lrh.villainyvictorious-第27部分

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〃He'll　be　armed；〃　Flick　said。
〃You　birds　stay　here；〃　said　Madison。　And　they　watched　him　walk　down　the　road；　visible　only　against　the　watchman's　windowlight。
They　saw　Madison　enter　the　office　and　the　watchman　vanish　from　the　window。　A　small　sound　came　to　them；　something　falling。　Then　there　was　a　delay　and　they　grew　more　and　more　nervous。　〃Maybe　he's　having　trouble　with　the　opening　plate。　Those　boards　are　pretty　plex。　I　better　go　help。〃
〃You　stay　here　like　he　said；〃　snarled　Flick。　〃You　caused　enough　trouble　for　one　night。〃
They　became　more　and　more　edgy。
Then　suddenly　someone　was　running　toward　them　and　they　tensed。
It　was　Madison。
He　beckoned。
Nervously　they　followed　him。
Madison　reached　for　the　entrance　door　and　opened　it。　At　his　gesture；　forty…eight　naked　cons　slid　like　whispers　into　the　building。
Flick　glanced　toward　the　watchman's　office。
〃Don't　go　in　there；〃　said　Madison。　〃It　would　turn　your　stomach。〃
Madison　firmly　closed　the　door　behind　them；　fumbled　along　the　wall　and　pushed　a　panel。
The　interior　of　the　warehouse　flooded　with　light。
There　were　tiers　and　tiers　of　shelves　of　boxes；　racks　and　racks　of　clothes；　men's　and　women's。
The　convicts　let　out　suppressed　squeals　of　delight　and　began　to　rush　along　the　racks　and　tiers。　They　began　to　tear　down　boxes　of　fancy　shoes　and　grab　hats　and　capes。
At　a　low　word　from　Madison；　Flick　called　them　to　e　back。
Holding　items　already　grabbed　they　unwillingly　returned。
Madison　walked　up　to　a　rack　of　shimmering　white　dresses；　probably　expensive　beyond　belief。　He　ripped　one　off　the　hangings。　He　was　using　it　to　wipe　his　hands！
THEY　WERE　BRIGHT　RED！
Madison　tossed　the　gown；　now　gory；　on　the　floor。
The　convicts　stared　at　him。
Madison　went　over　to　a　hook　and　took　down　a　book　that　was　hanging　there　and　looked　at　it。　〃Yes；　I　thought　so；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　the　stock　book　for　these　rows。　It　has　all　the　sizes。　Now　what　I　want　you　to　do　is　each　one　outfit　himself　for　any　role　he　might　have　to　play。　Try　everything　on　carefully。〃
〃Oh；　no；〃　Flick　gasped。　〃That　will　take　time。　On　a　job　like　this　you　grab　and　run！〃
〃And　wind　up　with　a　sloppy…looking　gang？〃　said　Madison。　〃Take　your　time。　We've　got　hours　to　dawn。〃
〃There　are　sometimes　roving　watchmen；　too！〃　said　Flick。
Madison　let　out　a　snort。　〃They're　not　roving　anymore。〃
The　convicts　hastened　back　to　the　shelves。　They　began　to　grab　stock　books。　They　began　to　look　at　sizes。　And　soon　they　were　very　busy　indeed。
The　circus　girls　paraded　around；　getting　opinions　on　which　costumes　were　the　most　provocative　until　Madison　told　them　they　had　to　look　like　ladies　of　quality　and；　on　this　new　thought；　had　to　select　all　over　again。
Flick　kept　trying　different　tunics　on　his　footwoman　to　see　which　ones　best　showed　off　her　breasts　until　Madison　forced　him　to　find　his　own　and　then　match　hers　to　that。　He　had　to　correct　that　again　when　Flick　found　some　lepertige　tights　that　left　everything　on　her　front　bare。　〃But；〃　argued　Flick；　〃I　found　some　for　myself　and　they　match　the　upholstery！〃　In　the　end；　Madison　did　manage　to　get　them　into　shimmering　violet　uniforms　but　he　had　to　let　them　take　the　tights　as　well：　it　was　the　foot…woman；　this　time；　who　was　protesting。　She　LOVED　them！
The　two　actors　who　had　been　impersonating　officers　had　to　be　argued　down　into　more　junior　ranks　when　they　found　whole　racks　for　generals　and　admirals。
