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e that lovely head squatted a highly intelligent but strangely warped brain。 For my own sake I would be better off thinking about the corpses she had piled up； not about her figure。 There was only one thing to be done。 Get her away from here and turn her over to the Corps。 I didn't even consider how I felt about the Corpsor how they felt about me。 This was an entirely different affair that had to be done neatly and with dispatch before I changed my mind。
I joined her at the bar and ordered two double shots of the local battery acid。 Being careful； I deepened my voice and changed my accent and manner of speaking。 Angelina had heard enough of my voice to identify it easilythat was the one thing I had to be aware of。
〃Drink up； doll；〃 I said raising my drink and leering at her。 〃Then we go up to your place。 You got a place don't you？〃
〃I gotta place you gotta League ten…spot in hard change？〃
〃Of course；〃 I grumbled； feigning insult。 〃You think I'm buying this bilge…juice on the arm？〃
〃I ain't no cafeteria pay…on…your…way…out；〃 she said with a bored lack of interest that was magnificent。 〃Pay now and then we go。〃
When I flipped the ten credits her way she speared it neatly out of the air； weighed it； bit it； and vanished it inside her belt。 I looked on with frank admiration； which she would mistake for carnal interest； but was in reality appreciation of the faultless manner with which she played her role。 Only when she turned away did I make myself remember that this was business not pleasure； and I had a stem duty to perform。 My resolution was wavering and I screwed it tight again with a memory of corpses floating in space。 Draining my glass I followed her marvelous rotation out of the bar and down a noisome alley。
The dark decrepitude of the narrow passage jarred my reflexes awake。 Angelina played her part well； but I doubted if she bedded down with all the space tramps who hit this port。 There was a good chance that she had a confederate around who had a strong right arm with a heavy object clutched tightly in his hand。 Or perhaps I'm naturally suspicious。 My hand was on the gun in my pocket but I didn't need to use it。 We treaded across another street and turned into a hallway。 She went first and we didn't talk。 No one came near us or even bothered to notice us。 When she unlocked her room I relaxed a bit。 It was small and tawdry； but offered no possible hiding place for an acplice。 Angelina went straight to the bed and I checked the door to see if it really was locked。 It was。
When I turned around she was pointing a 。75 caliber recoilless automatic at me； so big and ugly that she had to hold it in both tiny hands。
〃What the hell is the racket？〃 I Mustered； fighting back the sick sensation that I had missed an important clue someplace along the line。 My hand was still on the gun in my pocket but trying to draw it would be instant suicide。
〃I'm going to kill you without ever even knowing your name；〃 she said sweetly； with a cute smile that showed even white teeth。 〃But you have this ing for ruining my battleship operation。〃
Still she didn't fire； but her grin widened until it was almost a laugh。 She was enjoying the uncontrolled expressions on my face as I recognized the fact that I had been out…thought all the way along the line。 That the trapper was the trappee。 That she had me exactly precisely where she wanted me and there wasn't a single bloody damn thing I could do about it。
Angelina finally had to laugh out loud； a laugh clear and charming as a silver bell； as she watched me reach these sickening conclusions one after another。 She was an artist to her fingertips and waited just long enough for me to understand everything。 Then； at the exact and ultimate moment of my maximum realization and despair she pulled the trigger。
Not once； but over and over again。
Four tearing； thundering bullets of pain directly into my heart。 And a final slug directly between my eyes。
Chapter 11
It wasn't really consciousness； but a sort of ruddy； pain…filled blur。 A gut…gripping nausea fought with the pain； but the pain won easily。 Part of the trouble was that my eyes were closed； yet opening them was incredibly difficult。 I finally managed it and could make out a face swimming in a blur above me。
〃What happened？〃 the blur asked。
〃I was going to ask you the same thing 。 。 。〃 I said； and stopped； surprised at how weak and bubbly my voice was。 Something brushed across my lips and I saw a red…stained pad as it went away。
After I blinked some sight back into my eyes； blur…face turned out to be a youngish man dressed in white。 A doctor I suppose； and I was aware of motion； we must be driving in an ambulance。
〃Who shot you？〃 the doctor asked。 〃Someone reported the shots and you'll be pleased to know we got there just in the old nick of time。 You've lost a lot of bloodsome of which I've replacedhave multiple fractures of the radius and ulna； an extensive bullet wound in your forearm； a further wound in your right temple； possible fracture of the skull； extremely probable fractures in your ribs and the possibility of internal injuries。 Someone got a grudge against you？ Who？〃
Who？ My darling Angelina； that's who。 Temptress； sorceress； murderess； that's who tried to kill me。 I remembered now。 The wide black muzzle of the gun looking big enough to park a spaceship in。 The fire blasting out of it； the slugs hammering into me； and the pain as my expensive； guaranteed； bulletproof underwear soaked up the impact of the bullets； spreading it across the entire front of my body。 I remembered the hope that this would satisfy her and the despair of hope as the muzzle of that reeking gun lifted to my face。
I remembered the last instant of regret as I put my arms before my face and threw myself sideways in a vain attempt at escape。
The funny thing is that escape attempt had worked。 The bullet that had smashed my forearm must have been deflected enough by the bone to carom off my skull； instead of catching it point blank and drilling on through。 All this had produced satisfactory quantities of blood and an immobile body on the floor。 That had caused Angelina's mistake； her only one。 The boom of the gun in that tiny room； my apparent corpse； the blood； it must have all rattled the female side of her； at least a bit。 She had to leave fast before the shots were investigated and she had not taken that extra bit of time to make sure。
〃Lie down；〃 the doctor said。 〃I'll give you an injection that will knock you out for a week if you don't lie down！〃 Only when he said this did I realize I was half sitting up in the stretcher and chuckling a particularly dirty laugh。 I let myself be pushed down easily； since my chest was drenched in pain whenever I moved。
Right at that moment my mind began ticking over plans for making the most of the situation。 Ignoring the pain as well as I could I looked around the ambulance； looking for a way to capitalize on the bit of luck that had kept me still alive while she thought I was dead。
We pulled up at the hospital then； and there was nothing much I could do in th