Knowing Ann Saymer had taught Hunter a wholesome3 respect for the thinking of a First in Psychiatry4. They operated with a deviousness5 that made cartel treacheries seem like child's play. He knew that Dawn had manipulated their conversation in the terminal to her own ends. Behind that deftly-phrased patter of words, what else had she tried to tell him? And what had she tried to find out? "Top level," she had said. "That's logical." Why logical? Logical to whom? Did she know where he was going and why?
The autojet thudded on the casino flat. A female attendant, robed in a skin-colored sheath bright with amber6 jewels, held open the cab door for him. Hunter entered the nearest casino. At the door he showed his saving record in the Solar First National Fund, and a casino teller7 issued him a ten thousand credit limit, the smallest denomination8 available. The resorts weren't wasting effort on pikers.
Although the casinos everywhere in the system were popular with spacemen, Hunter had never been to the top level before because Ann had seen to it that his surplus credits went into their savings9.
It was Hunter's opinion that he hadn't missed much. The Los Angeles resorts duplicated, on an elaborate scale, the most unsavory establishments of the frontier. Anything which by any stretch of a perverted10 imagination could be defined as entertainment was available—at a price.
It was early and the crowd was still small. It consisted of spacemen on the usual furlough binge, a handful of suburbanites who had hoarded11 a half-year's savings for this one-night fling in the big resorts, and a dozen bright-faced executives from the lower levels of the cartel hierarchy12. The big brass13 would turn up later on, at a more fashionable hour.
At all costs, Hunter had to keep himself inconspicuous. His uniform was not entirely15 out of place, although Consolidated16 did issue its commanders a formal outfit—more gold braid, a jeweled insignia, and a jacket cut to emphasize the broad shoulders.
Hunter stopped at the snack bar and wolfed a plate of cold cuts, the first food he had eaten since morning. Then he moved indirectly17 across the pillared gambling18 pavilion, pausing at two tables to place bets. His objective was to find a vantage point in the upper floor of the casino where he could observe the geographic19 layout of the top level.
He slipped quickly into the dark well of an emergency stairway, feeling reasonably sure that no one had seen him leave the game room. More than half an hour had passed since he had fled Mrs. Ames' rooming house and he was convinced that very shortly—if they had not done so already—the police would put out a general alarm.
As a matter of course, there would be inquiries20 at the top level, but at first they would be made by police mercenaries. No one in the casino had any reason to identify Hunter as the fugitive21. Later on, of course, when the police used electronic trackers, he wouldn't stand a chance. But before that happened he intended to make a deal with Werner von Rausch.
At the top of the stairs he found a tower window which afforded a crow's nest view of the top level. The twelve casinos, bright with lights, occupied more than half the area. Beyond the resort parkland was the small, white government building, dignified22 by its simplicity23 among so much ostentation24. Beside it was the transparent25 semi-sphere housing the top landing of the center-city lifts. A third structure—a grotesque26 mechanical monster trapped in the heart of a spider-web of converging27 wires—was the power distribution center for the top level.
In back of the government building a high, metal-faced fence knifed across the level. That fence guarded the forbidden home-ground of the titans. Hunter could see the silhouette28 of the cartel castles rising against the sky, two gigantic masses of stone. The one on the west was Farren's; the eastern one, Von Rausch's. That much and no more was common knowledge.
Were the two families, who had fought for so long to control the empire beyond the stars, on speaking terms here? Did they observe the social amenities29 in the same spirit that their companies enforced the sham30 peace on earth? In their lonely, lofty isolation31, what amusements did they enjoy? What contributed to the enrichment of the lives of those fragile beings who possessed32 the wealth of the galaxy33?
Hunter was sure no armed guards patrolled the forbidden paradise. There was no need for them, for scanners formed a protective grid34 over the area. An autojet, attempting a landing from any direction, would break a beam and instantly become the target for the autoblasters erected35 at intervals36 along the fence. A man attempting to scale the wall would meet the same lethal37 charge.
Hunter saw one small gate with an identification screen mounted in front of it. Obviously the gate would open to the handprint of a Von Rausch or a Farren. But a stranger would find himself standing38 in the line of fire of two blasters, conspicuous14 over the gate.
The scanners, the blasters, the identification screen—all the complex, electronic watchdogs—depended solely39 upon power. Countless40 other people, Hunter knew, had realized that. Only mechanically produced power made the area invulnerable. Anyone could break through the fence. It hadn't been done before, perhaps, because no other man had ever had Hunter's motivation. None had been a fugitive on the run.
Hunter made his way out of the casino and crossed the park in the direction of the government building. Sheltered by the trees from the blaze of light, he was able to see the stars, bright in the velvet41 sky. The endless universe! Somewhere he could find a haven42 for himself and Ann, a pinprick of light in the high-arching firmament43 which the cartels had overlooked.
Dawn had said that running away was madness. But what alternative did he have? To stay, and attempt to make the cartel rat-race over, sweetly and rationally so that no one would be hurt? Hunter laughed bitterly. Von Rausch had the Exorciser, and he could keep it. It would be part of the bargain the captain thought he could make to save Ann. With that weapon, Von Rausch would sooner or later tear his own world to shreds44. No man in his right mind would want to stay around to pick up the pieces—if any. He drew his blaster and took careful aim at the power distribution center.
The machine exploded. Burning wires sang in the air. In the casinos the lights winked45 out, and the entertainment machines went dark. Hunter heard the shrill46 screaming of the trapped crowd. He knew that it would bring the police running, but he also knew they would have arrived shortly in any case. The important thing was that the electronic watchdogs on the wall were now lifeless.
