"Timothy Zahn - Spinneret" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zahn Timothy)

immediate threat to life or safetyтАФgot that?"

"Got it, sir. I recommend you hurry with those reinforcements. "

"Noted. Out."

Almost savagely, Meredith yanked the throttle back to full power.
Reinforcements, my eye, he thought as the boat leaped forward. What Dunlop
needed was a negotiating teamтАФand that was precisely what he was going to get.
Preferably one whose members spoke at least halfway fluent Spanish. First the
flyer crash, and now this. Murphy's Law is really riding high today.

Raising his phone, be keyed for Lieutenant Andrews and began giving orders.

"Three to an apartment, we gotтАФsometimes even four," Matro Rodriguez's
bullfrog voice bellowed out, clearly audible even over the other shouts and the
loud background muttering of the crowd. Standing to one side, Cristobal Perez
alternately gave his attention to the mob and to the squat adobe building they
faced. The building's windows were empty of official faces, but Perez knew they
were watching. Sooner or later they would decide they'd been under siege long
enough and do something about it. Idiots, he thought, his eyes flicking back to the

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Zahn, Timothy - Spinneret


crowd, watching as some of the men began waving clenched fists over their heads.
All they're going to do is get the major's back up and force him to take action.
They had as yet no real economic power and certainly no political power. All they
had was numbers and the threat of violence, and that only worked if those in
authority were hesitant about shooting. The soldiers, Perez knew, would be under
no such handicap.

A flicker from one of the dark windows caught Perez's eye: someone moving up
to what could only be firing position. Cursing under his breath, Perez stepped
forward, heading for the front of the crowd. He'd hoped Dunlop would hold off a
while longer, give the mob time to blow off their steam and maybe leave
peacefully. But moving troops to the windows could only mean he'd decided to
have it out right now.

Nobody seemed to notice Perez as he strode to Rodriguez's side directly opposite
the admin building's door; only a few looked quizzically at him as he raised his
hand for quiet. "Friends!" he called тАж but his voice didn't have anything like
Rodriguez's carrying power. He was inhaling for a second try when, as if by
delayed action, an expectant hush swept up the hubbub.

Turning, he found himself practically nose to nose with Major Dunlop.

The major opened his mouth to speakтАФbut Perez had always been fast on the
uptake and managed to beat Dunlop to the verbal draw. "Good afternoon, Major,"