The　horror…story　writer　couldn't　find　anything　gruesome　enough　and　Madison　had　to　force　him　into　a　wardrobe　for　scholars　and　lettered　men。
The　director　went　crazy　trying　to　decide　whether　he　could　direct　best；　dressed　as　an　archbishop　or　a　lord；　and
Madison　had　to　talk　very　fast　to　get　him　to　choose　clothes　of　a　working　executive。
What　was　most　trying　about　it；　to　Madison；　was　that　he　really　didn't　know　the　styles　or　what　they　represented。　He　was　finally　saved　by　the　studio　production　secretary　finding　vast　books　of　fashion　plates　which　showed　what　was　now　in　style。
After　that；　it　was　plain　sailing。　He　firmly　got　them　to　outfit　themselves　as；　each　one；　people　of　quality；　working　people；　domestics；　executives　and　actors。
At　last　he　could　turn　to　his　own　wardrobe。　And　he　had　very　little　trouble　with　that。　He　found　the　racks　for　top…flight　executives　like　presidents　of　panies　and；　in　a　conservative　way；　got　himself　into　the　height　of　fashion。
Throughout；　he　had　thought　that　the　warehouse　stank　a　bit　and　then；　smelling　some　cloth　to　make　sure　it　didn't　make　him　sneeze…for　he　had　some　minor　allergies…he　realized　that　the　bath　in　the　sea　had　not　been　total　for　these　convicts：　they　still　stank　of　the　prison；　the　odor　clung　to　their　matted　hair　and　beards　and　seemed　to　ooze　out　of　their　skin。
The　Apparatus！　He　had　smelled　this　smell　at　the　training　center。　He　had　smelled　it　in　their　old　car。　The　Apparatus　smell　was　the　smell　of　convicts！　So　THAT　was　why　it　stank！
He　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　their　contaminating　these　new　clothes。　He　persuaded　them；　before　they　left；　to　dress　in　their　working　clothes　and　not　their　finery。
〃It's　ing　on　to　dawn；〃　said　Flick　nervously。　〃We　better　be　getting　out　of　here。　If　we　don't；　we　all　could　wind　up　back　at　the　Domestic　Prison。〃
With　several　trips　they　got　their　loot　into　the　coaches　and　then　came　back　one　final　time；　at　Madison's　order；　to　wipe　the　place　clean　of　fingerprints。
Madison　waited　at　the　door。　The　crew　finished　on　the　various　floors　and　came　down。
Madison　was　standing　at　the　entrance。　He　was　humming　a　little　song。　The　director　tried　to　get　by　him　and　peer　into　the　watchman's　office。　Madison　blocked　him。
〃But　it　must　be　a　great　shot！〃　the　director　said。　〃Dead　bodies　bleeding　all　around。〃
〃Your　stomach　wouldn't　stand　it；〃　said　Madison。　〃I　don't　want　those　new　clothes　all　stunk　up　with　vomit。〃
〃Gods；　ain't　he　a　cool　one；〃　a　convict　whispered。　〃Wipes　a　whole　watch　force　out　and　hums　a　little　song。〃
Another　convict　tried　to　peer　in　and　Madison　shooed　him　off。　〃What'd　you　use？〃　the　convict　said。　〃You　didn't　have　any　weapon。〃
〃My　bare　hands；〃　said　Madison。　〃I　love　the　feel　of　the　running　gore　when　I　rip　out　throat　arteries。　So　smooth；　so　slick。　And　it　has　a　lovely　smell。　You　should　taste　it！〃
The　convicts　let　out　a　gasp。　One　retched。　They　stared　at　Madison。
He　shooed　them　off　to　the　air…coaches　and　sauntered　after　them；　humming　his　little　song。
Even　Flick　looked　at　him　a　bit　white…eyed　as　he　climbed　in。
Madison　was　still　humming　as　they　all　took　off。
And　he　had　something　to　hum　about。
When　he　walked　into　the　watchman's　office；　he　had　disregarded　three　levelled　guns　from　three　tough　watchmen。　He　had　pointed　to　the　viewer…phone　on　the　desk　and　said；　〃Connect　me　to　your　owner；　please。　The　president　of　the　pany。〃　He　had　held　up　his　identoplate　and　they　had。
