lrh.villainyvictorious-第22部分

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an　a　billion　at　any　one　time　and　confer　with　you；　will　you　make　it　a　pay　status　for　all　three？　That　way　it　would　only　debit　from　existing　funds。〃
〃You'd　have　to　put　it　in　writing；〃　glowered　Cipho。
〃It　would　keep　the　puters　from　locking　up；〃　said　the　first　executive。　〃Give　him　some　paper。〃
They　got　the　signed　and　stamped　undertaking　and　marked　his　identoplate　Pay　Status：　Unlimited…APR。
Madison　accepted　it　with　a　very　straight　face。　Never　in　his　whole　career　had　he　ever　had　a　billion…dollar　drawing　account！　Oh；　what　he　could　do　with　that！
They　had　the　look　of　men　who　had　bested　him。　And　he　was　very　solemn　as　he　walked　away。
A　BILLION…DOLLAR　DRAWING　ACCOUNT！

Chapter　2

On　the　way　out；　Madison　put　his　new　identoplate　to　use。　At　the　cash…withdrawal　counter　the　pretty　girl　there　looked　at　the　identoplate　and　stared　at　him　round…eyed。　〃Unlimited　pay　status？〃　she　gulped。　〃How。。。　how　much　cash　do　you　want？〃
Madison　gave　her　the　first　figure　that　came　into　his　head。　〃Oh；　fifty　thousand　for　now。〃
She　scratched　her　head。　〃That　will　be　an　awful　wad。　It　will　ruin　the　shape　of　your　suit。　Wait　right　there。　I'll　see　if　we　have　some　thousands。〃
She　came　back　with　a　neat　pack　and　while　she　was　stamping　things；　Madison　looked　at　the　banknotes。　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　seen　any　Voltar　money　up　close。　It　was　gold…colored　paper；　quite　pretty。　It　sparkled。　He　petted　it。　Very　nice。
〃You　wouldn't　have　some　idle　time　tonight；　would　you？〃　asked　the　girl　hopefully。
Madison　ran。
He　got　in　the　airbus　and　Flick　closed　the　door　for　him。　〃We　got　some　money？〃　said　Flick。　And　when　Madison　patted　his　pocket；　Flick　leaped　behind　the　controls　and　they　took　off。
〃I'm　STARVING！〃　said　Flick；　as　he　threaded　his　way　through　Government　City　air　lanes。　〃I'll　just　drop　down　to　a　busy　street　and　we'll　get　some　hot　jolt　and　FRESH　sweetbuns　off　a　vendor。　You　also　owe　me　a　pack　of　puffsticks。　I　gave　one　to　that　guard；　remember？〃
He　dropped　down　into　the　parking　strip　beside　the　thronged　and　noisy　street。　He　yelled　at　a　dark…plected　old　man　who　was　pushing　a　cart　laden　with　estibles　and　other　things。
〃Two　hot　jolts；　four　sweetbuns；　one　pack　of　puff…sticks；〃　said　Flick。
Dutifully　the　old　man　handed　them　in　and　then　held　out　his　hand。
〃Pay　him；〃　said　Flick。
Madison　got　out　a　thousand…credit　note　and　handed　it　over。
〃I　can't　take　that；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃It　would　clean　out　the　change　of　the　whole　street。　You　only　owe　me　a　tenth　of　a　credit。　Haven't　you　got　a　coin？〃
〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　Madison。　〃Two　coffees；　four　buns；　one　pack　of　puffsticks。　Ten　cents？　You　must　be　mistaken。〃
〃Well；　things　are　a　little　high　these　days；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃And　after　all；　I've　got　to　make　a　living。〃
〃No；　no；〃　said　Madison。　〃I'm　not　haggling　with　you。　I'm　just　trying　to　figure　out　how　much　a　credit　is　worth。　I　got　it：　how　much　is　a　good　pair　of　shoes？〃
〃Oh；　call　it　a　credit　and　a　half；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃They're　kind　of　dear；　the　good　ones　I　mean。〃
Madison　did　a　racing　calculation。　He　had　been　thinking　in　terms　of　dollars。　As　close　as　he　could　guess；　one　credit　must　be　worth　at　least　twenty　bucks！
He　sank　back　on　the　seat　in　a　sudden　shock。　He　didn't　have　a　billion…dollar　drawing　account。
HE　HAD　ONE　FOR　TWENTY　BILLION！
A　voice　penetrated　his　shock。　〃Well；　pay　the　man；〃　said　Flick。　〃He's　got　some　blank　vouchers　there。　Just　stamp　one。〃
Madison　was　still　in　shock。　Flick　came　back　to　him；　stuffed　the　thousand…credit　note　into　his　breast　pocket　and　tapped　around　his　coat　and　found　his　identoplate　and　drew　it　out。　The　old　man　was　presenting　the　paper　through　the　window　and　Flick；　looking　at　the　stamp　face；　was　pushing　the　button　to　get　it　to　e　up　with　the　right　stamp。
Suddenly　Flick　froze。
He　was　staring　at　the　plate。
Suddenly　Flick　cried；　〃Pay　Status　UNLIMITED？〃
He　stared　at　Madison。
The　mouth　opened　in　the　squashed　oval　of　a　face。　The　mouth　closed。
Flick　looked　back　at　the　identoplate。　He　worked　the　button　and　made　the　picture　of　Madison　e　up。　He　looked　at　it。　He　looked　back　at　Madison。　Then　Flick　shifted　the　button　and　stared　at　the　pay　status　again。
Flick　sat　back。　His　eyes　were　jiggling。
The　old　man　urged　the　paper　at　the　driver。　〃Stamp　it　for　my　tenth　of　a　credit；　please。〃
Flick　got　his　eyes　in　focus。　He　went　into　sudden　motion。　He　scribbled　on　the　paper　and　stamped　it　and　said；　〃THROW　THE　WHOLE　CONTENTS　OF　YOUR　CART　IN！〃
The　old　man　looked　at　the　paper　in　shock。　Then　he　hastily　began　to　pitch　things　through　the　window。　He　barely　managed　to　tip　up　the　last　tray　when　Flick　took　off。
〃HOT　SAINTS！〃　cried　Flick　as　he　raced　into　the　air。　〃MY　DREAMS　HAVE　JUST　E　TRUE！〃

