The Stainless Steel Rat eBook Collection by Harry Harrison Page B

easily yielded to my ministrations. It was empty of course, but I had expected that. I made a note of the combination, then opened and closed it a number of times until I could do it with my eyes closed. A plan was taking shape in my head and this was to be an integral part of it.
    Finished at last, I slipped from the building without being seen and with little more effort escaped from the park to join the frolicking throngs. They were less boisterous on the return journey and I only had to use my spray-glasses twice. I cannot describe the relief I felt when I finally staggered through the office door, stripped off the outlandish garb, then buried my nose in a beer. Then, metaphoricallyof course, I put my thinking cap on.
    The next weeks were busy ones. While I worked at theequipment I needed for my operation I followed the news accounts closely. One of the prison escapers, after a fierce struggle, had been recaptured. His companion had not been found, despite the help rendered by the one who had been caught. Poor Stinger; life wouldn’t be the same for him once the will tofight was taken from him. However life would still be the same for the man he had planned to kill so I did not feel too sorry for Stinger. And I had work to do. Two things to do in tandem; plan the robbery – and lay the trap for The Bishop. I am proud to say that I accomplished both with some ease. After this I waited until there was a dark and stormy night to visit Loona Park again. I was in andout as quickly as I could, which was some hours since there was a good deal of work to be done.
    After that it was only a matter of waiting for the right time. A weekend would be best, with the tills overflowing. As part of my plans I had rented the garage quite legally, but had stolen the small van most illegally. I used the waiting time to repaint it – a better job than the original if I mustsay so – to add new identification numbers, and to fix nameplates to the doors. At last Saturday came and I had to work hard to control my impatience. To pass the time, moustached and crowfooted, I enjoyed a good and leisurely lunch, for I had to wait until late afternoon when the coffers would be full. The drive into the countryside was pleasant and I reached my appointed spot at the appointedtime. Close to the service entrance to the park. I had some apprehension as I pulled on the skin-tight and transparent gloves – but the feeling of anticipation was far greater. With a smile on my lips I reached out and switched on the apparatus fixed underneath the dash before me.
    An invisible radio signal winged out and I tried to visualise with my mind’s eye what happened next. Fast as lightto the receiver, down the wires to its target – which was a tiny charge of explosive. Not much, just a carefully measured amount that would destroy the latch on one of the token dispensers without rupturing the tube at the same time. With the latch destroyed a steady stream of coloured plastic wafers should now be rattling down into the dispensers, filling it and flowing over – gushing on in a never-endingstream. What a benefactor I was! How the children would bless me had they but known my identity.
    But that wasn’t all that was going to happen. For every minute now another radio signal pulsed out of my transmitter, another latch was destroyed, another gusher of tokens spouting forth each time that this happened. Another and then another. At the proper moment I started the van’s engine and droveto theservice gate of Loona Park, opened the window and leaned out above the sign on the door that read EX-CHANGERS DISPENSING MACHINES.
    ‘Got a radio call,’ I said to the guard there. ‘You got some kind of problem here.’
    ‘No problem,’ the guard said, heaving the gate open. ‘More like a riot. You know where the building is?’
    ‘Sure do. Help is on the way!’
    Though I had visualised the effectsof my unexpected largesse I quickly discovered that reality far surpassed my