Named Sherlock

by Bagatur Zhamkochyan

  So, stop! Nuka, that there was a system message, which I turned, hurrying quickly examine the contents of the safe deposit box? Opening the logs, I again, this time slowly and carefully re-read the last system message. Yeah, the experience gave, well, at least as it is written. And where, in fact, my active skill and charm? What's that for consumer fraud?

  So, apparently, I do not have to sleep tonight. Apparently, this ancient, half-melted and sometimes green with a piece of copper, is my amulet. That's just it does not work.

  I again began to consider the ill-fated chip. No, it is simply impossible to restore it! If you do not know what this twisted, sometimes even as if the fragment was initially chewed, then it can be done as a result of anything. What do I do with it?

  And then I remembered uncle's letter in which he said that the knowledge of mechanics can be useful to uncover the mystery that defy my parents. It's not just uncle's suggestion does! I cheated the reality of this world, all the while forgetting that he lives, all the same in other people's laws, and what I may seem a mere coincidence, in fact, is a hint that I should see, understand and use.

  So, what I can tell this chip, what secrets it holds?

  I tried to peer at it closely as possible, both looked at objects hidden properties which wanted to see. But to my surprise, I saw nothing - no names of objects or its properties, or even the minimum requirements for its recognition. Further efforts yielded nothing, I just felt a burning sensation under his eyelids and growing headache.

  But what the hell! What if I do not have enough skills, or just in this fragment does nothing mysterious, and my uncle was wrong. I irritably tossed it aside, little calculating power. One plaintive clinking, banged against the wall, and rolled away under the bed.

  So, stop! What am I, after all, I am making? This unfortunate piece of the mechanism is not to blame for the fact that I'm angry, frustrated and want to sleep. Sighing, I reached under the bed.

  Sleep finally passed. Spinning the chip in hand, I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at him without a single thought in his head. It is interesting all the same, what is it? Indeed, no matter what it does not. Apparently kogdato, the entire mechanism is covered with irregularly shaped casing which is partially retained on one side. If we assume that the device is symmetrical, so that's completely rounded as preserved land, what could it be? Chyato small head? An Apple?

  I tried to visualize warped and melted springs and gears intact, but the imagination refused. Closing his eyes, he sat for a moment, trying not to think about nothing.

  And now again. Here is our unfortunate - fused with one hand in a single monolith, mangled, crushed ruthlessly destroyed. What could have happened to it, was once beautiful, a model of the mechanical arts? I suddenly felt a strange pity, as though he saw not just the assembly of copper components, and patients suffering from a living being.

  And suddenly something changed, I clearly saw hanging in a vacuum mechanism. He was the same, and the same time - disappeared patina on the eyes disappeared scratches, dents dealt. We began to appear missing parts, they were ghostly, translucent, like phantom and real at the same time, with a close fit to the real and clearly with them were one.

  Only a few tens of seconds, and before my mind's eye was no longer twisted shard, and clearly the whole thing. His form was very familiar to me, but I could not believe what he saw. Really, it's ... heart?

  And as if to confirm my assumptions, for it suddenly ran the wave of shivers, kakihto twitch and it's beating, beating, beating now, the human heart. Mechanical heart, covered with patches of light copper casing, through its absence, ghostly half I saw the movement of the gear and rods, ripple springs. Completely artificial, and in the meantime - the living.

  In this there is a secret, for which I studied mechanics? To understand what the ancient people were not just my contemporaries are equal in skill, and much superior to them?

  Representation, meanwhile, has not yet ended. I realized that the process did not run, and I can only fascinated to watch as around rhythmically beating heart, there are all new and new details add up in such a recognizable silhouette - snarling mouth with dozens of sharp teeth, powerful paws, equipped with long claws, small, relatively the body size of the wings, which are contrary to the laws of aerodynamics were holding a massive body in the air.

