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r　woman　shrieking　at　you　is　mortally　wounded　and　beyond　any　possible　rescue；　I　don't　call　it　cowardice。　It's　part　of　the　evil　of　war。〃

〃Lancer　had　established　himself　as　a　sort　of　authority　figure　with　that　punch；　I　suppose　you　could　say。　But　he　tried　to　point　out　that　Lunk　was　just　Human。　Lunk　still　didn't　seem　to　know　what　to　do　and　looked　like　he　was　about　to　burst　into　tears　again。　I　gave　Rook　a　little　eye　signal　and　said　somebody　should　start　hunting　for　a　back　door…that　maybe　there　was　something　we　had　missed。〃

〃She　gave　me　a　funny　look；　but　didn't　object。　She　and　I　got　flashlights　and　started　off。　There　was　the　very　beginning　of　another　platform　at　the　far　cave…in；　and　we　got　down　to　a　lower　level；　but　there　was　no　exit。　We　walked　amid　handbills　that　had　faded　and　gone　to　tatters；　newsstands　where　the　candy　had　been　taken　by　the　rats　and　the　stacks　of　newspapers　turned　into　cockroach　settlements。〃

〃The　steady　drip　of　water　was　everywhere　and　you　could　smell　the　stagnant　pools　of　it；　and　the　things　rotting　in　them。　There　were　constant　skitters　in　the　dark；　distant　squeaks　and　squeals。　It　wasn't　terribly　cold；　but　it　was　dank　enough　to　make　me　shiver。〃

〃I　looked　at　the　face　of　the　woman　on　the　last　edition　of　Mademoiselle　ever　to　be　published　and　couldn't　help　wondering　what　I　always　wonder　when　I　e　across　things　like　that。〃

〃Did　she　survive　the　Invid　holocaust？　Had　she　lived　through　the　turf…wars　and　the　plagues　and　famines　and　slave…roundups？　Had　she　been　disfigured；　or　lived　long　enough　to　discover　that　her　beauty　could　be　a　terrible　curse　in　this　post…apocalyptic　world；　and　simply　ended　it　all　one　day？

〃Rook　was　strangely　quiet；　and　I　didn't　feel　like　talking　much　because　my　jaw　ached。　Finally　we　were　sitting　on　a　platform；　swinging　our　legs；　gazing　down　at　the　third　rail　that　would　never　know　its　surge　of　current　again。　Out　of　nowhere；　I　was　admitting　that　I　wasn't　so　sure　there　was　any　way　out　this　time。

〃I　expected　the　worst；　but　for　once　she　wasn't　busting　my　chops。　‘Don't　give　up　hope。　I'm　sure　we'll　e　up　with　a　way　out　of　here　eventually。'　Her　voice　sounded　so　different　all　of　a　sudden；　the　world　seemed　to　change。〃

〃I　was　flummoxed；　as　the　ancients　would　say。　To　cover　up；　I　said　that　even　if　we　did　get　out；　the　team　would　never　be　the　same。　Rook　just　lay　back　with　her　head　pillowed　on　her　hands；　looking　up　at　the　ceiling。　I　wanted　to　stretch　out　next　to　her　the　same　way…nothing　funny；　you　understand；　just　lie　there　together　like　we　were　out　on　a　hill　someplace　looking　at　clouds。　But　I　thought　she　might　take　it　the　wrong　way；　so　I　didn't。〃

〃‘I　should　tell　you　something；'　she　said。　‘I've　been　thinking　of　quitting　the　team。'〃

〃It　was　the　last　thing　I　expected　her　to　say。　But　she　insisted；　‘It's　been　on　my　mind　a　long　time；　Rand。'〃

〃‘But　we're　counting　on　you　more　than　ever　now　that…'〃

〃‘I'm　tired　of　people　counting　on　me！　Or　maybe　I'm　just　tired　of　running　for　my　life　all　the　time。'〃

〃I　didn't　know　how　to　respond　to　that；　so　my　mouth　said；　'C'mon；　you're　just　like　me。　You　thrive　on　danger！'〃

〃She　was　looking　at　me　out　of　the　corner　of　one　eye；　in　a　very　strange　way。　‘Up　to　a　point。'　From　her；　it　was　a　major　concession；　agreeing　with　anything　I　said　like　that。〃

〃So　I　gave　in　a　little；　too。　‘You're　right。　I'm　not　being　straight　with　you　when　I　say　fighting　is　fun。　Maybe　I　just　keep　repeating　it　to　keep　from　facing　the　fact　that　I'm　scared　sick　a　lot　of　the　time。'〃

〃Now　she　was　watching　me　with　both　eyes。　‘What　d'you　know？　I　never　thought　I'd　hear　you　admit　a　thing　like　that。'〃

〃I　shrugged。　‘It's　all　been　working　at　me；　Lunk　and　the　Invid　and　all。　Matter　of　fact；　I　wonder　if　this　whole　mission　isn't　just　a　hopeless　effort。　A　half…dozen　people　just　can't　do　it。'〃

〃Now　she　was　up　on　one　elbow；　and　I　couldn't　help　noticing　how　she　moved　in　that　shiny；　skintight　biker's　racing　suit。　'Rand；　I　just　had　a　bright　idea。　Let's　quit　the　team　together。　Hear　me　out！　We'd　be　saving　everybody's　life。　Scott　would　have　to　postpone　the　mission　while　we　all　go　looking　for　more　recruits。　There　are　Resistance　units。　We　might　be　able　to　assemble　a　real　strikeforce。'〃

