"Ken Rand - Bad News from Orbit" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rand Ken)

“Your ear? Which one?"

Shrug. “Your choice."

“Left."

Shrug. “Your deck or mine?"

The reb tapped Horiuchi's deck on the ground between them. “You deal,” he said.

“Cut."

The reb tapped the deck.

Horiuchi dealt.

****

“You want a beer, newsie?"

I blinked, startled by the interruption. “Uh, yeah."

Horiuchi nodded into the darkness behind my back and Stamper Clyme himself appeared at my side,
towering over me like an meteor ready to strike.

“Beer for the newsie. I'm fine."

Clyme disappeared.

I cleared a phelmy throat. “So you, uh, lost?"

“I called the reb—unlikely name of Corky Atgood, I found out—and he showed two pair, jacks and
sevens. I dropped my hand face down."

“And then, you, uh—"

Horiuchi tapped his left temple. A hole remained where the ear flesh should have been. And from the ear
hole, like the flash from a pulse rifle shot, a red and orange flame tattoo rose up the side of his bald head.

“Holy Jadu Familia.”

A hairy arm holding a beer mug reached over my shoulder, sat the mug down on the table in front of me,
and withdrew. I gulped, surprised at how dry my mouth had become.

“Wait a minute,” I said. “You did win the war. I mean, it's over. The fighting's stopped. The mine's back
up again."

Horiuchi shrugged.