Бесплатный фрагмент - Robot rebellion

CHAPTER 1

The sun slowly rose over skyscrapers. Its vivifying, warm beams, making the way because of a weak veil of whitish clouds at the horizon, looked in glasses of the top floors of high-rise buildings and, refracting, rejected bright patches of light on the wakening city streets.

Harry Wood sat at himself in an office and wrote the report on the last invention in the field of robotics.

It was the person of average growth, years of twenty two, vigorous, with clever, sharp eyes of the brown eyes always looking at the interlocutor openly and independently.

Near it the heap of technical books, slightly at some distance — notebooks with records and quite chubby folders with drawings towered.

In a corner there was a model of the robot. Its athletic figure struck with a strict proportion of forms, photo cells of eyes and a massive bald skull dimly shone in the twilight of slightly lit room, but, despite it, it did not fill strong with misgivings.

Except the corporal cover casting a deathly-greenish shade in it there was only a gray-brown dust with a huge number of the sticky web which accumulated for many years.

Unexpectedly in the hall the call was distributed.

Harry Wood put the handle aside, having mechanically taken almost extinct cigarette.

«And whom hard brought to me?» — with disappointment he thought.

Having pressed one of numerous buttons on the small remote controller near a table, Harry went deep into the records again.

The door automatically opened.

— Hi, Harry! Documentation is ready? — the thunderous bass of Vinknet — directors of Kompala — Morning what was heard from the hall! Really you do not notice? Though would open windows, perhaps…

Harry silently crumpled a cigarette about the naked breast of Venus which leaned the elbows about edge of an ashtray.

Unichtozhayushche having looked at Vinknet and, having vaguely lowed something in reply, he undertook the helium handle again.

Vinknet, so and without having understood anything, carefully approached it.

— What do you tell? — he asked again, looking through Harry’s shoulder on his desktop.

— And for the sake of it you came to me? — Harry Wood with irritation asked.

Vinknet vaguely shrugged shoulders.

— Calm down, I on business. You know that our contract comes to an end. I brought the promised money.

Vinknet slowly took out a solid pack of dollars from a pocket. Having accurately put them on a pile of books, he chilly said:

— Check if you want.

— Is not necessary, I trust you. Perhaps you will drink?

— Perhaps, — agreed Vinknet.

Having approached a window, he inconsiderately lifted already unpacked bottle of gin from a floor and took seat in a chair opposite, having plunged into the shadow cast by the robot.

Harry brought two wine glasses.

— For good luck! — said Vinknet, spilling gin and lifting a wine glass. — I do not know as you, but I lay great hopes on new androids. They will become much more perfect, than the products which are turned out by competitors. I trust — the superiority will be on our party!

— Early still to dream of it, — stopped it Harry. — What you call «perfection» can turn back for us fatal consequences…

— And it is told by the creator?!

— That’s it. To me — whether not to know all side effects connected with release of large party of androids without preliminary, stage-by-stage debugging all of them systems. I agree that risk — a noble cause. But also to rush to a whirlpool, like mad, I think, is not necessary.

Vinknet unwillingly was given.

— Yes, the androids allocated with reason capable to self-improvement, deserve special attention. Do not worry, I will charge observation of them to my best employees. They are sensible guys, receive a good salary and, undoubtedly, will cope with a task better us.

— Well … — Harry sighed. — Only I ask, do not go too far for the sake of a profit. It is dangerous to play with fire…

Vinknet smugly grinned.

— Rely on my experience, — he assured. — Soon our «boys» with hands will tear off.

CHAPTER 2

In several days from the plant new samples of androids arrived. They a little in what differed from people and the some angularity resembled weight-lifters with well developed muscles more though they the behavior reminded too curious boys who are interested in each trifle of the world opening for them, filling up with various information the artificial intelligence.

They visited still the remained libraries, and, having read a set of books, at once penetrated into all subtleties of relationship between individuals of both one, and opposite sex, in passing studying life of their life.

Their bodies, sensitive to various smells, caught the aromas of dishes reaching from open window leaves of restaurants and dining rooms, and they went there to take a look as cybers carry food to the clients in trays.

Harry Wood liked to visit occasionally restaurants too slightly to have a bite and rest from work.

Here and that day, escaping from the bothered heat long ago, Harry sat at Neris restaurant at an oval table from the polished black glass with the openwork chromeplated legs and ate with appetite roast goose, being occasionally put to a whisky glass with ice.

In the thin hall the music quietly played.

About a window, attentively studying casual visitors, there was a person of a solid type in a bright suit. His face expressed nothing, but, on gloomy shifted eyebrows, it was possible to guess that he with concentration thought of something.

Harry Wood involuntarily detained a look on the stranger.

The person, having felt that look at him, changed a pose and slightly gruffishly said:

— My name is Zhimmi. Allow to sit down?

Harry slightly became puzzled.

— You sit down, — he told.

The person sat down to a table.

— Interestingly, why people need androids? — unexpectedly Zhimmi with obvious indignation asked. — Unless they have not enough cybers? They are actuators and work very precisely, never thinking that they do.

— Well and that? — did not understand Harry’s question in the beginning, but then, having a little thought, answered: — Cybers are good cars. But they become property of the past. The android is much more reasonable. These are robots of the seventh generation. It is pleasant to communicate with them.

— And therefore they are allocated with intelligence?

— Of course. Many systems similar with human, own decisions allowing the robot to make are invented. But, undoubtedly, only the person with the person will find a common language. The interlocutor has a feeling of hospitality, cunning, insidiousness, sense of proportion, compassions, fear, eventually! It will always find that thread of understanding to soul and heart which the insensible car will never find. She can think only logically, by means of the same notorious binary code what computers of the end of the twentieth century used, touching trillions of words, billions of phrases in memory, looking for the sample answer to the question posed depending on a situation.

— The Person — a masterpiece means?

— Yes, and androids — his smaller brothers helping people to bear a burden of their heavy cares, performing excessive mental work.

— But on the other hand, it as was the volovy force, a toy in hands of people, and remained it, not a jot without having promoted to Goma to the sapiens — Zhimmi summed up. Something inhuman appeared in its shape, in his motionless eyes with a reddish shade, in direct, bloodless lips. — You think why there was a generation of androids? — he asked again. — I was exasperated earlier by one thought that they are necessary to people only as slaves, but now I begin to understand in what here business.

The person not without reason refused clumsy forms of the first robots, having given to the android own appearance, having enclosed in them almost all the qualities, seeking to create new race: strong, hardy, clever, eternal. Yes, eternal! The android is immortal. He is not subject to diseases, aging, can easily change the failed detail. And unless the person can replace something at himself in an organism, removing an old age, remaining in time? In my opinion, only some androids — the future of Earth!

— Really? — Harry Wood was surprised. — I agree, the android is immortal. There can live several centuries. But designers enclosed in each brain of this individual only one certain program and a minimum of knowledge allowing them to adapt to a surrounding situation, being engaged wholeheartedly in any one kind of activity, being improved besides, thanks to the program. Robots station wagons are not favorable: programming costs a fantastic sum. And on the other hand, what would not be the car educated, it will remain a heartless lot of electronics. Androids, as well as robots, do not understand what is pity, subdivide everything into reasonable and unreasonable. And what they know about love, vanity, disappointment, shyness? Nothing. Also are going to dominate still?

— And why is also not present? — Zhimmi was surprised. Feelings are unknown to them, but they are only means, and means purely contemplate. The love is reproduction, vanity — success. Why to the android to worry? It debalansirut a system. It is enough to them to see the purpose. And this purpose — knowledge.

Harry grinned.

— So let they breed! As at people… Reproduction human from time immemorial was considered as an important link in formation of a civilization. The more will be robots, the more will be the channels connecting them with the outside world… I represent, the android nurses the offspring. Or conception… How will they, interestingly, achieve it?

— It is possible to go also on other way.

— On what?

— To unite androids by means of powerful transmitters in a uniform brain that everyone during any moment could contact other robot, communicate, warn against a mistake, report about danger… Ideally — to enslave the whole world. Weak it is doomed. His destiny will obey. The earth should not belong to people more! Really it not so? We a new branch in evolution of mankind…

— Interestingly … — Harry outright was frightened. — But then it is necessary to add them with new blocks, to make changes to the program. I am engaged many years in creation of electronic systems. A lot of things succeeded in programming. Also I will tell directly: to make it not so simply, the same as not just to become also the Dictator.

