lrh.villainyvictorious-第2部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


One　Sunday　afternoon　Rockecenter　was　preparing　to　go　to　Philadelphia　for　a　Swillerberger　Conference　that　he　controlled。　The　president　of　the　United　States　was　to　be　called　before　the　conference　that　night　and　ordered　to　go　before　the　Senate　the　next　day　to　request　that　war　be　declared　on　Maysabongo。
Bang…Bang　drove　Heller　and　his　financial　advisor　Izzy　Epstein　to　the　great　Rockecenter　estate；　and　Heller　and　Izzy　walked　in　while　Rockecenter　was　chastising　Bury　for　the　current　predicament。
Heller　made　Rockecenter　an　offer：　Call　off　the　war；　grant　〃Twoey〃　（Rockecenter's　actual　son）　a　ten…billion…dollar　trust；　draw　up　a　new　will　leaving　Twoey　the　entire　estate；　and　Heller　would　give　Rockecenter　the　patents　and　a　portion　of　the　oil　empire　that　Heller　now　controlled。
With　the　smile　of　a　snake；　Rockecenter　agreed　and　the　documents　were　signed…then　the　snake　struck！
When　the　brief　scuffle　was　over；　Rockecenter's　attorney　Bury　lay　unconscious　on　the　floor　and　a　weaponless　Heller　was　surrounded　by　army　troops。
Rockecenter　scooped　up　the　papers　that　now　gave　him　plete　control　and　put　them　into　a　huge　steel　suitcase。　He　turned　to　a　major　general　whose　squad　had　its　weapons　turned　on　Heller　and　Izzy。
〃General；〃　said　Rockecenter；　〃hold　this　riffraff　until　I　return。　Then；　as　we　will　be　at　war；　we'll　have　work　for　a　firing　squad。〃
What？　Has　Heller　lost　everything？
Fear　not！　I；　Monte　Pennwell；　Voltar's　first；　only　and　greatest　investigative　reporter；　have　the　story！

