"John DeChancie - Castle 04 - Castle War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dechancie John)

тАЬWhatтАЩs this garbage?тАЭ he said.

тАЬGee, now that just could be my wallet full of travelerтАЩs checks and my goddamn airplane ticket for my
goddamn flight, which I am now late for.тАЭ

They looked at each other.

тАЬMaladapt?тАЭ the woman ventured.

тАЬHow do you explain these?тАЭ

The woman peered at the wallet and ticket. She shrugged.


file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/John%20DeChancie%20-%20Castle%2004%20-%20Castle%20War.html (27 of 255)23-12-2006 0:24:59
 Castle War


тАЬOutperson?тАЭ

тАЬMaybe. HeтАЩs not an Outforces agent. He wouldnтАЩt be sitting here.тАЭ

тАЬFunny clothes.тАЭ

тАЬYeah.тАЭ The man raised his gun. тАЬYou. Come with us.тАЭ

Prodded by gun barrels, Gene walked to the craft. He glanced in the direction of the portal but couldnтАЩt
see it. He wondered if his captors would notice it, and what their reaction would be if they did.

There was a seat in a rear compartment that was separated from the cockpit proper by a metal grate, as in
a squad car. They ushered Gene in and closed the rear hatch.

The woman went back for the suitcases. These they had a hard time storing in the cramped confines of
the cockpit, but they managed.

The woman was the pilot. She nicked switches and the engine revved up. The craft lifted straight up,
rotated slowly to the right, then began moving forward.

The craft gained altitude and speed. Gene could see through the grate and watched the countryside roll
by. There were very few farmhouses; most of the buildings were ugly concrete high rises. He thought he
could see masses of people out in the fields.

Now in full forward flight, the craft leveled off and cruised. The speed was considerable. Fields and
farms gradually gave way to the beginnings of a suburban sprawl. More loathsome high rises. A river
below. Gene wondered if it was the Monongahela or if the geography was totally different here.

It was a short trip. Presently, taller buildings came into view, stark steel towers arranged among squat
pyramidal structures. Now he found out about the geography. Gene recognized the confluence of three
rivers and knew that on this site in another world the city of Pittsburgh stood. What was laid out below