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d　permanently　sealed。

With　the　Veritechs'　remaining　operating　time　drastically　restricted；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　try　to　find　a　detour。　A　small　town　lay　nearby；　and　the　team　members　agreed　to　check　it　out　as　a　first　step。

But　first　they　had　to　be　sure　the　aircraft　were　safe。　They　parked　the　fighters　in　a　part　of　the　tunnel　that　was　undamaged；　near　the　entrance；　then　donned　Cyclone　armor。　The　team　used　the　power…assisted　metal　suits　to　move　boulders　and　wall　in　the　VTs　for　safekeeping。

It　was　a　strange　sight…seven…plus…feet…tall　gleaming　giants　lifting　huge　stones；　in　teams　when　the　weight　was　extreme；　but　often　alone；　tossing　them　like　medicine　balls。　After　the　task　was　pleted；　the　team　shed　their　armor　so　they　wouldn't　attract　any　attention　from　possible　Invid　patrols　or　from　informers。　They　set　off　toward　the　town。

The　one　thing　the　team　hadn't　brought　was　extreme　cold…climate　clothing；　they　hadn't　counted　on　being　forced　to　go　so　high　into　the　mountains。　As　the　Cyclones　sped　along；　with　Lunk's　APC　bringing　up　the　rear；　Rand　shivered；　〃I　can't　s…stand　it。　I'm　so　cold！〃

〃All　the　more　reason　for　us　to　get　out　of　here　before　the　real　winter　weather　hits；〃　Scott　shot　back。

The　town　lay　in　a　valley　at　the　confluence　of　a　number　of　different　mountain　tracks　and　streams　that　might　promise　a　path　through。　Two　other　roads　from　the　lowlands　ended　there；　reinforcing　Lancer's　contention　that　it　was　probably　a　jumping…off　point。

Once　they　were　down　out　of　the　heights　they　were　more　fortable。　The　town　itself；　named　Deguello　according　to　a　hand…lettered　sign　on　weather…silvered　wood　at　its　outskirts；　was　more　prosperous　than　Rand　would　have　expected。　Apparently　there　was　some　hidden　resource。　A　hidden　prewar　supply　depot；　perhaps？　His　Forager　instincts　came　to　the　fore。

The　town　was　like　a　lot　of　others　Rand　and　the　rest　had　seen；　a　type　Scott　was　getting　to　know。　Stucco；　tiled　roofs；　wrought…iron　window　bars；　whitewash　that　had　long　since　faded。　Cracked　plaster；　drainage　ditches　that　were　mostly　clogged。　Still；　somehow；　there　were　some　crops　and　meat　and　wares　under　the　tattered　awnings　of　the　market　stalls。　Deguello　was　better　off　than　many　other　places　the　team　had　seen。

It　was　evident　that　medical　attention　was　available；　but　none　too　sophisticated。　Most　clothing　was　patched　and　frayed。　This　was　a　typical　post…Invid　settlement　where　virtually　nothing　was　discarded；　it　was　repaired；　reused；　recycled；　cannibalized；　or　traded　for　something　else。　The　day　of　the　use…and…discard　consumer　society　was　nothing　but　a　galling　memory。

There　were　normal；　struggling　people　trying　to　keep　their　lives　together　and　trying　to　function　in　a　normal　way；　side　by　side　with　seedy　types。　The　townspeople　eyed　the　newers　and　their　Cycs　with　cold　interest。　Rook　automatically　noted　the　weapons　she　saw：　knives　and　chains　and　conventional　firearms；　prewar　military　and　hunting　arms；　some　police　and　homemade…type　stuff。　She　didn't　notice　any　energy　guns；　which　meant　the　team　would　have　a　tremendous　edge　if　they　ran　into　trouble。

Let's　hope　there's　no　trouble；　though；　she　thought。　They　look　like　they've　been　through　enough。

Just　like　everybody　else　on　Earth。

As　the　group　pulled　into　the　town's　main　plaza；　a　man　stirred　and　lowered　his　smeared　plastic　cocktail　glass；　looking　them　over；　adjusting　his　much…worn　wraparound　shades。　The　grungy　kerchief　tied　around　his　head　and　his　thick　black　beard　made　him　look　like　a　pirate。　He　was　wearing　ratty　brown　shoes　with　no　socks；　threadbare　khaki　pants；　and　a　grimy　camouflage　shirt；　of　the　same　fabric　as　his　headband。

Scott　dismounted　first。　Everyone　knew　that　the　plan　was　to　look　the　town　over　and　get　some　kind　of　handle　on　the　local　situation。　They　parked　their　cyclones　and　the　APC　without　concern；　in　this　postwar　world；　anyone　with　a　vehicle　had　the　sense　to　boobytrap　it；　and　their　nonchalance　would　be　the　most　eloquent　kind　of　proof　that　it　would　be　wise　not　to　meddle　with　the　gleaming　mecha。

Annie　was　pressing　the　idea　that　they　all　go　shopping　at　the　market。　Scott　was　about　to　approve　her　expedition…it　was　as　good　a　way　to　misdirect　any　watchers'　attention　as　anything　else　he　could　e　up　with…when　the　man　who　had　seen　their　arrival　approached。

