10_invid_invasion-第19章

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heir　motives　somewhat　suspect。　Nevertheless；　Scott　had　himself　a　team。

All　he　needed　now　was　an　adequate　plan。

The　present　one　wasn't　working　well　at　all。　Rather　than　risk　calling　attention　to　their　latest　acquisition…the　Alpha　Fighter　Lunk　had　so　reverently　maintained　after　his　rather　hasty　departure　from　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross…Scott　and　Lancer　had　flown　the　mecha　north　under　the　cover　of　night　and　secluded　it　along　the　river　that　marked　the　border　of　the　neighboring　territory。　Lancer　was　to　remain　with　the　Veritech　while　Scott　rode　back　to　town　on　his　Cyclone　to　collect　the　others。　In　the　meantime；　Lunk　and　Annie　would　be　in　charge　of　gathering　up　what　they　could　in　the　way　of　supplies　and　foodstuffs。　Rand　and　Rook　would　secure　a　safe　route　out　for　the　loaded　APC。

Things　went　smoothly　enough　at　first；　Lunk　had　seen　to　his　assignment；　and　Scott　rendezvoused　with　the　APC/Cyclone　convoy　on　schedule。　They　had　begun　their　trek　north　and　entered　the　highlands　when　the　Invid　appeared。　It　hadn't　paid　to　leave　enemies　the　likes　of　Ringo　behind。。。

Scott　held　the　lead　up　the　rugged　mountain　road；。　Rand　and　Annie　were　a　few　lengths　behind；　then　came　Lunk　in　the　APC　and　Rook　on　her　red　Cyclone。　There　were　at　least　five　Troopers　in　pursuit；　with　annihilation　discs　striking　the　cliff　faces　above　and　below　the　roadway。

Scott　waved　for　the　others　to　pour　it　on　and　accelerated　along　the　arid　slope。

Rook　pulled　alongside　him　and　shouted　above　the　deafening　explosions。　〃They're　gaining　on　us！〃　To　maintain　their　low　profile；　they　had　opted　against　suiting　up　in　helmets　or　battle　armor。

〃We　haven't　got　a　prayer　unless　we　can　reach　the　Alpha。〃　Scott　turned　to　Rand；　who　had　e　up　on　the　inside；　and　told　him　to　take　the　lead。　He　and　Rook　would　stay　behind　to　armor　up　and　reconfigure　for　bat。

Rand　signaled　his　assent；　cautioned　Annie　to　hold　tight；　and　moved　out　front。　But　no　sooner　had　they　reached　the　crest　than　two　Invid　rose　into　view。　Rand　engaged　the　brakes；　pivoting　the　mecha　through　a　clean　180；　and　headed　back　down　the　hill。

Scott　hadn't　even　dismounted　yet。　〃Why　are　you　turning　around？〃　he　shouted。

〃They've　got　us　surrounded；〃　Rand　reported。　〃We'd　better　go　cross…country。〃　He　indicated　the　steep　grade　above　the　roadway　and　lowered　his　goggles。

〃No。　No　detours；〃　Scott　argued。　〃The　Alpha's　only　a　few　miles　down　the　road…we've　got　to　break　through！〃

Rand　snorted　and　shook　his　head。　〃You　break　through；　Captain。　I'm　heading　for　the　hills。〃　He　stomped　the　Cyclone　into　gear　and　took　off；　scrambling　up　the　rutted　incline；　heedless　of　Scott's　shouts　to　stop。　But　not　a　moment　later；　Invid　Troopers　were　ascending　into　view　at　both　ends　of　the　road；　and　Scott　saw　the　logic　of　Rand's　choice。　He　gestured　to　Rook　and　Lunk　and　screeched　off　up　the　hill。

There　was　a　barren　stretch　of　plateau　at　the　top　of　the　slope；　separated　from　twin　fingers　of　pine　forest　by　steep　crevices　too　wide　to　jump。　The　Invid　Troopers　realized　their　advantage　and　began　to　loose　disc　storms　of　energy　from　their　cannons。　As　always；　there　seemed　to　be　an　effort　made　to　incapacitate　rather　than　kill　the　humans；　but　it　could　just　as　easily　have　been　poor　marksmanship　on　their　part。　In　any　case；　the　plateau…great　swirls　of　weathered　rock　and　shale…was　being　torn　up　and　superheated　by　the　Troopers'　fusillades。　Lunk's　APC；　slower　and　far　less　maneuverable　than　the　Cyclones；　provided　the　best　target；　and　the　Invid　were　soon　concentrating　their　bursts　against　it。　Inside　the　cab；　the　big　man　was　bouncing　around　like　a　featherweight；　barely　in　control　of　the　thing　anymore。　When　a　blinding　disc　streaked　by　inches　from　the　carrier；　he　lost　it　pletely；　the　APC　crashed　into　a　boulder　and　overturned；　hurling　Lunk　twenty　feet　to　a　hard　landing　facedown　on　the　shale。　At　the　last　instant；　however；　he　had　grabbed　two　sacks　of　supplies　and　had　managed　to　hold　on　to　them　during　his　brief　airborne　journey。　The　sacks　cushioned　his　fall　somewhat；　but　he　blacked　out　momentarily　nevertheless。　ing　to；　he　heard　Rook's　voice　behind　him；　warning　him　to　keep　his　head　down。　He　did　as　instructed　and　felt　rather　than　saw　the　red　Cyclone　streak　over　him。

