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ing an intense anger that almost led me to reevaluate my initial impression of him。〃
〃Atilla； meanwhile； was doing his best to back away from the challenge without losing face。 He pointed out to his assembled buddies that what he had envisioned was a genuine physical mix…up with Rook…winner taking all； so to speak…and they were buying it。〃
〃‘Let's pluck this chicken now！' he shouted； leering at Rook。〃
〃I could understand his misgivings； but if I were him I would have been pointing out the fact that Rook's Cyclone was not only faster than his old Kamikaze but capable of reconfiguring and actually flying across to the opposite roof should Rook misjudge the beam itself。 Well； perhaps he had never seen a Cyclone before； I thought。〃
〃Romy and I were standing side by side on the roof balcony now。 Below； Atilla and his Huns were beginning to take a fancy to the idea of jumping Rook's bones； so I decided it was time for us to show our colors； pulled out the hand H…90； and fired off a quick vertical burst for the boys that stopped them dead in their tracks。
〃‘Stay where you are！' I warned them； feeling a little like Atilla with the blaster backing up my threats。 ‘The two of them fight it out alone； just like the lady says。' Rook was more surprised by my sudden appearance than any of them。 I figured that by backing her I was doing a little better than Romy； who was now urging her to give up the idea。 His presence elicited as many ments from the Snakes as Rook's idea of riding the beam had。 It seemed that the former leader of the Blue Angels was not very well thought of in the Snakes' side of town。〃
〃‘Don't worry； Romy； I won't blow it；' Rook was saying； not entirely successful at hiding her concern。 ‘Let's just say my riding skills have improved a lot。' She looked hard at Romy and thanked him for standing by her。 ‘ing back here was a good thing；' she said； smiling。 ‘I think it cleared my head of a； lot of bad memories。 More than you'll ever know。。。'〃
〃‘Rook；' Romy started to say。〃
〃‘I'm counting on you to take care of Lilly；' Rook added； activating the Cyc。〃
〃I walked down the stairs and casually aimed the blaster in Atilla's direction。 ‘You gonna run this race； or what？' I asked him； unsure about my next move should he refuse。〃
〃The Snakes threw words of encouragement to their leader； and Atilla stepped forward to accept the challenge。 Romy ceremoniously handed Rook her helmet； and some of the Snakes ran to the edge of the roof for a better view of the race。〃
〃Things got under way without the preliminaries and fanfare that usually characterize such events； Rook and Atilla positioned their machines on either side of a flag bearer； maybe a hundred feet from the beam。 The starter； a shaved…skull Snake in T…shirt and fatigues； jumped up and brought the flag down with a shout。 The two machines patched out and headed for the beam。 Again； I thought I heard distant thunder but made nothing of it。〃
〃I had noticed Atilla give the red Cyc a dismissive once…over before the flag dropped and figured he would be in for a surprise。 But I was the one surprised： The old Kami was a real sleeper and must have concealed a turbocharger somewhere within its works； because Atilla beat Rook off the line and stayed a half length ahead of her for the first fifty feet。 In fact； I'm pretty sure Snake Eyes would have hit the beam neck and neck with Rook if fear hadn't revealed his own true colors。〃
〃Just shy of the beam he glanced over at Rook； saw that she wasn't about to yield an inch； and bailed out； bouncing and sliding all the way； his cycle plummeting over the edge and exploding when it hit the street。〃
〃Rook rode the beam like a pro。 She told me later that at no time did she even consider using the mecha's capabilities to save herself from wiping out。 I ran forward to the edge of the roof； along with everyone else who was applauding her feat； including more than a few Snakes。 The loyal members of the gang were ministering to their bruised and road…cashed leader； who knew； I think； that many more challenges would soon be ing his way。〃
〃Rook had raised the faceshield of the helmet and was waving back to us when I realized that that distant thunder was no longer either distant or thunder。 And an instant later； we saw Scott streak overhead in the Alpha； pursued by two Invid bat ships。 The Snakes began to freak and scatter for cover。 I turned and heard one of them shout： ‘They found out about the Protoculture I stole！ They're gonna blow us apart！'〃
〃I looked back at Rook in time to see her spin the Cyc through a 360； accelerate along the roof； and launch herself into Battle Armor mode。 This was lost on most of the Snakes； but I noticed Atilla staring at the transformed Cyclone like he had just witnessed some kind of miracle。〃
〃Rook put down on a roof a few blocks down the canyon； raised the mecha's cannon； and took out one of the ships。 Scott； at the same time； had thrown the VT into a booster climb and was now falling back down upon the second； unleashing a rain of six missiles to deal with the thing。 The Invid dropped itself to street level； dodging as best it could； but ultimately took one of the heat…seekers full force and spun out of control； impaling itself on a spiked piece of construction infrastructure。 You would have thought Rook and Scott had planned it that way。〃
〃After the action died down； I used the Cyc's tac net to notify Scott that his errant troops would be home soon； we made plans to rendezvous on the north road。〃
〃I didn't have any doubts about Rook's bidding a swift good…bye to Trenchtown； even though some wrongs had now been redressed and some old worries laid to rest。 But I knew also that there was still a scene that had to be played out with Romy； and I was anxious to see it。〃
〃The four of us…me； Rook； Romy； and Lilly…got together for eats at his place。 Small talk for the most part； Romy made no mention of Rook's staying on in Trenchtown； and we made no mention of Reflex Point； Lancer； or the others。
〃‘Rook； it's been so good seeing you again；' Lilly said as we were preparing to shove off。 ‘I just can't tell you。。。If it hadn't been for your courage； the Snakes would still be ruling this city。。。' She started getting weepy about then； and it made Rook angry。〃
〃‘What on Earth are you crying about？' Rook said； putting her hands on the smaller woman's shoulders。 When Lilly exchanged looks with Romy； Rook caught on and lightened up。 ‘Hey； don't worry about me；' she told Lilly。 ‘There's a person in my life now who means a lot to me。。。'〃
〃I was leaning against the building with my hands behind my head when she suddenly turned to me。 'Rand；' she said； leadingly and with a sweetness that didn't fit her。 She came over and took hold of my arm； finding a pressure point in my wrist at the same time。 ‘e on； give me a kiss like you always do。' Under her breath； she told me to pretend to be her honey or else。 ‘Kiss me on the cheek…and make it look good；' she added。〃
〃Romy and Lilly were watching with a mixture of bemusement and anticipation； and Rook was standing there； offering me her left cheek like she was my aunt or something； so I did what I had to do to make it look good！ I took ho