the stainless steel rat- 第1节

　
　　　　　When　the　office　door　opened　suddenly　I　knew　the　game　was　up。　It　had　been　a　money…maker…but　it　was　all　over。　As　the　cop　walked　in　I　sat　back　in　the　chair　and　put　on　a　happy　grin。　He　had　the　same　somber　expression　and　heavy　foot　that　they　all　have…and　the　same　lack　of　humor。　I　almost　knew　to　the　word　what　he　was　going　to　say　before　he　uttered　a　syllable。
　　　　　〃James　Bolivar　diGriz　I　arrest　you　on　the　charge…〃　
　　　　　I　was　waiting　for　the　word　charge；　I　thought　it　made　a　nice　touch　that　way。　As　he　said　it　I　pressed　the　button　that　set　off　the　charge　of　black　powder　in　the　ceiling；　the　crossbeam　buckled　and　the　three　ton　safe　dropped　through　right　on　the　top　of　the　cop's　head。　He　squashed　very　nicely；　thank　you。　The　cloud　of　plaster　dust　settled　and　all　I　could　see　of　him　was　one　hand；　slightly　crumpled。　It　（witched　a　bit　and　the　index　finger　pointed　at　roe　accusingly。　His　voice　was　a　little　muffled　by　the　safe　and　sounded　a　bit　annoyed。　In　fact　he　repeated　himself　a　bit。

　　　　　〃。　。　。　On　the　charge　of　illegal　entry；　theft；　forgery…〃　
　　　　　He　ran　on　like　that　for　a　while；　it　was　an　impressive　list　but　I　had　heard　it　all　before。　I　didn't　let　it　interfere　with　my　stuffing　all　the　money　from　the　desk　drawers　into　my　suitcase。　The　list　ended　with　a　new　charge　and　I　would　swear　on　a　stack　of　thousand　credit　notes　that　high　that　there　was　a　hurt　tone　in　his　voice。
　　　　　〃In　addition　the　charge　of　assaulting　a　police　robot　will　be　added　to　your　record。　This　was　foolish　since　my　brain　and　larynx　are　armored　and　in　my　midsection…〃
　　　　　〃That　I　know　well；　George；　but　your　little　two…way　radio　is　in　the　top　of　your　pointed　head　and　I　don't　want　you　reporting　to　your　friends　just　yet。〃
　　　　　One　good　kick　knocked　the　escape　panel　out　of　the　wall　and　gave　access　to　the　steps　to　the　basement。　As　I　skirted　the　rubble　on　the　floor　the　robot's　fingers　snapped　out　at　my　leg；　but　I　had　been　waiting　for　that　and　they　closed　about　two　inches　short。　I　have　been　followed　by　enough　police　robots　to　know　by　now　how　indestructible　they　are。　You　can　blow　them　up　or　knock　them　down　and　they　keep　ing　after　you；　dragging　themselves　by　one　good　finger　and　spouting　saccharine　morality　all　the　while。　That's　what　this　one　was　doing。　Give　up　my　life　of　crime　and　pay　my　debt　to　society　and　such。　I　could　still　hear　his　voice　echoing　down　the　stairwell　as　I　reached　the　basement。
　　　　　Every　second　was　timed　now。　I　had　about　three　minutes　before　they　would　be　on　my　tail；　and　it　would　take　me　exactly　one　minute　and　eight　seconds　to　get　clear　of　the　building。　That　wasn't　much　of　a　lead　and　I　would　need　all　of　it。　Another　kick　panel　opened　out　into　the　label…removing　room。　None　of　the　robots　looked　up　as　I　moved　down　the　aisle…I　would　have　been　surprised　if　they　had。　They　were　all　low…grade　M　types；　short　on　brains　and　good　only　for　simple；　repetitive　work。　That　was　why　I　hired　them。　They　had　no　curiosity　as　to　why　they　were　taking　the　labels　off　the　filled　cans　of　azote　fruits；　or　what　was　at　the　other　end　of　the　moving　belt　that　brought　the　cans　through　the　wall。　They　didn't　even　look　up　when　I　unlocked　the　Door　That　Was　Never　Unlocked　that　led　through　the　wall。　I　left　it　open　behind　me　as　I　had　no　more　secrets　now。
　
　　　　　Keeping　next　to　the　rumbling　belt；　I　stepped　through　the　jagged　hole　I　had　chopped　in　the　wall　of　the　government　warehouse。　I　had　installed　the　belt　too；　this　and　the　hole　were　the　illegal　acts　that　I　had　to　do　myself。　Another　locked　door　opened　into　the　warehouse。　The　automatic　forklift　truck　was　busily　piling　cans　onto　the　belt　and　digging　fresh　ones　out　of　the　ceiling…high　piles。　This　forklift　had　hardly　enough　brains　to　be　called　a　robot；　it　just　followed　taped　directions　to　load　the　cans。　I　stepped　around　it　and　dogtrotted　down　the　aisle。　Behind　me　the　sounds　of　my　illegal　activity　died　away。　It　gave　me　a　warm　feeling　to　still　hear　it　going　full　blast　like　that。
