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UNDERGROUND 41
- Does it help? Pustovalov asked. Twenty minutes ago he had adjusted the hinge of the Roman Chair and was now lying on an almost level bench with a bag of money tucked under his head. The legs, however, did not fit. Putting his hands on his stomach, Pustovalov calmly watched Kharitonov, who was clearly suffering from physical pain.Kharitonov was just waving another bottle, but Pustovalov's question distracted him. He looked at him, got up and moved threateningly towards the "Roman chair", but Victor blocked his way, suddenly jumping out of the dark opening with a piece of thin pipe in his hand.“You can be heard from the very tunnel,” he said, wearily sitting down on a bench.- Everything is fine? Pustovalov asked without even looking at Kharitonov.Victor shook his head.- There's a whole bunch of them.- Are they leaving?- I'm afraid it's bad - they come from two directions.So they are looking for.– What did you expect? Romik smiled wickedly.Kharitonov looked from under his bro
UNDERGROUND 42
Katya was already asleep, and Dasha, now looking into her serene sleeping face, felt sorry for her, remembering what she had experienced today. But the "rules of the game" have changed, Dasha herself did not fully understand where this decisiveness came from in her.- What the hell are you shaking me! Katya opened her eyes with difficulty and then closed them again.Dasha told her everything she saw.- So what?"You really don't understand?" Dasha sat down on the bed next to her. This lesbian is lying!“Oh, oh,” Katya drawled and tried to lie down again.Dasha grabbed her hand.- Listen, listen. I saw two keys. Coelum and infernum.- What? Katya asked incredulously. - Listen, shut up.- Just think. Why is she lying that we are closed here from the outside? God, do you even realize how crazy this is! In seventeen hours, no exit will open! At best, we will hear another lie...Katya looked at her wearily.- And at worst .... Her friend's wrists are bandaged, and this fake smile of hers i
UNDERGROUND 43
- Katya, let's go! Dasha looked anxiously towards the exit to the stairs.- Fuck off! - Katya stood in the opening of the open door with the inscription "Only for Paradisum members", outlined in purple twilight. - Just look! For a second!Dasha came up, looked over her shoulder, and the cloud of warmth she was in pierced the cold.The interior of the "Club Paradisum" looked a little like a "paradise". More on the medical office - the same strict-looking couches, thin chairs, glass metal cabinets. But the main thing is the gynecological chair in the corner. A strange armchair, with metal bracelets-clamps on Geppel supports and leather straps on the sides of the upper part of the back. Wires ran from them behind the back.Dasha remembered with horror Alina's wrists and got angry at Katya, who looked at all this with unhurried disgust.“Well, why did you get up,” she pulled her along with her.To Dasha's relief, the door was locked from the outside. Now they were separated from the athle
UNDERGROUND 44
Pustovalov walked along a narrow corridor towards a black cloud - he did not know why and did not feel threatened, his legs themselves carried him. The sand creaked underfoot, like at that abandoned construction site where he had smashed his head a little earlier, failing to jump to the edge of the concrete slab. And he knew that here the sand is exactly the same. Moreover, it is the same sand. There, a layer of quartz hid the concrete base of a giant hangar, which had grown old, but remained unfinished. Here, under the sand, the floor was also light gray, and the same block walls. The walls had been shifted, making the hallway unnaturally narrow, in violation of all building codes. A dim, mortar-splattered, twenty-four-watt bulb illuminated the passage every fifteen meters. There were only nine left before dark. Passing the fifth, Pustovalov heard a child's cry. He had heard it before too. Pustovalov looked down and saw the movement of his own legs. The steps were unusually small and
UNDERGROUND 45
- Let's! shouted Kharitonov.Romik and Viktor ran, and Pustovalov moved with his back to the "glass", emptying the last magazine of the MKV-15.***While one hand of the athlete was holding Katya, the other, with the strength of a rail excavator, lifted Dasha and placed her on her shoulder. For an athlete, judging by deep breathing, this was not difficult. Both girls squealed, especially Katya, who beat the athlete rather bitingly on her bare back and stone buttocks.- Quietly, - the athlete used to say, - save your strength.Alina met them downstairs. The giant's girlfriend smiled, in her blue eyes - a little fright, but more - delight and excitement. Chest under the gray T-shirt heaving. Dasha managed to read the inscription in English "Take me after the party."But the blows from above washed away the smile from the fox's face, turning her face into a mask - as if without a smile, her face ceased to be a face. Sinking down on Inga's shoulder to the lower level, Dasha noticed how Al
UNDERGROUND 46
For the first time, he noticed a strange glow above the boom when the workers finished changing the fourth section. He just turned in his chair to check whether there was still room in the Aqua Minerale bottle, and at that moment a beam hit his left eye through the arrow joints, which he at first mistook for a sun glare from the belvedere of the Prometheus business center "- the only building above it in the district.He tried not to think about anything because of a full bladder and therefore did not attach any importance to this, only some vague thought noted that for a glare the beam was too insistent, changeable and as if purposeful. And only when the sun completely disappeared behind the new buildings, the glow finally really interested him.It was, of course, not the lack of sunlight or the fact that the glow interfered with work. At the construction site, there are more than enough such sources. The fact was that this contraption shone at a height of one hundred and thirty mete
UNDERGROUND 47
It snowed all Sunday and Monday until late in the evening, when the temperature rose, turning the precipitation into a slush. On Tuesday morning, it suddenly froze and a blue sky opened up over Moscow, without a single cloud.- No, dad, we just left the Moscow Ring Road. We didn't even get to the bypass. Everything costs from the third ring! The man behind the wheel of the black Kia Surato grimaced, trying to outshout his sons screaming behind him. - I dont know! And don't call me yet, I'll turn off the phone.Putting away the smartphone, the man cast a sidelong glance at his wife.- Ira, don't look like that, I just forgot.“You yourself will grumble when called.- If you're talking about that terrorist attack, then ...- Listen, who calls you at all except for work?You parents...- You have already talked with your parents, and I am already here.The man ran his finger across the Samsung display. His palms were disproportionately large.Everything, airplane. Only they will get thro
UNDERGROUND 48
- There is also a traffic cop ahead. - Irina said, looking out the window from her side.– What is he doing?“Just walks between cars.Where is he looking?- He ... Down ... He looks at the numbers!- So I thought! Boris stated.- What?They are looking for someone.- Who, dad? Terrorists?Boris shook his head.A vaguely recognizable tune played. Boris heard this sound so rarely that he was surprised at its unexpected loudness.- Yes. He heard his son's voice behind him.The parents looked at each other and turned around at the same time. They completely forgot that their children use their smartphone not only for games and tik-tok.The boy handed the smartphone to his father.- You.- Is that grandpa?The son shook his head.- Who?- I do not know.Boris took his son's smartphone. The wife watched her husband in fear. Watched his face change. How the warmth leaves, how the wrinkle on the bridge of the nose reappears. As he exhales, between the short, muffled "yes" and "so sure," the