Нейромант

           ’

           `Hate,’Casesaid.`WhodoIhate?Youtellme.’

           `Whodoyoulove?’theFinn’svoiceasked.

           Hewhippedtheprogramthroughaturnanddivedforthebluetowers.

           Thingswerelaunchingthemselvesfromtheornatesunburstspires,glitteringleechshapesmadeofshiftingplanesoflight.Therewerehundredsofthem,risinginawhirl,theirmovementsrandomaswindblownpaperdowndawnstreets.`Glitchsystems,’thevoicesaid.

           Hecameinsteep,fueledbyself-loathing.WhentheKuangprogrammetthefirstofthedefenders,scatteringtheleavesoflight,hefeltthesharkthingloseadegreeofsubstantiality,thefabricofinformationloosening.

           Andthen-oldalchemyofthebrainanditsvastpharmacy-hishateflowedintohishands.

           IntheinstantbeforehedroveKuang’sstingthroughthebaseofthefirsttower,heattainedalevelofproficiencyexceedinganythinghe’dknownorimagined.Beyondego,beyondpersonality,beyondawareness,hemoved,Kuangmovingwithhim,evadinghisattackerswithanancientdance,Hideo’sdance,graceofthemind-bodyinterfacegrantedhim,inthatsecond,bytheclarityandsinglenessofhiswishtodie.

           Andonestepinthatdancewasthelightesttouchontheswitch,barelyenoughtoflip-

           andhisvoicethecryofabirdunknown,

           3Janeansweringinsong,threenotes,highandpure.

           Atruename