"Barry B. Longyear - The Hangingstone Rat" - читать интересную книгу автора (Longyear Barry)

I gently shook my head. тАЬThat makes no sense. YouтАЩre thousands of
miles, a couple of years, and several careers away from New York and its
police force. Why try and kill you now?тАЭ

тАЬAll I can think of is some old crooked cop went a little dingy in the
head and decided killing me was the answer to all his problems.тАЭ

тАЬWhy didnтАЩt you put in a call for help?тАЭ Nadine asked.

тАЬThe blast damaged this microтАЩs antenna. I tried a call and my
transmission distance is down to under three kilometers. I had my scanner
on looking for local traffic in case the cops, the army, or a hiker with his cell
on came near when I received a transmission.тАЭ He looked at me. тАЬIt
sounded like a generated voice. All it said was, тАШI received a weak signal.
The turkey might not be done.тАЩ Just like that. Only a key click for a
response.тАЭ

тАЬThat doesnтАЩt sound friendly,тАЭ observed Walter.

тАЬThat was my take on it. Both transmissions were clear, and I got
automatic azimuths on both. I didnтАЩt attempt any more calls, but I traveled a
few meters so I could triangulate the transmissions should whoever was
watching me make another call. As soon as I moved, though, there was
another signal, same voiceтАФvery high. Familiar but canтАЩt place it. The
bearing showed it came from that tor just north of us.тАЭ

тАЬSteeperton?тАЭ asked Walter.

тАЬYeah. One word: тАШMovement.тАЩ There was a long silence, then came
the response. A voice that didnтАЩt sound generated at all said, тАШFinish it.тАЩ Both
communications were on hand radio frequency.тАЭ

тАЬYou get a fix on the other party?тАЭ I asked.
 тАЬA village due east of here called Gidleigh. Nothing since, and that
was three days ago. I know the guyтАЩs still on Steeperton, though. Every so
often he downloads some information and I can pick up his satellite
address. To conserve my charge I go hide in an old piece of tubing on the
roof and go standby. My boy on Steeperton visited here searching for me
when I was shut down. ThatтАЩs when he sucked the rest of the charge off
that Vader prang.тАЭ

I frowned. If it was a hitter, the fellowтАЩs reckless perseverance was
remarkableтАФunless he was expendable. тАЬDependable and expendable,тАЭ I
said. тАЬAre you thinking what IтАЩm thinking?тАЭ I asked Shad.

тАЬA toaster.тАЭ

I nodded.

тАЬWhatтАЩs a toaster, dear?тАЭ Val asked me.