Американские боги

           "

           Thepicturenowshowedastreetscene.Thecameralurchedforward,inthemannerofhand-heldvideocamerasinreal-lifedocumentaries.

           Amanwiththinninghair,atan,andafaintlyhangdogexpressionfilledtheframe.Hewasstandingbyawallsippingacupofcoffeefromaplasticcup.Helookedintothecameraandsaid,"Terrorismistooeasyawordtobandyabout.Itmeansthattherealterroristshidebehindweasel-words,likefreedomfighter,whentheyaremurderingscum,pureandsimple.Itdoesn’tmakeourjobanyeasier,butatleastweknowwe’remakingadifference.We’reriskingourlivestomakeadifference."

           Shadowrecognizedthevoice.Hehadbeeninsidetheman’sheadonce.Mr.Townsoundeddifferentfrominside—hisvoicewasdeeper,moreresonant—buttherewasnomistakingit.

           ThecameraspulledbacktoshowthatMr.TownwasstandingoutsideabrickbuildingonanAmericanstreet.Abovethedoorwasaset-squareandcompassframingtheletterG.

           "Inposition,"saidsomebodyoff-screen.

           "Let’sseeifthecamerasinsidethehallareworking,"saidthefemalevoice-overvoice.Itwasthekindofreassuringvoicetheyuseoncommercialstotrytosellyouthingsonlypeopleassmartasyouaregoingtotakethisopportunitytobuy.

           ThewordsLIVEFEEDcontinuedtoblinkatthebottomleftofthescreen.Nowthepictureshowedtheinteriorofasmallhall:theroomwasunderlit.