the stainless steel rat-第3部分

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　　　　　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　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　f