"Robert Weinberg - Logical Magician 02 - A Calculated Magician" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weinberg Robert)

faeries, goblins, witches, familiars, vampires, and hundreds of others, did not.
Mankind shared the Earth with the creations of its own collective subconscious. According to
Merlin the Magician, who had spent centuries puzzling out the explanation, this cosmic overmind had the
power to turn dreams into reality. When enough people believed that a supernatural being or legendary
beast truly existed, it physically came into being. The myths and stories about the creature defined it, from
its appearance to the way it thought and acted. Once alive, these creations remained, unaffected by the
ravages of age, unless disbelieved out of existence. Which rarely ever occurred. By and large, they were
merely forgotten.
Immortal and unkillable except by very specific methods, the supernaturals survived long after the
belief that brought them into existence had died out. They changed with the times, blending in with their
creators, remaining ever true to their original nature. Good continued as good, evil stayed evil, and neutral
abided uninvolved and in between.
Thus, Merlin the Magician became a commodities broker, advising the rich and famous.
Cassandra Cole, last of the Amazons, turned into a martial-arts teacher and bodyguard. And barrow
trolls became neo-Nazi skinheads.
At first, it had been quite confusing to Jack. But not for long. As a voracious reader of fantasy
novels, he found MerlinтАЩs explanation of the supernatural astonishing but otherwise quite acceptable.
Trained in logical thinking, he found his background in mathematics provided the right answers to
supernatural mysteries. It didnтАЩt take Jack long to slip into his role as the Logical Magician.
Grinning, he rose from his bed and headed to the bathroom, three steps away. Living in a trailer,
everything was close by. To JackтАЩs way of thinking, it was one of the few benefits of such a life. One of
the very few benefits.
He was staying in the trailer camp more for protection than for lack of funds. Merlin paid him a
very generous salary. Moving out of his college apartment a week ago, he had been terribly tempted to
rent a fancy place on ChicagoтАЩs near north side. Or accept MeganтАЩs offer that he share her expensive
condo. But as pointed out by his friends, both choices posed clearly unacceptable risks. JackтАЩs life was
still in deadly danger. And if he was killed, eternal night would engulf the globe.
Though he had defeated Dietrich von Bern, the HuntsmanтАЩs mysterious master was still at large.
An ancient demigod of incredible powers, it threatened modern civilization. Using his crystal ball, Merlin
proclaimed Jack the only one who could stop the entity. It was a duel not yet completed. Until the
creature had been found and somehow destroyed, Jack could not afford to relax an instant. Thus, he
stayed, surrounded by friendly supernaturals, in a trailer camp in the far western Chicago suburbs.
Megan visited as often as possible, but the cramped trailer provided little room for romance. Nor
did their dozens of busybody chaperons, ranging from the Witch Hazel and her familiar, Sylvester, a
talking cat, to Simon Goodfellow, a faery changeling who always managed to interrupt at the most
inconvenient instant possible. It was enough to try the patience of a saint. And Jack definitely felt anything
but saintly concerning Megan.
Wonderfully erotic thoughts about his girlfriend forced Jack to turn the shower water ice cold.
Short and slender, with dark hair and sparkling eyes, Megan resembled an elf. Which was probably why
Jack originally thought she was entirely supernatural and not merely a halfling. That she was very human
and quite passionate, he had discovered only recently. For all of her ethereal charms, Megan could be
quite risqu├й when the time and opportunity presented itself.
After showering and shaving, Jack flung on a shirt, sneakers, and pair of faded blue jeans. A
quick glance at the clock told him he had barely enough time to grab a bowl of cereal and milk before
meeting Cassandra on the meadow for his self-defense lessons. He grimaced as his muscles mentally
groaned in anticipation. These workouts were necessary, but not appreciated. World-saver or not, Jack
was a thinker, not a fighter. However, there was no arguing with an Amazon.
Arriving at the tree-lined glade at exactly nine-thirty, Jack was not surprised to find Cassandra
there and ready for action. The Amazon was a chronic overachiever. Her back to him, she had started
exercising on her own.