〃Well；　howdy　there；　folks。〃　He　kept　his　distance；　as　it　was　wise　to　do　in　greeting　new　people。　Still；　Scott　could　smell　the　odor　from　his　body　and　from　his　mouth　of　broken　yellow…and…black　teeth。

The　days　of　cosmetic　dentistry　and　TV…hyped；　brandname　personal　hygiene　were　all　over；　and　the　beaten…down　Human　race　was　showing　it。　But　people　could　be　divided　between　those　who　still　made　the　effort；　with　homemade　soaps　and　pig…bristle　toothbrushes；　and　those　who　had　simply　reverted　to　a　medieval　way　of　life　and　thought。

〃Thinkin'　about　takin'　a　trip？〃　the　man　said。　Lunk；　looking　on；　wondered　if　Scott　intended　to　try　to　convince　people　that　the　team　just　happened　to　be　up　here　on　a　pleasure　jaunt。　Or　perhaps　gathering　daisies。

〃Them　mountains　is　crawlin'　with　Invid；　y'know。〃　Scott　and　Rand　looked　at　him　and　said　nothing。　〃Yeah；　there's　an　Invid　fortress　smack…dab　in　the　middle　of　that　range；　not　even　a　rat　could　get　through。　But　there　is　a　map　that'll　show　you　a　secret　route。　And　it'll　only　cost　you…〃

He　pulled　an　ancient　pocket　calculator。　It　was　a　solarpowered　model　that　had　been　more　of　a　novelty　than　a　work　tool　before　the　wars；　but　was　very　dear　in　these　days　when　batteries　were　scarce。

He　squinted　at　their　Cyclones；　keying　buttons。　The　calculator　beeped　with　a　final　sum　which　he　showed　them。　〃…this　much！〃

Scott　recoiled　from　the　figure；　payable　in　gold。　〃But　we　haven't　got　that　kind　of　money！〃

The　man　looked　the　Cycs　over。　〃Well；　there're　those　in　this　town　who've　been　known　to　do　some　barterin'　and　tradin'。　Them　fancy　machines　might　do…〃

〃Forget　it；〃　Rand　said　flatly。

The　man　was　about　to　argue；　but　stopped　when　he　saw　the　look　in　the　Forager's　eye。　〃Have　it　your　way；　m'friend。　But　all　the　high…tone　highway　hardware　in　the　world　ain't　gonna　do　you　no　good　if　you're　stuck　here。　And　I'll　tell　you　one　thing：　Paradise　is　waitin'　fer　you；　right　on　the　other　side　of　them　mountains。〃

He　turned　to　go；　〃Look　around；　see　if　I'm　not　telling　you　the　straight　gospel。　If'n　you　change　your　minds；　you　can　find　me　right　over　there；　most　any　time。〃

〃Without　that　map；　we'll　never　get　through　the　mountains！　We're　stranded　here！〃　Annie　said；　close　to　tears。

〃Within　arm's　reach　of　the　Invid；〃　Scott　added。　〃Rand；　you　shouldn't　have　been　so　quick　to　refuse　to　bargain。〃

Rand　made　a　sour　face。　〃It's　lucky　for　you　you've　got　a　Forager　along；　Lieutenant　Bernard。　You　think　somebody　with　a　map　that　valuable　would　be　lounging　around　in　the　street；　looking　like　that？〃

〃Rand's　right；〃　Rook　added。　〃Maybe　there's　a　map；　but　it's　not　very　likely　that　that　pig　has　it。　Why　d'you　think　he　was　so　anxious　to　cut　a　deal　right　away；　before　some　other　con　artist　could　get　to　us？〃

〃It's　a　pretty　good　bet　that　this　friendly　little　munity　is　crawling　with　every　kind　of　sharpie　there　is；〃　Rand　said。　〃The　way　I　see　it；　our　best　bet　is　to　split　up；　take　a　look　around；　and　try　to　get　the　feel　of　the　place。〃

Scott　nodded　in　agreement。　〃All　of　you　be　careful。　Is　everyone　armed？　Lunk　will　stay　here　and　guard　the　vehicles。　Annie；　you　stick　close　to　him；　got　that？〃

Lancer　said；　〃I've　heard　one　or　two　things　about　this　place。〃　He　was　removing　a　pack　from　his　Cyclone。　〃I　want　to　check　them　out；　but　it's　something　I'll　have　to　do　alone。〃

Soon　the　team　was　setting　off　in　various　directions；　hoping　Deguello　held　some　hope　for　their　survival。


CHAPTER　NINE

Mom　wasn't　surprised　at　the　way　things　were。　I　think　she　found　grim　irony　in　the　fact　that　the　one…percenters　were　in　the　majority　at　last。
Maria　Bartley…Rand；　Flower　of　Life：　Journey　Beyond　Protoculture

Lunk　was　deeply　engrossed　in　his　gearhead　window　shopping。　It　was　a　great　chance　to　examine　some　leftover　war　machinery。　Annie　put　up　with　it　for　as　long　as　she　could　and　then；　while　he　was　on　a　mechanic's　creeper　under　an　APC　like　his　own；　she　slipped　away　to　check　out　Deguello　for　herself。

She　was　surprised　at　how　much　lowland　food　and　other　goods　were　available　in　this　mountain