"Bova, Ben - Orion 01 - Orion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bova Ben)

CHAPTER 1

I am not superhuman.

I do have abilities that are far beyond those of
any normal man's, but I am just as human and
mortal as anyone on Earth.

The core of my abilities is apparently in the
structure of my nervous system. I can take com-
pletely conscious control of my entire body. I can
direct my will along the chain of synapses instantly
to make any part of my body do exactly what I
wish it to do.

Last year I learned to play the piano in two
hours. My teacher, a mild, gray little man, absolutely
refused to believe that I had never touched a key-
board before that day. Earlier this year I stunned
a Tae Kwan Do master by learning in less than a
week everything he had absorbed in a lifetime of
unceasing work. He tried to be humble and polite
about it, but it was clear that he was furious with
me and deeply ashamed of himself for being so. I
left his class.

My powers are growing. I have always been able
to control my heartbeat and breathing. I thought
everyone could until I began reading about yogis
and their "mystical" abilities. For me, their tricks
are child's play.

Two months ago I found myself sitting in a res-
taurant in midtown Manhattan. I tend to be a
solitary man, so I often take my lunch hour late

enough to avoid the noisy crowds. It was after 3:00
p.m. and the restaurant was almost empty. A few
couples were sitting at scattered tables, speaking
in hushed tones. A middle-aged pair of tourists
were studying the French menu warily, suspicious
of food they had never heard of before. A couple of
secret lovers sat well toward the rear, holding hands
furtively, glancing up toward the door every few
seconds. One young woman sat alone, not far from
my own table near the front of the restaurant. She
was beautiful, with dark hair curling at her shoul-
ders and the strong, classic facial features that
marked her as a photographer's model.