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She　looked　at　her　watch。　〃That　means　it's　time　for　Contingency　Plan　B；　huh？〃

Rand　nodded；　checking　his　own　watch。　〃I　hope　Scott　and　the　others　aren't　napping。〃　He　looked　around　him。　〃I'd　hate　to　be　stuck　in　this　neighborhood　at　night。〃


Scott　was　wide　awake　and　swearing；　looking　at　his　military　chronometer。　He　and　the　others　were　gathered　under　snow…covered　firs　behind　a　line　of　drifts；　watching　the　pass　from　the　shadows。

〃They're　late　with　their　signal！〃　And　he　had　no　idea　whether　Annie　and　Rand　were　in　trouble　or　had　simply；　in　their　sloppy　civilian　way；　forgotten　the　timetable。

If　they're　goofing　around　up　there。。。

But　Lancer　grabbed　his　armored　shoulder。　〃There　they　are。〃　He　pointed。

Three　quarters　of　the　way　up　one　of　the　peaks　that　flanked　the　fortress；　light　was　flashing　from　one　of　the　many　niches　or　tunnel　openings　or　launch　bays　or　whatever　they　were。

Scott　and　Lancer　trained　their　puter…coupled　binocular　on　the　spot。　The　binocular　showed　Annie；　sitting　on　the　edge　of　one　of　the　niches；　angling　a　mirror　from　her　pack；　using　it　as　a　crude　heliograph。　It　would　be　impossible　to　answer　by　the　same　code；　since　the　Invid　might　have　picked　up　the　flashes。　He　turned　to　Rook；　who　stood　with　Marlene　and　Lunk。

〃Just　as　I　figured：　they　need　a　decoy。　Okay；　Rook；　get　moving。〃

She　nodded；　snowflakes　glistening　in　her　long；　strawberry…blond　waves。　〃Wish　me　luck。〃


Annie　continued　her　signaling；　hoping　the　team　had　noticed　it。　It　only　made　sense　not　to　use　a　radio　inside　the　fortress；　but　she　would　have　felt　better　hearing　Scott　say；　〃Affirmative。〃

She　heard　the　heavy　tread　of　mecha　round　a　corner；　ing　her　way　unexpectedly。　Annie　fumbled　with　the　mirror　and　lost　it　as　she　dove　for　cover。　She　had　no　choice　but　to　hang　from　the　brink　by　her　fingers；　as　two　towering　Controllers　marched　by。

〃Unidentified　intrusions　registered　along　Perimeter　Sixteen；〃　the　Regis's　voice　warned。　〃Investigate！〃

After　they　had　passed；　Annie　hauled　herself　back　up　again。　But　she　felt　a　sinking　unease。　Suppose　her　signal　hadn't　been　seen？　She　looked　around　for　some　other　reflective　surface　that　would　serve；　but　could　find　none。

Maybe　Rand　and　I　are　on　our　own？　Maybe　we'd　better　start　improvising？


Rook　activated　a　control；　and　her　Cyc's　tires　extruded　heavy　snow　studs。　She　left　her　thinking　cap　off；　letting　her　hair　blow　in　the　wind　on　the　chance　that　the　aliens　might　think　her　less　of　a　military　threat　if　they　didn't　see　that　she　was　a　Cyclone　warrior。

She　jumped　from　ridges　and　traveled　under　the　tree　canopy　as　much　as　she　could；　hoping　that　the　enemy　couldn't　follow　her　back…trail　through　the　snow　and　find　signs　of　her　teammates'　presence。　Then　she　howled　out　into　the　open；　making　the　treacherous　approach　uphill　toward　the　fortress。　It　wasn't　long　before　a　flight　of　Pincer　Ships　dove　at　her；　their　shadows　flickering　across　the　snow。

Rook　gave　a　wild；　scornful　laugh；　elated　by　the　thrill　and　risk　of　it　all。　〃e　on！〃　she　called　up。　〃I'll　race　you　to　the　mountain　top！〃

The　Pincers　swooped　close　but　held　fire　for　the　moment；　trying　to　determine　just　what　kind　of　threat　they　faced。　Their　scanners　studied　the　racing　cyclist。


In　the　Hive　Center；　sheets　of　light　and　electrical　discharges　raced　across　the　heaving；　visceral　mass　of　the　Sensor。　〃Patrol　reports　bio…energetic　activity　in　the　approaching　vehicle。　Protoculture　emanations　registered！　All　available　units　converge　and　intercept！〃

Rand；　watching　from　concealment；　held　Annie　well　back。　〃Keep　your　head　down！〃

〃But…what's　happening？〃

Rand　checked　his　watch　again。　〃It　all　hit　the　fan　just　at　the　time　Rook　was　supposed　to　start　her　diversionary　run！〃


As　the　Invid　closed　the　distance；　Rook　hit　a　switch　on　her　right　handlebar　and　tensed　herself　like　a　coiled　spring。


A　change　in　the　din　and　the　Saint　Elmo's　fire　along　the　Sensor　made　Annie　point　and　tug　Rand's　arm。　〃Look；　it's　stopping！　Is　that　bad？〃

Rook！　he　thought。　He　felt　a　stab　of　despair　and　loss　so　powerful　that　it　nearly　staggered　him。


