lrh.villainyvictorious- 第3节

Chapter　2

Heller　raced　out。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　tank　or　limousine。　He　spotted　the　sergeant　who　had　been　showing　the　map　to　the　officer　in　the　tank　turret。
〃Sergeant；〃　he　called；　and　when　the　man　came　over　and　saluted；　〃It's　very　urgent　that　they　take　a　safe　route。　I　trust　you　gave　them　good　advice。〃
〃Oh；　yes；　sir；〃　said　the　sergeant；　digging　out　a　map。　〃There's　reports　of　Maysabongo　partisans　in　New　York。　So　they're　going　west　over　the　Tappan　Zee　Bridge　to　the　Jersey　side　and　then　south　on　Highland　Avenue　until　it　joins　the　Palisades　Interstate　Parkway　along　the　Hudson。　Before　they　hit　the　George　Washington　Bridge；　they'll　go　west　to　Fort　Lee　and　then　hit　the　New　Jersey　Turnpike。　They'll　leave　that　at　Exit　6　and　switch　over　to　U。　S。　95　and　wind　up　right　at　Independence　Hall。〃
Heller　sketched　it　with　a　pen　and　took　the　map。
He　ran　over　to　where　Bang…Bang　sat　worriedly　in　the　cab；　looking　distrustfully　at　the　army；　an　organization　which；　as　an　ex…marine；　he　despised。　Heller；　arriving　from　behind；　startled　him。
Hastily；　Heller　gave　him　some　instructions　and　handed　him　the　map。　A　soldier　was　wheeling　up　a　despatch　rider's　motorcycle。
Bang…Bang　got　out　of　the　cab。　Heller　took　the　despatch　rider's　helmet　and　put　it　on　Bang…Bang。　Then　Heller　reached　into　the　cab　and　hung　the　satchel　around　Bang…Bang's　neck。
The　soldier　jiggled　the　carburetor　primer。　Bang…Bang　stamped　on　the　kick…start；　gave　Heller　a　look　of　misgiving　and　then　the　motorcycle　roared　away；　spreading　terror　amongst　the　troops　it　barely　missed　as　it　rocketed　for　the　gate。　Bang…Bang　was　gone。
Heller　climbed　into　the　cab；　which　now　looked　like　an　army　car；　started　up；　and　with　a　salute　to　the　officer；　sped　down　the　drive　and　away。
He　had　expected　to　catch　up　with　Rockecenter　by　the　time　they　had　reached　the　Tappan　Zee　Bridge。　But　when　he　went　through　the　tollgate；　he　could　see　no　sign　of　the　limousine　or　tank　on　the　long　span　across　the　Hudson。　He　hoped　Bang…Bang　was　riding　fast　enough。　Rockecenter　was　certainly　revving　it　up。
Heller　roared　across　the　two…and…a…half…mile　span：　the　Hudson　River　sparkled　blue　below　in　the　July　noon　sun；　a　vast　waterway　stretching　to　the　distant　sea。
Reaching　the　New　Jersey　side；　he　turned　south　on　Highland　Avenue；　actually　a　highway　in　its　own　right。　Even　though　it　was　Sunday　and　he　was　entering　the　long　series　of　parks　which　stretched　sixteen　miles　or　more　along　the　river；　there　was　no　traffic　to　be　seen　anywhere：　the　U。　S。　was　out　of　gas　pletely；　except　for　the　favored　or　those　with　foresight；　and　they　weren't　wasting　it　on　picnicking。
A　few　miles　south　of　the　bridge；　the　road　turned　through　a　rolling；　grassy　area；　a　deserted　golf　course。　He　was　going　very　fast。　The　turn　ahead　was　blind。　He　shot　around　it。
THE　LIMOUSINE　AND　THE　TANK！
They　were　stopped　beside　the　road。
Rockecenter　was　out　of　the　car。
One　of　the　tank　crew　was　evidently　trying　to　fix　the　limousine's　whip　antenna。
There　was　no　time　to　brake　or　duck。
Rockecenter　looked　straight　into　Heller's　face！　He　raised　his　hand　to　point　and　yell。
It　all　happened　in　the　blur　of　three　seconds。　Heller　shot　past　them　at　eighty　miles　an　hour。
There　was　another　curve　in　the　road　ing　right　up。　A　park　lay　all　along　on　Heller's　right。
He　rounded　the　turn；　saw　in　his　rearview　mirror　that　the　tank　was　out　of　sight。
There　was　an　opening　into　the　park　right　ahead。
Heller　stamped　on　his　brakes。
The　old　cab　skidded　sideways　with　a　scream。
He　dived　it　into　the　trees；　saw　he　was　covered；　and　stopped。
He　could　hear　the　tank　engine　roar。
He　opened　the　door　and　peered　through　the　leafy　cover　at　the　road。
He　saw　the　tank。　It　was　some　old　model；　the　kind　of　equipment　they　give　reserve　units　when　the　regulars　no　longer　want　it。　It　had　wheels；　not　treads；　for　fast　highway　travel。　It　might　be　old　but　it　had　a　big　gun　in　its　turret　and　machine　guns　pointing　out　in　front。　The　officer　was　riding　with　the　hatch　open；　standing　in　it；　goggled　and　helmeted　and　holding　a　drawn。45。　That　told　Heller　all　he　needed　to　know。　They　had　orders　to　shoot　him。
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。