10_invid_invasion-第38部分

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ook　was　on　her　feet；　leaning　almost　casually　against　the　stone　wall　of　the　bridge。　Lancer　and　Annie　were　sitting　on　the　grassy　embankment　above　the　stream。

〃Lunk　and　Rand　have　got　to　pass　by　here　eventually；〃　Lancer　was　telling　the　others。

Rook　agreed。　〃We're　better　off　just　waiting　for　them。　But　one　of　us　is　going　to　have　to　find　Scott。　Where　do　you　think　he　put　the　Alpha　down？。。。Hey！　A　truck！〃　she　said　suddenly。　〃Maybe　the　driver　can　shed　some　light　on　this　thing。〃

Annie　turned　to　glance　at　the　truck。　〃Looks　like　they're　stopping。〃

No　one　moved　as　the　truck　came　to　a　halt　on　the　bridge。　They　had　seen　two　men　in　the　cab　and　were　looking　there；　when　without　warning　a　third　man　jumped　from　the　canvased　rear。　It　took　them　a　moment　to　realize　that　he　was　wearing　a　gas　mask　and　what　looked　like　a　twin…tanked　oxyacetylene　rig　on　his　back。　And　by　the　time　they　had　made　sense　of　this　it　was　too　late：　The　man　had　brought　the　rig's　torch　out　front　and　released　a　foul…smelling；　eye…smarting　gas　into　their　midst。

Almost　immediately　Rook　and　Lancer　began　to　cough　uncontrollably。　Beneath　the　cloud　and　consequently　somewhat　less　affected　by　it；　Annie　tried　to　slide　down　the　embankment　and　reach　the　stream。　But　the　gas's　effects　caught　up　with　her；　she　felt　a　searing　pain　work　its　way　toward　her　lungs　and　doubled　up　into　a　fit　of　coughing。　The　cloud　was　as　dense　as　smoke；　but　she　could　discern　that　several　other　men　had　followed　the　lead　man　from　the　back　of　the　truck。　They；　too；　had　gas　masks　on；　but　they　also　earned　bats　and　clubs。　Just　before　Annie　went　under；　she　saw　Rook　and　Lancer　fall　as　roundhouse　blows　were　directed　against　them。


There　was　an　olive　tree　and　a　small　circular　well　where　there　should　have　been　a　house。　Otherwise　the　lot　was　empty；　the　buildings　that　surrounded　it　on　three　sides　burned　and　abandoned。　Puzzled；　Lunk　stood　staring　at　the　scene。

〃Are　you　sure　this　is　the　place？〃　Rand　asked　him　from　the　van。　He　had　pulled　out　one　of　the　former　police　vehicle's　air…cooled　autopistols　and　was　resting　it　up　against　his　collarbone　now。

〃Yep。　He　told　me　his　dad　had　a　well　and　an　olive　tree　in　his　backyard。　And　there　they　are。　Now　all　we　have　to　do　is　find　the　house。〃

Rand　frowned　and　stepped　away　from　the　van　to　join　his　friend。　〃There's　got　to　be　twenty　houses　in　this　town　with　an　olive　tree　and　a　well　in　the　backyard；　Lunk。　And　even　if　this　was　Nader's　place；　he's　obviously　not　here　now。　I　don't　know；〃　Rand　added　skeptically。　〃Maybe　he's　dead；　and　that's　why　everybody's　acting　so　strange。〃

Lunk　was　starting　to　reply　when　Rand　heard　the　sound　of　footsteps　behind　him。　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　found　himself　facing　half　a　dozen　angry…looking　men；　one　of　whom　was　carrying　a　kind　of　backpacked　welding　torch。

Rand　swung　back　around；　putting　all　he　had　into　knocking　Lunk　to　one　side　while　he　threw　himself　in　the　opposite　direction。　Lunk　took　the　full　force　of　the　gas　cloud　in　the　back；　but　before　the　men　could　move　in；　Rand　was　through　his　roll　and　taking　aim　at　the　torch。　He　pulled　off　one　quick　shot　that　effectively　decapitated　the　twin…spouted　rod　and　gave　the　men　pause。　They　began　to　scatter　as　Rand　squeezed　off　three　more　shots；　one　toward　the　feet　of　each　of　the　men　who　were　standing　guard　by　the　van。　The　three　leapt　through　a　kind　of　impromptu　dance　and　fled　along　with　their　rades。

Rand　called　to　Lunk　and　made　a　beeline　for　the　van；　throwing　himself　into　the　shotgun　seat　through　the　passenger…side　door；　Lunk　just　steps　behind　him。

