Chapter 14 Chapter 3
Maxim doesn't like restaurants, again because of personality.He felt much happier and more comfortable in bars and nightclubs.The cost of those places is sometimes even expensive, but there is no need to be overly serious.Of course, some people in the most luxurious restaurants behave like those Red Army commissars negotiating with the elements of the bourgeoisie: in both manner and thinking.So what are the new Russians in the joke like?
However, the unpleasantness of last night must be diluted.The wife either genuinely believed he had an "important business appointment" or pretended to.But after all, he still suffered some conscience.Of course it would be nice if she knew!If only she could figure out who he really was and what he was doing!
Maxim could not say anything.I can only find a way to make up for my mistakes and make amends to my wife after a strange night out.The methods used are the ones any decent man would use after cheating.Gifts, attention, going to social places.For example, go to a well-behaved restaurant with exquisite exotic cuisine, foreign waiters, elegant interior decoration, and a thick wine list.
He wondered, did Yelena really think he had been unfaithful to her the day before?This question interested Maxim, but he was not curious enough to ask it out loud.Always leave a little leeway and don't run out of words.Maybe, she will know the truth in the future.When you know—you'll be proud of him.
Mostly disappointed.He understands this.In a world full of sinister and dark products, he is the only bright hero, extremely lonely, sometimes unable to talk sincerely with anyone.At first, Maxim hoped to meet someone like himself: a discerning man in a country of the blind, a guard dog who could sniff out wolves in sheep's clothing among the carefree herds of sheep.
No, no encounter, no one can stand by his side.
But he still didn't let go.
"What do you think, do you want to order this thing?"
Maxim squinted at the meal.He didn't know what "Malayan cream potato pancakes" were, but that never stopped him from ordering, since the ingredients were clearly spelled out anyway.
"Yes. Cream sauce over the meat."
"Is it beef?"
It didn't take him at once to realize that Yelena was joking.Then he returned her smile, "Sure."
"How about some dishes made of beef?"
"They will refuse," Maxim preliminarily decided that it would not be very difficult to make his wife happy, but most likely it would be a pleasant thing.Now, after all, he was very comfortably observing the situation in the restaurant.There is something wrong here.A little drafty in the dark, a little cold on the back, forcing him to squint his eyes and look, look, look...
really?
Usually there is a gap of several months, half a year between the mission and the mission.And like now, the next day...
But the symptoms were all too familiar.
Maxim put his hand into the inside pocket of his jacket, as if checking his wallet.In fact it was something else that interested him--a small wooden dagger, rough though well-hewn.He made his own weapons as a kid, not knowing what to do with them, but feeling like it wasn't just a thing.
The short sword awaits.
Who exactly?
"Maxim?" Yelena's voice had a hint of scolding, "Where are your thoughts?"
They clinked glasses with each other.It is a bad omen for a husband and wife to clink glasses-the family will not be well off.But Maxim is not superstitious.
Who exactly?
At first, he was suspicious of the two girls.They are cute and beautiful, but each girl has her own characteristics.The shorter girl--dark haired, well-proportioned, with an angular face and masculine movements, she had real energy.She always exudes a sexy breath.Another fair-haired girl was taller, calmer and more stable.Her beauty is another kind of beauty, the beauty of peace of mind.
Sensing his wife's attentive gaze, Maxim averted his eyes.
"Gay?" asked the wife suspiciously.
"what?"
"Look at them! That black guy in jeans looks like a man."
it is true.Maxim nodded with a natural expression on his face.
Not these.Not these people at all.So who exactly, who?
The cell phone rang in the corner of the restaurant—suddenly, a dozen or so people turned to the cell phone.Maxim listened intently to the sound of the phone—he couldn't breathe.
The man who called intermittently and softly was not only fierce, but also covered with a black air that people couldn't see, but Maxim could feel it.
There was something dangerous about him--and a great danger about to come.
Pain in chest.
"You know, Lian Na, I'd better live on an uninhabited island." Maxim said unexpectedly.
"one person?"
"With you, with the kids. Hope no one else. No one else."
He drank the wine in one gulp, and the waiter immediately filled the glass.
"I don't want to," said the wife.
"I know."
The short sword became heavy in his pocket and began to heat up.I felt pangs of pleasure in my heart - intense, almost sexually aroused.It's the excitement that demands to be released.
"Do you remember Poe?" Svetlana asked.
We were put in so easily, I didn't even expect it.Maybe it's because the rules in the restaurant have become more democratic than I remember, maybe it's because there aren't many customers.
"I don't remember. He died too early. By the way, Semyon said..."
"I'm not talking about Poe himself. I'm talking about his novels."
"Man in the Crowd?" I guessed.
Svetlana smiled softly:
"Yes. You're in his position now. Having to run around where people are."
"Now I don't hate these places."
Each of us asked for a bottle of "Beilisa" milk wine and ordered meals.This might have given the waiter something to think about our visit: we were two inexperienced whores looking for work,—but anyway, I didn't care.
"Is he the Other?"
"Poe? Probably. He's probably an uninspired fellow."
Svetlana read softly.
I looked at her strangely.
"do you know?"
"How should I tell you?" I raised my eyes and continued in surprise:
We looked at each other for a moment, then laughed at the same time.
"Little literary contest," Svetlana said sarcastically, "result: one to one. Unfortunately, there was no audience. Why wasn't Poe inspired?"
