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

the gate - and beyond lay the woods.
"Get out of the way." Jennings fired at the metal bars of the gate. The
metal burst into flame, melting, a cloud of fire rising.
"Stop him!" From behind, men came pouring, guards, out of the corridor.
Jennings leaped through the smoking gate. The metal tore at him,
searing him. He ran through the smoke, rolling and falling. He got to his
feet and scurried on, into the trees.
He was outside. He had not let him down. The key had worked, all right.
He had tried it first on the wrong door.
On and on he ran, sobbing for breath, pushing through the trees. Behind
him the Plant and the voices fell away. He had the papers. And he was free.

He found Kelly and gave her the film and everything he had managed to
stuff into his pockets. Then he changed back to his regular clothes. Kelly
drove him to the edge of Stuartsville and left him off. Jennings watched the
cruiser rise up into the air, heading toward New York. Then he went into
town and boarded the Intercity rocket.
On the flight he slept, surrounded by dozing businessmen. When he awoke
the rocket was settling down, landing at the huge New York spaceport.
Jennings got off, mixing with the flow of people. Now that he was back
there was the danger of being picked up by the SP again. Two security
officers in their green uniforms watched him impassively as he took a taxi
at the field station. The taxi swept him into downtown traffic. Jennings
wiped his brow. That was close. Now, to find Kelly.
He ate dinner at a small restaurant, sitting in the back away from the
windows. When he emerged the sun was beginning to set. He walked slowly
along the sidewalk, deep in thought.
So far so good. He had got the papers and film, and he had got away.
The trinkets had worked every step along the way. Without them he would have
been helpless. He felt in his pocket. Two left. The serrated half poker
chip, and the parcel receipt. He took the receipt out, examining it in the
fading evening light.
Suddenly he noticed something. The date on it was today's date. He had
caught up with the slip.
He put it away, going on. What did it mean? What was it for? He
shrugged. He would know, in time. And the half poker chip. What the hell was
it for? No way to tell. In any case, he was certain to get through. He had
got him by, up to now. Surely there wasn't much left.
He came to Kelly's apartment house and stopped, looking up. Her light
was on. She was back; her fast little cruiser had beaten the Intercity
rocket. He entered the elevator and rose to her floor.
"Hello," he said, when she opened the door.
"You're all right?"
"Sure. Can I come in?"
He went inside. Kelly closed the door behind him. "I'm glad to see you.
The city's swarming with SP men. Almost every block. And the patrols --"
"I know. I saw a couple at the spaceport." Jennings sat down on the
couch. "It's good to be back, though."
"I was afraid they might stop all the Intercity flights and check
through the passengers."