Читать книгу Antakarana. Quest in Reality - Татьяна Шуклина - Страница 6

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A few minutes later, the plane is landing. Then everything happens extremely quickly. The glossy lady takes my suitcase, assuring that she will return my things safe and sound at the end of the Game. I am allowed to take with me only identity documents and one item that will remind me of home. I choose a notebook in a luxurious leather cover and my favorite pen – the presents from my father for the twenty-fifth birthday. I’m used to carry them with me and periodically make notes, if suddenly, in the middle of a working day, I am flashed by some kind of guess about the quest task, over which I had been puzzling untill midnight. Sometimes I just like to write down my thoughts in a notebook.

One of the ninja accompanying us approaches and without a single word puts a device similar to a large medical syringe without a needle to the right side of my neck, closer to my forearm. Zhang Kiang explains:

«A coordinator will be placed in your shoulder, no reason to be alarmed.»

«A gamer with a built-in GPS, what a great idea,» I joke grimly.

«You can put it this way, too,» my companion responds indifferently.

Her presence gives me more and more discomfort. The woman gets on my nerves, frightens, pisses me off with her detachment and facial expressions devoid of all emotions.

Our plane lands safely. I am so lost in thoughts about this strange day and how differently I imagined it, that I forget to be scared. When we finally stop, Zhang Kiang turns to me:

«Well, all formalities have been met. In less than an hour, the plane with all participants will head to the Location. On board you will be offered a warm lunch, drinks and additional instructions.» After a short pause she adds:

«Miss Larina, you look extremely sloppy. Let me fix your hair.»

My first impulse is to jump up, push her away and, perhaps, even be rude. But Zhang Kiang is quicker: she deftly removes the elastic that secures my ponytail, straightens the long dark hair, and then pulls it back into a bun. At this moment, the Glossy Lady bends down to my ear and whispers softly, almost with her lips alone. And yet I clearly catch her words:

«Don’t trust anyone. Follow the instructions carefully. This is your only chance.»

Then she walks away abruptly. The pumped up ninjas turn their turtle heads in our direction.

«Thank you.» I try to hide my surprise.

Zhang Kiang only nods indifferently in response.