lrh.villainyvictorious-第31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！


The　cooks　were　lounging　in　the　doors；　the　rest　sat　on　chairs　and　benches。　And　all　eyes　were　on　Madison　as　he　stood　upon　the　raised　platform　at　the　front　of　the　large　room。
〃I　have　gathered　you　together　this　afternoon；〃　said　Madison；　〃in　order　to　clarify　for　you　why　you　are　really　here。　I　am　certain　some　of　you　have　probably　wondered；　and　the　very　essence　of　a　team　is　a　mon　purpose。
〃Now；　I　know　some　of　you　were　curious　as　to　what　PR　man　really　meant。　It　does　not　mean　'parole　officer'：　I　just　told　them　that　so　I　could　spring　you。〃
The　crew　sat　up　more　alertly。　It　made　them　feel　better　to　know　that　they　were　not　in　the　hands　of　just　another　Apparatus　officer　but　with　one　who　now　seemed

Chapter　5

Madison　had　worked　for　hours　rescuing　the　crew。　Belts　underneath　the　upper…hall　floors　had　shunted　them　to　a　〃prison〃　on　the　seventy…sixth　floor　and　they　had　been　waiting　there　in　fear　of　being　returned　to　the　Domestic　Confederacy　Prison　when　Madison　let　them　out。
An　embarrassed　electronics　security　man　had　explained　that　he　also　had　been　taken　in；　for　he　said　the　devices　were　not　of　a　type　in　general　circulation　outside　the　security　forces。　He　recovered　a　spare　from　an　electronic　parts　storeroom　and；　after　he　had　figured　it　out；　showed　them　all　it　was　just　a　chip　about　the　size　of　a　pen　point　which；　put　in　the　path　of　a　microscopic　projector；　gave　images　in　the　air　which　could　move　and　emit　sound。　The　spare；　fortunately；　was　not　of　any　ghost　but　of　a　small　boy　taking　a　pee　and　the　crew　morale　had　been　restored；　even　if　the　laughs　were　weak。
The　sealer　had　gotten　over　his　fright　after　a　few　convulsions；　aware　now　that　people　were　laughing　at　him　and　anxious　to　make　amends。
General　Loop；　they　all　agreed；　had　been　purloining　government　property　and　devices；　and　this　made　him　a　fellow　criminal　and　so；　somehow；　made　it　all　right。　Whether　he　had　done　all　this　just　to　exercise　a　hobby　or　scare　his　fellow　officers　half　to　death　was　entirely　beyond　their　interest。　Madison　had　another　theory…that　manufacturers；　knowing　Loop　was　somewhat　crazy；　had　installed　the　devices　in　the　hope　of　getting　a　contract　after　showing　what　they　could　do。　Madison　had　noticed　different　makers'　names　on　the　activating　boxes；　he　didn't　think　any　of　this　was　in　use　or　known　to　the　government　at　all。　He　had　not　found　a　single　Security　Forces　stamp　on　anything。　If　it　were　government　property　or　even　known　to　the　government；　it　would　have　long　since　been　taken　out。　But　he　didn't　disagree　with　the　crew；　they　needed　all　the　solace　they　could　get。
The　crisis　was　over。　The　crew　had　slept。　And　Madison　now　had　other　things　to　do。
In　a　seventy…sixth　floor　briefing　room　which　General　Loop　had　probably　used　to　address　his　own　staff；　Madison　had　assembled　his　gang　here　today　for　purposes　of　his　own。
They　looked　much　better　now：　the　men　had　shaved　and　cut　their　hair；　the　women　were　coiffed　and　made　up。　They　were　gaunt　but　good　food　would　handle　that。　The　prison　pallor　still　showed　through　but　a　few　days　under　sunlamps　would　turn　them　a　more　natural　color。　The　stink　was　gone！
The　cooks　were　lounging　in　the　doors；　the　rest　sat　on　chairs　and　benches。　And　all　eyes　were　on　Madison　as　he　stood　upon　the　raised　platform　at　the　front　of　the　large　room。
〃I　have　gathered　you　together　this　afternoon；〃　said　Madison；　〃in　order　to　clarify　for　you　why　you　are　really　here。　I　am　certain　some　of　you　have　probably　wondered；　and　the　very　essence　of　a　team　is　a　mon　purpose。
