10_invid_invasion-第29章

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　the　bottle　he　was　carrying。　Then；　when　one　of　the　women　fell…a　cute　brunette　in　knee　boots　and　a　full　skirt…the　riders　began　to　circle　her；　revving　their　bikes　and　promising　a　wide　variety　of　injustices。　The　only　helmeted　rider　had　taken　hold　of　the　second　woman　and　was　grabbing　what　he　could；　heedless　of　the　fury　of　her　fists。

〃Rook；　meanwhile；　had　edged　her　bike　up　to　the　perimeter　of　the　riders'　circle；　now；　as　they　were　making　grabs　for　the　downed　girl；　she　switched　on　the　Cyclone's　headlight　and　brought　it　to　bear　on　the　group。　Stunned；　the　riders　brought　hands　up　to　shield　their　eyes。

〃‘You　Snakes　haven't　changed　a　bit；'　Rook　growled。　She　turned　the　front　wheel　aside　so　the　bikers　could　get　a　look　at　the　hand　blaster　she　had　trained　on　them。　‘Well；　now　don't　tell　me　you've　forgotten　my　face。。。'〃

〃The　Mohawked　rider；　who　I　now　noticed　had　a　blue　heart　tattooed　on　his　left　arm；　squinted　and　scowled。　‘Why；　it's　Rook！'〃

〃The　two　women　broke　free　of　their　pursuers　and　ran　to　stand　by　Rook's　Cyclone；　one　of　them　crying　hysterically。〃

〃‘I　suppose　you　degenerates　have　overrun　the　whole　place　since　I've　been　gone；'　Rook　continued。〃

〃The　outlaw　riders　looked　at　one　another　and　said　nothing。　Finally；　they　laughed　and　took　off；　warning　Rook　that　she　had　made　a　big　mistake　in　ing　back。〃

〃‘Skull's　right；'　I　heard　one　of　the　women　say　to　Rook。　‘You　better　split。　The　wars　aren't　like　before。　The　Red　Snakes　have　five　times　as　many　members　now。'〃

〃‘Five　times？。。。Is　Romy　doing　anything　about　it？　Are　the　Blue　Angels　still　around？'〃

〃‘Broken　up；'　the　other　woman　said　between　sobs。　‘They've　fallen　apart。　Romy　spends　all　his　time　with。。。'〃

〃‘Say　it；　Sue…I　already　know。'〃

〃‘Your　sister；'　Sue　said；　lowering　her　head。　‘He　can't　fight　them　alone。　No　one　can。'〃


〃The　canyon　widened　some　at　its　eastern　end；　where　there　was　a　surprisingly　well　kept　park。　Rook　spent　the　rest　of　the　night　there…what　little　there　was　left　of　it…still　unaware　that　I　wasn't　fifty　feet　away　from　her。　In　the　morning　a　small　van　drove　into　the　park；　a　nondescript…looking　guy　and　a　girl　who　couldn't　have　been　more　than　fifteen　stepped　out；　opened　up　the　back；　and；　for　an　hour　or　so；　sold　and　refilled　canisters　of　propane　gas　for　what　appeared　to　be　steady　customers。　Rook　watched　for　some　time　without　revealing　herself；　until　the　last　customer　had　been　served　and　the　duo　was　getting　ready　to　pack　up　and　leave。　Of　course　it　occurred　to　me　that　these　two　might　be　Romy　and　Rook's　sister；　Lilly；　but　I　had　no　way　of　being　sure　until　Rook　opened　her　mouth。〃

〃On　foot；　she　had　moved　her　Cyclone　to　the　top　of　a　wide　stone　staircase　that　overlooked　the　couple's　business　area　and　signaled　her　presence　by　starting　up　the　mecha。　The　man　looked　up　at　the　sound　and　said；　‘Who　the　heck。。。？'　then；　‘Rook！'　full　of　excitement。〃

〃But　she　returned　a　cold　sneer。　‘Romy；　how　the　heck　could　you　just　let　the　Snakes　take　control　of　this　place？'　she　demanded。〃

〃‘Wele　back；'　Romy　said；　nonplussed。〃

〃‘Sue　tells　me　there's　five　times　as　many　of　them　as　there　used　to　be。'〃

〃‘I　worried　about　you；　Rook。'〃

〃‘Liar！'　she　shot　back。　‘I'll　bet　you　were　real　worried　about　me　when　Atilla　and　his　Snakes　were　stomping　the　hell　out　of　me　in　a　rumble　you　and　the　rest　of　the　Angels　never　attended！'〃

〃‘Rook…'〃

〃‘How　could　you　have　done　that　to　me；　Romy？'　Rook　said；　sobbing　now。　‘If　you　only　knew　what　they　did　to　me。。。there　was　no　way　I　could　stay　here　after　that。'〃

〃While　all　this　was　going　on；　I　saw　the　girl　walk　out　from　behind　the　van；　her　hand　to　her　mouth　in　a　startled　gesture。　Now　she　spoke　to　Rook　through　sobs　of　her　own。〃

〃‘You　don't　understand…it　wasn't　like　that　at　all！'　she　began。〃

〃Rook's　younger　sister！　I　thought。　She　bore　almost　no　resemblance　to　her　blond　sibling。　Lilly　was　raven…haired　and　petite；　dressed　in　a　pleated　white　skirt　and　a　simple　burgundy…colored　sweater。〃

〃‘Romy　didn't　run　away…he　tried　to　help　you；　but　he　was　ambushed　by　the　Red　Snakes。　They　beat　him　up　so　bad；　he　couldn't　walk　for　a　month。　It　was　the　Snakes'　plan　all　along　to　make　it　seem　like　Romy　deserted　you。　They　knew　you　would　leave　the　Angels；　and　without　you；　the　Angels　were　nothing。　So　when　you　left；　everything　fell　apart。'〃