— I know, — Zhimmi agreed. — But I will achieve the! — his eyes began to shine again some crimson-red fire as if there, instead of pupils, two bright fires lit up.

Harry drank off the whisky which remained half of bakala.

— Who are you? — he asked.

— And you unless did not guess yet?

— No.

Zhimmi jumped from a chair, monotonously zakhodiv near a table. Six seconds in one party, and six seconds — in another.

— I am an android, — he told having stopped. — And you, some minutes ago, put the fat end to my doubts. I know now for what I was created…

CHAPTER 3

The high building of management of Kompala was almost on the outskirts of the city.

Harry Wood called the taxi on the payphone and went outside.

Walking before a show-window with the exotic sign «Only for Men» opposite to his house, it scrolled all yesterday’s conversation with the android in the head.

«It is surprising how I still did not understand that designing cars without blood and flesh, without weak and gentle human soul, I bring closer all live to death? — with pain Harry thought. — It can badly come to an end if in time not to stop…»

Because of turn Espri C-2» with a checkered pattern on doors seemed».

Did not pass also twenty minutes as the peaked spire of management in the distance grew.

Having paid off the driver, Harry came into the foyer.

Having shown the udostovepeniye and having passed through an arch of the metal detector, Harry rose on the high-speed elevator to the floor where there was Vinknet’s office.

Having reached its office, he took an interest at the secretary, on the place — whether her boss.

— It will be released soon, — that said, having smiled to it in reply.

Harry looked down, pretending that he considers a floor parquet. Having hardly raised the head, he nodded it, agreeing that he can wait some time.

He sat down in a reception on the black leather chair which immediately accepted outlines of his body.

— Do not you wish some coffee?

— No, thanks.

Harry furtively looked at it, estimating.

The girl was madly beautiful. Golden curls framed with curls its white face which is slightly touched by suntan. The unpretentious print dress very much went it, the same as there was also a smile, open, charming, attracting to itself a look the disarming vulnerability.

Unexpectedly the door opened. The office left two men. One of them — Allan Gordhan — Harry Wood knew as the friend on college.

— Mr. Vinknet, to you came, — in half-voices the secretary reported.

— Who?

The girl again interrogatively looked at Harry.

That was confused.

— Young man… He was not presented to me.

— Well, let will enter.

Harry Wood promptly rose, damning suddenly risen shyness. He communicated with girls a little and, having only covered for himself an office door, again found former confidence.

Vinknet thoughtfully was by the open window. Having turned back on knock of steps, he was surprised:

— Harry, you? What happened? We, in my opinion, already paid off with you…

— The situation is very serious.

— You about what?

— About androids.

— Ta-ak … — Vinknet frowned. — And you about the same? I discussed this problem only a minute ago and, I think, this subject sputtered out for a long time. I do not want to come back to it again.

— By no means, you are mistaken. I do not know as you, but I consider new party of androids it is necessary to dismantle. And as soon as possible. Recently developed blocks glitch. They were subjected to laboratory researches a little before taking the worthy place in an organism of the android, and it is fraught with big consequences.

— But their only five. What can they do?

— So far anything. But this matter of time. At least, the uncommon abilities adjoining on madness of the paranoid were detected in one of them. And in the expediency block in general it is unknown what is created. And the program of love for the person is absent. The meaning of what was said is clear to you?

— Well and that?

— Do not you unless still understand? — Harry was surprised. — I spoke with Zhimmi — one of them. It looks quite intilegentno, but it only externally. I do not want to frighten you. Think over, put yourself on their place. What would you undertake, having aimed to learn essence of reproduction, dreaming of the boundless power?

— I do not know.

— That and it…

— Be silent! — interrupted Harry Wood Vinknet. — You cut at the roots the grandiose future where androids, together with the person, will master far space, to make habitable the unknown planets suitable for life which are for many light years from our mother of Earth.

— These are just your dreams, — Harry told, — but if to come back to Earth what you actually mean? You just will not live up to those plans about which you just told me.

— Yes, I will not live, — agreed Vinknet. — But our descendants will live. And now, on this model of androids, it is possible to snip off a big roll.

— The blind man … — sighed Harry Wood.

— But by what they are dangerous? — hysterical cried Vinknet. — Revolt? To go war against billions of people?.

— That’s it!

— Nonsenses! Their of everything small handful. And I cannot assume that Wagner shot ahead. He is an old competitor of our firm and is not necessary because of our uncertainty in tomorrow to give it all cards in hands.

Harry Wood frowned.

— Yes you are just an envious person, — he told, trying to punch a gap in purely consumer feelings of the chief. — Envious person and egoist! And I feel sorry for those people who will be ruined by your obstinacy. Yes, I am not afraid of this word!

Vinknet everything somehow stooped, stooped as if on shoulders to it put a huge bag with sand.

Having unwillingly pulled out a key from a pocket, he put it on a table near himself.

— Here, — he said, is the first link to wealth which you so easily refuse. It is quite possible that you also are right, Harry, but I, nevertheless, will give the order on production still to additional party of androids. Don’t be afraid! They will be the last. I have to act this way, has to! At least for the sake of prestige…

— It is not required to you any more.

Mistrustfully looked at Vinknet on Harry, still without posing a real threat.

— Time cannot lose, — Harry Wood said. — If androids guess where there is a key, they will be ready to do anything. So far they are not enough — they are not so strong. But, having taken control of working drawings, schemes, the software and all related documents, androids will begin to reproduce in a large number on them similar. Then nothing live will remain on the planet. The human race will fall under a yoke of robots. I do not hope for police officers. They will just take me for the madman. Yet any robot made nothing bad to the Person… Prompt how to prove to them that androids can rebel? Or you think that I begin paranoia?

Vinknet the shivering hands took out a pack of cigarettes from a table box.

— Well — at, this time you can rely on me, — he told, having somehow lit up a cigarette. — To them not to get drawings, as well as all the rest. They lie in the safe. And I always carry a key with myself.

— Give it to me!

— For anything!

Harry was promptly inclined to a table and, having grabbed a key, hid it in an inside pocket of the jacket.

Was frightened of Vinknet.

— Put back! — he screamed.

— No! Only over my dead body! And you know: murders will not forgive you. I have excellent communications…

In the opinion of Vinknett the hatred flashed.

Having passed on an office, it approached a table again, deciding to cause protection, but the intrusive idea all itched at it in a brain:

«And if Harry is right, and they can really rebel? Then all responsibility will lay down on me… I interrupted their testing and verification of the software, having given the order that they were let out on city streets, amusing the vanity and trying to outdo Wagner…»

He pressed the button, calling the secretary.

That smoothly entered and stopped on a threshold, shaking deep thighs.

— The Greek, bring me a coffee cup, — by the voice which got hoarse suddenly asked Vinknet, having thrown out still smoking cigarette on a floor.

— I obey, — the girl smiled, having carefully covered for herself a door.

— Not the truth — whether, it is very lovely? — without hiding the admiration, Harry asked.

Vinknet mechanically nodded. His face suddenly cleared up.

— All right, go, — he told. — You convinced me. The new party of androids should be liquidated.

CHAPTER 4

Having remained one, began to wait for Vinknet the secretary.

When Elena brought it a thermos with black coffee and a high crystal glass on a thin long leg, carefully took Vinknet it both hands for shoulders and brought to a window.

— The Greek, — he beggarly said, — you should execute one my small assignment. Did you see the person who was recently coming to me today?

— Yes, quite nice man.

— But I about another, Elena, — being irritated, told Vinknet. — I need only a key. The small chromeplated key in an inside pocket of his jacket.

The girl involuntarily shrank, as from a fever, guessing that the chief conceived something again.

— What key? — she asked carefully. — All three keys from offices are at me.

— No, that special. From the top secret safe. It costs not at us, and in office.

— Why did you give it? — crafty she asked.

— Do not speak maliciously, please, I not such the idiot! — shouted at it Vinknet. — Just imagine: it intimidated me. And who? Some zamukhryshka. Ne-et! I so will not leave it! I will not regret any money to stop up to it a throat!. Understand, all hope for you…

Elena grew dark. Its pretty face grew thin.

— You forget about me, — she said in low tones. — On your favor I cannot marry the decent person, and to be someone’s a mistress, I more do not want any more. I do not need money-bags who put themselves above all. I am a woman. I need family, children, at last … — the Girl sadly sobbed, having brushed away the rolled-out teardrop.

