Нейромант

           `Excuseme,butareyouanemployee?’Theguardraisedhiseyebrows.Mollypoppedhergum.`No,’shesaid,drivingthefirsttwoknucklesofherrighthandintotheman’ssolarplexus.Ashedoubledover,clawingforthebeeperonhisbelt,sheslammedhisheadsideways,againstthewalloftheelevator.

           Chewingalittlemorerapidlynow,shetouchedCLOSEDOORandSTOPontheilluminatedpanel.Shetookablackboxfromhercoatpocketandinsertedaleadinthekeyholeofthelockthatsecuredthepanel’scircuitry.

           ThePantherModernsallowedfourminutesfortheirfirstmovetotakeeffect,theninjectedasecondcarefullyprepareddoseofmisinformation.Thistime,theyshotitdirectlyintotheSense/Netbuilding’sinternalvideosystem.

           At12:04:03,everyscreeninthebuildingstrobedforeighteensecondsinafrequencythatproducedseizuresinasusceptiblesegmentofSense/Netemployees.Thensomethingonlyvaguelylikeahumanfacefilledthescreens,itsfeaturesstretchedacrossasymmetricalexpansesofbonelikesomeobsceneMercatorprojection.Bluelipspartedwetlyasthetwisted,elongatedjawmoved.Something,perhapsahand,athinglikeareddishclumpofgnarledroots,fumbledtowardthecamera,blurred,andvanished.Subliminallyrapidimagesofcontamination:graphicsofthebuilding’swatersupplysystem,glovedhandsmanipulatinglaboratoryglassware,somethingtumblingdownintodarkness,apalesplash...