"Eric Nylund - Paladin Blake and The Secret City" - читать интересную книгу автора (Nylund Eric)

thought, that upon closer inspection she was infested with pirates, bootleggers and other
human vermin. Like his brother.

Paladin would deal with Matthew, but first he intended to find out what happened to their
sister, Flora-assuming Matthew hadn't lied about her, and this wasn't an elaborate trap.

Durango Airfield was a dirt strip cut into the forest, a few shacks, and scattered fuel tanks.
He circled the field, then eased this Devastator onto the bumpy runway, taxied to the end,
and parked so he could take off quickly.

Sunning Lizard Airfield had been clean and neat-complete with whitewashed adobe
buildings, chili rea├▒os and piping hot coffee in the pilot's lounge. Durango, in contrast, was a
disaster. The area was cluttered with discarded airframes which lined the runway. Old
engine blocks and rusty machine parts were strewn across the ground, and the odor of
grease, smoke and sour mash wafted from a leaning A-frame. Over the door of this
structure was a sign with a painted figure of a woman encircled by a leering cobra, and the
words: "Snakes and Ladders." It was just the kind of dump Matthew would like.

The drone of aircraft echoed off the mountains. Paladin squinted and spotted a line of six
incoming Fairchild F4 Corsairs. The snub-nosed planes banked, descended, and then landed,
one after another.

Paladin flipped the secret kill switch under his Devastator's control panel and climbed out of
the cockpit. He checked his .45s-making sure each pistol had a round in the chamber-and
then strode toward the Corsairs.

Matthew jumped down from the wing of his Corsair. He pulled off his flight cap and shook
out a mane of gray hair. He was taller than Paladin by a head. Matthew's face was similar to
Paladin's-the same strong jaw and blue eyes-but his features were weathered by age,
crossed with frown lines, his eyes ringed with fatigue.

Matthew's wingmen clambered out of their planes and gathered around their leader. They
looked like a tough bunch, in black flight jackets and combat boots. Each of them-three men
and two women-packed a mix of weapons, mostly bulky revolvers. But they looked a little
scared of Paladin.

Good, he thought. Let them be scared.

The truth was that Paladin was a little scared, too...of Matthew. Anything that crossed his
brother's path, anyone that got in his way, Matthew made sure they never caused him
trouble again. Pirates. Mercenaries. Lawmen. Civilians. They were all equal in Matthew's
book: all equally dispensable. Did that extend to his kin as well?

Probably.

Paladin broke the silence: "You said to come alone, Matthew. I did...but I see you needed a
crowd to face me."

Matthew took a step toward Paladin. "I don't need anyone's help to handle you, little
brother." He glanced at the horizon, then back at Paladin. "I just didn't know if there'd be a