　　　　　It　had　been　one　of　the　nicest　little　rackets　I　had　ever　managed。　For　a　small　capital　outlay　I　had　rented　the　warehouse　that　backed　on　the　government　warehouse。　A　simple　hole　in　the　wall　and　I　had　access　to　the　entire　stock　of　stored　goods；　long…term　supplies　that　I　knew　would　be　untouched　for　months　or　years　in　a　warehouse　this　size。　Untouched；　that　is；　until　I　came　along。
　　　　　After　the　hole　had　been　made　and　the　belt　installed　it　was　just　a　matter　of　business。　I　hired　the　robots　to　remove　the　old　labels　and　substitute　the　colorful　ones　I　had　printed。　Then　I　marketed　my　goods　in　a　strictly　legal　fashion。　My　stock　was　the　best　and　due　to　my　imaginative　operation　my　costs　were　very　low。　I　could　afford　to　undersell　my　petitors　and　still　make　a　handsome　profit。　The　local　wholesalers　had　been　quick　to　sense　a　bargain　and　I　had　orders　for　months　ahead。　It　had　been　a　good　operation…and　could　have　gone　on　for　quite　a　while。
　　　　　I　stifled　that　train　of　thought　before　it　started。　One　lesson　that　has　to　be　remembered　in　my　line　of　business　is　that　when　an　operation　is　over　it　is　OVER！　The　temptation　to　stay　just　one　more　day　or　to　cash　just　one　more　check　can　be　almost　overwhelming；　ah；　how　well　I　know。　I　also　know　that　it　is　also　the　best　way　to　get　better　acquainted　with　the　police。
　
　Turn　your　back　and　walk　away…　
　And　live　to　graft　another　day。
　
　That's　my　motto　and　it's　a　good　one。　I　got　where　I　am　because　I　stuck　to　it。
　And　daydreams　aren't　part　of　getting　away　from　the　police。
　
　　　　　I　pushed　all　thoughts　from　my　mind　as　I　reached　the　end　of　the　aisle。　The　entire　area　outside　must　have　been　swarming　with　cops　by　this　time　and　I　had　to　move　fast　and　make　no　mistakes。　A　fast　look　right　and　left。　Nobody　in　sight。　Two　steps　ahead　and　press　the　elevator　button。　I　had　put　a　meter　on　this　back　elevator　and　it　showed　that　the　thing　was　used　once　a　month　on　the　average。
　　　　　It　arrived　in　about　three　seconds；　empty；　and　I　jumped　in；　thumbing　the　roof　button　at　the　same　time。　The　ride　seemed　to　go　on　forever；　but　that　was　just　subjective。　By　the　record　it　was　exactly　fourteen　seconds。　This　was　the　most　dangerous　part　of　the　trip。　I　tightened　up　as　the　elevator　slowed。　My。　75　caliber　recoilless　was　in　'　my　hand；　that　would　take　care　of　one　cop；　but　no　more。
　　　　　The　door　shuffled　open　and　I　relaxed。　Nothing。　They　must　have　the　entire　area　covered　on　the　ground　so　they　hadn't　bothered　to　put　cops　on　the　roof。
　In　the　open　air　now　I　could　hear　the　sirens　for　the　first　timea　wonderful　sound。　They　must　have　had　half　of　the　entire　police　force　out　from　the　amount　of　noise　they　were　making。　I　accepted　it　as　any　artist　accepts　tribute。
　　　　　The　board　was　behind　the　elevator　shaft　where　I　had　left　it。　A　little　weather…stained　but　still　strong。　A　few　seconds　to　carry　it　to　the　edge　of　the　parapet　and　reach　it　across　to　the　next　building。
　　　　　Gently；　this　was　the　one　dangerous　spot　where　speed　didn't　count。　Carefully　into　the　end　of　the　board；　the　suitcase　held　against　my　chest　to　keep　my　center　of　gravity　over　the　board。　One　step　at　a　time。　A　thousand…foot　drop　to　the　ground。　If　you　don't　look　down　you　can't　fall　。　。　。
　　　　　Over。　Time　for　speed。　The　board　behind　the　parapet；　if　they　didn't　see　it　at　first　my　trail　would　be　covered　for　a　while　at　least。　Ten　fast　steps　and　there　was　the　door　to　the　stairwell。　It　opened　easily…and　it　better　have…I　had　put　enough　oil　on　the　hinges。　Once　inside　I　threw　the　bolt　and　took　a　long；　deep　breath。　I　wasn't　out　of　it　yet；　but　the　worst　part　where　I　ran　the　most　risk　was　past。　Two　uninterrupted　minutes　here　and　they　would　never　find　James　Bolivar；　alias　〃Slippery　Jim〃；　diGriz。
　
　　　　　The　stairwell　at　the　roof　was　a　musty；　badly　lit　cubicle　that　was　never　visited。　I　had　checked　it　carefully　a　week　before　for　phono　and　optic　bugs　and　it　had　been　clear。　The　dust　looked　undisturbed；　except　for　my　own　footprints。　I　had　to　take　a　chance　that　it　hadn't　been　bugged　since　then。　The　calculated　risk　must　be　accepted　in　this　business。
　　　　　Good…by　James　diGriz；　weight　ninety…eight　kilos；　age　about　forty…five；　thick　in　the　middle　and　heavy　in　the　jowls；　a　typical　business　man　whose　picture　graces　the　police　files　of　a　thousand　planets…also　his　fingerprints。　They　went　first。　When　you　wear　them　they　feel　like　a　second　skin