"Michael McCollum - Gibraltar earth" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCollum Michael)

After a long night spent in mental turmoil, Mark decided to do something. It was easy to ignore a face on
the screen, considerably less so when that face is close enough to feel hot breath issuing from an angry
mouth. The sun had not risen over the Sierras when he had booked passage on the first suborbital flight
to Europe. Even then, nature conspired against him. The eight-hour time difference meant that the first
direct flight did not leave until early evening. He had spent the day in anxious anticipation and useless
recrimination before boarding a suborbital hyperjet for Zurich.

In less than a minute, the car was out of the tunnel and in sunshine again, climbing the low hills that
surrounded the ancient fortress at Meersburg. The bullet car pivoted about its long axis, compensating for
the sideways surge of a long sweeping curve to the right. The accelerator ring pylons ran parallel to the
shoreline, directly for the gleaming pyramid that towered above the trees. A minute later, the car
decelerated swiftly as it entered the pyramid and slid to a halt in the subsurface transport station. Most of
the passengers climbed to their feet and waited patiently for the automatic doors to open. When it came
MarkтАЩs turn, he moved like a man in a trance.

тАЬMr. Rykand?тАЭ a young woman asked as he exited the car.

тАЬYes?тАЭ

тАЬMy name is Amalthea Palan. I am special assistant to the director here. We received your message that
you were coming late last night. Director Bartok apologizes for not meeting you personally, but he had an
appointment in Toronto today. He asked that I convey his sympathy for your loss. Your sister was a
valued member of our family and will be sorely missed.тАЭ

тАЬLook, I donтАЩt want to cause any trouble, but I wonтАЩt be quiet either. I came here to find out how my
sister died. I think you owe me that.тАЭ

тАЬI understand your concern, Mr. Rykand. Why donтАЩt we go up to my office and discuss it? IтАЩll be happy
to share everything we know, little as it is.тАЭ

They rode an escalator up to the main level of the building. The public foyer of Survey Headquarters was
one of the eight architectural wonders of the world. It was the largest enclosed space on the planet,
exceeding even the ancient Vehicle Assembly Building at the Cape Canaveral Museum. Finished in
polished marble, the great expanse reminded Mark of a mausoleum - a thought that he ruthlessly put
down as soon as it occurred to him. Around the perimeter were views of worlds the survey had
discovered. It being early on Monday morning, the usual small groups of school children were absent and
the anti-echo field had yet to be turned on. Mark listened as his and Amalthea PalanтАЩs footsteps echoed
back from far overhead.
They took another escalator to a mezzanine level and then an express lift to the 27th level. The directorтАЩs
assistant ushered him into a plush office with a sloping window that looked out over the lake.

тАЬRefreshments, Mr. Rykand? Coffee, tea, perhaps something stronger?тАЭ she asked as she motioned him
to a leather settee and then sat opposite him.

тАЬNo thank you.тАЭ

Amalthea gazed at her visitor.

She saw a well-muscled young man of slightly more than average height with a shock of sandy hair and