"Brennert, Alan - The Refuge" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brennert Alan)

percent of men and women found it peculiarly sensual, having a tiny stranger
moving inside them...

Gina was saying, "The chip's manufacturing an antibiotic to ward off infection
in the damaged tissues, as well as a mild sedative. You looked like you needed
it." She touched his arm again. "It should also help balance your electrolytes.
Now sit tight, I'll be back in a minute."

As she started to leave, Ray called out, "You didn't tell me your name."

She smiled. "Gina. Gina Beaumont." She closed the door behind her, and Ray
leaned back and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the blankets against his
skin. The sedative started to take hold, relaxing him for the first time in God
knew how long -- but he was still alert enough to hear, moments later, the sound
of voices raised from the next room:

"-- What in God's name were you thinking of?" The older man's voice. Thin,
reedy, shrill with fear.

"I was thinking of saving his life." Gina. Angry. "Another ten minutes out there
and he'd probably be dead."

"He might've infected the entire refuge--"

"I implemented decontamination protocols in the airlock. There was never any
risk and you know it..."

Ray tried to follow the rest, but the combination of the sedative and his
complete exhaustion conspired to lull him to sleep. He didn't dream, exactly,
but again thought he heard voices -- Gina's again, and someone else's, a deeper
male voice with a hard, quiet edge to it, like steel inside silk:

--should have come to me before you let him in, Ms. Beaumont . . . certain
procedures we need to observe --

There was a man freezing to death out there. Frostbite, hypothermia. I had to do
something --

And now the old doctor's voice: I told her not to. I ordered her not to --

Oh, shut up, Franklin. The silken/steely voice again. Franklin quickly shut
up...

At length, the voices faded; when he awoke, he had no idea how much time had
passed, but Gina was standing above him, smiling gently, and Ray discovered that
that was all that mattered to him, just now. "Feeling better?" she asked.

Ray's body ached less, and he felt rested for the first time he could remember.
He nodded. "How long was I was out?"