"Alan Dean Foster - For Love Of Mother-Not" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

They retraced their steps, leaving nothing disturbed save the air and the dust. The palm lock snapped tight behind them as they stepped back out into the street, giving no hint that it had been foiled. The couple strolled back up the little side street until they stood before ArrapkhaТs doorway. They thumbed the buzzer several times.
After the third try, the man leaned close to the little speaker set above the buzzer. УItТs been a long, hard day for us, sir, and weТre both very tired. We mean you no harm, but we are empowered to take whatever steps we think advisable to carry out our assignment. Those steps will include making our own entrance if you donТt let us in.
УWe saw you watching us as we let ourselves into the old womanТs shop. I promise you we can let ourselves into your place just as easily. You might also like to know that we have an automon trained on the alley behind your shop. If you have a slip-me-out in your back wall, it wonТt do you a bit of good. So why not be pleasant about thisФ-he smiled in case the shopkeeper had a video pickup hidden somewhere-Уand come on out? If you prefer, we can chat here on the street, in full view of your other neighbors.Ф
They waited a suitable time. The woman looked at her companion, shrugged, and withdrew a small, thimble-shaped object from an inside breast pocket. The door opened immediately. The man nodded, then smiled. The woman put the thimble-thing away and moved back.
Arrapkha stepped outside, closing the door behind him, and looked hesitantly from one visitor to the other. УWhat can I do for you, lady and sir, this night? Your insistence moved me to concern despite the fact that I am closed now for more than-У
УSkip the banter,Ф the man said crisply. УWe know you were watching us. You know that weТre not here to buyФ-he glanced at the sign above the doorway-Уwood-work. Or do you deny having watched us?Ф
УWell, no,Ф Arrapkha began, Уbut I-У
УAnd you didnТt call the police,Ф the man continued easily, Уbecause the police often ask questions youТd rather not answer, right?Ф
УSir, I assure you that I-У
УWeТre looking for the old woman and the boy who live in that shop.Ф The man glanced briefly back toward Mother Mastiffs stall. УYou wouldnТt happen to know where they are, would you?Ф
Arrapkha shook his head, his expression blank. УNo, sir, I would not.Ф
УThere are signs of a struggle inside. This is a small street. You didnТt hear anything, see anything?Ф
УA struggle? Dear me,Ф Arrapbka muttered, showing signs of distress. УWell, you know, even though this is a small street, it can still be very noisy here, even at night. We donТt always pay close attention.Ф
УIТll bet,Ф the woman muttered. УJust like you didnТt pay attention to all the noise we werenТt making while we were letting ourselves into your neighborТs shop?Ф
Arrapkha favored her with a wan smile.
УWe havenТt time for these games,Ф the man said impatiently, reaching into his pants pocket.
УPlease, sir and lady.Ф A look of genuine concern came over ArrapkhaТs face. УYou said that you wouldnТt do anything-У
УWe wonТt.Ф The manТs hand paused a moment as he saw the shopkeeperТs nervous stare. УEven if we have to, we probably wonТt.Ф He slowly withdrew his hand to bring out a small folder. Arrapkha let out a relieved sigh, and studied the contents of the folder. His eyes widened.
The visitor slipped the little case back into his pocket. УNow, then,Ф he said pleasantly, УI tell you again that we mean you no harm, nor have we any intention of banning the old woman and her boy. Quite the contrary. If theyТve been the victims of violence, as seems probable, we need to know everything you know, so that if theyТre still alive, we can help them. Regardless of what you may think of us personally and what we stand for, you must realize that if theyТve met with ill fortune, theyТre bound to be better off in our care than in the hands of whoever carried them away. You can see that, surely.Ф
УBesides,Ф his companion added matter-of-factly, Уif you donТt tell us what you know, weТll escort you to a place in city center where youТll be strapped into a machine, and youТll end up telling us, anyway. It wonТt hurt you, but it will waste our time. I donТt like wasted time.Ф She stared into his eyes. УUnderstand?Ф
Arrapkha nodded slowly.