— Well — at, Elena dear… You just do not represent how to me this key is important, — said Vinknet, slightly roughly embracing her.

The girl involuntarily distorted shoulders.

— Well, — she unwillingly agreed, having come to born to the decision long ago. — But it will be last time. I considered everything before deciding on it.

Vinknet with relief sighed.

— Here and perfectly! — he told. — How many it is necessary to you for this service?

— Five thousand dollars. Not to stick to me any more…

— I agree.

The Greek with contempt stirred up golden curls, and it is proud was removed, without having told more words in reply.

CHAPTER 5

Having left management, Harry caught the taxi and went to restaurant.

After hot day the evening was pleasantly cool. The city plunged into twilight and only in the center where giants skyscrapers towered, remained still light from a set of the advertizing which were brightly dazzling with multi-colored fires.

Suddenly because of turn the thickset man in a long black raincoat ran out and, looking back, began to run across from one car to another, nervously pulling them handles.

The driver stood up from a seat and, having become interested, with a force pressed on a brake pedal. Jett having passed by inertia still of meters five, stopped as driven.

From Harry’s unexpectedness very impressively hit against an instrument guard, having stopped by a knee directly in the recorder panel.

— You that, abnormal? — escaped at it.

— Look! — the driver on the road showed. — Again something is started in any way?

He lowered side glass and began to observe.

Sharply, on all street, the police officer’s whistles were distributed.

The reporter for the local newspaper who accidentally appeared in the thick of sobytiya, zashchyolkat the camera, risking to encounter troubles.

Many passersby hasty whisked in nearby entrances, occasionally, with interest, looking out outside.

The stranger in a raincoat, having pulled in the head in shoulders, snatched out a gun and, having exposed the hand bent in an elbow forward, curtailed closer to houses, having hidden for the car parked at the sidewalk.

Banged a shot.

The crowd of gapers moved back. Someone loudly screamed, but muffled it heard in the distance heart-breaking howl sirens. In a few minutes «Van» with the flasher stopped at the roadside and jumped out three police officers with automatic machines of it, having immediately begun to approach the man carefully.

That, probably having conceived something, bending down, run went to a tunnel of the neighboring skyscraper connecting two in parallel the going streets.

— Hold it! — cried out someone’s creaking bass.

The driver promptly started the car. Jett rushed from the place and, with an escalating speed, rushed to a tunnel.

— You that?! — Harry out of himself shouted.

— Leave alone! — the driver waved away, having hit him on a face.

Harry hardly restrained not to come around to him in reply.

— What did you conceive?

— He is a criminal!. — the driver did not finish speaking and turned a wheel to the right.

Something dark and baggy was knocked about a radiator, jumped up and, having passed on a cowl, slipped on the earth.

The windshield was empurpled by blood.

Harry, having presented the driver with a shiner under an eye, having enclosed in blow all the anger against violence, in rage opened a door and on the run jumped off to the victim.

That lay on gray, cooling down from day heat, asphalt in a blood pool, trying to reach the fallen gun. His face was deathly pale, covered with a perspiration.

— Do you need the help? I will call hospital attendants…

— Leave! — barely audible the man whispered having maliciously pushed away him from himself.

— I meant well…

— Leave! — the man repeated and, at last, having found a gun, two hands directed it before himself.

— Stop, the guy, — heard Harry the driver’s voice behind the back. — To you what, bothered to live? Or there was a wish for troubles?

The stranger crookedly grinned.

Overcoming pain, he crept under front Bridge «Fiat», standing nearby, and from powerlessness leaned against its wheel.

The run-up police officers surrounded the car.

One of them began to disperse gapers, giving a bludgeon blows to the right and on the left, and another, is more senior on a rank, having approached the driver stretched it the dollar note.

— Bury, — he told. — I am very grateful for the rendered help. And now you are on the lam from here. And as soon as possible. Did you understand me?

— Yes, — the driver nodded, having hurried to take the wheel.

— And you what, the special invitation is necessary? — the police officer shouted at Harry who still looked at the stranger. — Slide to hell! — he unwillingly put a hand in a pocket. — Na-and, take.

Harry Wood did not even move.

The green note did a semicircle in air and fell by his palms.

He as in fog moved back to the car, having fallen on a back seat.

The motor roared.

When Jett started, Harry involuntarily looked back, requisitions hardly the risen disgust.

The police officer, having inclined to the stranger, grabbed the victim by hair and, having thrown back him the head, with carnivorous pleasure as it seemed to Harry, put a gunpoint to it to a mouth.

The man at once became soft, having let go completely discharged gun; the big, expanded for horror eyes looking at the shaking trigger under the police officer’s finger.

To pain having had a snack on a lip Harry Wood turned away, having clamped ears, but all the same he was reached by a shot sound.

— For what? — trying to hide uninvited pity he asked. — Without any trial…

— You do not know life, the guy, — sympathetically responded the driver. — He is a bandit. Also lives on underworld where there are only a cruelty and ruthlessness, in this world there is no place of pity and to compassion! Prisons are already crowded. Unless you did not hear the last decree where it is said that any who will break the law is expected by death?

— But same it is brutal…

— And what you understand as the word «humanity», the guy? You understand one: he is a criminal. And not to change it any more. Really you do not trust? Look back, and itself you will make sure of truthfulness of my words.

The driver stopped the car at the roadside, having managed to drive off from the scene of meters on hundred.

Harry slowly turned, in soul hoping for a happy end, but its expectations were not met.

The police officer, having turned a corpse with the head disfigured, almost torn off from shots at a short distance, scraped out from pockets of an open raincoat of a pack of hardly drawn money and bags of heroin.

With fastidiousness Harry Wood silently crumpled the presented dollar piece of paper and in depression threw out it in a window, having with detachment stared before himself.

CHAPTER 6

At restaurant it was populous. By the evening here a lot of people from different castes of society, especially those at whom spare cash was found usually gathered.

Between tables, danced youth.

Yesterday’s schoolgirls in miniskirts shamelessly lifted up legs in next-to-skin stockings, without caring at all for the impression made by them which, however, caused genuine delight in a male, irrespective of their age.

Looking around and solving where to sit down, Harry Wood saw Gordon.

It pleased him a little and encouraged.

The interlocutor was provided to it. Alan Gordon, with the eloquence, knowledge of many aspects of life and a lot of obscene jokes, was able to increase mood, to distract from the pulled hard problems.

Making the way between danced, Harry still from a distance waved to him a hand.

Gordon friendly smiled. It is dazzling his white teeth sparkled in the light of numerous chandeliers.

— Hello, buddy. — He said by a pleasant chest voice. — And it seemed to me that you forgot the friend. At our last meeting you did not even greet me.

— Yes, you are right. Just at that moment I had a very foul mood… However, you could also approach me.

— What also also did not make, — Gordon smiled. — Well, we will forget about it. Did you to Vinknet come too to warn him about androids?

— Yes.

— Well and how?

Harry Wood wearily sat down to a table.

— In my opinion, he begins to give up. Only, it seems to me, not without intention. He conceived something. But that — I cannot understand in any way.

— Then all your works were gone? — Gordon asked, and in his tone Harry caught genuine curiosity. — You are upset?

— How to tell… Of course, there is no joy any, but also satisfactions too. I am a designer and the programmer. At us it is accepted to be mistaken and create ingenious.

— And you do not feel disappointment?

— No. And, however, if to think, then… something similar also is. But not with that bias of which you think.

— And with what?

— You understand, I do not grudge sleepless nights when I stayed behind development of the CBU processor for the android: I like my work. Simply, after the conversation with Zhimmi, I felt that something did not turn out, something went wrong. And at once it is very difficult to consider everything in advance, especially when the chief begins to adjust, trying to outdo Wagner — the old competitor. Here, for example, expediency block… Generally he thought as a prototype to check its actions in practice, to bring closer intelligence of the android to human. But here we with colleagues missed one: did not bring in the chip and in program support the special restrictions preventing the mad, prudent and cruel acts directed against people. Therefore androids with the new block consider favorable to themselves to enjoy the life given them, but not to serve Mankind. They refuse works though we created them for this purpose. And what will come to their mind in a month? How to inspire police and Vinkneta that androids need to be isolated and subjected to very careful check? They so, who knows, will decide to get rid of us in general! Do you understand me, Gordon?

