10_invid_invasion-第22部分

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ways；　there　seemed　to　be　an　effort　made　to　incapacitate　rather　than　kill　the　humans；　but　it　could　just　as　easily　have　been　poor　marksmanship　on　their　part。　In　any　case；　the　plateau…great　swirls　of　weathered　rock　and　shale…was　being　torn　up　and　superheated　by　the　Troopers'　fusillades。　Lunk's　APC；　slower　and　far　less　maneuverable　than　the　Cyclones；　provided　the　best　target；　and　the　Invid　were　soon　concentrating　their　bursts　against　it。　Inside　the　cab；　the　big　man　was　bouncing　around　like　a　featherweight；　barely　in　control　of　the　thing　anymore。　When　a　blinding　disc　streaked　by　inches　from　the　carrier；　he　lost　it　pletely；　the　APC　crashed　into　a　boulder　and　overturned；　hurling　Lunk　twenty　feet　to　a　hard　landing　facedown　on　the　shale。　At　the　last　instant；　however；　he　had　grabbed　two　sacks　of　supplies　and　had　managed　to　hold　on　to　them　during　his　brief　airborne　journey。　The　sacks　cushioned　his　fall　somewhat；　but　he　blacked　out　momentarily　nevertheless。　ing　to；　he　heard　Rook's　voice　behind　him；　warning　him　to　keep　his　head　down。　He　did　as　instructed　and　felt　rather　than　saw　the　red　Cyclone　streak　over　him。

Scott　and　Rand　had　witnessed　the　collision　and　stopped　their　Cyclones　to　return　fire　against　the　Troopers；　bringing　rear　weapons　into　play。　Behind　them；　Lunk　was　attempting　to　gather　together　and　rebag　items　spilled　from　the　sacks。

〃Lunk！　Forget　that　stuff　and　e　on！〃　Scott　shouted。

〃But　we　need　these　Protoculture　energy　cells　for　the　mecha！〃　Lunk　countered；　ducking　as　a　series　of　annihilation　discs　Frisbeed　overhead。　The　Invid　were　close　at　hand　now；　upright　and　laying　out　salvo　after　salvo　of　white…hot　fire。　Explosions　began　to　erupt　all　around　him；　orange　blossoms　in　the　shale；　and　he　was　forced　to　abandon　the　supplies。　He　made　a　beeline　for　Scott's　idling　Cyclone；　straddling　the　rear　seat　not　a　moment　too　soon。

〃My　toothbrush！〃　Lunk　moaned；　looking　back　at　the　wrecked　APC　as　Scott　gunned　the　mecha　into　a　wheelie。

〃So　your　teeth　will　fall　out；〃　Scott　said　into　the　wind。　〃It's　better　than　having　your　head　blown　off。〃

They　were　headed　downhill　a　moment　later；　across　a　smooth　flow　of　solid　rock　with　an　inviting　forest　of　tall　firs　and　eucalyptus　at　its　base。　As　they　neared　the　trees；　Scott　spied　an　unpaved　road　and　made　for　it；　signaling　the　others　to　follow　his　lead。

Two　of　the　Invid　attempted　to　track　them　but　eventually　gave　up；　it　was　widely　believed　（but　certainly　unproven）　that　the　Invid　had　a　kind　of　fearsome　respect　for　forests　in　general。　The　Troopers　circled　overhead　for　a　long　while；　then　began　to　fan　out　trying　to　cover　all　possible　points　of　egress。　Meanwhile；　Scott　directed　his　band　north　in　an　effort　to　strike　the　river。　By　his　reckoning；　they　were　now　somewhat　west　of　Lancer　and　the　Veritech；　but　reaching　the　river　would　put　them　in　good　position　for　a　direct　eastward　swing。

The　forest　thinned　as　they　worked　their　way　north；　giving　way　to　a　series　of　tall　grass　terraces　that　dropped　in　measured　steps　to　the　river　gorge　itself。　The　grass　was　deep　enough　to　offer　places　of　concealment　for　themselves　as　well　as　the　Cyclones；　so　they　continued　their　cautious　advance。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　enemy。

〃Do　you　think　we　lost　'em？〃　Lunk　asked；　poking　his　head　above　the　grass。　He　could　see　tall　buttes　and　stone　tors　in　the　distance。

Rand　answered　him　from　nearby。　〃We　must　have…there's　no　way　those　things　can　follow　a　trail　through　the　woods。　Believe　me；　I　know。〃

〃How　'bout　some　food；　then？〃

Rook　showed　herself。　〃You　really　take　the　cake；　Lunk。〃

〃I　wish　I　could…〃

〃First　you　nearly　get　us　all　killed；　and　now　all　you　can　think　about　is　that　selfish　stomach　of　yours！〃

