"Paul Levinson - The Consciousness Plague" - читать интересную книгу автора (Levinson Paul)

resources.... That would be an improvement on having to always go the Department on bended knee."

"You think there's some threat we don't know about that makes them want to do this right now?" Jenna
asked. She patted her denim jeans.

I scowled. "They wouldn't recognize something bizarre if it smiled in their facesтАФthey'd say it was a
hoax, and do their best to bury the evidence."

Jenna coughed. "Well, this damned cold or pseudo-flu or whatever it is certainly seems to be getting out
of hand. My sister told me everyone in San Francisco is out sick with it."

"Let's hope she didn't give it to you over the phone." I reached over and refilled her glass.

I CALLED DUGAN two days later to accept the offer.

"He's home sick with that bug," his secretary, Sheila, told me. "Both he and the commissioner," she
added. "Got them both. Looks like the Department will be run by the secretaries for the next few days!"
She chuckled.

"No different than usual," I responded in kind.

Now she laughed out loud. "Shhh, Dr. D'Amato. Don't you give away our secret, now!"

"It's safe with me, don't worry."

I WAS DOWN in Chinatown a few days later on a boring case. But it wasn't a total lossтАФI loved the
crush of people and textures and fruit stands. I used the opportunity to replenish my supply of green tea
and persimmons.

"Anything more?" the woman at the stand inquired, in a lilting voice. She was hardly more than a girl, with
a very sweet face.

I shook my head no, and gave her a twenty.

She gave me two paper bags, my change, and started coughing her head off.

That reminded me to put in another call to Dugan.

"Good timing," Sheila's voice crackled through my cell phone, "He came back, fit as a fiddle, just this
morning."

The sun was close to setting on this crisp March afternoon, and I was finished with my business in
Chinatown, so I decided to hail a cab and go over to Dugan's office. It could be useful for me to see the
expression on his face when I accepted his offerтАФ see if there was any true pleasure there.

The traffic was worse than usual. I counted two water mains broken, and three potholes the size of
basketballs.

Sheila was gone when I finally arrived. But Jack was still in his office.