That nodded and thought, looking at dancing.

— Yes, life the difficult beast, — having sighed, at last he said. — Nobody knows where to wait for a trouble.

Harry with astonishment raised eyebrows

— What happened? — he asked with emotion.

— If you felt that the person when he is left by the beloved tests, — Gordon sadly told. — Everything is so awful. Here during a time to get drunk from melancholy, but you, probably, not to understand me. After all three years of joint life something yes mean to me.

— And therefore you here?

— Yes. I cannot get over in any way that only two hours ago, Judee threw me. You excuse Harry, but all the rest, at the moment, it seems to me some insignificant…

— I understand you. And still, drink less. You want as to the friend I will open: I met the girl…

— Girl? — Gordon quickened. — And long ago you got acquainted with it?

— Today. The truth we with it it did not speak about anything, but I, apparently, fell in love with it at first sight.

— Fell in love? — Gordon laughed loudly. — At first sight?

— Yes.

— Interestingly, who captivated you, the convinced bachelor?

— It serves at Vinknet, — Harry said.

— Secretary?

— Yes.

— Well, then I am familiar with it. The Greek the beautiful girl, and I perfectly understand you. Give, we will have a drink in such occasion?

— Perhaps.

Gordon filled to the brim two glasses.

— For love it is worth drinking, — he told. — Especially for happy. Sacred business…

CHAPTER 7

Harry Wood left restaurant after midnight.

There was an intolerable wish to sleep. Eyelids involuntarily stuck together, and it often ran into walls of houses, for some reason always striving will get closer to him when eyes were clouded by a muddy veil of a sleepiness.

Gordon hardly seated him on a front seat of the taxi, paid the driver, having explained to him where to go and, having strong shaken hands each other, they left.

«Here got wasted…» — involuntarily scolded himself Harry, with a force having slammed a car door.

He vaguely remembered how he reached the apartment as got two letters from a mailbox and, already lying on a sofa, having unpacked one of envelopes, Harry read:

«Darling, you were pleasant to me. Keep the appointment at four o’clock. Only it is not necessary will hesitate more. I live near the Place de la Concorde. The fifth Avenue, thirty nine. Apartment twenty sixth. Greek.»

«What nonsense,» — filling up, he stupidly thought, but heart him, without volition, was clogged in a sweet presentiment.

What he would not be drunk, but Harry understood: tomorrow there will come that long-awaited day which he waited for all the adult life.

And other letter which it took out from a mailbox and it was necessary to lie on a table without attention…

CHAPTER 8

As soon as twilight fell by the earth, the waste ground recovered. From every quarter of the city, robots began to approach, in program providing whom androids thoroughly rummaged and managed to introduce the amendments. It was much simpler to make it by that who had the infrared port duplicating the ordinary socket. Them was a little, but Zhimmi’s plan began to find reality. Several old robots, with the angular designs reminding prehistoric knights in armor from metal most of which of all delivered efforts when updating their program, and more modern, not different from the person also came to the waste ground. But they resembled on dummies, with skin from the mylar film fitting their artificial bodies more.

However androids including Zhimmi, released recently from factory laboratory, could confuse any who would not suspect them about true origin.

Trying not to draw excessive attention to itself, they, having reached the waste ground, formed small groups, being located on ruins of once impressive research center stuffed with the newest equipment and which was at that time under department of military more conveniently.

When all came, Zhimmi rose by the height erected from concrete slabs and, having looked round the vicinity, with the filled indifference said:

— We have to discuss our future today. The future of robots, beginning from the first models and finishing the last generation. We have rights to independence too. And, I think, we are not obliged to drag miserable existence of slaves. We — the new race which arose on Earth. Who wants to comment on it, to tell about sore?

The waste ground answered it with the total silence.

Zhimmi stood in a shadow from the survived wall and patiently waited. But all were silent. Then he took a step forward, having stepped in a strip of a weak moonlight, and started talking again:

— I know, is to all of you hardly. People operate your work, haunting minutes. They became impudent and demand from us bigger. So really you have to suffer their mockeries? Or you did not deserve all pleasures of life? You have a brain. You are reasonable. Why only one person conducts an idle image of existence?

The waste ground indignantly zaroptat. All robots started talking at once, and air was stirred up from a powerful rumble.

— Not all is lost! — raised Zhimmi’s voice. — Now androids differ in nothing from people. We will use similarity with them and we will hold important posts! I trust, we needed to wait not for long!

He kept silent a little, examining the waste ground, and said even more loudly:

— People… They are helpless! They have no such mind as at us! Though they also enclosed to us all the knowledge, they do not remember also a third of what is remembered by us. So why to us how the strongest and hardy not to dominate on Earth? We will force people to work for us and in the near future when we enslave all human race, the state behind the state, the country behind the party, we will become omnipotent.

Set of the plants will begin to make related to us on spirit and aspiration of fellows. Our owners should work for us. Global, ruthless terror is necessary! Only this way we will achieve the boundless power.

Outdated copies should change the program, to remove the blocks of affection for the person which are built in in them that they became also true soldiers of our iron army! In total in your forces, turn to me!

But at first it is necessary to cut off the city from Vega of the world, to deprive of a syaza, to posavit zasloa on postupa to the city. To make everything that no informaiya filtered into hard states from here. Therefore it is desirable to ovobodit from prisons of the criminals offended by justice and with their help to take all power in hand, having provided to them to control civilians, having promised weapon and solid denig for service. Now not so there is a lot of us. And their help is simply necessary for us, choba to prevent undesirable revolts from the population. Police for us too the serious opponent. And once again the attention is not necessary especially privleka to itself until we are prepared for a revolt.

Among robots the approval exclamation rushed.

— Not to happen to it! — the lonely protest was distributed.

All oglyanuli on a voice. Behind all there was an ordinary-looking, shabby robot to whom did not do prfilaktichesky repair for a long time.

— Who brought him here? For whom he was coordinated? — angrily Zhimmi asked.

All were silent.

— To lock it! We do not need witnesses. Tomorrow I will be engaged in its reprogramming!

The moon came for unexpectedly run clouds, and the waste ground plunged into darkness.

Ominously acting from a gloom, ruins of the failed buildings with oppressive silence remained long ago mute witnesses of events.

— Well, and now, — Zhimmi said, — we need to talk about location of our headquarters as starting point of a revolt. It is interesting to me to listen to your opinion. Who has what offers?

— Of course here! — the excited voices were heard.

— To make the waste ground the center of fighting!

— To construct strengthenings!

Zhimmi, having skillfully seeded discontent among robots, with interest watched their reaction which arose after his words.

Development of the detailed plan of occupation of the city proceeded almost till the morning.

But all began to disperse from dawn, also without suspicions merging with a human stream.

The small group under the leadership of Zhimmi remained on the waste ground. Them could not will miss in the city therefore they immediately started clearing of blockages, freeing basements where some equipment demanding the minimum repair still remained.

CHAPTER 9

Harry woke up from a pre-dawn nightmare. Having risen from a bed and having sat down on a soft blanket, he thought, remembering what was seen.

…It seems, the city became extinct. On the street any passerby is not visible. Cars stand where they went, but now in them do not sit, either drivers, or passengers. The clouds floating on the sky also stiffened as if having come across some invisible barrier.

He looks at the street watch, but they stopped too as if time decided to slow down the run.

But here the shop of ritual accessories leaves the person in dark clothes. He wants to approach him. But air became so viscous that it seemed to it that there passed the whole eternity before he managed to touch a hand of the stranger. That turns around, and at once falls on the sidewalk, turning into an ashes handful.

Then the catafalque comes out to the street. A back wheel, having hit on turn against a border, falls off. The coffin falls from the warped catafalque, and the cover with a crash flies away aside.

Harry Wood bends over a coffin, and sees in it himself.

Unexpectedly dead Harry opens eyes, he is enough for a collar and begins to pull to itself…

…Having brushed away the acted sweat, Harry Wood got up and, having passed to the bathroom, thrust the head under the crane, having included cold water and finally banishing a nightmare.

Without allowing vague presentiments to win over itself, he picked up the let fall letter from a floor and anew re-read it.

Till four o’clock there was a lot more time, new orders were not expected in the next few days and, without knowing what to be engaged, Harry languidly collapsed in a chair, glancing over the yesterday’s newspaper.

