the stainless steel rat-第3节

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t　being　noticed　and　that　is　being　noticed　and　filed　into　a　category。　Your　description　gets　mixed　up　with　every　other　guy　in　the　file　and　that　is　the　end　of　it。
　　　　　When　I　woke　up　we　were　almost　to　planet　X；　I　half　dozed　in　the　chair　until　we　touched　down；　then　smoked　a　cigar　while　my　bag　cleared　customs。　My　locked　brief　case　of　money　raised　no　suspicions　since　I　had　foresightedly　forged　papers　six　months　ago　with　my　occupation　listed　as　bank　messenger。　Interplanet　credit　was　almost　nonexistent　in　this　system；　so　the　customs　men　were　used　to　seeing　a　lot　of　cash　go　back　and　forth。
　　　　　Almost　by　habit　I　confused　the　trail　a　little　more　and　ended　up　in　the　large　manufacturing　city　of　Brouggh　over　one　thousand　kilometers　from　the　point　where　I　had　landed。　Using　an　entirely　new　set　of　identification　papers　I　registered　at　a　quiet　hotel　in　the　suburbs。
　　　　　Usually　after　a　big　job　like　this　I　rest　up　for　a　month　or　two；　this　was　one　time　though　I　didn't　feel　like　a　rest。　While　I　was　making　small　purchases　around　town　to　rebuild　the　personality　of　James　diGriz；　I　was　also　keeping　my　eyes　open　for　new　business　opportunities。　The　very　first　day　I　was　out　I　saw　what　looked　like　a　natural…and　each　day　it　looked　better　and　better。
　　　　　One　of　the　main　reasons　I　have　stayed　out　of　the　arms　of　the　law　for　as　long　as　I　have；　is　that　I　have　never　repeated　myself。　I　have　dreamed　up　some　of　the　sweetest　little　rackets；　run　them　off　once；　then　stayed　away　from　them　forever　after。　About　the　only　thing　they　had　in　mon　was　the　fact　that　they　all　made　money。　About　the　only　thing　I　hadn't　hit　to　date　was　out　and　out　armed　robbery。　It　was　time　for　a　change　and　it　looked　like　that　was　it。
　　　　　While　I　was　rebuilding　the　paunchy　personality　of　Slippery　Jim　I　was　making　plans　for　the　operation。　Just　about　the　time　the　fingerprint　gloves　were　ready　the　entire　business　was　planned。　It　was　simple　like　all　good　operations　should　be；　the　less　details　there　are；　the　less　things　there　are　that　can　go　wrong。
　　　　　I　was　going　to　hold　up　Moraio's；　the　largest　retail　store　in　the　city。　Every　evening　at　exactly　the　same　time；　an　armored　car　took　the　day's　receipts　to　the　bank。　It　was　a　tempting　prize…a　gigantic　sum　in　untraceable　small　bills。　The　only　real　problem　as　far　as　I　was　concerned　was　how　one　man　could　handle　the　sheer　bulk　and　weight　of　all　that　money。　When　I　had　an　answer　to　that　the　entire　operation　was　ready。
　　　　　All　the　preparations　were；　of　course；　made　only　in　my　mind　until　the　personality　of　James　diGriz　was　again　ready。　The　day　I　slipped　that　weighted　belly　back　on；　I　felt　I　was　back　in　uniform。　I　lit　my　first　cigarette　almost　with　satisfaction；　then　went　to　work。　A　day　or　two　for　some　purchases　and　a　few　simple　thefts　and　I　was　ready。　I　scheduled　the　following　afternoon　for　the　job。
