"Foster, Alan Dean - Flinx 1 - For Love of Mother-Not" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

"You see," Haithness murmured as she looked down at Flinx, regarding him as she would any other laboratory subject, "it explains so much." Around them, the sounds of the encampment being destroyed continued to dominate everyone else's attention.
Brora regamed his composure. "It may, it may, but the boy may not even be aware that-"
Flinx strained to understand their mumblings, but there was too much noise behind him. "Where did you come from?" he shouted toward the skimmer. His new-found maturity quickly deserted him; suddenly, he was only a furious, frustrated adolescent. "Why did you kidnap my mother? I don't like you, you know. I don't like any of you. I want to know why you've done what you've done!"
"Be careful," Nyassa-lee called up to them. "Remember the subject's profile!" She hoped they were getting this up- stairs.
"He's not dangerous, I tell you," Haithness insisted. "This demonstrates his harmlessness. If he was in command of himself, he'd be throwing more than childish queries at us by now."
"But the catalyst creature." Brora waved a hand toward the flying snake drifting above Flinx.
"We don't know that it's catalyzing anything," Haithness reminded him, "because we don't know what the boy's abilities are as yet. They are only potentials. The minidrag may be doing nothing for him because it has nothing to work with as yet, other than a damnable persistence and a preternatural talent for following a thin trail." She continued to examine the subject almost within their grasp. "I would give a great deal to learn how he came to be in possession of a minidrag."
Brora found himself licking his lips. "We failed with the mother. Maybe we should try taking the subject directly in spite of our experience with the girl."
"No," she argued. "We don't have the authority to take that kind of risk. Cruachan must be consulted first. It's his decision to make. The important thing is for us to get out of here now with our records and ourselves intact."
"I disagree." Brora continued to study the boy, fascinated by his calm. The subject appeared indifferent to the hoofed death that was devastating the encampment. "Our initial plan has failed. Now is the time for us to improvise. We should seize the opportunity."
"Even if it's our last opportunity?"
Flinx shouted at them. "What are you talking about? Why don't you answer me?"
Haithness turned and seemed about to reply when a vast groaning shook the hangar. Suddenly, its east wall bulged inward. There were screams of despair as the load- ing crew flung cargo in all directions and scattered, ignoring Nyassa-lee's entreaties.
"They didn't scatter fast enough.
Walls and roof came crashing down, burying personnel, containers, and the big cargo skimmer. Three bull Devilopes pushed through the ruined wall as Flinx threw himself backward through the doorway. Metal, plastic, and flesh blended into a chaotic pulp beneath massive hoofs. Fragments of plastic flew through the air around Plinx. One nicked his shoulder.
Red eyes flashing, one of the bulls wheeled toward the single figure sprawled on the ground. The great head lowered.
Coincidence, luck, something more: whatever had protected Flinx from the attention of the herd until now abruptly vanished. The bull looming overhead was half in- sane with fury. Its intent was evident in its gaze: it planned to make Flinx into still another red stain on the earth.
Something so tiny it was not noticed swooped in front of that lowering skull and spat into one plate-sized red eye. The Devilope bull blinked once, twice against the painful intrusion. That was enough to drive the venom into its bloodstream. The monster opened its mouth and let out a frightening bellow as it pulled away from Flinx. It started to shake its head violently, ignoring the other two bulls, which continued to crush the remains of the hangar underfoot.
Flinx scrambled to his feet and raced from the scene of destruction, heading back toward the building where he had left Lauren and Mother Mastiff. Pip rejoined him, choosing to glide just above its master's head, temporarily disdaining its familiar perch.