  Mythical beast that did not exist in the real world, sung by bards and storytellers, the keeper of the countless treasures and the thief princesses, then, for some reason, made of springs and gears, His Majesty, the dragon. He craned his neck, opened the mouth in a silent roar, eyes lit sinefioletovym light.

  - but inside it neonka - apparently in shock, totally out of place I remembered. Dragon eyes, that would be very formidable, if not half a meter size, flared up even more, their glow suddenly became unbearably bright, flooded all around, then faded. With him gone, and the dragon itself.

  And suddenly, from a dull black, like the surface of dark pond began to fish out of the picture. They flashed before my eyes, immediately replaced by new ones, over and over again, before I had time to consider something. Kakieto tree, green, laughing, tanned to blackness face, greens again, masonry, sky, suddenly living kakogoto home, again a solid wall of trees, the sky again, then suddenly the mountain, like a bird's-eye view, a huge snow-white plate, bathed chemto red, and suddenly, the face of a smiling red-haired woman.

  - Mama! - I flashed only for a moment, but I do not doubt for a moment - this is it. Not thinking about anything, I eagerly began to peer into all continue to be replaced by a picture with a vague hope, but the images flashed faster and faster, now they alternate with such speed that I can not discern a continuous kaleidoscope of colorful hodgepodge of spots. But I stubbornly refused to look away, it seems to me, even chutchut, and the truth is revealed, you just need to keep looking.

  - Sherlock, Sherlock ... - his voice came through the rustling of whirling around me of multi-colored spots. What bright - yellow, orange, red. Yes, it's the leaves! How loud they rustle ...

  - Sherlock, will you wake up?

  I opened my eyes. Curtains were open, the sun was right in the face. Near my bed was Donnie.

  - You know what time it is?

  - And that is? - his voice was like a stranger asleep.

  - For nine. If you're going to catch something today though, it's time to get up, sleeping beauty.

  - Yes, yes, I get up.

  Donnie, declaring that he had a lot of cases and it is necessary to have time to go with Marissa kudato before classes began, was gone. I slowly stood up, walked around the room. His condition was strange, a little buzzing in my head. Wow what a vivid and detailed dream, heart, dragon, mother ... By the way, where the chip? Well, yes, quietly lying on the table, between the lamp and the model "Duncan." So, just a dream.

  Mechanically I took him in hand, stared intently and almost dropped the surprise! I was now the subject of the name and properties. If you believe the information system, I was holding in my hand is not nothing but a "splinter dragon heart", which gave its owner to improve the reputation of any mechanical creatures, at least to a neutral, depending on the original.

  I frantically sat back on the bed. So, it turns out it was not a dream? And what's more is it? On the periphery of the line of sight Morgan viewed the system message window.

  - "you get the achievement:" Do automatons sheep mechanical removal "- you learned to see the true essence, the mechanism of the soul. The ability to open - mehanoempatiya one (1) ".

  system Help

  - Mehanoempatiya - a skill that provides access to the "memory" of the mechanism, and in the case of interaction with high-level mechanisms to their emotions. Raising the level of skill of ownership makes some chance to influence the volitional expression of mechanical beings, and related activities.

  I appreciated the joke, but otherwise ichego not understand, read again. Text as a whole was clear, but the general sense of slipping away. Am I able to understand the mechanisms of emotion
s? Influence their desires? What heresy? What emotions and desires they may have? It's just a brass housing, inside which just gears and springs!

  Although ... I suddenly calmed down. It's a game, and then its laws if it would be the creator willed, intelligent could be animals, birds, but at least kettles!

  And by the way, this is what comes out, I launched last night at this ability, while examining a piece of mechanism? It turns out, nothing to complain about, all the conditions are met, and I've got charm, and ability. Incidentally, it is worth checking how it works. I hope that I will not have to cut down each time after use.

  Once again, I looked into the heart of the dragon twisted, trying to see it for what it was once was. Fortunately, this time things got a lot more fun, practically right in front of me stood a vague, translucent paintings. They slowly dissolve into one another, the place becomes, the brighter, the more transparent, almost to extinction. Consider something it was difficult, but it is better than at night, when they were bright and clear, but flashed a furious pace.