"There are often many potential Others among poets. But some candidates are better off living as human beings. Poe's psychological instability, to give such people special abilities-that is to put a Barrels of napalm for an arsonist. I don't even dare to speculate which side he's on. He's likely to enter the Twilight forever, and very quickly."
"How do they live there? The ones who go in?"
"I don't know, Svetlana. By the way, probably no one knows. Sometimes you may meet them in the Twilight Realm, but there will be no communication in the usual sense."
"I really want to know." Svetlana looked around the hall thoughtfully, "So did you find the other here?"
"Is the old man behind me on the phone?"
"What kind of old man is he?"
"I heard his voice was low. I didn't see with my eyes."
Svetlana bit her lip and closed her eyes.She was beginning to show a little pompousness.
"I can't feel it at the moment," she admitted, "I don't know if he is the Lightbringer or the Darkbringer."
"Darkbringer. Not from the Sun Watch Patrol, but Darkbringer. Mid-level magician. By the way, he spotted us too."
"Then what should we do?"
"Us? It's okay."
"Is he really the messenger of darkness?"
"Yes, and we are the Lightbringers. So what? As members of the inspection team, we have the right to check his credentials. The credentials must be complete."
"Then when do we have the right to interfere?"
"Oh, if he stood up now, waved, turned into a devil, and started biting everyone's heads off..."
"Anton!"
"I mean it. We have no right to disturb the rest of an innocent dark mage."
The waiter brought our order and we fell silent.Svetlana started to eat, but seemed to have no appetite at all.Then she complained like a wayward boy:
"Has the inspection team been so low-key for a long time?"
"In front of the dark power?"
"yes."
"Until we gain a decisive advantage. Until those who are to become Others make a choice—light or darkness—without even the slightest hesitation, until the Darkbringer grows old and dies. Until they Until it is as easy as it is now to induce people to do evil."
"But isn't that surrender, Anton!"
"It's staying neutral. Staying where you are. Both sides are avoiding each other."
"Do you know that solitary savage who terrifies the powers of darkness is far more lovable. Let him break the peace, and even inadvertently put us in a position to attack! After all, he is fighting the darkness, you understand , It’s fighting! Fight against the entire dark force alone!”
"Have you ever wondered why he murdered the Darkbringer but didn't contact us?"
"No."
"He can't see us, Svetlana. Not face to face."
"You know he's self-taught."
"Yeah. Talented self-taught man, an Other in a chaotic display of competence. Can see evil, not good. Doesn't that scare you?"
"No," said Svetlana slightly annoyed, "I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're thinking of. Olga, I'm sorry, Anton, you talk exactly like her."
"It doesn't matter."
"The dark magician doesn't know where he's going," Svetlana said, looking over my shoulder. "Maybe to extract power from someone else, cast a vicious spell. But we can't interfere."
I turned around slightly.I saw the Dark Mage, a well-dressed and attractive man who looked no more than thirty in appearance.At the table where he was sitting there was a young woman and two children...the little boy was about seven years old, and the little girl was a little younger.
"He left his seat, Sveta. Going to the toilet. By the way, his family is average. No superpowers. Would you still order them to be killed?"
"The apple tree bears apples..."
"Tell Garico this. His father, the Dark Mage, is still alive."
"There are exceptions to everything."
"A lifetime is made up of many exceptions."
Svetlana was silent.
"I know the urge, Sveta, to create good, watch out for evil, act swiftly and follow through, and that's what I do myself, but if you don't understand that this is a dead end—then you'll end up in Twilight Medium. One of us will be forced to terminate your existence."
"But I haven't had time to figure everything out yet."
"You know what you're going to look like to other people? A lunatic who kills at random. The newspapers will publish articles that stop people from beating their hearts. You'll have a catchy nickname—like 'Borgy of Moscow' Ya'. You've sown so much evil in the hearts of men that even an army of dark magicians couldn't do so much evil in a year."
"Why do you have ready answers to all your questions?" Svetlana asked bitterly.
"Because we've gone through the learning phase, and we've survived. For the most part—survived!"
I called the waiter and ordered food.I say:
"Cocktails, or should we get out of here? Choose."
Svetlana nodded while looking at the brand of the wine carefully.The waiter, a tall, dark, non-Russian guy, was waiting.He was sick of it all, and the two girls, one of whom behaved like a man, embarrassed him.
"'Alter ego,'" Svetlana said.
I shook my head suspiciously.This drink is one of the strongest cocktails.But I didn't say anything.
"Two glasses of cocktails, pay by the way."
The waiter brought the cocktails and we sat wearily in silence until the waiter took the bill.Finally Svetlana asked:
"Okay, I get it about the poets. They're potential Others. What about the villains? Caligula, Hitler, murderers?"
"Ordinary people."
"all?"
"Usually. We have villains on our side, too. But their names are tight-lipped about humans, and you're about to start your history lessons soon."
The "alter ego" wine was nice.Two heavy, immiscible layers quivered in the glasses—black and white, cream liqueur and bitter stout.
I paid cash, I don't like leaving electronic records, and I raised my glass.
"Cheers to the Patrol."
"Here's to the Patrol," Sveta agreed, "and to your successful recovery from this incident."
I wanted to ask her to knock on wood, but I didn't say it.I took two sips of the cocktail, which was sweet at first, then slightly bitter.
"That's great," Sveta said. "You know, I like it here. Can I sit a little longer?"
"There are many good places in Moscow. Let's find a place where there won't be a Darkbringer."
Sveta nodded and said:
"By the way, he didn't show up."
I looked at my watch.Yes, that's enough time to decant two large barrels of wine.
