smelling mold and deodorant, on the third floor. The chip key Alice has opened door in number. The room was tiny as our sleeping capsule on «Scythian», but here was though some visibility of cosiness: shabby rug on floor, on wall the plasma screen with the flickering prompt showing infinite sunset over false mountains and that is surprising, wide bed.

The door was closed, cutting us from noise of the kosmoport. The silence has hung, between us, dense, ringing. Then Alice has turned to me, and everything has occurred by itself. There was no tenderness, there were no preludes – only hunger, greed, desperate attempt of two lonely people locked in iron box among stars to feel though for moment that they are alive. I kissed it, and lips remembered movements. My hands slid on her back, and fingers knew how to undo intricate fastener on her overalls. Alice hot kissed me, and I was given her, having allowed to muffle voice of the mind for a while.

But the agent cannot be switched off completely. Even during the hottest moments the part me remained the cold observer fixing details: scar on her shoulder, similar to trace from splinter, birthmark under the left clavicle as she blinked at culmination point, her face became unfamiliar, others. And then, when the passion has subsided, having left behind only sticky fatigue and slight sense of shame, I pretended that I fall asleep. Lying on back, I listened attentively to its equal breath, to far rumble of cars outside the window. After a while she has carefully risen on elbow, has looked at me. I have represented deep, quiet sleep. It has softly touched my cheek, has illegibly whispered something, and then has quietly got out of bed. I observed through the half-closed eyes as its naked figure, sports and fine as I blade, have slipped to the twilight of the room and have disappeared behind the bathroom door. The switch has clicked. The sound of the flowing water was heard. I have moved silently as shadow. Not to spy. I had other purpose. Her overalls lay on chair. Near it small zone cover in which it carried personal belongings: multitool, the spare battery for the tablet, room key. And its personal communicator, the thin, elegant gadget in the form of bracelet is simpler than mine.

Water in the bathroom rustled, hiding any sounds. I have taken its lump. The screen is blocked by biometrics. My bracelet activated by light touch has let out almost invisible blue beam, having slipped on the case of the device. Scanner fast and deep breaking up of electronic devices. I needed contents, metadata: active background processes, the last encrypted communication channels, all information which was on it. All that can tell me whether she dealt doubly in the last hours or not.

The beam has run on surface. On the mini-screen of my bracelet lines of the downloaded data have started gleaming. Having finished, I have examined the room. I have not found any other personal belongings, except small blaster. But nothing yet absolutely meant. Professionals do not leave proofs in the hotel room, but I have slightly opened door in number. Having returned to the room, did not begin to put on clothes, having remained so much in underwear. Has taken seat in chair which stood in dark corner of the room. Also began to wait. In twenty minutes I have heard as water has stopped flowing, and in minute Alice has fluttered out from there. It, without having paid to me attention, has quietly approached my clothes and has taken out my communicator from pocket. Having poked in it and having realized that it cannot open it, she began to look for the communicator.

– Darling you look for it? – quiet tone I have asked. She has sharply turned back, and I have seen genuine surprise in her eyes. – My girl. Very slowly give my lump to me and also slowly sit down. We have something to you to talk about. – Having guided at it blaster, I have offered. It, slowly, has transferred me my lump. Also has sat down on edge of bed, without taking away from me the look.

– Who are you? – she has asked me, and its voice shivered a little.

– Same, as well as you, the girl, – the same quiet voice have answered I. – Here only at us is and become serious problem, than this.

– And what?

– About it later. And now I suggest to agree. I personally have nothing against you. Your task is your task. But in these circumstances it would be expedient to us to combine our efforts to survive. – She looked at me, but has not uttered words, I have continued. – Not only our life, but also life of other crew of the ship in the next forty eight hours depends on our further actions.

– I do not understand what you speak Mironov about, you have again hit?

– You understand everything, the girl, – with smile I have answered. – We will arrive as follows, I will send to crew from your lump the message that they have come all here, and we honestly and openly will talk? It suits you?

– And I have other options? – having raised eyebrow, she has asked and has lowered view of blaster in my hands.

– Yes, to die here and now, – I have sustained pause, but she has not answered again. Then I have quickly typed the text of the message on its coma and have sent to all crew. It was necessary only to wait. We sat silently and looked at each other. That, time went quicker, I have turned on the TV. On all channels broadcast urgent news. Miners on mines of corporation have rebelled, heavy fighting is going. There are dead on both sides. It is necessary to wait for the statement of administration of the planet for introduction of martial law and curfew.

In fifteen minutes the tramping was heard, the door in number was sharply opened and to the room other crew has become hollow. All have looked at me.

– Misters, I ask all of you will calm down. We with Alice have to you very important conversation. Kim, – I have looked at him, having noticed as it has slowly stretched to the hidden holster. – I ask you not to do it. Let’s me express, and then you, Kim, will make the decision to kill me or not. Good? – I have taken of them quiet view.

– What here occurs? – Lavrov has growled.

– The captain, friends, sit down, we will have long and detailed conversation. – I have pointed by blaster to the chairs standing under the TV. They have turned and began to take seats. The captain and Gena have taken seat on chairs, and Kim has got up about the captain, having leaned shoulder against wall.

– Kim, – taking weapon aside and putting it on bedstand, but, without letting go it, I have asked. – I can trust you? I will put weapon, but if in this room someone gets the you will shoot at it? – he has looked at me and has slowly nodded. – Well, – I have continued, letting go weapon. – Let’s those begin. And so developed circumstances force me to pass to extreme measures. But it is demanded by the developed situation. Who I am, I will answer you at the very end of our conversation. For now I suggest each of you to listen to me and what I will tell. It will not be pleasant to much of you, but I ask you to behave. Each of attendees has the and even not one skeleton in the cupboard. We will get some now and we will begin with you, Alice. – I have translated view of it. – Means, you do not want to tell us the history, well, then I will tell it. Alice is the agent of the Western European consortium working under cover. Its task was to find out that for cargo «Scythian» on this planet transports. – I have looked at it again, and she has hung the head, having looked down the look in floor. – It is clear. Then I will continue. Having made several unsuccessful attempts to scan contents of containers during flight. Our girl has made the next attempt to learn that she in them and has been found by Ki. It is better than nothing, than to eliminate the witness, she has not thought up, having struck it professional blow to the area of the head with wrench, taking away from itself any suspicions. Then has hidden it in lock hangar. But you, the girl, have miscalculated. Ki! – I have called synthetics.