"Nancy Kress - The Rules" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kress Nancy)

тАЬThis is Peoria, Illinois, right now,тАЭ the voice-over said, тАЬand this is
what Peoria will look like in twenty years as the American Midwest
undergoes desertification.тАЭ

тАЬTurn it off,тАЭ Maddie said.

тАЬNo, wait,тАЭ Karen Smith said. тАЬMy sister lives in Peoria.тАЭ

тАЬPeoria.тАЭ A partial desert. тАЬNew York.тАЭ The water, already rising over
Battery Park, flooded Wall Street. тАЬKansas City.тАЭ Another creeping desert.
тАЬAnd this will be Washington, D.C.тАЭтАФand the screen exploded into sound
so loud and light so bright that Brenda screamed. A huge mushroom cloud
filled the screen, followed by a scan of destroyed buildings, writhing
bodies, and miles of nothing but rubble. тАЬDoes anyone,тАЭ said the
voice-over, тАЬreally believe that if resources get much scarcer, it wonтАЩt lead
to nuclear war? If you were a third-world country with the bomb and all your
children were starving, what would you do? Anything. YouтАЩd do anything at
all.тАЭ

тАЬThatтАЩs no National Geographic Special!тАЭ Ron said. тАЬJesus!тАЭ

тАЬAnd the deserts are the key. Reverse desertification and maybe we
can feed everyone again, water everyone, provide homes for everyone.
Maybe. The experts say thatтАЩs no longer possible, that the climate changes
from global warming are irreversible. But maybe ... just maybe ... theyтАЩre
wrong.тАЭ

****

Carmody opened the folder, a simple blue paper with no markings,
and laid it flat on TartellтАЩs lap. The old man lowered his chin to gaze
downward at the two pieces of paper side by side. One slid onto the floor
and Carmody bent to replace it. тАЬCan you read at that distance, Glenn?тАЭ

тАЬWell enough,тАЭ Tartell said.

After a moment Carmody said, тАЬYou knew weтАЩd find this.тАЭ

тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬHow did you build these companies, Arthur? We know when, and
whoтАЩs at each, but not how. There are no paper trails, no Net tracesтАФand
considering that youтАЩve hired not one but three Nobel Laureates in India,
thatтАЩs a little amazing. How did you do it?тАЭ
 тАЬIt cost a great deal.тАЭ

тАЬI can imagine. What are they working on? No, I donтАЩt imagine youтАЩd
tell me. But the TV programs that youтАЩve got everyone so worked up
aboutтАФtheyтАЩre just initial PR, arenтАЩt they? Little maimed Saya and darling