lrh.villainyvictorious-第3部分

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The　tank　went　by。　Then；　here　came　the　limousine。　He　saw　Rockecenter　leaning　forward　and　peering　ahead；　pushing　at　his　driver's　back。
Heller　recalled　his　map。　For　the　next　two　miles；　until　they　reached　Palisades　Interstate　Parkway；　the　scenic　route　which　ran　along　the　high　cliffs　of　the　Hudson；　the　road　had　few　curves。　He　waited。
When　he　felt　sure　he　would　not　be　spotted；　he　backed　out　onto　the　highway　and　proceeded　south。
There　was　no　sign　of　Bang…Bang。
Somehow；　Heller　knew；　he　had　to　get　those　patents　back。　What　Rockecenter　would　do　with　them　was　just　put　them　in　a　drawer；　for　he　had　done　that　with　numerous　Earth　inventions　which　would　have　economized　on　or　substituted　for　oil。　He　would　order　the　microwave　power　units　dismantled。　He　would　close　off　the　production　of　the　carburetor　and　gasless　cars。　And　he　would　continue　the　profitable　pollution　of　the　planet。
If　Rockecenter　succeeded　in　getting　war　declared；　control　of　all　the　oil　panies；　which　he　had　already；　would　e　right　back　into　his　hands。　And　so　would　the　other　things　he　already　controlled；　such　as　banking。　He　still　owned　all　the　governments　by　way　of　international　finance。　The　only　thing　Heller　would　have　effected　would　have　been　the　removal　of　the　threat　of　nuclear　war；　by　destroying　Russia。　And　maybe　Rockecenter　would　build　that　up　again　somehow　so　he　could　sell　arms　once　more。
Heller　did　not　care　what　happened　to　Rockecenter　himself　now。　The　man　had　mitted　the　cardinal　sin　of　breaking　his　word　and；　to　a　Fleet　officer；　that　ended　off　any　mercy　that　Rockecenter　might　expect　if　it　came　to　a　final　showdown。　They　had　given　him　what　was　really　a　fair　out：　he　had　taken　advantage　of　it　like　a　thief；　even　to　the　point　of　stealing　their　wallets。
Driving　at　a　good　speed；　he　opened　the　glove　partment　of　the　cab。　No　gun。　He　glanced　into　the　back　seat。　No　gun。　Bang…Bang　had　probably　put　the　regulation　Colt。45　Heller　had　been　issued　in　the　shoulder　satchel。　If　the　tank　stopped　again；　it　left　Heller　with　no　weapons。　All　he　could　do　was　hope　he　wouldn't　have　to　go　bare…handed　up　against　a　tank。
He　turned　several　curves。　Suddenly　Entrance　4　of　the　Palisades　Interstate　Parkway　loomed。　He　shot　out　onto　its　broad　expanse。
Too　late；　he　saw　the　limousine　and　tank　a　mile　ahead。
The　officer　must　have　been　looking　back。　Heller　had　been　seen！
The　tank　swerved　out；　let　the　limousine　pass　it　and　fell　in　behind　the　car。
Heller　was　hastily　checking　his　speed。
He　didn't　check　it　fast　enough。
A　burst　of　machine…gun　fire　slashed　the　trees　to　his　right！
The　tank　turret　was　ing　around。
Heller　braked　hard。
BLAM！
The　tank　shell　hit　the　road　in　front　of　the　cab　and　screamed　over　the　top　of　it　in　a　ricochet。
Heller　slued　the　cab　over　into　the　left…hand　lanes。
BLAM！
Another　shell　hit　where　the　cab　had　just　been！
Where　the　scenic　highway　made　a　close　approach　to　the　cliffs　above　the　river；　there　was　a　turn。　The　tank　and　limousine　passed　around　it。
Heller　straightened　up　the　cab　and　proceeded。　He　recalled　from　the　map　that　the　parkway　had　more　curves　from　that　point　on；　closing　with　and　drawing　away　from　the　cliffs。