Most unpleasant of all, the magician's family was still sitting at the dinner table, and the woman was visibly anxious.
"Sveta, I'll be right back."
"Don't forget who you are!" she whispered behind her.
Yes, it's true, it's kind of weird to me to follow the dark magician into the bathroom.
I walked through the restaurant anyway, glancing through the twilight world along the way.It would be logical to see the magician's bioelectric field, but the surrounding area is boring, just some ordinary bioelectric fields-satisfied, worried, lewd, drunk, happy light .
It's impossible for him to dive out through the sewer!
But behind the building next to the Belarusian embassy there was a faint light—the bioelectric field of the Other.But not the Dark Mage's, it's a different color, and much weaker.
Where did he go?
At the end of the corridor were two doors, which were empty.I hesitated for another moment—well, what the hell, maybe we just didn't spot him, maybe the magician walked away through the Twilight, maybe he had that ability to hide through the Internet.Then I pushed open the door to the men's bathroom.
It's clean, bright, a bit small, and smells strongly of air freshener.
The dark magician lay by the door, and the door was blocked by outstretched limbs from opening fully.The magician's face was dazed, confused, and in the open palm I saw a shining glass rod.He drew his weapon, but it was too late.
No blood, nothing.I looked through the twilight again, and found no trace of magic.
It was as if the dark magician had died of the usual heart attack or stroke, it seemed.
However, there is one detail that can completely overturn this statement.
There was a small rip in the collar of the shirt.A thin, razor-like slit.It was as if someone had stuck a knife down his throat and cut his clothes at the same time.But there was no trace of a wound on the skin.
"Bad man," I whispered, not knowing whom to curse. "Bastard!"
There was nothing worse than the situation I was in.Changed the body, went to a human restaurant with the "witness", and ended up standing "alone" next to the body of the dark magician who was killed by the savages.
"Let's go, Pavlik." A voice came from behind.
I turned away - the woman who was sitting at the table with the dark magician walked into the corridor with her son in her arms.
"I don't want it, Mom!" the little boy yelled petulantly.
"Go in and tell Dad, we miss him." The woman said patiently.Then she looked up and saw me.
"Call someone!" I yelled desperately, "Call someone! Something has happened here! Take the child and call someone!"
The people in the restaurant obviously heard me shouting, Olga's voice was the loudest.The restaurant suddenly fell silent, only the folk music was still rippling slowly.But the indistinct voice had stopped.
Of course she wouldn't listen to me, she pushed me aside, threw herself on top of her husband, and began to cry - just cry - at the top of her lungs, realizing what had happened, her Not knowing what to do with her hands, she unbuttoned the cut collar of her shirt and pulled her motionless body.Then the woman slapped the magician on the cheeks, as if hoping he was faking it, or just in a swoon.
"Mom, why did you hit Dad?" Pavlik called out in a thin voice.He wasn't frightened, but surprised, as if he had never seen a fight before.This used to be a harmonious family.
I grabbed the little boy by the shoulders and carefully led him aside.People were already crowded into the hallway.I saw Sveta—her eyes widened and she understood everything at once.
"Take the child away." I begged the waiter, "It looks like someone is dead."
"Who found the body?" the waiter asked calmly.His attitude was nonchalant, not at all like when serving at the table.
"I."
The waiter nodded and deftly handed the little boy over to a cleaning lady - already crying, he realized that something unusual was happening in his little cozy world.
"What are you doing in the men's room?"
"The door was open and I saw him lying on the ground." I lied without hesitation.
The waiter nodded, acknowledging the possibility of such a thing, but at the same time he held my elbow firmly.
"You'll have to wait for the police, ma'am."
Svetlana was already pushing up to us, and she frowned at the last sentence.That sentence is not enough for us, not enough for her to have the power she set about amnesiac those around her!
"Of course, of course." I took a step, and the waiter had to drop his hands and walk behind me. "Sveta, something terrible has happened here, there are dead people here!"
"Olga," Sveta responded correctly.She put her arm around my shoulders, cast an angry look at the waiter, and dragged me down the hall.
At that very moment, the little boy came galloping from among us, squeezing through the rapaciously curious crowd.He wailed and threw himself on his mother as they tried to pull her away from the body.Taking advantage of the confusion, the woman leaned on her dead husband and began to shake:
"Get up! Garner, get up! Get up!"
I felt that Svetlana shuddered at the sight.I whispered:
"How? Should we really kill dark magicians with the utmost brutality?"
"Why did you do this? I can understand if you don't!" Svetlana whispered angrily.
"what?!"
We looked at each other.
"Not you?" Sveta said hesitantly, "I'm sorry, I believe."
At this moment, I understood that I had completely fallen into a trap.
The criminal investigators showed no special interest in me, and his conclusion could already be seen from his eyes—natural death.Weak heart, narcotics abuse, whatever it is.He has no sympathy for patrons of fine restaurants, nor will he feel any sympathy.
"Just lying there," I said wearily, "is horrible."
The detective shrugged.He didn't see the horror of a corpse that wasn't even stained with blood, but he still affirmed openly:
"Yes, this scene is not easy. Who's around?"
"No one. But then a woman came, the wife of the dead man, with a boy."
He wrinkled his mouth as a reward for my incoherent words.
"Thank you, Olga. Maybe we will contact you again. You won't leave the city, will you?"
I shook my head vigorously.The police didn't worry me at all.
The boss, however, was sitting inconspicuously at a table in the corner—very disturbing to me.