〃Now；　I　know　some　of　you　were　curious　as　to　what　PR　man　really　meant。　It　does　not　mean　'parole　officer'：　I　just　told　them　that　so　I　could　spring　you。〃
The　crew　sat　up　more　alertly。　It　made　them　feel　better　to　know　that　they　were　not　in　the　hands　of　just　another　Apparatus　officer　but　with　one　who　now　seemed　to　be　saying　that　he　had　other　goals　and　might　well　be　a　master　criminal　in　his　own　right；　only　using　the　Apparatus　for　some　crooked　purpose　of　his　own。　His　popularity　rose。
〃The　actual　meaning　of　PR；〃　continued　Madison；　〃is　PUBLIC　RELATIONS。　That　is　the　activity　in　which　you　will　now　be　engaged。〃
They　nodded　but　now　they　looked　puzzled。　They　had　never　heard　of　this。　The　only　relations　they　had　ever　had　with　the　public　consisted　of　victimizing　it。
〃As　this　will　be　your　work；〃　said　Madison；　〃I　had　better　explain　in　detail。〃
Madison　stood　up　very　straight。　His　face　began　to　glow。　His　own　love　of　his　subject　took　over。　In　a　voice　more　suited　to　a　cathedral；　he　said；　〃PR　is　one　of　the　noblest　pursuits　of　man！〃
His　audience　was　jolted。　They　stared　at　him　wide…eyed。
Madison　was　off。　His　voice　contained　the　caress　of　eulogy。　〃Public　Relations　is　an　art　that　FAR　transcends　mere　painting　and　crass　poetry。〃
The　audience　gawped。
〃It　is；〃　crooned　Madison；　〃the　magic　of　telling　people　what　to　think　and　bludgeons　them　to　change　their　minds。〃
A　roustabout　called　out；　〃Now　that's　more　like　it；　Do　we　hit　soft　to　stun　or　hard　to　kill？〃
Madison　smiled　a　beautiful　smile。　〃You　always　hit　to　kill。〃
The　gang　buzzed　and　nodded。　〃Got　it；〃　came　from　many　voices。　Then　someone　in　an　aside　to　his　neighbor　confided　loudly；　〃That's　what　his　Lieutenant　Flick　said　last　night。　He's　a　killer！　One　of　the　greatest　murderers　of　all　time！〃
Everyone　began　to　applaud；　even　the　cooks　at　the　door。　Then　they　stood　and　chanted；　〃The　chief！　The　chief！　The　chief！〃　Madison；　an　expert　at　timing　and　stage　presence；　knew　when　speeches　should　end。　He　bowed。
The　tumult　had　died　down　as　the　people　were　now　departing。
Madison　became　aware　of　something。　No　Flick。　He　called　out；　〃Where　is　Lieutenant　Flick？〃
The　driver　footwoman　said；　〃He's　in　bed。　He　didn't　even　touch　me。　I　can't　do　my　job。　I　think　he's　down　in　the　mouth。　Even　suicidal。〃
Madison；　in　alarm；　immediately　passed　through　the　halls　to　the　apartment　which　had　been　appropriated　by　Flick。
The　man　was　lying　with　his　face　to　the　wall。　He　appeared　to　be　pletely　caved　in。　Madison　had　to　shake　him　by　the　shoulder　to　get　any　response。
〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　Madison。
〃Life　is　over；〃　muttered　Flick。
〃Why？〃　said　Madison。
Flick　moaned；　〃Don't　ever　rob　a　man　of　his　dreams。　It's　death。〃
Madison　looked　down　at　him。　The　lethargy　was　pronounced。　He　knew　he　couldn't　live　with　him　in　this　condition。　He　thought　fast。
〃Don't　you　have　any　other　dreams？〃　he　said。
Flick　groaned　and　then　at　length　turned　over　on　his　back。　〃Just　one；　but　it's　impossible。　I　shouldn't　even　think　of　it。〃
〃Tell　me；〃　said　Madison。
〃It's　a　dream　I　get　and　then　always　have　to　abandon。　It's　to　meet　Hightee　Heller　in　person。〃　Then　he　groaned；　〃But　she　has　billions　of　fans。　I　couldn't　even　force　my　way　through　such　a　crowd。　I　haven't　even　ever　been　able　to　afford　a　ticket　to　her　personal　appearances。　So　forget　I　even　mentioned　it。　No；　life　is　over　for　poor　Flick。〃　And　he　turned　back　to　the　wall　with　an　awful；　shuddering　sigh。
Madison　went　over　to　the　window。　The　mammoth　dome　of　Homeview　was　gleaming　in　the　late　day　sun。　Something　clicked　inside　his　head。
Lombar　was　trying　to　find　Heller。　Madison　also　had　to　know。
The　orderly　outline　of　a　plan　began　to　form　on　the　glass　before　his　eyes　in　Old　Century　10…point　type。