Chapter　1

Rockecenter　grabbed　his　hat　and　picked　up　the　heavy　case。　He　stepped　over　to　Bury　behind　the　couch　and　gave　him　a　kick。　〃Whether　you're　dead　or　not；　your　usefulness　is　ended。　Now　I'm　off　to　Philadelphia　to　handle　another　one　of　your　foul…ups。〃
Rockecenter　went　to　the　French　doors；　closed　them　behind　him　and　shouted　up　the　drive；　〃Bring　my　car　and　get　a　tank　for　protection！〃
The　general　gave　a　signal。　Two　soldiers　seized　Izzy；　pinning　his　arms　back　and　looking　around　for　something　to　tie　him　with。
Two　more　soldiers　grabbed　Twoey　and　after　a　brief　struggle　had　him　on　the　floor。
The　general　made　a　gesture　toward　Heller。
Rockecenter's　car　had　arrived　and　Rockecenter　went　down　the　steps　to　it；　but　he　stood　there　looking　up　the　road。
The　soldiers　started　to　grab　Heller's　arms。　〃Oh；　he　didn't　mean　me！〃　said　Heller。　〃I'm　his　son。〃
〃What？〃　said　the　general。
〃Yes；　it's　a　fact；〃　said　Heller。　〃He　just　meant　these　two　fellows　here。〃
Both　Izzy　and　Twoey　looked　at　Heller；　stunned。
The　general　stepped　toward　the　French　doors　as　though　to　go　after　Rockecenter　and　ask。　But　Rockecenter　had　now　climbed　into　his　car　and　it　began　to　roll。
From　where　Heller　stood　he　could　see　through　the　glass　of　the　French　doors　that　Rockecenter's　car　had　pulled　up　again　and　stopped。　He　hoped　the　general　would　not　see　that。
〃Well；　see　here；〃　said　the　general；　〃I'll　have　to　have　proof；　and　more　than　some　phony　I。D。！〃
〃Ah；〃　said　Heller。　〃You　just　grab　the　phone　on　that　desk　and　ask　for　Emergency　FBI；　Washington；　D。　C。　You　just　ask　for　agents　Stupewitz　and　Maulin。〃
Heller　crossed　his　fingers。　Those　agents　were　the　first　ones　he　had　had　contact　with　on　his　original　arrival　in　the　United　States　last　fall。　He　had　never　heard　of　them　or　from　them　since。
The　general　moved　to　the　desk；　his　back　to　the　door。　If　he　turned　around　he　would　be　able　to　see　the　limousine。　It　was　waiting　for　a　tank；　apparently；　for　tank　engines　were　roaring　outside。
The　general　got　his　connection。　He　asked　for　agent　Stupewitz　or　Maulin。　He　waited。　Then　he　said；　〃Agent　Stupewitz？　This　is　General　Flood；　New　York　National　Guard。　We've　got　a　fellow　here　that　says　he's　Rockecenter's　son。。。。　Yes；　I'll　describe　him。　He's　about　six　foot　two；　slender；　blond　hair；　blue　eyes；　probably　about　eighteen。。。。〃　He　put　his　hand　over　the　mouthpiece；　〃What　is　your　name　supposed　to　be？〃
〃Delbert　John　Rockecenter；　Junior；〃　said　Jet。　He　could　see　the　tank　in　place　in　front　of　the　car。　A　sergeant　was　standing　by　the　officer　in　the　turret；　pointing　at　a　map。
The　general　said　into　the　phone；　〃He　says　his　name　is　Delbert　John　Rockecenter；　Junior。。。。　I'm　calling　from　Pokantickle　Hills；　the　Rockecenter　home。。。。〃
He　suddenly　shoved　the　instrument　at　Heller。　〃He　wants　to　talk　to　you　to　verify　your　voice。〃
Heller　took　the　phone。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　watched　the　tank　and　limousine。　He　wished　they'd　get　moving。　〃Hello；　Agent　Stupewitz；　sir；〃　said　Heller。　〃I　just　wanted　to　remind　you　that　we　never　got　a　tombstone　for　Mary　Schmeck。〃
〃JUNIOR！　Hey；　Maulin；　it's　Junior！　Grab　the　other　phone！〃
〃Hello；　Junior；〃　said　Maulin。　〃I'm　glad　you　called。　Did　you　know　we　never　even　heard　from　Bury！〃
〃Not　a　squeak！〃　said　Stupewitz。
〃How　horrible！〃　said　Heller。　〃It's　a　good　thing　that　you　told　me。　I'm　of　age　now　and　there's　a　lot　of　inheritance　around。。。。〃
Both　agents　laughed　agreeably。
〃And　I　was　just　wondering　the　other　day　if　I　had　any　debts。　By　golly；　I'm　glad　I　contacted　you。　I　am　going　to　need　a　lot　of　help　to　straighten　up　my　affairs。　Would　you　consider　a　couple　of　six…figure　jobs？〃
Maulin　said；　〃We　can　retire　any　minute；　Junior。　We're　just　waiting　for　the　chance。〃
〃You've　got　it；〃　said　Heller。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　put　this　general　back　on？〃
He　handed　the　instrument　to　the　general。　He　listened。　His　ears　got　bright　pink。　Then　he　looked　at　Heller　and　stood　a　little　straighten　He　put　the　phone　back　on　its　cradle。
〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　the　general。　〃I'm　new　at　these　family　matters。〃
〃All's　fair　in　love　and　war；〃　said　Heller　cryptically。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　saw　that　the　limousine　and　tank　were　gone。　〃Now；　General；　take　that　Bury　there　to　your　hospital　tent　and　if　he　isn't　dead；　do　a　nice　long　operation。　Plenty　of　anesthetic　because　he's　sensitive。　As　for　these　other　two；　hold　them　very　safe。〃
Izzy　and　Twoey　looked　at　him　with　horror。
〃Now；　as　you　know；〃　continued　Heller；　〃there's　lots　of　Maysabongo　saboteurs　about。　So　let　me　have　a　motorcycle　so　my　driver　can　scout　the　road。　And　if　there's　nothing　else；　I'll　go　out　to　my　car　and　try　to　catch　up　with　Daddy。〃
〃Very　good；　Lieutenant　Rockecenter；〃　said　the　general　and　barked　an　order　to　an　aide　who　was　hovering　at　the　door。