The criminal investigators ignored me and walked towards the "wife of the deceased".So Boris Ignatievich came slowly towards our table.It can be seen that he is covered by some kind of mild inducing spell, and no one will pay attention to him.
"Has something happened?"
"Us?" I asked more precisely just in case.
"Yes, you. You, exactly."
"I followed your instructions," I whispered excitedly, "and I didn't move a finger of this magician!"
The boss sighed.
"I don't doubt it. But, you, a staff member of the inspection team, knowing the whole situation, what kind of muddled idea did you have to follow the dark magician alone?"
"Who could have predicted that?" I became angry, "Who?"
"You. Now that we've taken this measure . Together. The two of you shower together, go to the bathroom together! For every moment, every moment you are..." The boss sighed, then fell silent.
"Boris Ignatievich," Svetlana said suddenly. "It doesn't make sense now. Let's think about what to do next."
The boss looked at her in surprise, nodded and said:
"The girl is right. Think about it, start from the time when the situation took a turn for the worse. If Anton was indirectly suspected before that, he will really be caught now. Don't shake your head! People see you standing Next to a fresh corpse. The body of the Dark Mage was killed in the same way as some previous victims. We have no power to keep you from being prosecuted. The Day Watcher Patrol will turn to the courts , and ask to read your memory."
"Is it dangerous?" Svetlana asked. "Is it? But it will be found out. Anton is innocent."
"It will be found out. And the dark forces will know all the information he compiled by the way. Svetlana, think about how many things the chief programmer of the inspection team will know? Including those he himself is not aware of, Just looking at the information for a while, how many things can be forgotten when you turn around. However, the dark forces also have their own experts. When the innocent Anton walked out of the court—assuming he could withstand the ecstasy, the Day Watcher patrol team will know all our operations. Do you understand what will happen? Training methods and methods of finding new others, analysis of combat operations, network of intelligence providers, statistics of losses, resumes of personnel Information, financial plan..."
They were talking about me and I sat like what happened had nothing to do with me.The problem is not that the boss confessed without scruples at all. The problem is that the boss is discussing with Svetlana, who has just started to become a magician, not with me, a potential third-level magician.
If you compare what happened to a game of chess, the layout is simply embarrassing.I am a knight, an ordinary good knight in the patrol team.Svetlana was a pawn, but a pawn who would become a queen.
For the boss, any disaster I might encounter took a back seat to the opportunity of teaching Svetlana a small practical lesson.
"Boris Ignatievich, you know, I won't allow them to look into my memory," I said.
"Then you will be found guilty."
"I know. I can swear that I had nothing to do with the deaths of these dark magicians. But I have no witnesses."
"Boris Ignatievich, let them check only today's memory if they want!" Svetlana exclaimed excitedly. "That's all, they'll be sure..."
"Memory cannot be cut into pieces, Sveta. It will be turned out whole. From the first moments of life. From the smell of breast milk, from the taste of amniotic fluid." The boss said now Especially severe. "The bad thing is here. Just imagine, even if Anton doesn't know any secrets, but he wants to recall and re-live everything, what will it be like! Trembling in the sticky dark liquid, gradually The walls of the womb that come closer, the ray of light that flashes in front of you, the pain, the choking, the necessary breathing, the birth of yourself. And it goes on, moment by moment—you've heard that a person's entire life is in front of him before he dies Scenes fly by? That’s what happens with memory eversion. At this time, somewhere deep, deep in your mind, you still remember that it all happened. Understand? After going through this process, a It is difficult for people to maintain normal rationality.”
"You say so," said Svetlana hesitantly, "as if..."
"I've had that experience. Don't ask. It was more than a century ago when the Patrol was just going to study the effects of eversion memory and asked for a volunteer. It took about a year to get me back normal."
"How was that done? By what method?" Svetlana asked curiously.
"I was instilled with new feelings, those that I have never experienced before. Going to strange countries, eating foods that I am not used to, meeting strange people, and thinking about problems that I have never thought about. That's it," the boss smiled wryly "Sometimes I find myself wondering: What is it all around me? Is it reality or a memory? Am I living or am I lying on a crystal panel in the Night Watch patrol office, my memories being pulled out like balls of thread? pull?"
He fell silent again.
People were sitting at tables and waiters were walking around.The police at the scene left and carried away the body of the dark magician, followed by a man who appeared to be a relative.No one else cares about it anymore.The reverse seemed even to be the case—the appetites of the patrons, as well as their thirst for life, had increased.Nobody paid any attention to us: the boss's spell cast in a split second forced everyone to look away.
And what if... all this really happened?
What if I, Anton Gorodecki, director of the "Nix" trading company and magician of the Night's Watch patrol, were lying on a crystal tablet covered with ancient writing?My memory is also being unraveled, carefully analyzed, and prepared for anyone to see, whether it is a dark magician or a court composed of both light and dark.
No!
impossible.I don't want to experience what the boss said.I can't empathize.I've never been in a woman's body, and I've never been found dead in a public restroom.
"I frightened you," said the boss.He took a long, thin cigar from his pocket. "Do you understand the situation? What should we do?"
"I'm going to do my job," I said.
"Wait, Anton. Don't be aggressive."
"I'm not trying to be tough. The problem isn't even that I'm trying to keep the patrol secret. I just can't stand this kind of interrogation. Better die."
"Know that we're not going to die like the people."
"Yes. We're going to be worse, but I'm prepared."
The boss sighed.