〃Intercept　and　neutralize！〃　the　Regis　manded；　as　the　Pincers　raced　to　obey。

Rook　concentrated　everything　on　her　timing。　Calculations　meant　less　now　than　instincts　and　years　of　experience　in　evading　the　Invid。　At　a　certain　moment　she　slewed　around　a　stand　of　pine　and　laid　down　the　bike　in　a　spume　of　snow；　throwing　herself　clear　of　the　on…purpose　grounding；　diving　into　a　snow　bank。

The　Cyc　lay　dead；　its　Protoculture　engine　off。　Rook　lay　doggo　as　the　Pincers　rounded　the　trees　and　went　on　past；　following　their　Protoculture　detectors；　suddenly　confused。　They　raced　on；　splitting　up；　casting　about　like　bloodhounds　for　a　scent。

Rook　pulled　herself　up　a　little　and　smiled　at　the　receding　Invid　personal…armor　mecha。　〃Ciao！〃

An　instant　later　the　smile　disappeared。　Rand；　get　busy！　Get　out　of　there！　She　was　frowning　at　the　fact　that　she　was　worrying　so　much　over　him…and　Annie；　of　course。。。

She　hadn't　let　anybody　mean　anything　to　her　since　she　had　quit　her　old　biker　gang。　This　caring　for　someone…especially　a　dumb　country　boy…was　making　her　angry　with　herself　and　with　him；　too。


〃It　can't　be　a　coincidence；〃　Rand　said　tightly。　〃That　heap　o'　guts　out　there…that　thing　is　the　Sensor　we're　looking　for！〃

Annie　gripped　his　shirt。　〃D…d'you　think　it　knows　we're　here？〃

〃If　it　does；　we're　in　a　lot　bigger　trouble　than　I　thought。〃

The　obscene　loops　of　the　Sensor　were　dark　and　quiet。　Still；　the　quickening　of　Scouts　went　on。　Rand　watched　as　more　Controllers　went　to　take　up　positions　near　the　stinking　mass　of　the　Regis's　local　embodiment。

Something　occurred　to　him；　and　he　gazed　at　Annie　apprehensively。　She　had　been　possessed　by　an　alien　intelligence　once　before；　in　the　Genesis　Pit。　What　if　it　should　happen　again？　But　no；　she　seemed　to　be　behaving　normally…quaking　with　fear。

Rand　tried　to　calm　himself　and　take　in　the　situation。　〃The　place　is　crawling　with　guards。〃

〃M…my　skin's　crawling；　too！〃

He　picked　a　route　and　led　the　way　from　cover　to　cover。　The　Controllers　were　all　concentrating　on　the　quickening；　gathered　to　one　side　of　the　Sensor。　Then　the　two　reached　the　opposite　side　of　the　monstrous　mound　of　alien　bowels。　Annie　skittered　after　Rand；　quiet　as　a　mouse；　but　she　lost　her　footing　and　was　about　to　go　sprawling。

But　Rand　had　turned；　and　he　caught　her。　The　descent　of　yet　another　Scout　ship　into　the　floor　had　covered　the　noise。　〃Watch　what　you're　doing！〃　he　whispered　fiercely；　turning　her　around　and　rooting　through　the　pink　rucksack。

She　was　puffing；　wiping　the　sweat　from　her　brow；　fanning　herself　with　the　E。T。　cap。　Rand　mumbled；　〃Where　is　it…ah！〃

He　drew　out　an　instrumented　cylinder　the　size　of　a　pint　beercan。　A　shaped…charge　cobalt　limpet　mine；　something　the　team　had　been　saving　ever　since　the　raid　on　Colonel　Wolff's　goodies　warehouse。　〃This　should　do　the　trick。〃　And　we'd　better　not　be　hanging　around　when　it　does！

Annie　whispered；　〃Hey！　I　carried　it；　I　think　I　ought　to　be　the　one　to　plant　it…〃

She　dropped　her　cap　and　stifled　a　squeal　as　she　reached　frantically　to　catch　the　bomb；　Rand　having　casually　tossed　it　to　her　while　the　Controllers　inserted　another　drone。

It　was　supposed　to　be　totally　inert　until　it　was　armed；　but…〃Talk　about　dumb；〃　she　said；　giving　him　a　venomous　look。　Then　she　turned　to　attach　the　limpet　to　the　side　of　the　Sensor's　pool。　She　set　the　timer's　blinking　numerals。　〃One　minute　enough？〃

He　was　setting　a　second　sapper　charge　for　sixty　seconds。　〃Let's　hope　so。〃　They　couldn't　take　a　chance　on　a　longer　setting；　one　of　those　enemy　mecha　might　decide　to　take　a　stroll　at　any　second。

They　nodded　to　each　other。　No　going　back　now！　They　stole　off　the　way　they　had　e。　They　were　halfway　across　the　floor　when　Annie　realized　her　head　felt　cold。　Even　though　she　knew　it　was　crazy；　she　looked　back　instinctively　for　her　treasured　cap。　It　still　lay　where　she　had　dropped　it。

Then；　somehow；　her　feet　had　tangled　up　and　she　was　falling；　almost　cracking　her　chin　on　the　floor。　From　her　loosened　pack　jounced　an　adjustable　ordnance　tool；　ringing　like　an　alarm　bell。

〃Disturbance　in　Hive　Center！〃　thundered　the　Sensor；　in　the　voice　of　the　Regis。


CHAPTER　FOURTEEN

Plutarch　said　courage　stands　halfway　between　coward