　　　　　A　large　tractor…truck　that　I　had　bought　was　the　key　to　the　operation…along　with　some　necessary　alterations　I　bad　made　to　the　interior。　I　parked　the　truck　in　an　〃L〃　shaped　alley　about　a　half　mile　from　Moraio's。　The　truck　almost　pletely　blocked　the　alley　but　that　wasn't　important　since　it　was　used　only　in　the　early　morning。　It　was　a　leisurely　stroll　back　to　the　department　store；　I　reached　it　at　almost　the　same　moment　that　the　armored　truck　pulled　up。　I　leaned　against　the　wall　of　the　gigantic　building　while　the　guards　carried　out　the　money。　My　money。
　　　　　To　someone　of　little　imagination　I　suppose　it　would　have　been　an　awe…inspiring　sight。　At　least　five　armed　guards　standing　around　the　entrance；　two　more　inside　the　truck　as　well　as　the　driver　and　his　assistant。　As　an　added　precaution　there　were　three　monocycles　purring　next　to　the　curb。　They　would　go　with　the　truck　as　protection　on　the　road。　Oh；　very　impressive。　I　had　to　stifle　a　grin　behind　my　cigarette　when　I　thought　about　what　was　going　to　happen　to　those　elaborate　precautions。
　I　had　been　counting　the　hand…trucks　of　money　as　they　rolled　out　of　the　door。　There　were　always　fifteen；　no　more；　no　less；　this　practice　made　it　easy　for　me　to　know　the　exact　time　to　begin。　Just　as　fourteen　was　being　loaded　into　the　armored　truck；　load　number　fifteen　appeared　in　the　store　entrance。　The　truck　driver　had　been　counting　the　way　I　had；　he　stepped　down　from　the　cab　and　moved　to　the　door　in　the　rear　in　order　to　lock　it　when　loading　was　finished。
　
　　　　　We　synchronized　perfectly　as　we　strolled　by　each　other。　At　the　moment　he　reached　the　rear　door　I　reached　the　cab。　Quietly　and　smoothly　I　climbed　up　into　it　and　slammed　the　door　behind　me。　The　assistant　had　just　enough　time　to　open　his　mouth　'and　pop　his　eyes　when　I　placed　an　anesthetic　bomb　on　his　lap；　he　slumped　in　an　instant。　I　was；　of　course；　wearing　the　correct　filter　plugs　in　my　nostrils。　As　I　started　the　motor　with　my　left　hand；　I　threw　a　larger　bomb　through　the　connecting　window　to　the　rear　with　my　right。　There　were　some　reassuring　thumps　as　the　guards　there　droned　over　the　bags　of　change。
　　　　　This　entire　process　hadn't　taken　six　seconds。　The　guards　on　the　steps　were　just　waking　up　to　the　fact　that　something　was　wrong。　I　gave　them　a　cheerful　wave　through　the　window　and　gunned　the　armored　truck　away　from　the　curb。　One　of　them　tried　to　run　and　throw　himself　through　the　open　rear　door　but　he　was　a　little　too　late。　It　all　had　happened　so　fast　that　not　one　of　them　had　thought　to　shoot；　I　had　been　sure　there　would　be　&　few　bullets。　The　sedentary　life　on　these　planets　does　slow　the　reflexes。
　　　　　The　monocycle　drivers　caught　on　a　lot　faster；　they　were　after　me　before　the　truck　had　gone　a　hundred　feet。　I　slowed　down　until　they　had　caught　up；　then　stamped　on　the　accelerator；　keeping　just　enough　speed　so　they　couldn't　pass　me。
　　　　　Their　sirens　were　screaming　of　course　and　they　had　their　guns　working；　it　was　just　as　I　had　planned。　We　tore　down　the　street　like　jet　racers　and　the　traffic　melted　away　before　us。　They　didn't　have　time　to　think　and　realize；　that　they　were　making　sure　the　road　was　clear　for　my　escape。　The　situation　was　very　humorous　and　I'm　afraid　I　chuckled　out　loud　as　I　tooled　the　truck　around　the　tight　corners。
