- Sir, are you sure that all this is really necessary to us in such numbers? Thirty blankets, fifteen-liter flasks, tent, three tent, collapsible canvas boat ... We were going to go on an expedition three.
- Threesomes? Are you laughing? My friend, there is painted on the alignment of ten men, and this is the minimum, which should be put forward, otherwise you will have no chance, none at all. You're not going for a walk, it is a severe test, and, if not in the squad will be experienced people, I do not put on you and dead flies. You know what I mean?
- Yes, sir.
- Toto same. So, you three, two more have to hire in Londinium, smart guys who know that how much, who know how to handle weapons, but honest enough not to throw you overboard on the first day of the voyage. I know these guys, but keep in mind they charge expensive. But it is worth it. Another two or three hire on the spot, in the Panamanian port. There is, of course, is spinning a lot of trash, but I'll whisper the name of the man who will be able to advise the most decent of the local villains - Mr. Murray again laughed, but instantly stopped by judgmental gaze of Mr. Jobson.
- Yes, ahem. Here. Other people, guides, porters, hire on the spot, that's where you're looking from Panama touch. Just see for anyone and never pay the entire amount in advance, and even a half, and then instantly stay in the jungle one all by himself. Twenty percent - Prepaid normal. Cash along also did not wear, on arrival at the luggage deposit, where people live in poverty, which once again is not necessary to tempt.
- And yet, sir, why do so many blankets?
- Oh, is that all you know? One blanket lie down, covering another third is always rolled up, dry. Three blankets per person, total - thirty. Clear?
- Yes, sir.
Damn it! I, frankly, did not expect to buy equipment and weapons for ten. Well, of course, that I was planning on-site hire kakihnibud conductors, but assumes that they will have all of their own, I just pay them for their services. And now, it turns out that the costs are assumed ogogo what. to have enough money ...
- Well, glad you're all clear, young man. Tomorrow I will send you my guys to talk to. And by the way, that they just need to pay the entire amount, and a bargain, I do not advise. These people have a reputation in the circle, and spoil it they do not want. And do not forget to listen to them at all, if you want to survive. Who ever you go?
- With my friend and his fiancee.
- Oh Gods! Female? It's bad guys are stubborn or ask for more money.
- I'm afraid I can not be without it, sir. But it is not pampered young lady, very strong and robust, I think, be able to give odds to many men.
- Yes? Well, that's your business, - Mr. Murray tirelessly sipped from the glass, and it gradually became slightly slurred, and his neck more engorged with blood.
- Would you like to dine with us, sir? - seems to be all that was necessary for me, I already knew, and a man was worth little to distract from the bottle, but how would not have to endure at the hands of then.
- Oh, no, my son, for dinner I was invited to Arthur. By the way, would be nice to have us go, Martha was tired of waiting I suppose. What do you say, old deceiver?
- Patrick, you're drunk. Come on, let's go, - Mr. Jobson rose from his seat. - And do not call me a liar.
- And who are you, if not a liar? You're a lawyer! And they are all entirely deceivers and hypocrites, oh, would not you be my friend ... - Mr. Murray, grunting and puffing out of the embrace of the chair.
He took a look around quite osolovelym and staggered.
- And yes, I hope you do not get seasick, son. It's horror, how disgusting this pitching! - and staggered like being on the deck of a ship in a storm, Mr. Murray, without saying goodbye and headed for the exit.
Jobson's lawyer, apologetically shrugged and went after him, and I, holding in his hand a sheet and forget about dinner, everyone was thinking about the last words of Mr. Murray. Seasickness, pitching, swimming ... I wonder how in the world will be sold on the movement of such a great distance? If we assume that everything will be done as realistically as possible, what comes out is a month or even two on the road? How many would be required to cross the Atlantic at that time? The geography of the world is identical to the actual distances are the same as the boat speed is not space.
