Грань будущего

           Withmuscleslikethat,Ihadnodoubttheycouldreachupmyassandyankoutmyspine.Foraninstant,Ifeltanirrationaldesiretolashoutagainstthem.

           Sure,ImightlooklikeI’dblowoverinastiffwind,butyoushouldn’tjudgeabookbyitscover.Wanttotryme?WhowantsapieceofthelittleAsianrecruit?

           WouldtheskillsI’dlearnedtopilotaJackettranslatetohand-to-handcombatagainstanotherhuman?HadIgottenanystronger,anybetter?WhywaitfortheMimics,whynottestmyselfonthesefinespecimensnow?

           Theguardontherightturned.

           Staycalm.Keepyourpacesteady.He’spivotingtotheleft.Whenhedoes,you’llslipintohisblindspotbehindtheothersentry.BythetimehelooksaroundforanysignofKeijiKiriya,I’llbepartofthescenery.

           "Didyouseesomething?"

           "Quiet.Captain’swatchin’,andhedon’tlookhappy."

           "Fuckyou."

           Andlikethat,I’dinfiltratedU.S.territory.

           MytargetwasaU.S.-madeJacket.Afterafewtimesthroughtheloop,I’dcometotheconclusionthatIneededanewweapon-somethingwedidn’thaveintheJapaneseCorps.Thestandard-issue20mmriflesweren’tveryeffectiveagainstMimics.Theywalkedathinlineofcompromisebetweenthenumberofroundsasoldiercouldcarry,therateoffirenecessarytohitafast-movingtarget,andtheacceptableamountofrecoil.Theyweremorepowerfulthantheweaponstheyusedtoissue,butifyoureallywantedtopiercethatendoskeleton,50mmwastheonlywaytobesure.