"Michael McCollum - Maker 2 - Procyion Promise" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCollum Michael)

She smiled wanly at him, recognizing his automatic response to a professional challenge. Still, Roland
really cared. He was paid to care. Of course, that was part of the problem.

“It’s this place,” she said, glumly.
“What about it?”

“It depresses me.”

His face acquired a look of surprise. “The Big Boss isn’t going to like hearing that. He has put billions
intoThe Roost . No one is supposed to be unhappy here, least of all Chryse Lawrence Haller.”

“You weren’t listening. I didn’t say I was unhappy. I said I was depressed. Different emotion entirely.”

“If you say so.”

“Look around you, Roland. What do you see?”

“What am I supposed to see?”

“Have you ever looked closely at your clientele?”

He made a show of scanning the restaurant. “Okay, I’ve looked.”

“You’ve got a good cross-section of humanity here. Both sexes, all shapes and sizes, every color. Yet, in
spite of our differences, we all have something in common.”

“Sure,” Roland said, nodding. “You’re all richer than anyone has a right to be. If you weren’t, you could
never afford us.”

“True,” Chryse said. “I hadn’t thought of that. Hmmm, that makes things even worse!”

“How so?”

“Can’t you see it? All your clients are compulsive personalities.”

“Aren’t you being a bit hard on yourself and the other guests?”

“If anything, I’m not being hard enough. We’re all on holiday, yet each of us is so desperate for diversion
that we play ourselves into exhaustion.”

“Considering the cost,” Roland said, “can you blame anyone?”

“I suppose that explains a few cases. But take old Joshua Voichek over there,” she said, gesturing
toward a spry centenarian seated at a breakfast nook halfway across the compartment. “After my father,
he’s probably the richest man in the system. He could spend a lifetime inThe Roost without making a
dent in his fortune. Yet, he wears himself out as quickly as the salesman who saves a dozen years to
come here.”

“Your theory, Madame Psychotherapist?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.