Человек в высоком замке
Chapter 12
Tagomishouted."Thenwehavenochoice."Heslammedthereceiverdown."Itisnodoubtmeregesture,"hesaidtoMr.BaynesandGeneralTedeki.
"Butitcandonoharm,anyhow.AlwaysfaintpossibilitycertainnervouselementeveninSD."
GeneralTedekistartedtospeak.Butthenatremendousclatterattheofficedoor;heceased.Thedoorswungopen.
Twoburlywhitemenappeared,botharmedwithpistolsequippedwithsilencers.TheymadeoutMr.Baynes.
"Daister,"onesaid.TheystartedforMr.Baynes.
Athisdesk,Mr.TagomipointedhisColt.44ancientcollector’sitemandcompressedthetrigger.OneoftheSDmenfelltothefloor.Theotherwhippedhissilencer-equippedguntowardMr.Tagomiandreturnedfire.Mr.Tagomiheardnoreport,sawonlyatinywispofsmokefromthegun,heardthewhistleofaslugpassingnear.Withrecord-eclipsingspeedhefannedthehammerofthesingle-actionColt,firingitagainandagain.
TheSDman’sjawburst.Bitsofbone,flesh,shredsoftooth,flewintheair.Hitinthemouth,Mr.Tagomirealized.Dreadfulspot,especiallyifballascending.ThejawlessSDman’seyesstillcontainedlife,ofakind.Hestillperceivesme,Mr.Tagomithought.ThentheeyeslosttheirlusterandtheSDmancollapsed,droppinghisgunandmakingun-humangarglingnoises.
"Sickening,"Mr.Tagomisaid.
NomoreSDmenappearedintheopendoorway.
"Possiblyitisover,"GeneralTedekisaidafterapause.Mr.Tagomi,engagedintediousthree-minutetaskofreloading,pausedtopressthebuttonofthedeskintercom.
