"Kristine Kathryn Rusch - The Room of Lost Souls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rusch Kristine Kathryn)

lost, not as a person in his own right. Oh, he has history, but itтАЩs history
without her, and therefore not relevant.

тАЬNo one knows,тАЭ she says.

Someone always knows. And if that someone is no longer alive, the
answer would probably be in the records. Something this modern is easy to
trace; itтАЩs the old stuff, like the Dignity Vessels, whose histories got so lost
to time that they are difficult to figure out.

SheтАЩs finally hooked me and she probably doesnтАЩt even know how. I
donтАЩt want to return to the Room for my motherтАФI barely remember her and
what I do remember is vague. I donтАЩt even want to return to face my own
past.

I want to solve this mystery she has unwittingly presented me with. I
want to know why a famous man, a man who won some of the most
important battles of an important war, disappears before the war ends, and
winds up in a place he knew better than to approach.

For the first time in years, the historian in me, the diver in me senses
a challenge. Not like the old challenges, the ones that cost me so many
friends and colleagues.

But a new challenge, one that will threaten me alone.

One that has the risk I miss combined with the historical mysteries
that I love.

I try not to let my sudden enthusiasm show. I ask, as coldly as I can,
тАЬWhat are you paying?тАЭ

Her eyes light up. She seems surprised. Maybe she thought sheтАЩd
never catch me. Maybe I am her last hope.

She names a figure. ItтАЩs astoundingly high.

Still, I say, тАЬTriple it and IтАЩll consider the job.тАЭ

тАЬIf you can get him out,тАЭ she says, her voice breathless with
excitement, тАЬIтАЩll give you one hundred times that much.тАЭ

Now IтАЩm feeling breathless. ThatтАЩs more money than IтАЩve earned in
two decades.
 But I donтАЩt have a use for the money I have. I canтАЩt imagine what IтАЩd
do with a sum that large.

Still, I negotiate because that too is in my blood. тАЬI want it all up front.тАЭ

тАЬHalf,тАЭ she says. тАЬAnd half when you recover him.тАЭ