lrh.villainyvictorious-第25部分

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stamped。
〃I　hope　you　know　what　you're　doing；〃　the　warder　said。　〃The　people　you　selected　were　not　the　ones　I　would　have　picked　for　parole。　You　passed　over　many　a　bird　down　there　that　have　maybe　reformed。　Some　of　these　you　picked　are　probably　killers　we　never　got　the　goods　on。　Those　women　are　a　bad　lot…capable　of　anything。　I　think　they　fooled　you　with　their　looks。　But　you　guys　in　the　Apparatus　always　have　been　crazy。　We　pick　'em　up　and　you　turn　'em　loose。　The　government　pays　us　to　prevent　crime　and　pays　you　to　mit　it。　Funny　world。〃
Madison　handed　the　now…stamped　papers　back。
〃You　got　forty…eight　killers　there；〃　the　warder　said。　〃Don't　turn　your　back　on　them。　Good　luck。〃
He　walked　a　few　paces　toward　the　prison　doors　and　then　changed　his　mind　and　faced　the　tattered；　filthy　group　grinning　at　him　in　the　wind　and　spotlight　glare。　In　a　loud；　harsh　voice　he　said；　〃Listen；　you　bird　droppings。　If　any　one　of　you　show　up　here　again；　I'll　put　you　in　the　iron　box　and　down　in　the　darkest　hole　and　we　won't　even　bother　to　bury　you　when　you　die。　You'll　stay　free　only　as　long　as　this　Apparatus　officer　here　is　still　alive。　Your　papers　say　you　are　to　be　returned　here　any　time　he　says　so。　If　you　run　away　from　him；　a　warrant　goes　out　for　you　and　back　here　you　e。　You　belong　in　Hells；　not　in　free　air。〃　He　pointed　emphatically　at　Madison。　〃Obey　that　man；　you　（bleepards）；　or　you're　dead！〃
Madison　watched　the　warder　tramp　away。　The　fellow　had　earned　his　money：　he　had　turned　total　control　of　these　convicts　to　Madison　with　that　speech　even　though　he　might　suspect　that　Madison　would　order　them　to　mit　crimes。
Earlier；　from　the　prison；　Flick　had　called　Chalber　and　out　of　the　night　here　came　three　air…coaches　and　an　airbus　to　ferry　back　the　Zippety…Zip　drivers。　They　flashed　down　out　of　the　night　and　into　the　glare　of　the　wall　spotlight。　They　were　shiny　new　vehicles；　sparkling　and　sleek。
A　driver　popped　out　of　the　Zippety…Zip　ferry　airbus；　spotted　Madison　and　came　over　with　papers　to　be　stamped。　While　he　waited；　the　driver　stared　at　the　prisoner　group。
Flick　had　begun　to　sort　them　out　and　move　them　to　stand　beside　different　vehicles。　The　convict　drivers　were　getting　genned　in　by　the　ferry　people。
〃Ouch；〃　the　man　beside　Madison　said。　〃What　a　Hellish　lot！　You're　actually　putting　them　in　clean；　new　air…coaches！〃　He　looked　closer。　〃What　a　bunch　of　killers！〃　Then　he　shrugged　and　took　the　papers　back。　〃Well；　they're　your　vehicles　now。　Carry　whom　you　please。　Wow！〃
Madison　went　over　to　the　groups　as　the　ferry　airbus　took　off　hastily。
Looking　into　the　faces；　he　began　to　check　his　list。　It　was　posed　of：

1　Director；　ex…Homeview；　who　had　been　making　porno　movies　on　the　side。
2　Cameramen　who　had　been　caught　selling　government　supplies。
3　Set　men　whose　sets；　because　they　had　sold　the　fasteners；　had　fallen　down　and　killed　actors。
1　Horror…story　writer　who　had　frightened　an　audience　of　children　into　convulsions　resulting　in　deaths。
5　Reporters　who　had　been　caught　accepting　bribes　to　omit　names；　and　other　similar　crimes。
1　Studio　production　secretary　who　had　been　accepting　bribes　to　ruin　the　careers　of　actors。
2　Actors　who　had　been　doing　long　stretches　for　impersonating　officers　of　various　kinds　to　shake　people　down。
5　Circus　girls；　educated　and　statuesque；　who；　variously；　had　been　doing　time　on　long　sentences　yet　to　be　served　for　rolling　drunks；　extorting　money；　setting　up　people　for　hits。
6　Roustabouts　who　had　been　doing　lots　of　time　for　mayhem　and　assault；　amongst　other　things。
2　Drivers　skilled　in　heavy　vehicles　who　had　been　doing　twenty　and　thirty　years　respectively　for　pillaging　their　trucks。
2　Cooks；　experienced　in　crew　logistics；　who　had　been　doing　time　for　selling　stolen　food。