He　glanced　to　his　left。　The　Hudson　stretched　out　majestically。　It　was　bordered　for　the　next　nine　miles　by　sandstone　precipices；　vertical　down　to　the　water；　from　540　to　200　feet　in　height　where　the　river　had　slashed　through　the　lower　Catskill　Mountains。　Across　the　river；　a　mile　away；　lay　Yonkers；　and　to　the　south；　thirteen　miles　from　here；　glistened　the　skyscrapers　of　Manhattan。　The　air　seemed　clearer　today：　the　absence　of　cars　and　chimney　smoke…plus；　perhaps；　the　spores　of　Ochokeechokee　now　drifting　around　Earth　were　making　some　small　change　in　the　polluted　atmosphere　already。　It　was；　in　fact；　a　beautiful　clear　day。　It　made　Heller　cross：　Rockecenter　was　bound　and　determined　to　destroy　such　gains。
He　was　being　alert　now　for　some　sign　of　Bang…Bang。　He　hoped　his　friend　had　gotten　well　ahead　and　wouldn't　be　spotted　by　that　tank。
He　went　another　five　miles。　The　parkway　slid　inland　from　the　high　cliffs　now　and　was　bordered　by　tall；　impressive　trees。
Heller　was　afraid　he'd　lose　them。　He　speeded　up　to　eighty。
A　turn　was　just　ahead　where　the　broad　highway　twisted　once　more　east；　back　to　the　Hudson。
Heller　took　the　turn。
Too　late；　he　saw　the　tank　only　a　quarter　of　a　mile　ahead！
They　were　only　doing　about　forty！
Heller　was　closing　a　lot　too　fast！
BLAM！
As　he　saw　the　turret　gun　flash；　he　veered　left。
The　shell　went　by　with　a　shriek。
A　spray　of　machine　gun　bullets　hit　his　windshield；　pocks　of　sudden　white　in　the　bulletproof　glass。
He　veered　to　the　right。
BLAM！
A　shell　screamed　by　on　his　left。
Suddenly　he　saw　the　motorcycle。
It　was　lying　tipped　on　its　side　in　the　left　lane！
Had　Bang…Bang　been　caught　up　with？
Suddenly　Heller　understood　what　that　motorcycle　meant。
The　limousine　and　tank　were　only　a　few　hundred　yards　ahead。　They　were　speeding　around　the　turn　where　the　parkway　was　directly　above　the　Hudson　three　hundred　feet　straight　down。
Heller　stamped　on　his　brakes　and　spun　the　cab。
It　screeched　in　a　full　360　degrees。
Heller　had　it　in　reverse。
He　shot　backwards。
BOOOOOOOOM！
Bright　orange　fire　erupted　from　under　the　highway　and　bloomed　hugely　into　the　sky。
A　hundred…yard　strip　of　highway　was　going　up　into　the　air！
The　tank　was　flung；　as　from　a　catapult；　high　out　over　the　river！
As　it　hit　the　zenith　of　its　flight；　it　suddenly　exploded　as　a　bomb　of　its　own。　Its　ammunition　and　gasoline　ripped　it　into　a　balloon　of　fire。
The　concussion　hit　the　cab　and　the　tires　screeched　as　it　shot　backwards。
Then　Heller　saw　the　limousine。
It　was　high　in　the　air；　turning　over　and　over。
It　spun　slowly　and　plummeted　down　into　the　Hudson；　hundreds　of　feet　below。

Chapter　3

The　debris　was　pattering　down；　hitting　the　highway　all　around　and　the　cab。
The　column　of　smoke　was　puffing；　like　an　expanding　balloon；　up　into　the　summer　sky。
Heller　sped　the　cab　forward；　avoiding　massive　lumps　of　concrete。　He　came　close　to　the　edge　of　the　enormous　gash　that　had　been　gouged　out　of　the　cliffside。
He　leaped　out　of　the　cab　and　raced　to　the　edge　of　the　precipice。　Some　pieces　of　debris　were　still　striking　the　water。
The　ocean　tide　apparently　had　been　moving　in；　for　the　splashes　were　drifting　a　bit　northward　against　the　normal　current　of　the　river。
Heller　was　looking　for　any　sign　of　the　limousine　three　hundred　feet　below。
Footsteps　came　running　behind　him。
Bang…Bang　Rimbombo。　〃I'm　glad　you　saw　the　bike；〃　he　panted。　〃It　was　the　only　signal　I　could　think　of　to　tell　you　the　road　was　mined　ahead。〃
〃Holy　Heavens；〃　said　Heller。　〃I　didn't　tell　you　to　blow　the　whole　highway　and　cliff　down！　You　were　only　supposed　to　blast　down　a　barricade。〃
〃Well；　when　I　opened　the　satchel；〃　said　Bang…Bang；　〃those　itty…bitty　charges　looked　so　small；　I　had　misgivings。　I　really　stuffed　them　in。　I　never　saw　such　pact　dynamite　in　all　my　years　in　demolition。　Jesus；　Jet；　I'm　sorry。　I　guess　I　overdid　it！〃
