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Organization 40
Location : Old city.Location: Grenn's TavernTime : Tuesday, 24-28.When Ernest was a stormtrooper of the legendary 12th Guards Infantry Tercio, cuirassiers often hung around somewhere nearby. At the base or in hell, on a neighboring sector of the front or over the stretching lines of infantry on the march, but one way or another - nearby. A rather reckless character (apparently introduced along with a combat interface chip), coupled with a sudden appearance from somewhere in the sky and the same quick retreat, led to the appearance among the foot soldiers of the stable expression "cuirassier raid".The expression had several connotations. And now A.N., pouring large sips of hot beef (and, as a result, his stomach) with ice-cold beer, was raking the negative beer. Consequences, to be exact. Consequences of rage, light madness and damn strong passion.He did not return to his precinct. Ran immediately to the center. At the base, he immediately rushed to the head of the operations depa
Organization 41
Location : Wastelands.Location: Lair.Time : Thursday, 10-25The challenge came when Radim finally snatched a free hour and returned to his favorite analytics. A statistical bot, in principle, could autonomously process any uploaded information, could even highlight system anomalies. But non-system ones - only collect or write. For the rest, still, like three hundred, four hundred, five hundred and six hundred years ago, an analyst was needed.Here Radim was sitting and looking at the mosaic that was forming into the results. Who and where how much money spent. Electronic, physical. Human, urdaleb, and much more exotic. Even the "beads" fell into the field of view of the almighty program. Although they could not be tracked physically - but, falling into free circulation, they led to spasmodic activity, diverging like circles on water.And just now, someone in the Besilny area dropped a bead. The analyst reached for the holointerface to start calculating the probable portrait of the r
Organization 42
Location : New City.Location: Golsu office center.Time : Thursday, 11:22. Five months three weeks from the arrival of the Candidate. Autumn season.Ernest sat in the middle of the room. He was surrounded by a variety of construction debris covered with films, covered with a thick layer of yellowish dust. A last pathetic attempt by a bankrupt building owner to clean up the commercial space. He accepted regular cash from the operative without question. But with noticeable relief.Everyone wanted hot food. In any case, all of the people.Office nine hundred and thirteen was A.N.'s unloved hiding place. Two months ago, he sat in ambush in the dust for almost a week. A meeting of okapi smugglers and murky elements from the Pits was expected. A large batch of stick insect weapons passed from calm paws to extremely restless hands. Dangerous business for the City, in general. Against the background of the object of the transaction, such things as unhealthy eating, sleeping on rags and washi
Organization 43
Location : Old City.Location: Beer "dead end".Time : Thursday, 14:22.First on the long list was Marv. The big man, even without armor and phlogiston, was a formidable combat unit. In addition, he had a rare sense of the crowd and place, thanks to which he was at home both in the Pits and in the most expensive institutions of the New City. Sometimes it seemed to Ernest that drag him into the occulatory - and Marv would calmly sip burning alcohol and carry on small talk.A child of the slums in the best sense of the phrase.A short code phrase - into the communicator. Minute of waiting. Dilution of coffee with cream. Five minutes of waiting. Muesli bar. Ten minutes. Opened can of mushroom soup concentrate. Fifteen minutes, encrypted response. Marv was ready for a meeting right now - and promised to bring one more person with him.Curious, Ernest caught on, who it could be. Lenny with his vehemence will ruin the case, and Alexander with his detachment will look suspicious. What can we
Organization 44
Location : Old City.Location: Square "Vykva"Time : Thursday, 16:00.The next meeting was scheduled on the border of the Old and New City. Square near one of the few human monuments. It seems to be the founder of the New City, or a pioneer, or a diplomat, or a rare asshole. It is quite possible that the personality unknown to Ernest, imprinted in granite, was, so to speak, triune. All together and little by little. At all times, this happened all the time.Ernest sat down on the parapet that surrounded the monument. He mentally grimaced at the coldness of the stone, took out a notebook, and began awkwardly sketching the monument. Stupid conventional sign - with the skills of A.N. the sketch looked like the creation of a fashion artist, but certainly not a monument. However, he gave the result.“They say the monument emits radiation well. You shouldn't be sitting so close.“Any granite is phonite, don’t you know,” Ernest returned the password and looked up.The
Organization 45
Location : Old City.Location: The vicinity of the Mirror Pond.Time : Thursday, 19:22.The three security guards attracted too much attention. We couldn't come up with a suitable disguise on the go, we had to improvise. Ernest and Heinrich bought backgammon at the first junk shop they came across. Heinrich had to learn to play on the go. Considering in the game that one die was missing. In addition, some chips have faded or darkened so much that their real color in the twilight was extremely difficult to make out.Marv, on the other hand, applied all the experience of living in the slums and pretended to be a sleeping tramp on a nearby bench. He lay down, hugged a backpack full of legal and not very legal weapons, covered himself with a cloak the size of a small tent. He closed his eyes, so that the black head merged with the cloak and the grayish wood of the bench. It came out pretty convincing. The passing patrol grimaced, but did nothing. The tariff plan of this microdistrict did
