"Rajnar Vajra - Viewschool" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vajra Rajnar)

"Not so loud, Dad,тАЭ Tai called back from the living room. тАЬWe're studying in here.тАЭ Pause. тАЬAnd Mom's
trying to rest."

Ingrate.

Why would Maddie's grandparents name their ranch Bar Celona, anyway? A pun? Was the family name
Barcelo or some variant? Maybe I was getting too fancy. I returned to the Westlake Hills directory and
checked the name Celona. Sure enough, I found four listings. I doubted any were the particular Celonas I
wanted, but relatives tend to clump. I called the first name on the list. Ten minutes later I was talking with
Corinne Celona, Maddie's mother.

The conversation seemed to have a mind of its own.

"I'm Doctor William Phillips, Ms. Celona, a teacher at Last Chance High School. Your daughter
Madeline is one of my students and I'm looking for information that might help me understand her
condition."

A moment of silence. тАЬI know exactly who you are, Dr. Phillips. But I'm afraid I can't help you."

I couldn't hide my disappointment. тАЬThat's a real shame. Sorry to bother you then."

"Wait! Don't go тАШway!тАЭ Her Texas accent was more noticeable. тАЬI'm not supposed to talk to anyone
about Maddie, but don't you think I'm not watchinтАЩ over her."

"Of course you are."

"I hear you're runninтАЩ aтАФa virtual classroom?тАЭ She said тАЬvirtualтАЭ the way Dori would say тАЬKu Klux
Klan."

"We don't use normal VR gear, so I wouldn't call itтАФ"

"No helmets?тАЭ she asked, her voice strained.

"None. The class operates strictly on ViewNet."

"And Maddie's right with that?"

A weird question considering the girl's condition. тАЬIt doesn't seem to bother her,тАЭ I said dryly.

"Wish I could tell you everything, Doctor. Breaks my heart seeinтАЩ her the way she is. You should've
known her ... before."

Corinne Celona had told me more than she seemed to realize; perhaps she'd done it deliberately. But I
needed confirmation. I knew what to ask, but I didn't feel happy about asking it.
"According to her records, Mr. Celona, Madeline was something of a computer prodigy. I was
wonderingтАФ"

"I've just got to go. Sorry.тАЭ Click.

She'd sounded so devastated. I felt sick to have dredged up that much misery.