"L. E. Modesitt - A House By Any Other Name" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

George shook his head slowly.

"Schools, utilities?" George knew there would be a ready answer, but had to ask anyway.

"Public Service has lines all over the state. I built my own sewage plants. Then I tooled up a special mold
on classrooms and built all the schools at once. I leased them to the county at a ten percent re turn and
they thought they were taking me."

George was feeling thirstier. He swallowed.

"Just how many of these air bubble factories do you have?"

"Four."

George multiplied. Forty houses a day. Fifteen thousand a year, and just beginning.

"I see. I think that about does it... I'll be in touch."

"Appreciate your interest, but I could have told you all this on viewer."

"There's no way to tour your areas by viewer," said George. Or get out of the office, he thought.

Houseman grinned again and offered his hand. "Take care, George. We appreciate a healthy interest in
our projects."

George shook his hand firmly and wondered exactly what he meant by a "healthy interest."

He stopped for a Coke at the first Vendaserve he spotted, and then, wielding the unwieldy map he'd
gotten from the receptionist, George struggled out to Point Ultimate.

As George cruised the area, he began to appreciate Houseman's taste. The exteriors looked like real
timber and brick, the shake roofs like cedar. The cluster arrangement left wide areas of greenbelt. The
density was offset by evergreens and decking.

Although there was the usual litter of tricycles, mufflebikes, and rockeprams, all the front decks had
flowerpots, instead of milk boxes, and every garage door was closed. George pulled over by the exit to
study the map. He got lost three times on his way to the Denver Federal Center.

He finally stopped to ask directions.

Trading on an access code he should have forgotten, and the Council's name, he got what fie needed
through the Denver Data Link.

He headed for the elevator and the FHA office.
"Yes?" She was dressed in bright red and was suitably dumpy.

"I'm Dr. George Graylin from Washington, with the Council of Economic Advisers. Who could fill me in
on the local low cost housing market?"