The captain was determined, but did not share what he recognized this man with his colleagues. He decided to visit him himself and talk to him. After all, the guy had a life-long light – and he had to give him the opportunity to prepare.
*******************
The captain easily found out where he lived, he compared the areas where they met with the areas of murder. I found some surveillance footage and went out to the cottages at Ozzy House, on the Seven Mountains.
The next day, in the evening, he decided to visit his friend. Now he knew his name. Thunder.
As luck would have it, it was already autumn, the weather was the most disgusting, chilly wind, low gray sky. There was no time for walks on the continent at this time of year.
The captain did not take the car on purpose, as he did not want to report to him in a police car.
He guessed that this girl with beautiful eyes would also be there. But he could not help it, he might have to separate them.
He walked past the concierge, asked to check everyone who entered, and not to tell anyone that there was a policeman here.
He went up to the third floor and knocked on the door.
– Who's there? – There was a bass rolling voice of Thunder.
“This is Captain Ulysses, friends. Please let me in. While on a friendly visit. – the captain's voice was from somewhere far away, but Mala and Grom looked at each other doom. It occurred to them that now, according to the recollections of that hipster-banker, they could make his composite sketch, but they hoped that he would not remember the face of his potential killer from how hard he had done it in his pants.
Thunder stood up to open the door. Mala held his hand. – We don't have to do this. He does not have permission to inspect our apartment. In the meantime, he will receive it, we may already be in the orbit of the moon.
– And then what, Mala? – Grom sighed sadly. He went to the door and opened it.
– Captain Ulysses? What are the fates? – the silent captain stood before him. His jacket was covered in raindrops, a cap on his head, and a hood on top of it.
– Mr. Thunder? – the captain's face was calm. But the decisive intonation in his voice betrayed his intentions.
– You can just Vermouth.
– May I come in?
– Yes of course. Welcome to our humble home.
The captain entered and looked around. On the floor lay a map of the Earth's solar system, and next to it there was another – which showed several suns. There were so many suns that it dazzled in the eyes – the captain counted ten, but I'm not sure if they were all.
– In general – let's get straight to the point, – began the captain, – you are going "home", right?
– It's not so captain….
“And you needed that damn death ring for that …
– Captain …
– Damn it, Vermouth! Was there no other way to get out of here?
Mala followed the dialogue of these two with all eyes. In her gaze, if someone now paid attention to her, sorrow and a sense of guilt were read. She felt like a hunted animal, which the hunter does not allow to go outside.
“Apparently it wasn't, Captain.” Thunder sighed and sat down on the arm of the sofa.
– Do you understand that I have to arrest you? – the captain was clearly upset. It was obvious that he was worried, but why? Why did he care about the fate of this man? Perhaps because he saw that despite the fact that he was a murderer, he was much better than many who roamed the city, country, planet freely?
– For this, you first have to catch me. – Thunder looked with his clear sad eyes, straight into the eyes of the captain. There was no challenge or audacity in them, only sadness.
“Do you think I’ll have a problem with this?” – the captain was beginning to get angry. But not against Thunder, but against himself, because he did not want to arrest him at all.
“It's not that easy captain.
– In general, Vermouth, you can come to the police with a confession and I can plead for a commutation of the sentence.
“It won't, Captain.
Captain Ulysses suddenly realized that the conversation was over.
CHAPTER 7
When Captain Ulysses left Mala and Grom's apartment, everything in their house somehow immediately turned gray and gloomy. Both understood that now the time for a carefree life had passed. In the near, very soon, they will have to leave their nest on the Seven Mountains and hit the road. Both understood, but to talk about it – neither she nor he had the strength.
Mala, watching Thunder mechanically, as if on autopilot, makes coffee and leaves, closing herself in her room – passing by and not even looking at their bedroom – began to collect things in silence. No, she was not going to leave him! She just wanted to be ready if they suddenly needed to run away at breakneck speed. At any moment, a whole police squad could be under the windows of the house, it depended only on the captain's conscience. How much time will he give them? That was the question.
Thunder left the room only in the morning. Without saying anything or explaining, he threw to Male: "Get ready, we are leaving" and went into the bath to take a shower. When Mala said that she had everything ready, she read from his face that he was pleasantly surprised.
