"Maria V. Snyder - Protect the Children" - читать интересную книгу автора (Snyder Maria V)

dropped since success of suicide was rare. Only the mentally unbalanced got creative about it.тАЭ

Dr. Silver drew closer to me. The sharp smell of alcohol sliced his breath. тАЬEuthanasia gangs. Well,
thatтАЩs just a new twist on an old problem isnтАЩt it? The waning effect.тАЭ His bushy gray eyebrows jumped
as if he had just realized something. тАЬHow old are you?тАЭ
 тАЬI paid to ask questions, not answer them.тАЭ

He coughed out a laugh. тАЬMy guess would be twenty, maybe twenty-one.тАЭ

My face must have confirmed his conjecture because he choked some more. Taking a swallow of his
drink, he backed away and sat in his chair. тАЬYour protection is about to run out. ThatтАЩs why youтАЩre so
interested in the project. YouтАЩll soon be a normal girl, subjected to every cold and flu virus floating
around.тАЭ

тАЬThis isnтАЩt about me.тАЭ I tried to remain reasonable despite the feather of fear brushing my stomach.
Not only would I be hosting every virus, but my bodyтАЩs rapid healing would also be gone. Contemplating
that a broken bone could take months to heal was like considering torture. Scientists had tried to extend
the protection, but so far, they had failed. Once the body stopped growing, the extraordinary physical
defenses ceased to work.

тАЬIтАЩm collecting information for an article.тАЭ A comment aimed at Dr. Silver, but also a reminder to
myself.

тАЬDo me a favor?тАЭ he asked.

I stared; unsure in which direction he was headed. I had no desire to help this man.

тАЬDonтАЩt whine,тАЭ he said anyway. тАЬJust because you get the sniffles for the first time in your life is no
reason to act like youтАЩre dying. Do some research on the genetic diseases IтАЩve made extinct. Look at the
symptoms and life spans of those horrid abnormalities while youтАЩre blowing your nose. That should make
you feel better.тАЭ

I sat down with as much dignity as I could muster. The urge to wrap my hands around his throat
would have to wait until he had answered all my questions. тАЬDr. Silver, can we get back to the
interview?тАЭ

тАЬI didnтАЩt know we had strayed.тАЭ

Ignoring his comment, I asked, тАЬHow long did it take for you to go from Nobel Prize winner to
wanted criminal?тАЭ

тАЬAbout thirteen years. Once the first generation of protected children reached adolescence all hell
broke loose.тАЭ He smiled at the memory. тАЬTeenagers setting up a youth government, bullying the adults.
Not appreciating the priceless gift of the protection until after it wore off.тАЭ He laughed. тАЬThey were right
on schedule. Enough time for me to set up this elaborate underground network. I disappeared six months
before society could roast me as their scapegoat.тАЭ

тАЬOn schedule? You planned it?тАЭ I clutched the armrests. Maybe I could use the chair to knock him
unconscious. This monster deserved to be arrested.