"Philip E. High - Butterfly Planet" - читать интересную книгу автора (High Phillip E)

Wildside Press
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Copyright ©2000 by Philip E. High. All rights reserved.
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Cosmos Books, an imprint of Wildside Press

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www.wildsidepress.com

Cover art copyright 2000 by Ron Turner. Cover design copyright 2000 by Juha Lindroos.

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ONE
THERE was no high drama, no intuitive awareness and certainly no danger signal. It appeared to
Maynard that he merely changed his mind. One minute the hot dinner he had been about to order seemed
worthwhile and, the next, he was no longer hungry.

He re-pocketed his coins, shrugged and began to shoulder his way unhurriedly out of the eatateria.
Dinner at noon was habit, but not always a necessity. Today, the thought of the menu-serve regurgitating
a plateful of food had taken away his appetite. Again, there were the crowds, no matter where one went
to eat, there were always crowds.

He became suddenly aware, as he approached the exit, that there was a man on either side of him. They
looked straight ahead, apparently unaware of his existence, but somehow they were too close for
comfort. They were also too determined to keep level.

Maynard hated being crowded, he also hated people walking too close behind him. Automatically he
slowed his pace and began fumbling in his pockets as if searching for something.

It was then that something hard pressed into the small of his back and a low voice said: “Just keep
walking, friend, make it casual."

Outside there was a low, waspish but luxurious vehicle and he was almost ushered into it—but for the
unchanging pressure in his back.

The men took positions on either side of him and the vehicle whispered away.