Behind them, the Devilope's bellowing turned thick and soft. Then there was a crash as it sat down on its rump. It sat for several moments more before the huge front legs slipped out from under it Very slowly, like an iceberg calving from a glacier, it fell over on its side. "The eye that had taken Pip's venom was gone, leaving behind only an empty socket.
Breathing hard, Flinx rushed back into the building housing the surgery and nearly ran over the fleeing Lauren and Mother Mastiff. He embraced his mother briefly, in- tensely, then swung her left arm over his shoulder to give her support.
Lauren supported the old woman at her other shoulder and looked curiously at Flinx. "Did you find who you were looking for?"
"I think so," he told her. "Sennar and Soba are properly revenged. The Devilopes did it for them."
Lauren nodded as they emerged from the remains of the building. Outside, the earth-shaking had lessened.
"The herd's dispersing. They'll reform in the forest, wonder what came over them, and likely go back to sleep. As soon as they start doing that, this camp will begin fill- ing up with those who managed to escape. We need to improve our transportation, and fast. Remember, there's nowhere near a full charge in the skimmer. You and I could walk it, but-"
"I can walk anywhere ye can," Mother Mastiff insisted. Her condition belied her bravado-if not for the support of Flinx and Lauren, she would not have been able to stand.
"It's all right, Mother," Flinx told her. "We'll find some- thing."
They boarded their skimmer. Lauren rekeyed the ignition, removed to prevent potential escapees from abscond- ing with their craft, and they cruised around the ruined building back into the heart of the camp.
Their fear of danger from survivors was unfounded. The few men and women who wandered out of their way were too stunned by the catastrophe to offer even a challenging question. The majority of them had been administrative or maintenance personnel, quite unaware of the importance of Flinx or Mother Mastiff.
The Devilopes were gone. "The power station was hardly damaged, perhaps because it lay apart from the rest of the encampment, perhaps because it operated on automatic and did not offer the herd any living targets. None of the camp personnel materialized to challenge their use of the station's recharge facility, though Lauren kept a ready finger on the trigger of the dart rifle until a readout showed that the skimmer once again rode on full power.
"I don't think we have to worry about pursuit," she declared. "It doesn't look like there's anyone left to pursue. If the leaders of this bunch got caught in that trampled hangar as you say, Flinx, then we've nothing to worry about."
"I didn't get my answers," he muttered disappointedly. Then, louder, he said, "Let's get out of this place."
"Yes," Mother Mastiff agreed quickly. She looked imploringly at Lauren. "I be a city lady. The country life doesn't agree with me." She grinned her irrepressible grin, and Flinx knew she was going to be all right.
Lauren smiled and nudged the accelerator. The skimmer moved, lifting above the surrounding trees. They crusied over several disoriented, spent Devilopes and sped south as fast as the skimmer's engine could push them.
"I didn't learn what this was all about," Flinx continued to mutter from his seat near the rear of the cabin. "Do you know why they abducted you, Mother? What did they want with you?"
It was on her lips to tell him the tale the Meliorares had told her the previous night-was it only last night? Some- thing made her hesitate. Natural caution, concern for him. A lifetime of experience that taught one not to blunder ahead and blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, no matter how true it might be. There were things she needed to learn, things he needed to learn. There would always be time.
"You've said 'tis a long story as to how ye managed to trace me, boy. My tale's a long one, too. As to what they wanted with me, tis enough for ye to know now that it involves an old, old crime I once participated in and a thirst for revenge that never dies. Ye can understand that."
"Yes, yes I can." He knew that Mother Mastiff had enjoyed a diverse and checkered youth. "You can tell me all about it after we're back home."
"Yes," she said, pleased that he had apparently accepted her explanation. "After we're safely back home." She looked toward the pilot's chair and saw Lauren gazing quizzically back at her.
Mother Mastiff put a finger to her lips. The other woman nodded, not fully understanding but sensitive enough to go along with the older woman's wishes.

Chapter Fourteen

Several hours passed. The air was smooth, the mist thin, the ride comfortable as the skimmer slipped southward. Mother Mastiff looked back toward the rear of the craft to see Flinx sound asleep. His useful if loathsome pet was, as usual, curled up close to the boy's head.
She studied the pilot. Pretty, hard, and self-contained, she decided. Night was beginning to settle over the forest speeding by below. Within the sealed canopy of the skimmer, it was warm and dry. "What be your interest in my boy?" she asked evenly.
"As a friend. I also had a personal debt to pay," Lauren explained. "Those people who abducted you slaughtered a couple of rare animals who were long-time companions of mine. 'Revenge never dies.' " She smiled. "You said that a while ago, remember?"
"How did ye encounter him?"
"He appeared at the lodge I manage on a lake near here."
"Ah! The fight, yes, I remember. So that place was yours."