Madison　finished　his　body　check　and　despite　the　stench；　a　pulse　of　exultation　began　to　course　through　him。
One　thing　they　had　in　mon。　It　was　chief　amongst　the　several　quick　tests　he　had　used。　If　they　tried　hard；　they　could　lay　aside　the　killer　stamp　and　appear　totally　honest　and　sincere。　If　they　concentrated；　they　could　even　talk　in　persuasive　voices。　Oh；　they　would　require　some　work　and　practice；　that　he　understood。　But　he　always　expected　that。　A　master　at　it　like　himself　could　drill　it　in。
A　glow　of　eagerness　built　up　to　a　fiery　excitement　within　him。　What　luck！
HE　HAD　HIS　CREW！
The　exact　people　he　needed　to　get　on　with　his　job！
He　felt　he　could　rise　to　heights　now　never　before　achieved！
Oh；　how　lucky　Heller　was；　to　have　him　for　his　PR！
He　must　not　let　anything　stop　him　now！

Chapter　7

There　was　a　holdup　on　departure。
The　convicts　were　all　loaded。　The　felon　drivers　were　at　the　controls　of　the　air…coaches。　No　Flick。
Madison　looked　around　the　black　and　gritty　courtyard；　noting　there　was　a　turret　gun　still　trained　on　them　from　the　wall。　He　wanted　to　get　out　of　there　before　something　untoward　happened。　He　didn't　want　to　shout　and　raise　a　motion。
Then　he　saw　a　glow　was　ing　from　the　Model　99。　He　raced　over　to　it。
Flick　was　bent　over　one　of　the　panel　screens：　three…dimensional　colored　maps　were　stopping；　shifting；　blurring　on　it。　They　were　all　of　mountains。
〃You're　keeping　us　waiting；〃　said　Madison　impatiently。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。　What　on　Earth　are　you　doing　NOW？〃
〃I'm　looking　for　a　place　to　take　this　gang；〃　said　Flick。　〃There's　a　lot　of　mountains　but　it's　not　like　on　Calabar。　On　Voltar；　I　can't　find　any　caves。〃
〃And　what　do　you　want　caves　for？〃
〃To　train！　You　got　to　train　a　gang。　You　can't　just　let　them　blunder　into　a　job。　It　all　has　to　go　off　like　clockwork…clip；　clip；　clip！　Now；　there's　some　old　ruins　on　the　other　side　of　the　Blike　Mountains…some　town　that　got　knocked　out　in　a　revolt　ten　thousand　years　ago；　it　says。　And　it　would　do；　except　only　this　airbus　can　cross　the　Blike　Mountains。　Those　air…coaches　can't　fly　at　fifty　thousand　feet。　I　got　PROBLEMS！〃
〃Well；　Flick；　I　don't　see　why　we　don't　go　to　the　town…house　in　Joy　City。〃
〃Oh；　no！　That　would　be　cheating！〃
〃Well；〃　said　Madison；　〃you　can　do　what　you　please；　but　I'm　going　to　take　MY　gang　there。〃
〃YOUR　gang…MY　gang！　What's　this？　Are　we　splitting　up？　Hells；　that　could　cause　a　gang　war！〃
〃Oh；　we　should　do　anything　to　avoid　that；〃　said　Madison。　〃Look；　I've　got　a　promise。　The　76th　floor　is　said　to　be　just　ordinary。　It's　the　rest　of　the　upper　floors　that　all　the　loot　is　in。　I　promise　faithfully　not　to　let　anybody　go　up　to　the　upper　four　floors。〃
Flick　frowned。　He　thought　it　over。　Then　he　said；　〃All　right。　Nobody　goes　into　the　upper　four　floors　until　we're　ready　to　rob　them。　So　that's　settled。　We　go　to　the　76th　floor　of　the　townhouse。〃
Madison　started　to　withdraw　to　signal　the　air…coaches。　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　Flick。　〃It　will　look　awful　suspicious　going　into　the　townhouse　in　that　swank　neighborhood　with　a　bunch　of　prisoners　in　rags。　The　cops　would　be　all　over　us　like　a　blanket。　We'll　go　rob　a　clothing　warehouse　first。〃
〃NO！〃　said　Madison。
