10_invid_invasion-第32章

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Lunk；　demanding　equal…time　benefits　after　Rook's　〃dalliance　in　the　Trench〃…Rand's　words…was　calling　the　shots　on　the　latest　detour　along　the　way。　The　group　was　headed　toward　a　town　called　Roca　Negra；　sixty　miles　west　of　the　north　road　and　said　to　be　a　munity　that　had　managed　to　retain　an　old…world　charm。

The　team　had　an　overview　of　the　place　now　from　the　tableland　a　few　miles　east。　Roca　Negra　looked　neat　and　pact；　enlivened　by　groupings　of　cottonwood　and　eucalyptus　trees；　and　lent　a　certain　drama　by　the　mesa　and　rounded　peaks　that　all　but　overshadowed　it。　Scott　made　a　pass　over　the　town　in　the　Alpha；　the　VT's　deltalike　shadow　paralleling　the　course　of　the　main　road；　and　reported　his　sightings。　There　was　a　large　circular　fountain　and　plaza　central　to　the　town；　with　an　assortment　of　rustic…style　buildings　grouped　around　it　and　the　few　streets　that　radiated　out　from　the　hub　like　the　spokes　of　a　wheel。　Scott　could　make　out　tile　roofs　and　cobblestone　streets；　a　church　steeple；　and　a　number　of　people；　some　of　whom　were　staring　up　at　the　Veritech；　while　others　ran　off　to　inform　the　rest　of　the　townsfolk。

Lunk　smiled　at　the　thought　of　the　place　and　urged　the　van　along　with　added　throttle。　Annie　was　next　to　him　in　the　shotgun　seat。　It　was　the　same　police　van　they　had　mandeered　in　Norristown；　but　Lunk　had　removed　the　canvas　top　and　given　the　thing　an　olive…drab　onceover　in　memory　of　the　beloved　APC　he　had　had　blown　out　from　under　him　in　the　highlands。　Lancer；　Rook；　and　Rand　flanked　the　truck　on　their　Cyclones。

〃I　sure　hope　we'll　be　able　to　get　some　food　in　this　town；〃　Annie　said　after　Scott's　message。　〃I'm　starved！〃

Lunk　flashed　her　a　bright…eyed　smile　and　told　her　not　to　worry；　then　turned　to　Rand；　who　had　e　alongside　on　the　driver's　side　of　the　van。

〃What's　so　special　'bout　this　place？〃　Rand　shouted　into　the　wind。　〃You　been　here　before？〃

Lunk　shook　his　head；　maintaining　the　smile。

〃Then　why　are　we　stopping　here？〃　Annie　demanded；　joining　in。

Lunk　reached　back　and　pulled　a　worn　paperback　book　from　the　rear　pocket　of　his　fatigues；　holding　it　out　the　window　for　Rand's　inspection。

〃To　make　good　a　promise　I　made　to　a　friend　a　year　ago；〃　Lunk　said　to　both　of　them。　〃To　deliver　this　book。〃

Rand　gazed　at　the　thing　but　couldn't　make　out　much；　except　that　it　was　aged；　yellowed；　dog…eared；　and　smudged。　Someone　had　thought　to　wrap　the　book　in　protective　plastic；　but　too　late　to　preserve　the　cover　illustration。

〃What　sort　of　book　is　it？〃　Rand　asked。

Lunk　pulled　the　book　in　and　regarded　it。　〃I　really　don't　know…I　haven't　read　it。　But　it　was　important　enough　to　my　buddy　for　him　to　ask　me　to　bring　it　to　his　father　if　I　ever　got　the　chance。〃

〃Well；　why　didn't　your　buddy　deliver　it　himself；　if　it's　so　important？〃

〃I　wish　he　could。。。〃

Rand　saw　Lunk's　smile　fade　and　asked　him　about　it。

〃It　was　during　the　Invid　invasion；〃　Lunk　began。　〃My　friend　was　on　recon　patrol；　and　I　was　detailed　to　rendezvous　with　him　for　the　extraction。　When　I　found　him；　he　was　trying　to　get　away　from　a　couple　of　Shock　Troopers；　and　I　could　see　he　was　wounded。　They　blasted　him　again　while　I。。。sat　and　watched。　How　he　could　get　up　and　run　after　that　I'll　never　know；　but　he　did；　and　started　for　the　APC。　I　thought　there　might　still　be　a　chance；　but　the　Invid　caught　up　with　him　before　I　could　move　in；　and　he　didn't　have　a　prayer。〃

Annie　could　see　that　Lunk　was　torturing　himself　with　the　memory　but　kept　still　and　allowed　him　to　finish。　Was　this　what　he　had　run　from？　Annie　wondered；　recalling　ments　uttered　months　ago　when　they　had　first　met。

〃He　called　out　to　me；〃　Lunk　was　saying。　〃Calling　me　to　e　get　him；　but　there　was　nothing　I　could　do。　The　Invid　had　spotted　the　APC　and　started　after　me；　and　I　had　no　choice　but　to　make　a　run　for　it。

〃I　don't　even　remember　how　I　got　away　from　them。。。But　I　can　still　hear　my　buddy's　voice　ing　over　the　net；　as　loud　and　clear　today　as　I　heard　it　then；　calling　me　to　help　him。　I　can't　forget。。。〃

Lunk's　face　was　beaded　with　sweat；　and　Annie　fought　down　an　urge　to　hold　him。　But　he　was　through　it　now　and　sort　of　shaking　himself　back　to　the　present；　looking　hard　at　the　book　again。

