{Idiot, even if he by some miracle is alive, he will remain a vegetable for life.} - skeptically chuckled Kyon looking at the pathetic attempts of the two. Even if feeling of guiltiness is somewhere deep down in his heart, a reasonable argument «either he or I» made his conscience shut up resentfully until better times.No one in their right mind would think that a family member who had developed his soul to an advanced realm could do anything to a guy who had not even established a connection with the spirit. Although the fact that he choked and could not get a bundle away with his power, was too, very strange. However, given the stroke, this was quite possible, so he was not afraid of an autopsy.
10 minutes after the call, Martha burst into the room with medical equipment. Having seen the blue body, she gasped in shock, but taking herself in hand began to quickly check his condition.
The guards tried to explain something to her, but were interrupted by the doctor"s raised hand.:
«Too late, I can"t help him…»
That day was the sixth day of the week. In the evening, Bob and Mob must distribute the currency of the mine according to the overfulfilled norm.
Each group of slaves would climb out of the skin just to earn «extra penny» - because it could be spent on a very helpful and valuable purchases. For someone that"s a can of cold beer, for someone - piece of sappy meat, for someone - essential medicines and stamina drinks. Some of them do not spend «salary»– they save, denying themselves to buy everything, in order to to exchange it for the currency of the outside world and send it to the family.
Everyone was in joyful antic.i.p.ation of «payment», except, perhaps, Mike. This morning he felt very bad, so he planned to borrow more money to buy some drugs tomorrow. To his misfortune, many people who saw his condition only shook their heads, including his supervisor, which realized that he would soon have to replenish his crew. Even the b.a.s.t.a.r.d Babil, who obtained some connections and gives money at interest, refused him. This vile moneylender has long learned to determine the proximity of death «by eye». To Mike he was given a maximum of 3-4 days.
Borya had his own worries: {Kyon will be back soon and I need to repay a debt.} Unfortunately, he didn"t make much this week, so he"ll have to borrow the rest from his friends. He was clearly not inclined to go to the better world in the coming years, so he wouldn"t be refused in a loan.
The rest of the slaves, going to their jobs, waited for the end of the work s.h.i.+ft.
Mob was in high spirits. The previous day he had noticed, how changed the face of Martha when he gave Kyon a bun. Now he was looking for an excuse to get into her office without beating anyone, and all his thoughts were completely occupied with the matter.
Suddenly there rang a soundtransmitter at his thick colleague who recently had come and sat beside him, unusually silent.
«Supervisor Bob speaking.»
«Bob, it"s Martha, Martin"s dead!» - he voice slipped in hysterical notes.
«DEAD?» - the man cried out in shock as his throat tightened and his voice sat down to a whisper: - «How could he die? You"re serious!?»
«Yes, come to the Formation Department ...» - she hung up.
Bob was dumbfounded. Mob who had heard the conversation was no less surprised.
«Bob, I"m going to see what"s going on, stay here.» - the tall man stood up resolutely. Now he will be able to see Martha, and at the same time will understand what happened there.
But Bob ignored him. He immediately understood the motive of the second and only whistled loudly, beckoning the dog.
In half-run after some time together together Mob again tried to convince the colleague:
«Buddy, don"t bother, I"ll do it myself! We are forbidden to leave the post together at once.»
«My friend is probably dead, and all you think about b.o.o.bs! Get off!» - at this moment, he truly didn"t care about any rules.
Bob, out of breath, Rogash and Mob ran into the office of the authorities. In the s.p.a.cious room there were two sullen guards, Martha, Kyon and Pink, Martin"s servant, currently sobbing on his knees over his late master. Bob immediately jumped to the corpse – the sight of his dead friend almost made his legs give way. The doctor briefly explained that Martin had apparently choked to death on a piece of bread, and in a colorless voice ordered:
«Bob, take Kyon to the infitmary. I"ll be making a report.…»
The atmosphere in the room was oppressive. Even Rogash was penetrated it and quietly whined, covering his face with his paws. The only quiet creature in the room was Kyon, though he carefully pretended to be frightened. He didn"t feel sympathy or remorse - he disliked greedy people walking on the top of others for their own benefit. The fear was that there were some probability that careful investigation might provoke some extremely unwanted questions – such as why a crystal sphere is cracked, or why Martin brought all of these devices just before his death? Not only that, such suspicions can lead to the idea that the death of the authorities is not such an accident, so also Kyon could also be clung with new «examinations». And then what, open his own graveyard?…
The supervisor took Kyon to the hospital without saying a word.
There will be long questionings, reports, etc today., even the highest authorities will probably look «at the light.» Besides, the question concerning replacement of Martin severely aroused... And there"s a perennial shortage of such proffessionals.
*crack*
The key turned in the lock, leaving the young man alone in the locked infirmary.
Sitting on his bed, Kyon wondered about what he had done. No remorse tortured the young man, he was hara.s.sed by something else: {The idea is that I"m not likely to be under suspect. After all, I"ve destroyed all the relevant evidence... Unless she notices the missing ampoule later during the inspection, but that"s not enough?}
Kyon got out of the mattress the wooden key and now was thoughtfully twisting it in his hands, wondering how should he secretly get rid of it.
