10_invid_invasion-第35章

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ot　on　the　floor　in　the　center　of　the　spacious　room。

〃Hands　up！〃　Lunk　bellowed。

〃Well；　hello；　boys；〃　said　Rook　as　plaster　rained　down　on　her　from　Lunk's　ceiling　shot。

〃Where's　Scott？〃　Lancer　asked。

Rand　moved　in　to　free　his　friends　while　Lunk　threatened　to　air…condition　the　room　unless　someone　directed　him　to　the　mayor。

〃That's　me；〃　said　a　large　man　seated　at　a　table。

〃Be　careful；　Pedro；〃　Josh　warned　him。

Lunk　leveled　the　blaster　at　him。　〃We've　got　a　few　questions　for　you。〃

〃Like　where　you　hid　the　Cyclones；〃　Rand　said；　moving　to　Lunk's　side。　Lancer　and　Rook　had　some　nasty　bruises；　and　a　new　anger　was　evident　in　Rand's　voice。

But　the　mayor　wasn't　impressed。　〃We　have　them；　and　we　mean　to　keep　them；〃　he　told　Rand。　〃You　people　are　free　to　go；　but　we　keep　the　machines。〃

Rand　showed　his　teeth。　〃Hear　me；　mister；　and　hear　me　good：　We're　giving　the　orders　now；　not　you。〃

〃Give　all　the　orders　you　want；　but　we'll　do　what　we　have　to　do。〃

Rand　made　an　impatient　sound　and　grabbed　the　blaster　from　Lunk's　hands。　〃Talk　to　him；　Lunk；　before　I　do　something　I　might　regret。〃

The　big　man　nodded　and　stepped　forward。　〃All　right；　Mr。　Mayor；　forget　the　Cyclones　for　a　moment。　What　I　want　now　is　the　truth　about　Alfred　Nader。〃

〃I　don't　know　anyone　named　Nader；〃　Pedro　said；　meeting　Lunk's　glare。　But　the　stifled　gasps　from　others　in　the　room　told　a　different　story。

Lunk　slammed　his　fists　down　on　the　table。　〃I'm　sick　of　listening　to　lies；　pal！〃

Rand　put　a　hand　on　his　friend's　arm。　〃Hold　on　a　minute；〃　he　started　to　say。　But　suddenly　the　building　was　shaking。　Annie　pointed　at　the　window：　Rand　saw　flashes　of　brilliant　orange　light　in　the　skies　above　the　mesa。

〃Annihilation　discs！〃　said　Rand。　〃Invid　patrol　ships！〃

〃Now　at　least　we　know　where　Scott's　been；〃　Lancer　chimed　in。

Rand　turned　to　the　mayor；　furious　now。

〃Your　time　is　up；　Pedro！　We　need　those　Cyclones！〃

The　mayor　remained　tight…lipped。　〃We　don't　want　any　more　fighting　in　our　village。〃

〃If　we　don't　get　out　there　and　help　our　friend；　there　won't　be　any　more　village；〃　Lancer　pointed　out。

Pedro　scoffed　at　him。　〃Do　you　imagine　you　heroes　are　going　to　repel　an　Invid　attack　by　yourselves？〃

〃You　better　let　us　try；〃　Rand　said　as　the　sounds　of　distant　explosions　infiltrated　the　room。

〃I　mustn't　endanger　the　town！〃

〃We're　trying　to　help　your　town；〃　Rook　told　him。

Lunk　took　the　blaster　back　from　Rand　and　raised　it。　〃That　tears　it！　I'm　not　standing　by　while　my　friend　dies　for　this　stinking　excuse　for　a　town。　Pedro；　you've　got　ten　seconds！〃

〃Wait！〃　Jos？said；　stepping　into　the　projected　line　of　fire。　He　turned　to　Gomez。　〃Tell　them　where　the　Cyclones　are　hidden。〃

〃You're　responsible　for　this；　Jos？〃　the　mayor　shouted。　〃If　anything　should　happen　to　our　village…〃

〃I'll　take　the　responsibility　then；〃　Jos？answered；　whirling　on　him。

〃They're　in　the　warehouse；〃　Gomez　said　softly。


The　warehouse　was　a　barn　situated　close　to　the　bridge；　an　odds…and…ends　storage　facility　for　grain；　farming　tools；　and　rusting　examples　of　early　Robotechnology。　The　Cyclones　had　been　rolled　into　a　corner　and　covered　over　with　a　couple　of　mildewed　canvas　tarps。

Lancer；　Rook；　and　Rand　headed　straight　for　their　machines；　activated　them；　and　rode　off　to　the　sound　of　the　guns。　Annie　and　Lunk　wished　them　luck　and　watched　as　the　Cyclones　reconfigured　to　Battle　Armor　mode。　Lunk　was　heading　back　to　the　van　when　he　heard　his　name　called。　It　was　Pedro；　looking　somewhat　sheepish　and　conciliatory。

〃Lunk；　you're　determined　to　go　through　with　this？〃

Lunk　gestured　to　the　by…now…distant　Cyclones　and　said　harshly；　〃That　oughta　answer　your　question。〃

Pedro　nodded　sullenly。　〃Then　there's　something　I　want　you　to　see；〃　he　said；　leading　Lunk　back　into　the　barn。　Inside；　he　motioned　to　an　object　concealed　under　a　nylon　cloth　and　pulled　the　cover　away。

