"Hogan, James P - The Genesis Machine p086-173" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hogan James P)

Clifford let the silence hang for a second to accentuate the embarrassment now evident on the faces of Jarrit and Edwards. Turning away from Corrigan to exclude him pointedly from the remark as an object no longer worthy of consideration, he quietly concluded, УIТve quit. I couldnТt put the reasons into better words than that.Ф
A couple of hours later, as Clifford steered the Cougar up the climbing road along the valley side and looked back at ACRE for the last time, he became aware of something that he had not noticed for a long time: The air of the mountains tasted clean and free.
Chapter B

Sarah looked at the numbers displayed on the screen and pursed her lips ruefully. After a few more seconds she switched off the terminal and swiveled her chair round to face across the room.
УSo, what happens now, I wonder,Ф she said. УWeТre broke.Ф
Clifford, sprawled in an armchair by the opposite wall, scowled back at her.
УDunno,Ф he confessed. УI guess I could still get some kind of jobЧnothing spectacular, but worth something.Ф
She cast an eye round the room, with its tasteful decor and comfortable furnishings.
УI suppose all this will have to go.Ф
УReckon so.Ф His voice was matter-of-fact.
She swung the chair through a full circle and came back to face him again.
УPerhaps we should take that jungle trip that you talked about. Who knowsЧpeanuts and berries and things might not be too bad after the first twenty years or so.Ф
He managed a grin; she tried to return it, but her heart wasnТt really in it.
The news had come as no surprise. Not once had she questioned what he had done; she knew that he had done what he had to. He knew that she shared
his values and would accept philosophically whatever sacrifices were necessary to preserve them. There was no need for long and elaborate explanations or justifications.
She swung the chair to and fro in a slow rhythmic motion and pressed her fingers into a point in front of her nose. УJust for once, letТs be logical and objective. We ought to set out some sort of plan of where we go next.Ф
УWe ought?Ф
УOf course we ought to. The world hasnТt ended, but there are still a lot of things that are going to need straightening out. Now, whatТs the first thing we need to do?Ф
УGet drunk.Ф
УSee, no objectivity. ThatТs the American maleТs eternal solution to everything. All it does is shovel the problems into tomorrow.Ф
УBest place for them to be isnТt it? It never comes.Ф
УOnly if you get drunk tomorrow too, and we canТt afford that. LetТs be serious. For a start, IТll see about switching to a full-time week at the hospital. ThatТll help.Ф
Clifford saw that she was making an honest effort to be constructive. He straightened up in the chair and his mood changed abruptly.
УThatТd help a lot,Ф he said. УYouТre great.Ф
УWe should start looking for somewhere cheaper to live too,Ф she continued. УPerhaps a small apartment. I think there are one or two quite nice ones going over near Hammel Hill. If you could find a temporary job, we should be able to balance things and stay fairly comfortable until weТve decided what we really want to do. What dТyou think?Ф
УAbsolutely right, of course,Ф he agreed. УIn fact, Jerry Micklaw was saying the other week that theyТve
got some vacancies at the place he works. ItТs long hours and hard work, but the payТs good. . . and they get plenty of bonuses. If I got fixed up there it would give me a chance to look around for a while. Come to think of it, maybe we wouldnТt have to quit this place in such a hurry after all. I reckon if we cut down on a couple of the. . .У
The chime of the doorbell sounded.
Sarah was nearest. She left the room to answer the door while Clifford contemplated the carpet. Absently he heard the door being opened while he thought more seriously about the things they had been discussing. Then SarahТs incredulous УGood heavens!Ф brought him back with a start. Suddenly the hallway outside the door was filled with a laughing, reverberant voice gushing through the house and dispelling the gloom like a flood of aural sunshine. Clifford looked up and gaped in disbelief as AubТs lean wiry figure strode through the door. Sarah stood framed in the opening behind him, her hands spread wide apart in an attitude of helplessness.
УDr. Clifford, I presume.Ф Aub beamed down and then burst into laughter at the expression on CliffordТs face. Clifford managed to rise halfway before finding his arm being pumped vigorously up and down. УSeemed about time,Ф Aub said, turning to shake SarahТs hand as well. УCouldnТt think of any good reason for putting it off. So. . .У He shrugged.
Clifford shook his head in bemusement.
УAub . . . what in hellТs name? ItТs great to see you at last but . . . what the hell are you doing here . . .
Aub laughed again.
УI just followed my feet, and this is where they came.Ф He looked around him. УMan, what a pad
Х . Fantastic! You know something, I really dig that mural . . . kinda soul-touching. WhoТs the artistic one?Ф
УEnjoy it while you can, Aub,Ф Sarah said. УWe may have to move out of here before very long. Brad quit his job today.Ф
AubТs face radiated sheer delight.
УYou donТt say!Ф He made it sound like the best news he had heard for weeks. УI donТt believe it. You mean you finally told those ACRE bums to go get lost. Hey, Brad, thatТs just great, manЧreally great!Ф
Clifford regarded him sourly.
УWhy so funny?Ф
УYouТre not gonna believe it. We both arrived at the same conclusionЧI quit Berkeley too!Ф
Clifford gaped for a second or two. As the message sank in his features slowly broadened into a smile.
УYou did? You too? ThatТs crazy. . . Why?Ф
УThey tried to make me take that job againЧthe one I told you aboutЧthe secret project. But by that time IТd already figured the whole thing was a messy, lousy business and I didnТt want to get mixed up in it. So I told them I wasnТt interested. Then they tried using muscle and said they were empowered to order me to take it under special security legislation. I said I sure as hell hadnТt empowered them, and not long after that it occurred to me that the time had come for me and them to go our own separate ways.Ф
УBradТs cleaned out,Ф Sarah told him. УTheyТve cut off everythingЧall the benefits. He wonТt be able to get a decent job either.Ф
УYeah, me too.Ф Aub grinned, shrugged, and showed his empty palms. УSo, who cares? Just remember the ice ball.Ф
УIce ball?Ф
УTwenty billion years from now the whole world will be just one big ball of ice, so it wonТt make any differ-
ence. I always think about the ice ball when MurphyТs around.Ф