Heller　didn't　dare　tell　him　he　had　been　using　Voltar　explosives；　a　million　times　as　powerful　as　Earth　dynamite。　He　was　looking　anxiously　for　any　sign　of　the　limousine。
Suddenly；　there　it　was！
It　surfaced　from　the　depths；　upside…down；　buoyed　by　the　quantities　of　air　trapped　by　its　air…conditioning　seals。　It　must　have　gone　clear　to　the　bottom　and　e　back。
Bubbles　were　ing　from　it。　It　would　sink　again！
Jet　was　stripping　off　his　clothes。
〃No！〃　cried　Bang…Bang。　〃You　can't　dive　three　hundred　feet！〃
Heller；　down　to　his　underpants；　grabbed　the　satchel　off　Bang…Bang's　shoulder。　He　snatched　out　a　short　jimmy　with　a　wrist　strap。　He　reached　in　again　and　grabbed　a　round　cylinder。　It　was　smooth　and　bright　but　it　had　a　dial　on　one　end。　He　gave　the　dial　a　twitch　with　his　thumb。
〃You're　not　seeing　any　of　this；〃　he　yelled　at　Bang…Bang。
The　limousine　was　again　beginning　to　sink。　Heller　marked　it　from　spots　on　shore。
Heller　took　a　run　and　leaped　off　the　top　of　the　cliff。　He　went　way　out。
HE　DIDN'T　FALL！
Gaping；　Bang…Bang　saw　him　hanging　by　the　cylinder　in　one　hand。　He　did　not　know　it　was　an　antigravity　coil　and　he　couldn't　register　what　he　was　looking　at。
With　the　thumb　of　his　other　hand；　Heller　gave　the　dial　another　twist。　He　swooped　down　a　hundred　feet。　He　thumbed　the　coil　again　and；　using　his　body　as　a　plane；　dived　in　the　direction　of　the　bubbles　still　ing　up　from　the　sinking　limousine。
He　hit　the　water。　It　was　cold。　Below　the　surface；　he　thumbed　the　coil　to　turn　it　off　and　then　held　it　with　his　teeth。
He　swam　to　the　bubble　chain。
He　surfaced；　took　a　deep　breath　around　the　cylinder　and　then　dived。
The　limousine　was　sinking　very　slowly　but　it　had　already　reached　twenty　feet。
Heller　looked　along　the　metal　hulk　and　peered　in。　Through　the　murky　blue　of　the　water　he　could　only　see　some　blobs　inside。　He　found　the　edge　of　a　door　and　inserted　the　jimmy。　The　thing　did　not　want　to　open；　held　shut　by　water　pressure。　He　couldn't　break　a　window：　they　were　bulletproof　glass。
The　limousine　continued　slowly　down。　If　he　let　the　air　out；　it　would　sink　like　a　rock。　He'd　never　be　able　to　recover　that　heavy　briefcase　today：　it　would　take　divers　and　cranes　and　would　be　a　lot　too　slow　and　a　lot　too　public。
The　vehicle　was　still　upside　down；　its　buoyancy　inverted；　possibly；　by　the　tires　and　a　partially　empty　gas　tank。
Heller　rose　and　got　to　one　of　the　rear　springs。　He　inserted　the　antigravity　coil　into　it　and　used　the　jimmy　to　make　it　wedge　tightly。　He　gave　the　dial　a　twist　to　maximum。
The　limousine　ceased　to　sink。　The　rear　of　it　began　to　rise。
Heller　was　out　of　air。　He　battered　his　way　to　the　surface　and　took　a　long　gulp。
The　rear　of　the　limousine　came　out　of　the　water　slowly；　rose　five　feet　above　it　and　hung　there。　The　anti…gravity　coil　had　reached　its　limit。
Heller　went　back　to　the　rear　door　edge　that　was　out　of　the　water　and　attacked　it　with　his　jimmy。　There　was　a　snap　as　the　lock　broke。　He　opened　the　door。
Water　rushed　in　and　the　limousine　began　to　sink。
Heller　pushed　in。　The　driver's　body　was　in　the　way。　Heller　pushed　it　aside。　He　spotted　the　case；　half…buoyant。　He　grabbed　its　handle　and　pulled　it。　Moving　backwards；　he　got　out　of　the　limousine　door。
He　found　himself　looking　into　the　staring　eyes　of　Rockecenter。　The　body　had　followed　him；　impelled　by　the　current　of　water。
Heller　had　an　impulse　to　push　it　back。　Then　he　didn't。　He　took　it　by　th