"Sharon Green - Mists of the Ages" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

I might look at what it normally hid. Only four of the dozen or so compartments
were filled, two with off-planet bank notes that might well have been
counterfeit, a third with a large, tightly-stoppered vial filled with something
bright yellow that glowed very faintly, and a fourth with a narrow envelope
which was clearly from an expensive set of stationery. I took the envelope and
folded it, stuffed it inside a pocket of my belt, then put the safe spot entry
back where it belonged.
Returning everything to normal took almost as long as deactivating it had, but
under those circumstances it wasnтАЩt a waste of time. Once IтАЩd rechecked the last
set of circuits IтАЩd worked, I connected the final lead that meshed everything
back into place, then was able to disconnect my diddle box, allowing the next
intrusion signal generated to go to the security force board instead of a
dead-end panel in the box. IтАЩd been taught to cover the possibility that I
wasnтАЩt as good as I thought I was and would therefore set off some kind of alarm
during the prowl, and found it wise to never forget the lesson. Seero had taught
me that, just as heтАЩd taught me all the rest, but IтАЩd learned on my own that
there were times when all the caution in the Empire just wasnтАЩt enough to make a
difference.
I left the building through a maintenance duct that led to the parking level of
the building next door, stayed out of range of the scanners until I was back in
a normal, street-type bodysuit, then ambled to my jump-around with all the
non-concern of any woman who knows sheтАЩs parked in a total visibility area. Not
only are there no blind spots in a t.v. area, anyone stepping or driving into
the section activates real-time monitoring by the duty guards. If an emergency
happens they can get there fast, and they usually make the effort to move. There
are cash bonuses and public recognition each month for the fastest response to
any activated emergency, and any team logging twelve wins gets put on a roster
of perpetual commendation.
Gryphon was a world that knew the benefits in paying for what it wanted, and
what it wanted was maximum effort from the people whose job it was to protect
others. Substantial annual salaries attracted the best, bonuses and public
commendations kept them; with those who couldnтАЩt afford to have the notoriety,
stroking was arranged on a somewhat more discreet level.
My jump-around unlocked itself at my approach, and I unobtrusively checked the
back before getting in and starting it up. I didnтАЩt really expect to find anyone
hiding in the back seat, but when you know how to get around t.v. areas and
approach locks, you tend to remember that others can do the same. No one should
have known where I was and what I was doing, but that didnтАЩt mean no one did;
the faster you learned should-haves can turn quickly into dids, the better your
chances became of surviving.
I had casually thrown my shoulder bag to the front seat beside me, but once I

file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...ar/Sharon%20Green%20-%20Mists%20Of%20The%20Ages.txt (3 of 205)23-2-2006 22:58:19
 file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruiswijk/Mijn%20documenten/spaar/Sharon%20Green%20-%20Mists%20Of%20The%20Ages.txt

was out of the parking level and skimming along a concourse, my main priority
became getting the contents of the bag property seen to. I wasnтАЩt due to deliver
the envelope IтАЩd taken for another two and a half hours; simply carrying it with
me would have been possible but not terribly bright. I was scheduled to visit
some old friends during the time I had free, but not everyone around them would