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Vaska had stayed in the Robotnik for an entire day without any trouble。 How long would it be possible to hold him here？ Theoretically forever if enough money were deposited to the room's account。 But he could not be kept subjugated by hypnosis for more than a day or two if I were not there to reinforce the suggestion。 Or could he 。 。 。？ I would have to find the control center of the hotel before I could make any final decisions。 But this could be the right idea。
I left Vaska watching an historical space opera on TV； with the suggestion that this was the finest entertainment he had ever witnessed； which might possibly be the truth。 Loaded with instruments and tools I went on the prowl。 There would be a serviceway for the robots behind the rooms； but it was undoubtedly small； dark and dusty。 That was a last resort。 As mechanized as this hotel was； human beings had built it and could repair it if they had to。 A quick prowl of the lower hallways near the entrance uncovered a concealed door with a disguised keyhole。 It was flush with the wall and outlined with paneling； designed to be unobtrusive to maintain the fiction that the Robotnik was a hundred percent robot run。 I spent more time with my instrumentation； making sure there were no bugs on the door； than I did opening it。 The lock was a joke。 There was no one in sight when I slipped through the door and closed it behind me。
I felt like a roach inside a radio。 Electronic ponents hung； projected and bulged out on all sides； cables and wires looped and sagged in a profusion of electric spaghetti。 Rolls of tape clicked and whirred on the puters； relays opened and closed； and gear trains chattered。 It was a very busy place。 I worked my way through it examining the labels and stepping over the little hutches where off duty robots rested； until I found what might be called a control center。 There was even a chair here before a console； that was designed for the human form； and I dropped into it。 And set to work。 I had been mulling my new plan over while tripping through this mechanical jungle and now knew what had to be done。
First； the electronic bugs in Vaska's room。 I did not want him observed or listened to。 The bugging circuits were easy enough to find and there was even a monitor screen that could be connected to any of them。 I tested this out and apparently there was a bug in every room in the hotel and some interesting things were going on； but I have never been much of a voyeur； preferring participation to observation； and a married roan now as well。 And time was passing quickly。 All of the bugging circuits came together into a cable that vanished through the wall； to the local police station or other government bureau。 Which gave roe the idea。 I had no time to fix a tape and soundtrack that would pump phoney information into the bugging circuit； I had to improvise。 This was done easily enough by feeding the signal from the bugging circuit of another room into the wire from the room Vaska was occupying。 From the way this setup was arranged it was obvious that the bugs were used to watch only one room at a time； for reasons best known to the people who built it。 There was about one chance in ten thousand that it would ever be noticed that the same signal was ing from two rooms。 And these odds were good enough for me。 Over half of the rooms were empty in any case； which improved the odds even more。
Vaska could neither be seen nor heard now。 The room and associated pleasures had to be paid for； but before I left I would deposit enough money （all stolen） to last a year if needs be。
A way to keep him in the room for that length of time was now needed and Iwith my usual fertile imagination and basically nasty naturehad already devised that scheme。 A small tape recorder was wired into the speaker circuit for the room； a timer attached； and the whole device concealed in the maze of other circuits and ponents。 I programmed the tape； set the timer and started it up。 Then rushed back to the room to watch my creation begin its job。
Vaska still had his eyes glued to the TV screen； panting with passion as mighty spaceships locked in frenzied destruction。 Blaster cannon sizzled and ravening energies raved； and through this cut my recorded voice。
〃Now here this； Vaska； now hear this。 You have had a long day and you are sleepy。 You are yawning。 You are going to turn off the lights and retire now； to sleep the sound sleep of the blessed for tomorrow is another day。〃
And that was the big lie。 For tomorrow would not be another day； not for dear Vaska。 It was going to be the same one all over again。 He would be lulled into a deep sleep and an even deeper trance by my soothing voice。 And while there it would be explained to him that he would forget this day so he could wake up on the morning of his last day of leave before reporting for active duty。 He would wake up with a slight hangover from the celebrations of the night before and would make an easy day of it。 Just lie around the hotel room； read a bit； eat some food； watch TV； and retire early。 He would enjoy himself。 He would enjoy himself the same way every day until the program was broken。
It was a wonderful plan and as foolproof as possible。 I fed over half of my liquid funds into the paying hopper and the balance of the wall indicator shot up to an enormous number。
Slowly and happily； I reached out and hung the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the outside of the door。
And then I got depressed and turned the lights back on and looked around for the bottle that had provided me with so much inspiration so far。 Vaska was well taken care of。
But how did I get back into the thri6e…guarded and now doubly wakeful military base？
That high stone wall loomed as large in my brain as it did in reality。 I had made a fuss going over it and alerted everyone。 It would be nice if I could return without anyone knowing； sneaking under it perhaps。 Out of the question； digging and earth moving and things like that could not be acplished in a few hours。 Steal a plane； fly over； parachute in？ And be shot down before I hit the ground。 There could be no worse time than the present to try to enter or leave the base。 The guards would be suspicious and reinforced and the place crawling with troops。 Which of course gave me the clue as to what I had to do。 Turn their strength against them； use their own numbers to defeat them； judo on a giant basis。 But how？
