Нейромант

           Andthenhehadavisitor,avisitorunannounced,onewhowalkedinthroughtheelaboratemazeofSmith’ssecurityasthoughitdidn’texist.Asmallman,Japanese,enormouslypolite,whoboreallthemarksofavatgrownninjaassassin.Smithsatverystill,staringintothecalmbrowneyesofdeathacrossapolishedtableofVietnameserosewood.Gently,almostapologetically,theclonedkillerexplainedthatitwashisdutytofindandreturnacertainartwork,amechanismofgreatbeauty,whichhadbeentakenfromthehouseofhismaster.Ithadcometohisattention,theninjasaid,thatSmithmightknowofthewhereaboutsofthisobject.

           Smithtoldthemanthathehadnowishtodie,andproducedthehead.Andhowmuch,hisvisitorasked,didyouexpecttoobtainthroughthesaleofthisobject?Smithnamedafigurefarlowerthanthepricehe’dintendedtoset.TheninjaproducedacreditchipandkeyedSmiththatamountoutofanumberedSwissaccount.Andwho,themanasked,broughtyouthispiece?Smithtoldhim.Withindays,SmithlearnedofJimmy’sdeath.

           `SothatwaswhereIcamein,’theFinncontinued.`SmithknewIdealtalotwiththeMemoryLanecrowd,andthat’swhereyougoforaquietgo-tothat’llneverbetraced.Ihiredacowboy.Iwasthecut-out,soItookapercentage.Smith,hewascareful.He’djusthadaveryweirdbusinessexperienceandhe’dcomeoutontop,butitdidn’taddup.Who’dpaid,outofthatSwissstash?Yakuza?Noway.