"Charles Stross - Red, Hot and Dark" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stross Charles)

"Uh-huh."

They sat in silence for a minute as Valentina collected her nerves for the next step in the
process. There was an inevitability to it, a determinism, which scared and exhilerated her;
will everything begin to get better, now? "There is one thing, though," she said quietly.

"What's that?"

"For the records, we need an excuse. I can't just disappear."

"So?" The temperature in the cell seemed to drop a couple of degrees.

"I want to cut a deal."

"Oh."

Then Val leaned forwards intently. "My help," she whispered, "in return for yours. I'll
need a hand afterwards, you see. I'll give you everything you want. But in return I need
something."
"And what would that be?" asked the cop, leaning back in his chair, staring at her with
cool expectation.

She licked her lips. "I've been thinking," she said. "This is no career for a lady. But tell
me, do you know how easy it is to get a job in the undercover police?"

She was awakened by the change in engine noise as the chopper came in to land. From
the military field it was a half-hour drive into the city. She was out of the police car as
soon as it pulled up outside the Institute building; before she reached the doors some
students emerged. They gathered in front of her, blocking the path. "What do you want
here?" demanded one of them, a fat, balding man with a beard and the look of an agitator
about him. "Who the hell are you?"

She stared at him, breathing hard. "Is Academician Meir in his office today?" she asked;
"I need to speak to him urgently."

"I'll bet you do," began the fat man, only to be cut off by one of his companions, a
woman; "Wait! Who are you? Why do you want to see the professor?"

"He's in danger," she said simply. Nameless emotions threatened her control; she fought
back ruthlessly, steeling herself for the big half-truth. "I want to get him out of it."

Almost at once the students crowded in. "You're too late," said the woman. "Militia came
for him oh, half an hour ago! In an APC." She positively bristled. "Fuckers threatened to
shoot anyone who got in their way --" There was an angry rumbling from behind.

"Do you have any idea where they were taking him?" She asked, excitement and dread
washing through her.

"No, but, hey! What -- "