And by the way, you will have yet to figure out how to actually get? Where, and how much will it cost? Okay, like Scarlett O'Hara said, I think about it tomorrow. Stomach again reminded of himself, and I decided it no longer on the fun, asked Marjorie cover dinner. There again had alone since Donnie kudato again had to leave.
After dinner, I started to suffer openly. There is nothing worse than waiting status when you are absolutely not in any way able to escape. I tried to read, but his thoughts were galloping like mad, and a few pages of the book, I found that I have no idea what had just read. Sleep did not come, too. Tudasyuda left to roam the room, counting the minutes.
It was already after midnight when he returned Donny, I heard him quietly tiptoed up the stairs. Closer to the hour of the night, I suddenly started to feel very sleepy, and even flashed the thought that nothing will happen if I lie down for just one minute, and will not even turn a blind eye. Already sitting on the edge of the bed, suddenly awake. Well, it's not too late now! I know it will end. Waking up in the morning, I'll be a long time to no avail sprinkle ashes. You need to stay.
Washing with cold water went in my favor, and five minutes to two, with wet hair, shivering, but very cheerful, I was standing in front of a closed safe with a clock in his hand.
Five, four, three, two, one! Dial counts down the final seconds, and! Two hours!
In the mechanism hidden somewhere in the safe depth, there was a soft, barely audible click, and in the center of the annular labyrinth appeared small depression - the recess in the form of a circle slightly irregular repeating uncle's silhouette hours. Do not hesitate for a second longer, I put them in the hole. Within safe heard another metallic sound, and an outer ring pattern which was not just engraved on the front side of the door and consists of several individual parts, raised above the surface by about half a centimeter. No other changes were not, the safe did not open.
I stepped closer. As it turned out, now it's the ring can be freely rotated. When lightly pressed, it is again lowered on a level with the rest of the surface, while at the same height lifted next ring of smaller diameter, located closer to the center. Alternately raising and lowering the ring, I found out that only five moving parts, and after I clicked on the last, the smallest, reactivated a large external.
So, lock the operating principle has been generally understood. I think that if I shall understand in what position should be in the ring, I will open the lock. That's just what kind of position?
So, as if to put graphic rings on the vault as well as on the clock? Nuka! Removing them from the recess, I peered at the picture on the back, trying to remember the correct location. Inserting the clock back, and had to insert, as no clock rings on the safe refused to spin, I tried to turn them in the same position. Turning the last thing the central ring, I'm barely breathing, with the deserted heart, I click it. Nothing happened, again raised an external, and the door is locked, and so remained.
Hmm. And I could not have made a mistake? Bringing out of the room a piece of paper and a pencil, I tried to correct as much as possible to sketch the picture on the clock, and then, once again reproduced it on the door of the safe. The result is zero. Maybe I missed it is certainly some political hint?
Although the room was almost empty, I began to search it again without missing a centimeter of the surface. Carefully inspect the walls, the floor and even the ceiling, I returned to the ill-fated safe. It is also no clues were not only not giving me a tricky lock, but the inscription - the first clue. Once again, in desperation she ran her eyes in surprise I almost fell to the floor. The inscription was completely different!
- That idiot! - and then he clamped his mouth himself. It is not enough rouse the whole house.
<
br /> The new inscription appeared to replace the old, said: "Bull came second, the same - first. Bull brought a gift to his resignation, the same - true. Both lost their freedom. "
I came first, brought a gift loyalty, lost freedom. That is no longer a wild, it became home, true ... Well, Uncle! I laughed on how easily I was given this really quite simple puzzle. And once again pulled out his watch, surely translated them into eight, the "this", sketched a new position open rings, and put the clock back. Do not hesitate, he turned the ring on the door of the safe, from largest to smallest, click Cu, drowned in the last place with a beating heart and watched as slowly and quietly opened the heavy door.
interlude 2
Minor planet M1368YT-Lt, working village "Dawn"
- I do not understand anything. What does it mean to fly back? - red-haired woman with was once beautiful, but now very pale and tired face, anxiously looking at his companion, a tall, thin, and the same man sinyushnoblednogo.
