10_invid_invasion-第27部分

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a；　owed　its　existence　to　the　same　man。

The　building；　with　its　mansard　roof　and　numerous　spires；　still　retained　a　Proven鏰l　look；　but　this　was　overshadowed　by　the　fantastical　elements　added　on　during　the　last　twenty…five　years；　primarily　the　east　wing's　crenellated　tower。　Three…quarters　of　a　mile　down　the　road　was　the　twin…towered　main　gate；　where　Lunk　and　the　others　were　presently　stopped。

〃I'm　here　to　run　a　check　on　the　cooling　systems；〃　Lunk　said　to　the　helmeted　guard　who　approached　the　driver's　side　window。

〃Your　permit；〃　the　guard　said　nastily。

Lunk　handed　the　papers　down　for　the　man　to　read；　while　a　second　guard　moved　to　the　back　of　the　truck　to　have　a　look　inside。　〃It's　clean；　Fred！〃　Lunk　heard　the　man　call　out　a　minute　later。　The　guard　perused　the　permit　a　while　longer；　then　returned　it。　〃You'd　better　be　clean　on　the　way　out；　too；〃　he　warned　Lunk。　Lunk　saw　sentries　at　the　other　tower　frisking　a　white…coveralled　driver。

〃You　got　it；〃　he　told　the　guard。

The　guard　waved　him　through　and　opened　the　fence　that　spanned　the　roadway。　Lunk　threw　the　truck　into　gear　and　drove　off；　removing　his　hat　and　wiping　away　the　sweat　that　had　collected　on　his　forehead。　Two　trucks　filled　with　security　personnel　passed　him　going　in　the　opposite　direction；　a　sign　that　Lancer's　request　might　have　been　granted。　At　the　top　of　the　switchbacks；　Lunk　backed　the　truck　toward　the　shipping　entrance。　There　were　only　three　or　four　guards　on　patrol；　and　not　one　of　them　even　glanced　at　Lunk　while　he　climbed　down　from　the　cab　and　threw　open　the　rear　doors。

〃We're　in；　gang；〃　he　said　loudly　enough　for　his　friends　to　hear。

Rook；　Rand；　and　Scott　lowered　themselves　from　the　loft　partment　and　entered　the　facility。　Scott　unfolded　Lancer's　map　and　checked　it　against　their　location。　〃This　one；〃　he　told　Rook　and　Rand；　indicating　an　air　duct　grate　along　one　wall。　Lunk　helped　them　move　several　crates　over　to　the　wall。　Scott　climbed　up　first；　rechecked　the　map；　and　peered　through　the　grate。　Satisfied；　he　nodded；　and　Rook　and　Rand　joined　him。　The　two　men　went　to　work　on　the　bolts　that　held　the　grating　to　its　frame；　and　in　a　moment　they　were　able　to　lift　the　panel　free。　Scott　and　Rand　crawled　in。　Lunk　handed　rope；　a　tool　pouch；　and　an　aluminum　carry　case　up　to　Rook。　She　waved　him　good　luck　and　followed　Scott's　lead　into　the　horizontal　duct。

Less　than　fifteen　feet　into　the　duct；　Scott　stopped　and　whispered：　〃The　control　room　is　on　the　third　floor。　It　should　take　us　about　ten　minutes　to　get　there。〃

Rook　could　barely　discern　him　in　the　darkness。　Ten　minutes　was　going　to　feel　like　an　eternity。


Down　below；　the　arena　was　rapidly　filling　to　capacity　and　Annie　was　circulating　in　front　of　the　stage　doing　what　she　did　best：　inciting　the　crowd。

〃。。。At　her　last　concert　a　whole　bunch　of　people　got　up　on　stage；　and　everybody　started　partying　and　having　a　good　ole　time；〃　she　told　everyone　within　earshot。　〃Some　of　us　even　got　to　go　backstage　with　Yellow　Dancer　after　the　concert　and　party　some　more！　But　this　one's　going　to　be　the　best！　I　hear　that　she　might　not　perform　like　this　again；　so　we　better　make　this　the　one　to　remember。　Right？！〃

〃All　right！〃　several　people　shouted。　〃Party　time！〃

Meanwhile；　Yellow　Dancer　was　entertaining　guests　in　her　backstage　dressing　room。　She　had　changed　to　a　sleeveless　pink　and　burgundy　pants　outfit　with　a　matching　bowed　headband；　which　held　her　hair　up　and　off　her　neck。

〃At　the　last　concert；　some　of　my　fans　came　up　on　stage　and　really　made　a　mess　of　things；〃　she　was　explaining；　facing　the　mirror　while　she　applied　eye　liner。　〃I'd　rather　that　didn't　happen　again。〃