  It remains to them now only three. At first he had seen me already frozen solid carpet image jungle from a bird, but rather the dragon flight. Among the array of green I was able to see kakieto knowledge, small but clear geometric shapes. The second picture showed me again bloodstained altar of white stone. The victims could not be seen, just shining like a piece of refined sugar, the rock on which fresh, red blood looked somehow even, in his own way, beautiful. On the third - the mother looked at me. This is precisely the way I remembered it - young and beautiful. Only in this picture she was tanned, cheerful, smiling happily and carefree. I have never seen my mother that smile.

  I opened my eyes, the mood was spoiled. Why was it necessary to make my virtual parents a copy of this? In order to motivate more? But I'm so ready to go all the way ... Oh, how I would like to ask this question to the one who started all this, and even better - to get him to respond.

  As for svezhepriobretennoy skill is of little practical use in it I have not seen. See a couple of pictures of the "memory" of the mechanism, from his past that in this sense? That is to manage it, it is useful, but just not sure I have time so that improve the skill.

  Okay, sit here and you can suffer for a long time, and things are not waiting. And this suit! Damn him.

  Quickly dressed and quick snack, I jumped out of the house. Pay much attention to this question I did not want, so I decided to just go to the huge store ready-made clothing, which was once, while still living in a shelter, I bought maid. I remember there was a department with costumes for masquerade or chegoto like.

  At this time, arrogant salesman who was once poured me cold, was courtesy itself:

  - Please, sir! How can I help you?

  - Do you have costumes?

  - Oh, sir! If you come a little earlier, say, a couple of months ... It could be time to make any costume you, according to your desire.

  - I have a couple of months now you have even chtonibud?

  - Yes, that's just it. No one came, a little.

  The man pointed at the mannequin in the corner, dressed in a pirate costume - gold-embroidered waistcoat, starched ruff, hat with an ostrich feather lush, red silk sash at the waist. In principle, the beautiful costume, only in doubt that the pirates really well dressed. Complete with a tight-fitting dark green leggings, it's more like a suit of a tropical parrot.

  So, like my height, shoulders mannequin seemingly not too wide.

  - packaging, take!

  - A measure? - astonished eyes widened seller.

  - No time packaging.

  Five minutes later, with a shudder paying suit almost 3 gold simply unimaginable money by my standards, I went outside. I had a continuation of yesterday's heroic feat - the next shopping trip. Now, however, the procedure is greatly facilitated by the presence of a detailed list, a huge thanks to Mr. Murray!

  For everything it took almost five hours, it's just full of nightmare, I felt tired out horse. And praise to all the local gods, me opyattaki, did not have to drag yourself to the purchase, all the stores had their own delivery service. But my fatigue was not the biggest problem. The amount of money spent far more frustrating. And if the clothes, drugs, all sorts of pots, blankets and tents were not too expensive, then I gave up arms fortune. Ten rifles, six newest Colt revolvers, three shotguns with rifled barrel and a box of ammunition to all this. A feeling that I was going not in the expedition, and a small war.

  How many more will have to pay conductors ... By the way, and in fact should hurry, Mr. Murray has promised to send them today, and the time is already afternoon. It would not have turned out that the gentlemen have already arrived and are waiting.

  As a result, it was found that intuition did not fail me. Jerome, met me in the lobby, said that two unknown gentleman waiting in the living room. The news pleased me, because I wanted to get some rest, and eat it would not hurt. But the point is - first and foremost.

  Thanking butler and learn whether he has offered guests a drink, I walked into the living room.

  - Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Sherlock Brown, very glad to meet you.

  He shook hands with the guests, and find out what they really those whom said Mr. Murray, I began to talk about the upcoming expedition.