- Marina, I do not understand kakayato nonsense. Here, with Navii today, it was reported that we were expelled transport shuttle. Two weeks later, there starts the corvette "Victorious" is sent to Earth. We need to come on board at the time of launch.
- But how? And our contract work?
- The shuttle will bring a temporary shift.
- temporary? That is, we then come back here?
- Sweet - a man walked up to the woman, sat down and took her hands in his, - I do not know the truth. The prescription was absolutely no details.
The woman stepped back, stood up, nervously paced the tiny room. In her head she arose, were denied, and immediately replaced with new versions, for which they currently have to drop everything and fly back to Earth.
It is clear that this was something very serious, because the flight was worth fabulous money. Mined ore sent through the transport portal to Navii, near the junction station, the people go not transferred. That is why the contracts for the extraction of rare minerals were lifelong outside our solar system.
- This is Dima, I'm sure. Something happened to him, or because of it!
- Marinochka, stop what you're saying! - the man tried to sit down again a woman who began nervously wringing his hands. - What does Dima, you never know the possible reasons?
- No, that's exactly it! With him something happens, I can feel it, feel it!
- Calm down, dear, I'm sure of Dima's all right. Perhaps it kakayato error, and we were immediately sent back. Maybe everything will be resolved before, and we did not fly anywhere. Everything will be fine.
The man stroked his head softly sobbing woman, and, as ever, regretted that their mining station is almost complete isolation and news from Earth reach here through Naviyu, with a delay of several months.
What this could happen on Earth, which could require their presence? Really, all the same, son?
Chapter 3
- Congratulations! Quest: "The Golden Key" is executed.
- Reward: 7500 experience (8000/25000), the continuation of the quest chain, active skill, charm.
Arose before the eyes of the tablet with the message system was completely out of place, I impatiently brushed it away without reading it, and peered into the safe. He was practically empty. On the top shelf were three paper folders with manuscripts, the bottom was a small wooden box with a sliding cover. How do I not want to look back once, but I restrained myself. You never know what might be inside? Worth to consider this in greater comfort. So I locked the safe, closed the secret room and went back to his bedroom.
And just there, sitting at the desk and put the box under the bright light of a desk lamp, I finally moved the lid.
Inside, I found not so much - two envelopes, one of which bore the uncle's name and address, and the second was signed simply "Sherlock", and twisted, sometimes fused mechanism of unknown destiny that looked very old. Twisting it in his hands and did not come to any conclusion, I decided to start with envelopes.
First, I started to read the letter, I designed it. Uncle fine handwriting was already familiar to me:
"Dear Sherlock, dear boy!
I very much hope that the first person who will read this letter, I will be myself, when I return even with kakimito the news of his journey. If a miracle does not happen, and you read, then let me explain what prompted me to do so, and not otherwise, and give koekakie tips and explanations.
First of all, I want to once again apologize for having left you alone, I hope that Emma good care of you.
So, to start, I'll tell you everything that I know myself that occupied the thoughts of your parents, and why they left you and went to the edge of the world.
George and Amanda were very enthusiastic people, resolute and bold, and as far as I remember them, have always considered the search for truth above all else. They have always worked without sparing themselves and others, many did not like them because of this and considered fanatics. But they were real scientists.
One day, when your father was engaged in cataloging the finds brought from Central America, he came upon a thing, he was struck strongly. It was a damaged piece of mechanism is very complex, very fine work. The museum, which belonged to the deal, it was not appreciated, considering a remake, and George was able to buy it for little money.
Your parents all the free time devoted to the study of this passage, they almost sick it. Having exhausted all available opportunities to study in place, they decided that simply must go to the place of discovery and the search for other pieces, it has become their obsession.