〃This　had　some　special　meaning　for　him；　I　suppose。　The　one　thing　he　wanted　most　was　for　his　old　man　to　have　it。　I　promised　on　the　day　he　went　out。。。〃

〃Oh；　Lunk；〃　Annie　broke　in；　touching　his　arm　lightly。　〃You've　been　carrying　more　than　that　book　around；　haven't　you？　I　feel　so　bad。。。〃

Rand　looked　in　through　the　driver's　side　and　noticed　Annie　crying。　〃Lunk；〃　he　said　all　of　a　sudden。　〃We've　got　a　book　to　deliver。　So　let's　get　on　it！〃

Lunk　saw　Rand　wrist　the　Cyclone's　throttle　to　wheelie　the　mecha　into　lead　position。　He　smiled　to　himself；　thankful　for　the　pany　of　his　friends；　and　pressed　his　foot　down　on　the　van's　accelerator　pedal。


Roca　Negra　had　a　secret　of　its　own；　a　dirty　little　secret　pared　to　the　one　Lunk　wore　like　a　scarlet　letter。　But　no　one　on　the　team　was　aware　of　this　just　yet；　the　only　thing　immediately　obvious　was　that　the　town　seemed　deserted　despite　Scott's　recent　claims　to　the　contrary。

〃Where　is　everybody？〃　Lancer　said　to　Rook　and　Rand　as　the　three　Cyclones　entered　the　empty　plaza。

〃What'd　you　expect…the　wele　wagon？〃　Rook　asked　sarcastically。　〃After　all；　we　didn't　tell　them　Yellow　Dancer　was　ing　to　town。　It's　probably　just　siesta　time。〃

Rand　took　a　look　around　the　circle；　certain　he　saw　people　ducking　away　from　the　open　windows　and　pulling　shutters　closed　on　others。　Even　the　central　fountain　was　deserted；　but　the　damp　earth　around　it　suggested　that　people　had　been　there　a　short　time　ago。　〃You　don't　find　this　a　bit　strange？〃　he　asked　Rook。

〃You're　both　imagining　things；〃　she　said。　〃It's　not　like　this　hasn't　happened　before。　Besides；　there　are　two　kids　right　over　there；〃　she　added；　pointing　to　two　young　boys　munching　on　apples　nearby。

Rand　relaxed　somewhat　at　that　and　swung　his　mecha　into　a　second　lap　around　the　well。　He　began　to　take　stock　of　the　buildings　now　and　realized　that　his　expectations　had　been　way　off　base。　Instead　of　the　stucco　and　terra…cotta　village　he　had　envisioned；　Roca　Negra　was　like　something　lifted　from　what　used　to　be　called　England。　The　architecture　was　of　a　style　he　had　heard　referred　to　as　Tudor；　with　mullioned　windows；　tall　gables；　nogging　and　timber　facades；　and　steeply　pitched　tiled　roofs。　〃How　about　giving　me　a　bite？〃　he　heard　Annie　shout　to　the　kids　as　the　van　drove　past　them。　Then　he　spotted　the　restaurant：　Josh's　Caf？　according　to　the　sign　above　the　curved　entryway。

Rook；　Lancer；　and　Lunk　followed　Rand's　lead；　but　only　Lunk　moved　in　to　investigate。　There　were　tables　and　chairs　set　up　out　front　but　no　one　on　the　scene　to　serve　them。

〃Bring　me　some　peppermint　candies！〃　Annie　shouted　to　Lunk。

Lunk　turned　briefly　to　acknowledge　her；　and　when　he　swung　around；　there　was　a　mustachioed　man　standing　in　the　restaurant's　barroom　swinging　doors。

〃The　restaurant　is　closed　during　the　emergency；〃　the　man　began。　He　spoke　with　a　Spanish　accent　and　wore　an　apron　and　work　shirt　more　suited　to　the　trades　than　to　the　food　biz；　but　he　was　gesturing　Lunk　to　halt　in　a　way　that　suggested　he　owned　the　place。　〃Our　munications　have　been　cut；　and　we're　short　on　supplies　of　all　kinds。　The　indications　right　now　are　that　we'll　be　closed　for　about　a　month。〃

〃But　we've　traveled　such　a　long　way！〃　Annie　shouted　out　the　open　top　of　the　van；　disappointment　in　her　voice。　〃We　haven't　had　a　decent　meal　in　weeks。〃

〃I　told　you　what　the　situation　is；〃　the　man　fired　back；　raising　his　fist。　Lunk　was　taken　aback　by　the　gesture。　The　man　was　slight；　but　his　dark　eyes　were　flashing　with　an　anger　that　seemed　to　add　to　his　aspect。　〃There's　nothing　I　can　do　about　it。　We　have　no　food　to　feed　you。　I　suggest　that　you　try　the　next　town。〃

The　man　had　moved　past　Lunk　and　was　now　overturning　the　caf？chairs　and　placing　them　legs　up　on　the　table。　Lunk　followed　him；　deciding　to　steer　clear　of　the　food　issue　for　a　moment　and　inquire　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　Alfred　Nader；　his　dead　friend's　father。　But　the　simple　question。　seemed　to　unhinge　the　restaurant　owner；　who　dropped　one　of　the　chairs　at　the　mention　of　the　man's　name。

〃What're　you　getting　so　upset　about？〃　Lunk　asked；　concerned　but　not　yet　suspicio