10_invid_invasion-第20章

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to　the　cliff's　grassy　terrace；　touching　off　violent　fires　and　clouds　of　dense　smoke。　Two　more　Invid　appeared　above　the　cliffs　behind　the　team；　adding　their　own　volleys　to　the　arena。

〃We've　gotta　get　back　to　the　trees！〃　Rand　shouted　above　the　angry　buzz　of　disc　fire　and　concussive　detonations。

〃Lead　them　away　from　the　Alpha！〃　said　Scott。

〃You　worry　about　the　Alpha。　I'm　gone！〃

Abandoning　their　Cyclones；　the　team　broke　ranks　and　began　to　belly…crawl　their　way　through　the　grass　back　toward　the　tree　line。　They　scaled　slope　after　slope；　beating　a　circuitous　retreat　across　each　terrace。　The　closest　call　came　when　Rook　miscalculated　and　nearly　slipped　into　a　narrow　ravine；　but　Rand　was　there　for　her；　hauling　her　up　and　supporting　her　while　they　ran。　In　the　forest　once　more；　they　took　to　the　trees　and　hid　themselves　high　up　in　the　branches。　Invid　Troopers　were　walking　sweeping　patrols　along　the　perimeter；　two　were　actually　braving　the　cool　and　dark　mystery　to　probe　deep　into　the　woods。　Rand　flicked　his　gallant　on…line　again　as　one　of　the　latter　group　was　passing　beneath　him。　Curiously；　the　Invid　stopped　short；　its　would…be　head　rotating　upward。

Rand　took　a　sudden；　sharp　intake　of　breath…not　out　of　fear　but　from　realization。　Of　course！　he　told　himself。　At　the　river　they　stopped　when　I　activated　the　power　cell　on　my　blaster。　And　just　now。。。

It　made　sense；　but　it　was　time　to　try　an　experiment　to　validate　his　findings。　He　disarmed　the　power　cell；　and　sure　enough；　the　Invid　lost　interest　and　stomped　off。　〃Yeah；　that's　gotta　be　it；〃　Rand　said　softly。　He　was　exhaling　pent…up　fear　when　something　orange　and　menacing　suddenly　dropped　on　him　from　the　branch　above。　His　throat　refused　to　utter　the　scream　his　guts　demanded；　but　he　gave　a　start　nonetheless；　raising　the　weapon　like　a　club；　only　to　realize　that　it　was　Annie；　upside　down　and　dangling　from　her　knees；　carrot…colored　hair　like　an　unfurled　flag。

〃Were　you　talking　to　yourself？〃　she　demanded。　〃Were　you？　Huh？〃

〃Don't　ever　sneak　up　on　me！〃　Rand　seethed。

Scott；　Rook；　and　Lunk　were　on　the　ground　now；　telling　Rand　that　the　coast　was　clear。　Excitedly；　Rand　scrambled　down　out　of　the　tree。

〃I　think　I　know　why　we've　been　having　so　much　trouble　getting　these　blasted　walking　lobsters　off　our　trail；〃　he　announced。　He　gestured　to　the　weapon's　on…line　switch。　〃We've　been　giving　ourselves　away　every　time　we　switch　on　our　Cyclones　or　our　blasters。〃

〃How　so？〃　said　Lunk。

〃They　can　detect　the　bio…energy　given　off　by　our　Robotech　mecha。〃

Lunk　helped　Annie　down　from　the　tree。　〃You　could　be　right；〃　he　said　to　Rand。　〃Back　at　the　river　Scott　left　the　panel　gauges　of　his　Cyclone　on。　They　could've　homed　in　on　that。〃

〃Right！〃　Rand　agreed。

〃It　makes　sense；〃　said　Scott。　It　had　never　been　an　issue　on　Tirol；　but　then；　there　were　a　lot　of　things　about　Earth　that　separated　it　from　Tirol。。。

〃Of　course　it　makes　sense；〃　Rand　was　continuing。　〃They　thrive　on　Protoculture；　right？　Well；　it's　like　they　can　smell　the　stuff；　the　same　way　a　shark　is　able　to　smell　blood　in　the　water。〃

〃Charming　thought；〃　Rook　said　distastefully。

Annie　laughed。　〃Mr。　Wizard！　You　really　thought　that　out　by　yourself；　huh？〃

Rand　smiled　with　elaborate　modesty。

〃Sure　doesn't　happen　very　often；　does　it？〃　Rook　scoffed。

Rand　whirled　on　her。　〃Yeah？　Besides　your　looks；　what　have　you　contributed　lately？〃

Rook's　nostrils　flared。　〃All　right；　that　does　it！　Let's　step　aside　and　settle　this　once　and　for　all！〃

〃You　sure　you　don't　just　want　to　get　me　alone　in　the　bushes？〃　Rand　said；　smiling　and　stroking　his　chin。　〃Admit　it…〃

〃Stop　it！〃　Scott　broke　in；　silencing　the　two　of　them。　〃Arguing　among　ourselves　isn't　going　to　help　matters　any。　We're　supposed　to　be　friends；　in　case　you've　forgotten。〃

〃Oh；　is　that　so？〃　Rook　said；　arms　akimbo。　〃Well；　I　don't　remember　him　ever　being　a　friend　of　mine；〃　she　threw　to　Rand。

〃Then　what　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？〃　Rand　barked。　〃I　didn't　ask　you　along！　We　don't　need　this　kind　of　nonsense。〃

Rook　and　Rand　faced　off　defensively。

〃Cool　off；〃　Lunk　told　everyone。　〃There'll　be　plenty　of　time　to　scream　at　each　other　later。　But　right　now　we　gotta　get　back　to　the　Alpha。〃

