"Kim Stanley Robinson - Sixty Days and Counting" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Kim Stanley)

and the doing of science proper, and was therefore going to move him away from
what he was good at. But that was what it meant to be moving into administration.
Was there anyone who did policy well?
His intrusion on the Khembalis was another problem. RudraтАЩs failing health was a
problem. His own injury, and the uncertain mentation that had resulted (if it had),
was a very central problemтАФperhaps the problem. Leaving NSF, meaning Anna and
the rest of his acquaintances and routines there (except for Edgardo and Kenzo, who
were also joining DianeтАЩs team), was a problem.
Problems required solutions, and solutions required decisions. And he couldnтАЩt
decide. So the days were proving difficult.
Because above and beyond all the rest of his problems, there was the absolutely
immediate one: he had toтАФhad toтАФwarn Caroline that her cover was insufficient to
keep even a newcomer on the scene like EdgardoтАЩs friend from locating her. He had
to warn her of this! But he did not know where she was. She might be on that island
in Maine, but unless he went and looked he couldnтАЩt know. But if he went, he could
not do anything that might expose her (and him too) to her husband. His van was
chipped with a GPS transponderтАФCaroline was the one who had told him about
itтАФso its identity and location could be under surveillance, and tracked wherever it
went. He could easily imagine a program that would flag any time his van left the
metropolitan area. This was a serious disadvantage, because his van was his shelter
of last resort, his only mobile bedroom, and all in all, the most versatile room in the
disassembled and modular home that he had cast through the fabric of the city.
тАЬCan I dechip my van?тАЭ he asked Edgardo next day on their run, after wanding them
both again. тАЬFor certain? And, you know, as if by accident or malfunction?тАЭ
тАЬI should think so,тАЭ Edgardo replied. тАЬIt might be something you would need some
help with. Let me look into it.тАЭ
тАЬOkay, but I want to go soon.тАЭ
тАЬUp to Maine?тАЭ
тАЬYes.тАЭ
тАЬOkay, IтАЩll do my best. The person I want to talk to is not exactly on call. I have to
meet them in a context like this one.тАЭ
But that night, as Frank was settling down in the garden shed with Rudra, who was
already asleep, Qang came out to tell him there was a man there to see him. This
caused FrankтАЩs pulse to elevate to a disturbing degreeтАФ
But it was Edgardo, and a short man, who said тАЬhelloтАЭ and after that spoke only to
Edgardo, in Spanish. тАЬUmberto here is another porte├▒o,тАЭ Edgardo said. тАЬHe helps
me with matters such as this.тАЭ
Umberto rolled his eyes dramatically. He took FrankтАЩs keys and went at the van as if
he owned it, banging around, pulling up carpet from the floor, running various
diagnostics through a laptop, complaining to Edgardo all the while. Eventually he
opened the hood and after rooting around for a while, unbolted a small box from the
crowded left engine wall. When he was done he gave the box to Frank and walked
off into the dark, still berating Edgardo over his shoulder.
тАЬThanks!тАЭ Frank called after him. Then to Edgardo: тАЬDid I see how he did that, so I
can put it back in?тАЭ He peered at the engine wall, then the bolts in his hand there with
the box, then the holes the bolts had come out of. It looked like a wrench kit would
do it. тАЬOkay, but where do I put it now?тАЭ
тАЬYou must leave it right here where it would be, so that it seems your van is parked
here. Then replace it when you return.тАЭ
тАЬOut here on the street?тАЭ