lrh.fortuneoffear-第43章

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cident　sharpened　my　restless　mood。　I　had　to　get　out　of　this　overrun　place　and　think。
　　　I　wiped　some　yellow　paint　spatters　off　my　trench　coat　and　went　out　for　a　walk。　The　brisk　and　windy　day　should　cool　my　fevered　brow；　calm　me　and　let　me　concentrate。
　　　All　unsuspecting；　I　walked　by　a　newsstand。　And　there　on　the　front　page　of　the　New　York　Grimes；　big　as　big；　it　said：

WOMEN'S　BOMB　RIGHTS　
ING　UP　AT　UN　
SECURITY　COUNCIL

PETTICOAT　PICKETING　BEGINS

ANTINUCLEAR　PROTEST　
MARCHERS　HOLD　RALLY　
AT　EMPIRE　UNIVERSITY

　　　Heller　again！　They　had　put　that　headline　there　just　to　nag　me。
　　　Then　the　full　import　of　it　hit　me。　If　that　bill　passed　the　Security　Council　now；　Miss　Simmons　would　be　drooling　all　over　Heller！　Rather　than　flunk　him　out　of　Empire　as　she　had　promised；　she　would　pass　him！　I　would　have　lost　a　vital　ally　I　had　counted　on　to　block　his　villainous　rehabilitation　of　this　planet；　a　plot　that　would　ruin　me；　Lombar　and　Rockecenter。
　　　Oh；　I　knew　an　emergency　when　I　saw　one。　What　could　I　do？
　　　I　stood　on　the　corner；　almost　frantic　with　the　urgency　of　the　emergency。　I　stared　up　into　the　sky；　beseeching　the　Gods　for　an　omen。　I　got　it！　Right　in　my　line　of　view　was　the　Octopus　Oil　pany　Building！　Rockecenter　was　in　his　Heaven　and　all　would　soon　be　right　with　the　world。　I　realized　that　Bury　could　not　possibly　know　that　〃Wister〃　was　behind　this　women's　rights　thing。　Rockecenter；　Bury　and　everyone　who　mattered　knew　how　dangerous　women　were　already。　But　pletely　aside　from　that；　Rockecenter　controlled　the　uranium　supplies　of　the　world；　and　the　thermonuclear…bomb　market　would　crash　if　there　was　no　more　war　on　the　horizon！　That　bill；　if　passed；　could　bring　about　a　devastating　and　disastrous　peace！　Rockecenter　must　be　frantic！
　　　No　sooner　realized　than　activated。　I　strode　with　swift　stride　to　the　Octopus　building。
　　　I　walked　straight　in　through　the　Benevolent　Association　door。　I　was　in　luck！　There　sat　Bury！　His　little　snap…brim　hat　was　sitting　on　top　of　a　cage　of　white　mice　on　his　desk。　He　looked　up　and　the　sides　of　his　mouth　twitched；　as　close　to　a　smile　as　ever　appeared　on　that　prune　face。
　　　〃Inkswitch！〃　he　said。　〃e　in。　Haven't　seen　you　for　a　day　or　two。〃　He　waved　a　hand　at　the　interview　chair；　〃Take　the　stand。　What　have　you　been　up　to？〃
　　　I　sat　down。　〃I　have　to　keep　up　my　cover　as　a　Federal　agent；〃　I　said。　〃I　just　dropped　in　to　see　if　you　know　about　this　Women's　Thermonuclear　Rights　Bill。〃
　　　〃Women；〃　he　said。　〃I　try　to　stay　away　from　those。　Without　much　luck；　I　must　say：　they　are　as　hard　to　escape　as　subpoena　servers。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　thought　you　might　like　to　know　that　this　Wister　is　behind　that　bill　right　up　to　the　hilt。　He's　a　menace。〃
　　　〃Oh；　Wister；〃　he　said。　And　the　look　came　in　his　eyes　that　can　only　possibly　appear　in　the　hard　orbs　of　a　Wall
　　　Street　lawyer。　Then　he　tented　his　hands　and　sat　back。　〃But　I　think　we've　got　that　case　pretty　well　into　due　process。　Madison　is　on　it。　And　from　the　bills　we're　getting　from　F。　F。　B。　O。；　I'd　say　he　was　pretty　busy。〃
　　　〃Wister　has　got　to　be　stopped；〃　I　said。
　　　The　〃smile〃　twitched　the　sides　of　his　mouth。　〃Well；　you　just　wait；　Inkswitch。　Anything　a　public…relations　man　like　J。　Warbler　Madman　is　onto　is　going　to　be　stopped。　You　can　count　on　it！　By　the　time　that　maniac　is　through　with　Wister；　the　poor　（bleep）　will　be　absolutely　begging　for　the　electric　chair　and　throwing　anyone　who　tries　to　get　a　governor's　reprieve　straight　out　of　his　cell。　Madison　you　can　count　on；　Inkswitch。　He　tops　every　snake　I　ever　met！　When　you　bine　the　Madisons　of　this　world　with　the　media　we　have；　even　the　Four　Horsemen　would　plead　for　an　out…of…court　settlement。　Worry　not；　Inkswitch。　You　can　count　on　Madison　to　absolutely　ruin　Wister's　life。　The　prosecution　rests。〃
　　　I　saw　I　wasn't　getting　anywhere　with　Bury。　I　rose　to　go。
　　　〃Oh；　by　the　way；　Inkswitch；〃　he　said；　〃I　just　remembered；　I　had　a　present　to　send　you　the　other　day　and　my　secretary　told　me　he　didn't　have　your　current　address。〃
　　　〃Snakes？〃　I　said。
　　　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃They're　pretty　valuable。　I　picked　up　a　set　of　acupuncture　needles　over　in　China　and　I　thought　you　might　like　to　try　them　out　on　Miss　Agnes。　If　you　put　them　in　the　wrong　place；　they　raise　hell。　So　what's　your　current　address？〃
　　　〃I'm　undercover；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Oh；　hell；　Inkswitch；　I　know　that。　This　is　just　for　my　own　notebook。〃
　　　I　couldn't　very　well　refuse　and　expose　the　fact　that
