"Kevin O'Donnel Jr. - The Journeys of McGill Feighan 04] - Cliffs" - читать интересную книгу автора (O'Donnell Jr Kevin)

song-and-dance the likes of which hasn't been performed in this office at any
time in recorded history."
The corners of Feighan's mouth curved into a smile. "Did it rain?"
Walking Mule raised his eyebrows.
"Sorry." Feighan spread his hands. "I couldn't resist."
"Next time try harder." But his own lips twitched. "The upshot of it all is,
those reprimands my predecessor filled your file with have been removed.
You are officially restored to Active Status, which means Personnel now
carries you as an employee instead of as an independent contractor, and you
are no longer forbidden to leave Earth." He cocked his head. "You have
stuck close to home since we got back, haven't you?"
"Actually, yes." He had obeyed, not to conform with the restrictions
imposed by Flinger Network Control, but because he could travel almost
nowhere in the Network without being reminded of one dead friend or
another. "The farthest I've gone was to Gettysburg with Sam, last month."
"You don't know how good that is to hear, 'cause if you had violated the
terms of your paroleтАФ"
"C'mon, Walking Mule, you know me better than that."
"Yeah, I suppose I doтАж" He fussed with a pile of papers on his table,
squaring their edges and placing them to one side. "Now, about this here
quest of yours for the Far Being RetzglaranтАФ"
"Since I don't have a clue as to where I should look nextтАФ" Feighan
shrugged. "And what with tutoring Sam after school and seeing Gina at
night, I don't have quite the time to dig clues up that I used to."
Walking Mule nodded. "I can appreciate that. But what I wanted to say
was, now that you are officially back in the good graces of the papermongers
of the FNC, I've got no problem with your questing. That's as long as you
do it on your own time, hear? In fact, I've got a few sources of my own, and
once in a while I hear stories that would probably be of more'n passing
interest to you. If you like, I'd be happy to repeat them for you."
Feighan sat up straight. "Repeat away."
"I said 'once in a while,' McGill. Truth is, I haven't heard anything since
we got back from Actu. But I will keep my ears open, and that's a promise."
"Thank you." He glanced down at his wristwatch. "UhтАФ"
"I know, you're due at your Booth, and I won't keep you but a few
seconds longer." He sighed. "Let me tell you something, McGill. Getting
promoted has its good points, and its bad points. Used to be the two of us
bumped into each other half a dozen times a day, and I truly got a kick out
of jawing with you. Now they've got me cooped up in this officeтАФ"
"But you're the best Director we've ever had!"
Walking Mule smiled appreciatively. "Even the best Director's still a boss,
McGill, and it seems folks around these parts just don't enjoy dropping in on
the boss to pass the time of day. I used to think that line about it's being
lonely at the top was a crock. I was wrong."
Feighan had the grace to blush.
"I'm not trying to make you feel like the low-life skunk you undoubtedly
are, McGillтАФ" He grinned at his prot├йg├й. "тАФbut I don't want you thinking
that just 'cause I'm Numero Uno around here I aim to avoid my old friends.
I still care about you. Maybe even more'n I did when I saw you six times a
day."