"Simon R. Green - Deathstalker - 3 - Deathstalker War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Simon R)

Simon R. Green - Deathstalker 03 - Deathstalker War


provided. Owen beat his gloved hands together and glared about him. He'd forgotten
how much he hated this place. And not just for the cold.
The mists were at their thickest, in the early hours of the morning before the rising of
Mistworld's pale sun. Beyond the control tower, the lights of the city showed only
dimly through the shifting grey walls of fog. Young Jack Random looked calmly about
him. He didn't even have the decency to shiver like the rest of them.
"The old place hasn't changed a bit. Colder than a witch's tit and even less inviting."
"And when were you last here?" said Hazel, not bothering to hide the suspicion in her
voice.
"I've been here several times, down the years," Random said easily. "In fact, I started
out here, some twenty years ago, trying to raise troops for a rebellion on Lyonesse. I
found a few brave souls to join me, but that was all. They didn't know me then.
Hopefully I'll do rather better this time."
"Heads up," said Jenny Psycho. "Someone's coming. Three people. One's an esper, but
his mind is closed to me."
"Stay out of the other people's heads as well," said Hazel sharply. "This is an esper city,
and they take their mental privacy very seriously. You upset the powers that be here,
and we'll be taking what's left of you home in a straightjacket. From this point on, you
use your esp by invitation only. Got it?"
Jenny Psycho shrugged. "I can't help it if their minds are shouting at me all the time.
And the powers that be here had better watch out for themselves. I have been
transformed by the Mater Mundi, and there isn't a mind in this city that's my equal."
"That settles it," said Hazel. "From now on, you stay well clear of the rest of us. That
way whenever it happens, whatever horrible thing it turns out to be, we'll all be a safe
distance away. Hiding."
They were saved Jenny's acid reply by the sudden emergence of three figures from the
shifting mists. There was no warning. One moment there was only the fog, and then
two men and a woman came striding out of the mists toward them. Owen found that
quietly disturbing. Usually his new powers gave him advance warning of things like
that. Why, dammit, did it work sometimes and not others? He found his hand had
dropped automatically to the sword at his side and quickly moved it away again. He
recognized two of the newcomers from files he'd been shown at his last briefing. Port
Director Gideon Steel was a short fat man with calm, thoughtful eyes and a disturbingly
cynical smile. He dressed well, if a trifle sloppily, as some of his furs looked distinctly


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Simon R. Green - Deathstalker 03 - Deathstalker War


mangy. He was supposed to be in his mid-forties, but he looked ten years older. Trying
to run Mistport will do that to you.
The woman beside him was much more impressive, and not a little intimidating.
Despite the bitter cold she wore no furs, only the formal uniform of an Investigator.
Owen could feel Hazel tensing beside him and prayed she'd have enough sense not to
start anything. Investigator Topaz was medium height, slim, handsome, and her gaze
was colder than the mists could ever be. Her close-cropped dark hair gave her classical