the stainless steel rat-第14部分

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　　　　　〃So　she　caught　you　too；　Mr。　Wise…cop；　poor　little　Angelina　with　the　soft　eyes。〃　He　broke　down　again；　shaking　with　laughter。　
　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean；〃　I　growled。
　　　　　〃Don't　you　catch　yet？　The　story　she　told　you　was　true…except　she　twisted　it　around　a　bit。　The　whole　plan；　building　the　battleship；　then　stealing　it；　was　hers。　She　pulled　me　into　it；　played　me　like　an　accordion。　I　fell　in　love　with　her；　hating　myself　and　happy　at　the　same　time。　Well…I'm　glad　now　it's　over。　At　least　I　gave　her　a　chance　to　get　away；　I　owe　her　that　much。　Though　I　thought　I　would　explode　when　she　went　into　that　innocence　act！〃
　　　　　The　cold　feeling　was　now　a　ball　of　ice　that　threatened　to　paralyze　me。　〃You're　lying；〃　I　said　hoarsely；　and　even　I　didn't　believe　it。
　　　　　〃Sorry。　That's　the　way　it　is。　Your　brain…boys　will　pick　my　skull　to　pieces　and　find　out　the　truth　anyway。　There's　no　point　in　lying　now。〃　
　　　　　〃We'll　search　the　ship；　she　can't　hide　for　long。〃　
　　　　　〃She　won't　have　to；〃　Pepe　said。　〃There's　a　fast　scout　we　picked　up；　stowed　in　one　of　the　holds。　That　must　be　it　leaving　now。〃　We　could　feel　the　vibration；　distantly　through　the　floor。
　　　　　〃The　Navy　will　get　her；〃　I　told　him；　with　far　more　conviction　than　I　felt。
　　　　　〃Maybe；〃　he　said；　suddenly　slumped　and　tired；　no　longer　laughing。　〃Maybe　they　will。　But　I　gave　her　her　chance。　It　is　all　over　for　me　now；　but　she　knows　that　I　loved　her　to　the　end。〃　He　bared　his　teeth　in　sudden　pain。　〃Not　that　she　will　care　in　the　slightest。〃　
　　　　　I　kept　the　gun　on　him　and　neither　of　us　moved　while　the　Navy　ships　pulled　up　and　their　boots　stamped　outside。　I　had　captured　my　battleship　and　the　raids　were　over。　And　I　couldn't　be　blamed　if　the　girl　had　slipped　away。　If　she　evaded　the　Navy　ships；　that　was　their　fault；　not　mine。
　　　　　I　had　my　victory　all　right。
　　　　　Bit　I　wasn't　too　happy　about　it。　I　had　a　premonition　that　I　wasn't　finished　with　Angelina　yet。
　Chapter　8
　
　　　　　Life　would　have　been　much　sweeter　if　my　uneasy　hunch　hadn't　proven　to　be　true。　You　can't　blame　the　Navy　for　being　taken　in　by　Angelina…they　were　neither　the　first　nor　the　last　to　underestimate　the　mind　that　lay　behind　those　melting　eyes。　And　I　try　not　to　blame　myself　either。　After　my　first　mistake　in　letting　Angelina　slip　out　I　tried　not　to　make　a　second。　I　wasn't　pletely　convinced　yet　that　Pepe　was　telling　the　truth　about　her。　The　entire　story　might　be　a　plicated　lie　to　confuse　and　throw　me　off　guard。　I　have　a　very　suspicious　mind。　Playing　it　safe；　I　kept　the　muzzle　of　my　gun　aimed　exactly　between　his　eyes　with　my　fingers　resting　lightly　on　the　trigger。　I　kept　it　there　until　a　squad　of　space　marines　thundered　in　and　took　over。　As　soon　as　they　put　the　grab　on　Pepe　I　sent　out　an　all…ships　alarm　about　Angelina；　with　a　special　take…all…precautions　priority。　Even　before　all　the　ships　had　acknowledged　receipt　her　scout　rocket　was　sighted　on　the　detector　screen。
　　　　　I　sighed　with　a　great　deal　of　relief。　If　she　did　turn　out　to　be　the　brains　of　the　operation　I　didn't　want　her　slipping　away。　She；　Pepe　and　the　battleship　made　a　nice　package　to　turn　over　to　Inskipp。　There　was　no　chance　of　her　escaping　now；　with　ships　closing　in　on　her　from　every　direction。　They　were　experienced　at　this　sort　of　thing　and　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　they　had　her。　Turning　over　the　battleship　to　the　navy；　I　went　back　to　the　luxury　yacht　and　tapped　the　stores　for　a　large　glass　of　Scotch　whisky　（that　had　never　been　within　twenty　light…years　of　Earth）　and　a　long　cigar。　Sitting　fortably　in　front　of　the　screen　I　monitored　the　chase。
　　　　　Angelina　wriggled　painfully　on　the　hook；　making　high…G　turns　to　avoid　capture。　She'd　be　black　and　blue　from　head　to　foot　after　some　of　those　15…G　accelerations。　It　was　all　for　nothing　because　in　the　end　they　still　caught　her　in　a　tractor　web　and　closed　in。　All　the　thrashing　around　had　just　gained　her　a　little　time。　None　of　us　realized　how　important　this　time　really　was　until　the　boarding　party　cracked　into　the　ship。
　　　　　It　was　empty　of　course。