УThe old woman you seek-Mother Mastiff?Ф The man nodded encouragingly. УI think I saw her carried off by several figures. I couldnТt even tell you if they were human or alien. It was dark and misty.Ф
УIsnТt it always here?Ф the man muttered. УGo on.Ф
УThatТs all I know, all I saw.Ф Arrapkha shrugged. УTruly.Ф He pointed down the street toward the gap that separated Mother MastiffТs shop from the one next to hers. УThrough there I saw struggling shapes in the alley. It still confuses me. She is a very old woman, quite harmless.Ф
УHow long ago was this?Ф the man asked him. Arrapkha told him. УAnd the boy? What of the boy?Ф
УHe returned home that same night. He often goes off by himself until quite late. At least heТs been doing so for as long as IТve known him, which is most of his life.Ф
УLong solo walks through this city? At his age?Ф the woman asked. Arrapkha tried not to show his surprise at the womanТs seemingly casual remark. These people knew a great deal in spite of how far they had come from.
УHeТs not your average youth,Ф Arrapkha informed them, seeing no harm in doing so. УHeТs grown up largely on his own here.Ф He waved toward the brighter lights and the noise that drifted in from the main avenue. УIf you let it, Drallar will mature you quickly.Ф
УIТm sure.Ф The man nodded. УYou were saying about the boy?Ф
УHe came back that night, saw what had happened, and was very upset. HeТs an emotional type, though he fights not to show it, I think. Mother Mastiff is all he has.Ф
Still the couple did not respond, remaining maddeningly uninformative. Arrapkha went on. УHe vowed to find her.
I donТt think he has much chance.Ф
УHe went after her, then?Ф the woman asked eagerly. УHow long ago?Ф
Arrapkha told her. She muttered in some language that Arrapkha did not recognize, then added in the more familiar Commonwealth lingua franca to her companion, УOnly a couple of days. We missed them by a lousy couple of days.Ф
УItТs happened before,Ф the man reminded her, seeming unperturbed. His attention returned to Arrapkha. УWhich way did the boy intend to go?Ф
УI have no idea,Ф the shopkeeper said.
УYou know,Ф the man said pleasantly, Уmaybe we just ought to all take that little jaunt downtown and visit the machine.Ф
УPlease, sir, I tell you truly everything. You have believed my words until now. Why should it be different because the facts no longer please you? That is not my fault.What reason would I have for suddenly lying to you?Ф
УI donТt know,Ф the man said in a more conversational tone. УWhat reason would you?Ф
УNo reason.Ф Arrapkha felt his few wits deserting him, УPlease, I donТt understand whatТs happening here. ItТs all very confusing to me. What is all this interest suddenly in poor old Mother Mastiff and this Flinx-boy?Ф
УWeТd only confuse you further by telling you, wouldnТt we?Ф the man said. УSo you have no idea how the boy intended to begin his search?Ф
УNone at all because that is all that he told me,Ф Arrapkha confessed. УHe said only that he was determined to find her. Then he left.Ф
УWell, thatТs wonderful. ThatТs just wonderful,Ф the man declared sardonically. УAll that work, all that research, and we get them narrowed down to one modest-size city.Now we get to start all over again with a whole damn world to cover.Ф
УItТs not that bad,Ф the woman soothed. УThe native population is thin outside the city.Ф
УItТs not that which worries me.Ф The man sounded tired. УItТs our happy competitors.Ф
УI think weТll run into them simultaneously.Ф The woman gestured at Arrapkha as if he werenТt there. УWeТve learned all we can from this one.Ф
УYes. One more thing, though.Ф He turned to Arrapkha and handed him a small blue metal box. A single button marred its otherwise smooth, vitreous surface. УThis is a sealed-beam, high-intensity, low-power transmitter,Ф he explained to the shopkeeper. УIf either the woman or the boy should return here, all you have to do is push that button once. That will summon help, both for them and for you. Do you understand?Ф
УYes,Ф Arrapkha said slowly. He accepted the metal box, then turned it over in his hand and inspected it.
УThere is a reward-a considerable reward,Ф the woman added, Уfor anyone who assists us in bringing this matter to a speedy and successful resolution.Ф She looked past him, into the little woodworking shop. УI donТt know what kind of a life you make for yourself here, but it canТt be much. This isnТt exactly the high-rent district. The reward would amount to more, much more, than youТre likely to clear in an entire year.Ф
УIt sounds nice,Ф Arrapkha admitted slowly. УIt would be very nice to make a lot of money.Ф