"I'm sorry, girls. Anton, let's not just think about the consequences, we have to think about the premises under which the whole thing happened. Sometimes it pays to look back."
"Let's think about it," I said.Didn't hold out much hope.
"The wildlings have been hunting illegally in the city for many years. According to the latest data from the analysis department, these strange murders began three and a half years ago. Some victims were obviously overt dark emissaries, and some were probably latent dark ones." Messengers. None of the dead had more than four ranks of mana. None of them ever worked on the Sun Watch Patrol. I find it particularly interesting that almost all of them are gentle emissaries of darkness, call them gentle emissaries of darkness, It's more appropriate. They kill people, they influence people, but much less often than they could have done."
"They're in a position to be attacked," Svetlana said, "right?"
"Perhaps. But the Day Watchers didn't interfere with the lunatic, and even forced his own people who didn't deserve pity. Why? The main question—why?"
"To accuse us of negligence," I speculated.
"Ends and means do not match."
"It was to get someone among us under attack."
"Anton, among all the colleagues of the inspection team, you are the only one who has no alibi when the case happened. Why did the Day Watcher inspection team target you?"
I shrugged.
"Zhawulong's revenge." The boss shook his head suspiciously. "No, the conflict between you and him happened not long ago, and the strike was planned three and a half years ago. The question is: why?"
"Maybe, Anton is a powerful magician with potential?" Svetlana asked in a low voice, "The dark forces also understand this. It's too late to pull him to their side, so they decided to kill him."
"Anton is stronger than he thinks," the boss replied bluntly, "but he will never go beyond the second level."
"What if the enemy sees the development of reality farther than we do?" I looked into the boss's eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"I can be a low-level magician, I can be a middle-level magician or higher. But what if I am good enough to do one thing, and thereby change the balance of power? Make something simple, not related to magic Boris Ignatievich, you know, the dark forces were trying to take me away from Svetlana—that is, they saw the real-life line that I could Help her offspring in it! What if they had seen something else? Something in the future? What if they had seen it long ago, and were ready to kill me? And, compared with this, Was the last fight for Sveta a trifle?"
At first the boss listened carefully, then frowned, shook his head and said:
"Anton, you're a megalomaniac, I'm sorry for saying that. I've reviewed the reality line of the entire crew of the patrol, from the key people down to Uncle Shura the plumber. No, excuse me, you won't have any Great achievement. None of your reality lines have that possibility."
"Boris Ignatievich, are you so sure that you will never make a mistake?"
He still pissed me off.
"Certainly. I don't believe absolutely anything, not even to myself. But the chances of me saying you're right are really slim. Believe me."
I believe it.
Compared with the boss, my ability is close to zero.
"That is, we don't know the main—reason?"
"Yes. You were the target of the blow, there is no doubt about it now. The Savage is being controlled, with precision and skill. He thinks he is fighting evil, but in fact he has long since become a Marionette. Today he was brought into the restaurant you came from. They smuggled a victim in, and you're in for a trap."
"Then—what to do?"
"Looking for the wildlings, this is our last chance, Anton."
"Are we really going to kill him?"
"Not us, we're just trying to find him."
"It's the same. No matter how bad he is, no matter how wrong he is, he's still one of us! He's very happy to fight evil. It's just that we need to explain everything to him."
"It's too late, Anton. It's too late. We missed his appearance. Now there are traces like this stretching out behind him... Do you remember how the female vampire was killed?"
I nodded, "May she rest in peace."
"Know that her crime was not serious—from the dark's point of view. She didn't understand what happened, but the Day Watchers admitted her fault."
"Accidentally confessed?" Svetlana asked, "Or was she charged with a crime long ago?"
"Who knows? Anton, you should find the savage."
I glanced at him.
"Find it and hand it over to the dark forces." The boss said bluntly.
"Why should I go?"
"Because it's only morally permissible for you. You're the one who's under the blow, you're just on the defensive. For any of us to take a natural, self-taught, dupe Handing over the Bright Mage would be too much of a shock. And you will definitely be able to withstand it."
"I do not believe."
"You'll get through it. And check it out, Anton. You've only got one night. The Watchmen's patrol has no need to stall any longer. They'll formally charge you in the morning."
"Boris Ignatievich!"
"Think back! Think back, who was in the dining room? Who followed the dark magician into the bathroom?"
"No one. I believe, I've been watching and he hasn't come out," Svetlana interjected.
