the stainless steel rat-第4节

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。　It　was　only　a　matter　of　minutes　before　I　was　pulling　into　the　loading　area　in　the　back　of　the　big　store。　There　was　a　certain　amount　of　excitement　here　but　it　was　lost　in　the　normal　bustle　of　merce。　Here　and　there　a　knot　of　truck　drivers　or　shipping　foremen　were　exchanging　views　on　the　robbery；　since　robots　don't　gossip　the　normal　work　was　going　on。　The　men　were；　of　course；　so　excited　that　no　attention　was　paid　to　my　truck　when　I　pulled　into　the　parking　line　next　to　the　other　vans。　I　killed　the　engine　and　settled　back　with　a　satisfied　sigh。
　　　　　The　first　part　was　plete。　The　second　part　of　the　operation　was　just　as　important　though。　I　dug　into　my　paunch　for　the　kit　that　I　always　take　on　the　job…for　such　an　emergency　as　this。　Normally；　I　don't　believe　in　stimulants；　but　I　was　still　groggy　from　the　banging　around。　Two　cc's　of　Linoten　in　my　ante　cubital　cleared　that　up　quickly　enough。　The　spring　was　back　in　my　step　when　I　went　into　the　back　of　the　van。
　　　　　The　driver's　assistant　and　the　guards　were　still　out　and　would　stay　that　way　for　at　least　ten　hours。　I　arranged　them　in　a　neat　row　in　the　front　of　the　truck　where　they　wouldn't　be　in　my　way；　and　went　to　work。
　　　　　The　armored　car　almost　filled　the　body　of　the　trailer　as　I　knew　it　would；　therefore　I　had　fastened　the　boxes　to　the　walls。　They　were　fine；　strong　shipping　boxes　with　Moraio's　printed　all　over　them。　It　had　been　a　minor　theft　from　their　warehouse　that　should　go　unnoticed。　I　pulled　the　boxes　down　and　folded　them　for　packing；　I　was　soon　sweating　and　had　to　take　my　shirt　off　as　I　packed　the　money　bundles　into　the　boxes。
　　　　　It　took　almost　two　hours　to　stuff　and　seal　the　boxes　with　tape。　Every　ten　minutes　or　so　I　would　check　through　the　peephole　in　the　door；　only　the　normal　activities　were　going　on。　The　police　undoubtedly　had　the　entire　town　sealed　and　were　tearing　it　apart　building　by　building　looking　for　the　truck。　I　was　fairly　sure　that　the　last　place　they　would　think　of　looking　was　the　rear　of　the　robbed　store。
　　　　　The　warehouse　that　had　provided　the　boxes　had　also　provided　a　supply　of　shipping　forms。　I　fixed　one　of　these　on　each　box；　addressed　to　different　pick…up　addresses　and　marked　paid　of　course；　and　was　ready　to　finish　the　operation。
　　　　　It　was　almost　dark　by　this　time；　however　I　knew　that　the　shipping　department　would　be　busy　most　of　the　night。　The　engine　caught　on　the　first　revolution　and　I　pulled　out　of　the　parking　rank　and　backed　slowly　up　to　the　platform。　There　was　a　relatively　quiet　area　where　the　shipping　dock　met　the　receiving　dock；　I　stopped　the　trailer　as　close　to　the　dividing　line　as　I　could。　I　didn't　open　the　rear　door　until　all　the　workmen　were　faced　in　a　different　direction。　Even　the　stupidest　of　them　would　have　been　interested　in　why　a　truck　was　unloading　the　firm's　own　boxes。　As　I　piled　them　up　on　the　platform　I　threw　a　tarp　over　them；　it　only　took　a　few　minutes。　Only　when　the　truck　gates　were　closed　and　locked　did　I　pull　off　the　tarp　and　sit　down　on　the　boxes　for　a　smoke。