Chapter　3

The　airbus　was　accelerating　so　rapidly　and　with　such　a　wild　turn　that　Madison　was　sent　sprawling　into　the　tumbling　packs；　canisters；　chank…pops　and　jugs　of　sparklewater。　He　thought　the　world　had　gone　vermilion　until　he　found；　from　the　floor　of　the　vehicle；　that　he　was　looking　at　it　through　a　disposable　umbrella　of　that　hue　which；　somehow；　had　sprung　open。
〃What　the　blazes　are　you　doing？〃　yelped　Madison。
〃Just　hold　on；〃　said　Flick。　〃I'll　have　us　there　in　a　minute　flat！〃
〃I　didn't　give　you　any　orders　to　go　anywhere！〃　howled　Madison　from　amongst　cartons　of　puffsticks。
〃You　don't　know　the　place　like　I　do；〃　Flick　called　back。　〃Just　don't　worry。　We're　not　lost。　I　know　exactly　where　we're　going。〃
The　airbus　swooped　perilously。　It　wasn't　a　minute。　It　was　more　like　ten。　And　Madison　had　just　begun　to　get　himself　sorted　out　when　WHAM！　they　landed。
Flick　was　out　of　the　airbus　like　a　flash。　Madison；　prying　a　sweetbun　off　his　face；　heard　him　chortling。　〃There　she　is。　Oh；　Gods；　you　beauty！　Just　what　I　have　always　wanted！〃
Madison　gingerly　pried　himself　out　of　the　car；　dabbing　at　his　face。　They　had　evidently　landed　straight　through　the　open　doors　of　a　huge　display　room。　The　sign　in　reverse　on　the　window　said　Zippety…Zip　Manufacturing　Outlet；　mercial　City。
Flick　was　standing　ecstatically；　looking　at　the　ceiling。
A　rather　good…looking　man　in　a　bright　green　suit　came　over；　somewhat　upset　about　this　unorthodox　landing　but　not　saying　so。　〃I'm　Chalber。　Is　there　something　I　can　do　for　you　gentlemen？〃
〃That！〃　said　Flick；　jabbing　with　his　finger。
Madison　had　gotten　the　sweetbun　crumbs　out　of　his　eyes。　They　were　surrounded　by　rows　and　rows　of　airbuses　of　every　shape　and　hue。　But　Flick　wasn't　pointing　at　any　of　them。　He　was　jabbing　at　the　ceiling。
Up　there；　on　a　transparent　sheet　suspended　by　cables；　was　a　vehicle　on　display；　visible　from　the　air　if　one　looked　through　the　high　windows　or　glass　dome。　It　was　utterly　huge：　it　had　a　flying　angel　in　lifelike　colors　protruding　forward　from　each　of　its　four　corners　and　it　appeared　to　be　solid　gold。
〃That；　that；　that！〃　said　Flick。　〃I've　wanted　it　for　years！〃
〃Oh；　I　am　sorry；〃　said　Chalber；　〃that's　the　Model　99。　There　were　only　six　of　them　ever　built　and　they　were　used　for　parades　and　vehicle　shows。　It's　sort　of　our　symbol　of　excellence　to　show　what　Zippety…Zip　can　do。　It's　not　for　sale。〃
〃Oh；　yes；　by　Gods；　it's　for　sale。　Look　at　that　sign　on　the　window。　It　says；　'We　Sell　Everything　That　Flies。'　〃
〃Well；　that's　just　a　figure　of　speech；〃　said　Chalber。
〃You　better　start　figuring；〃　said　Flick。　〃I　WANT　THAT　AIRBUS！〃
〃Well；　really；〃　said　Chalber；　〃you　must　realize　that　when　the　Model　99s　were　built；　they　were　never　intended　for　sale。　We　were　merely　seeking　to　prove　we　could　do　better　than　any　other　manufacturers。　One　or　two　of　them　were　presented　to　noblemen　as　a　gesture　of　good　will。　But　you　gentlemen　aren't　noblemen。〃