“就是说，野人在洗手间等着魔法师。但是他应该出来的。记得吗？斯维塔，安东？”
我们没有吭声。我不记得。我当时一直尽量不朝黑暗魔法师看。
“有一个人走出来，”斯维特兰娜说。“那个，嗯……”
她沉思起来。
“没有特征，绝对没有什么特征。一个平凡的人，好像人家把千百张脸混合在一起，并塑造出一张共同的脸似的。我瞥了一眼，一下就忘记了。”
“回忆一下吧。”头儿要求道。
“鲍利斯·伊格纳季耶维奇，我记不起来了。只不过是一个人。一个男人。一个普通人。我也不知道，他是——他者。”
“他是个天生的他者。他甚至不会进入黄昏界，只会在边缘处保持平衡。斯维塔，回想一下他的脸，或者其他特点。”
斯维特兰娜用手指揉揉额头：
“当他离开洗手间，坐回餐桌前时，一个女人也坐在那里。一个漂亮的、浅褐色头发的女人。她稍微搽了一点胭脂，我还看出，她用的化妆品是'流明'，我有时也用这种牌子的化妆品，价钱不贵，品质不太好。”
我不禁笑了。
“她一副不满的样子，”斯维塔补充说，“她笑了笑，但是很勉强。好像她还想坐一会儿，可又不得不离开了。”
她又沉思起来。
“女人的生物电场！”头儿生硬地喊道。“你要记住生物电场！没有生物电场扔给我的就是个塑料模特！”
他提高了嗓门，改变了语调。当然在餐厅里谁也不会听到他的声音。不过，人们的脸上掠过一种抽搐的丑态，一个端着托盘的侍者绊了一下，把一个酒瓶和一对玻璃高脚杯摔到了地上。
斯维特兰娜摇摇头——头儿那么轻意就让她陷入了催眠状态，好像她是普通人。我看到她的瞳孔放大了——姑娘和头儿两张脸之间出现了一道淡淡的彩虹。
“谢谢，斯维塔。”鲍利斯·伊格纳季耶维奇说。
“我成功了？”姑娘惊奇地问。
“是的。你可以被认定为七级魔法师了。我会通知下去，是我亲自评的级别。安东！”
轮到我看着头儿的眼睛了。
心旌摇动。
一根根缓缓射出的人们看不见的能量线。
一个形象。
不，我没看见野人女朋友的脸。我看见了一种大得多的生物电场。混在一起的一层层青绿色，好像蛋筒上的冰淇淋，另外还有一道白色的光带。这生物电场是相当复杂的，是容易记住的，总之是惹人喜爱的。我感到不自在了。
她爱他。
她爱他，经常抱怨一些事，并认为他背叛了她，可是她都忍受下来，而且准备继续忍受下去。
根据这个女人的特征，我会找到野人。我会把他送上法庭——送他去死。
“不。”我说。
头儿同情地看看我。
“她一点错也没有！她爱他，您也看到的呀！”
耳边响起舒缓凄凉的音乐，没人对我的喊声有任何反应。即使有人在地板上打滚，即使有人踡着腿钻到别人的桌子下，他们也仍然会继续狼吞虎咽地吃菜。
斯维特兰娜看着我们。她记住了生物电场，但是还不能理解它的含义：这需要六级水平的法力。
“那样你会死去的。”头儿说。
"I know."
“你不思念那些爱你的人吗，安东？”
“我没有这个权利。”
鲍利斯·伊格纳季耶维奇讥笑道：
“英雄啊！哦，我们都会是英雄！我们的手是干净的，心是善良的，脚没有踩在粪土上。你记得那个女人从这里被带走吗？你记得大声喊叫的孩子们吗？他们不是黑暗使者，他们是我们承诺要保护的普通人。我们的每一个行动计划需要考虑多久？为什么分析人员——虽说我每时每刻都在诅咒他们——到五十岁时就会变得头发花白？”
就像不久前我教训斯维塔一样，自信和权威地教训，现在头儿正在抽我的耳光。
“巡查队需要你，安东！需要斯维塔！而疯子，即使是善良的，我们也不需要！手里拿着短剑，在大门口和洗手间里抓捕黑暗使者——仅此而已。不考虑后果，不权衡得失。我们的战场在哪里，安东？”
“在人们中间。”我垂下眼睛。
“我们在保护谁呢？”
“人类。”
“没有抽象的恶，你是应该明白这一点的！根源就在这里，在我们周围，在这一群有人被杀后才过一小时就会大吃大喝和寻欢作乐的乌合之众中！你就是在为他们而战。黑暗是多头蛇，你砍下的头越多，它长出来的头也越多！要饿死他们，你明白吗？你杀死一百个黑暗使者——在他们倒下去的地方就会站起来一千个。这就是野人有罪的原因！这就是你，正是你安东，要找到他的原因。你还要逼他出庭，自愿或者是迫不得已地出庭。”
头儿突然沉默起来，猛地站起身来。
“我们走，姑娘们。”
我已经习惯这种称呼了，立刻站起来，用下意识的、反射性的动作抓住手提包。
头儿不会无缘无故地着急。
"quick!"