Hunter blasted open the gate, and took the path that led east.
The Von Rausch castle—and the word was scarcely a metaphor—was something lifted bodily out of a Tri-D historical romance, complete with porticos, battlements, stone-walled towers and an imitation moat where mechanical swans floated on the dark water.
He crossed the moat on a rustic47 footbridge of plastic cleverly fabricated to seem like crudely hewn wood. Through a high, narrow window he saw a pale flicker48 of light. The pane49 was thick with grime.
Hunter could distinguish nothing in the room except a thin, elderly woman who seemed to be moving around a table where six candles burned in a silver candelabrum.
He kicked open the window. The woman looked at him, neither frightened nor alarmed. She was wearing an odd black dress, long-sleeved, high-necked, with a hemline that touched the floor. Her face was pale and wrinkled, unrelieved by any sort of cosmetic50.
She held out her fragile hands. "You did come, Karl! I knew you wouldn't disappoint Auntie."
Hunter cried through clenched51 teeth, "I want Werner von Rausch. Where is he?"
"Goodness, dear, how should I know? Werner never comes to my parties."
Hunter noticed the table, then, set for eight, its gleaming silver and gold-rimmed china glowing in the soft candle light.
"Your Cousin Charlotte's already here, Karl." The woman gestured gracefully52 toward the table. "And little Helmig. They know how important it is to come on time."
He felt horror—and unconscious pity—as he realized the truth. Yet he tried once more to get from her the information he wanted.
"Oh, bother with Werner," she answered, pouting53. "If you must know, I didn't even invite him. He's such a bore among young people."
She saw the blaster in Hunter's hand and pushed it aside gently, with a grimace54 of disapproval55. "I don't like you to have these toys, Karl. Next thing, you'll be wanting to join the army."
Hunter flung himself out of that room, into a dark and musty hall. Behind him he heard the woman still talking, as if he had never left her. He blundered from one bleak56 room to another, rooms that were like tombs smelling of dust and decay.
On the second floor he came upon a small, balding man who sat reading at a desk in a room crammed57 with tottering58 stacks of old books. The light came from an antiquated59 electric lamp. Obviously the house had its own generating plant, independent of the power center Hunter had destroyed.
Hunter jerked up his blaster again. "Werner von Rausch?"
"One moment," the man said. Ignoring Hunter, the man quietly finished what he was reading, slipped a leather placemark into the book, and put it on top of a stack beside the desk. The pile promptly60 collapsed61 in a cloud of dust at Hunter's feet.
Max saw some of the title pages. The books were extraordinarily62 old, some of them with a printing date a thousand years in the past. The man pinched a pair of eye-glasses on his nose and studied Hunter carefully.
"You're from the police, I presume?" he asked.
"If you are Werner von Rausch—"
"I'm Heinrich. I sent in the report. Though, I must say, you couldn't have come at a more inconvenient63 time. I'm collating64 the spells tonight. I have them all, right here at my fingertips. And when I'm finished—" He seized the captain's jacket and his voice was suddenly shrill. "—I'll have the power to summon up any demon65 from hell. Think what that means! I'll be greater than Faust. I'll have more power than—"
"Where can I find Werner von Rausch?"
"Yes, Werner. Poor boy." Heinrich was calm again. "You'll have to do your duty, officer. He's been annoying me all afternoon. So much noise—a man can't think. He's in his shop at the end of the hall. But don't be too severe with him. Perhaps this time just a warning will make him see reason."
Hunter went back to the corridor, feeling again the shadow of horror at this sick distortion of reality. In the distance, beyond the metal fence, he heard the scream of sirens, and realized he had at best another three minutes before the police would be there. Three minutes to make a deal with Werner and save Ann.
Hunter pushed back the nightmare that welled up from the depths of his mind. It wasn't true; it couldn't be true. If it were, nothing in the jungle made sense.
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1
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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psychiatrist
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| n.精神病专家；精神病医师 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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psychiatry
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| n.精神病学，精神病疗法 | |
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deviousness
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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teller
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| n.银行出纳员；(选举)计票员 | |
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denomination
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| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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savings
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| n.存款，储蓄 | |
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10
perverted
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| adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 )；腐蚀；败坏；使堕落 | |
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hoarded
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| v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hierarchy
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| n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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14
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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15
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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consolidated
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| a.联合的 | |
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indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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geographic
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| adj.地理学的，地理的 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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ostentation
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| n.夸耀，卖弄 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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converging
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| adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集 | |
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28
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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29
amenities
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| n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快 | |
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sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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galaxy
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| n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物) | |
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grid
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| n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅 | |
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35
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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lethal
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| adj.致死的；毁灭性的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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40
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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42
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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43
firmament
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| n.苍穹；最高层 | |
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44
shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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45
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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46
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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47
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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48
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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49
pane
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| n.窗格玻璃，长方块 | |
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50
cosmetic
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| n.化妆品；adj.化妆用的；装门面的；装饰性的 | |
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51
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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53
pouting
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的现在分词 ) | |
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54
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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55
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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56
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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57
crammed
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| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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58
tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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59
antiquated
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| adj.陈旧的，过时的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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61
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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62
extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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63
inconvenient
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| adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的 | |
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64
collating
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| v.校对( collate的现在分词 )；整理；核对；整理（文件或书等） | |
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65
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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