Scott　and　Rand　had　witnessed　the　collision　and　stopped　their　Cyclones　to　return　fire　against　the　Troopers；　bringing　rear　weapons　into　play。　Behind　them；　Lunk　was　attempting　to　gather　together　and　rebag　items　spilled　from　the　sacks。

〃Lunk！　Forget　that　stuff　and　e　on！〃　Scott　shouted。

〃But　we　need　these　Protoculture　energy　cells　for　the　mecha！〃　Lunk　countered；　ducking　as　a　series　of　annihilation　discs　Frisbeed　overhead。　The　Invid　were　close　at　hand　now；　upright　and　laying　out　salvo　after　salvo　of　white…hot　fire。　Explosions　began　to　erupt　all　around　him；　orange　blossoms　in　the　shale；　and　he　was　forced　to　abandon　the　supplies。　He　made　a　beeline　for　Scott's　idling　Cyclone；　straddling　the　rear　seat　not　a　moment　too　soon。

〃My　toothbrush！〃　Lunk　moaned；　looking　back　at　the　wrecked　APC　as　Scott　gunned　the　mecha　into　a　wheelie。

〃So　your　teeth　will　fall　out；〃　Scott　said　into　the　wind。　〃It's　better　than　having　your　head　blown　off。〃

They　were　headed　downhill　a　moment　later；　across　a　smooth　flow　of　solid　rock　with　an　inviting　forest　of　tall　firs　and　eucalyptus　at　its　base。　As　they　neared　the　trees；　Scott　spied　an　unpaved　road　and　made　for　it；　signaling　the　others　to　follow　his　lead。

Two　of　the　Invid　attempted　to　track　them　but　eventually　gave　up；　it　was　widely　believed　（but　certainly　unproven）　that　the　Invid　had　a　kind　of　fearsome　respect　for　forests　in　general。　The　Troopers　circled　overhead　for　a　long　while；　then　began　to　fan　out　trying　to　cover　all　possible　points　of　egress。　Meanwhile；　Scott　directed　his　band　north　in　an　effort　to　strike　the　river。　By　his　reckoning；　they　were　now　somewhat　west　of　Lancer　and　the　Veritech；　but　reaching　the　river　would　put　them　in　good　position　for　a　direct　eastward　swing。

The　forest　thinned　as　they　worked　their　way　north；　giving　way　to　a　series　of　tall　grass　terraces　that　dropped　in　measured　steps　to　the　river　gorge　itself。　The　grass　was　deep　enough　to　offer　places　of　concealment　for　themselves　as　well　as　the　Cyclones；　so　they　continued　their　cautious　advance。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　enemy。

〃Do　you　think　we　lost　'em？〃　Lunk　asked；　poking　his　head　above　the　grass。　He　could　see　tall　buttes　and　stone　tors　in　the　distance。

Rand　answered　him　from　nearby。　〃We　must　have…there's　no　way　those　things　can　follow　a　trail　through　the　woods。　Believe　me；　I　know。〃

〃How　'bout　some　food；　then？〃

Rook　showed　herself。　〃You　really　take　the　cake；　Lunk。〃

〃I　wish　I　could…〃

〃First　you　nearly　get　us　all　killed；　and　now　all　you　can　think　about　is　that　selfish　stomach　of　yours！〃

〃Drop　it！〃　Scott　said　more　harshly　than　was　necessary。　He　switched　on　his　Cyclone　briefly　to　read　the　system　indicator　displays。　〃You　were　right　about　those　Protoculture　cells；　Lunk；〃　he　admitted。　〃It's　imperative　that　I　get　back　to　the　Alpha。　Someone's　going　to　have　to　draw　the　Invid　off　in　case　I'm　spotted。　We　can't　let　them　find　the　ship。〃

Rand　suddenly　shushed　him。　〃They're　ing；〃　he　whispered。

The　team　dropped　themselves　into　the　grass；　raising　weapons　as　they　did　so。　Minutes　later；　three　Troopers　could　be　seen　patrolling　the　gorge；　their　scanners　alert　for　movement　on　the　cliffs　above　the　river。

〃Everybody　hold　your　fire；〃　said　Scott。

〃How　did　they　find　us？〃　Rand　said　to　no　one　in　particular。

Annie　put　her　hands　to　her　breast。　〃I　betcha　they　heard　the　sound　of　my　heart　pounding。〃

Rand　stared　down　at　the　Mars…galant　Scott　had　given　him　earlier；　it　was　a　long…barreled　version　of　the　sidearm　blaster　the　offworlder　wore；　shaped　a　bit　like　an　elongated　closed…topped　Y　Time　to　go　on…line　with　this　thing；　he　said　to　himself。　But　no　sooner　did　he　flip　the　switch　than　the　Troopers　stopped　their　bipedal　patrol　and　turned　on　them。

〃Open　fire！〃　Scott　yelled　as　globes　of　fulgent　energy　formed　at　the　muzzles　of　the　Troopers'　cannons。

Lunk；　Rook；　and　Rand　stood　up；　bringing　their　H…90's　to　bear　against　the　invaders。　Phased…laser　fire　seared　into　the　Troopers'　armored　bodies；　while　annihilation　discs　ripped　into　the　cliff's　grassy　terrace；　touching　off　violent　fires　and　clouds　of　dense　smoke。　Two　more　Invid