〃You　want　a　fight？〃　said　Flick；　putting　up　his　fists。
〃Listen；　Flick；〃　said　Madison。　〃I　don't　think　we　should　get　into　any　brawls。。。。〃
〃Listen　yourself！〃　said　Flick。　〃That　99　has　a　bar；　a　toilet；　a　washbasin　with　jewelled　buttons。　It　has　a　color　organ　and　every　known　type　of　screen　and　viewer。　The　back　seats　break　down　into　beds　that　massage　you。　The　upholstery　is　real　lepertige　fur。　It　flies　at　six　hundred　miles　an　hour　and　can　reach　any　place　on　the　planet　nonstop。　It　is　fully　automatic。　It　is　pletely　soundproof　and　it　is　pressurized　for　flights　up　to　three　hundred　miles　altitude。　When　you　land；　a　piece　of　the　back　end　pulls　out　and　bees　a　ground　car　and　you　don't　need　to　walk。　The　Model　99　has　tons　of　storage　cabinets　and　you　can　even　hide　a　girl　under　the　seat。〃　He　shook　his　fist　at　Chalber　pugnaciously。　〃I've　had　dreams　of　driving　one　around；　snooting　at　all　the　other　traffic　and　I'm　NOT　going　to　be　stopped！〃
〃Really；〃　said　Chalber。　〃Be　reasonable。　The　price　would　be　ten　times　that　of　a　top…grade　limousine　airbus。　I　can　show　you　gentlemen　some　very　fine　vehicles　that…　…　〃
〃How　much？〃　said　Flick。
〃That　Model　99；〃　said　Chalber　with　a　superior　sneer；　〃sits　on　the　books　at　thirty　thousand　credits。　I　am　sure。。。〃
Flick　still　had　Madison's　identoplate。　He　stuck　it　in　front　of　Chalber's　face　and　said；　〃Will　that　do？〃
Chalber　looked　at　it。　Then　he　went　into　staring　shock。　〃Pay　Status　UNLIMITED？〃
〃Him；〃　said　Flick；　jabbing　a　finger　at　Madison。　〃Apparatus…Palace　City…Royal。　Now　get　that　beauty　down　here！　Service　it！　And　don't　delay！〃
Chalber　nodded　numbly。　Flick　threw　his　hands　wide　toward　the　car　and　cried；　〃Baby；　e　to　your　Daddy　Flick！〃

Chapter　4

After　Flick　had　oohed　and　ahed　over　the　lowered　Model　99；　showing　Madison　all　its　beauties；　and　while　mechanics　got　dust　off　of　it　and　fuel　rods　into　it；　Flick　raced　over　to　an　office　munication　booth　and　got　very　busy。
Madison；　already　a　car　buff；　began　to　warm　to　the　vehicle。　It　certainly　was　FLASHY！　Even　the　angels　at　the　four　corners　had　a　sort　of　wild　grin　on　their　faces　as　though　they　were　going　to　show　the　world。　He　thought　for　a　moment　of　his　poor　Excalibur；　probably　on　the　river　bottom　still　in　New　York；　far　away；　and　then　dismissed　it。　This　was　a　car　that　performed　like　a　jetliner；　with　no　wings。　It　wasn't　chrome…plated。　It　was　gold…plated！　Every　button　was　a　precious　stone。　The　seats　were　like　sitting　on　a　cloud。　He　forgot　the　Excalibur。　This　was　a　PR　car　to　end　all　PR　cars！
Chalber　had　a　lot　of　papers　to　stamp　and　had　to　show　him　how　but　he　was　very　respectful。　Flick　came　away　from　the　munication　booth　long　enough　to　make　sure　it　was　all　in　order。
〃You　hold　on　to　this　Apparatus　junk　heap；〃　said　Flick　to　Chalber。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　to　do　with　it。　And　you　stand　ready　to　give　me　two