〃Drop　it！〃　Scott　said　more　harshly　than　was　necessary。　He　switched　on　his　Cyclone　briefly　to　read　the　system　indicator　displays。　〃You　were　right　about　those　Protoculture　cells；　Lunk；〃　he　admitted。　〃It's　imperative　that　I　get　back　to　the　Alpha。　Someone's　going　to　have　to　draw　the　Invid　off　in　case　I'm　spotted。　We　can't　let　them　find　the　ship。〃

Rand　suddenly　shushed　him。　〃They're　ing；〃　he　whispered。

The　team　dropped　themselves　into　the　grass；　raising　weapons　as　they　did　so。　Minutes　later；　three　Troopers　could　be　seen　patrolling　the　gorge；　their　scanners　alert　for　movement　on　the　cliffs　above　the　river。

〃Everybody　hold　your　fire；〃　said　Scott。

〃How　did　they　find　us？〃　Rand　said　to　no　one　in　particular。

Annie　put　her　hands　to　her　breast。　〃I　betcha　they　heard　the　sound　of　my　heart　pounding。〃

Rand　stared　down　at　the　Mars…galant　Scott　had　given　him　earlier；　it　was　a　long…barreled　version　of　the　sidearm　blaster　the　offworlder　wore；　shaped　a　bit　like　an　elongated　closed…topped　Y　Time　to　go　on…line　with　this　thing；　he　said　to　himself。　But　no　sooner　did　he　flip　the　switch　than　the　Troopers　stopped　their　bipedal　patrol　and　turned　on　them。

〃Open　fire！〃　Scott　yelled　as　globes　of　fulgent　energy　formed　at　the　muzzles　of　the　Troopers'　cannons。

Lunk；　Rook；　and　Rand　stood　up；　bringing　their　H…90's　to　bear　against　the　invaders。　Phased…laser　fire　seared　into　the　Troopers'　armored　bodies；　while　annihilation　discs　ripped　into　the　cliff's　grassy　terrace；　touching　off　violent　fires　and　clouds　of　dense　smoke。　Two　more　Invid　appeared　above　the　cliffs　behind　the　team；　adding　their　own　volleys　to　the　arena。

〃We've　gotta　get　back　to　the　trees！〃　Rand　shouted　above　the　angry　buzz　of　disc　fire　and　concussive　detonations。

〃Lead　them　away　from　the　Alpha！〃　said　Scott。

〃You　worry　about　the　Alpha。　I'm　gone！〃

Abandoning　their　Cyclones；　the　team　broke　ranks　and　began　to　belly…crawl　their　way　through　the　grass　back　toward　the　tree　line。　They　scaled　slope　after　slope；　beating　a　circuitous　retreat　across　each　terrace。　The　closest　call　came　when　Rook　miscalculated　and　nearly　slipped　into　a　narrow　ravine；　but　Rand　was　there　for　her；　hauling　her　up　and　supporting　her　while　they　ran。　In　the　forest　once　more；　they　took　to　the　trees　and　hid　themselves　high　up　in　the　branches。　Invid　Troopers　were　walking　sweeping　patrols　along　the　perimeter；　two　were　actually　braving　the　cool　and　dark　mystery　to　probe　deep　into　the　woods。　Rand　flicked　his　gallant　on…line　again　as　one　of　the　latter　group　was　passing　beneath　him。　Curiously；　the　Invid　stopped　short；　its　would…be　head　rotating　upward。

Rand　took　a　sudden；　sharp　intake　of　breath…not　out　of　fear　but　from　realization。　Of　course！　he　told　himself。　At　the　river　they　stopped　when　I　activated　the　power　cell　on　my　blaster。　And　just　now。。。

It　made　sense；　but　it　was　time　to　try　an　experiment　to　validate　his　findings。　He　disarmed　the　power　cell；　and　sure　enough；　the　Invid　lost　interest　and　stomped　off。　〃Yeah；　that's　gotta　be　it；〃　Rand　said　softly。　He　was　exhaling　pent…up　fear　when　something　orange　and　menacing　suddenly　dropped　on　him　from　the　branch　above。　His　throat　refused　to　utter　the　scream　his　guts　demanded；　but　he　gave　a　start　nonetheless；　raising　the　weapon　like　a　club；　only　to　realize　that　it　was　Annie；　upside　down　and　dangling　from　her　knees；　carrot…colored　hair　like　an　unfurled　flag。

〃Were　you　talking　to　yourself？〃　she　demanded。　〃Were　you？　Huh？〃

〃Don't　ever　sneak　up　on　me！〃　Rand　seethed。

Scott；　Rook；　and　Lunk　were　on　the　ground　now；　telling　Rand　that　the　coast　was　clear。　Excitedly；　Rand