Напряжение / Voltage: Глава 14

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In the shade of a tall gazebo on a well-kept lawn a fierce battle was brewing between a small grey-striped kitten and a thin spike of weed. Teeth snapped on the opponent's neck, and clawed paws broke his backbone, but the insidious enemy attacked again and again, offensively tickling his nose. Neither rolls on the grass nor cunning throws from under the cover of the mistress's knees helped, and even the menacing howl did not frighten the enemy - the more worthy was the victory!

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 08:45

The other side of the stalk was also actively cheering on the striped fighter but was in no hurry to give in, playing with great pleasure with the little foundling. It was at least a dozen minutes before Daddy arrived anyway. Nika glanced involuntarily at her watch, letting the kitten cling to the stalk.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 08:46

"You've won, you've won, come here," she scooped up the still-unsuccessful pet and put him on her lap.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 08:47

The kitten was not a pedigree - not at all. He was just a mice catcher cat, of which there were many in all towns and villages. If Nika had wanted a cat and told her father about it, she would probably have had a Persian or a Siam with a pedigree like an average Aristo and a price of a hundred thousand at home. All the same, she was in a position to oblige - what if some guests or friends asked her to come home, and here she had a misunderstanding for a nickel a bucket? It wasn't nice. But Nika wasn't going to get anyone.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 08:48

It was just that during the involuntary wait, while the lyceum guards were patiently waiting for representatives of her family to hand her over, a scrawny, shabby, terribly hungry squeaky miscreant emerged from behind the station pillar and, for some reason, chose her as a mistress. And the animal was not deterred by the frown of the security guard, who aimed his rifle at the intruder. In vain, by the way - his finger was already selecting the slack trigger acting according to instructions. There was no telling what could be under the guise of a harmless animal, from a contact poison on the fur and a virus inside the body to a compact charge - it wouldn't kill but damage. It's easier to waste a round.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 08:52

Realizing what was about to happen, it was completely spontaneous. A stern, "He's mine!", indifference on the attendant's face and a trembling, angular calf under her arm. There are no fools to shoot the property of an aristocrat, even if she is a child. But the trouble from 'property' is now also personally hers.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 08:53

And so the cat named Tiger appeared in the mansion, having roused about a dozen people during the first hours of his stay there - to clean, to vaccinate, to feed, to find a collar, to trim his claws, to introduce him not as food, but as a full-fledged resident to the local dogs. And then she could sit down in the shade of the gazebo, waiting patiently for her Daddy. The question that had plagued Nika all week, but could not be resolved over the phone, was waiting to be answered.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 08:54

Alas, Daddy had no time to come so far away, and the Lyceum regulations forbade traveling on one's own. Even on holidays, they were reluctant to leave. Watching the bustle of the guards it was easy to see why. Every trip to the Capital was a full-fledged military operation. After the zoo, the guards were even on their ears. How? Under their noses, and someone else's gifted and almost killed ... In general, the existence of the boy-who-never-was recognized. They didn't want to. They really didn't, but then someone hit the plane with a lightning bolt. Someone suspiciously similar to the descriptions of the fosterlings.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:11

A formal apology to the night runners ensued. Nika wasn't complaining - she'd grown a little stronger for doing the difficult Vow. The boys, still glowing with black eyebrows, were not so sympathetic, but they accepted the apology nonetheless. Worse for them, the gift loves Nobility.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:12

Nervous conversations between the lyceum management and parents passed her by, but rumor has it - the phone was not silenced for a minute. The parents of the students had great respect for the host and did not raise any complaints at all. Just expressed mild concern.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:13

The smarter ones were concerned about the children's categorical non-interference in the investigation process. The children are alive and well. And we should preserve that state of affairs without becoming valuable witnesses. A downed plane and its search are other people's problems, and it is very desirable to be away from them. Especially when the searchers catch the saboteur by the tail because, on the other side of the tail, there may be someone much more toothy than the searchers.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:15

The less farsighted reflected on what had already happened, worrying about the health of their dupes and trying hard to keep from saying, "What am I paying you such crazy money for?!" Because even the most scandalous knew perfectly well that you can yell at Prince Dolgoruky exactly once in your life. If only there had been someone easier on the other side of the line... But someone easier would not have been trusted with their children.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:16

But the Old Families, for some reason, trusted the most common school. This greatly surprised the young heiress.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:17

A visit to one of her family's factories was still fresh in her mind - huge, full of the noise of machinery, soaked in the smell of metal and machine oil, the leisurely bustle of huge but very kind uncles watching her timid steps through the long, seemingly endless halls and passages with tenderness and care. When her Daddy told her that for the next three years, everyone around her would be working so that she could study. This shocked the little girl far more than some boring numbers whose value she did not yet understand at the time. Nika promised herself that she would only do well in school - not even to her Daddy, but to the shop stewards, who stood respectfully at a distance. And so far she had kept her promise. So why the sacrifices when the Old Families could get by in a regular school?