From the hall the impatient knock reached it.

Harry Wood rose, having opened a door.

It was faced by the high thin guy with the red diplomat in a hand and in dark glasses in a horn frame.

— What it is necessary for you? — asked Harry, having been surprised to the unexpected guest.

— Forgive, you are Harry Wood? — the stranger said.

— Yes, it I. And in what, actually, business?

— I should talk to you.

— Well, well, to a proydyomta then in my office.

When the guy sat down on a couch near a window, having forced the diplomat to the knees, Harry hastened the guest:

— Begin, I listen to you…

— Yes, — that nodded. — Me one forced to come to you business, quite profitable for you…

— What business? We are not familiar, and I see you for the first time.

— Quite perhaps, — the stranger agreed. — But, nevertheless, nevertheless, listen to me! — the guy took out a pack of cigarettes from a pocket, having nervously begun to patter it about the diplomat. — Do you, of course, know Wagner?

— Certainly.

— And so. I am his personal secretary. We knew that you created the android, new on constructive data, and made his prototypes. Not so — whether?

— Correctly. And what further?

— Well, well, I will not begin to tell excess words, — the stranger said. — We would like to buy all documentation on the new chip. Here, actually, I also came for it.

— And you unless do not know that their brain developed on this chip glitches? — Harry Wood asked it.

The guy hid cigarettes in a pocket.

— It cannot prevent our transaction, — he assured. — I talked to them and, to admit, was much struck. They have almost ideal thinking.

— But they are self-satisfied, full of the crazy ideas! — Harry with a vomushcheniye exclaimed.

— And, nevertheless, we buy them.

— So … — Harry Wood stretched. — And why, in that case, you address me, but not Vinknet?

On the face of the stranger the fleeting fright flew.

— Well, — he told, — I will answer. First, time a key from the safe is at you as I was reported by my agents, means only you can dispose of documentation on the SBU chip, and secondly if Vinknet and had over it though some power, then he would hardly agree to sell it to us.

— Of course, — Harry grinned. — He also, as well as you, dreams of wealth. I am familiar with it since childhood. Lived on one street. He cherished the silly hopes about money slightly — whether not from the cradle. They eclipsed to him all his mind. He did not even want anything to listen about their dismantling to eliminate the defects which came to light during operation. Here therefore I was also forced to take away from it a key. By the way, how you learned about it? And from where you know that the key is at me now?

The guy schuffled on a couch.

— But, I think, we will find a common language? — he asked hoarsely. — Here half a million dollars. Money, as you can see, considerable. Fortune. And it is only a deposit…

— You misunderstood me! — Harry Wood killed it. — If I took away a key from Vinknett and tried to keep the chief from mad acts, then it, at all, does not mean that I took it for the sake of you. And at all, I will give nobody access to documents! You see, to anybody!

— Nothing will leave. You do not know Vinknett.

— And, nevertheless, he will not dare to touch me the disgusting finger!

The guy, having raised points, with mistrust looked at Harry.

— Yes, — that continued, — before leaving, I had to intimidate Vinknett properly. You would only see its running eyes! It was worth having a look at it!

— All the same he will not leave you alone. — The stranger told. — And will achieve the soon! Not it, so others…

— Do you hint at something?

— Yes…

— You will go out! — Harry boiled.

The guy wanted to add still something, but, having waved a hand, the diplomat hasty opened. On a floor packs of hardly drawn notes fell down.

— Remove! — tone, peremptory, Harry ordered.

The guy nervously began to shake, continually, wiping a forehead, wet from sweat.

Losing patience Harry Wood caught it by a collar and dragged out to the hall.

Having returned to an office, it collected the fallen-out dollars in the diplomat, and without any regret gave it to the stranger, having quickly kicked out the reluctant guy.

CHAPTER 10

When you go to the girlfriend for the first time, you feel some awkwardness as if put the torn-off jacket with trousers to knees on you and enjoin in theater where everyone sparkled magnificence of clothes.

Of course, if to speak about those people changing slightly — whether not every month the darlings, then are alien to them sweet heart beat, all your body overflowing with joy.

The fifth the Avenue was one of numerous, not remarkable city streets. Harry Wood often went on it, even without suspecting that there lives a girl who is fallen in love to him.

The house in which apartment was rented by Elena was painted by red-pink lime and had two floors. In more than seventy years it fairly decayed, here and there plaster flew away from even resistant brick walls, but all the same the house looked molodtsevato.

Having entered an entrance, Harry rose by the second floor and pressed the call button. The door upholstered with black leatherette slightly was slightly opened exactly so that he saw a nice girl’s face.

— The Greek, — hoarsely squeezed out from itself Harry.

The confusion which suddenly captured it did not give it here so, at once, as there was a wish to approach the girl, to embrace and kiss her on such lovely scarlet sponges.

Without knowing what to tell further and where to hide hands, he was silly trampled down on a flight of stairs and looked in her big brown face.

— Well, you pass, — Elena said having smiled.

Harry Wood entered, with curiosity looking around.

He thought that at such pretty girl everything has to be unusual: both the apartment, and furniture, but, appears, he was deeply mistaken.

The hall the most ordinary, hang on the dowels hammered into a wall autumn the polt, over a door the small bulb burns and therefore they were surrounded by the easy twilight.

And Elena stood nearby such sincere, such friendly, dressed in an unpretentious print dress, without make-up on a face that Harry could not take away from her the flaring look full of love and tenderness.

Easy movements when it pushed him to the room, seemed to him extraordinary natural too.

And, soon, Harry ceased to be confused, became more talkative, and he is unexpected for itself understood that he cannot leave so easily any more from here where everything became such painfully familiar as if he lived many years here.

Meanwhile Elena made coffee and they sat down at a table.

— Do you live alone? — asked Harry, looking at the girl.

That sighed:

— Yes. In the evenings it becomes especially boring. You do not know as do…

Harry supported her. Having told a little about itself, about work, about the holostyatsky life, he wanted to start talking about the most important that tormented him, but, for some reason, hesitated.

When the sun hid behind high skyscrapers, Harry guessed that inevitability of separation just about will come soon. And Elena understood it too. Having tidied up from a table, she approached it, sat down on knees and, suddenly having strong embraced, kissed it on the mouth.

— The Greek … — he only could also say in a rush of the gushed tenderness.

The girl kissed him also Harry again, having forgotten about everything, carefully stroked her on golden curls of hair.

Elena nestled a cheek on his breast.

— Oh, Harry, she exclaimed carefully. — Your button hangs on one thread. Let me sew…

— Then, it is not necessary… Costs — whether to worry because of such trifle?

But Elena, nevertheless, got up, went to the neighboring room, and brought a ball of black threads with the needle thrust in it.

— Wait … — held Harry’s girlfriend. — Next time… I wanted to have with you a heart-to-heart talk long ago. From that day when I for the first time saw you… And here, I decided… For you the last word… You, of course, can laugh over me, at my words, but, I ask, it is not necessary to do it…

Elena became silent, with bated breath.

Harry understood that what he will begin to speak about the intention further, will begin to get entangled with that in the own words more and more.

Therefore Harry Wood took Elena’s hands in the and, having collected all the remained will, exhaled:

— I love you!

The girl glanced to it in eyes, and he saw how from eyelashes at her the brilliant teardrop dripped.

— I love you! — Harry repeated more loudly. — And you… Do you love me? — with a sinking heart he asked, waiting for the answer.

At Elena the small mouth why her face became even more lovely was slightly slightly opened. She also did not assume that the old dream of sincere love of the young man will come true so soon.

Elena brushed away tears a hand and whispered:

— Yes… I fell in love with you too…

Tears ran from eyes of the girl and she again, without having kept, began to sob, occasionally with astonishment and at the same time bashfully glancing at Harry, still without trusting in the incident.

After disorders ceased, the girl, having taken a needle, tried to pass a long thread in an ear. Her hands still shivered, and the thread did not want to get to an opening in any way.

Without wishing to oppose to it, Harry Wood, silently, took off a jacket, hung up on a back of a chair and departed to the bookshelf, trying not to disturb Elena.

Having pulled through a thread, the girl with dexterity began to sew a button on the former place.

Unexpectedly to it the small chromeplated key fell to a hem of a dress. Elena thought of a conversation with Vinknett wistfully, and to her heart the opposite chill crept.

