"James Rollins - Subterranean" - читать интересную книгу автора (Romeyn Henry)

the booth just ahead of him.

Sliding in next to her, Ben passed her a glass. "If I remember, the lady likes whiskey."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"You two seem to know each other already," said the Egyptian geologist, Khalid Najmon, who sat
across the booth next to Linda Furstenburg. His smile glowed against his desert tan, handsome in a dark
way. "Have you known each other long?" he asked before taking a sip of his wine.

"No. We sat together at the meeting," Ashley explained. "Otherwise, we're complete strangers."

Ben feigned hurt feelings. " 'Strangers' is such a dirty word."

"Well," Khalid said, "while Mr. Brust was fetching drinks, I've been getting better acquainted with
Professor Furstenburg."

"Please, call me Linda." She blushed a bit and kept pushing a loose strand of blond hair back over an
ear. Her manner was outwardly relaxed, but she kept glancing around the room with glassy eyes.

He nodded. "Linda was just telling me about her doctorate research. Evolutionary biology. She's been
studying the development of phosphorescent algae in cavern systems. Most fascinating."

"I've seen some of that glowing algae," Ben said. "In a cave in Madagascar. There were caverns so thick
with the stuff that you almost wished you had sunglasses."

Linda nodded. "Rinchari luminarus. A beautiful species. Comes in a variety of colors too." She talked
about how the individual species differed.

Ashley's attention drifted from the conversation. She studied Linda as she spoke. Her eyes were so blue
that Ashley wondered if they were real. Her physique was ample, soft, with small hands, a child's delicate
fingers. A direct contrast to Ashley's hard, lean body. No one would ever describe Ashley as soft.

Khalid never took his eyes from Linda, nodding every now and then as she continued her description.
He was obviously entranced by more than just the genetic variations of glowing sludge. Even Ben had a
perpetual smile on his lips as he listened.

Ashley felt like a piece of granite next to a rose. She swallowed her whiskey.

". . . and that's how I received my doctorate."
 "I can see why Dr. Blakely wanted you," Ashley said. The two men seemed to come out of a trance.
"Your knowledge of unique evolutionary pathways will be helpful in documenting our exploration."

Ben cleared his throat. "Definitely an asset."

Khalid nodded. "Indeed."

Ben finally turned away from Linda. "So, Khalid, what's your angle? A geologist, huh?"

He sipped his drink, then spoke, "The Antarctic Treaty of 1959."