"Lee Edgar - Andromeda Time" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edgar Lee)

тАШYou canтАЩt make me do as you say,тАЩ defied Maria, wary of the
approaching woman in black. She sneered to her mates. тАШLetтАЩs get her.тАЩ
None of them saw Sarah move but, suddenly, one was rolling back down
the stairs and Maria was up against the wall with SarahтАЩs right forearm
across her throat. The third girl began to swing her heavy bag but
found herself, instead, sitting on the floor, clutching at her midriff.
Sarah had learned several forms of Martial Arts during her misspent
youth and, therefore, when she had launched her kick, she could easily
had smashed the girlтАЩs face to an unrecognisable bloody pulp or
rendered one or both of her mammary glands useless to future infants.
Instead, she had simply punched the wind out of the bullyтАЩs lungs.
MariaтАЩs eyes showed intense fear as Sarah said; тАШThe photos, please.тАЩ
Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah saw MariaтАЩs right hand descend
hesitantly towards her jacket pocket.
Sarah smiled again. тАШIf that hand comes out containing anything but
photos, IтАЩll crush your windpipe. You know that, donтАЩt you?тАЩ
Maria changed hands in mid delve and her left hand produced a packet
of photographs, fresh from the developer. Sarah gently took them from
her. тАШAnd the negatives?тАЩ
Maria swallowed with some difficulty. тАШIn the packet.тАЩ
тАШIf I find that you have lied, or that copies appear. I will be
back.тАЩ
тАШI havenтАЩt lied. TheyтАЩre all there.тАЩ
Sarah moved so that her nose almost touched MariaтАЩs. тАШLeave Maggie
alone, understand?тАЩ
The teenager nodded as far as she was able.
Sarah smiled once more and then simply walked away. She had not gone
ten yards before Maria was screaming for help, shouting that she had
been attacked and robbed, begging her neighbours to come to her
assistance. Sarah saw the faces appear from several flats, jumped over
the railings, and landed nimbly of the concrete below. Several people
began to move towards her carrying weapons of all kinds but Sarah was
astride her motor cycle before they could reach her, pressing the auto-
start and skidding round in a tight turn which spewed water and mud all
over them.
 Missiles fell around her as she powered the 2-litre engine up the
grass bank and over the wall, bouncing her fat tyres along the roofs of
two parked cars, before roaring off down the road beyond.
MariaтАЩs face was as black as thunder. She kicked her friend on the
floor. тАШGet up, scumbag. WeтАЩve got a score to settle with goody-miss-
two-shoes.тАЩ

тАФтАФ тАФтАФ
Later that day, Mike Hardy got the shock of his life when he arrived
home from collecting Maggie from school. As he pulled into the yard, he
almost ran into SarahтАЩs bike.
He grunted. тАШWonder what your Aunt Sarah is here for. I havenтАЩt heard
of any trouble.тАЩ
Sullen Maggie didnтАЩt answer as she got out of the passenger door and
followed her father into the farmhouse. They were greeted by peals of