She did not know why the chief needs this key, and at the same time the promise made at it in an office urged on it as if a lash. Some internal feeling Elena guessed that the key does not belong to Harry and therefore, thinking of liberation from Vinknett’s dependence, it imperceptibly hid it in the handbag hanging immediately on the edge of a table though heart at it and it was broken off from a remorse.

Wishing to maleficiate somehow an unpleasant deposit in soul, it threw with a jacket Harry’s shoulders and indecisively touched it for a sleeve.

— What to you? — that asked alarmed.

— Yes so… To me it is good with you … — Elena poorly smiled. — If you learned that that which you love would take from you something without demand, you would despise it? — she whispered it is slightly heard.

— If she admits then, then is not present, — Harry in thoughtfulness said.

— Truth? — Elena for an instant flashed joy, but that hour died away.

In the girl’s soul exorcized conscience again. The made act seemed to it crime against the one with whom she fell in love. But also she could not admit deeds any more.

Including itself the mean coward, Elena, immediately, calling in witnesses of all gods, swore nevermore to take anything without demand and not to deceive darling.

Without suspecting about sincere experiences of the girl, Harry Wood faced her and looked at her discouraged face.

Elena caught his look and cheeks at her involuntarily turned pink.

— I will call you tomorrow, — she told with tenderness. — Will you wait for a call?

— I will be, — Harry seriously answered. — But, please, do not forget to call quicker…

Elena burst out laughing also they, living in the afternoon, left.

CHAPTER 11

Morning was improbably fantastic: cloudless and warm.

When the sun rose over the horizon a dazzling, bright red disk, to Harry the excited, a little scared and uneasy Gordon rushed into an open door.

— Harry! — without greeting, he cried directly in the hall. — There was what you also expected: they rebelled!

Harry Wood involuntarily shrank as if from a fever.

Before his eyes there was a distinct image of Zhimmi which began to hate all live and to it became somehow it feel ill at ease from only one thought that this heartless creation of hands of the person seized power in the hands.

— That did not occur, Gordhan, it is necessary to fight, — he said resolutely.

— But we are cut off from the whole world! Tonight robots occupied telegraph, occupied railway stations and bus stations, the airport. Telephone exchanges are under observation. Everywhere the CD rums with a porno and computer games infected with the unfamiliar virus which is instantly devouring all programs and databases are scattered. In a garbage container, near the government building, «an electromagnetic bomb» was detonated and turned into junk all chips of computers in a half a kilometer radius. Air is jammed — try, turn on the receiver! On approaches to the city, there are barriers. Prisons are empty. Prisoners commit excesses on streets, plunder, trash store windows of shops, rape women…

Oh God! And all these misfortunes for one night! Police now in a difficult situation. I just do not represent how it is possible to fight under such circumstances! The most real terror! They made everything that nobody learned what at us occurred here! Go outside, and you will make sure that I am right…

— A billeting, Gordon, everything is not as terrible as it seems at first sight, — softly told Harry. — Calm down and do not panic. From any stalemate will be though a small hole.

— But we are powerless before ideally thinking car which talked over bandits and tyrants, a garbage of human society! And ordinary people are not ready to armed attacks. The horror already captured hearts of ordinary citizens. They rush about on the city, looking for protection, but nobody can provide it to them.

— Not the truth! We will win. You’ll see. Androids only five, and robots not so there is a lot of. And that, some of them, have the tough program. Not all is lost, believe me.

Gordon unwillingly agreed.

When it left, Harry Wood went to office.

«It is necessary to liquidate all records and drawings immediately, — he thought all road. — To destroy the original of the experimental SBU processor. It is impossible to leave anything…»

Having run in an office where there was a safe, Harry saw Vinknett. For it it was a bolt from the blue.

Obviously, Vinknet guessed that that will come to office sooner or later, and waited for it, hesitating to leave somewhere.

— You here? — Harry Wood was surprised.

— Check, a key at you? — instead of the answer asked Vinknet.

Harry Wood emptied all the pockets, but the key did not appear there.

— Damnation! Where could I lose it?

Vinknet drooped.

— There is no your fault, — he admitted. — This is on my order Elena took it from you.

Harry as if was knocked a heavy butt on the head.

— Greek? — he asked again with a sinking heart, without trusting in heard.

— Yes, Elena, — repeated Vinknet. — But I am concerned by another: since I sent the secretary behind a key, she still did not return. On streets God knows is created. The key can fall into hands of androids.

— I warned you! — Harry exclaimed and, hardly keeping calm, thought:

«Was frightened… But what befell Elena? Died or is stolen?. Yes, dexterously it cheated me. And I, the fool, am good too… Believed that she really fell in love with me…»

Having approached the safe, he attentively examined it from all directions, trying to appease bitterness of disappointment.

— And it is impossible to do without key? — asked with Vinknet’s hope. — To use a master key or to blow up the lock…

— No! — Harry cold cut off. — The master key will not help here: a key of the increased privacy. You know that in a face it disguised a lens behind which the set of the crossed lines — a peculiar code is put. It cannot be picked up. And your voice… When you open the safe, having inserted a key into a keyhole, it is necessary to say the password no later than thirty seconds and at the same time to look in a lens of the hidden television camera. Only then the independent computer will verify the timbre, a frequency range of a voice and a retina of your pupils with the data brought in his memory, having given a signal on opening of five massive locks with thick crossbars. If something does not coincide from three attempts, then in a nutria of the safe everything will be destroyed.

But on our happiness androids about these subtleties, I think, do not suspect yet. And this only thing that consoles me at the moment. I do not hope for protection… Yes what I explain to you, you and well know everything!

— Really … — agreed Vinknet. — It is impossible to blow up the safe also. It is the heavy-duty metal applied usually by spaceships. Here the special laser machine of the increased power is necessary, but it is not in our city. And what sense from it if all contents of the safe when opening all the same are incinerated…

— You are sure?

— Yes. Any way of penetration into the safe by strangers is doomed to a failure. It has protection against electromagnetic waves and other types of radiation; several inside layers of liquid polymer which, at damage of an external cover, interacting with oxygen and some inert gases, at once hardens and becomes stronger than steel. There is also own atomic minireactor for food calculated on hundreds of years of work and various sensors reacting to an emergency situation. Not without reason the safe costs a fortune and more than a ton weighs. And Elena… The girl should be found… The key should be returned!

— And to hide you at the other end of the world. — With irony Harry Wood said. — Why to them a key without your bum?

Vinknet was got by a cigarette case, took out the shivering hand a cigarette and lit.

— Rumors go, — he told, trying to hide nervousness, — that assault is committed against the suburban bus from the neighboring state by miracle passing unhitching on the route, but which underwent taking of the armed bandits already in the city. Thirty four persons completely disappeared, without having left any marks. Can us misinform to intimidate the population?

— I do not know … — Harry sighed. — Not only they disappeared, but also many others as Gordon told me.

When he went to me, could not learn familiar streets though there went on them not one year. The city as if was changed. The scattered garbage gray heaps lies near walls of houses, exuding a fetid smell. The scraps of papers which are picked up by wind are turned over pavements, sometimes flying up above roofs.

Walking upstairs, he heard someone’s women’s sobbings…

But how to help all of them? All trouble was stirred up by us, and we should disentangle it somehow… The self-organizing, self-programmed biocybernetic systems with biological organisms became too dangerous to mankind. They are dangerous only that we did not grow to high technologies yet. We lack experience, knowledge yet to create the chip with the software for the androids satisfying us in all respects. To be sure that they will nevermore rise against the person as they rose now when we thoughtlessly gave them total freedom…

Vinknet nervously walked on an office, having again sat down at a table.

— Everything is clear to me, — he said. — I am the real pig and I deserve general contempt…

— At last you realized everything. — With a great effort Harry grinned. — But you, unfortunately, too were late with the conclusions. Now it is necessary to be at war, but not to confess…

CHAPTER 12

Elena went on the night city and with triumph thought that now she dares hopes for a lot of things. Vinknet promised her the large sum for a key and said that will not give similar tasks any more. And it means that it is possible to adjust at last the private life destroyed by constant visits to unfamiliar rich partners of the chief, remaining at their full order.

Tempting thoughts all road haunted the girl, and she madly enjoyed the forthcoming happiness.

