Нейромант
Chapter 1
GeneticmaterialsandhormonestrickleddowntoNinseialonganintricateladderoffrontsandblinds.SomehowWagehadmanagedtotracesomethingback,once,andnowheenjoyedsteadyconnectionsinadozencities.
Casefoundhimselfstaringthroughashopwindow.Theplacesoldsmallbrightobjectstothesailors.Watches,flicknives,lighters,pocketVTRs,simstimdecks,weightedmanrikichains,andshuriken.Theshurikenhadalwaysfascinatedhim,steelstarswithknife-sharppoints.Somewerechromed,othersblack,otherstreatedwitharainbowsurfacelikeoilonwater.Butthechromestarsheldhisgaze.Theyweremountedagainstscarletultrasuedewithnearlyinvisibleloopsofnylonfishline,theircentersstampedwithdragonsoryinyangsymbols.Theycaughtthestreet’sneonandtwistedit,anditcametoCasethatthesewerethestarsunderwhichhevoyaged,hisdestinyspelledoutinaconstellationofcheapchrome.
`Julie,’hesaidtohisstars.`TimetoseeoldJulie.He’llknow.’
JuliusDeanewasonehundredandthirty-fiveyearsold,hismetabolismassiduouslywarpedbyaweeklyfortuneinserumsandhormones.HisprimaryhedgeagainstagingwasayearlypilgrimagetoTokyo,wheregeneticsurgeonsre-setthecodeofhisDNA,aprocedureunavailableinChiba.Thenhe’dflytoHongkongandordertheyear’ssuitsandshirts.Sexlessandinhumanlypatient,hisprimarygratificationseemedtolieinhisdevotiontoesotericformsoftailor-worship.