Chapter　2

Heller　raced　out。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　tank　or　limousine。　He　spotted　the　sergeant　who　had　been　showing　the　map　to　the　officer　in　the　tank　turret。
〃Sergeant；〃　he　called；　and　when　the　man　came　over　and　saluted；　〃It's　very　urgent　that　they　take　a　safe　route。　I　trust　you　gave　them　good　advice。〃
〃Oh；　yes；　sir；〃　said　the　sergeant；　digging　out　a　map。　〃There's　reports　of　Maysabongo　partisans　in　New　York。　So　they're　going　west　over　the　Tappan　Zee　Bridge　to　the　Jersey　side　and　then　south　on　Highland　Avenue　until　it　joins　the　Palisades　Interstate　Parkway　along　the　Hudson。　Before　they　hit　the　George　Washington　Bridge；　they'll　go　west　to　Fort　Lee　and　then　hit　the　New　Jersey　Turnpike。　They'll　leave　that　at　Exit　6　and　switch　over　to　U。　S。　95　and　wind　up　right　at　Independence　Hall。〃
Heller　sketched　it　with　a　pen　and　took　the　map。
He　ran　over　to　where　Bang…Bang　sat　worriedly　in　the　cab；　looking　distrustfully　at　the　army；　an　organization　which；　as　an　ex…marine；　he　despised。　Heller；　arriving　from　behind；　startled　him。
Hastily；　Heller　gave　him　some　instructions　and　handed　him　the　map。　A　soldier　was　wheeling　up　a　despatch　rider's　motorcycle。
Bang…Bang　got　out　of　the　cab。　Heller　took　the　despatch　rider's　helmet　and　put　it　on　Bang…Bang。　Then　Heller　reached　into　the　cab　and　hung　the　satchel　around　Bang…Bang's　neck。
The　soldier　jiggled　the　carburetor　primer。　Bang…Bang　stamped　on　the　kick…start；　gave　Heller　a　look　of　misgiving　and　then　the　motorcycle　roared　away；　spreading　terror　amongst　the　troops　it　barely　missed　as　it　rocketed　for　the　gate。　Bang…Bang　was　gone。
Heller　climbed　into　the　cab；　which　now　looked　like　an　army　car；　started　up；　and　with　a　salute　to　the　officer；　sped　down　the　drive　and　away。
He　had　expected　to　catch　up　with　Rockecenter　by　the　time　they　had　reached　the　Tappan　Zee　Bridge。　But　when　he　went　through　the　tollgate；　he　could　see　no　sign　of　the　limousine　or　tank　on　the　long　span　across　the　Hudson。　He　hoped　Bang…Bang　was　riding　fast　enough。　Rockecenter　was　certainly　revving　it　up。
Heller　roared　across　the　two…and…a…half…mile　span：　the　Hudson　River　sparkled　blue　below　in　the　July　noon　sun；　a　vast　waterway　stretching　to　the　distant　sea。
Reaching　the　New　Jersey　side；　he　turned　south　on　Highland　Avenue；　actually　a　highway　in　its　own　right。　Even　though　it　was　Sunday　and　he　was　entering　the　long　series　of　parks　which　stretched　sixteen　miles　or　more　along　the　river；　there　was　no　traffic　to　be　seen　anywhere：　the　U。　S。　was　out　of　gas　pletely；　except　for　the　favored　or　those　with　foresight；　and　they　weren't　wasting　it　on　picnicking。
A　few　miles　south　of　the　bridge；　the　road　turned　through　a　rolling；　grassy　area；　a　deserted　golf　course。　He　was　going　very　fast。　The　turn　ahead　was　blind。　He　shot　around　it。
THE　LIMOUSINE　AND　THE　TANK！
They　were　stopped　beside　the　road。
Rockecenter　was　out　of　the　car。
One　of　the　tank　crew　was　evidently　trying　to　fix　the　limousine's　whip　antenna。
There　was　no　time　to　brake　or　duck。
Rockecenter　looked　straight　into　Heller's　face！　He　raised　his　hand　to　point　and　yell。
It　all　happened　in　the　blur　of　three　seconds。　Heller　shot　past　them　at　eighty　miles　an　hour。
There　was　another　curve　in　the　road　ing　right　up。　A　park　lay　all　along　on　Heller's　right。
He　rounded　the　turn；　saw　in　his　rearview　mirror　that　the　tank　was　out　of　sight。
There　was　an　opening　into　the　park　right　ahead。
Heller　stamped　on　his　brakes。
The　old　cab　skidded　sideways　with　a　scream。
He　dived　it　into　the　trees；　saw　he　was　covered；　and　stopped。
He　could　hear　the　tank　engine　roar。
He　opened　the　door　and　peered　through　the　leafy　cover　at　the　road。
He　saw　the　tank。　It　was　some　old　model；　the　kind　of　equipment　they　give　reserve　units　when　the　regulars　no　longer　want　it。　It　had　wheels；　not　treads；　for　fast　highway　travel。　It　might　be　old　but　it　had　a　big　gun　in　its　turret　and　machine　guns　pointing　out　in　front。　The　officer　was　riding　with　the　hatch　open；　standing　in　it；　goggled　and　helmeted　and　holding　a　drawn。45。　That　told　Heller　all　he　needed　to　know。　They　had　orders　to　shoot　him。
The　tank　went　by。　Then；　here　came　the　limousine。　He　saw　Rockecenter　leaning　forward　and