〃Rook　wore　a　confused　look　now。〃

〃‘That's　enough；'　Romy　was　telling　Lilly。〃

〃‘Please　don't　blame　him；'　said　Lilly。　‘He　searched　all　over　for　you。'〃

〃Rook　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　former　lover　to　sister。〃

〃‘Why　should　I　believe　you？'　she　asked。　‘Either　of　you！'〃

〃Lilly　took　a　step　closer。　‘Besides；　you　can't　expect　Romy　to　take　on　the　Snakes　alone。'　She　motioned　to　the　delivery　van　and　to　Romy；　who　was　tight…lipped　and；　I　think；　embarrassed　by　the　scene。　‘We're　trying　to　build　a　life　for　ourselves；　Rook。　Romy　isn't　going　to　do　the　stupid　things　he　used　to　do。　He's。。。he's　grown　up。'〃

〃I　thought　Rook　was　going　to　take　offense　at　the　remark；　but　she　didn't。　In　fact；　I　could　see　that　she　was　no　longer　angry。〃

〃‘Sure　the　Snakes　are　an　evil　bunch；'　Lilly　continued。　‘But　if　you　don't　give　them　a　reason　to　fight；　they　mind　their　own　turf。　Romy's　not　holding　back　because　he's　a　coward；　but　for　the　good　of　everyone。'〃

〃Rook　smiled。　‘So　you're　holding　back；　are　you；　Romy？'〃

〃I'm　not　sure　just　what　was　on　Rook's　mind…maybe　the　idea　that　Romy　was　also　holding　back　the　affection　he　still　had　for　her。　In　any　case；　Lilly　answered　yes　for　him；　and　Rook　said　that　she　was　beginning　to　understand。　‘I　guess　it　took　a　bookworm　to　make　him　see　the　light；'　she　directed　at　Lilly。〃

〃Lilly　was　about　to　say　something；　when　one　of　the　girls　Rook　had　rescued　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　staircase。　Sue；　if　I　recall。〃

〃‘You've　got　to　run　for　it；　Rook！'　she　said；　out　of　breath。　‘The　Red　Snakes　are　all　over　Trenchtown　looking　for　you！'〃

〃I　saw　Rook　grin。　‘Great！'　she　said；　engaging　the　Cyclone。　She　asked　Romy　if　the　Snakes　still　hung　out　at　something　she　named　‘Highways。'　Romy　nodded　warily。　‘Rook；　you're　not　thinking　of…'〃

〃‘It's　what　I've　been　waiting　for；'　she　told　him。　'Revenge！'〃

〃She　stomped　the　Cyclone　into　gear　and　raced　off；　leaving　all　of　us　wondering　if　we　would　ever　see　her　again。〃


CHAPTER　ELEVEN

〃No　one　can　dispute　the　acplishment。　The　very　fact　that　they　undertook　the　journey　！to　Reflex　Point＇　is　in　and　of　itself　a　measure　of　their　courage　and　mitment；　the　very　fact　that　they　journeyed　so　far　through　such　hostile　territory　a　testament　to　their　skills。　But　someone　needs　to　point　out　the　troubles　the　journey　stirred　up　for　those　along　the　way。　Can　anyone　name　one　Southlands　settlement　that　survived　their　＇the　Bernard　team's＇　wake？〃
Breetai　Tul；　as　quoted　in　Zeus　Bellow；　The　Road　to　Reflex　Point

〃I　decided　to　show　myself　after　Rook　split。　I　brought　the　Cyclone　to　life　and　pulled　out　from　my　place　of　concealment　in　the　bushes；　surprising　the　hell　out　of　Romy　and　Lilly。　I　popped　a　small　wheelie　for　effect　and　screeched　to　a　halt；　allowing　the　tail　end　to　slide　around　to　where　Romy　stood　with　his　mouth　half…open。

〃'Well；　don't　just　stand　there　waiting　for　flies　to　land；'　I　said　to　him。　'Hop　on　and　let's　give　her　some　backup　support。'〃

〃Romy　flashed　Lilly　a　look　that　municated　several　dozen　things　at　once　and　climbed　on。　I　could　tell　that　Lilly　wanted　to　hold　him　back；　but　she　knew　better　than　to　try。　Romy　had　to　get　this　out　of　his　system　for　his　sake　as　well　as　Rook's。　I　mean；　nobody　likes　to　be　thought　of　as　a　Khyron；　even　if　it　was　all　a　misunderstanding。〃

〃Cavalierly；　I　nodded　to　Lilly　and　powered　the　Cyclone　up　the　staircase；　getting　a　rise　out　of　the　fact　that　Romy　was　white…knuckling　the　seat　grips　all　the　while。　I　have　to　admit　that　I　liked　impressing　would…be　motorcycle　toughs　like　Romy；　they　were　an　all　too　frequently　encountered　breed　in　the　wastes；　and　I　was　bored　to　tears　by　them。〃

〃Once　up　top；　I　asked　Romy　about　this　‘Highways'　place　Rook　had　mentioned；　he　shouted　directions　into　my　ear；　and　I　wristed　the　Cyc's　throttle；　letting　it　open　up　along　the　undamaged　sections　of　roadway　that　led　back　to　the　narrow　heart　of　the　city。〃

〃It　must　have　been　about　this　time　that　the　three　Invid　paid　a　call　on　Scott　and　the　others。　I　had　been　wondering　what　they　had　made　of　our　disappearance　from　camp