Organization 46
Location : Old City.Location: Men's club "Igni"Time : Thursday, 22:34."If you're taking a suspect to a brothel, then I'm afraid for your wife," Laeras finally muttered. His first words since Ernest lifted him off the ground.They sat in a confidential office on the third floor. A.N. I just wanted to get off the street to a place that was not subject to quick searches - and found it in the form of a familiar establishment. The guards, of course, were not delighted with the mediator's bloody jacket. The biogel has already worked - only pink scars remained from abrasions and cuts. The clothes were cleaned by a familiar cleaning boy, receiving another fifty marks. A similar dachshund at Igni wouldn't work, but a stack of tokens did quite well for a pass.In Besilne so often - as long as there is money, all doors are open to you, regardless of presentability. Especially - for the Charterers without luggage that openly violates the laws. And the backpack with the most illegal part of the
Organization 47
Location : Old City, embankment.Location: Profitable house "Tenth berth".Time : Friday, 03:50.The passage of the key-card along the groove did not cause an explosion, the release of poisoned darts, or other picture-deadly phenomena. The main lock clicked, after pressing the hidden recessed button, the auxiliary one also clicked. Upholstered in long-tarnished copper, she leaned slightly towards Ernest. He first walked with a crappy "monocle" through the space behind the door, did not see anything definite.At the far wall, a volume of biomaterial, close in composition to the human, was visible. But there was not enough of him, so the shit flowing through the pipes to the utilizer was more likely than a person. It could be a cordula, but a cordula recognizes even the most primitive scanner. Unless the drug cartel got its first langus killer.A.N. crossed the threshold. He listened, he looked, and most importantly, he sniffed. The smell always gave out better than disturbed dust, and
Latest Chapter
- Organization
Epilogue
Location: Landing Archipelago.Location: Giraffe Neck IslandTime : Friday, 01:50Barry made the most of his emna-infused combat body. Maneuvering between the few land-paying mobiles, he ran straight to the first pier. He held back the urge to jump into the water right there, turned left and ran all the way to a bend in the river. There, closer to the opposite shore, lay the northernmost, small island from the Landing group. Too narrow and too swampy for anything to be built on.But overgrown with small shrubs, with the ruins of a mansion. In which was the last unopened cache of the merry fellow Dimmy. He really wanted to retire. But I didn't, ha.The downpour caught Lean in the middle of the river. Chemistry in the blood seethed, making it difficult to get hypothermia. And, of course, get under the propellers of ships passing by. In every distant hum of Barry's clapping his arms wide, there were biobots flying over his soul. And in every dissatisfied snort of the urdaleb, who came ou
- Organization
76
Location : Old CityLocation: Stanton Furnished Rooms.Time : 14:44. Thursday.I haven't felt this bad in a long time.I've been in bed for five days now. Plast. I go out to the nearest shop for beer and soup concentrate. From any solid food - vomiting. Especially if it is with the aroma of the sea or seafood.I was also glad, idiot, that they didn’t put a bomb in my neck. It would be better to sew.How do you want to take a break sometimes? Well, you know it. Bitterness somewhere in the region of the cephalothorax. Coffee does not give strength. You lie in bed and think about everything that you lied to. Better to die than to live like this. White handkerchiefs, varnished coffin. Lamentations of the former.So, this is all complete nonsense. Parents, of course, if you have any, will not stint on a good house, in which their blood will lie. But believe me, an old visitor to the funeral of suicides - if the former appear on the mortal field, they behave more qui
- Organization
75
Location : WastelandsLocation: Lair.Time : 11-54. Monday.The guards stood at a respectful distance from the atrium. No one was to disturb the two men in their conversation. Especially when one is an ippie, and the second is a Master who burns him. Katerina, assistant to the all-powerful leader, frantically endured meetings and politely refused visitors. And she prayed that the Third would come out of the fenced corner with the waterfall in his usual icy calm.Because she knew perfectly well what a one-eyed leader in a bad mood is capable of. If anyone were in Nick's place, they would most likely go to a special block of the Lair. From which no one came out by himself.Outwardly, the ippie was impenetrably calm. No, of course, the dressing did not give him any pleasure. Yes, and he perfectly remembered the worst days of his career, one of which was not so long ago. Today is not even close to them. After all, no one from the Organization died. Still, Nick hadn't seen the Third in suc
- Organization
74
