lrh.fortuneoffear-第52部分

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　　　〃Oh！〃　screamed　Candy；　〃untie　me　quick　so　I　can　kiss　you；　you　dear　man！〃
　　　I　had　trouble　cutting　her　bonds　off。　Miss　Pinch　was　hugging　me　and　letting　out　little　snarling　sounds。
　　　Candy　got　loose　finally　and　kissed　me。
　　　Miss　Pinch　said；　〃You'll　get　your　thousand　bucks　every　day。　And　we'll　fix　up　the　place。〃　Then　she　added；　〃And　it's　all　settled？〃　as　though　she　wanted　to　be　reassured。
　　　〃Yes；〃　I　said　again。
　　　〃Oh；　goody！〃　cried　Candy；　clapping　her　hands。　〃Let's　all　get　dressed　and　go　to　a　restaurant　and　have　a　deflowering　celebration。〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Miss　Pinch；　looking　at　me　with　a　cocked　head；　pressed　mouth　and　hungry　eye；　〃Let's　stay　right　here　and　do　it　all　over　again。　We've　got　the　whole　night。　But　I'm　first　this　time；　Candy。　You　can　watch　if　you　promise　not　to　scream。　I'M　the　one　who　gets　to　scream　when　I　have　another　of　those　GORGEOUS　orgasms。　I'm　getting　breathless　just　thinking　about　it。〃
　　　That　was　how　I　got　the　safe　open。　In　fact；　three　safes。　Well；　not　exactly　as　I　planned；　but　one　must　learn　to　improvise。　One　must　know　how　to　go　deeper　into　things　than　one　might　have；　at　first；　intended。
　　　One　has　to　know　when　to　take　things　lying　down。
　　　Alas；　if　it　had　only　kept　up　on　a　level　with　that　night。

Chapter　10

　　　For　more　than　sixty　hours　now；　my　best…laid　plans　were　getting　blocked。　Stopping　Heller　was　not　making　any　progress；　and　it　MUST；　it　MUST；　it　MUST！
　　　In　the　back　room　of　the　apartment；　I　was　fidgeting。　Part　of　it　was　scratching　fleas。
　　　For　two　days　a　Hellish　din　had　been　going　on　in　the　basement　flat　and　garden。　Redecoration　and　refurnishing　were　proceeding　apace。
　　　I　had　signed　a　couple　of　Octopus　Oil　blank　petty　cash　invoices　with　the　name　John　Smith；　and　after　that　all　Hades　had　e　unstuck。　Workmen　in　the　front　room；　workmen　in　the　back　room；　workmen　in　the　garden。　Plumbers；　painters；　electricians　and　even　gays　directing　the　new　decor　and　furnishings。　It　was　a　very　good　lesson　that　one　should　never　sign　invoices！
　　　But　the　main　reason　I　was　fidgeting　（aside　from　scratching　fleas）　was　my　inability　to　raise　Raht　on　the　two…way…response　radio。　I　knew　he　had　it　and　I　also　knew　he　was　refusing　to　answer　it；　just　to　spite　me。
　　　I　did　not　dare　phone　the　New　York　office；　as　I　was　on　the　run。　Raht　was　different；　because　on　the　two…way　I　could　fool　him　into　thinking　I　was　in　Africa。
　　　That　I　contact　him　was　desperately　crucial：　The　831　Relayers　were　on　and　at　this　close　range　my　viewers　were　just　flared　out。　I　did　NOT　know　what　was　going　on　with　my　Target　One：　Heller！　Without　that　data　and　without　a　check　on　that　hellhound；　the　Countess　Krak；　I　dared　not　act。
　　　I　was　in　a　rage　to　get　something…anything…done　to　begin　the　job　of　finishing　him　off。
　　　I　had　money…three　thousand　dollars。　Two　of　the　bills　were　my　regular　pay。　The　third　one　was　for　overtime。
　　　I　stared　disconsolately　into　a　bucket　of　daffodil…yellow　paint。　A　flea　was　swimming　around　in　it；　getting　all　yellow。　I　was　about　to　push　him　under　with　a　paint　paddle　when　he　jumped　out　and　vanished。　The　incident　sharpened　my　restless　mood。　I　had　to　get　out　of　this　overrun　place　and　think。
　　　I　wiped　some　yellow　paint　spatters　off　my　trench　coat　and　went　out　for　a　walk。　The　brisk　and　windy　day　should　cool　my　fevered　brow；　calm　me　and　let　me　concentrate。
　　　All　unsuspecting；　I　walked　by　a　newsstand。　And　there　on　the　front　page　of　the　New　York　Grimes；　big　as　big；　it　said：

