"Mel Gilden - Zoot Marlow 3 - Tubular Android Superheroes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gilden Mel)

smiled a little, as if smiling came naturally to it. At the moment, she was wearing a tight, denim jumpsuit
that emphasized what was most interesting about her slim body. One knee was raised a little. High boots
matched her hair.
Earth women did nothing for me personally, of course, but the surfers had given me the short course
in what to look for. She had all of it.
Whipper Will seemed genuinely surprised to see her. He glanced at Bingo for her reaction. Bingo's
face was as emotional as a cube of butter. The woman on the chaise started suddenly, as if she had in
fact been asleep, and stretched, making cats I had seen look clumsy. She said, "Hi," in the wispy voice of
a child who has awakened among friends.
In a way that told me nothing, Whipper Will said, "Hello, Darken. What's shaking?"
Darken poured to her feet and hugged Whipper Will. She was just enough shorter than him to be
comfortable resting her head on his shoulder. He held his hands away from her back and tried not to
enjoy the hug, but his face was red when she came away. "Bingo," she said. The two women hugged, but
I'd seen goldfish in a bowl be warmer. "These are my bros," Whipper Will said, and introduced the
surfers. "Dudes, this is Darken Stormy, an old bro."
The guys leered at Darken Stormy, and the gals were reserved and suspicious. I guess it was a
compliment.
"Can we talk?" said Darken. The sleep was gone from her voice now. It was as deep as the ocean
and soft as a tub full of rabbits.
"Sure," said Whipper Will. "Dig my hang." He held out his hand like a waiter. Darken strolled into the
house, her hips having everybody's attention. Whipper Will followed her and turned at the doorway.
"You dudes want to come?" Without saying a word Bingo slid past him into the house. "How about you,
Zoot? Zamp?" I said, "Trust is a funny thing, isn't it?" Whipper Will tried to smile, but his mouth was too
concerned with other things to take it on. He said. "Maybe I just want witnesses."
"Fair enough." Zamp and I went into the house. I sent Bill back outside so the surfers wouldn't feel
entirely abandoned.
In the living room Bingo was sitting in the middle of the couch. Across from her Darken Stormy sat in
a frayed old armchair no newer than last year's wasted hours. The air was warm, but you could have
ice-skated on the vibes. Whipper Will sat down next to Bingo and took her hand in his lap. It lay there
like a salami. Zamp sat on a low stool and I stood behind him. From where I stood I could see through
the kitchen door and out the window. The surfers were walking their surf-bots onto the back deck.
"Very groovy to see you. Darken," Whipper Will said.
 "Nice to see you too."
The meaningless words floated out the open window.
"I have my own radio show now. It's on every afternoon. Perhaps you've heard it."
"No," said Bingo like a door slam.
But Zamp brightened right up. "Radio?" he said. "Like The Shadow? Like Jack Benny and Fibber
McGee? Like The Voice of Firestone?" He caressed the words as he said them. Earth radio was a big
deal on T'toomтАФit was how we knew English, but the shows were a little out of date. T'toom and Earth
were far enough apart that the speed of light made historians of us all.
Darken Stormy laughed. She had a beautiful laugh, like water over stones. She said, "I'm afraid not.
It's a talk show."
"A show about talking?" Zamp said.
Bingo and Whipper Will said nothing. I don't know if they were even listening. Maybe Whipper Will
was just relieved that for the moment the conversation had nothing to do with him.
Darken laughed again. "We have interesting guests. People call in to talk to them."
"Eavesdropping on other people's conversations," I grumbled. But Zamp was impressed. He said,
"Wow," and meant it.
Darken turned to Whipper Will and said,
"You let your hair grow."