　　　　　It　wasn't　a　long　wait。　Before　the　cigarette　was　finished　a　robot　from　the　shipping　department　passed　close　enough　for　me　to　call　him。
　　　　　〃Over　there。　The　M…19　that　was　loading　these　burned　out　a　brake…band；　you　better　see　that　they're　taken　care　of。〃　
　　　　　His　eyes　glowed　with　the　light　of　duty。　Some　of　these　higher　M　types　take　their　job　very　seriously。　I　had　to　step　back　quickly　as　the　forklifts　and　M…trucks　appeared　out　of　the　doors　behind　me。　There　was　a　scurry　of　loading　and　sorting　and　my　haul　vanished　down　the　platform。　I　lighted　another　cigarette　and　watched　for　a　while　as　the　boxes　were　coded　and　stamped　and　loaded　on　the　outgoing　trucks　and　local　belts。
　　　　　All　that　was　left　for　me　now　was　the　disposing　of　the　truck　on　some　side　street　and　changing　personalities。
　　　　　As　I　was　getting　into　the　truck　I　realized　for　the　first　time　that　something　was　wrong。　I；　of　course；　had　been　keeping　an　eye　on　the　gate…but　not　watching　it　closely　enough。　Trucks　had　been　going　in　and　out。　Now　the　realization　hit　me　like　a　hammer　blow　over　the　solar　plexus。　They　were　the　same　trucks　going　both　ways。　A　large；　red　cross…country　job　was　just　pulling　out。　I　heard　the　echo　of　its　exhaust　roar　down　the　street…then　die　away　to　an　idling　grumble。　When　it　roared　up　again　it　didn't　go　away；　instead　the　truck　came　in　through　the　second　gate。　There　were　police　cars　waiting　outside　that　wall。　Waiting　for　me。
　Chapter　3
　
　　　　　For　the　first　time　in　my　career　I　felt　the　sharp　fear　of　the　hunted　man。　This　was　the　first　time　I　had　ever　had　the　police　on　my　trail　when　I　wasn't　expecting　them。　The　money　was　lost；　that　much　was　certain；　but　I　was　no　longer　concerned　with　that。　It　was　me　they　were　after　now。
　　　　　Think　first；　then　act。　I　was　safe　enough　for　the　moment。　They　were；　of　course；　moving　in　on　me；　going　slowly　as　they　had　no　idea　of　where　I　was　in　the　giant　loading　yard。　How　had　they　found　me？　That　was　the　important　point。　The　local　police　are　used　to　an　almost　crimeless　world；　they　couldn't　have　found　my　trail　this　quickly。　In　fact；　I　hadn't　left　a　trail。　Whoever　had　set　the　trap　here　had　done　it　with　logic　and　reason。
　　　　　Unbidden　the　words　jumped　into　my　mind。　
　　　　　The　Special　Corps。
　　　　　Nothing　was　ever　printed　about　it；　only　a　thousand　whispered　words　heard　on　a　thousand　worlds　around　the　galaxy。　The　Special　Corps；　the　branch　of　the　League　that　took　care　of　the　troubles　that　individual　planets　couldn't　solve。　The　Corps　was　supposed　to　have　finished　off　the　remnants　of　Haskell's　Raiders　after　the　peace；　of　putting　the　illegal　T　&　Z　Traders　out　of　business；　of　finally　catching　Inskipp。　And　now　they　were　after　me。
　　　　　They　were　out　there　waiting　for　me　to　make　a　break。　They　were　thinking　of　all　the　ways　out　just　as　I　was…and　they　were　blocking　them。　I　had　to　think　fast　and　I　had　to　think　right。
　　　　　Only　two　ways　out。　Through　the　gates　or　through　the　store。　The　gales　were　too　well　covered　to　make　a　break；　in　the　store　there　would　be　other　exits。　It　had　to　be　that　way。　Even　as　I　made　the　conclusion　I　knew　that　other　minds　had　made　it　too；　that　men　were　moving　in　to　cover　those　doors。　That　thought　brought　fear…and　made　me　angry　as　well。　The　very　idea　that　someone　could　outthink　me　was　odious。　They　could　try　all　right…but　I　would　give　them　a　run　for　their　money。　I　still　had　a　few　tricks　left。
