Labyrinth of reflections by Sergei Lukyanenko Page A

your visit briefly.
    Ah well…
    – I'd like to relay to Mr Guillermo Aguirre that I'm informed about the small problem that have arisen recently and about the fact that divers cooperating with you had failed to solve it. I'm going to offer my services in solving this problem.
    The secretary nods.
    – One moment please.
    She stands up without a hurry and enters one of the inner doors. I wait patiently. Everything is very cute and patriarchal: no computers, no monsters. It's not the office of the most expensive and dreadful ride in the history but a small toilet paper sales firm.
    The girl is away for long, I get tired of standing and sit into one of armchairs, browse through newspapers scattered on the nearby table. It's quiet and peaceful, no other visitors except me, though they in fact are present most likely. We just can't see each other and they communicate with other company's employees.
    – Mister…
    – Gunslinger, – I say standing up. – Call me Gunslinger.
    The girl nods.
    – Mr Guillermo Aguirre will receive you.
    Slight curiosity in her voice, it looks like she had no idea that any problems might arise in "Labyrinth".
    I enter the door and freeze.
    This is beautiful.
    The hall is in the form of unequal sided triangle, one wall is completely transparent and one can see the city from the big height, lighted by red sunset light. Not Deeptown but Twilight City most likely. The table of "Labyrinth"'s security manager, Mr Guillermo is horseshoe-shaped, three monitors are installed on it, a keyboard and nothing else. Mr Guillermo himself already rises to meet me, he's aged, lean, very suntanned, dressed in blinders and T-shirt.
    – Hello, – he says stretching his hand to me first. – So you are the Gunslinger, yes? Call me just Willy.
    Okay, let it be Willy.
    I shake his hand.
    – You said so interesting things, yes? About problems, divers, help…
    – Willy laughs and waves his hands, – Boom! Boom! That help?
    Very interesting interpreter program, the strong accent, parasite words like Guillermo speaks Russian himself. One starts feel different towards the guy immediately.
    – Let's be honest, okay? – I offer. Willy-Guillermo knits his brow and nods. – I'm diver.
    – Yes?– inquires Willy politely – And what is that?
    I smile in return and say:
    – I think that your Ukranian and Canadian employees would explain that to you quicker. I mean the divers working on permanent contract with you.
    Willy looks at me silently for a long time, then nods:
    – I thought that Anatol is Russian. He's Ukranian?
    Yeah, Man Without Face is informed much better than "Labyrinth"'s security manager.
    – These are just details.
    – Take a seat Gunslinger… – Willy moves an armchair to me then pads to the window looking at the city poured by blood colored blaze, – So, you're diver?
    I nod.
    – This is very interesting. Unusual! – Willy raises his forefinger, – Everybody look for divers, everybody have requests, business, questions… you came to us by yourself.
    I stay silent.
    Willy turns around and looks at me.
    – You have a nice suit Gunslinger, – he says, – It'd be good to add… a small cap to it. A small gray cap.
    I see. A simple test.
    – Vika…
    Willie smiles: it's the same little trick as was done by Man Without Face, I'm cut off from my operating system, I could expect that type of surprise.
    Abyss-abyss, I'm not yours…
    It turned out that my head is aching badly. Must be the beer…
    I took off the helmet, grabbed the mouse, launched 'Bioconstructor', hastily opened the 'Clothing' window, then 'Headgear', found something looking like beret or cap. Then I filled it with steel gray color and hooked it on my figure, person number seven, Gunslinger…
    deep Enter Beret is on my head. I'm not sure whether it's what Mr Aguirre wanted or not but he looks satisfied.
    – We value the divers' work. – says Willy. – But our permanent employees quite manage it. We need time, small. We'll