Bats Out of Hell [antikvár]

Chapter One It was humid inside the small laboratory in spite of the window which was open contrary to all regulations. Outside the sun shone and, but for the absence of foliage on the trees surrounding the squat grey stone buildings which comprised the Midlands Biological Research Centre, one would have been forgiven for assuming that summer had already begun. Small birds twittered incessantly as they busied themselves searching for twigs and dry grass with »which to complete the building of their nests.- Rooks circled and cawed noisily above a line of tall elms. Another cycle of life had begun. The tall, fair-haired man in the long white coat moved away from the window and, ignoring the *no smoking* sign above the long table which supported several oblong glass ?ases, he lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, and slowly blew twin streams of smoke out through his nostrils. His handsome, tanned ^features wore a worried expression, his lips were a tight, bloodless line, his pale blue eyes focused on tlje end container. He drew even more fiercely on his cigarette, seemingly unaware of the attractive blonde girl who watched his every move intently. 7