　　　　　First；　a　little　misdirection。　I　started　the　truck；　left　it　in　low　gear　and　aimed　it　at　the　gate。　When　it　was　going　straight　I　locked　the　steering　wheel　with　the　friction　clamp　and　dropped　out　the　far　side　of　the　cab　and　strolled　back　to　the　warehouse。　Once　inside　I　moved　faster。　Behind　me　I　heard　some　shots；　a　heavy　crump；　and　a　lot　of　shouting。　That　was　more　like　it。
　　　　　The　night　locks　were　connected　on　the　doors　that　led　to　the　store　proper。　An　old…fashioned　alarm　that　I　could　disconnect　in　a　few　moments。　My　picklocks　opened　the　door　and　I　gave　it　a　quick　kick　with　my　foot　and　turned　away。　There　were　no　alarm　bells；　but　I　knew　that　somewhere　in　the　building　an　indicator　showed　that　the　door　was　opened。　As　fast　as　I　could　run　I　went　to　the　last　door　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　building。　This　time　I　made　sure　the　alarm　was　disconnected　before　I　went　through　the　door。　I　locked　it　behind　me。
　　　　　It　is　the　hardest　job　in　the　world　to　run　and　be　quiet　at　the　same　time。　My　lungs　were　burning　before　I　reached　the　employees'　entrance。　A　few　times　I　saw　flashlights　ahead　and　had　to　double　down　different　aisles；　it　was　mostly　luck　that　I　made　it　without　being　spotted。　There　were　two　men　in　uniform　standing　in　front　of　the　door　I　wanted　to　go　out　of。　Keeping　as　close　to　the　wall　as　I　could；　I　made　it　to　within　twenty　feet　of　them　before　I　threw　the　gas　grenade。　For　one　second　I　was　sure　that　they　had　gas　masks　on　and　I　had　reached　the　end　of　the　road…then　they　slumped　down。　One　of　them　was　blocking　the　door；　I　rolled　him　aside　and　slid　it　open　a　few　inches。
　　　　　The　searchlight　couldn't　have　been　more　than　thirty　feet　from　the　door；　when　it　flashed　on　the　light　was　more　pain　than　glare。　I　dropped　the　instant　it　came　on　and　the　slugs　from　the　machine　pistol　ate　a　line　of　glaring　holes　across　the　door。　My　ears　were　numb　from　the　roar　of　the　exploding　slugs　and　I　could　just　make　out　the　thud　of　running　footsteps。　My　own　。75　was　in　my　hand　and　I　put　an　entire　clip　of　slugs　through　the　door；　aiming　high　so　I　wouldn't　hurt　anyone。　It　would　not　stop　them；　but　it　should　slow　them　down。
　
　　　　　They　returned　the　fire；　must　have　been　a　whole　squad　out　there。　Pieces　of　plastic　flew　out　of　the　back　wall　and　slugs　screamed　down　the　corridor。　It　was　good　cover；　I　knew　there　was　nobody　ing　up　behind　me。　Keeping　as　flat　as　I　could　I　crawled　in　the　opposite　direction；　out　of　the　line　of　fire。　I　turned　two　corners　before　I　was　far　enough　from　the　guns　to　risk　standing　up。　My　knees　were　shaky　and　great　blobs　of　color　kept　fogging　my　vision。　The　searchlight　had　done　a　good　job；　I　could　barely　see　at　all　in　the　dim　light。
　　　　　I　kept　moving　slowly；　trying　to　get　as　far　away　from　the　gunfire　as　possible。　The　squad　outside　had　fired　as　soon　as　I　had　opened　the　door；　that　meant　standing　orders　to　shoot　at　anyone　who　tried　to　leave　the　building。　A　nice　trap。　The　cops　inside　would