"Джон Варли. Платежное поручение(engl) " - читать интересную книгу автора

Kelly nodded. "I guess so." She looked around. "Where'll we go?"
"Where's a place we can talk? I don't want anyone to overhear us."
"Can't we just walk along?"
"No. The Police."
"The Police?"
"They're looking for me."
"For you? But why?"
"Let's not stand here," Jennings said grimly. "Where can we go?"
Kelly hesitated. "We can go up to my apartment. No one's there."
They went up to the elevator. Kelly unlocked the door, pressing the
code key against it. The door swung open and they went inside, the heater
and lights coming on automatically at her step. She closed the door and took
off her coat.
"I won't stay long." Jennings said.
"That's all right. I'll fix you a drink." She went into the kitchen.
Jennings sat down on the couch, looking around at the neat little apartment.
Presently the girl came back. She sat down beside him and Jennings took his
drink. Scotch and water, cold.
"Thanks."
Kelly smiled. "Not at all." The two of them sat silently for a time.
"Well?" she said at last. "What's this all about? Why are the Police looking
for you?"
"They want to find out about Rethrick Construction. I'm only a pawn in
this. They think I know something because I worked two years at Rethrick's
Plant."
"But you don't!"
"I can't prove that."
Kelly reached out, touching Jennings' head, just above the ear. "Feel
there. That spot."
Jennings reached up. Above his ear, under the hair, was a tiny hard
spot. "What is it?"
"They burned through the skull there. Cut a tiny wedge from the brain.
All your memories of the two years. They located them and burned them out.
The SP couldn't possibly make you remember. It's gone. You don't have it."
"By the time they realize that there won't be much left of me."
Kelly said nothing.
"You can see the spot I'm in. It would be better for me if I did
remember. Then I could tell them and they'd --"
"And destroy Rethrick!"
Jennings shrugged. "Why not? Rethrick means nothing to me. I don't even
know what they're doing. And why are the Police so interested? From the very
start, all the secrecy, cleaning my mind --"
"There's reason. Good reason."
"Do you know why?"
"No." Kelly shook her head. "But I'm sure there's a reason. If the SP
are interested, there's reason." She set down her drink, turning toward him.
"I hate the Police. We all do, every one of us. They're after us all the
time. I don't know anything about Rethrick. If I did my life wouldn't be
safe. There's not much standing between Rethrick and them. A few laws, a
handful of laws. Nothing more."