〃We　won't　allow　that　here；〃　Briggs；　the　facility　security　chief；　said　from　behind　her。　Yellow　smiled　at　him　in　the　mirror。　〃We'll　do　our　job　and　guarantee　you　plete　security。　As　long　as　nothing　happens　to　bring　the　Invid　down　on　us。〃

〃Those　horrible　creatures；〃　Yellow　said；　twisting　up　her　face。

〃Aah；　they're　not　so　bad　once　you　get　to　know　them；〃　the　chief　started　to　say。

Lancer's　friend；　Woods；　threw　him　a　conspiratorial　wink　from　a　corner　of　the　room。　He　was　a　handsome　young　man　with　a　pencil…thin　mustache　whose　taste　ran　to　calfskin　jackets　and　black　leather　ties。　Just　now　he　was　holding　the　large　bouquet　of　flowers　Briggs　had　brought　along　for　Yellow　Dancer。　〃We　know　you'll　do　your　best；　Colonel；〃　Woods　said　encouragingly。

Lancer　saw　the　chief's　puffy　face　turn　red　with　embarrassment。　〃You're　damn　right　we　will。〃

〃And　I　want　to　thank　you　so　much　for　the　flowers；〃　Yellow　gushed；　turning　away　from　the　mirror　now　to　flash　Briggs　a　painted　smile。　〃They're　lovely。〃

Briggs　leered　at　her。　〃Anything　for　you；　Yellow；　anything　you　want。〃


Scott；　Rook；　and　Rand　had　reached　the　third　floor　of　the　facility。　The　duct　opened　out　into　a　small　area　that　served　as　the　relay　center　for　the　facility's　security　systems。　Scott　and　Rand　moved　in　to　try　to　make　sense　of　the　tangle　of　wires　and　switches　that　covered　two　full　walls　of　the　room。　It　took　several　minutes　to　locate　the　feeds　from　the　security　cameras；　but　the　rest　was　child's　play。　Rook　unsnapped　the　clasps　on　the　carry　case　and　began　to　hand　over　the　devices　Lunk　assured　them　would　scramble　the　a/v　signals。　Scott　and　Rand　quickly　attached　these　to　the　feeder　cables　and　set　off　on　the　next　leg　of　their　cramped　journey。

The　map　called　for　a　brief　return　to　the　air　duct　system　before　they　could　enter　the　actual　storage　area。　But　once　through　this；　they　would　be　free　to　move　about　at　will…assuming　Lunk's　devices　did　the　trick。　They　dropped　out　of　the　duct　into　a　maintenance　corridor　that　encircled　the　supply　room　but　had　no　access　to　it　except　for　a　single　elbow　conduit　located　clear　around　the　back　of　the　building。　Rand　volunteered　to　test　the　effectiveness　of　Lunk's　scramblers　by　making　faces　at　one　of　the　surveillance　cameras。　When　no　sirens　went　off　and　no　guards　came　running；　the　trio　figured　they　were　in　the　clear　and　decided　to　use　one　of　the　maintenance　carts　to　convey　them　to　the　conduit…an　open…topped　electric　affair　with　two　seats　and　a　single　headlamp　that　brought　them　around　back　in　a　quarter　the　time　it　would　have　taken　them　to　walk。

They　stopped　at　the　first　elbow　conduit　and　menced　a　careful　count。　Rook　looked　over　the　map；　while　Scott　took　charge　of　noting　their　position　relative　to　the　first　main。

〃Under　the　main　line；　thirteenth　from　the　right；〃　Scott　said；　recalling　the　scrawled　notation　on　the　map。　He　gestured　to　an　elbow　up　ahead。　〃That　must　be　it。〃

The　conduit　was　made　of　light…gauge　metal；　it　was　a　good　four　feet　in　circumference　and　stood　at　least　six　feet　high　from　floor　to　right…angle　bend。　It　was　held　in　place　by　a　circular　flange；　but　promised　to　be　flexible　enough　once　the　bolts　securing　the　flange　to　the　floor　were　undone。　Rand　and　Scott　took　box　wrenches　from　the　tool　pouch　and　immediately　set　to　work。　At　the　same　time；　Rook　took　a　coil　of　rope　from　the　cart　and　began　to　tie　it　fast　to　one　of　the　adjacent　elbows。

When　the　last　of　the　bolts　had　been　loosened　and　removed；　Rook　and　Scott　shoved　the　conduit　to　one　side　and　bent　down　to　peer　into　the　shaft　below。

Rand　squinted　and　smiled　to　himself　as　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　objects　of　their　search：　c