〃I　want　you　to　have　this。〃

Lunk　knew　it　by　its　slang　term…a　〃Stinger〃…a　lightweight　autocannon　no　larger　than　a　turn…of…the…century　M…70　machine　gun　that　ran　on　Protoculture　and　delivered　piercing　bursts　of　Reflex　firepower。　Stingers　were　the　weapon　of　choice　for　the　resistance　early　on；　but　with　the　Invid's　control　of　Protoculture；　the　weapon　had　passed　quickly　into　disuse。　This　one　looked　as　though　it　had　never　been　fired；　but　it　hadn't　been　well　cared　for　either。

〃This　was　given　to　our　town　by　a　group　of　freedom　fighters；〃　Pedro　began　to　explain　while　Lunk　inspected　the　gun。　〃Before　I　was　mayor；　when。。。Nader　was　alive。〃　Lunk　straightened　up　at　the　mention　of　the　name。

Pedro's　voice　took　on　a　harder　edge。　〃But　Nader　didn't　want　it　used。　He　actually　believed　we　could　make　a　separate　peace　with　the　Invid　and　hid　the　gun；　afraid　that　fighting　back　would　end　in　death　for　all　of　us。　But　many　of　the　townspeople　misinterpreted　his　concern；　they　accused　him　of　cowardice　and　worse。　When　he　still　wouldn't　reveal　where　he　had　hidden　the　thing。。。they　beat　him　to　death。　They　burned　his　home；　they。。。〃

Lunk　saw　that　Pedro　was　sobbing。　〃So　that's　your　dirty　little　secret。。。the　reason　why　those　men　attacked　us。　You're　all　ashamed　of　what　happened　here。〃

Pedro　nodded。　〃May　God　have　mercy　on　us。　By　the　time　we　found　the　gun；　it　was　too　late　to　do　anything。　The　Invid　had　overrun　everything。〃

〃And　now　you're　the　one　who　feels　responsible　for　this　place。　You've　inherited　Nader's　legacy。〃

〃You　could　say　that。〃

Lunk's　hard　look　softened。　〃Pedro；　maybe　I've　misjudged　you。〃

〃And　I；　you；〃　returned　the　mayor。　〃A　mon　enough　mistake　these　days。〃


Out　on　the　flats　things　were　looking　grim　for　Scott　and　the　team。　The　arrival　of　the　Cyclones　had　taken　the　pressure　off　him　to　some　extent；　but　the　Invid　still　outnumbered　them　three　to　one。

Shock　Troopers　again。　Scott　wasn't　sure　why　they　had　showed　up。　It　was　possible　that　one　of　the　Scouts　they　had　tangled　with　earlier　had　gotten　away。　He　had　seen　the　first　of　the　Troopers　just　as　the　team　had　been　entering　Roca　Negra　and　had　doubled　back　to　deal　with　it。　But　on　the　tail　of　the　first　came　a　second；　then　a　third　and　a　fourth；　and　before　Scott　knew　it；　he　was　in　the　midst　of　a　full　contingent　of　Pincer　units。

He　dropped　the　Alpha　in　for　a　release　run　now；　going　after　three　grounded　Invid　who　had　pinned　down　Rook　and　Rand　with　cannon　fire。　The　already　cratered　and　fused　terrain　was　being　torn　up　by　annihilation　discs；　the　air　above　superheated　and　crosshatched　by　missile　tracks　launched　from　the　Cyclones'　forearm　tubes。　Scott　loosed　a　flock　of　heat…seekers　at　the　bottom　of　his　dive　and　climbed　sharply；　looking　back　over　his　right　shoulder　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　results　of　his　run。　Two　Invid　ships　were　flaming　wrecks；　collapsed　and　bleeding　green　nutrient。　Another　was　badly　damaged　but　still　on　its　feet；　one　of　its　pincers　blown　away。

Scott　swung　his　head　as　he　thought　the　Alpha　through　a　roll　and　saw　Lunk's　van　streaking　across　the　sands；　seemingly　on　a　collision　course　with　three　more　Invid　ships。　Alert　to　the　van's　approach；　the　Troopers　lifted　off；　forming　up　in　a　triangular　pattern　to　deal　with　it。

But　in　a　moment　it　was　obvious　that　they　had　misjudged　Lunk。

Scott　caught　sight　of　a　brilliant　flash　at　the　front　of　the　van　an　instant　before　one　of　the　ships　exploded　in　midair。　A　second　flash　and　another　Invid　was　blown　to　pieces。　Scott　realized　that　Lunk　had　mounted　some　sort　of　cannon　to　the　van。　Apparently　the　Invid　also　recognized　the　weapon；　because　they　were　suddenly　giving　the　van　a　wide　berth。　Rook；　Rand；　and　Lancer　took　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　deal　out　death　blows　of　their　own；　managing　to　fell　two　additional　Troopers　with　precision　shots　to　the　ships'　optic　scanners。

Scott　smiled　broadly　and　uttered　a　short；　triumphant　cry　to　the　skies　outside　the　Alpha's　canopy。　Not　only　had　they　cut　the　odds；　they　had　won　the　battle。

The　remaining　Invid　were　actually　turning　tail　and　fleeing　the　area！

It　was　the　first　time　Scott　had　ever　seen　them　retreat。


Lunk　returned　to　Roca　Negra　alone。　He　had　a　longer　talk　with　Pedro　and　Josh　about　Alfred　Nader。　Both　men　had　known　Nader's　son；　Lunk's　friend；　and　were　sorry　to　hear　that　he　had　been　killed。

The　battle　on　the　flats　hadn't　affected　the　rest　of　the　town's　attitude　toward　Lunk；　but　he　understoo