WOMEN'S　BOMB　RIGHTS　
ING　UP　AT　UN　
SECURITY　COUNCIL

PETTICOAT　PICKETING　BEGINS

ANTINUCLEAR　PROTEST　
MARCHERS　HOLD　RALLY　
AT　EMPIRE　UNIVERSITY

　　　Heller　again！　They　had　put　that　headline　there　just　to　nag　me。
　　　Then　the　full　import　of　it　hit　me。　If　that　bill　passed　the　Security　Council　now；　Miss　Simmons　would　be　drooling　all　over　Heller！　Rather　than　flunk　him　out　of　Empire　as　she　had　promised；　she　would　pass　him！　I　would　have　lost　a　vital　ally　I　had　counted　on　to　block　his　villainous　rehabilitation　of　this　planet；　a　plot　that　would　ruin　me；　Lombar　and　Rockecenter。
　　　Oh；　I　knew　an　emergency　when　I　saw　one。　What　could　I　do？
　　　I　stood　on　the　corner；　almost　frantic　with　the　urgency　of　the　emergency。　I　stared　up　into　the　sky；　beseeching　the　Gods　for　an　omen。　I　got　it！　Right　in　my　line　of　view　was　the　Octopus　Oil　pany　Building！　Rockecenter　was　in　his　Heaven　and　all　would　soon　be　right　with　the　world。　I　realized　that　Bury　could　not　possibly　know　that　〃Wister〃　was　behind　this　women's　rights　thing。　Rockecenter；　Bury　and　everyone　who　mattered　knew　how　dangerous　women　were　already。　But　pletely　aside　from　that；　Rockecenter　controlled　the　uranium　supplies　of　the　world；　and　the　thermonuclear…bomb　market　would　crash　if　there　was　no　more　war　on　the　horizon！　That　bill；　if　passed；　could　bring　about　a　devastating　and　disastrous　peace！　Rockecenter　must　be　frantic！
　　　No　sooner　realized　than　activated。　I　strode　with　swift　stride　to　the　Octopus　building。
　　　I　walked　straight　in　through　the　Benevolent　Association　door。　I　was　in　luck！　There　sat　Bury！　His　little　snap…brim　hat　was　sitting　on　top　of　a　cage　of　white　mice　on　his　desk。　He　looked　up　and　the　sides　of　his　mouth　twitched；　as　close　to　a　smile　as　ever　appeared　on　that　prune　face。
　　　〃Inkswitch！〃　he　said。　〃e　in。　Haven't　seen　you　for　a　day　or　two。〃　He　waved　a　hand　at　the　interview　chair；　〃Take　the　stand。　What　have　you　been　up　to？〃
　　　I　sat　down。　〃I　have　to　keep　up　my　cover　as　a　Federal　agent；〃　I　said。　〃I　just　dropped　in　to　see　if　you　know　about　this　Women's　Thermonuclear　Rights　Bill。〃
　　　〃Women；〃　he　said。　〃I　try　to　stay　away　from　those。　Without　much　luck；　I　must　say：　they　are　as　hard　to　escape　as　subpoena　servers。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　thought　you　might　like　to　know　that　this　Wister　is　behind　that　bill　right　up　to　the　hilt。　He's　a　menace。〃
　　　〃Oh；　Wister；〃　he　said。　And　the　look　came　in　his　eyes　that　can　only　possibly　appear　in　the　hard　orbs　of　a　Wall
　　　Street　lawyer。　Then　he　tented　his　hands　and　sat　back。　〃But　I　think　we've　got　that　case　pretty　well　into　due　process。　Madison　is　on　it。　And　from　the　bills　we're　getting　from　F。　F。　B。　O。；　I'd　say　he　was　pretty　busy。〃
　　　〃Wister　has　got　to　be　stopped；〃　I　said。
