"Harry Harrison - SSR 08 - The Stainless Steel Rat Sings the " - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

Eyes closed, breathing easily, he just lay there and made no protest as I stripped him of uniform and
weapons. Nor did he thank me when I draped my burlap robe over his pale form, hiding his black lace
undies from prying eyes. His clothes were not too bad a fit. Not too good either with the cap tilting
forward over my eyes. But it would have to do.

There were three doors leading from this room. The one that I had locked was pounding and bouncing in
its frame: next to it was the one that we had come in through. It didn't take much intelligence to use the
unconscious guard's keys to open the third one.

It led to a storage room. Dark shelves, filled with nameless objects, vanished away into the distance. Not
too promising but I was in no position to choose. I executed a quick leap back to the entrance door,
unlocked it and threw it open, then dived ahead into the storage room. As I closed this final door behind
me, even before I could lock it, there was a mighty crash and screams of anger as the assaultees finally
broke the door down.



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Misdirection wouldn't last long. Run past the shelves. Hide here? No-there would be a thorough search. A
door at the far end, bolted on the inside. I opened it a crack and looked at the empty room beyond.
Opened and stepped through.

And stopped quite still as the guards who were flattened against the wall all pointed guns at me.

"Shoot him!" Colonel Neuredan ordered.

"I'm unarmed!" My gun slid across the floor as I threw my hands into the air. Fingers quivered on triggers-
it was all over.

"Don't shoot-I want him alive. For the moment."

I stood frozen, not breathing until the trigger fingers relaxed. Looked up and quickly found the security
bug in the ceiling. Must be one in every room and corridor down here. They had been watching me all the
time. A good try, Jim. The Colonel grated his teeth horribly and stabbed a finger in my direction.

"Take him. Chain him. Bind him. Bring him."

This was all done with ruthless efficiency. My toes dragged along the floor as I was whisked back to the
cell, stripped at gunpoint, thrown to the floor with my black robe thrown on top of me. The door clanged
shut and I was alone. Very much alone.

"Cheer up, Jim, you've been in worse trouble before," I chirped smilingly. Then snarled, "When?"

Back in the pits again. My abortive attempt at escape had only gained me a few bruises.

"This can't be it!" I shouted. "It can't all end just like this."