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

the long term.

But Dixie MaeтАЩs attention was far away. On her left was the familiar view of Los Angeles. To her
right, the ridgeline was just a few hundred yards away. From the crest you could probably see down
into the valley, even pick out streets in Tarzana. Someday, it would be nice to go back there,
maybe prove to Dad that she could keep her temper and make something of herself. All my life, IтАЩve
been screwing up like today. But that letter from "Lusting" was like finding a burglar in your
bedroom. The guy knew too much about her that he shouldnтАЩt have known, and he had mocked her
background and her family. Dixie Mae had grown up in Southern California, but sheтАЩd been born in


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GeorgiaтАУand she was proud of her roots. Maybe Daddy never realized that, since she was running
around rebelling most of the time. He and Mom always said sheтАЩd eventually settle down. But then
she fell in love with the wrong kind of personтАУand it was her folks whoтАЩd gone ballistic. Words
Were Spoken. And even though things hadnтАЩt worked out with her new love, there was no way she
could go back. By then Mom had died. Now, I swear IтАЩm not going back to Daddy till I can show IтАЩve
made something of myself.

So why was she throwing away her best job in ages? She slowed to a stop, and just stood there in
the middle of the walkway; common sense had finally gotten to the brakes. But they had walked
almost all the way to 0999. Much of the building was hidden behind twisty junipers, but you could
see down a short flight of stairs to the ground level entrance.

We should go back. She pulled the "Lusting" email out of her pocket and glared at it for a second.
Later. You can follow up on this later. She read the mail again. The letters blurred behind tears
of rage, and she dithered in the hot summer sunlight.

Victor made an impatient noise. "LetтАЩs go, kiddo." He pushed a chocolate bar into her hand. "Get
your blood sugar out of the basement."

They went down the concrete steps to B0999тАЩs entrance. Just a quick look, Dixie Mae had decided.

Beneath the trees and the overhang, all was cool and shady. They peered through the ground floor
windows, into empty rooms. Victor pushed open the door. The layout looked about the same as in
their own building, except that B0999 wasnтАЩt really finished: There was the smell of Carpenter
Nail in the air, and the lights and wireless nodes sat naked on the walls.

The place was occupied. She could hear people talking up on the main floor, what was cubicle-city
back in B0994. She took a quick hop up the stairs, peeked inтАУno cubicles here. As a result, the
place looked cavernous. Six or eight tables had been pushed together in the middle of the room. A
dozen people looked up at their entrance.

"Aha!" boomed one of them. "More warm bodies. Welcome, welcome!"

They walked toward the tables. Don and Ulysse had worried about violating corporate rules and
project secrecy. They neednтАЩt have bothered. These people looked almost like squatters. Three of
them had their legs propped up on the tables. Junk food and soda cans littered the tables.