Off　to　one　side；　the　men　were　rallying　for　another　attack。

〃Make　tracks！〃　Rand　yelled；　pounding　a　fist　against　the　dash。

〃You　make　good　sense；　buddy！〃　Lunk　yelled　back；　putting　the　pedal　to　the　metal。


CHAPTER　THIRTEEN

It　has　yet　to　be　demonstrated　that　the　Invid　Regis　was　capable　of　direct　dealings　with　each　of　her　remote　drones…Scouts；　Troopers　and　Pincer　Ships…prior　to　Scott　Bernard's　forcing　her　hand；　so　to　speak。　mentators　have　pointed　to　the　incident　at　Roca　Negra　as　an　example　of　changes　in　the　previous　hierarchical　organization；　in　which　each　hive　queen　（sic）　was　made　responsible　for　her　own　soldiers。
Bloom　Nesterfig；　Social　Organization　of　the　Invid

In　Jos？s　Caf？the　churlish　mayor　of　Roca　Negra；　a　large；　mustachioed　man　named　Pedro；　received　word　of　the　brutal　attack　on　Rook；　Annie；　and　Lancer。

〃They　beat　them　up！〃　he　bellowed　now；　bringing　his　big　fist　down　on　one　of　the　tables　and　rising　to　his　full　height　of　six　foot　four。　His　English；　like　Jos？s；　had　a　Spanish　accent。

〃Yes；〃　Jos？s　wife；　Maria；　continued。　She　was　a　small；　pretty　woman　who　usually　wore　her　auburn　hair　in　a　loose　braid　over　one　shoulder。　〃They　put　the　three　of　them　in　the　back　of　the　truck；　and　then　they　sped　off　somewhere。　But　I　think　the　two　others　got　away。〃

Jos？watched　his　wife　from　across　the　room　but　said　nothing。　It　worried　him　to　have　her　interfere　in　these　matters；　but　she　had　been　adamant　about　reporting　the　attack　to　the　mayor；　and　when　she　was　decided　about　something；　there　was　nothing　Jos？could　do　to　stop　her。　He　only　hoped　that　the　rogues　who　captured　the　three　strangers　would　not　learn　of　her　statements。

〃Those　no…good　bums　have　done　it　this　time；〃　said　Pedro；　starting　for　the　door。

Maria's　thin　hands　were　clutched　at　her　breast。　〃You　won't　let　them　hurt　the　others；　then？〃

〃When　I　get　my　hands　on　them；　I'll　show　them　who　runs　this　town！〃　the　mayor　said　without　looking　back。

Josh　watched　the　doors　swing　to　and　fro。　Who　would　he　show？　he　asked　himself。　The　rogues　or　the　strangers　who　had　e　in　search　of　Alfred　Nader？　Roca　Negra　could　so　easily　fall　victim　to　violence　from　either　side。。。


Meanwhile；　Rand　and　bunk　were　speeding　toward　the　bridge　to　rendezvous　with　Lancer　and　the　others；　unaware　that　the　bad　part　of　town　had　already　e　calling。

〃But　why　would　they　attack　us？〃　Rand　asked。　〃Just　to　drive　us　out　of　town；　or　what？　And　where　the　heck　is　Scott；　anyway？〃

〃It　has　something　to　do　with　the　disappearance　of　old　man　Nader；〃　Lunk　said　firmly。　He　had　the　book　out　again　and　was　regarding　it　while　he　drove。

〃If　that's　true；　we　oughta　rethink　your　idea　of　trying　to　get　that　book　to　him；〃　Rand　suggested。

Lunk　shook　his　big　head。　〃Uh　uh；　buddy；　no　way。　I　said　I'd　deliver　this　thing　no　matter　what　the　odds。　And　if　Nader's　alive；　I'll　find　'im。〃

〃Bravo；〃　Rand　replied；　crossing　his　arms。　〃I　just　hope　you　don't　get　us　both　killed　in　the　process。〃　The　van　was　closing　in　on　the　bridge　now；　and　Lancer　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　〃They're　supposed　to　be　here。　Where　are　they？〃

〃No　sign　of　the　Cyclones　either；〃　Lunk　added；　bringing　the　van　to　a　halt　and　climbing　out。　He　looked　over　toward　the　embankment；　then　down　at　tire　marks　in　the　dirt　road…marks　that　didn't　belong　to　the　van。　〃Check　this　out；〃　he　told　Rand。　〃Something's　been　by　here　earlier　on…a　truck　by　the　looks　of　it。〃

Rand　and　Lunk　bent　down　to　inspect　the　tracks　and　in　so　doing　took　no　notice　of　the　men　who　climbed　up　from　under　the　bridge。　But　Rand　had　thought　to　bring　the　autopistol　with　him　and　raised　it　threateningly　as　the　men　advanced。　However；　a　second　group　joined　the　first　after　a　moment；　and　although　underarmed　with　clubs；　axes；　and　farm　tools；　they　stood　fou