1。　On　some　off　chance；　Hightee　Heller　might　know　where　Heller…Wister　is。　If　so；　she　might　be　tricked　into　telling　Madison。
2。　If　she　doesn't　know；　then　she　might　have　lines　she　can　use…unwittingly；　of　course…to　get　somebody　to　tell　her。
3。　He　would　have　to　have　an　excuse　to　see　her　often　so　she　could　spill　the　information　to　him　when　she　got　it。

Then　suddenly；　the　whole　sheet　jacked　up　and　a　banner；　22　point；　all　caps；　seemed　to　flow　across　the　glass：

BUILD　THE　IMAGE
BEFORE　YOU　FIT
HELLER　TO　IT！

〃YOWEEE！〃　shouted　Madison。　He　sprang　into　the　air；　he　danced　around　the　room。　He　knew　EXACTLY　how　to　go　about　it　now！
〃What　the　Hells　is　happening？〃　said　Flick；　afraid　that　Madison　had　gone　crazy。
Madison　came　to　the　side　of　the　bed。　He　put　on　his　most　sincere　and　earnest　look。　〃Flick；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　introduce　you　to　Hightee　Heller　in　person；　will　you　give　up　trying　to　pull　off　robberies？〃
Flick　stared　at　him。　Then　he　saw　from　the　sincere　and　earnest　look　that　Madison　wasn't　joking。　〃I'd　have　to；〃　said　Flick。　〃If　I　met　Hightee　Heller　in　person；　I　couldn't　pull　off　no　more　robberies。　I'd　be　a　changed　man！〃
〃Good；〃　said　Madison。　〃It's　a　bargain；　then。　If　I　see　that　you　meet　her　in　person；　the　crimes　we　do　from　here　on　out　are　only　the　ones　that　I　order。　Agreed？〃
Flick　nodded　numbly；　not　daring　to　hope。
〃All　right；〃　said　Madison。　〃Get　up　and　get　dressed。　We've　got　work　to　do！〃
Madison　rushed　out；　ecstatic　with　his　plan。
Oh；　he　was　really　on　his　way　now！　The　smell　of　eventual　victory　was　in　the　very　air！　He　could　REALLY　get　on　with　his　job　with　Heller！

Chapter　6

The　first　thing　Madison　did　was　get　from　Flick　the　name　of　a　certain　type　of　crooked　jeweler。
Flick　and　his　footwoman　got　into　the　Model　99。　Madison　sprang　into　the　back。
They　flashed　out　of　the　hangar　and　sped　across　the　sky；　Slum　City　a　vast　smudge　and　sprawl　in　the　distance；　growing　larger。
〃I　know　this　fellow　personally；〃　said　Flick　as　he　drove。　〃He's　from　Calabar　like　me。　But　we　ain't　never　been　in　the　same　line　really。　He's　rich；　I'm　poor。　I　robbed　houses。　He　received　the　goods　from　thieves　who　looted　tombs。　The　world　thinks　he's　respectable　and　I　know　what　they　think　of　me：　I　got　caught　and　wound　up　in　the　Apparatus。　He　married　a　jeweler's　daughter　and　wound　up　owning　a　'legitimate　business。'〃
Shortly　Flick　pointed　out　a　square　which　looked　to　Madison　like　an　island　in　the　middle　of　a　ghetto　sea。
They　landed　and　the　Model　99　in　all　its　glitter　instantly　attracted　a　swarm　of　tough…looking；　hooting　kids。　Suddenly　Madison　was　aware　that　this　footwoman　had　other　uses　than　being　felt　up。　She　was　out　of　the　car　like　a　tiger。　She　had　somehow　gotten　hold　of　a　stinger。　Her　target　was　the　biggest　boy　and　he　got　the　weapon　in　the　teeth　with　a　shower　of　sparks。　He　didn't　get　a　chance　to　recoil　more　than　a　foot　when　the　footwoman　had　him　by　the　arm。　In　a　sort　of　a　whirling　motion；　she　swung　him…his　feet　left　the　ground…and　like　a　scythe；　used　him　to　take　out　the　whole　front　rank　of　hooters。
There　was　the　departing　rush　of　hasty　feet。　Into　the　dying　echo　of　the　screams；　the　footwoman　thrust　the　stinger　in　the　belt　of　her　violet　uniform　and　stepped　to　the　door。　Sh