Нейромант
Chapter 1
Allthespeedhetook,alltheturnshe’dtakenandthecornershe’dcutinNightCity,andstillhe’dseethematrixinhissleep,brightlatticesoflogicunfoldingacrossthatcolorlessvoid...TheSprawlwasalongstrangewayhomeoverthePacificnow,andhewasnoconsoleman,nocyberspacecowboy.Justanotherhustler,tryingtomakeitthrough.ButthedreamscameonintheJapanesenightlikelivewirevoodoo,andhe’dcryforit,cryinhissleep,andwakealoneinthedark,curledinhiscapsuleinsomecoffinhotel,hishandsclawedintothebedslab,temperfoambunchedbetweenhisfingers,tryingtoreachtheconsolethatwasn’tthere.
`Isawyourgirllastnight,’Ratzsaid,passingCasehissecondKirin.
`Idon’thaveone,’hesaid,anddrank.
`MissLindaLee.’
Caseshookhishead.
`Nogirl?Nothing?Onlybiz,friendartiste?Dedicationtocommerce?’Thebartender’ssmallbrowneyeswerenesteddeepinwrinkledflesh.`IthinkIlikedyoubetter,withher.Youlaughedmore.Now,somenight,yougetmaybetooartistic;youwindupintheclinictanks,spareparts.’
`You’rebreakingmyheart,Ratz.’Hefinishedhisbeer,paidandleft,highnarrowshouldershunchedbeneaththerainstainedkhakinylonofhiswindbreaker.ThreadinghiswaythroughtheNinseicrowds,hecouldsmellhisownstalesweat.
Casewastwenty-four.Attwenty-two,he’dbeenacowboy,arustler,oneofthebestintheSprawl.He’dbeentrainedbythebest,byMcCoyPauleyandBobbyQuine,legendsinthebiz.