　　　I'd　never　even　met　Miss　Agnes。　I　gave　him　the　basement…apartment　address。　He　wrote　it　down　in　a　little　black　book。　Then　he　paused。
　　　〃I　know　this　address；〃　he　said；　prune　wrinkles　even　more　pronounced　as　he　thought。　〃Yes；　I　was　over　there　last　month　hushing　up　a　murder。　Somebody　beaten　to　death。　I　have　it！　That's　Miss　Pinch's　apartment！〃　He　looked　at　me　in　real　surprise。　〃Jesus；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you're　not　living　with　Miss　Pinch；　are　you？〃
　　　I　said；　〃I　got　her　under　control。〃
　　　〃Jesus！〃　he　said；　admiringly。　〃Maybe　I　ought　to　turn　you　loose　on　my　wife！〃
　　　Hastily；　I　shifted　the　subject　on　him。　I　was　busy　enough　without　another　stud　assignment。　And　I　vividly　remembered　his　wife's　voice。　Traumatic！〃Please　don't　tell　Miss　Agnes　I'm　living　with　Miss　Pinch；〃　I　said。
　　　Bury　shook　his　head。　〃Oh；　no。　You　got　a　low　opinion　of　me；　Inkswitch；　if　you　think　I'd　talk　to　Miss　Agnes。　I'm　not　crazy。　At　least；　I'm　not　mitted　yet；　in　spite　of　this　job。〃
　　　〃That's　two　of　us；〃　I　said。　But　it　was　a　lie。　Being　a　Wall　Street　lawyer　could　not　be　anywhere　near　as　tough　as　the　job　of　an　Apparatus　officer。　I　left。
　　　I　was　convinced　that　Bury　didn't　realize　how　serious　this　UN　thing　really　was。　I　needed　to　get　busy　stopping　Heller　before　he　stopped　everybody。
　　　I　found　a　cab　and　very　soon　was　across　town　at　42　Mess　Street。
　　　Madison's　Excalibur　car　was　in　the　alley　in　front　of　the　place；　and　an　enterprising　new　reporter　was　polishing　up　its　square　yards　of　chrome。
　　　I　went　upstairs　into　the　loft　pressroom。　Just　as　I　suspected；　the　place　had　gone　slack。　There　were　hardly　any　reporters　there。　Only　half　a　dozen　phones　were　ringing　at　once　and　over　half　of　the　fifty　teletype　machines　were　idle。
　　　Madison　was　in　his　cluttered　office；　his　feet　on　his　desk；　a　placent　smile　upon　his　youthful；　sincere　and　earnest　face。
　　　〃Smith！〃　he　said。　〃e　in。　Sit　down。　I　haven't　seen　you　all　day。〃
　　　It　offended　me。　Wasn't　anybody　ever　going　to　notice；　when　I'd　been　gone　for　weeks；　months　even？
　　　I　suddenly　remembered　I　had　a　bone　to　pick　with　him。　〃You　certainly　weren't　very　smart　sending　Doctor　Crobe　away；〃　I　said　sourly。
　　　〃Phetus　P。　Crobe？〃　he　said；　laughing。
　　　〃The　doctor　you　had　put　away。〃
　　　〃Put　away？〃　he　said。　〃Why；　where'd　you　get　that　idea；　Smith？〃
　　　〃You　sent　for　the　wagon；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Oh；　I　get　it。　Your　men　didn't　e　back　and　see　me。　Right　after　they　carted　him　off；　I　was　on　the　phone　to　the　chief　psychiatrist　at　Bellevue。　Crobe　seemed　anxious　to　cut　things；　as　all　psychiatrists　are；　so　they　gave　him　his　own　laboratory　and　a　top　job　on　staff。　You　didn't　think　I'd　overlook　a　valuable　asset　like　that；　did　you？　Heaven　forbid。　What　would　the　media　do　for　horror　if　it　weren't　for　psychiatrists？　But　I've　got　to　build　him　up　before　I　can　use　him。　You　should　keep　track　of　things　better；　Smith。　And　I　do　wish　you　knew　more　about　public　relations　than　you　do。　It's　hard　to　work　with　amateurs。　That　loony　（bleep）　could　have　killed　me。　You　apparently　don't　know　much　about　psychiatrists　or　you　would　have　sent　him　directly　to　the　hospital　and　not　let　him　run　around　loose；　slashing　away　at　your　colleagues。　Psychiatry　is　for　the　public；　Smith。　Not　for　people　who　matter。〃
　　　I　saw　I　was　in　danger　of　being　hectored。　I　said；
　　　〃Don't　land　on　me　with　all　four　feet。　You're　in　no　position　to。　There's　a　grave　threat　growing　up　around　Wister　and　what　are　you　doing　about　him？　Next　to　nothing。　The　Atlantic　City　thing　was　weeks　ago　and　by　now　has　run　its　course。。。。〃
　　　Madison's　feet　came　down　off　the　desk。　He　sat　forward　in　amazement。　〃Run　its　course？　God　deliver　me　from　amateurs！　It's　been　getting　front　page　for　weeks　and　weeks。　It's　setting　an　all…time　record！　The　bulk　of　my　staff　is　down　at　Trenton；　New　Jersey；　stirring　it　up　again！〃
　　　He　grabbed　a　huge　fistful　of　clippings。　〃Look！　The　New　Jersey　governor　is　having　an　absolute　fit　about　the　theft　of　Atlantic　City　still！　He's　continued　to　maintain　that　it　is　part　of　New　Jersey　even　yet。　But　look　at　this；　the　riots　we　stirred　up：　the　citizens　there　are　refusing　now　to　pay　state　taxes。　We　got　a　dreadful　row　going　in　the　New　Jersey　legislature　and　the　Whiz　Kid　was　arrested　by　state　police　for　stealing　the　town。　And　look　at　this：　The　Whiz　Kid　hauled　before　the　legislature　and　the　whole　body　throwing　whiskey　bottles　at　him；　trying　to　get　him　to　promise　he　won't　sell　Atlantic　City　to　Nevada。〃
　　　He　grabbed　another　sheet；　〃And　look　at　tomorrow's　headlines！〃
　　　I　stared　at　the　layout　for　the　New　York　Grimes。　It　said：