  - Wait, mister, we do not wonder for how the hell did you decide to go into the fucking jungle, your motives leave myself - I interrupted one of the men, Mr. Tennyson as he introduced himself. - you pay us money, we bring you to your destination and back again, with the full and unquestioning performance of any of our orders.

  - Will, when you have learned to be polite to the customers? Mr. Brown, our employer, should show a little respect - Mr. Tennyson's friend, whose name was Langdon, I liked him immediately.

  His open, pleasant face, with its smile - it all at once aroused sympathy, unlike his partner, whom I immediately felt the hostility. I peered intently. Well, yes, because I think the reputation of Mr. Tennyson - neutral, Mr. Langdon - friendliness. Q.E.D!

  - My job is not to be polite, and to make sure that no one died in this campaign - continued Mr. Tennyson. - Patrick said that you are going to Central America. You already know exactly where?

  - Yes, the city called Belize, south of it there kakieto mountains, I need to get to a point at their feet.

  - Clear. Well, a hell of a place you have chosen, I will tell you - the man frowned. - Okay, our terms - five gold per day, counting from the moment of arrival at the destination port. Road equipment, food - all at your expense. In the case of the death of someone else from us, pay compensation of one hundred gold family.

  Well, wow their prices! I must say, was a bit shocked and did not find the right answer. This is what comes out, I'll post three hundred gold for the services of these guys, if the expedition last month. And if more? And I also need to hire a few people on the spot, and another road ... About the way I forgot! How much it will fall to me? Damn it!

  - It seems that you are somewhat confused - with a smile said to me, Mr. Langdon. - I fully understand you, our service is not cheap, but believe me, it is better you just have no one to find, and it's not just empty words. If someone in this city and will bring you to the place and then get out of there in one piece, so it is - us.

  - Well? - Mr Tennyson was not as talkative.

  - Well, I agree - you would think I have a choice.

  Chapter 4

  The morning was wonderful! Sky, even on a night blue, was cloudless, the snow was shining diamond grit, full moon complement the landscape, which is fit to go to the picture, or at least, a postcard.

  Waking up with a surprisingly good mood, I have to celebrate, I pulled out from under the bed already slightly dusty dumbbells, which are not touched from the moment he received a fine for strength and endurance, poisoned elixir susceptibility. already the order of the parameters of my long time recovered so that shirk reasons there was no more time has passed.

  Doing exercises, I again remembered the
previous evening, the conversation with the gentlemen mercenaries. They upset me, of course, strongly. Not only is the requested just unreal money for their services, and even Mr. Tennyson, which I immediately did not like, the end of the conversation altogether began to cause a dull irritation, clearly perceiving me as extravagant sucker who climbs into the jungle on a whim and folly . And he did not even hide! And ask about the preparations for the expedition, and knew that and in what quantity purchased, asked how it seemed to me mockingly, who helped me with a choice. That I could not stand and lied that he did this, but to deceive me and not typical.

  Well, at least Mr. Langdon was on my side, knowing smile and playfully rolling his eyes in response to the next arraignment of Mr. Tennyson. And by the way, it was he, Mr. Langdon, told me where to go about buying tickets for the next ship to Panama. Fortunately, the train ride to Portsmouth will not have to do so, all can be arranged directly in Londinium. Actually, that's what I was going to go today to the masquerade, which to me, be honest, I did not really even want to go.

  Living for the night transformed - fireplace appeared hung with red velvet bags, embroidered with silver and gold thread, everywhere there were bouquets with branches kakihto unfamiliar trees or shrubs, studded with red berries.

  - Good morning, Mr. Brown, on the Day of the Year Changing of you.

  - Good morning, Marjorie, and you, too, on the Day of changing seasons.

  Asking the maid breakfast, I walked closer to examine the bags on the mantelpiece. Each of them was embroidered with the name - I found her, and everyone who lived in the house. Excellent! That is, these bags, in fact, the traditional Christmas socks for gifts. Not to forget the evening to fill them.