"Harry Harrison - SSR 02 - The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

and mastermind of the Special Corps, not quite with it this day. He followed
me out easily enough and I closed the door and slipped off the heavy goggles.
"We're ready to come home now," I told him. "If you can find a quiet way
of getting us off this planet without the locals getting their greedy hands on
us."
His jaw clenched with anger and fractured the mouthpiece of the pipe into
innumerable fragments. I led him, spitting out pieces of plastic, to the room
where Angelina was waiting.

Chapter 3

"ARRGH!" Inskipp snarled, and shook the sheaf of papers in his hand so
that they rattled like dry skeletal bones.
"Very expressive," I said, sliding a cigar from my pocket humidor and
holding it to my ear. "But with a very minimal content of information. Could
you be more explicit?" I pinched the cigar's small end and there was not the
slightest crackle. Perfection.
"Do you know how many millions your crime wave has cost? The economy of
Kamata . . ."
"Will not suffer an iota. The government will reimburse the institutions
that suffered the losses and will then in turn deduct the same amount from its
annual payment to the Special Corps. Which has more money than it can possibly
use in any case. And look at the benefits bestowed in return. Plenty of
excitement for the populace, increased sales of newspapers, exercise for the
sedentary law enforcement officers--and that is an interesting story in
itself--as well as field maneuvers that were a pleasure for everyone involved.
Far from being annoyed they should pay us a fee for making all these exciting
things possible. " I lit the cigar and blew out a great cloud of fragrant
smoke.
"Don't play wise with me, you aging con man. If I turned you and your
bride over to the Kamata authorities you would still be in jail 600 years from
now."
"Little chance of that, Inskipp, aging con man yourself. You are short of
good field agents as it is. You need us more than we need you. So consider
this chewing out at an end and get on with the business. I have been
chastised. " I tore a button off the front of my jacket and threw it across
the desk to him. "Here, rip off my medals and reduce me to the ranks. I am
guilty. Next case."
With a final simulated growl of anger he filed the papers in the
wastebasket and took out a large red folder that buzzed threateningly when he
touched it. His thumbprint defused the security device and the folder dropped
open.
"I have a top secret gravely important assignment here."
"What other kind do I ever get?"
"It is hideously dangerous as well."
"You are secretly envious of my good looks and have a death wish for me.
Come on, Inskipp. Stop sparring and let me know what the deal is. Angelina and
I can handle it better than the rest of your senile and feeble agents."
"This job of work is for you alone. Angelina is, well . . ." His face
reddened and he examined the file closely.