Нейромант

           Weworkedtogether.Partners.IwasmaybeeightweeksoutofthepuppethousewhenImethim...’Shepaused,edgedaroundasharpturn,andcontinued.Moreoftheglossywoodencases,theirsidesacolorthatremindedhimofcockroachwings.

           `Tight,sweet,justtickingalong,wewere.Likenobodycouldevertouchus.Iwasn’tgoingtoletthem.Yakuza.Iguess,theystillwantedJohnny’sass.’CauseI’dkilledtheirman.’CauseJohnny’dburnedthem.AndtheYak,theycanaffordtomovesofuckingslow,man,they’llwaityearsandyears.Giveyouawholelife,justsoyou’llhavemoretolosewhentheycomeandtakeitaway.Patientlikeaspider.Zenspiders.

           `Ididn’tknowthat,then.OrifIdid.Ifigureditdidn’tapplytous.Likewhenyou’reyoung,youfigureyou’reunique.Iwasyoung.Thentheycame,whenwewerethinkingwemaybehadenoughtobeabletoquit,packitin,gotoEuropemaybe.Notthateitherofusknewwhatwe’ddothere,withnothingtodo.Butwewerelivingfat.Swissorbitalaccountsandacribfulloftoysandfurniture.Takestheedgeoffyourgame.

           `Sothatfirstonethey’dsent,he’dbeenhot.Reflexeslikeyouneversaw,implants,enoughstylefortenordinaryhoods.Butthesecondone,hewas.Idunno,likeamonk.Cloned.Stonekillerfromthecellsonup.Haditinhim,death,thissilence,hegaveitoffinacloud...’Hervoicetrailedoffasthecorridorsplit,identicalstairwellsdescending.Shetooktheleft.