"Mack Reynolds - Planetary Agent X" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Mack)

any news of him spreads to the outside, this Section will
emphatically deny he exists. I hope that’s clear.”
“Well, yes, sir,” Ronny said. The commissioner had been all
but roaring toward the end.
The order box clicked on Ross Metaxa’s desk and he said
loudly, “What?”
“Don’t yell at me,” Irene snapped back. “Ronny’s five
minutes are up. You’ve got an appointment. I’m getting tired of
this job. It’s a madhouse. I’m going to quit and get a job with
Interplanetary Finance.”
“Oh, yeah,” Ross snarled. “That’s what you think. I’ve taken
measures. Top security. I’ve warned off every Commissioner in
UP. You can’t get away from me until you reach retirement age.
Although I don’t know why I care. I hate nasty tempered women.”
“Huh!” she snorted and clicked off.
“There’s a woman for you,” Ross Metaxa growled at Ronny.
“It’s too bad she’s indispensable. I’d love to fire her. Look, you go
in and see Sid Jakes. Seems to me he said something about Tommy
Paine this morning. Maybe it’s a lead.” He came to his feet. “So
long and good luck, Ronny. I feel optimistic about you. I think
you’ll get this Paine troublemaker.”
Which was more than Ronny Bronston thought.


Sid Jakes already had a visitor in his office, which didn’t
prevent him from yelling, “It’s open,” when Ronny Bronston
knocked.
He bounced from his chair, came around the desk and shook
hands enthusiastically. “Ronny!” he said, his tone implying they
were favorite brothers for long years parted. “You’re just in time.”
Ronny took in the office’s other occupant appreciatively. She
was a small girl, almost tiny. He estimated her to be at least half
Chinese, or maybe Indo-Chinese, the rest probably European or
North American. She evidently favored her Asiatic blood—her
dress was traditional Chinese, slit almost to the thigh Shanghai
style.
Sid Jakes said, “Tog Lee Chang Chu… Ronny Bronston.
You’ll be working together. Bloodhounding old Tommy Paine. A
neat trick if you can pull it off. Well, are you all set to go?”
Ronny mumbled something to the girl in the way of amenity,
then looked back at the supervisor. “Working together?” he said.
 “That’s right. Lucky you, eh?”
Tog Lee Chang Chu said demurely, “Possibly Mr. Bronston
objects to having a female assistant.”
Sid Jakes snorted, and hurried around his desk to resume his
seat. “Does he look crazy? Who’d object to having you around day
in and day out? Call him Ronny. Might as well get used to it. The
two of you’ll be closer than man and wife.”
“Assistant?” Ronny said, bewildered. “What do I need an
assistant for?” He turned his eyes to the girl. “No reflection on