我突然明白，我必须去看一下那个倒霉的黑暗魔法师死的地方。但我没有敢提出这点。我们朝出口处走去，走得那么匆忙，要是保安能看得到我们的话，一定会把我们拦下的。
“晚了，”头儿在门口轻声说。“我们聊得太久了。”
这时好像有三个人走进了餐厅。两个健壮的小伙子和一个姑娘。
我认识姑娘。她叫阿利莎·东尼科娃，是守日人巡查队的女巫。当她看到头儿时，两只眼睛瞪得圆圆的。
跟在后面移动的是两个难以察觉的、看不见的、处在黄昏界里的影子。
“请站住。”阿利莎声音嘶哑地说，好像她的嗓子一下发干了。
“走开，”头儿轻轻动了动手掌，于是黑暗魔法师们被挤到一边去了，挤到墙边。阿利莎歪向一边，试图抵住有弹性的墙，但力量不相等。
“扎武隆，我在呼唤你！”她尖声叫道。
啊哦，女巫是守日人巡查队首领的红人儿，当然有权喊！
从黄昏界又出来两个黑暗魔法师。我一眼就断定他们是三四级的作战魔法师。当然，他们和鲍利斯·伊格纳季耶维奇相比差远了，况且还有我帮助头儿，不过他们会拖延时间的。
头儿也明白这点。
“您要干什么？”他用命令的口气问，“这是守夜人巡查队的时间。”
“有人犯罪了。”阿利莎的眼睛炯炯发光，“在这里，就在不久前。我们的弟兄被打死了，被某人打死了……”她的目光时而盯着头儿看，时而盯着我看。
“什么人打死的？”头儿满怀希望地问。女巫没有挑衅。只要她，以自己的地位，并且不是在自己的时间里，敢冒险指责鲍利斯·伊格纳季耶维奇，那么他就会把她的血涂在墙壁上。
而且不会花一秒钟去思考这种行为的得失。
“光明使者！”
“守夜人巡查队不会干犯罪的事。”
“我们正式请求协助。”
Yes.现在无处可退。拒绝协助别的巡查队——几乎等同于宣战。
“扎武隆，我在呼唤你！”女巫又喊道。我胆怯地希望，黑暗力量的首领没有听到她的喊声，或者在忙于其他事。
“我们已经准备好一起合作。”头儿说，他的声音冷冰冰的。
我从魔法师们的宽肩膀上方望去，环顾了一下餐厅，黑暗力量已经把我们包围起来了，显然要堵住大门。不错，餐厅里发生了一件前所未有的事。
人们贪婪地咀嚼着。
“吧唧吧唧”的声音，好像餐桌前坐着的都是一些猪。他们目光呆滞、没有表情，手里握着餐具，但却用手掌把菜搂到一起，囫囵吞咽得喘不过气来，而且鼻子发出“呼哧呼哧”的喘声，饭菜喷了出来。一个静静地吃着晚饭的端庄的中年人坐在三个暗探和一个年轻姑娘中间大口大口地直接从瓶子里喝酒。一个可爱的小伙子，显然是一个“雅皮士”，和他亲爱的女朋友在互相夺过盘子，浇上油腻的橙色调味品。侍者们从一张餐桌到另一张餐桌地跑来跑去，并且在投掷，把盘子、碗、瓶子、烤炉、高脚杯……扔给食客们。
黑暗力量有自己的方法引开局外人。
“发生谋杀案时你们中有人在餐厅里吧？”女巫严肃地问。头儿不做声。
"yes."
"Who?"
“我的同行们。”
“奥莉加、斯维特兰娜。”女巫盯着我们看。“一个他者，守夜人巡查队的工作人员，名叫安东·戈罗杰茨基的不在这里吗？”
“除了我们，这里没有巡查队的其他工作人员！”斯维特兰娜迅速地说。说得好，但是说得太快了。阿利莎郁郁不乐，她明白，她的问题表达得太含糊了。
“多么寂静的夜晚，不是吗？”门口传来了声音。
扎武隆应声出现了。
我看着他，绝望了，我明白，伪装欺骗不了这么高级别的魔法师。他可能会看不出伊利亚是头儿，但老狐狸不会两次掉进同一个陷阱的。
“不太静，扎武隆，”头儿只是说，“把你手下的畜生赶走，要不我替你做。”
黑暗魔法师的外貌看上去好像是时间真的已经停下来似的，好像温暖的、虽说也是姗姗来迟的春天取代不了冰封的冬天似的。衣服、领带、灰色衬衫、旧皮鞋。凹陷的面颊、呆滞的目光、短短的头发。
“我知道，我们会相见的。”扎武隆说。
He looks at me.只看我。
“多么愚蠢。”扎武隆摇摇头，“为什么你需要这样，啊？”
他向前跨了一步，阿利莎溜到一旁。
“工作好、收入不错、有体面的生活……世上所有的好事——都在你手里，只需要及时想好这次什么有利。结果你还是非这么做不可。我不理解你，安东。”
“而我也不理解你，扎武隆。”头儿挡住了他的路。
黑暗魔法师微怒地看着他。
“看来，你老了。在你情人身体里的，”扎武隆嘿嘿笑了一声，“是安东·戈罗杰茨基。在一连串谋杀黑暗使者的案件中，他就是我们的嫌疑人。他在这个身躯里躲藏了好久吧，鲍利斯？你也没有发现这种换身吗？”
他又嘿嘿一笑。
我看看守日人巡查队员，他们还没有反应过来。他们还需要一秒钟、半秒钟。
然后我看到，斯维特兰娜举起手，接着她的手掌里跳动着一股有魔力的黄色火焰。
她通过第五级的力量考查了，只是在这场斗争中我们仍然不占上风。我们是三个人。他们是六个人。如果斯维特兰娜要动手的话——她既拯救不了自己，更救不了已经连头一起没入粪便之中的我，那么大血战也就要开始了。
我向前跃出。
好在奥莉加锻炼过的身体很强壮。好在我们——无论光明力量还是黑暗力量——都不再习惯使用手和脚的力量，不再习惯简单的、毫不复杂的打耳光的方式。真棒，已失去自己大部分魔法的奥莉加没有忽视这门艺术。
当我的，应该说是奥莉加的拳头砸向扎武隆的肚子后，他弯下身子，发出嘶哑的声音。我的脚用力地踢中他的膝盖，他腿一弯，然后我就跑到外面去了。
“站住！”阿利莎激动地，同时又恨又爱地喊道。
“抓住他，抓住！”
我沿着波克罗夫卡大街，朝土围子街方向逃跑，包敲打着背部。好在我没有穿高跟鞋。甩开跟踪、隐没消失，在城里求生的课程我一直很喜欢，只不过这门课程很短，太短了，谁能想得到，巡查队的一名工作人员会被迫躲避和逃跑，而不是去捕捉躲避和逃跑的人呢。
后面传来一声长啸。
还没反应过来出了什么事，我已经本能地跳开了。一道深红的火焰弯弯曲曲地沿着马路飞驰而过，它试图要停下来，掉转头，但是惯性太大：火药钻进了建筑物的墙壁里，一瞬间就把石头烧成了白色。
看起来这是……
我往后退去，摔倒了，往后望了望。扎武隆又抡起作战用的手杖，但是动作很慢，仿佛什么东西束缚住他，妨碍着他。
他这是要置我于死地！
若是“夏巴藤”钩住我，我连灰都剩不下了。
这意味着……意味着头儿还是错了。守日人巡查队不需要我头脑里的东西。他们要杀死我。
黑暗使者们紧跟着跑。扎武隆端起武器瞄准，头儿抱住了正挣脱的斯维特兰娜。我跳到一旁，又撒腿跑起来，我已经明白，跑不掉了。高兴的只是——街上没有任何人，谁也不会吃到苦头的。我们的火拼行动一开始，本能的、无意识的恐惧感就把行人都赶走了。
刹车闸发出刺耳的声音。我转过身，看到巡查队队员四散跑开，为疯驶的汽车让开了道。司机显然断定自己已到达匪徒火拼的中心地点，所以猛地刹车停了一刹那，然后又加快了速度。
停下吗？No, no.