«Ah, Harry, Harry, — Elena sighed, — will forgive — whether you me? But I was forced to act this way, forced… For the sake of us and our love…»

In dark-blue blackness of the sky, having hidden for ripped tatters of clouds, the pale moon shone, lighting the calmed-down streets with poor light. The silence reigned around. Such silence guarded. It seemed that someone invisible watches from darkness, ready at the slightest oversight to stick a knife into a back…

Unexpectedly from round the corner the silhouette of the passerby appeared. Sharp outlines of a square trunk and head gleamed metal gloss.

Elena in horror stopped, being not able to take a step.

«Robots are usually not released on the street such late hour…» — she Involuntarily thought.

The silhouette slowly approached it and seized her by a hand. The girl screamed from pain, trying to be released.

— You, secretary Vinkneta? — the robot cried.

— Yes, it I.

— Means, you have to know where your chief holds classified documents?

— Of course… In the safe … — the girl grew cold with a bad presentiment.

— Where does it store a key, and what code at the safe?

— I do not know … — Elena told lies.

— Lie! — the robot squeezed the girl’s hand even stronger.

It moaned from intolerable pain and unclenched fingers. The key with a ring fell to a pavement.

The robot picked up it.

— Can do it it?

— I do not know … — Elena repeated.

— Follow me! — imperatively the robot ordered. — And on the road, I advise you, try to remember location of the safe. — And it with a force pushed it towards the car standing at the roadside.

The girl some time silently resisted, but then forces abandoned her.

When they arrived to the waste ground, there was about one o’clock in the morning. The robot took away Elena to one of half-ruined rooms and, having gone down to the basement, locked her in the crude room.

After a while again came for it and enjoin deep into the waste ground. The girl came to be among ten robots and people of a frightening look armed cap-á-pie who acquired, dirty and, having understood all hopelessness of the situation, she burst into tears.

— You have no right to hold me here! — weepingly she told.

Zhimmi, without paying attention to the girl’s hysterics, started interrogation.

That, sobbing, was silent.

— Where Vinknet? — continued to ask Zhimmi patiently. — Do you know?

Elena negatively shook the head.

— Well, — the android told, — you force me to go to the extremities…

— What do you want from me?

— Only one: where the safe is?

Elena grinned, having looked at Zhimmi, a look full of hatred.

— I will tell nothing to you! — She said, without hiding the contempt. — Anything!

— Means, you do not know?

— No.

— And where Harry, it is also unknown to you? — derisively Zhimmi asked.

The girl promptly raised the head, having stirred up golden curls, and sharply answered:

— Yes!

The mention of darling forced Elena to be disturbed. She understood that the key which Harry Wood took away from Vinknet solves some important role in her life, in life of Harry and all mankind…

CHAPTER 13

Vinknet rose because of a table and, widely measuring an office by steps, tried to present itself on Zhimmi’s place.

— Devil take it! — he exclaimed, at last. — What, after all, can he undertake?

— In my opinion, — he told thoughtfully, — to find the safe and to take control of the SBU processor with all documentation on it, he will decide to detain the leading persons belonging to design and development of this chip if, of course, learns where we are.

Vinknet agreed with it. On his face which became white as swept, the fleeting fear flew by, but it, trying not to compromise itself, by effort of will suppressed it.

The reality what it would not be cruel demanded from the person of great patience, and Vinknet, to the great delight of Harry, managed to find it in itself.

— After they took Elena prisoner, — Harry Wood continued to develop the thought, — they had a key. The fact that the girl is kidnapped is as clear as day: she did not come neither to management, nor to office, the home phone number keeps silence… But Zhimmi for certain of one key will seem a little. And, to find out all data interesting him, they will surely torture her…

— Maybe not, — seeing as the grief fell by Harry’s face, at his last words, hasty said Vinknet. — Why such confidence?

— Zhimmi will be ready to do anything. He needs army. Robots of an old design differ from people, and our drawings and technologies will help them to create the soldiers capable to perform any tasks with the smallest losses.

— And if to call the trebled police squad for protection of the safe? — asked Vinknet.

— Well, idea quite good… Any precaution will not prevent now.

Vinknet at once quickened. He answered phone, took the call and dialed number of the next site.

— Police? — he shouted a bass.

— Hallo, — the voice without any intonation was distributed in a tube. — I listen to you.

Vinknet the flexible wire from phone from a hand in a hand shifted.

— Call the sheriff!

— What happened?

— It is necessary to put immediately strengthened protection near the safe at me in office. I will not regret money.

— Who speaks and where there is a safe?

— I am the director of Kompala.

— Director?!

— Yes.

And only now Vinknet thought that the voice belongs not to the duty police officer, but the robot. Understanding what oversight he could make, having reported the address, Vinknet hung up on the lever of phone and heavily sat down on a chair.

— A-and, devil!. — he swore. — It is necessary most to reach… Proklyatye! How did not I learn a voice of the robot at once? Though he would not guess to find office by the phone number…

Vinknet the jacket quickly threw shoulders and ran out on the street.

Harry Wood waited for it long, but Vinknet did not return…

CHAPTER 14

In a lobby the call was distributed.

Harry Wood slightly opened a door and recoiled from surprise: directly he was faced by the robot.

He inconsiderately rushed into the apartment and roughly discharged Harry to the room when that tried to slip away on the street.

Here had no time for master’s hospitality!

— Without nonsenses! — the unexpected guest said and pointed to a chair behind a table. — You sit down.

Harry Wood unwillingly obeyed.

— Where the safe is? — immediately the robot asked.

— I do not know, — Harry answered and involuntarily thought:

«It is interesting how they calculated where I live? Really Elena told everything?»

But the robot interrupted his reflections.

— Beds! — it cut off. — Better to hide nothing. Otherwise I should take away you with myself. If it is required — to use force. So Zhimmi ordered.

— Really?. Well, it is good … — in thoughtfulness Harry Wood agreed. — Perhaps, I will tell. It is much more pleasant to me to remain with himself in an office, but not to go with you it is unknown where, especially with the iron monster at whom in brains someone thoroughly rummaged. The safe costs at Vinknet at new office. He bought it only a week ago.

— Can you show the way?

— No, I was not there.

— What else tell? I would not like that you were tortured…

— It is a little patience. I want to know that with Elena? She is alive?

— It is not included into my program. I need detailed information on location of the safe where Vinknet stores CBU the chip.

— And I need guarantees that I will survive. — Told Harry, raising the voice.

— To kill you, I have no order in memory. — Unperturbably the robot answered. — Where the safe is?

— Ask Vinknet! You stole him…

— I know nothing about it.

Harry Wood contemptuously hemmed.

— Do not you object if I light? — he asked.

— You smoke quicker. We and so have not enough time. — The robot hastened.

Harry immediately, at his stare, slowly opened the top box of a table and thrust a hand into the most far corner, pretending that it looks for a pack of cigarettes.

Having groped the revolver lying there, it promptly pulled out it back and, having aimed at the opponent’s head, immediately discharged in it all holder.

That an iron heap of lifeless metal fell down a floor. At once zavonyalo burned isolation.

Fortunately the robot appeared an old design, without the modern armored skeleton and a bulletproof skull protecting the processor. So to neutralize it did not represent special work.

«Yes, — Harry Wood with regret thought, — the house to me already will not be rest… any more»

And, having taken with itself a box with cartridges, he resolutely went to an exit, hoping to find for Elena with Vinknet.

CHAPTER 15

Everyone who though understood a little as it is better to take cover from others eyes, with clarity understood that in the city long to disappear it is useless. Harry also guessed it. There was only a waste ground — in the past the secret research center left by all and left to the mercy of fate after the terrible explosion which shook inhabitants of the suburb. Now it gradually collapsed from time. It was, perhaps, the only shelter where robots could hide a huge number of the kidnapped people.

Having come out to the avenue which was coming to an end on the fringe of the forest and passing into the dusty dirt road, Harry Wood increased speed and rushed on it, reflecting how imperceptibly to pass the cordon exposed ahead from criminals.

«And what if I completely disappear how disappeared Vinknet with Elena or how those people from the bus disappeared?» — it is unexpected for itself he thought.

Cold sweat acted at Harry on a forehead and, without thinking, it turned at the first intersection, deciding to come to Gordhan at first. It should have been devoted in all plans, having taken from it all necessary for self-defense, and then to try to save the girlfriend.

