"Mike Resnick - Hothouse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

Where do I go when I offend you?

This is your last stop. You're here for better or worse.

Lucky me.I turn back to the holoscreen and begin punching in the standard
questions.

What are you doing now? he demands. He tries to boost himself up on a scrawny,
miscolored elbow to watch me, but he's too weak.

Checking to see if I'm to medicate you for any diseases, I reply.

I haven't been out of bed in 40 years, he rasps. If I have a disease, I got it
from one of you goons.

I ignore his answer and continue staring at the screen. You have a history of
cancer.

Big deal, he says. As quick as I get it, you bastards cure it. He pauses.
Seventeen cancers. You cut five out, burned three out, and drowned the other
nine in your chemicals.

I keep reading the screen. I see you still have your original heart, I note
with some surprise. Most hearts are replaced by the time the patient is 120
years old, the lungs and kidneys even sooner.

Are you offering me yours? he says sarcastically.

Okay, so he's an arrogant, hostile bastardbut he's also my only charge who's
capable of speech, so I force a smile and try again.




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You're a lucky man, I begin.

He glares at me. You want to explain that?

You've retained your mental acuity. Very few manage that at your advanced age.

And you think that's lucky, do you?

Certainly.

Then you're a fool, said Mr. Goldmeier.

I sigh. I'm trying very hard to be your friend. You're not making it easy.