"Steve Perry - Aliens 01 - Earth Hive" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Steven)

scream—
“—well, that’s a risk, isn’t it? She’s already halfway insane and none of the conventional
therapies work. Besides, medical-grade androids have taken up to forty milligrams without significant
damage—”
The monster reached for her. Opened its mouth. Slowly a toothed rod extruded itself from that
hellish mouth. Came toward her, slow, oh, so slow, but she… couldn’t… move.…
“—she’s not an android, though—”
“—might as well be—”
A hand touched Billie’s shoulder.
Billie awoke, her heart thudding rapidly. She was sweating hard.
It was Sasha.
“Oh, Sash. What are you doing here?”
“You have a visitor, Doc sent me to tell you.”
“A visitor? I don’t know anybody on Earth except the medics and the inmates here.”
Sasha shrugged. “Doc says somebody is in V4 for you. You want me to go along?”
“No. I can handle it.”
The truth was, she didn’t feel particularly adept at the moment; the drugs coursed through her
system and the latest nightmare still vibrated in her memory. But if she was ever going to get out of
this place, she had to look as if she were in control.
Billie found her way down the hall, was admitted into the visitor area. The door to V4 scanned
her and admitted her into the “private” room. Inside was a monitor inset into the right wall and a
single form-chair facing a fully polarized wall that shined like a black mirror.
Billie sat.
Who could it be?
The monitor came to life. Onscreen was a computerized image of a kindly, white-haired
grandmother. Her chip-voice when she spoke was also kindly, but full of quiet authority. Billie also
knew the voice was full of subsonics and sublims designed to calm and soothe a listener, as well as
engender obedience.
“You are being monitored,” Grandma said. “And any discussion of hospital therapy will result
in termination of this visitation.” Grandma smiled, forming lines at the corners of her eyes. “Visitation
is a privilege and not a right. You are allowed ten minutes. Is this understood?”
 “Yeah, right.”
“Very good. Enjoy your visit.”
Grandma smiled again and faded from the screen. A small red dot pulsed in her place,
reminding Billie that the conversation was being recorded and observed.
The polarized wall faded from black to clear.
A man, one side of his face scarred, sat in the chair two meters away from her. He wore a
military uniform.
Who… ?
“Hello, Billie.”
It was as if somebody suddenly slammed a fist into the side of her head. The jolt rocked her
physically. Billie jerked and stared as a memory they’d tried to take away from her swam to the
surface like a whale needing air.
It was him! The man who’d always saved her in her dreams.
“Wilks!”
“Yeah. How they treating you in here?”
“You—you’re real!”
“Last time I looked, yeah.”
“Oh, God, Wilks!”
“I wasn’t sure you’d remember me.”