〃Yes！〃　said　Flick。　〃I　promised　on　the　76th　floor　of　the　townhouse。　Now　you　can　promise　on　something。　I　know　of　the　swankiest　men　and　women's　clothing　outlet　you　ever　heard　of。　HUGE。　Even　noblemen's　stores　get　their　stock　from　that　place。　Besides；　I　need　to　put　my　footwoman　in　a　uniform：　she's　got　awful　big　breasts　and　is　going　to　need　a　big　selection　to　choose　a　uniform　from；　or　we　won't　get　a　fit。　So；　as　long　as　I've　got　to　get　her　one；　we'll　just　outfit　the　whole　gang　in　one　go。〃
Madison　looked　at　him　aghast。
〃Classy　Togs　Warehouse　is　the　name。　It's　in　the　outskirts　of　mercial　City；　whole　area　deserted　at　this　time　of　night。　I　cased　the　joint。　It's　only　got　one　watchman　and　he's　old。〃
Seeing　the　determination；　Madison　felt　helpless。　〃I'm　afraid　that　I'll　wait　outside。〃
〃Oh；　good。　You　be　the　whistle　man！〃　And　Flick　leaped　out　and　raced　to　the　air…coaches；　ordering　the　drivers　to　follow　him；　whispering　to　each　they　were　off　to　do　their　first　job　and　get　some　clothes。
Shortly　they　soared　into　the　air　out　of　the　courtyard　and　strung　out；　streaking　down　the　coast。　A　moon　had　risen　and　was　bathing　the　night　with　a　soft　green　glow。　The　Domestic　Confederacy　Prison's　bulk　disappeared　behind。　Then　even　the　mountains　were　gone。
Flick　was　chortling　happily。　〃Man；　we're　off　on　our　first　job！〃
Madison　looked　down。　They　were　speeding　along　moon…bathed　beach；　the　surf　long　ribbons　as　it　purled　against　the　sand。
Madison　looked　back。
NO　COACHES！
〃HALT！〃　he　screamed　at　Flick。　〃You　were　going　too　fast！〃
〃WHAT？〃　said　Flick。　〃No　air…coaches？　I　only　been　doing　three　hundred。　Those　coaches　can　do　four　hundred　easy！　They've　escaped！〃
He　flipped　the　Model　99　around　in　the　air　and　sent　its　scanners　flashing　all　around　the　sky。
NO　BLIPS！
No　sign　of　air…coaches　on　the　screen。
〃Well；　（bleep）　them！〃　raged　Flick。　〃That's　gratitude！　The　lousy　（bleepards）　have　taken　off　to　do　their　own　job！〃
〃Let's　go　back　the　way　we　came；〃　said　Madison。　〃Maybe　they　crashed。　Can　you　do　a　ground　search　with　something？〃
Flick　punched　around　and　got　a　metal…detector　beam　working　and　registering。
They　sped　back　up　the　moonlit　sand。　The　tips　of　the　mountains　to　the　north　rose　once　more　as　they　headed　back。
Then；　A　BLIP。　TWO　BLIPS。　THREE　BLIPS！
Three　air…coaches　down　there　on　the　sand！
Fearing　the　worst；　they　speeded　near　and　did　a　fast　pass。
THE　COACHES　WERE　EMPTY！
〃Oh；　Gods；〃　said　Flick。　〃They've　escaped　inland！　We'll　never　find　them　in　that　scrub。　Where　the　Hells　is　the　body…heat　detection　button？〃
〃You　don't　need　one；〃　said　Madison。　He　was　pointing。
The　group　wasn't　inland。　It　was　down　in　the　surf；　Were　they　fighting？
The　Model　99　swooped　nearer　and　landed　with　a　thunk　in　the　sand。　Madison　leaped　out。
Convicts　were　running　everywhere！
〃WHEE！〃　they　were　shouting。　〃WHEE！〃
Madison　caught　an　arm　of　a　naked　woman　as　she　raced　by。　But　she　was　gone；　shouting；　〃Whee！〃
He　spotted　another　one　who　had　stopped　to　catch　his　breath　and　quickly　went　over。　It　was　one　of　the　cooks/　logistic　personnel。
〃What's　going　on　here？〃　demanded　Madison　of　the　naked　man。
He　was　catching　his　breath。　He　finally　said；　〃I'm　afraid　it's　all　my　fault；　Chief。　Your　Lieutenant　Flick　told　us　we　were　going　to　get　new　clothes　tonight　so　I　said；　'Let's　throw　all　these　rags　away！'　I　think　they　got　a　little　enthusiastic。〃
A　voice　was　at　Madison's　elbow。　The　director；　naked　as　the　day　he　was　born；　said；　〃Isn't　it　great？　If　my　cameraman　j