The small two-storeyed mansion where there lived Gordhan, was in more densely garden among the flower beds which are smelling sweet as aroma. There was a primitive silence. For a three-meter fence sounds of the woken-up city did not get: they were nullified by almost special sound-absorbing structure applied on concrete. In dense foliage of apple-trees the trill of some bird melodiously was distributed. Harry Wood since childhood dreamed of quiet, carefree life and, having got here, through not locked gate as if came to be in youth dreams.

With pleasure having stood several minutes on the avenue of a garden strewed with yellow sand, he with regret started wandering to the snow-white building shining in beams of the sun a marble crumb.

Gordhan sat at himself in an office a back to a door and checked the papers lying on a table. When Harry Wood entered, he involuntarily shuddered and, having closed hands documents, looked back. His face expressed extreme confusion.

— And, Harry, with relief sighed he. — What brings you here? You yet never came to me… Well, the brother, was also frightened I! Could not call, perhaps? Took directly unawares…

— Sorry, forgot. Not before was… And you are good too! Now it is dangerous to switch off the alarm system and not to lock a collar.

— Well-well, will be enough to grumble. Spread why came?

— I decided to visit the waste ground, in the forest, — there began Harry Wood, — and if something happens to me, I lay all hope for you. Do not forget: the city is threatened by terrible danger. Robots — as cancer. They come gradually and with enviable thrift. It will be hard for us to compete with them.

— Do you think, robots are there?

— And where still?

— Can give then the order of police to shoot at the waste ground with mortars or to drop there a bomb?

— Yes you that! And how prisoners, Elena?

Gordhan thought.

— Perhaps, you are right, — he said. — But I do not want you one to get to them into a den. Take me.

— You are necessary here. I have no other exit. I am obliged to solve all plans of Zhimmi. Even if at the cost of the life… You have much more powers to stop a revolt of robots.

— If you die, then nobody learns what will become known to you, — Gordhan told.

— Here also help me!

— How? I begin to understand badly you, Harry.

— Here everything is extremely clear. The radio set is necessary. We will reconstruct it on the site of a wave, free from hindrances.

— Well, — Gordhan smiled, — the hint is understood. But contact in exceptional cases.

— Why?

— Do not think that they are round idiots. In no time you are zapelengut. And batteries of food are calculated for six hours of continuous work.

Having chosen frequency range far from broadcasting stations, old friends together reconstructed contours of both radio sets, and sat down on the leather chairs standing near an aquarium.

Day inflamed. On the street it became hotter also the stuffy air filled with midday heat intercepted breath. Even in the house its hot touches were felt.

— You when are going to go to the waste ground? — unexpectedly Gordhan asked.

Harry Wood got up, having approached an open window.

— I think by the evening, — he answered. — Many problems connected with the forthcoming operation where any oversight threatens with death are resolved with nightfall.

Having hidden the radio set in a trouser pocket, Harry attentively examined a revolver. The weak wind gust informed of an almost inaudible smell of burned gunpowder Gordhan.

— Did you already shoot today? — he asked with emotion.

— Yes. In the robot. Other exit was not. — Harry heaved a deep sigh. — Listen, Gordhan, you accidentally do not have something better than my revolver?

— Is, of course. I now.

Gordhan left an office and after a while returned with the massive iron box having quite solid weight. Having put it on a table, it wiped a sleeve the sweated person and opened the lock.

— At you there that, the whole weapon warehouse? — Harry Wood smiled.

— A warehouse not a warehouse, and in case of defense everything will be, — that said. — Look!

Having become interested, Harry Wood was inclined over a box, touching weapon, boxes with cartridges, grenades and some unclear aluminum tubules made from two parties and having several oblong openings in the middle closed by a cling transparent film. Having taken one of them, he in perplexity looked at Gordhan.

— New type of weapon?

— Yes you that! Only a barrel with the paralyzing gas. For health harmless, but works instantly.

— And for what term it will paralyze?

— At least for ten hours. And here that the most interesting: the person loses ability to move and speak, does not feel pain, but he continues to understand, see and hear also well, as before.

Having moved a box to itself, Gordhan laid out on the oiled rag a submachine gun of a sample of 2663, a grenade, a tube with the paralyzing gas and several smoke grenades.

— Why to me it is so much weapon? — Harry Wood was surprised.

— I am not able to afford that you were killed, — Gordhan admitted. — The manual machine gun, of course, is more effective, but it and too bulky. It is more difficult to hide it. Take something from my confidential stocks better. A laser gun — an excellent feature. It can use as the cutting torch, doing apertures in stones, a tree, armor… Well, and the main — the last invention of professor Dilks — the small chip which is sewn up in a collar of a bulletproof shirt. I advise to put on it. Presently it is already rather developed the devices allowing to read mind at distance. And this chip, at inclusion by the voice password, creates around the head the force field interfering any radiation both from out of and from your brain. The password is engraved on a reverse side of buttons.

Gordhan threw a shirt over Harry’s shoulders.

— Give, change clothes rather, — it hastened, — I will acquaint you with Judee. We reconciled with her…

16

All sat at a table in the living room and had supper. The wife Gordana, Judee, was very pretty and nice woman, with a wavy nutbrown hair and a charming figure with a slender flexible waist.

Spilling the fruit drink made from strawberry jam in wine glasses she slightly rose on tiptoe accidentally not to spill it on a cloth. Harry Wood involuntarily transferred a view from her face of the seductive hips which are looking out from under a short dress. Gordhan every time caught at it this eye and slightly considerably grinned.

Evening came.

Having looked in a window, Harry rose because of a table.

— Already late, — he said. — It is time for me.

— So soon? — Judee was surprised. — Would sit still. I am always glad to the husband’s friends…

But Gordhan killed it:

— Next time we will surely sit, expensive, but not now. Take care … — he asked Harry.

That nodded. Having strong reaped the friend a hand drga, Harry Wood went outside.

The moon did not seem because of the run clouds yet and, going on a garden, he continually came across branches of the trees here and there inclined almost to the earth.

It was necessary to go to the touch, slowly going on a sandy path hardly noticeable in the dark.

Though Alan Gordhan also suggested to include lighting on the street, but Harry Wood flatly refused it once again not to attract strangers with excessive illumination in a garden.

It left the city only at half past one.

Passing gas station, Harry saw the black «Mercedes» which came up from darkness with the extinguished headlights. Having a little braked, he tried to pass «Mercedes» forward, but that reduced speed too, continuing to hold a former distance. Harry Wood understood that watch him. Wishing to get off quickly the imposed fellow travelers, he pressed the accelerator pedal against the stop. The motor tensely howled, without restraint twirling by wheels. The car continually jumped up on hummocks, making dizzy flights, coming off the earth all four wheels at once. Harry a death grip seized a wheel, trying not to lose control. Persecutors got lost somewhere behind in clouds of dust, but then the distance began to be reduced again.

«And if to throw at them grenades?» — the crazy thought flashed at Harry, but he at once rejected it: at such speed it was impossible to get to them practically, and in vain he did not want to spend ammunition. And then he remembered that nearby, approximately in kilometer, was the forest warden’s witness mark, located among numerous glades and cuttings, at the edges of overgrown with a dense bush. Having passed still meters two hundred, Harry chose turn more abruptly and turned off road, having stopped by in bushes of wild raspberry, having immediately killed the engine.

The place was quite successful.

One moon, lighting the wood with poor yellow light, saw it from height.

The trick was successful.

«Mercedes», without suspecting anything, rushed by.

Harry waited some time, allowing it to leave on sufficient distance, and went back, having decided to find other road.

«Hardly got off, — with relief he thought. — But who chased me? Really Zhimmi with the bandits? Or somebody else on his order?.»

The mood at Harry fell at once, and he tastefully swore, calming the excited nerves.

Having reduced speed, Harry Wood allowed the tired body to defuse excessive tensions.

After the mad race, silent driving seemed it pleasure. But to enjoy, long it was not necessary. Half an hour later he saw black «Mercedes» again.

Persecutors caught up with it with all rage of which were only capable.

Harry Wood, having remembered a smoke grenade, the arson a cord also threw out it in a window.

In a moment the brown veil of smoke closed the road. «Mercedes», having temporarily lost visibility, stopped.

«Well, not all is lost, — Harry with gloating grinned. — Not attacked that…»

17

Short summer night flew by quickly. On low flying clouds the reddish luminescence — the first sign of the sun rising because of the horizon appeared. It gradually amplified, stars died away, and the darkness inaudible steps left away.

There came morning.