"Burstein, Michael A - Broken Symmetry" - читать интересную книгу автора (Burstein Michael A)

and bleeding all over, and covered with metal fragments. He didn't react to
Jack's scream.
Jack regained control and gently shook Daniel on the shoulder. It was scorching
hot, and Jack pulled his hand away in searing pain. As he did, pieces of
Daniel's shirt and flesh came with it.
Jack spit on his hand in disgust, and took another look at Daniel. His friend's
head lolled off to one side, and he looked as limp as a rag doll. He was dead.
Jack assimilated this information as best as he could, and passed out.
#
"Sheriff, Mr. Levinson has been in a major accident, and I don't want you
getting him all worked up."
"Don't worry, Doc," said Sheriff Bob Kingsley in his natural drawl. He fixed his
eyes in a squint and looked at the two Ellis County deputies, who nodded in
agreement. The three made a strange picture, standing in the antiseptic white
hospital hallway in uniform. Kingsley wore a ten gallon hat over his dark, curly
hair, the one affectation he allowed himself. "We just want to ask him a few
questions."
Dr. Korn shook his head. "Only one of you. I don't want him to get too excited."

Kingsley shrugged and followed the doctor into the hospital room. He emerged a
few minutes later and headed over to the nurses' station, his deputies in tow.
Waiting at the station was Sam Stratton, of the F.B.I. "Well?" he asked
Kingsley, in a clipped voice.
"Well," echoed the sheriff. "Mr. Levinson saw another hole form."
"That makes five, now. And the first direct evidence that the ring is dangerous.
It was an explosion, right?"
"Yep, and a pretty nasty one from what Levinson said. He's still shaken up over
the death of his friend."
Stratton dismissed Kingsley's concern with a wave of his hand. "OK, Sheriff,
thanks for your time. I'll take over the investigation from here and call in my
people." He reached for the phone, but Kingsley interceded by grabbing his arm.
"Begging your pardon, Mr. Stratton, but this is still Ellis County, and the area
of the collider is still under my jurisdiction."
Stratton glared at him. "We have jurisdiction over federal land."
Kingsley smiled. "Ah, but it ain't federal land anymore, is it? Hasn't been for
quite some time now."
Stratton pulled his hand out of Kingsley's grip, and brushed it off on his
pants. "Very well, Sheriff. So what do you plan to do?"
"First thing I'm going to do is set up police barricades and declare the ground
above the ring off limits. It won't keep out everyone, but it should give us a
few days of leeway before the press catches wind of it."
"That's exactly what I was planning to do. I don't see why I shouldn't be the
one to supervise."
"They won't respect your barriers as much as they'll respect mine, Mr. Stratton.
Most of these people have an idea of who I am, and trust the Sheriff's Office.
You're just the guy they sent in from Austin."
Stratton squinted at Kingsley. "I can bring in the army, if necessary."
Kingsley shot up his eyebrows and frowned. "The army? You don't really want to
antagonize the townfolk unnecessarily, do you? People don't usually go out to
the collider anyway. What's the point of attracting all that attention?"