"FWLS47" - читать интересную книгу автора (A Future We'd Like to See)

opening up ONE barstool as far from the real goons as you could
get. People spread out just to avoid having this girl sit near
them, leaving that one stool nice and open. Bait. She took it,
of course, not knowing.

There is one bartending function which I've gotten quite
good with, and that's dealing with said newbies. It was the
closest thing to dealing in illegal computer biz I had left...
mostly convincing them that a career change would be a good idea.
There is the rare time when I can sense actual talent lurking
behind the sugar coating... THAT'S when things get dangerous,
because fresh talent is such a rarity that everybody wants it.

"What'll you have?" I asked her.

"Scotch, double rocks, water back," she grunted. No doubt
got that out of a book. She barely looked drinking age. Okay,
if that's what she wants...

I pulled her a scotch, just as she requested, and placed it
on the bar. Five credits (no tip) were exchanged, and she
slugged down the entire glass in one motion, trying to look cool.

I stifled a laugh as her face rapidly shifted colors, and
she eventually spit out the drink all over the back mirror. I
had seen it coming a minute ago and had my washcloth handy,
though.

"Let me guess," I laughed. "First drink?"

"What? No, hell no, I've had dozens, HUNDREDS of drinks.
Just, well, wasn't expecting, no, just wasn't..."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Okay, I'll size up the situation for you
so we don't need to go about the movie-star smalltalk and hard as
nails facade. You've tinkered with computers, and want to make a
little cash. Maybe a relative needs a limb replacement, maybe
you want prom tickets, maybe you're just a greedy person. So you
figure, I'll try to break into illegal computer dealings. You
get all prepped up, studying from 'legitimate sources', spot a
bar which looks shady, wander in and hope for the best. Stop me
anytime if I'm wrong."

She didn't stop me, gaping. Typical.

"So you show up in a bar," I said, motioning to the various
bar-furnitures. "Order a strong drink to look tough. Maybe try
to slide on over to the various booths and get yourself, what's
the word they use in the holos? 'Connected'? Yeah, pretty sure.
And after that, who knows? I do. Odds are some other newbie