10_invid_invasion-第21章

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he　noticed　the　line　stretched　taut。　He　grabbed　hold　of　the　anchored　pole；　ignoring　Scott's　orders　to　abandon　the　fish。　It　had　to　be　a　five…pounder　at　least；　and　he　wasn't　about　to　let　it　go。　Even　so；　he　could　sense　the　ground…shaking　approach　of　the　Trooper。　He　pulled　hard　and　saw　the　rainbow　break　water；　it　was　bigger　than　he　had　thought。　The　Invid's　cloven　footfalls　were　increasing；　Rand　gave　a　mighty　tug　and　brought　the　fish　up。　But　just　then　the　line　snapped。　At　the　same　time　the　Trooper　appeared　through　the　trees。

Deciding　it　might　behoove　him　to　be　the　one　that　got　away；　Rand　dropped　the　pole　and　dived　from　the　rock。

Lunk　was　still　in　the　tree；　standing　now；　his　back　flattened　against　the　trunk；　when　the　Trooper　passed。　A　second　Trooper　lumbered　into　view　an　instant　later。　Peering　from　the　bushes；　his　H…90　raised；　Scott　saw　that　the　two　were　headed　toward　the　falls。　Rand　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。

Unless　one　happened　to　be　a　fish。

Running　short　on　breath　when　the　first　Invid　hit　the　water；　Rand　had　propelled　himself　downstream；　hugging　the　rocky　bottom；　only　to　run　into　another　pair　of　armored　legs。　His　lungs　were　on　fire；　threatening　to　implode；　but　surfacing　wouldn't　necessarily　improve　the　situation　any。　He　swallowed　hard；　sensing　a　darkness　creeping　into　the　edges　of　his　vision。。。

The　two　Troopers　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　river　and　swung　their　sensors　through　a　360…degree　scan。　Concerned　for　Rand's　safety；　Scott　ran　from　cover　when　the　Invid　had　crossed　the　stream　and　moved　off　into　the　woods　on　the　opposite　bank。

Lunk　dived　in；　and　found　his　panion　unconscious　on　the　river　bottom；　arms　still　locked　around　the　boulder　he　had　hugged　to　keep　himself　submerged。　He　brought　him　up　and　laid　him　facedown　on　the　bank；　then　straddled　him　and　carefully　began　to　use　his　big　hands　to　pump　water　from　Rand's　lungs。

〃Is　he　going　to　be　all　right？〃　Annie　asked。

Scott　nodded。　〃He　just　passed　out。〃

Rand's　color　started　to　return；　and　he　coughed　up　a　few　mouthfuls　of　water。　Softly；　Rook　called　his　name。

Rand　straightened　up　with　an　energy　that　surprised　all　of　them；　knocking　an　unsuspecting　Lunk　backward　into　the　river。　He　looked　around　dazedly　and　dropped　back　to　his　knees　exhausted。

〃Uh；　the　Invid　are　all　gone；〃　Annie　said。

〃Yeah；　you　can　calm　down；　Superman；〃　Rook　added。

Rand　smiled　thinly。

〃All　right；〃　Scott　said；　extending　his　hand　to　Lunk　and　helping　him　to　the　bank。　〃Now　that　they're　gone；　we　can　get　back　to　Lancer。　We　can't　be　too　far…〃

Rook　saw　Scott's　eyes　go　wide。　She　spun　around　and　saw　the　reason　for　it：　An　enormous　black　bear；　frightened　and　up　on　its　hind　legs；　was　breaking　through　the　brush。　Scott　had　his　weapon　raised　but　froze　as　a　bizarre　giant　tiger…striped　spider　dropped　from　a　tree　onto　the　weapon's　barrel。　Scott　winced　and　uttered　a　startled　cry；　reflexively　loosing　a　bolt　from　the　thing　that　whizzed　past　the　bear's　head。　Rook　lunged　for　Annie　as　the　animal's　huge　claw　came　down；　narrowly　missing　her。　Lunk　almost　caught　the　backlash　and　rolled　for　cover。

Rand　missed　with　two　shots　from　his　own　weapon；　and　the　bear's　right　paw　connected　with　the　blaster；　sending　him　and　the　weapon　flying　in　opposite　directions。　Rand　looked　up　into　bared　teeth　and　sharp　claws；　the　face　of　furry　black　death。　He　made　his　peace　with　the　Creator　and　glimpsed　a　brilliant　flash　of　white　light。。。But　when　the　smoke　cleared；　he　found　himself　still　alive　and　the　bear　gone…vaporized。

The　only　problem　was　that　there　was　now　an　Invid　ship　overhead…and　not　one　of　the　Troopers　either；　but　one　of　the　rust…brown　Pincer　units！

〃Well；　I　never　thought　I'd　be　happy　to　see　you　guys！〃　Rand　said　as　he　got　to　his　feet；　the　smell　of　roasted　meat　in　the　air。　He　joined　the　rest　of　the　team　in　a　jog　for　the　woods。

The　Invid　rained　fire　down　on　them　as　they　ran；　steering　them　away　from　the　safety　of　the　trees　and　bringing　one　of　the　patrolling　Troopers　in　on　the　action。　The　team　soon　found　itself　cornered；　fenced　in　on　open　ground　by　high…energy　beams　and　annihilation　discs。　But　Scott　heard　a　familiar　sound　cutting　through　the　tumultuous　roar　of　the　Invid's　death…rays。

