Нейромант

           CasesatinthelobbyoftheIstanbulHiltonandwatchedRivierabrowsebogusByzantinefragmentsintheglass-walledgiftshop.Armitage,histrenchcoatdrapedoverhisshoulderslikeacape,stoodintheshop’sentrance.

           Rivierawasslender,blond,soft-voiced,hisEnglishaccentlessandfluid.Mollysaidhewasthirty,butitwouldhavebeendifficulttoguesshisage.ShealsosaidhewaslegallystatelessandtraveledunderaforgedDutchpassport.HewasaproductoftherubbleringsthatfringetheradioactivecoreofoldBonn.

           ThreesmilingJapanesetouristsbustledintotheshop,noddingpolitelytoArmitage.Armitagecrossedtheflooroftheshoptooquickly,tooobviously,tostandbesideRiviera.Rivieraturnedandsmiled.Hewasverybeautiful;CaseassumedthefeaturesweretheworkofaChibasurgeon.Asubtlejob,nothinglikeArmitage’sblandlyhandsomeblendofpopfaces.Theman’sforeheadwashighandsmooth,grayeyescalmanddistant.Hisnose,whichmighthavebeentoonicelysculpted,seemedtohavebeenbrokenandclumsilyreset.Thesuggestionofbrutalityoffsetthedelicacyofhisjawandthequicknessofhissmile.Histeethweresmall,even,andverywhite.Casewatchedthewhitehandsplayovertheimitationfragmentsofsculpture.

           Rivieradidn’tactlikeamanwho’dbeenattackedthenightbefore,druggedwithatoxin-flechette,abducted,subjectedtotheFinn’sexamination,andpressuredbyArmitageintojoiningtheirteam.

           Casecheckedhiswatch.