"Richard Morgan - Market Forces" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morgan Richard)

TRANSACTION DENIED.

The girl takes the card and hands it back to the woman. A small pocket of quiet expands around the
action, bubbling out past the conveyor belt to the boy at the next checkout unit and to the three
customers waiting behind Martin. In a few more seconds it will dissolve into the slither of whispering.

тАШWould you like to try another card.тАЩ

тАШThis is ridiculous,тАЩ snaps Martin. тАШThat account had funds as of the first of the month. IтАЩve just been
paid.тАЩ

тАШI can run the card a third time,тАЩ offers the girl with studied indifference.

тАШNo.тАЩ The womanтАЩs knuckles have gone white around the small piece of black plastic. тАШMartin, try the
IntexтАЩ

тАШHelen, thereтАЩs money in that accтАФтАШ

тАШSome problem,тАЩ asks the man behind him, tapping his own plastic significantly against the pile of
shopping he has assembled so close to the Next Customer divider that itтАЩs in danger of tumbling over into
MartinтАЩs space.

MartinтАЩs mouth shuts like a trap.

тАШNo problem.тАЩ

He hands over the blue flecked Intex card and watches at least as intently as the people behind him as
the checkout girl swipes it.

The machine chews it over for a couple of moments,

And spits it out.

The girl hands it back and shakes her head. Her smooth, plastic politeness is beginning to degrade.

тАШCardтАЩs blocked,тАЩ she says dismissively. тАШTerminal audit.тАЩ

тАШWhat?тАЩ

тАШTerminal audit. IтАЩm going to have to ask you to put those purchases back on the far side of the counter
and leave the store.тАЩ

тАШRun the card again.тАЩ
 The girl sighed. тАШI donтАЩt have to run the card again, sir. I have all the information I need right here. Your
rating is invalidated.тАЩ

тАШMartin,тАЩ Helen presses forward at his side. тАШLeave it, weтАЩll come back when itтАЩs cleared uтАФтАШ

тАШNo, goddamn it.тАЩ Martin shrugs her off and leans over the counter, into the checkout girlтАЩs face. тАШThere