"Kristine Smith - Kilian 1 - Code Of Conduct" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Kristine)

"Damn her!"

That voice. Jani tensed as the outer door shook under the force of banging knocks.

"Jani! It's Evan! Please let me in!" A pause. "I'm alone." Softer. "Please."

Her calm cracked like the bomb housing. Oh God! Not him! She tightened her grip
on her weapon.
They wouldn't let him come here alone. Evan. Van Reuter. The Commonwealth
Interior Minister. No security officer worth a damn would have allowed him to
wander unescorted on any colony. His face
had been plastered on the cover of every newssheet for weeksтАФeven the most
info-starved transport jockey would recognize him.

"Jani? Jani?" The banging resumed, louder, more insistent. The air in the tiny space
shook with the
noise. "I know you're in there! Talk to me!"

More Naxin had seeped into the enclosure, choking Jani's breath away as she tried to
inhale. Her eyes burned. The skin of her face felt hot. She pulled her foot away from
the door. It slid open, but she remained back in the shadows, letting the cold air
pour over her.

At first, nothing. Then Evan van Reuter stepped forward. Almost twenty years had
passed since Jani
had seen that tall, slim form, that tilt of the head. Not as much of a stomach-clench
as with the Haarin. Not quite. "Should I curtsy, Excellency?" she asked as she
stepped out of the doorway, forcing him to backpedal.

"Jani?" He stared at her, broad brow furrowed in confusion. ''Is that you?'' Then his
gaze fell on her shooter. Thin lips tensed in a tight line. Dark, hooded eyes narrowed.
Jani could hear his thoughts as though he spoke them out loud.

After so long, he was unsure of her. She almost felt flattered.

"It's really me, Evan." She disengaged the power pack and shoved her inactivated
weapon into her
duffel.

Evan thrust his hands into the pockets of his Interior field coat. The hem of the
heavy black garment flapped around his knees as the wind howled. "I need to talk to
you. It's important. But it's freezing
out here! Can't we go inside?"

Jani shook her head. She felt the augmentation leach away, leaving vague edginess in
its place. She
held up her right hand and watched it shake. "Can't. Bombed it."

"Well, at least we can get out of this damned wind!" Evan grabbed her arm and