〃I　thought　about　that　for　a　few　seconds。　An　hour　would　not　have　been　enough；　but　I　didn't　want　her　to　think　I　was　slow　or　indecisive　now　that　she　was　just　starting　to　be　civil　to　me。　‘I've　got　an　even　better　idea：　Why　don't　you　and　me　just　pull　out　and　not　e　back？'〃

〃Those　fair；　fine　brows　of　hers　came　together。　‘What　are　you　saying？'〃

〃‘We　could　hop　on　our　bikes　and　hit　the　highway　again！　You　and　I　could　get　married；　have　us　a　coupla　spare　wheels…'〃

〃It　will；　by　now；　be　obvious　to　the　knowledgeable　reader　that　in　spite　of　all　the　boasting　I　had　done；　I　really　didn't　know　much　about　women。　Rook　was　giving　me　a　glare　that　made　me　wonder　if　I　should　go　get　myself　fumigated。〃

〃But　all　at　once　she　turned　and　started　twirling　a　wisp　of　her　forelock　around　one　finger　looking　at　it　kind　of　cross…eyed。　‘You've　pletely　missed　my　point；　Rand。　The　point　was　to　pull　out　together　so　we　could　find　more　people　and　bring　them　back。　Get　me？'〃

〃‘I　thought　the　point　was　to　hit　the　road　together　because　you　feel　the　same　way　about　me　that　I　feel　about　you；'　I　opened　up。　‘We'd　be　perfect　together。　I'd　follow　you　anywhere　in　the　world。　You　know　that。'〃

〃‘Have　you　pletely　lost　your　mind？'〃

〃‘Huh…uh。　I've　pletely　lost　my　heart。'　God；　what　else　did　she　want　me　to　say？　And　so；　of　course；　because　（I'm　pretty　sure）　I　had　made　my　point；　she　just…jumped　to　her　feet！　She　just　broke　off　the　conversation！　With　that　one　move；　she　was　calling　the　tune　again。〃

〃So　I　got　up；　too；　and　put　my　arm　around　her　shoulders；　not　at　all　certain　that　she　wouldn't　flip　me　down　over　the　third　rail。　But　she　stamped　one　foot　and　pushed　my　arm　away　and　scolded　me　instead。　‘The　point　of　this　deal　is　to　save　our　friends'　lives；　not　to　establish　a　relationship。　If；　if　you're　willing　to　accept　that；　then　I'm　still　game。'〃

〃‘Since　you　put　it　that　way；　I　can　hardly　refuse；　can　I？'〃

〃She　chuckled　softly；　that　throaty　laugh　that　made　me　wish　so　muck　that　we　could　be　together。　‘Boy；　will　Scott　be　mad；'　she　added。〃

〃She　laughed　some　more　and　it　made　me　laugh；　but　really　I　was　thinking　the　whole　time　what　it　would　be　like　to　hold　her　in　my　arms　and　have　her　embrace　me　instead　of　pushing　me　away。　It　made　my　head　swim　and　I　kind　of　forgot　what　we　were　supposed　to　be　laughing　about。〃

〃Scott　didn't　think　our　dropping　out　was　so　funny；　of　course。　We　kept　citing　burnout　and　the　need　for　more　troops；　without　touching　on　the　Lunk　matter；　and　poor　Lunk　just　stood　there　looking　hangdog　and　miserable。　Scott　was　hampered　by　the　fact　that；　after　all；　none　of　us　had　ever　signed　an　enlistment　paper　or　sworn　an　oath　of　loyalty。〃

〃Marlene　was　just　puzzled；　but　I　think　Lancer　wasn't　fooled　for　a　moment。　Still；　he　kept　his　peace；　for　the　most　part；　especially　when　I　told　them　I　had　thought　of　a　way　that　we　might　get　out　of　that　sepulcher。　They　heard　me　out；　disliked　my　brainstorm；　but　gave　in　to　it　anyway。〃

〃It　didn't　take　long　and　it　wasn't　too　sophisticated。　We　fastened　our　last　spare　Protoculture　cells　behind　a　kind　of　wedge　we　put　on　a　length　of　rail　that　we　cut　loose　with　H90's。　Scott　mounted　the　wedge　on　a　derelict　subway　car　using　his　Cyc　armor's　strength。　The　rest　was　pretty　obvious。〃

〃Scott　had　yanked　Lunk's　truck　loose　and　even　straightened　out　most　of　the　damage；　with　his　powered　armor。　Everybody　understood　that　there　was　a　chance　that　we　would　bring　the　whole　place　down　on　our　heads；　but　the　air　was　starting　to　get　thin；　or　so　it　felt；　and　we　had　all　had　enough　of　being　buried　alive；　there　were　no　objections。〃

〃Lunk　was　calm　again。　He　got　the　cells；　primed　them；　and　lashed　them　in　place；　steady；　proficient…almost　cheerful。　The　rest　of　us　got　into　our　armor；　while　Marlene　and　Lunk　got　to　cover。　Scott　and　Lancer　stood　ready　to　fire　in　case　Invid　came　swarming　through　the　hole　we　were　hoping　we　would　make。〃

〃The　car's　motor　was　long　dead；　of　course。　But　Rook　and　I　started　heaving　and　pushing　against　the　back。　The　powered　armor　got　that　crate　moving　in　no　time；　rusted　parts　freeing　up　with　banshee　shrieks。　Then　we　hit　our　jets　and　the　car　was　rocketing