"Resnick, Mike - Oracle 2 - Oracle" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

"What makes them think so?"
"There's supposed to be a young human woman there, living among the aliens, who's known as the Oracle."
"And that's it?"
"Probably not," said the Iceman. "Almost certainly not. But that's all I've been told."
"That' s not much to go on," said Chandler. "What do you think they've kept back?"
"Probably something about how many men they've sent in and never heard from again. That's the kind of thing that would convince them they're right, and it's also guaranteed to discourage a potential recruit."
Chandler was silent for a long moment. Then he looked across at the Iceman. "I've got a question for you."
"What is it?"
"This little girl cost you a leg, and I gather she killed a friend of yours."
"Indirectly."
"Then why aren't you going after her yourself?"
"I'm a sixty-five-year-old man with a potbelly and an artificial leg," answered the Iceman. "If it really is Penelope Bailey, I'd be dead before I could get close to her. Maybe I could have done it twenty years ago, but not now." He looked directly at Chandler. "That's why I've come to you, Whistler -- of all the men in this business, you're just about the best. You've infiltrated half a dozen worlds, and you're a better killer than I ever was."
"Can she be killed?"
The Iceman shrugged. "I don't know."
"What kind of money are we talking about here?"
"Half a million up front, another half million when the job is completed."
"Credits?" asked Chandler with a frown.
"Maria Theresa dollars."
Chandler nodded. "Time limit?"
"If you haven't gotten to her in six months' time, you're never going to reach her."
"What if I come back empty-handed?"
"If you accept the assignment, the front money's yours no matter what happens," said the Iceman.
"Will your client agree to that?"
"Considering that she's not really Bettina Bailey, I don't see that she has any choice."
"What about expenses?" asked Chandler.
The Iceman chuckled. "Not with a half million up front."
"I may need to hire some help along the way."
"I'd advise against it," said the Iceman.
"Why?"
"The less attention you attract to yourself, the more likely you are to come out of this alive."
"I may want to hire some men to draw attention away from me."
"That's your privilege." The Iceman stared at him thoughtfully. "If you're successful and you can prove to me that you needed them, you'll be reimbursed."
Chandler eyed him thoughtfully. "What do you get out of this?"
"Money, satisfaction, revenge -- take your choice."
Chandler smiled. "All of the above." He paused. "Do they speak any Terran on this planet?"
"I don't know . . . but according to my star charts, it's got three terraformed moons that are inhabited by humans. They're your logical starting point."
"Why not just approach her directly?"
"If direct approaches worked, the Democracy wouldn't have sought me out," answered the Iceman. "Will you take the job?"
Chandler considered the proposition for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I'll take it."
"Good," said the Iceman. "If it turns out that the Oracle isn't Penelope Bailey, bring her out."
"And if she is Penelope Bailey?"
"Once you know it's her, find a way to get word back to me. There's no way you're going to bring her out if she doesn't want to come, so kill her if you can. If I don't hear from you in six months, I'll know you're dead."
"You mean you'll assume I'm dead."
"I meant what I said," replied the Iceman seriously.


3

The radio beeped to life.
"You are now within the Alpha Crepello system," said a mechanical voice. "Please identify yourself."