When　the　startled　president　of　Classy　Togs　was　blinking　into　the　viewer…phone　from　his　bed；　Madison　had　told　him；　〃I　am　an　Apparatus　officer。　I'm　outfitting　an　Apparatus　crew　who　must　not　be　recognized。　We　are　therefore　getting　clothes　out　of　the　warehouse　without　the　help　of　clerks。　Take　an　inventory　in　the　morning；　see　what's　gone　and　put　the　amount　on　the　bill。〃
〃Wait　a　minute；〃　the　president　had　said。　〃The　Apparatus　is　poor　pay！〃
〃Oh；　this　is　on　my　personal　account；〃　Madison　had　said。　And　he　had　pushed　his　identoplate　into　the　viewer…phone　slot。
〃UNLIMITED　pay　status；〃　the　owner　had　gasped。　〃Hot　Saints！　Go　ahead！　Take　the　whole　blasted　warehouse！　WATCHMEN；　STAY　OUT　OF　SIGHT！　DON'T　YOU　DARE　LAY　A　FINGER　ON　THAT　MAN！〃
In　retrospect　Madison　liked　the　touch　of　taking　the　bottle　of　red　ink　off　the　watchman's　desk　and　sloshing　it　on　his　hands。
He　ended　his　song　with　a　laugh。　He　had　certainly　repaired　his　image　with　this　crew。
And　yes；　he　had。　The　sound　of　that　laugh　turned　the　blood　of　Flick　to　ice。
BARE…HANDED！　And　he　liked　it。　Oh；　Flick　told　himself；　by　Gods；　they'd　have　to　think　twice　before　they　crossed　the　chief。　A　REAL　murderer　for　sure！　A　PROFESSIONAL！　And　he　LOVED　HIS　WORK！
〃We're　heading　for　Joy　City　right　now；　sir；〃　said　Flick。
Madison　heard　the　tremor；　the　fear　and　the　respect　in　that　voice。
It　made　everything　plete。
He　had　total　charge　of　this　crew！
It　didn't　hurt　at　all　to　use　the　techniques　of　PR　to　improve　one's　own　image。
Now　he　could　REALLY　PR　Heller…Wister！

PART　SEVENTY…FIVE
Chapter　1

Dawn　had　not　yet　arrived；　for　all　Flick's　fears。　A　moon　had　set　and　it　was　very　black　night　in　the　countryside　below。　But　ahead　it　was　a　different　matter：　the　whole　sky　was　aglow。　Very　shortly；　at　this　speed；　they　would　be　entering　Joy　City。
Madison　wiped　a　hand　across　his　face。　〃My　nose　is　bothering　me；〃　he　told　Flick。
〃Try　a　chank…pop；　sir；〃　was　the　prompt　response。　〃Them　convicts　didn't　touch　them。　They're　in　the　bar　partment。　Try　a　yellow　one：　that's　'summer　blossom　sighs。'〃
Madison　got　one　out：　it　seemed　to　be　just　a　small　round　ball。　He　twisted　and　turned　it；　trying　to　make　it　do　something。　In　the　dimness　of　the　airbus　he　didn't　see　the　indented　line　that　you　press。　He；　in　some　annoyance；　tried　squeezing　the　whole　ball　between　his　palms　with　force；　the　way　he　was　sometimes　able　to　crack　walnuts；　a　small　fruit　of　Earth。
POW！
Instead　of　just　opening；　it　exploded　and　hit　him　in　the　eye。　The　scent…fog；　misdirected；　struck　his　forehead　and　the　roof　of　the　airbus。
〃Summer　blossom　sighs〃　might　be　just　great…he　could　catch　an　errant　whiff　of　it…but　Madison　grated　to　himself　that　he'd　be　blasted　if　he　was　going　to　lose　one　eye　and　the　top　of　his　head　every　time　he　tried　to　remedy　the　miasma　of　Apparatus　stink！
When　he　could　see　again；　the　airbus　seemed　to　be　full　of　light。　He　looked　down　and　saw　that　they　were　entering　the　vast　and　brilliant　expanse　which　was　Joy　City。
They　had　not　yet　passed　over　the　main　clubs　and　lakes　and　amusement　parks　but；　as　they　were　ing　from　mercial　City；　they　were　still　over　the　market　service　areas　of　the　pleasure　metropolis。　Sitting　in　the　center　of　an　interlace　of　rails　and　roads　he　saw　what　would　be　on　Earth　a　shopping　mall。　There　were　other　malls　scattered　about　to　left　and　right。　This　one　below　was　vast　but　only　seemed　to　be　two　stores：　Restaurant　Supplies；　one　said；　the　other　one　said　Beauty。　〃What's　that？〃　he　yelled　at　Flick。
〃　'Beauty'？〃　said　Flick。　〃Oh；　there　ain't　no　dames　down　there　if　you　feel　horny；　Chief。　That's　where　revellers　buy　things　to　repair　the　ravages　of　all…night