"Brian Lumley - E-Branch 1 - Defilers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lumley Brian)

and see me? Thanks. . ."
When Liz knocked on his door just a minute or so later, she was on her own. "Where's Jake?" Trask
asked her, as she took a seat.
She had been told to keep an eye on Jake. He had a room at the HQ, but he didn't know that Liz had
the room adjacent, with access to his quarters from the back of her small office. Liz's orders
were simple.- she was to listen in on Jake's dreams. She should have been doing so ever since they
got back from Australia, and reporting her findings back to Trask. It went against E-Branch's
code, Trask knew, but on this occasion he felt compelled. It was that important to find out what-
or who (Harry Keogh, presumably)-was going on in Jake's mind. So far, however, she hadn't reported
a thing.
Similarly, during waking hours, she and Jake were supposed to be working together, improving their
telepathic rapport, becoming a team. But again Trask remembered that look she'd given Jake in the
Ops room, the one that said she was baffled and maybe a little hurt. By her inability to get
through? Trask didn't think so. No, it was far more likely obstinacy on bis part.
Damn the man! he thought, feeling his frustration bubble up again.


45


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NECROSCOPE: DEFILERS
"He said he'd made arrangements to meet Lardis Lidesci and Lissa in the park," she answered.
"Lardis had said he wanted to see the British Museum,- Jake offered to give him a guided tour.
Actually, I think Jake was only too happy to get away from the HQ for a few hours. I get the
impression that he's been feeling out of things here. He can't seem to fit in."
"What?" Trask got to his feet in a fury. "He can't seem to fit in? Well that's because he doesn't
damn well try to fit in! I mean, what's going on here, Liz? Everything seemed to be working just
fine down under, and now this? Is he really such a petulant child? And don't tell me I'm wrong.
And don't go covering for him-I saw that look you gave him in Ops. He's obstructing you, right?"
His anger wasn't unexpected, but he'd blown up so suddenly that she was nevertheless taken aback.
"I ... I mean, I ..."
"Did you know I'd called the dogs off?" Trask thumped his desk. "Jake's wanted for murder in Italy
and for questioning in France, yet I've had our contacts in Interpol pull the files on him, albeit
temporarily. His mug should be scowling at you from the front page of just about every newspaper
in Europe, yet the lid's on so tight he doesn't even rate a half-inch of column on page six of the
Daily Sport. That's what I've done for him, and probably damaged my own reputation in the bargain!
But for E-Branch, Jake Cutter couldn't stick his nose outside this building without being
arrested, and he shows his gratitude by going sightseeing with Lardis and Lissa to the British
Museum? I just don't believe this! Who in hell said he could leave the HQ anyway?"
Liz's mouth opened and closed but didn't say anything, and Trask sat back down again with a thump
and glared at her across his desk. "Well?" he snarled.
And finally she found some words to say, and said them despite knowing they would probably set him
off again. "He has things to work out... he has problems . . . something's got him worried . . .
that's all I know." And she sat there biting her lip.
But Trask was much calmer now. Colder, too. "No, that isn't all you know," he said. "Because even
if my talent doesn't work on Jake anymore, it still works on you. And don't accuse me of spying on
you, because you know that I don't control this thing of mine, it just is. It's like any other