"FWLS64" - читать интересную книгу автора (A Future We'd Like to See)

considering closing early, so we'd better hoof it."

"Early?" I gulped.

*

I could see it in the crowds already. The tension had mounted
all afternoon, building over missing items, out of stock gifts, and
inflated prices. There was going to be a blow of anger, one after
another, all coming down in a few minutes.

The agent practically dragged me through the crowds, keeping
a single hand locked around my wrist like a handcuff. I tried to
avoid the bloodshot eyes of the soon-to-be-animals, and concentrate
on getting to the door.

We were dashing by the Chicken Inna Bucket, the last stop
before the doors when we heard the noise. It was a great grinding
of metal, as the newly installed blast doors started to descend.

Another identical agent peered through the rapidly closing
gap. "#46336A?! Jeez, hurry! We thought you were out already!"

"I was in line for a photo with Santa," the agent said.
"Sorry. We--"

The first gunshot of the night rang out. A scream ripped the
air, followed by another, and some angry shouts.

The door sped up to infinite velocity, slamming shut and
cracking the cheap mosaiced tiles underneath. We weren't on the
correct side when it happened.

"Umm," he said. "Did I forget to mention the doors were
triggered to emergency-seal in the event of the riot breaking out
early?"

"You don't say," I mumbled, not sure how I was supposed to
feel about this.

"Yeah. Audio triggered. NSSAC spared no expense. SHIT!"

#46336A grabbed me and dove into a side restroom, as a
hundred-odd shoppers made a dash for the blast door, screaming and
pounding. THEY obviously didn't want to be here, and were quite
unhappy that they were sealed in.

The agent shut the restroom door and pushed a few tin garbage
containers in front of it. "This is not good," he said, listening
to the moaning hordes just outside the door. "I hope you don't