我蹿到人行道上，蹲在一辆旧“伏尔加”后面躲避扎武隆。这辆车是临时停下避让意外出现的司机的。一辆银白色的“丰田”车从旁边驶过，突然停了下来，同样发出那种烧坏的刹车片引起的刺耳的声音。
司机一边的门猛然敞开了，接着有人向我挥手。
从来没有过这种事！
这只在廉价的特受欢迎的影片里看到过，突然驶来的汽车顺路接走了正在逃跑的主人公。
我一边想着一边打开后车门，钻了进去。
“快，快！”我身旁的一个女人喊了起来。不过不需要催促司机——车已经向前疾驶而去。后面闪出一道光芒，于是又一道火焰“腾”地尾随着飞了过来，司机来了个急转弯，让了开去。一个女人尖叫了起来。
他们怎么看正发生的一切呢？以为是机关枪的枪火吗？是齐射的箭吗？是喷火器的发射吗？
“干什么，你为什么返回来！”女人试图向前探去，显然想捶司机的后背。我准备抓住她的手，但是汽车猛然一冲，提前把她推开了。
“不要。”我温柔地说，遇到的却是愤怒的目光。
那还用说吗。一个可爱、但衣衫不整，身后又有一群武装强盗追赶的陌生女人上了汽车，哪个女人会高兴呢，而且为了她，丈夫会突然置身于火下。
不过，直接的危险已经过去了。我们朝土围子街驶去，现在我们正在一条接连不断的车流中行驶。无论是朋友还是敌人都被甩在后面了。
“谢谢。”我对着头发剪短的后脑勺说。
“没刮到您吧？”他没有转过身。
“没有。非常感谢。为什么您要停下车？”
“因为他是傻瓜！”我的邻座尖声说。她移到后座的另一头，就像躲避鼠疫病人一样躲避着我。
“因为你不是男人，”司机平缓地说，“他们为什么对你这样？算了，不关我的事。”
“他们想强奸我。”我胡乱瞎说道。是的，这是最好的解释。就在餐厅，在餐桌上：不是有着土匪全部乐趣的莫斯科，而是西部的蛮荒之地。
“把你送到什么地方？”
“就在这里。”我看看地铁入口上方的闪光的字。“我会自己回家的。”
“我们可以送你回家。”
“不需要。谢谢，您为我做的已经很多了。”
"Ok."
他没有争，也没有劝说。汽车放慢了速度，我下了车。我看了看女人，说：
“万分感谢您。”
她发出嗤鼻声，猛地关上车门。
look!
不过这种情况多少能证明，我们的工作有某种意义。
我不由自主地整理头发，拍干净牛仔裤。过路人小心翼翼地看着我，但是没有躲开：我看上去也不是那么可怕。
我还有多少时间？在追赶者发现踪迹之前还有五分钟，十分钟吗？或许头儿把他们拖住了吧？
这就好了。因为我似乎开始明白，发生了什么事。
我还有机会，即使时间短暂，但还是有机会。
我朝地铁走去，边走边从奥莉加的包里取出了手机。我开始拨她的号码，然后骂了一声，拨自己的号码。
五次嗡嗡声，六次、七次。
关掉铃声后，我又拨了自己的号码。这一次奥莉加马上接通了。
“喂？”响起生硬嘶哑的声音。这是我的声音。
“是我，安东，”我大声说。从一旁走过的小伙子奇怪地朝我看看。
“笨蛋！”
我也并没有期待从奥莉加那儿听到别的话。
"Where are you, Anton?"
“我准备坐地铁。”
“你总能及时抽身。我能帮你什么？”
“你已经知道了吗？”
"yes."
“我想回到自己的身体里去。”
“我们在哪见面？”
我想了一下。
“就在我尝试击退斯维特兰娜头上的黑气旋之后下车的那个站。”
“明白了。鲍利斯跟我说过。就这样吧——在环线上再坐三站，上去，向左走。”
啊哈，她在按示意图计算。
"clear."
“在大厅中央，过二十分钟我在那里。”
"it is good."
“要给你带什么东西吗？”
“带吧，带上我。其他的——随便。”
我关上手机，向四周看看，然后飞快地朝车站走去。
Notes:
Notes: