lrh.villainyvictorious-第24部分

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sighed　deeply。　Madison　had　visions　of　being　part　of　a　break…in　that　would　bring　immediate　arrest。　There　was　only　one　way　to　handle　this。　As　a　PR　man　he　knew　how　to　wheel　and　deal。　He　would　offer　a　price　too　low。　They　would　leave　and　then　he　would　use　his　authority　to　argue　some　sense　into　Flick。　Maybe　bribe　him。
〃Well；〃　said　Madison　to　the　gray…haired　man；　〃I'm　afraid　we　can't　go　higher　than　twenty　thousand　credits。〃
〃Sold；〃　said　the　gray…haired　man　without　even　looking　at　the　other　two。　〃The　heirs　will　be　very　pleased。　The　papers　are　already　here。　I　will　fill　in　the　amount　and　you　can　stamp　them。〃
Madison　blinked。　Then　he　suddenly　realized　the　offer　was　about　four　hundred　thousand　dollars！
HE　HAD　BOUGHT　A　HAUNTED　TOWN…HOUSE！

Chapter　5

〃Jumping　ets；　are　you　smart！〃　crooned　Flick　as　they　rose　up　through　the　roof　and　flew　away。　〃Now　we　can　rob　the　place　without　any　watchman　even　sticking　their　noses　in。〃
〃Flick；〃　said　Madison；　〃we　OWN　the　place。〃
〃Makes　no　difference；〃　said　Flick。　〃My　dream　is　going　to　e　true！　Look；　I　got　the　box　and　a　four…foot　stack　of　directions　in　the　bargain。　Wow；　what　an　easy　break…in　this　will　be！　Oh；　man；　are　all　my　dreams　ing　true！〃
〃Flick…　…　〃
〃Oh；　leave　this　up　to　me。　You're　smart。　I　got　to　admit　that　now。　I　was　wrong：　a　murderer　can　have　brains　for　something　else　besides　nightmares。　Wow；　what　a　master　stroke！　Boy；　and　I　puzzled　and　puzzled　over　that　for　months　and　months！〃
〃Flick；　it's　sunset　and　I　think　we　ought　to　call　it　a　day。　I　got　to　get　up　early　in　the　morning　and　get　on　my　job！〃
〃Hey；　that　shows　you　why　you　should　leave　all　this　up　to　me。　Crime　works　best　by　night　and　you　ought　to　know　that。〃
They　had　leaped　up　into　the　sky　and　the　traffic　lanes；　strung　out　like　fireflies　in　the　dusk；　were　falling　behind　them。
〃Flick；　we　seem　to　be　leaving　the　towns。　Where　are　you　going？〃
〃Now；　don't　bother　your　head。　Just　because　you　got　one　bright　idea　doesn't　prove　you　know　enough　to　handle　everything　in　sight。　Just　relax　back　there。〃
〃Flick；　I　think。。。〃
〃Hand　me　a　sweetbun；　would　you？　They're　in　that　side　locker。　Have　some　yourself？'
A　vast　sea　was　on　their　left　and　they　were　speeding　along　the　coast；　a　greenish　surf　drawing　ribbons　of　foam　upon　the　sand　in　the　dimming　light。　Great　scarlet　clouds；　far　to　the　west；　were　catching　the　afterglow　of　the　sun。
Presently；　in　the　fading　twilight；　the　beaches　gave　way　to　cliffs　and　black　mountains　began　to　silhouette　against　the　stars。　Suddenly　Flick　pulled　his　throttle　back　and　pointed。
A　huge　ebony　bulk　lay　just　ahead；　sprawling　along　the　top　of　cliffs　that　fell　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　sheer；　to　the　sea。　Battlements　that　covered　acres　were　blacker　against　an　ink…dark　sky。
〃That's　the　Domestic　Confederacy　Prison；〃　said　Flick。　〃Two　hundred　miles　from　Government　City　and　two　miles　past　Hell　Nine。　My　brother　did　twenty　years　here　and　he　told　me　all　about　it。　It　used　to　be　an　Army　fort　that　held　a　million　men：　huge　underground　bunkers。　But　part　of　it　was　destroyed　by　an　earthquake　that　took　some　of　the　cliff　away　so　they　gave　it　to　the　'bluebottles。'　They　use　it　for　those　sentenced　to　twenty　years　or　more：　place　is　escape…proof；　so　they　ship　in　their　worst　ones　from　all　over　the　Confederacy。　There's　about　two　hundred　thousand　prisoners　there　and　they　never　see　the　light。〃　He　slid　Madison's　identoplate　into　a　slot　in　the　dash。
〃You　mean　we're　going　in　amongst　murderers？〃　said　Madison。
〃Oh；　you　kill　me；　Chief；　you　really　do。　Always　gagging　around。　You　don't　have　to　pretend　with　me。　I'm　your　driver；　remember？〃　Flick　snickered。　〃An　officer　of　the　Apparatus　squealing　like　a　little　girl　about　associating　with　criminals！　And　a　murderer　at　that。〃　He　thought　it　was　very　funny。　Then　he　sobered。　〃There's　their　call…in　light。　Now；　you　let　me　do　the　talking；　you　hear？〃
A　glaring　light　hit　them　from　a　battlement　and　then　went　off。　Four　bright　blue　lights　sprang　up；　bathing　a　courtyard　in　an　eerie　glow。
Flick　landed　and　they　got　out。　Two　〃bluebottles〃　approached　and　the　snout　of　a　gun　covered　them　from　a　high　turret。　Flick　showed　them　Madison's　identoplate　and　a　torch　glared　in　Madison's　face　as　they　pared　the　picture。　Surf　sounded　with　a　distant　boom　and　the　wind　moaned。
〃Take　us　to　the　warder；〃　said　Flick。
They　walked　across　the　gritty　courtyard；　through　a　rusty　door；　and　shortly　were　ushered　into　a　stone…walled　room　where　a　very　old　and　tough…faced　man　was　just　getting　his　jacket　on。　〃And　what's　so　urgent　that　you　e　here　at　night？〃　said　the　warder；　scowling。
Flick　held　up　Madison's　identoplate。
〃PR　man？〃　said　the　warder。　〃What's　that？〃
〃Parole　officer；〃　said　Flick。　〃Apparatus　parole　officer。〃　And　he　made　a　little　gesture　toward　the　two　〃bluebottles〃　that　had　followed　them　in。　The　warder　signalled　with　his　hand　that　the　escort　could　withdraw。
Flick　reached　into　Madison's　coat　and　drew　out　two　one…thousand…credit　notes　and　slid　them　into　the　warder's　palm。　It　was　a　year's　pay。
〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　the　warder。　〃A　parole　officer。　Anybody　special？〃
〃Lead　us　to　your　puter　consoles；〃　said　Flick。
The　warder　took　them　down　a　stone　passageway；　ushered　them　into　a　room　where　several　consoles　sat；　deserted　at　night。　He　waved　his　hand　in　invitation　and　left；　shutting　the　door。
Flick　took　off　his　mustard…colored　tunic；　rolled　up　his　sleeves　and　sat　down　before　a　keyboard　and　screen。
Madison　said；　〃Flick；　you've　GOT　to　tell　me　what　you　are　up　to　NOW！〃
〃Well；〃　said　Flick；　with　a　glance　to　make　sure　the　door　was　shut；　〃if　you　plan　a　robbery　you've　got　to　have　a　gang。〃
〃You　don't　need　a　gang；　Flick。〃
〃Now　listen；〃　said　Flick；　〃I've　dreamed　and　dreamed　of　having　my　own　gang。　I　never　had　the　means　to　break　one　out。　Now；　you're　not　going　to　spoil　it。　You　got　to　be　more　careful　of　dreams：　they're　fragile。〃　He　turned　to　a　pad　on　the　desk；　a　big　smile　beginning　to　split　the　horizontal　oval　of　his　face。　〃Oh；　man！　Am　I　ever　going　to　have　a　great　gang。　Now　I'm　going　to　make　a　list　of　absolute　essentials；　so　don't　you　interrupt。〃
He　began　to　write　and　Madison；　looking　over　his　shoulder；　read：

IDEAL　GANG

1　Female　for　a　footman　in　the　car　to　fool　with　and　feel　up　when　I　have　long　and　tiresome　waits。
5　More　drivers　for　getaway　and　loot　coaches　and　in　case　I　get　tired　driving。
3　Chefs　for　cooking　in　relays　24　hours　in　case　I　get　hungry　at　odd　times。
1　Sealer　to　climb　up　walls　and　open　windows　and　roof　traps　in　places　I　think　I　might　get　dizzy　or　my　shins　barked。
1　Purse　snatcher　to　get　keys　to　houses　and　opening　plates　to　avoid　making　noise　by　breaking　locks。
1　Electronics　security　expert　that　knows　all　about　security　systems　and　can　defeat　them。
1　Salesman　to　fence　loot　for　me　so　he　gets　caught　and　I　don't。
1　Good…looking　girl　to　dean　up　my　wont　because　I　hate　making　beds。　Ha。　Ha。
6　Whores　to　sleep　with　and　cook　for　the　rest　of　the　gang　so　they　leave　mine　alone。