WHIZ　KID　DECLARED　
AN　ORIGINAL　OWNER　
OF　ALL　NEW　JERSEY

　　　A　shocked　governor　today　was　brutally　brought　face　to　face　with　the　reality　that　not　just
　　　Atlantic　City　but　the　entire　state　of　New　Jersey　may　belong　to　J。　T。　Wister；　otherwise　known　as　the　〃Whiz　Kid〃　of　recent　notoriety。
　　　No　less　an　authority　than　Professor　Stringer　himself；　the　world's　leading　authority　on　genealogy　and　family　history；　has　issued　an　authoritative　warning　that　Wister　is　a　direct　descendant　of　Chief　Rancocas；　head　of　the　Lenni　Lenape　branch　of　the　Delaware　tribe；　the　original　owners　of　New　Jersey。
　　　The　Indian　name　Lenni　Lenape　means　〃Original　People。〃　From　this；　according　to　Dr。　Egghead；　the　State　Historian；　〃it　can　be　clearly　seen　that　the　word　original；　occurring　in　both　instances；　proves　the　claim。〃
　　　〃No　deed　of　transfer　or　record　of　sale　from　Chief　Rancocas　or　the　Lenni　Lenape　Indians　can　be　found　in　the　Trenton　Courthouse　files　or　archives；〃　said　the　State　Recorder　of　Deeds　at　this　fateful　meeting　last　night。　〃Therefore　it　must　be　concluded　that　the　entire　state　of　New　Jersey　still　belongs　to　the　original　owners。〃

　　　Before　I　could　finish　reading；　Madison　slapped　it　on　the　desk。　His　eyes　glowed。　〃The　next　day　after　that　story；　the　Whiz　Kid　is　going　to　order　the　original　settlers　out。　After　that　we　can　get　the　Indian　Bureau；　Department　of　the　Interior；　on　it　and　we　can　have　another　Battle　of　Wounded　Knee　and　get　a　headline　for　every　Federal　marshal　killed。　And　next　week　the　Whiz　Kid　will　escape　by　robbing　a　train。。。。〃
　　　That　startled　me。　I　said；　〃Where　does　this　train　e　from？　What's　it　doing　here？〃
　　　Madison　sat　back　with　a　superior　smile。　Rather　pitying。　〃Please　see　somebody　about　your　memory；　Smith。　I　distinctly　told　you　a　long　time　ago　that　I　am　trying　to　create　the　Jesse　James　image。　Don't　you　recall？　It's　the　best　immortal　one　handy。　You　just　don't　understand　public　relations　work；　Smith。〃
　　　He　had　needled　me　too　much。　I　said；　〃Listen；　Madison。　I　came　down　to　tell　you　that　the　Whiz　Kid　is　behind　this　women's…right…to…not…be…thermonuclear…bombed　bill。　It's　ing　right　up　before　the　UN　Security　Council。　He　got　it　through　the　General　Assembly　using　whores　to　lobby　for　it。〃
　　　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃　said　M