按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
With the tribe's help； the building of a string of rafts went with surprising ease and speed。 There were hidden warehouses； with empty oil drums； cordage； and tools。 Several nights later； the team floated off downstream； on a string of rafts that supported them and their mecha。
Lunk had gotten a few powerful heat…turbine outboard engines going； and these were used for steering and minimal propulsion…enough to give the rafts headway。 Even Marlene had to man a sweep； since the team was now one member short。
The shoreline still reeked of the stuff that had been washed up onto it during the flood。 Watching the luminous fairy…grove of the tribe； each team member thought about what Annie had meant to him or her。 All； that is； except for Rand； who stood by his outboard and looked downstream only； refusing to acknowledge that anything had happened。
The others silently manned steering engines or sweeps。 At last he whirled on them。 〃Why the long faces？ You all look like your gerbil just died。 Try pulling yourselves together； okay？ We're better off！ You didn't have to look after her as much as I did； so trust me on this one。 Now us big kids are free to get on with some down 'n' dirty freedom fighting！〃
Rook； sitting with her back to a crate； hiked herself up a little； studying him。 〃Y'know； you're as transparent as glass。〃
Rand made a blustering objection； then turned away； his cheeks hot。 Then he said in a low voice； 〃Hey； I think we've arrived。〃
It was just ing into view around a bend。 The Invid Hive looked a little like a spider straddling the river。 Its nodules were all alight now； like blister windows。 Its curved underside glowed like a belly…furnace。 As they watched； a flight of mecha left it； ungainly bats making their way out into the night。
〃There are no Hives like that；〃 Scott breathed。 〃That's the weirdest looking…〃 He drew breath。 〃All right； everybody； you know what to do。〃
They had tarped the mecha and Lunk's truck with camouflage covers； but that didn't hold much promise for the time when the string of rafts came in under the bright undergut of the Hive。 It was like being a bug under a lamp beam； Rand reflected； as he huddled under a tarp； staring up at the fiery glare of the thing。
But somehow they weren't noticed。 They couldn't decide whether it was because the Invid were in a turmoil after suffering losses； or simply that the aliens were looking for Protoculture spoor and ignoring everything else。
The stilted Hive made a bizarre sight； set against the delicate pink…lighted inner surface of the tremendous roof shell。 At some point； the team realized that the light had grown less harsh； that they had passed out of the fortress's immediate area。 They emerged from cover as the rafts drifted into darkness。
Something crossed the night sky。 It was the patrol they had seen leave the fortress； exiting the valley through one of the giant holes。 There were five Shock Troopers flying as the rear two echelons of a triangle； two followed by three。 But what was at the apex made the team gasp。
〃Hey； look at…〃 Rand began。
〃I don't think I've ever heard of a Trooper like that before；〃 Lancer said； the last of the Hive's light catching his pale skin。
Scott was shaking his head slowly。 He had memorized every mecha…identification profile there was； arid he had never seen this one。 It was twice the size of the others。 〃What could it be？〃
But there were no answers。
Once again； Rand's Notes on the Run offers an enlightening mentary on the subtler forces affecting the team：
〃Another two days' rafting brought us to a deserted city where； wonder of wonders； we found a pinch of Protoculture in an old Southern Cross underground shelter…just enough to keep us going。 It should have made us rubber…kneed with relief； really； it was a lucky find。 But we were all still a little depressed about Annie。 I kept expecting her to start yapping and pestering me。〃
〃Unloading the mecha from the rafts was a lot easier once they were under power； and the Beta lifted Lunk's APC off like it was a toy。 We decided to hole up in the downtown hub of that empty burg for a few days； to see what else there might be that we could use。 The Forager in me didn't trust the place…those windy streets； echoing concrete canyons…but I knew there would be few other places to resupply between there and the coast。〃
〃Figuring a few rest stops； Scott told us he estimated another eleven days' travel to the Pacific coast of Panama； where we would get ready for that hop to what all the old maps call Baja California。 Most of Central America was an Invid bailiwick； and the Gulf of Mexico was their bathtub； we didn't have much choice but to go around。 Scott said we might manage to be in the region of Reflex Point in as little as a month or so。〃
〃Yippee。。。〃
〃While Scott and Lancer went over the maps； and Marlene sort of huddled in Rook's old jacket； watching Scott。 Rook and Lunk and I rode off to see what else we could forage。 Our headlights only made the city seem spookier and more ominous。 Rook was grousing； something about the foolishness of scavenging in the dark。〃
〃I told her； ‘We'd be sitting ducks during the day…not that I feel a whole lot safer now。 I'm beginning to think the Invid see equally well； day or night。'〃
〃It wasn't much of a ment； I suppose。 To tell the truth； I was still thinking about Marlene； and the looks she was giving Scott。 If we had been living some oldtime musical； I would have said the two of them were about to burst into a somber duet。 As for me； that intimate connectedness I had felt with Marlene seemed to be fading。 And my feelings toward Rook changed from second to second。〃
〃Anyway； there we were riding among leaning and teetering buildings； toppled wreckage； cracked streets with weeds growing up through them…and the Invid jumped us。 A flight of Pincer Ships were following either that giant one we had seen back in the valley or its twin。〃
〃They took a novel approach； blasting the top floors of buildings to pieces； raining cinderblocks and cement and pieces of girder and glass down on us。 We did some stunt driving you won't find in any books； with dust coating our goggles and sticking in our teeth。 A granite splinter opened a groove in Lunk's cheek。〃
〃It seemed like we fled forever。 Then we zazzed around this turn and Scott and Lancer were there； running neck and neck； Marlene riding pillion behind Lancer。 We had gotten lax； maybe； because Scott was the only one in armor。 Wearing that tin can never seemed to bother him； I had seen him sleep in it often。〃
〃At any rate； he told us to find cover while he ran interference。 It made sense； without our armor； the rest of us were just bikers in a bull's…eye。 Then we heard his fireworks； and we poured on everything we had because as good as Scott was…and he was the best among us…he couldn't hold 'em for long。〃
〃I was in the lead； and I spotted a major subway entrance。 We went down； giving our kidneys a nice little massage on the steps。 Scott was right behind Lunk's truck； and the Invid rounds were already melting the entrance canopy。 We ran to the end of the platform and then hit the rails。〃
〃Ladies and gentlemen； it was dark down there！