"Anthony,.Piers.-.Mute (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Susan)

Hlet blinked. "I don't believe I know you."

"I'm the new placement officer," Knot said. "You can verify it with my secretary."

"Perhaps I'd better." No one bluffed Hlet. He made the call. "YorkЧdo you have a new man, name of Knot?" ,

"Yes, sir," she replied smoothly. "Did I forget to notify you? I'm sorry; we've been so busy. He's been with us several days. He's a min-mutant, right-handedЧ"

"Thank you." Hlet cut the connection. "Never can get anything straight around here. How can I help you?"

York had covered for him, as she always did. They had it down to a routine, and played this scene for someone almost every day. York was not immune to Knot's psi, but she remembered the routine so well that the slightest nudge sufficed. "I was audited this morning," Knot said. "A normal from CCЧ"

"Oh, yes. They do check us out periodically. They don't really care about things like our winery or untaxed artifacts. You'll get used to it. Did you brush her off?"

Not exactly. She asked about the leadmuterЧ" You didn't show bim to her!" Hlet exclaimed, aghast, don't admit to any outsider thatЧ"

"I had no choice. She already knew of him, somehow; a lie would have been disaster. But I hope she will downgrade his performance in her report."

"A CC auditor? They squeeze blood from stones!"

"And are interested in squeezing gold from lead. But it seems she considered me, ah, attractive as mutants go. So I saw no alternative except toЧ"

Hlet's eyes widened appreciatively. He had the good

' of the enclave at heart, and was not scrupulous about

how that good was achieved. "You romanced a normal?"

"I thought if she had an emotional attachment, she might be less inclined toЧto damage the enclave."

"You rogue! You may have real potential in your office. Let's hope it works. We need the leadmuter, not to mention the penalties we could suffer forЧ"

"Yes. Nothing is certain, but it is my understanding that she will go easy on us. Perhaps only a reprimand, and we will oat lose the leadmuter."

"Keep up the good work, Knot. You should do well here. Your predecessor did an excellent job. I forget his nameЧ"

"Thank you, sir. I'll strive to fill his shoes." Knot departed. He had fulfilled the letter of his duty.

"You're a sly one," his secretary, York, said. "You used you-know-what on you-know-who, didn't you!"

"I have no idea what you mean," Knot said, smiling. "Anything I did was purely in the line of business."

"But some business is sweeter than others. Just watch it doesn't backfire one day. Suppose one of those fioozies you seduce catches on?"

"You never catch on, do you?A

"Of course I catch on. Usually. I think. But I don't count. I'm not a floozie. And I have my notes. Been some time since I made a note, though."

"I'll update your notebook shortly. What could she prove, anyway?"