After Martin"s death, he noticed a strange tingling in the area of the formation. {Perhaps Martin"s formation dissipates after his death?} To test the a.s.sumption, he released the synergy and carefully, in small portions, began to pour it into the formation.
The energy came out of the formation like smoke from smoldering wood. To his astonishment Kyon found that in contact with Synergy, both the «smoke» and the synergy itself were mutually destroyed. It was like a joint annihilation of matter and antimatter.
Kyon thought hard: {Is it possible that synergy is the opposite of the energy of this world, and they self-destruct by meeting each other...? Then what happens if I become a pract.i.tioner? How will I combine them?}
The young man could not see it, but, upon contact of these opposites, the appeared small ripples in the s.p.a.ce. The energy itself had neither color nor smell.
Deciding that the formation would dissipate by itself after some time Kyon released all the Synergy and sent it in a huge bruise on his wrist, the remaining «memory» from the stranglehold of Martin. Most likely, it will require 1 day to heal it.
{I have to get down to the mine and find out the situation... I"m not going to stay here forever.}
Late in the evening, Martha returned to the hospital and immediately rushed to Kyon:
«So you really weren"t lying! I can"t believe you have such incredible powers!»
«Yes... It"s my curse.» -Kyon pretended to be upset with the reality.
«Eh... it"s not your fault at all... don"t blame yourself.» - rea.s.suringly patting the guy on the shoulder, whispered the doctor.
{Of course it"s not my fault. Well, except for the fact that flow of blood ceased to come Martin"s brain, hehe.} - mentally she smiled Kyon.
Martha trying to support the young man took his hand impulsively. Her eyes immediately noticed a huge bruise with fingerprints. She pulled back the s.h.i.+rt sleeve.:
«What is this!?»
Kyon from stuck of suddenness: {d.a.m.n! ... d.a.m.n?} It wasn"t the best excuse, but he didn"t invent another one.:
«This is my curse.» - he whispered in a sepulchral voice.
«What"s the curse? It"s a huge bruise! And it looks like a handprint!» - Martha closely examined the hematoma clinging firmly to the hand, .
«It"s a family curse.» - selflessly lied to the guy. - «When there comes a death predicted by spirits there occurs a bruise in the shape of a hand. So it was at the death of my grandmother.»
«Oh... unbelievable!» - the woman covered her mouth with her hand in fright. - «In any case, I have the perfect remedy for this kind of curse. I"ll get you some ointment, it"ll heal you in a few hours.» - Martha did not regret the quality ointment from injuries, although it may be used for staff only.
Kyon once again was touched by her concern. Although the danger that she didn"t believe him (the version with the «curse» is sewn with white thread) was present and scared.
The woman very gently applied the golden-colored ointment to the bruise, the skin under the soft fingers was tingled pleasantly. Martha tried to get more information about the family curse, but Kyon got off with general phrases.
When the treatment was over, the young man smiled:
«Thanks! By the way, apart from this, I have more or less got stronger and want to work on.»
«Work? Oh Yes... You don"t want to miss the day off...» - of course, no one in their right mind would want to go back to the «galleys», but to be locked up on a day off and miss the shop was also not the best prospect.
«Yeah. I want to meet Byron, by the way, and someone owes me something.»
Martha giggled.:
«You"re so strange! Well, when I see Byron, I"ll tell him to keep an eye on you.»
Kyon staring March in the eyes which slightly confused woman.
«Cool, under the supervision of such a person, I definitely do not care.»
The doctor grunted.:
«Enough! Let me call him so he will be able to pick you up after dinner? By this time, the bruise will have healed.»
«Yes, that"s a good idea.» - the young man nodded gratefully.
Martha called Byron"s personal device and told him to come in after dinner. A slave of the 1st rank is responsible for many things, so the management gave him a personal sound transmitter.
If Kyon had plans for Martha, he would have acted a little differently, more romantic, more audacious and courageous but he wanted her to treat him as a friend and to help sometimes. His goal, in principle, was achieved.
While Kyon was waiting for dinner, Martha was in the study thinking. {What kind of ability might he have? Why the bruise is hand-shaped?} As far as she knew, spirits or souls could not interact with physical bodies.
After reflection, she felt that everything might happen in human life, including such strange young men.
After dinner, Kyon astonis.h.i.+ngly looked at his hand which had recovered without a trace of hematoma. It turns out that the local medicine is also capable of something. Since Synergy was no longer applied, Kyon directed it to cleanse the body, to reduce energy consumption and increase immunity.
Byron came soon. He was tall and muscular man who emanated an aura of brutality. He gave the impression of a reliable and laconic man. As soon as he entered, Martha was transformed: she shrugged, coquettishly shrugged her thigh, drawing attention to the robe-covered a.s.s, and in flying walk went to the cavalier to gently embrace him, not forgetting to look embarra.s.sed.
{Lofty relations.h.i.+p. He wants her, and she pleases him.} - mentally snickered Kyon observing the picture unfolding in front of him.
Martha had known the man before she worked at the mine, and it was fate that they met here again.
After a short conversation, Martha called Kyon to Byron, introducing the boy to his friend.
Martha warmly said goodbye to both of them, wis.h.i.+ng Kyon good luck.
«Be careful! Take care of yourself!»
They walked in silence from the hospital but the man occasionally gazed down at Kyon, which slightly unnerved him.