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body began to sing a song！
And here's a cheer
To the boys in blue
And here's to the cons
They love to screw。
So let's screw the blueboys
Screw； screw； screw。
And chaw on their carcasses
Chew； chew； chew！
Up their butts
And off with their nuts
And here's to a life of crime！
Flick was seething。 〃Some gang！ Lay into 'em； Chief。 Kick some sense into their heads。 They've got a job to do tonight！〃
〃You lay into them and kick some sense into their heads；〃 said Madison。
〃You're the boss。 They've got to learn to respect you。〃
〃You're the lieutenant。 You've got to teach them respect for me。〃
〃I'm too disgusted；〃 said Flick。 〃I'm going over and sit in the airbus。〃
The sweetbuns had vanished。 The sparklewater jugs were empty。 They had finished the hot jolt and were smoking the puffsticks。
Madison got up。 He said； above the surf； 〃All right。 It's getting late。 Let's be on our way。〃
〃Just as soon as we wash this sand off！〃 somebody yelled。
There was a concerted rush into the sea and then they began a water fight。
A statuesque circus girl； body gleaming in the moonlight； rushed out of the water toward Madison。 Three more came whooping on her heels。 Madison thought they were just chasing the first girl until she was upon him。 She grabbed him with a shout。 The others jumped on him。
〃e on in！〃 they were shouting at him。
They had his clothes off so fast he hardly knew when they had been slipped off。 Yikes； these girls were expert！
They bore him straight into the sea and pitched him into the teeth of a towering wave。 Madison came up blubbering and blowing。
Something pulled him under。 He hadn't taken a breath。 Then he was on the surface again and being carried into the air。
Buffeted by the waves； four girls bore him back to dry land。 Madison was coughing and sneezing and trying to get his breath。
He was being held horizontally six feet off the ground。
His blurred sight took in faces rushing at him。
They were going to wipe him out！
He stared around anxiously。
In the lights from the bonfire and the car； eyes were glittering。 Like wolves？
Suddenly they began to chant； 〃Hup！ Hup！ Hup！ Hup！〃 Was this some sort of a convict or guard cry that marched them about？
They were going to the fire。 Were they going to throw him in？
They were marching around the fire。 Some sort of savage ritual。 〃Hup！ Hup！ Hup！ Hup！〃 Like Indians or wild animals！
Then suddenly they all stopped。 A male voice…the director's？ … began a chant； calling one line and being answered by all the rest。
〃Who's the gang？〃
〃WE'RE THE GANG！〃
〃Who's the mob？〃
〃WE'RE THE MOB！〃
〃Who's the chief？〃
〃HE'S THE CHIEF！〃
And threw Madison in the water！
He came up spluttering。
They paid no further attention to him。 They were now trooping off to the air…coaches。
Madison； not knowing how to take all that； but quite certain it was not the kind of respect and image he needed； trudged alone across the sand to where his clothes had been stripped off。
He dried himself with his undershirt and got his clothes back on。
He was glancing around to see if anything had dropped out of his pockets。 Nothing lying there。 He patted his pockets。 He had his identoplate。 Then he missed a bulge which should be at his breast。 He patted again。
HIS WALLET AND FORTY…EIGHT THOUSAND CREDITS WERE GONE！
He felt himself go white。
He looked at the air…coaches…over there in the moonlight。 They were all loaded and waiting to go。
He flinched at tackling that mob again。
That settled it。 He would have to work on his own image first。 He went over to the Model 99。
〃Some gang；〃 muttered Flick。 〃Bunch of lousy beach （bleepards） out for a holiday。〃
Madison sank back in the seat。 He didn't agree at all。 That mob was a bunch of criminals。 But he wasn't going to tell Flick they had stolen his wallet…no use to harm his image even more。
Chapter 8
When they flew in over the outskirts of mercial City； it was dark as pitch below。 A hill blocked off the moonlight and left the part of the plain they wanted in the deepest shadow。
That was fine by Madison。 He couldn't possibly imagine greater folly than using a Model 99； so recognizable； on a robbery job。 Not unskilled in the methods of crime…since these often go hand in hand with truly expert PR…he knew you were supposed to steal some cars and； after the heist； abandon them without fingerprints。
A vast factory plex； spreading over possibly six square miles； squatted in the darkness below； all of it； apparently； devoted to just one pany； Classy Togs。 In daytime it might well be occupied by hundreds of thousands of workers； and a network of monorails led in from the town and curled and swooped all over the plain and mountainside and then went over to another site； a collection of high…rises； a miniature city in itself。
The Model 99's screens； turned to night frequency； showed it all up plainly； color…corrected to look like day。 It was quite startling to then look out and see only blacks and shadow。
Flick was sorting out the buildings。 He found the various chimneyed structures where they made cloth and fabric molds and discarded them。 He was able to label the many…windowed； low； long buildings； each standing in its park； as design and assembly structures。
〃I thought you'd cased this joint；〃 said Madison。
〃I did。 I saw it on Homeview；〃 said Flick。 〃It produces； all by itself；。07 percent of all the clothing for the nobility； their staffs and estates。〃
〃That's not very much；〃 said Madison。
〃But it's quality we're after and that is the TOP。07 percent。 Or maybe it was 7 percent： I always have trouble with my ciphers because they're nothing； you see； and you don't have to bother with them。 But I'll convince you： the cloth they make in them factories down there have been used in stage clothes for Hightee Heller。 So there's no better remendation than that！〃
Hightee Heller？ thought Madison。 Ah； yes。 He'd heard something： that was Jettero's sister。 〃That's the Homeview star；〃 he said。
〃Star？〃 sniffed Flick。 〃You mean Goddess！ Don't you go running down the girl of my dreams。 Hey； there it is！ The warehouse！ No windows。 See it in that snarl of monorails？ Here we go！〃
They shot down to a truck roadway that ran under the monorails and stopped。 They were in a park； close by the warehouse； within a hundred feet of its doors。 Three air…coaches came down； crump； crump； crump； on the road behind them。
It gave Madison the creeps。 Here he was in a glaringly recognizable car； acpanied by three vehicles full of naked cons。 He looked around hastily for guards。
The night was very black here； the moon blocked out。 Ah； there it was： a watchman's office； marked by a blue light。 The office itself was inset into the side of the circular warehouse and close by the main entrance。
His attention was distracted by someone at their windows。 It was the sealer； the purse snatcher and the electronics security man； stark naked。
The security man said to Flick； 〃All the controls will be in that watchman's office。 This place will go up like a celebration if we even touch the latch of that front door at this hour。 We were talking it over in the coach。〃 But he was pointing at the watchman's windows。
Madison's hair stood up。 In silhouette； a watchman could be seen peering out。
〃You