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:20

Daddy said they couldn't keep her safe in the city, and studying at home was not the same as being surrounded by her equals. Daddy, frightened of bad people wanting to harm the family, told her how good it would be for her at the Lyceum. He could have said nothing - his daughter was not going to argue. Everything seemed perfectly clear - the strong families studied separately, setting up their schools for themselves and their allies. Those who were weaker, or used to keep to themselves, paid the Very Strong Clan to educate their children. Its job was to make the most of the training so that years of hard work of good people would not go in vain.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:22

Until the events of the past week, she had not questioned this state of affairs - indeed, many clans had their own schools and even competed with the Lyceum in annual competitions. So what were these 'Old Families' and why were they ignoring the established order?

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:23

Nika has never considered her family to be weak. The Yeremeevs, of course, does not sound as euphonious as the Romanovs or the Orlovs, and there are not thousands of years of history behind them. But those centuries counted neatly within the family, looked quite glorious and dignified, and were filled with the achievements of the ancestors and great victories. And there lurked in the depths of the centuries a little trickery, thanks to which the family was as strong as the strongest families in the country. There was no mention of this in the family chronicle, but one evening, in front of the fireplace, slightly groggy from a good deal, her father told her how long ago a brave great-great-grandfather ... many times an ancestor in the storming of another stronghold rival stole himself a beautiful bride and managed to fall in love with him. Thus the blood of an ancient Eastern dynasty was infused into the then quite ordinary clan of royal squires. And if Nika looked in the mirror, she would surely see her distinctive facial features. The enterprising ancestor had also stolen the Power of the Blood, as he had none of his own.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:26

And then their son brought a bride from a distant campaign, on the advice of his father taking the main value from the ruined palace of the enemies, while the other fools were clinging to useless gold and gems... At that moment, his father averted his eyes and added with embarrassment - somehow, it even became a tradition... A mere druzhinnik from Moscow was not equal to Princes and Noble Boyars. Who would have given him his daughter? So they made it out by their charm, care, and affection, capturing the hearts of foreign princesses. Because without reciprocity, everything would end up as a pile of ashes around a melted coat-of-arms badge.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:28

Of course, things were different with Dad and Mum, the clan had gained strength, and there was no need for secret abductions. Nika sincerely believed this.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:28

Anyway, their blood is certainly not weaker! All right, this boy may be richer. So what? At least she could burn him and the tigers. Except she couldn't burn him without the tigers. And she couldn't burn the tigers without the boy. Even the fence would have been damaged. Too much power clan had gained from the Oriental beauty and multiplied it considerably. So why is this insolent boy an Elder Family and they are not?! Why was he allowed to learn among ordinary children? Not that she really wanted to, but the very fact!

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:31

Nika could tell by the bustle of the servants, the echoes of which reached the garden in the backyard, that her father had arrived. It would take five minutes for the duty report, the washing of hands, and a refresher. Nika generously allotted another three minutes for her father to rest, and the blessed silence filled with the crunch of fresh newspapers and the scent of coffee, and then she headed into the house, cradling the foundling in her arms asleep to her chest. It was about time for a single question - his father was not yet in the mood to read and was quite complacent.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:34

"Dad, what is an Elder family?" she said cautiously, suddenly wincing.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:35

There were greetings, the traditional compliments to the growing young beauty, polite questions about work and no less polite answers, the same general questions about studies and a mirrored, "All is well". Even the kitten was introduced - as it was, without waking up and graciously accepted as a new toy. There seemed to be a silence, after which the newspaper and the father should have been reunited, and the daughter should have tactfully left the office, but... the question was still raised.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:38

Sergei Olegovich Yeremeev looked intently at his daughter, slightly rejecting the newspaper with which he had already shielded himself from the world.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:38

"It's just that they say that the boy from the zoo - he's from an Elder family..." is completely lost on the girl.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:45

"Who says?"

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:45

"Pasha Oginsky, his dad told him."

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:46

"Did you relay his words to anyone? Discussed?"

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:46

"No! Of course not."

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:47

"Good," the frowning father nodded his thoughts. "It's better to listen than to talk or ask questions in such conversations. It's even better not to participate at all."