　　　　　Of　course　the　alarm　had　been　turned　in　and　the　roadblocks　must　have　been　forming　up　ahead…but　that　half　mile　went　by　fast　at　the　speed　we　were　doing。　It　was　a　matter　of　seconds　before　I　saw　the　alley　mouth　ahead。　I　turned　the　truck　into　it；　at　the　same　time　pressing　the　button　on　my　pocket　short　wave。
　　　　　Along　the　entire　length　of　the　alley　my　smoke　bombs　ignited。　They　were；　of　course；　home　made；　as　was　all　my　equipment；　nevertheless　they　produced　an　adequately　dense　cloud　in　that　narrow　alley。　I　pulled　the　truck　a　bit　to　the　right　until　the　fenders　scraped　the　wall　and　only　slightly　reduced　my　speed；　this　way　I　could　steer　by　touch。　The　monocycle　drivers　of　course　couldn't　do　this　and　had　the　choice　of　stepping　or　rushing　headlong　into　the　darkness。　I　hope　they　made　the　right　decision　and　none　of　them　were　hurt。
　　　　　The　same　radio　impulse　that　triggered　the　bombs　was　supposed　to　have　opened　the　rear　door　of　the　trailer　truck　up　ahead　and　dropped　the　ramp。　It　had　worked　fine　when　I　had　tested　it；　I　could　only　hope　now　that　it　did　the　same　in　practice。　I　tried　to　estimate　the　distance　I　had　gone　in　the　alley　by　timing　my　speed；　but　I　was　a　little　off。　The　front　wheels　of　the　truck　hit　the　ramp　with　a　destructive　crash　and　the　armored　truck　bounced　rather　than　rolled　into　the　interior　of　the　larger　van。　I　was　jarred　around　a　bit　and　had　just　enough　sense　left　to　jam　on　the　brakes　before　I　plowed　right　through　into　the　cab。
　　　　　Smoke　from　the　bombs　made　a　black　midnight　of　everything；　that　and　my　shaken…up　brains　almost　ruined　the　entire　operation。　Valuable　seconds　went　by　while　I　leaned　against　the　truck　wall　trying　to　get　oriented。　I　don't　know　how　long　it　took；　when　I　finally　did　stumble　back　to　the　rear　door　I　could　hear　the　guards'　voices　calling　back　and　forth　through　the　smoke。　They　heard　the　bent　ramp　creak　as　I　lifted　it　so　I　threw　two　gas　bombs　out　to　quiet　them　down。
　　　　　The　smoke　was　starting　to　thin　as　I　climbed　up　to　the　cab　of　the　tractor　and　gunned　it　into　life。　A　few　feet　down　the　alley　and　I　broke　through　into　sunlight。　The　alley　mouth　opened　out　into　a　main　street　a　few　feet　ahead　and　I　saw　two　police　cars　tear　by。　When　the　truck　reacted　the　street　I　stopped　and　took　careful　note　of　all　witnesses。　None　of　them　showed　any　interest　in　the　truck　or　the　alley。　Apparently　all　the　motion　was　still　at　the　other　end　of　the　alley。　I　poured　power　into　the　engine　and　rolled　out　into　the　street；　away　from　the　store　I　bad　just　robbed。
　　　　　Of　course　I　only　went　a　few　blocks　in　that　direction　then　turned　down　a　side　street。　At　the　next　corner　I　turned　again　and　headed　back　towards　Moraio's；　the　scene　of　my　recent　crime。　The　cool　air　ing　in　the　window　soon　had　me　feeling　better；　I　actually　whistled　a　bit　as　I　threaded　the　big　truck　through　the　service　roads。
　It　would　have　been　fine　to　go　up　the　highway　in　front　of　Moraio's；　and　see　all　the　excitement；　but　that　would　have　been　only　asking　for　trouble。　Time　was　still　important。　I　had　carefully　laid　out　a　route　that　avoided　all　congested　traffic　and　this　was　what　I　followed。　It　was　only　a　matter　of　minutes　before　I　was　pulling　into　the　loading　area　in　the　back　of　the　big