It　was　Lancer；　riding　one　of　the　abandoned　Cyclones。

Lavender　hair　trailing　in　the　wind；　he　leapt　the　mecha　over　a　surprised　Invid　Trooper　and　landed　it　not　more　than　fifteen　feet　from　where　the　team　stood　huddled　together。

〃All　I　had　to　do　was　ride　to　the　sound　of　the　guns！〃　Lancer　yelled　when　the　Cyclone　had　skidded　to　a　halt。　〃What're　you　waiting　for；　Scott？　Climb　on！〃

Scott　offered　a　silent　prayer　to　the　gods　who　governed　silver　linings　and　threw　himself　onto　the　rear　seat。　Lancer　popped　the　mecha　into　a　long　wheelie　that　shot　them　through　the　legs　of　the　bewildered　Trooper。　But　the　Pincer　ship　chased　them；　loosing　continuous　disc　fire　from　its　treetop　course。

Lancer　kept　the　Cyclone　in　the　woods　for　cover。　Scott　saw　that　they　were　nearing　the　river　gorge　now　and　raised　himself　on　the　rear　pegs　in　an　effort　to　spot　the　Alpha。　Lancer　took　one　hand　from　the　controls　and　pointed。　〃At　the　foot　of　the　cliff　on　the　right！〃　he　shouted　over　his　shoulder。

Scott　realized　that　the　land　dropped　away　sharply　up　ahead；　but　he　couldn't　discern　just　how　high　they　were　above　the　lower　terrace。　Lancer　was　cutting　their　forward　speed　as　they　approached　the　ledge。　Scott　leaned　in　to　ask　him　how　he　planned　to　negotiate　the　jump。　But　all　at　once　Lancer　threw　his　arms　straight　up　and　was　gone。

Instinctively；　Scott　grabbed　hold　of　the　handlebar　controls　and　saved　the　mecha　from　overturning。　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　Lancer　squatting　on　the　overhanging　branch　he　had　swung　himself　to；　smiling　and　waving　Scott　off。　Scott　was　impressed。　It　had　been　one　heck　of　a　gymnastic　feat。　But　neither　of　them　was　in　the　clear　yet。　An　Invid　Trooper　broke　through　the　woods　and　began　to　open　up　with　disc　fire。　Lancer　executed　a　Tarzan　leap　from　the　tree　and　disappeared　into　the　undergrowth。　Scott　lowered　his　head　to　the　rush　of　the　wind　and　goosed　the　cycle。　But　the　cliff　face　was　close　now；　closer　than　he　had　realized；　and　an　instant　later　he　was　sailing　into　blue　skies　above　the　treetops。　He　lost　the　Cyclone　and　plummeted　on　his　own；　no　one　to　catch　him　or　take　note　of　his　alarmed　cry。。。

Elsewhere；　Lancer　had　worked　his　way　back　toward　the　rest　of　the　team。　He　literally　ran　into　them　not　a　mile　from　where　he　had　put　Scott　in　charge　of　the　Cyclone。　They　had　three　Invid　Troopers　behind　them；　devastating　the　forests　with　sporadic　sprays　of　fire。　Lancer　took　the　point　and　led　them　along　the　same　path　he　and　Scott　had　Cycloned　not　an　hour　before。　Twilight　was　giving　way　to　darkness　now；　and　Invid　cannon　sounds　and　annihilation　discs　lent　a　hellish　atmosphere　to　the　scene。

Once　again　the　Troopers　succeeded　in　boxing　them　in；　and　once　again　Rook；　Lunk；　Annie；　and　Rand　yelled　good…byes　to　one　another　while　explosions　rained　leaves　and　forest　carpet　all　over　the　place。　But　Scott　turned　the　tide。　He　had　survived　his　plunge　into　the　trees　and　made　his　way　to　the　concealed　Veritech。　The　Invid　Pincer　ship；　as　he　explained　later；　was　history。

Now　the　Alpha　came　tearing　into　the　woods　and　took　out　the　Trooper　whose　cannons　were　ranging　in　on　the　team。　Then　Scott　launched　the　VT　straight　up　into　the　starry　skies；　reconfiguring　to　Battloid　at　the　top　of　his　booster　climb　and　bringing　out　the　mecha's　rifle/cannon　to　deal　with　his　pursuers。　Two　more　Troopers　fell　to　the　Alpha's　storm；　but　a　third　managed　to　work　its　way　in　close　enough　to　inflict　a　pincer　swipe　that　brought　Scott　tumbling　back　to　the　woods。

The　Trooper　roared　into　a　long　sweeping　turn　and　headed　back　in　on　the　downed　Battloid。　Inside；　Scott　shook　himself　to　clear　his　head　and　ran　through　a　rapid　assessment　of　his　options　as　he　brought　the　techno…knight　to　its　feet。　The　mecha's　external　pickups　brought　the　team's　cries　of　warning　into　the　cockpit；　especially　Annie's　high…pitched：　〃Behind　you；　Scott！　Behind　you！〃

Scott　thought　the　Battloid　through　a　quick　about…face　in　time　to　see　the　approaching　Trooper。　He　reached　for　the　launch…tube　cover　levers。　The　Invid　fired　first；　blazing　discs　spinning　and　twisting　out　of　the　cannon　muzzles。　But　Scott's　aim　was　surer：　Red…tipped　heat…seeking　missiles