〃Kiss　and　make　up；〃　Annie　said　to　Rand　as　Lunk　walked　off。　〃Or　at　least　shake　hands。〃

〃Fine　with　me。〃　Rand　shrugged　and　glared　at　Rook。　〃But　maybe　you　should　ask　the　lady　with　the　chip　on　her　shoulder！〃

Gradually；　in　single　file；　they　began　to　work　their　way　back　to　the　river。　Rook　and　Rand　opened　a　second　front　in　their　war　when　Rook　insisted　that　something　was　following　them　and　Rand　called　her　paranoid。　Scott　came　down　on　them　again　and　ordered　Lunk　to　walk　between　them　as　a　buffer。　And　it　was　in　this　way　that　the　three　men　managed　to　avoid　the　leeches。。。

Scott　and　Rand　heard　Annie's　scream　and　turned　around　in　time　to　see　the　descent　of　the　mutant　worm　rain。　They　dropped　from　the　forest　canopy；　instantly　attaching　themselves　to　the　two　girls。

Lunk　made　a　sound　of　disgust　and　backed　away。　〃There's　millions　of　them！〃

Annie　was　crying　and　stamping　her　feet。　Rook's　face　was　contorted；　her　body　shaking　all　over。　〃Do　something！〃　she　screamed　to　Rand；　but　he　only　smiled。　〃You　creep！　Get　these　things　off　me！〃　She　stood　paralyzed；　as　if　not　knowing　where　to　begin…on　her　arms；　her　neck；　her　face。。。Just　then　another　leech　dropped　from　the　trees　and　landed　on　her　forehead；　Rook　screamed　and　collapsed　to　the　ground；　wailing　and　kicking　her　feet　in　frustration。

〃Hold　still；〃　Scott　said；　kneeling　alongside　her　and　pulling　the　leeches　off　Rook's　arm。　But　Rand　stopped　him　before　he　had　detached　more　than　two　or　three。　He　took　Lunk's　lit　cigarette　and　touched　the　lighted　end　to　one　of　the　creatures。

〃Make　things　hot　for　them　and　they'll　pop　out　on　their　own；〃　he　explained　as　the　leech　dropped　off；　sizzling。　〃Pull　them　off　and　you　end　up　leaving　the　sucker　intact。〃　Methodically；　he　moved　the　cigarette　from　leech　to　leech。

〃I　tell　you；　I　get　a　real　kick　seeing　city　girls　in　the　country〃　Rand　told　Scott　while　he　labored。　〃They　look　so　darn　cute　when　they　start　screaming。〃　He　smiled　at　Rook。　〃You　should've　seen　yourself。。。〃

She　made　a　face；　averting　her　gaze　from　Rand's　handiwork。　〃Can　you　blame　me？　It's　disgusting。〃　She　shuddered。　〃I　hate　to　break　this　to　you；　Daniel　Boone；　but　there's　something　called　civilization　out　there。　Maybe　you've　heard　of　it。〃

Rand　snorted。　〃That's　where　you　have　crime　and　filth；　right？〃

〃Better　than　slimy　little　blood…sucking　tree　leeches。〃

〃Sourpuss；〃　Rand　said；　standing　up　and　moving　over　to　Annie。　〃Any　leech　that　gets　a　good　taste　of　you　is　gonna　swear　off　human　beings　forever。〃

Rook　stood　up；　angry　at　first；　then　flashing　an　enigmatic；　almost　seductive　smile。　〃We'll　see。。。〃　she　said；　walking　off　into　the　bushes　to　check　for　leeches　off　limits　to　Rand's　search。


They　stuck　to　the　forest　this　time　rather　than　risk　showing　themselves　in　the　open　ground　that　bordered　the　river。　Two　hours　along　they　stopped　to　rest　below　the　small　falls　of　a　tributary　that　fed　the　gorge。　Rand　stripped　a　sapling　of　twigs　and　fashioned　a　fishing　rod　for　himself。　He　waded　out　to　a　rock　midstream　and　cast　in　his　line。　Scott　and　the　others　sat　under　the　trees　along　the　bank。

〃Hey；　Rand；〃　Annie　taunted　him。　〃Do　you　really　think　you　can　catch　anything　with　that　funny…looking　stick　of　yours？〃

Rand　frowned　while　everyone　had　a　good　laugh。　〃Just　you　wait；〃　he　told　them。　〃I'm　an　expert；　and　if　there's　a　trout　anywhere　in　this　river；　it's　mine。〃

It　was　a　pleasant　spot；　full　of　water　sounds；　animal　life；　and　cool　shade　stirred　by　a　gentle　breeze。　〃Almost　makes　you　forget　where　you　are；〃　Scott　mused。

Rook　nodded　absently。　〃I　know。　I'm　starting　to　feel　like　we're　at　a　Boy　Scout　picnic。〃

Rand　meanwhile　was　addressing　his　would…be　catch；　when　something　small　and　mean　hit　him　on　the　head。　He　looked　around　and　found　Lunk　crouched　on　the　limb　of　an　overhanging　tree。　〃Hey；　what's　the　idea？〃　Rand　started　to　ask。

〃Invid。。。〃　Lunk　said　softly；　cupping　his　hands　to　his　mouth。

Scott；　Annie；　and　Rook　took　to　the　cover　of　the　brush。　Rand　was　looking　around　for　a　place　to　hide　when　he　noticed　the　line　stretched　taut。　He　grabbed　hold　of　the　anchored　pole；　ignoring　Scott's　orders　to