The expedition was privately, they did not manage to infect with their enthusiasm museum guide, therefore, in order to raise money, your parents had to go into debt and mortgaged the house.
You may be surprised, that for the sake of the ancient full of trifles they were willing to make such sacrifices, not to mention the fact that his only son was left, if not stranger, but still. This question wondered and I, and George told me about his surprising discovery.
The fact that this mechanism was even more ancient that someone could imagine. After several months of research, George and Amanda came to the conclusion that it is not less than five thousand years, and perhaps much more. You know what that means? At that time, when in place of the city is still running the bearded barbarians dressed in ragged skins, there was a civilization so advanced that she could create such a thing! It may not be less advanced than our present.
How could this be? What happened to her, where she had gone and why has not left behind any traces? There was no answer, he had to find it out there in the jungle.
When your parents did not return, nor in six months or a year, I finally stopped to wait and hope neither in five years. But one day, I received a package in which lay the same mechanism that started it all, and a letter from George's colleagues, Professor Steynvika. When I read it, I realized that I would have to go after his brother and his wife, and bring them home. No, I have not even wanted to see them live, a letter from a professor, I realized that there was no hope, but their remains were to find their final resting place in their native land.
So two days later I sail from Portsmouth to Panama, and from there to the local board'll move to the northwest, along the coast, the desired point mapped, which you will find in a letter to the professor.
Sherlock, if you are reading this letter, then I followed the path of the study of mechanics, as I had hoped. I have always been sure that it was this knowledge is not enough for your parents to solve the mystery that is hidden in this strange mechanism. And if you still do not make up your mind to go in their footsteps, then this skill will give you the opportunity to earn a decent living. In addition, I believe that this is the key to our future.
I'm sorry for everything, my boy, be happy.
Loving you, Jeremy's uncle. "
No, wow! This is what comes out, this thing five thousand years? Again I picked up a strange mechanism. In general, I am fully aware of the museum guide, who refused to take this thing for antiquity, t
he mechanism was too fine workmanship, the undamaged parts of it were made with amazing skill and decorated with engraved patterns and letters of the alphabet are not known to me. And the picture was so small that its application was clearly full of tools to be used, such as a microscope, or, at worst, a magnifying glass.
Shrugging, I again postponed the mechanism and opened the second envelope. Handwriting this time was determined, chopped, letters - almost square. The letter itself was short.
"Dear Mr. Brown!
My name is Benjamin Steynvik, I am a professor of natural history, archeology, and, in the past, a colleague of your brother, George Brown.
With this letter, I am sending you a thing, previously owned by George and bought back by me on the native market in Belize. The man who sold it, said that it was found by local hunters in the foothills south of the city. In addition to this subject have been found and other things, items of clothing and equipment, but they too were affected by dampness and time.
That the object belonged to your brother, do not be the slightest doubt, I myself sold it to George for more than five years ago. I consider it my duty to bring him back to you, as the only relative of the deceased.
I offer my sincere condolences. "
- to offer you the quest "ends of the earth!".
- Terms quest - to get to Belize City and find out about the other things found belonging to George and Amanda Brown.
The award - the continuation of the quest chain experience, (10000).
Penalty failure - automatic failure of the quest "Mystic expedition."
Accept the quest?
Accept.
It turns out that hope, all the same, no. It is unlikely that George and Amanda would have thrown in the middle of a jungle thing, because of which they crossed the ocean. Well, nevertheless, there is still a chance to save his uncle, until time has passed not too much.
Tension eased a little, suddenly fell upon a terrible sleepiness. Having decided to postpone further thoughts on tomorrow, I am pleased undressed and stretched out on the cool sheets. But instead of a long-awaited dream, it's a vague anxiety and the feeling forgotten chegoto not brought to an end. Tossing a few more minutes in a vain attempt to sleep, I threw a blanket, sat down and stared at the wall.
Named Sherlock Page 64