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:48

"I get it. I'm sorry," Nika grimaced, getting ready to leave.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:48

"Wait, my daughter," Yeremeev senior stopped in a warm voice, putting the newspaper aside. "You heard the plane was shot down, didn't you? Claiming that someone from an Elder family did it automatically accuses the country's strongest clans of crime. There aren't many of them, my dear, and they are very careful about what they say. Such talk, even in a half-whisper, is not our level."

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:49

"So the Elder family is better than us?" Nika determined the most important thing, getting very upset for some reason.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:50

She was well aware that there were much more powerful families, but in this case, instead of the faceless image of a dozen people, she saw a definite boyish face. And so she wanted, childishly, to be at least as good.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:13

Sergei Olegovich chewed his lips and looked at his heiress with a different look - as if deciding whether to say more or just to make a routine soothing remark: of course, we are not worse, but there are bigger fish in the ocean than we are...

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:14

The words were replaced, however, by the sound of a bell, which summoned an eager servant who leaned respectfully towards his lord for an order. The command was inaudible to Nika, accompanied by a smile on her father's face and a look of concerned surprise that broke through the servant's mask of polite indifference.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:15

"Let's wait," said the head of the family, turning back to the newspaper and then saying: "You can keep a secret, can't you?"

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:15

"Of course," assured her daughter, taking a seat on the edge of one of the chairs against the wall of the office.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:15

The wait was long, almost half an hour. After a cryptic report that everything was ready, her father offered to go into the next room, asking her to take the awake and willing kitten to play with him. Nika was slightly worried about the fate of the striped kitten, but her upbringing did not allow her to doubt her father's actions.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:16

She looked at the familiar surroundings of the spacious living room, decorated with portraits of her ancestors, two sofas on thin legs, and a coffee table between them. She could not understand why she had been asked to enter first, and her father had pushed the servants away from the door, closing it personally behind him. But the kitten realized that, in the blink of an eye, it flew from her arms and reached the corner of the room with a lightning bolt. There was an abrupt squeak and an immediate cut-off. Almost immediately, the little feline predator emerged victorious from behind the sofa, clutching a tiny mouse in its teeth, which it immediately laid at the feet of its mistress, crouching beside her and clearly begging for affection.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:18

"Good job," Nika stroked the kitten between the ears, a little embarrassed.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:18

"Man is helpless when he is born," his father said with a teacher's intonation, coming out from behind him. "But the beast is able and willing to hunt. Leave the man in the forest, and he dies. Beast - survives and will continue its kin. Evolution has given them a generous gift, bestowing upon them through the blood the experience of their ancestors, their skills, and their cautiousness. We got something, too," Dad smiled ironically.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:19

Nika looked questioningly at her dad.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:20

"I'm not talking about color vision, the ability to walk on two legs or a thumb. I'm talking about something inherent in the aristocracy and inherited along with the Gift. The Power of the Blood is a great gift, isn't it?"

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:21

"Yes," said Nika, taking the kitten in her arms, who was about to play with the dead mouse.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:22

"But how wonderful it would be to have the experience of the ancestors, their knowledge and skills, their tricks and ruses, eh? A cherished, unattainable dream for many. And also what makes an Elder family an Elder family," his voice hardened, losing all shade of dreaminess.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:23

"What?" Nika rounded her eyes.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:23

"Money, power, weapons - it's all rubbish. Generations are changing, degenerating from affluent idleness. Advances in science overthrow the old ways, making the wealthy clans destitute and depriving them of power and influence. Synthetic rubber - and now ghost towns stand extinct. Nitrogen mining from the atmosphere - and whole dynasties are thrown on the side of history. Where would they go? The rest of the world is already divided. A new industry is already under someone else's thumb. The younger generation is only capable of pulling old men into war. And war has already changed - the new weapons equate the common man with the gifted. And only the Elder families, at all times, in all eras, are always on the crest of the wave. The experience, the will, the cunning, the assertiveness, the vitality of the ancestors will keep them on top, no matter what discoveries are made, no matter how the world changes.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:26

"Of course, not everything is inherited," Dad corrected himself. "But what is passed on to their children is enough to survive in even the wildest of forests. In turn, without the need for daily survival and with the proper education, a different kind of creature grows up, far more dangerous and powerful. They already know what a normal person has to learn all his or her life. Based on their ancestors' experience, they can do anything more easily. They are difficult to deceive, extremely cruel, vengeful, and dangerous. But they are still beasts, my dear. Beasts in elegant tuxedos and expensive cars."

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 10:28

"But he didn't seem bad to me..." With bewilderment, Nika voiced her thoughts aloud, remembering the generous gesture of the ice cream that had been handed out.

Camrad_RIP 18.03.23 в 09:52