"Will Hubbell - Cretaceous Sea" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hubbell Will)

Rick sighed. "I've heard this before. Did my brother put you up to this?"

"No, I brought it up to make a point. Single-minded people like you generally have a hard time in this
world. If you ever want academic work, you'll have to study literature and history also."

"Now I know my brother set you up."

"No, quite the contrary, I'm here to offer you a way out. To do what you love without the compromises."
She pulled a small viewer from her pocket and inserted a disk. "This is raw input, straight from the
datacam. Take a look."

Rick peered at the screen and saw an aerial view of an open landscape dotted with clumps of trees. The
ground was covered with low vegetation upon which a herd of large animals grazed. The view zoomed in
closer on the herd, and soon Rick recognized them. "They're ceratop-sids. Triceratops . .. Torosaurus
... I don't know that one ..." He watched for a while with fascination. "This is very realistic, who
programmed this?"

"I said it was raw input. It's not computer-generated. It's realistic because it's real."

"You mean a theme park?"

"No. Real. Actual living animals."

"Genetically engineered?"

"No," replied Ann, "these are wild animals in their nat-ural habitat."

"Cut the bull," said Rick good-naturedly. "That's not possible. You're talking time travel."
"Yes."

Rick's only response was a derisive snort.

"Time travel's not only possible," responded Ann, "but you can experience it yourself. That's what I'm
here to talk about."

"This has got be a hoax."

"My client requires strict secrecy, hardly what you'd expect in a hoax ... don't you agree?"

"How can this be real?"

"I don't expect to convince you," said Ann. "You can see it for yourself. I'm just here to make that
possible. If you agree to go, I'm authorized to transfer a five-thousand-Euro advance to your account,
plus provide you with airfare." Rick whistled at the sum. "That's real money," continued Ann, "maybe not
proof, but a start."

Rick stared silently at Ann with an expression of dis-belief. She read his thoughts, and said, "You're not
the only candidate. If you're not willing to listen, then I'm wasting my time." She shut off the viewer, put it
away, and started walking for the door.