"Asimov, Isaac - Robot City 02 - Suspicion - Michael McQuay" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

Derec heard an engine noise and saw lights, far in the tunnel distance, gradually closing on his position. ?What do you mean when you say it was ?meant as a separate entity?? ? Derec asked.
?The Compass Tower is unique in several respects, Friend Derec,? 1-1 said. ?It is not part of the overall city plan in any respect; it has the off limits homing platform atop it; and it contains a fully furnished, human administration office.?
?What!? Derec said loudly, as he watched the mine tram rushing closer toward him in the tunnel. ?An office for whom??
?I do not know. Perhaps the person who awakened me.?
?You?ve never spoken of this with the supervisors??
?No one has ever inquired before now.?
?Why did you call it the administration office??
?The construction plans are locked within my data banks,? 1-1 answered. ?That is what it was called on the plans.?
The tram car screeched to a halt right beside Darren, the huge bulk of Avernus stuffed in its front seat. ?We must go,? the supervisor said.
?Just a minute,? Derec said. ?Why did you call it a homing platform??
?We must go now,? Avernus said.
?It was designed as a landing point of some kind,? 1-1 said. ?Nothing is ever allowed on its surface, or within twenty meters of its airspace.?
Avernus took hold of Derec?s arm and gently, but firmly, turned him face to face. ?We must go,? Avernus said. ?Something has happened to Friend Katherine.?
Derec reeled as if he?d been hit. ?What? What happened? Is she all right??
?She is unconscious,? Avernus said. ?Beyond that, we do not know.?


CHAPTER 8
IDENTITY CRISIS

Derec hurried into the apartment to buzzing activity. Arion was there, and Euler, plus Eve and several utility robots. There was also a rather frail-looking machine with multiple appendages that Derec surmised to be a med-bot.
The living room seemed different, much squatter, but he really wasn?t paying attention.
?Friend Derec . . . Euler began, hurrying to intercept Derec as he crossed the living room floor.
?Where is she?? he asked, still moving.
?The bedroom,? Euler said. ?She has regained consciousness and is resting. I do not think you should try and see her just yet.?
?Nonsense,? Derec said, hurrying past him. ?I?ve got to see her.?
?But you don?t underst . . . ?
?Later,? Derec said, moving down the hallway. There were now two bedroom doors. He opened one to an empty room, then turned to the other, pushing the stud. It slid open. Katherine was sitting up in bed, her face drained of all color, her eyes red.
?Are you all right?? he asked.
Her eyes focused on him, then grew wide in horror.
?Noooo!? she screamed, hands going to her straining face.
Derec ran to her and took her by the shoulders. She kept screaming, loudly, hysterically, her body vibrating madly on the bed.
?You?re dead!? she yelled. ?Dead! Dead!?
?No!? he yelled. ?I?m here. It?s all right. It?s all . . . ?
Euler was pulling him away from her, robots filling the room. ?What are you doing?? he yelled. ?Let go, I . . . ?
?You must leave now,? Euler said, lifting him bodily in the air and carrying him, Katherine?s screams still filling the apartment.
?Katherine!? he called to her as Euler carried him out the door. ?Katherine!?
Euler carried him all the way to the living room, then simply held him there, the med-bot slipping into her bedroom and sliding the door closed, muffling the screams somewhat.
?Put me down!? Derec yelled. ?Would you put me down??
?You must not go in there,? Euler said. ?It is dangerous for Katherine if you go in there.?
He felt the anger draining out of him. ?What?s going on?? he asked sheepishly. ?What?s happened to her??
?She?s suffered some sort of emotional trauma,? the supervisor said. ?May I put you down??
?Believe me,? Derec said, ?at this point, I don?t want to go back in.?
Euler set him gently on the floor. Derec rubbed his arms to get the circulation back into them.
?I am sorry if I caused you any discomfort,? Euler said. ?Truly.?
?It?s all right,? Derec replied. ?Tell me what happened.?
Thunder crashed loudly outside, both Derec and Euler turning to look at the building thunderheads through the open patio door. They were in for another bad one. From the bedroom, the sounds of screaming had died to occasional whimpers.
?Katherine found the body of David,? Euler said, ?and had a utility robot cut into the sealed room that contained it.? The robot swiveled its head to take in the rest of the room. ?Perhaps it is better to have Arion witness the story. He was present for it.? He motioned for the human-like machine to join the discussion.
?Friend Derec,? Arion said as he moved up close. ?I had no idea that seeing the body would have this kind of effect on Friend Katherine. I would never have allowed her to come close to it had I known.?
?I understand,? Derec said. ?Just tell me what happened.?