　　　The　〃smile〃　twitched　the　sides　of　his　mouth。　〃Well；　you　just　wait；　Inkswitch。　Anything　a　public…relations　man　like　J。　Warbler　Madman　is　onto　is　going　to　be　stopped。　You　can　count　on　it！　By　the　time　that　maniac　is　through　with　Wister；　the　poor　（bleep）　will　be　absolutely　begging　for　the　electric　chair　and　throwing　anyone　who　tries　to　get　a　governor's　reprieve　straight　out　of　his　cell。　Madison　you　can　count　on；　Inkswitch。　He　tops　every　snake　I　ever　met！　When　you　bine　the　Madisons　of　this　world　with　the　media　we　have；　even　the　Four　Horsemen　would　plead　for　an　out…of…court　settlement。　Worry　not；　Inkswitch。　You　can　count　on　Madison　to　absolutely　ruin　Wister's　life。　The　prosecution　rests。〃
　　　I　saw　I　wasn't　getting　anywhere　with　Bury。　I　rose　to　go。
　　　〃Oh；　by　the　way；　Inkswitch；〃　he　said；　〃I　just　remembered；　I　had　a　present　to　send　you　the　other　day　and　my　secretary　told　me　he　didn't　have　your　current　address。〃
　　　〃Snakes？〃　I　said。
　　　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃They're　pretty　valuable。　I　picked　up　a　set　of　acupuncture　needles　over　in　China　and　I　thought　you　might　like　to　try　them　out　on　Miss　Agnes。　If　you　put　them　in　the　wrong　place；　they　raise　hell。　So　what's　your　current　address？〃
　　　〃I'm　undercover；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Oh；　hell；　Inkswitch；　I　know　that。　This　is　just　for　my　own　notebook。〃
　　　I　couldn't　very　well　refuse　and　expose　the　fact　that
　　　I'd　never　even　met　Miss　Agnes。　I　gave　him　the　basement…apartment　address。　He　wrote　it　down　in　a　little　black　book。　Then　he　paused。
　　　〃I　know　this　address；〃　he　said；　prune　wrinkles　even　more　pronounced　as　he　thought。　〃Yes；　I　was　over　there　last　month　hushing　up　a　murder。　Somebody　beaten　to　death。　I　have　it！　That's　Miss　Pinch's　apartment！〃　He　looked　at　me　in　real　surprise。　〃Jesus；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you're　not　living　with　Miss　Pinch；　are　you？〃
　　　I　said；　〃I　got　her　under　control。〃
　　　〃Jesus！〃　he　said；　admiringly。　〃Maybe　I　ought　to　turn　you　loose　on　my　wife！〃
　　　Hastily；　I　shifted　the　subject　on　him。　I　was　busy　enough　without　another　stud　assignment。　And　I　vividly　remembered　his　wife's　voice。　Traumatic！〃Please　don't　tell　Miss　Agnes　I'm　living　with　Miss　Pinch；〃　I　said。
　　　Bury　shook　his　head。　〃Oh；　no。　You　got　a　low　opinion　of　me；　Inkswitch；　if　you　think　I'd　talk　to　Miss　Agnes。　I'm　not　crazy。　At　least；　I'm　not　mitted　yet；　in　spite　of　this　job。〃
　　　〃That's　two　of　us；〃　I　said。　But　it　was　a　lie。　Being　a　Wall　Street　lawyer　could　not　be　anywhere　near　as　tough　as　the　job　of　an　Apparatus　officer。　I　left。
　　　I　was　convinced　that　Bury　didn't　realize　how　serious　this　UN　thing　really　was。　I　needed　to　get　busy　stopping　Heller　before　he　stopped　everybody。
　　　I　found　a　cab　and　very　soon　was　across　town　at　42　Mess　Street。
　　　Madison's　Excalibur　car　was　in　the　alley　in　front　of　the　place；　and　an　enterprising　new　reporter　was　polishing　up　its　square　yards　of　chrome。
　　　I　went　upstairs　into　the　loft　pressroom。　Just　as　I　suspected；　the　place　had　gone　slack。　There　were　hardly　any　reporters　there。　Only　half　a　dozen　phones　were　ringing　at　once　and