Грань будущего

           "Stealingoneofthe-I’dnevereventhinkofit!"

           "No?"

           "Ofcoursenot!Well,thethoughtmayhavecrossedmymindonceortwice,butI’dneveractuallydoit!DoIreallylooklikethetypeto-"HereyeswidenedasshesawwhatwasinthesealedplasticbagIpulledfrommypocket.

           Aslygrinspreadacrossmyface."Whatifsomeoneelsestoleoneforyou?"

           "CouldIhaveit?Please?"

           "Howsoonwechangeoursong!"

           Iraisedthebagcontainingthechiphighabovemyhead.Shastahoppedasshetriedtograbit,butsheandher158centimeterswereoutofluck.Theoilstainingherclothesmademynostrilsflare.

           "Stopteasingmeandjusthanditover,wouldyou?"

           Hop.Hop.

           "Youdon’tknowhowmuchIhadtogothroughtogetthis."

           "I’mbeggingyou.Please?"

           Hop.

           "I’llgiveittoyou,butIneedsomethinginexchange."

           "Something…inexchange?"

           Gulp.

           Sheclutchedthemonkeywrenchtoherchest,flatteningtheswellsofherbreaststhatlayhiddenbeneathheroveralls.She’dclearlygottenusedtoplayingthevictimafterafewyearswiththeanimalsinSpecialForces.Ifitwasthiseasytogetariseoutofher,Ican’tsayIblamedthem.

           Iwavedtheplasticbagtowardthegiantbattleaxehangingfromacageattherearofthebarracksandpointed.Shastadidn’tseemtounderstandwhatIwaslookingat.Hereyesdartedwarilyaroundtheroom.

           "Icametoborrowthat."Ijabbedmyfingerstraightattheaxe.

           "UnlessmyeyeshavegottenworsethanIthought,that’sRita’sbattleaxe."

           "Bingo."