"Follett, James - Earthsearch 00 - Mindwarp" - читать интересную книгу автора (Follett James)

Her apartment was situated off one of the smartest
residential squares of Galthan where all the living units
were on one level. In the centre of the small, tree-lined
square was that ultimate community status symbol: a liquid
light fountain, shining with increased brilliance now that
the daylight was greying to evening level. It was all very
different from Bel's drab block. Even the pictures of the
emperor were replaced frequently so that they always looked
sharp and fresh. His apartment was so high above the street
that he could actually see the inside of his area's dome from
his balcony. It was strange being able to actually see, and
nearly touch, the boundary between space and the infinity of
the eternal rock.
He took a short-cut across the centre of the square where
two gardeners were tending the flowerbeds. Sometimes they
sold off flowers that were past their best. Kally loved
flowers. He loved the way her dark yet luminous eyes lit up
when he brought her presents. He was five years younger than
Kally but the difference didn't matter. Nothing mattered when
they were together.
Suddenly one of the gardeners gave a cry of alarm and
pointed up at a tree.
`Bird! Bird!'
Bel froze. The shout provoked as much fear as the cry of
`fire' and produced an equally fast response. People lounging
on benches, and couples sitting on the grass, jumped to their
feet as one and stared. At that moment a small, black shape
detached itself from the tree that the distraught gardener
was pointing at. The creature swooped low across the square,
wings beating furiously. The tiny body gained height and
disappeared into the dense fronds of a palm tree near where
Bel was standing. People running towards him to get out of
the square changed direction abruptly. Bel had been present
at bird sightings before. Even though he knew that there was
no real danger from the strange thing, it was hard not to get
caught up in the near-panic. He turned and walked quickly to
the road that bordered the square. A blaring siren heralded
the sudden appearance of a wheeled police car. It screeched
around a corner and disgorged four police officers before it
stopped rolling.
`That tree there,' said Bel, pointing.
He watched the men run across the grass, unholstering
their plasma discharge sidearms. Another police car appeared
and cruised around the square's periphery road.
`Everyone is to leave the square,' boomed the cruiser's
public address. `Please leave the square. Please leave the
square now.'
The admonishments were hardly necessary. Everyone,
including Bel, had left the square and was standing around
the perimeter, waiting to see what would happen.