They went outside, got into the car – there was no police nearby. Thunder pressed on the gas, and they rushed through the empty streets of the city. It was five thirty in the morning. Mala didn’t ask where they were going, she didn’t care: “The main thing is to get out of this damn city,” she thought.
When they arrived, Mala recognized the place immediately. There was a ship here. A ship named after her. Little bird.
Thunder slowed down and looked at Mala.
– We've arrived – he said in an unusual conciliatory tone. There were kind notes in the voice. Later, Mala thought that all the creatures of the Universe, returning home, become kinder.
– But … – Mala convulsively fiddled with the handle of her bag.
– M? – Thunder answered all the same without a shadow of anger.
– But how are we? … After all, only seven people … Ritual …
Thunder suddenly embraced her and said:
– We'll try my love! – Tears flowed down Mala's cheeks, from his unexpected kindness, from the solemnity of the moment. From everything! She cried and said: “I'm with you! At least to the edge of the universe, I'm with you! ". The thunder stroked her, it seemed to him that he was no longer capable of anything else, because his woman was crying. But they both pulled themselves together. Suddenly the sun came out and Mala thought it was a good sign.
They went into the hangar. Thunder lit the light: suddenly thousands of lights around the entire perimeter of the room shone brightly, as if thousands of stars were flashing.
– Well, let's ride ?? – already almost cheerfully shouted Thunder. His voice echoed through the empty room.
Mala's breath caught in her throat. She was to become the first person to go on such a long journey. Apart from the pioneers from Earth who visited Severs in the distant 2036. But they have long been mixed with the locals – so that it was as if the first.
– What is the name of your totem? Grom asked suddenly.
– M? What? – Mala woke up from her thoughts.
– Totem? What do you call yourself turning into a cat? – he removed the protective covering from the ship – something like a canvas cloth.
– No way! I don’t name… ”Mala shouted, choking with the grandeur of the sight of their flying Dutchman.
– Well, you know, when the Russians sent animals, dogs into space, they called them Belka and Strelka. What will be the name of the first cat that will fly from Earth to Severs? – Thunder was unusually cheerful and spoke somehow ardently, with inspiration.
– I do not know! Mala shouted again and laughed.
`` Transform. '' Thunder almost ordered.
All internal "buzz" vanished as if by hand. The realization that she never told the truth to her beloved suddenly hit her over the head.
– What for? She backed away, as if he could force her to transform.
– I have never seen you transform. Let me have a last look at your Frog Princess!
– He said happily, smiling.
– Princess Frog? – Mala did not understand.
– An old earthly tale. Never mind.
Thunder glared at her, staring at her.
Okay. – Mala hugged herself with narrow arms, and suddenly, instead of a standing girl, in her place was a black cat, with a white tip on its tail – a light bulb.
The thunder was stupefied. He felt as if he saw the sacrament of communion, saw the earthly God or his resurrection.
He walked over to her and stroked her.
– Looking into the eyes of the animal, which was his girlfriend, he said, his words were full of tenderness:
– You understand everything?
– Meow. – Mala answered. And rubbed against him.
Thunder looked again at her, then at her tail, and suddenly a picture of two months ago came to mind. The day he shot that teacher.
– Mala, so you … you saw – he began to choke, but not from anger, but from chagrin.
Mala meowed pitifully, and began to hiss, then a bright spot appeared and she turned back. She was shaking a little, like every time after the transformation, but she immediately began to try to say something in her defense:
“I didn't want to tell you. You would not understand, I thought you would kill me if you find out … – she said through a shiver.
The thunder stood in silence.
– You thought I was a beast? – He said resentfully. Inherent only to people. This moment turned him into a person.
“I thought you were eliminating witnesses.
– But I loved you! – his resentment was even more reflected in his voice.
– I know, darling, let's forget about it. You will not leave me here, now … When we are on the verge of …
She bit her tongue. “From the greatest journey of our life.
The thunder exhaled. Tears appeared in his eyes.
– Of course I won't. Just begging, never, never lie to me again. He hugged her again.
– I promise! I promise darling, – Mala almost shouted with joy and began to squeeze him in her arms.
Thunder offered Mala his hand and they both climbed into the cockpit of the aircraft. The cockpit had two seats.
– It seems we met you two months ago…. Where did the two seats come from? – Mala joked, pretending that she was jealous.