The answer came quickly enough once the problem had been correctly stated； I put together the equipment I would need； it was quite bulky； then stowed it all into a large suitcase and fitted the suitcase with a destruct apparatus。 A disguise would be needed； nothing plex； just something to hide my real…assumed identity。 Ahh； the levels of deception we must enter into。 A long coat buttoned high concealed my uniform； my cap went into my pocket to be replaced by a floppy black hat； and my old faithful gray beard muzzled my face in anonymity。 I was ready。 I took a deep breath and a small drink and slipped out； locking the door behind me and pocketing the key。 As I went out I slipped this into a waste chute and the flare of instant destruction brightened my way。 Going a good distance from the hotel I signaled and a robocab stopped and I heaved in my suitcase。
〃Main entrance； Glupost base；〃 I ordered and away we went。
Madness？ Perhaps。 But it was the only way。
Not that I didn't have a trapped butterfly or two beating for release from my stomach。 This was only to be expected as we rolled up the approach street under the high lights； towards the suspicious and heavily armed guards who stood about fondling their weapons。 Dawn was already lightening the sky。
〃The base is closed！〃 a lieutenant shouted； pulling open the door of the cab。 〃What are you doing here？〃
〃Base；〃 I quavered in a very bad imitation of an old man's falsetto。 〃Isn't this the Carrot Juice Center for Natural Health？ This cab has done me wrong 。 。 。〃
The officious lieutenant snorted through his nostrils and turned awayand I rolled a pair of gas grenades out through his bowed legs。 And heaved five more after them。 As the first ones went off I pulled the gas mask down out of my hat and slapped it over my face； beard and all。
My but things got busy。 The grenades were a fine mixture of blackout gas； smoke and happygas。 Blind； laughing； cursing； coughing men stumbled about on all sides and a few guns went off。 I worked my way through their confused ranks； sowing more confusion as I went； and up to the main gates and put down my suitcase and opened it。 The shaped charges had adhesive bases and stuck to the steel of the gate when I slapped them into place。
A rocket slug burst against the gate and pieces of shrapnel tore at my flapping coat。 I hit the ground。 Tearing out two smoke grenades and dropping them behind me。 Just as the smoke roiled up I had a quick glimpse of a squad ing up on the double； still outside the gassed area； firing as they came。 Two more blackout gas bombs in that direction helped a lot。 Now； as much in the dark as everyone else； I pushed in the caps by touch and linked them with fuse wire to the radio igniter。
Time was passing too quickly。 They were alert inside the gate now and would be waiting for me。 But I had e too far to back out。 I closed the suitcase； again by touch； grabbed it up and inched my way along the wall and pressed the transmitter switch in my pocket。
Explosions banged out in the darkness and were followed by the clang of steel。
Hopefully an opening had been blasted in the gate。
I stumbled back towards it with all the sounds of bedlam in the darkness around me。
Chapter 10
The hole was there all right； with glimpses of lights on the other side as the smoke cloud roiled through it。 There were troops there too because a hail of small arms fire clanged against the door with some chance slugs ing through the new…blasted opening。 Screams sounded behind me as someone was hit。 The fools were shooting each other； helping to spread the confusion I had sown。 Keeping out of the line of fire from inside the gate I hurled grenade after grenade through and； when the smoke was at its thickest there； went through myself as fast and low as I could。
It really sounded great。 Sirens were moaning； men shouting； weapons barking： the voices of utter confusion。 I threw more grenades in all directions； throwing them as far as I could to widen the area of cover； until only a half dozen were left。 These I saved for possible emergencies； which were sure to emerge； jamming them into my coat pockets。 The self…destruct on the suitcase had a five…second delay which I tripped； then buried the suitcase away in the opposite direction。 I crept along the wall； my only point of reference in the blackout； towards the guardhouse I had noticed when I had first examined the gate。 There had been a clutch of vehicles parked thereat the timeand I muttered prayers that at least one of them still remained。 The cloud thinned and I buried two more grenades ahead of me。 In the darkness I heard a motor start up。
Forgetting caution； I ran。 Someone slammed into me and fell heavily but I kept my feet and stumbled on。 Then I tripped over a curb and did fall； but did a quick roll and came up running minus my hat。 The engine was louder and then I saw the squarish van just beyond the edge of the smoke cloud。 It was turning to start down the road and I threw two of my remaining four grenades as far ahead of it as I could。 The driver hit the brakes as the mushrooming clouds sprang out； then I was at the door tearing it open。 He was in cook's white； cap and all； and I reached out and dragged him to me； landing a swift right cross on his gaping jaw as he went by。 Then I was in the driver's seat and pushing the thing into gear and jumping the deadweight of the vehicle forward as fast as I could； letting the door swing shut with the sudden acceleration。 Once out of the smoke I saw that daylight had arrived。
Well done； I congratulated myself； then slowed down to avoid being conspicuous。 More soldiers were ing down the street towards me； running at the double； so I slipped down as far as I could and began to tug at the gray beard。 It was just about time to resume my V