"John Varley - Anthology - Super Heroes - Various Authors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Varley John)

eagerly.
He stared up at her, a grim smile on his face. "And what dastardly villain
is plaguing your home, dear lady?''
She blinked at him. "Dastardly villain?" She gave a small laugh. "Oh, no,
it's nothing like that. My husband made the call. Did he say we had a
supervillain in the house?"
A Clean Sweep
Captain Housework drew himself up to his full three feet and said, "It
was a code red, Madam. That means a supervillain has been spotted."
The woman laughed again. "Oh, dear, no. I've got a party of twelve people
coming at six o'clock and my maid cancelled."
"You called the superhero hotline because your maid cancelled." His
voice had a harsh edge to it that the woman didn't seem to notice.
"Well, my friend Betty had you over when her kids threw that wild patty.
You did miracles with her house."
"I remember the incident. I made it clear that it was an exception to the
rules that I aided her."
"But you've just got to help me, Captain Housework." The woman went
to her knees, gripping his arms. "Please, it's too late to turn to anyone else."
Tears glittered in her eyes.
Captain Housework crossed his arms across his thin chest, his mouth set
in a firm line. "Madam, I am a superhero, not a maid. I do not think you
realize how terrible my foes can be. Have you ever had a wave of black
mildew engulf your husband and eat him to the bone before your eyes?"
She blinked at him. "Well, no, but surely that doesn't happen all that
often. In the meantime, couldn't you help me, just this once?"
It was true that his archenemies had been lying low for a while. Work had
been slow. He stared into her tear-stained face and nodded. "All right, but
only this once."
She hugged him, crumpling the bill of his mask. He pushed away from
her, straightening his costume. "That will not be necessary. I will get to
work at once, if that is all right with you?"
"Oh, that's wonderful. I'll just go get dressed." She raced up the stairs,
trailing some floral perfume behind her.
Captain Housework sniffed. He preferred the cleaner scents of household
air fresheners. Pine was his favorite.
He sighed and walked into the living room. For a moment his heart beat
faster; surely such destruction could only be the work of the Dust Bunny
Gang. Sofa cushions were scattered across the floor. A vase had fallen on its
side, spilling water.
Laurell K. Hamilton
Dying flowers made a sodden mess on the gray carpet. The fireplace was
choked with ash and the partially burned carcass of a doll. Toys covered
nearly every inch of the floor.
Children. The only natural disaster that could rival Dr. Grime. Perhaps
children weren't as deadly, but they were just as messy.
This was the fifth time in a month that he had been called in and found no
archvillain but only bad housework. His name was being traded around like
that of a good maid. He, Captain Housework, had been reduced to drudgery.
He, who had fought the great dust invasion of '53, would have no