"Kate Wilhelm - Baby, You Were Great" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilhelm Kate)

child, a lovely little girl in her early teens. Stuart tells her they're through. He loves the little nymph. In a
passion she kills herself. You are broadcasting a real storm of passion, right now, aren't you, honey?
Never mind, when I run through this scene, I'll find out." She hurled her glass at him, ice cubes and
orange sections leaving a trail across the room. Herb ducked, grinning.

"That's awfully good, baby. Corny, but after all, they can't get too much corn, can they? They'll love it,
after they get over the shock of losing you. And they will get over it, you know. They always do.
Wonder if it's true about what happens to someone experiencing a violent death?" Anne's teeth bit down
on her lip, and slowly she sat down again, her eyes closed tight. Herb watched her for a moment, then
said, even more cheerfully, "We've got the kid already. If you give them a death, you've got to give them
a new life. Finish one with a bang. Start one with a bang. We'll name the kid Cindy, a real Cinderella
story after that. They'll love her, too."

Anne opened her eyes, black dulled now; she was so tight with tension that John felt his own muscles
contract and become taut. He wondered if he would be able to stand the tape she was transmitting. A
wave of excitement swept him and he knew he would play it all, feel it all, the incredibly contained rage,
fear, the horror of giving a death to them to gloat over, and finally, anguish. He would know them all.
Watching Anne, he wished she would break then, with him there. She didn't. She stood up stiffly, her
back rigid, a muscle hard and ridged in her jaw. Her voice was flat when she said, "Stuart is due in half
an hour. I have to dress." She left them without looking back.

Herb winked at John and motioned toward the door. "Want to take me to the plane, kid?" In the cab he
said, "Stick close to her for a couple of days, Johnny. There might be an even bigger reaction later when
she really understands just how hooked she is." He chuckled again. "By God! It's a good thing she trusts
you, Johnny, boy!"

file:///J|/sci-fi/Nieuwe%20map/Kate%20Wilhelm%20-%20Baby,%20You%20Were%20Great.Txt (10 of 11)17-2-2006 2:47:11
 file:///J|/sci-fi/Nieuwe%20map/Kate%20Wilhelm%20-%20Baby,%20You%20Were%20Great.Txt



As they waited in the chrome-and-marble terminal for the liner to unload its passengers, John said, "Do
you think she'll be any good after this?"

"She can't help herself. She's too life oriented to deliberately choose to die. She's like a jungle inside,
raw, wild, untouched by that smooth layer of civilization she shows on the outside. It's a thin layer, kid,
real thin. She'll fight to stay alive. She'll become more wary, more alert to danger, more excited and
exciting тАж She'll really go to pieces when he touches her tonight. She's primed real good. Might even
have to do some editing, tone it down a little." His voice was very happy. "He touches her where she
lives, and she reacts. A real wild one. She's one; the new kid's one; Stuart тАж They're few and far apart,
Johnny. It's up to us to find them. God knows we're going to need all of them we can get." His face
became thoughtful and withdrawn. "You know, that really wasn't such a bad idea of mine about rape and
the kid. Who ever dreamed we'd get that kind of a reaction from her? With the right sort of buildup тАж"
He had to run to catch his plane.

John hurried back to the hotel, to be near Anne if she needed him. He hoped she would leave him alone.
His fingers shook as he turned on his screen; suddenly he had a clear memory of the child who had wept,
and he hoped Stuart would hurt Anne just a little. The tremor in his fingers increased; Stuart was on
from six until twelve, and he already had missed almost an hour of the show. He adjusted the helmet and
sank back into a deep chair. He left the audio off, letting his own words form, letting his own thoughts