"John Varley - Anthology - Super Heroes - Various Authors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Varley John)

Revenant's actions, news organizations filed suit in Federal court to force
the AJC to open their hearing to the public. Lawyers for the networks
pointed out that the Federal and States' Attorneys in both Vermont and New
Hampshire had refrained from filing charges against Revenant pending the
outcome of the AJC hearing.
"The Advocate, charter member of the AJC and its legal advisor, noted
that as a legally constituted and privately held Delaware corporation it was
not required to open its meetings. Federal Appeals Court judge Elizabeth
Kerin agreed with her argument and refused to issue an order opening the
meeting.
Michael A. Stackpole
All indications from the High Court are that it will refuse to hear
arguments in the case."
Dan let a hint of surprise lighten his expression. "In the most bizarre
turnaround in the case, Revenant—who was believed to be in hiding outside
the United States—has agreed to attend the AJC hearing, despite his not
being a member of the organization. His agreement was deemed unlikely in
light of the AJC's involvement with the case and its active opposition to his
actions. Nemesis, founder of the AJC and its current president, gave
Revenant a personal guarantee of safety and said the hearing would be fair.
Revenant, a shadowy figure who has the distinction of being the only
superhero ever to make it to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, cited that
guarantee as the primary reason for his decision.
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes, the Romans used to ask: who will guard
the guardians? Now we'll have to ask: who will guard the guardians while
they are guarding themselves?"
***
The desiccating desert heat surrendered reluctantly as Revenant descended
the ramp leading into the American Justice Commission headquarters. Built
beneath the Arizona Center— the hole for it having been carved out of the
caliche by Nemesis and Glacier—the marble-lined walls made him more
mindful of a mausoleum than a place meant to be the center for the fight by
good against evil. Having holographic images of fallen AJC members built
into the walls did not help improve the impression.
The floor leveled out into a small lobby, but the information and ticket
booth off to the left was dark, and the tour schedule had a big ' 'canceled''
sign taped over it. Continuing on ahead, Revenant passed between two
twenty-foot-high statues of Justice done in bronze and into a narrow
corridor with a ceiling that sloped up toward the surface again. At the end of
it he entered a huge chamber with red rock flooring and copper trim
everywhere.
Seven members of the AJC waited to render judgement on his actions.
Seated behind a high bench, Nemesis occupied the primary position. On his
right sat Aranatrix, Hummingbird and Hammersnake, on his left Glacier,
Caracal and Thylacine. All
Peer Review
of them wore their costumes, and none had deigned to let him see their
bare faces.
As he had no intention of doing that either, he did not take their remaining
masked as an insult. His midnight-blue hood hid his face completely except