Нейромант

           `Iwasexpectingsomethingmaybealittlelessgone,youknow?Imean,theseguysareallbatshitinhere,liketheygotluminousmessagesscrawledacrosstheinsideoftheirforeheadsorsomething.Idon’tlikethewayitlooks,Idon’tlikethewayitsmells...’

           ThedronewashoistingitselfupanearlyinvisibleladderofU-shapedsteelrungs,towardanarrowdarkopening.`AndwhileI’mfeelingconfessional,baby,IgottaadmitmaybeInevermuchexpectedtomakeitoutofthisoneanyway.Beenonthisbadrollforawhile,andyou’retheonlygoodchangecomedownsinceIsignedonwithArmitage.’Shelookedupattheblackcircle.Thedrone’sLEDwinked,climbing.`Notthatyou’reallthatshithot.’Shesmiled,butitwasgonetooquickly,andshegrittedherteethatthestabbingpaininherlegasshebegantoclimb.Theladdercontinuedupthroughametaltube,barelywideenoughforhershoulders.

           Shewasclimbingupoutofgravity,towardtheweightlessaxis.

           Herchippulsedthetime.

           04:23:04.

           Ithadbeenalongday.Theclarityofhersensoriumcutthebiteofthebetaphenethylamine,butCasecouldstillfeelit.Hepreferredthepaininherleg.

           CASE:0000

           000000000

           00000000.

           `Guessit’sforyou,’shesaid,climbingmechanically.Thezerosstrobedagainandamessagestutteredthere,inthecornerofhervision,choppedupbythedisplaycircuit.