"Vernor Vinge - The Cookie Monster" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vinge Vernor)

drugged up."

"Ug. Yeah." They batted around the possibilities. It was strange. Ellen Garcia was as much fun to
talk to as Ulysse, even though she had to be about five times smarter than either Ulysse or Dixie
Mae.

Now they were close enough to see the lower windows of 0925. This place was a double-sized version
of 0999 or 0994. There was a catering truck pulled up at the ground level. Beyond a green-tinted
windbreak they could see couples playing tennis on the courts south of the building.

Victor squinted. "Strange. TheyтАЩve got some kind of blackout on the windows."

"Yeah. We should at least be able to see the strip lights in the ceiling."

They drifted off the main path and walked around to where they wouldnтАЩt be seen from the catering
truck. Even up close, down under the overhang, the windows looked just like those on the other
buildings. But it wasnтАЩt just dark inside. There was nothing but blackness. The inside of the
glass was covered with black plastic like they put on closed storefronts.

Victor whipped out his notepad.

"No phone calls, Victor."

"I want to send out a live report, just in case someone gets really mad about us being here."

"I told you, theyтАЩve got web access embargoed. Besides, just calling from here would trigger 911
locator logic."

"Just a short call, toтАУ"

He looked up and saw that the two women were standing close. "тАУah, okay. IтАЩll just use it as a
local cam."

Dixie Mae held out her hand. "Give me the notepad, Victor. WeтАЩll take the pictures."

For a moment it looked like he was going refuse. Then he saw how her other hand was clenched into
a fist. And maybe he remembered the lunchtime stories she had told during the week. The week that
never was? Whatever the reason, he handed the notepad over to her. "You think IтАЩm working for the
bad guys?" he said.

"No," Dixie Mae said (65 percent truthfully, but declining), "I just donтАЩt think youтАЩll always do
what Ellen suggests. This way weтАЩll get the pictures, but safely." Because of my superior self
control. Yeah.

She started to hand the notepad to Ellen, but the other shook her head. "Just keep a record, Dixie


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