Location : New City.Location: Port area.Time : Sunday, 19:23.Ernest moved calmly. A twitchy person always raises questions. Calm and knowing what to do (even if it is filled with vomit and blood) - no. The candidate resolutely moved towards the snow-white "waffle iron", the first one he met on the way. He raised his hand, wondering who would dare to take it in this form. He was surprised at the sight of a cab diving right in front of him. The side window did not open (safety is paramount), but a friendly voice came from the speaker:- Buddy, give me a lift? I have all-weather seats, at least dry your ass!- Can you smoke inside? Ernest inquired lazily. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now.“Any whim for your glitters, mate. And if you pay with “beads”, then at least I’ll pick up a girl raging with boredom at the Token.“Then to Besilnya, street of the third Highest, house 24,” Ernest decided and climbed into a cab. In Besilna, he had a wretched apartment bought according to a
- Organization
73
Location : Old CityLocation: Smiling BuddhaTime : Sunday, 17:14Ernest pretended to think. The data from the sleuth biobot flooded his snail. So far, on the first floor, there are only eight “bulls” around it in a semicircle. And three more are on the way. There could not have been a better moment. He tipped the wine down his throat and set the glass down.“Then now,” he said calmly.“I hope you haven’t smoked for the last hour,” Lemai chuckled. - I don't like tobacco smoke. Physically nauseous.“Not at all,” the candidate smiled broadly.Approach the scary woman. Take a look from top to bottom. To see a slight triumph in the eyes of Lemay, who threw back her head. Gently touch your head with your fingers. Kiss, remembering a thousand kinds of poison, slightly surprised at Lemay's activity. Activate routertier. Insert a blade into the white throat of a "respected merchant". Jump back, noticing genuine surprise on the face of Danielle, who is clamping a wide wound. Hear hysterical:"
- Organization
72
Location : Besilnia, Old Town.Location: Lane 13a, building 35Time : Saturday, 20:41“No,” Ernest muttered in disgust.- Well, he could become another victim if he drank poisoned beer.“That’s why I don’t drink with strangers,” A.N. lied. and vowed to stop. Speaking of strangers. Recently I was in Malaya Besilna. And imagine, they began to read predictions to me there."Oh," asked Hildur. - Do you remember the name? Some prophets are popular on the net, I can tell you about the accuracy of their forecasts.- Surname Kenard, and the name of some ... meat.- Meat?- Well, Kebabus, or Roll, or Sausages ...Jonsdottir laughed again.— Ruland? - Ernest shook his head positively and waved to the bartender - pour another one. And when he returned his head, he realized: the girl suddenly raised her blue eyes and stuck her unblinking gaze at the candidate. If so, then you should take his words more seriously. Sometimes, for general development, the "masters" give him the insides of impaled cr
- Organization
71
Location : Besilnia, Old Town.Location: Lane 13a, building 35Time : Saturday, 20:20.Ernest found this bar by accident. Once, almost in a past life, he went to Igni after a case. The denouement there had a frankly brown aftertaste (not chocolate), and the detective wanted to unwind. Dry cleaning, as damned Lemay rightly pointed out, could remove external dirt. For the rest, wise people came up with something else. Snooker, alcohol and corrupt women. A palliative who has repeatedly removed burnout syndromes. It was to him that A.N. decided to apply while watching a smart automaton clean the traces of blood from an innocent victim from a random gunfight from his trench coat. Marlin gang, racketeering case. Old city, spring season.However, that evening he was still really lucky. First, he calculated his meager savings and decided to spend some crowns on a beer at a random bar. Anything is better than a few tokens - at Igni. The brothels were as good as the spaceports at making money o
- Organization
70
Location : Old CityLocation: Smiling BuddhaTime : Saturday, 17:21.Ernest relaxed and reached for his glass. He knew perfectly well that nervous bandits (even if they were packaged in the "guise" of the security service) could do stupid things. Perhaps Daniel Lemay will tug at his old-wheat curl, twist his mouth (admitting a couple of wrinkles on his smooth face) and scold them for screwing up the deal. But the candidate will lie in the middle of a tasteless interior and spoil the carpet with his liquids. From such a distance and with such a number of trunks, the carapace is unlikely to save.Therefore, take a small sip of wine. Refrain from blowing out the entire glass at once. Still, it is quite possible that the twitching, dumb-headed bighead with a plasma pistol is just an element of the entourage. Still, Lemay loves to bring his guests to a nervous tick. Quietly put the glass on the tablecloth. Smile into cold eyes.“Mrs. Lemay,” A.N. began softly, “some
- Organization
69
Location : New CityLocation: Newlow, level 3bTime : Friday, 20:24Krzysztof Boltzmann hesitated. The candidate noticed that the conversation had touched something unsettling in the fat man. An old humiliation pacified by complacency and a hefty security deposit. But, fortunately, the lover of watchmaking did not possess oratory.— What a stupid question, Sir Ernest...“Krzysztof,” the candidate interrupted softly, his eyes flashing. - Please reply.“Okay, okay…” The pawnshop scratched the back of his head. - After the first, yes, there were several unpleasant incidents. Ordinary punks and "bulls" who somehow learned about the "bead". I then reinforced the rear airlock and began to constantly carry a pistol. But after the second it was all very calm. Even the tax inspector, so that his Cordul devoured, did not visit more often than necessary.- I understood you. Well, Krzysztof. Your debt is closed.- Truth? the pawnbroker inquired incredulously.- Truth. How
