"Peter F. Hamilton - Fallen Dragon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Peter F)

captain turned; there was a flash of contempt as she took in Adul's mauve Z-B
fleet tunic; then her face went protectively blank as she saw Simon in his
conservative business suit, jacket slung casually over his shoulder.
"Can I help you fellas?" she asked.
"I rather fear it's the other way round, Captain... ah, Finemore," Simon said,
smiling as he made a show of reading her discreet lapel name badge. "We
intercepted a report that indicates someone in a Skin suit was engaged in hostile
action here."
She was about to answer when the bar's doors slammed open and a
paramedic team carrying a stretcher hurried out. Simon flattened himself against
the veranda railing, allowing them past. Various medical bracelets had been
applied to the patient's neck and arms, small indicator lights winking urgently.
He was unconscious, but twitching strongly.
"I haven't confirmed that yet," an irritated Captain Finemore said when the
paramedics were clear.
"But that was the initial report," Simon said. "I'd like to establish its validity as
a matter of urgency. If someone in Skin is running loose, he needs to be dealt
with immediately, before the situation deteriorates any further."
"I am aware of that," Captain Finemore said. "I've put our Armed Tactical
Response Team on standby."
"With all respect, Captain, I feel this would be best dealt with by a counter-
insurgency squad from our own internal security division. A Skin suit would
give the wearer an enormous advantage over your ATR team."
"Are you saying you don't think we can handle this?"
"I'm offering every facility to ensure that you do."
"Well, gee, thanks. I don't know what we would do without you."
 Simon's smile remained in place as various police officers snickered around
him. "If I could ask, where did that original report come from?"
Captain Finemore jerked her head toward the bar. "The waitress. She was
hiding behind the bar when your man opened fire. None of the darts hit her."
"I'd like to talk to her, please."
"She's still in a lot of shock. I've got some specially trained officers talking to
her."
Simon used his DNI to route a message through his personal AS. The captain
wouldn't have a DNI herselfтАФ Queensland State Police budget didn't run to
thatтАФbut he could see her irises had a purple tint; she was fitted with standard
commercial optronic membranes for fast data access. "Did nobody else witness
this man in a Skin suit? He would hardly be unobtrusive."
"No." The captain stiffened as the script scrolled down across her membranes.
"There was just the one sighting." She was talking slowly now, measuring every
word. "That's why I haven't ordered a general containment area around the town
yet."
"Then finding out is your first priority. The longer you wait, the wider the
containment area, and the less likely it will succeed."
"I've already got cars patrolling along the main road to Cairns, and officers are
covering the skycable terminus and the train station."
"Excellent. May I sit in on the waitress's interview now?"
Captain Finemore stared at him. His warning message had been very clear
and backed by the state governor's office. But it had been private, enabling her to
save face in front of her officersтАФunless she chose to make it public and destroy