"Joe Haldeman - Buying Time" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haldeman Joe)

 BUYING TIME - Joe Haldeman



"I don't expect you would remember. We met in Chicago." His voice dropped. "Seventy years ago."
Dallas gave the barmaid a five and told her to keep the change. He sipped the strong dark brew and
studied the immortal's face. "The conference?"
"That's right. You were Andric then." The Chicago conference had been one of the last annual get-
togethers before the Singapore Bombing ended the custom. Several thousand immortals in one place
were too tempting a target.
"If this is a touch, you're a little premature." Immortals did borrow from one another, though it was done
carefully; that had been the purpose of Dallas's call to Japan. "You must know I just got out of the
clinic."
He nodded. "I've only been out a year myself." He saw Barr's look and pinched a huge wad of fat. "It's
not real. Foam implant, protective coloration."
"Glad to hear it."
"There's going to be a meeting."
"I don't go to meetings anymore."
"We know. This time you must."
The barmaid came by to draw another beer. Dallas waited until she was out of earshot. "Who are 'we?
You and your implant?"
"We don't have a name. Just a group that meets here and there. Every three months or so."
"Not interested." He opened the paper and gazed at the pinup on page three.
"Maria Marconi," he said. "She'll be there."
Dallas stared at the picture. The girl was not slim or dark-haired and was probably a good deal less than
a century old. "Marconi," he said. "She's still alive."
"She would like to see you."
"And I her." He turned the page noisily. "Be a good chap and tell her where I am."
"Our group has been meeting almost since Singapore."
"Do tell. How can you have gotten along all this time without me?" He started to turn the page again and
the man put his hand on it. He looked up. "I'm tiring of your company."
"You can afford to be patient. Most of us would have contacted you long ago. But the group is


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 BUYING TIME - Joe Haldeman


conservative that way; if one member objects to a new person, that's enough."
"The person who was blackballing me died?"
"Yes."
For the first time Dallas showed some interest. "Was it Lobos? Sandra Bell?" The man shook his head.
"Not Jimbo Peterson?"
"No. I don't think you knew the man personally. A Russian, Dmitri Popov."
"A Soviet? Stileman must be turning in his grave."
The man smiled. "We didn't know he was a Soviet when he was asked to join. In fact, he was a deputy
administrator of the American CIA."
"Ah." Dallas returned his attention to the paper. "This group of yours. I suppose you don't sit around and
eat little sandwiches. Discuss poetry or footie scores."
"Nothing so wholesome."