　　　　　Fully　ten　days　went　by　before　we　pieced　together　what　had　really　happened。　It　was　ruthless　and　ugly；　and　even　if　the　psych　docs　hadn't　assured　me　that　Pepe　had　told　the　truth；　I　would　have　recognized　the　manner　in　which　the　escape　was　carried　out。　Angelina　was　one　step　ahead　of　us　all　the　way。　When　she　had　escaped　from　the　battleship　in　the　scout　rocket　she　had　made　no　attempt　to　flee。　Instead　she　must　have　gone　at　full　blast　to　the　nearest　navy　ship；　a　twelve…man　pocket　cruiser。　They　of　course　had　no　idea　what　had　really　happened　aboard　the　battleship；　as　I　hadn't　put　out　the　general　alarm　yet。　I　should　have　done　that　as　soon　as　she　had　escaped。　If　I　had；　twelve　good　men　might　still　be　alive。　We'll　never　know　what　story　she　told　them；　but　it　was　obvious　they　weren't　on　their　guard。　Probably　something　about　being　a　prisoner　and　escaping　during　the　fighting。　In　any　case　she　took　the　ship。　Five　of　the　men　were　dead　of　gas　poisoning　the　others　shot。　We　discovered　this　when　the　cruiser　was　later　found　drifting　and　inert；　parsecs　away。　After　capturing　the　cruiser　she　had　set　the　controls　on　the　scout　ship　for　evasion　tactics　and　launched　it。　While　we　were　all　merrily　chasing　it　she　simply　let　her　ship　drop　behind　the　chase　and　vanished　from　the　fleet。　Her　trail　blurs　there；　though　it　is　obvious　she　must　have　captured　another　ship。　What　this　ship　was；　and　where　she　went　in　it；　was　a　plete　mystery。
　　　　　Back　in　Corps　headquarters　I　found　myself　trying　to　explain　this　all　to　Inskipp。　He　had　a　cold　eye　and　hardened　manner　and　I　found　myself　trying　to　justify　my　actions。
　　　　　〃You　can't　win　them　all；〃　I　said。　〃I　brought　home…your　battleship　and　Pepe…may　his　personality　rest　in　peace　now　that　it　has　been　erased。　Angelina　tricked　me　and　got　away；　I'll　admit　that。　But　she　did　a　much　better　job　of　fooling　the　boys　in　the　navy！〃　
　　　　　〃Why　so　much　venom？〃　Inskipp　asked　in　an　arid　voice。　〃No　one's　accusing　you　of　dereliction　of　duty。　You　sound　like　a　man　with　a　guilty　conscience。　You　did　a　good　job。　A　fine　job。　A　great　job　。　。　。　for　a　first　assignment　。　。　。〃
　　　　　〃You're　doing　it　again！〃　I　howled。　〃Prodding　my　conscience　to　see　how　soft　it　is。　Like　keeping　him　around。〃　I　pointed　to　Pepe　Nero　who　was　sitting　near　us　in　the　restaurant　eating　slowly；　mumbling　to　himself　with　vacant…eyed　dullness。　His　old　personality　had　been　stripped　from　his　mind　and　a　new　one　implanted。　Only　the　body　remained　of　the　old　Pepe　who　had　loved　Angelina　and　stolen　a　battleship。
　　　　　〃The　psychs　are　working　on　a　new　theory　of　body…personality；〃　Inskipp　said　blandly；　〃so　why　not　keep　him　around　here　under　observation？　If　any　of　his　criminal　tendencies　should　develop　in　the　new　personality　we'll　be　in　a　wonderful　spot　to　recruit　him　for　the　Corps。　Does　he　bother　you？〃
　　　　　〃Not　him；〃　I　snorted。　〃After　the　massacres　he　pulled　for　his　psychotic　girlfriend　you　could　grind　him　into　hamburger　for　all　I　care。　But　he　does　remind　me　that　she　is　still　out　there　somewhere。　Free　and　planning　new　mischief。　I　want　to　go　after　her。〃
　　　　　〃Well　you're　not；〃　Inskipp　said。　〃You've　asked　me　before　and　I　have　refused　before。　The　topic　is　now　closed。〃　
　　　　　〃But　I　could　。　。　。〃
　　　　　〃You　could　what？〃　He　gave　me　a　nasty　chuckle。　〃Every　law　officer　in　the　galaxy　has　a　pie　of　her　and　there　is　a　continual　search　going　on。　How　could　you　possibly　do　more　than　they　are　already　doing？〃
　　　　　〃I　couldn't；　I　guess；〃　I　grumbled。　〃So　the　hell　with　it；　as　you　say。〃　I　pushed　my　plate　away　and　stood　and　stretched　as　naturally　as　I　could。　〃I'm　going　to　get　a　large　jug　of　liquid　refreshment　and　go　to　my　quarters　and　nurse　my　sorrows。〃
　　　　　〃You　do　that。　And　forget　Angelina。　e　to　my　office　at　0900　hours　tomorrow　and　you　better　be　sober。〃
　　　　　〃Slave　driver；〃　I　moaned；　going　out　the　door　and　turning　down　the　hall　towards　the　residence　wing。　As　soon　as　I　was　out　of　sight　I　took　a　side　ramp　that　led　to　the　spaceport。
　　　　　That's　one　lesson　I　had　already　learned　from　Angelina。　When　you　have　a　plan　put　it　into　action　instantly。　Don't　let　it　lie　around　and　get　stale　and　have　other　people　start　thinking　about　it　themselves。　I　was　putting　myself　up　against　the　shrewdest　man　in　the　business　right　now；　and　the　thought　alone　w