"Arcady And Boris Strugatsky. Prisoners of Power" - читать интересную книгу автора

eyes. Guy's head was spinning. What happened to the shots? Had he strangled
them? Or smashed them with the butt of his gun? He, Mac, do that to a woman?
Never! But the shots? There hadn't been any,
Five paces away, Mac halted and, looking the captain straight in the
eye, flung the gun at his feet.
"Good-bye, captain," he said. "I released them, and now I want to
leave. Take your gun! Take your clothes!" He turned to Guy and, unbuckling
his belt, said to him: "Guy, this is a dirty business. They've been lying to
us."
He pulled off his boots and jump suit, tied everything into a bundle
and stood there, almost naked, in his silver shorts and barefoot, just as
Guy had seen him for the first time on the southern border. He went over to
the truck and placed the bundle on the hood. Guy was shocked. He looked at
the captain - then almost froze in horror.
"Captain!" he shouted. "Don't! He's out of his mind! He - "
"Candidate Sim!" snapped the captain, his hand on his holster. "Get
into the car! You're under arrest."
"That's what you think. I'm free. I've come for Guy. Let's go, Guy.
They've made a sucker out of you. They're dishonest people. Before I had
doubts about them, but now I'm sure. Let's go, Guy."
Guy shook his head. He wanted to say something, to explain something,
but he had neither the time nor the words to express it. The captain had
drawn his pistol.
"Candidate Sim! Into the car!"
"Are you coming?" asked Mac.
Guy shook his head again. He looked at the pistol. Only one thought ran
through his head: Mac was about to be shot. Oh God, what should he do?
"OK," said Mac. "I'll find you. I'll find out everything and I'll find
you. You don't belong with them. Give Rada my love."
He turned and began to walk away, striding over the stone fragments as
easily as if he were wearing boots. Guy stared mutely at his triangular back
and waited for the shot and the black hole beneath his left shoulder blade.
"Candidate Sim," said the captain without raising his voice. "For the
last time, I'm ordering you to return. I'm going to shoot."
Mac halted and turned toward him again.
"Shoot?" he said. "Why? Well, the reason doesn't matter. Put down your
pistol."
Holding the pistol at his hip, Chachu aimed at Mac.
"I'm counting to three. Get into the truck, candidate. One!"
"Come, hand over your pistol." Mac extended his hand and advanced
toward the captain.
"Two!"
"Don't!" shouted Guy.
The captain fired. Mac was close to him. Guy saw the bullet hit his
shoulder. Mac staggered back, as if he had run into an obstacle.
"You fool!" said Mac. "Hand over your gun, you vicious fool!"
Mac continued to advance toward the captain, his hand reaching out for
the weapon. Blood was spurting from his shoulder. With a strangely unsteady
cry, the captain retreated and fired three shots in rapid succession into
the broad tanned chest. Mac fell on his back, rose, and fell again. The