Грань будущего
Chapter 8
IrealizedwhatIwasdoing.
"Youknow,it’sfunny,metalkin’toyoulikethis.Hey,youdon’tthinkshe’dchargemeforstealin’heridea,doyou?It’snotlikeshehasapatentonitoranything."
"What?Whatareyoutalkin’about?"
"You’llbefine."Hewassnappingoutofitprettyquick-hewasnorookielikeI’dbeen.Islappedhimontheback."Youoweme,4thCompany.What’syourname?"
"KogoroMurata,andIdon’toweyoushit."
"KeijiKiriya."
"That’ssomeattitudeyougot.NotsureIlikeit."
"Thefeeling’smutual.Let’shopeourluckholds."
Webumpedfistsandpartedways.
Isweptmyheadfromlefttoright.Iran.Ipulledmytrigger.Mybodyhadlongsincepassedexhaustion,butapartofmemaintainedaheightenedsenseofalertnessimpossibleundernormalcircumstances.Mymindwasaconveyerbeltsortinggoodapplesfromthebad-anypieceofinformationthatwasn’tvitaltosurvivalwasautomaticallyshutout.
IsawRitaVrataski.Therumbleofanexplosionheraldedherarrival.Alaser-guidedbombfellfromaplanecirclingoverhead,faroutofreachoftheenemy.Itcoveredthedistancebetweenusinundertwentyseconds,detonatingpreciselywheretheValkyriehadcalleditdown.
Ritawasheadedforthespotthebombhadstruck,ashatteredmixofdebris,equalpartslivinganddead.Creaturesstreamedfromthecratertowardherswingingbattleaxe.
Eveninthemidstofbattle,seeingRita’sredJacketstirredsomethinginme.Hermerepresencehadbreathednewlifeintoourbrokenline.
