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t being noticed and that is being noticed and filed into a category。 Your description gets mixed up with every other guy in the file and that is the end of it。
When I woke up we were almost to planet X； I half dozed in the chair until we touched down； then smoked a cigar while my bag cleared customs。 My locked brief case of money raised no suspicions since I had foresightedly forged papers six months ago with my occupation listed as bank messenger。 Interplanet credit was almost nonexistent in this system； so the customs men were used to seeing a lot of cash go back and forth。
Almost by habit I confused the trail a little more and ended up in the large manufacturing city of Brouggh over one thousand kilometers from the point where I had landed。 Using an entirely new set of identification papers I registered at a quiet hotel in the suburbs。
Usually after a big job like this I rest up for a month or two； this was one time though I didn't feel like a rest。 While I was making small purchases around town to rebuild the personality of James diGriz； I was also keeping my eyes open for new business opportunities。 The very first day I was out I saw what looked like a natural…and each day it looked better and better。
One of the main reasons I have stayed out of the arms of the law for as long as I have； is that I have never repeated myself。 I have dreamed up some of the sweetest little rackets； run them off once； then stayed away from them forever after。 About the only thing they had in mon was the fact that they all made money。 About the only thing I hadn't hit to date was out and out armed robbery。 It was time for a change and it looked like that was it。
While I was rebuilding the paunchy personality of Slippery Jim I was making plans for the operation。 Just about the time the fingerprint gloves were ready the entire business was planned。 It was simple like all good operations should be； the less details there are； the less things there are that can go wrong。
I was going to hold up Moraio's； the largest retail store in the city。 Every evening at exactly the same time； an armored car took the day's receipts to the bank。 It was a tempting prize…a gigantic sum in untraceable small bills。 The only real problem as far as I was concerned was how one man could handle the sheer bulk and weight of all that money。 When I had an answer to that the entire operation was ready。
All the preparations were； of course； made only in my mind until the personality of James diGriz was again ready。 The day I slipped that weighted belly back on； I felt I was back in uniform。 I lit my first cigarette almost with satisfaction； then went to work。 A day or two for some purchases and a few simple thefts and I was ready。 I scheduled the following afternoon for the job。
A large tractor…truck that I had bought was the key to the operation…along with some necessary alterations I bad made to the interior。 I parked the truck in an 〃L〃 shaped alley about a half mile from Moraio's。 The truck almost pletely blocked the alley but that wasn't important since it was used only in the early morning。 It was a leisurely stroll back to the department store； I reached it at almost the same moment that the armored truck pulled up。 I leaned against the wall of the gigantic building while the guards carried out the money。 My money。
To someone of little imagination I suppose it would have been an awe…inspiring sight。 At least five armed guards standing around the entrance； two more inside the truck as well as the driver and his assistant。 As an added precaution there were three monocycles purring next to the curb。 They would go with the truck as protection on the road。 Oh； very impressive。 I had to stifle a grin behind my cigarette when I thought about what was going to happen to those elaborate precautions。
I had been counting the hand…trucks of money as they rolled out of the door。 There were always fifteen； no more； no less； this practice made it easy for me to know the exact time to begin。 Just as fourteen was being loaded into the armored truck； load number fifteen appeared in the store entrance。 The truck driver had been counting the way I had； he stepped down from the cab and moved to the door in the rear in order to lock it when loading was finished。
We synchronized perfectly as we strolled by each other。 At the moment he reached the rear door I reached the cab。 Quietly and smoothly I climbed up into it and slammed the door behind me。 The assistant had just enough time to open his mouth 'and pop his eyes when I placed an anesthetic bomb on his lap； he slumped in an instant。 I was； of course； wearing the correct filter plugs in my nostrils。 As I started the motor with my left hand； I threw a larger bomb through the connecting window to the rear with my right。 There were some reassuring thumps as the guards there droned over the bags of change。
This entire process hadn't taken six seconds。 The guards on the steps were just waking up to the fact that something was wrong。 I gave them a cheerful wave through the window and gunned the armored truck away from the curb。 One of them tried to run and throw himself through the open rear door but he was a little too late。 It all had happened so fast that not one of them had thought to shoot； I had been sure there would be & few bullets。 The sedentary life on these planets does slow the reflexes。
The monocycle drivers caught on a lot faster； they were after me before the truck had gone a hundred feet。 I slowed down until they had caught up； then stamped on the accelerator； keeping just enough speed so they couldn't pass me。
Their sirens were screaming of course and they had their guns working； it was just as I had planned。 We tore down the street like jet racers and the traffic melted away before us。 They didn't have time to think and realize； that they were making sure the road was clear for my escape。 The situation was very humorous and I'm afraid I chuckled out loud as I tooled the truck around the tight corners。
Of course the alarm had been turned in and the roadblocks must have been forming up ahead…but that half mile went by fast at the speed we were doing。 It was a matter of seconds before I saw the alley mouth ahead。 I turned the truck into it； at the same time pressing the button on my pocket short wave。
Along the entire length of the alley my smoke bombs ignited。 They were； of course； home made； as was all my equipment； nevertheless they produced an adequately dense cloud in that narrow alley。 I pulled the truck a bit to the right until the fenders scraped the wall and only slightly reduced my speed； this way I could steer by touch。 The monocycle drivers of course couldn't do this and had the choice of stepping or rushing headlong into the darkness。 I hope they made the right decision and none of them were hurt。
The same radio impulse that triggered the bombs was supposed to have opened the rear door of the trailer truck up ahead and dropped the ramp。 It had worked fine when I had tested it； I could only hope now that it did the same in practice。 I tried to estimate the distance I had gone in the alley by timing my speed； but I was a little off。 The front wheels of the truck hit the ramp with a destructive crash and the armored truck bounced rather than rolled into the interior of the larger van。 I was jarred around a bit and had just enough sense left to jam on the brakes before I plowed right through into the cab。
Smoke from the bombs made a black midnight of everything； that and my shaken…up brains almost ruined the entire operation。 Valuable seconds went by while I leaned against the truck wall trying to get oriented。 I don't know how long it took； when I finally did stumble back to the rear door I could hear the guards' voices calling back and forth through the smoke。 They heard the bent ramp creak as I lifted it so I threw two gas bombs out to quiet them down。
The smoke was starting to thin as I climbed up to the cab of the tractor and gunned it into life。 A few feet down the alley and I broke through into sunlight。 The alley mouth opened out into a main street a few feet ahead and I saw two police cars tear by。 When the truck reacted the street I stopped and took careful note of all witnesses。 None of them showed any interest in the truck or the alley。 Apparently all the motion was still at the other end of the alley。 I poured power into the engine and rolled out into the street； away from the store I bad just robbed。
Of course I only went a few blocks in that direction then turned down a side street。 At the next corner I turned again and headed back towards Moraio's； the scene of my recent crime。 The cool air ing in the window soon had me feeling better； I actually whistled a bit as I threaded the big truck through the service roads。
It would have been fine to go up the highway in front of Moraio's； and see all the excitement； but that would have been only asking for trouble。 Time was still important。 I had carefully laid out a route that avoided all congested traffic and this was what I followed。 It was only a matter of minutes before I was pulling into the loading area in the back of the big