He　chewed　the　end　of　the　pen　for　a　bit；　then　he　said；　〃Nope；　that's　it。　That's　just　about　right。　A　gang　right　out　of　my　dreams　for　sure。　Now　I'm　going　to　puter　out　ten　candidates　for　each　of　these　jobs；　then　I'll　get　the　warder　to　dig　the　applicants　out　of　the　old　bunkers　and　parade　them　and　I　can　select　the　absolute　top…best　criminals。　Perfection！〃
He　turned　to　the　console　and　shortly　the　screen　began　to　show　a　racing　blur　of　numbers；　names；　faces　and　records。　Flick　was　preselecting　categories　and　then　entering　them　by　number　in　on　a　side；　portable　puter　board。　Thousands　of　names　and　faces　were　pouring　through。
Madison　watched　dully；　wondering　how　he　was　going　to　stop　this。
No　master　at　operating　one　of　these；　Flick　occasionally　hit　a　wrong　key。　This　got　him　in　a　tangle　and　wrong　categories　flashed　up　while　he　tried　to　get　back。
〃Wait！〃　said　Madison；　suddenly　jarred　out　of　his　preoccupation。　〃What　on　Earth　is　that　category　you　just　passed？　Go　back　to　it。〃
Flick　did。　〃Circus　girls？　What　would　anybody　want　with　circus　girls？　All　they　ever　do　is　stand　around　and　show　off　costumes。　And　there；　look　at　the　crimes：　life　for　rolling　drunks。　That　type　of　criminality　is　NOT　dignified。　We're　not　rolling　drunks：　we're　in　the　house…robbing　business。〃
〃Wait；　don't　shift　categories　yet。　Some　of　those　carry　the　educated　symbol。　Does　it　say　any　of　them　were　ever　models？〃
〃What's　a　'model'？〃
〃Pull　the　printout　on　those　and　get　them　paraded　along　with　the　rest。〃
Flick　muttered。　He　hit　another　wrong　key。
〃Hey！〃　said　Madison。　〃There's　an　ex…Homeview　cameraman　doing　life　for　equipment　theft！〃
Flick　was　disgusted。　〃Look；　if　you're　going　to　put　together　another　gang；　go　over　to　another　console：　you're　getting　in　my　way。〃
Madison　approached　another　console　and　figured　out　how　to　operate　it。　He　got　to　work。

Chapter　6

Madison；　two　hours　later；　was　feeling　more　than　slightly　ill。　He　was　standing　in　the　ghastly　blue　light　of　the　prison　courtyard；　one　hand　on　the　airbus；　trying　not　to　vomit。　Naturally　fastidious；　he　feared　he'd　be　smelling　that　smell　for　weeks。
The　warder；　good　as　his　word；　had　paraded　ten　candidates　at　a　time　in　a　noisome　assembly　bunker　and　Flick　and　Madison　had　had　the　job　of　interviewing　each。　Between　them；　they　had　examined　480　prisoners。　They　had　selected　48。　They　had　been　cursed　luridly　at　the　last　by　the　432　luckless　ones　who　had　NOT　been　chosen。
And　here　came　the　fruits　of　their　interviews　after　being　handled　on　the　prison　rolls。　The　small　mob　was　being　prodded　forward　by　stingers　in　the　hands　of　guards。　Additional　〃bluebottles；〃　alert　with　guns；　walked　behind。
The　night　was　dark　and　the　courtyard　cold　with　wind　in　off　the　sea。　The　prisoners'　rags　were　blown　like　tattered　banners　about　their　filthy　limbs。　They　stank；　their　hair　was　matted；　they　were　thin。　The　fourteen　women　and　thirty…four　men　should　have　been　cowed；　but　they　were　not。
They　came　to　a　stop　in　the　sudden　glare　of　a　spotlight　on　the　wall。　They　had　not　been　outside；　some　of　them；　for　years。　They　looked　around　brazenly。　A　couple　of　them　barked　laughs　at　the　guards；　jeering　laughs。　Flick　and　Madison　had　not　chosen　convicts　who　looked　cowed。
The　warder；　walking　over　the　black　pavement　to　Madison；　heard　the　laughs　and　turned　around　and　glared　at　the　group。　Then　he　turned　back　to　Madison　and　pushed　papers　at　him　on　a　board　so　they　could　be　stamped。
〃I　hope　you　know　what　you're　doing；〃　the　warder　said。　〃The　people　you　selected　were　not　th