10_invid_invasion-第29部分

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t　her　stuff。


On　the　cold　stone　floor　of　a　small；　seldom…used　room　beneath　the　stage；　Lunk　sat　cross…legged；　blowing　up　balloons。　Several　hundred　of　these　helium…filled　colored　globes　had　already　been　inflated　and　secreted　in　a　partment　behind　the　bandshell　itself；　but　the　ones　Lunk　was　busy　preparing　had　to　serve　a　special　purpose。　To　each　grouping　of　four　balloons；　Lunk　added　a　carefully　concealed　propellant　device　in　addition　to　a　sensor　that　would　allow　the　four…color　group　to　home　in　on　a　prearranged　beacon　signal　transmitted　from　the　outskirts　of　Norristown；　close　to　the　spot　where　the　team　had　left　the　Cyclones　and　the　Veritech。

When　Lunk　had　filled　the　last　of　the　balloons；　he　crawled　over　and　shut　down　the　helium　tanks；　only　then　realizing　how　spaced　out　he　was　from　inhaling　the　gas。　He　glanced　at　the　room's　brick　rear　wall　and　moved　over　to　it　now；　running　his　hands　over　the　stones　and　searching　for　any　signs　of　the　doorway　indicated　on　Lancer's　map　of　the　facility　and　linking　passageway。　But　he　could　find　no　evidence　of　seams　or　fractures　in　the　mortar。　Perhaps　it　could　be　opened　only　from　inside　the　tunnel；　he　thought；　checking　his　watch。　He　would　know　soon　enough；　in　any　case。。。


The　cart　turned　out　to　be　watertight。　Not　that　this　would　have　been　some　wondrous　piece　of　news　under　normal　circumstances；　but　given　the　tunnel　trio's　present　condition　it　was　one　of　those　small　miracles　to　be　thankful　for。　It　meant　that　they　were　able　to　remain　seated　while　the　water　rose　around　them　rather　than　have　to　exhaust　themselves　trying　to　remain　afloat　in　water　that　was　well　over　their　heads。　Of　course；　this；　too；　seemed　a　minor　consolation。

A　few　four…pack　canisters　of　Protoculture　were　bobbing　about　in　the　cold　water；　and　Rand　was　sitting　on　the　front　bumper　of　the　cart　looking　like　the　world　was　about　to　end。

Which　was　certainly　an　appropriate　enough　response；　seeing　how　the　water　was　still　pouring　into　their　tomb　with　no　signs　of　letting　up；　and　the　cold　ceiling　was　only　four　feet　above　them　now。　But　Rook；　who　seldom　had　a　good　word　to　say　about　anything；　was　trying　to　cheer　Rand　up。

〃C'mon；　pal；　try　not　to　get　so　down　in　the　dumps。〃

Rand　stared　at　her　in　disbelief。　〃Down　in　the　dumps？〃　he　said；　gesturing　to　the　room；　their　situation。　〃What　d'ya　think；　I　should　be　happy　about　getting　a　chance　to　wash　up　before　I　die？〃

〃It's　my　fault；〃　Scott　told　them。　〃I　should　have　considered　the　possibility　that　some　of　the　older　defensive　systems　would　still　be　operational。〃

Rook　shook　her　head。　〃Don't　blame　yourself；　Scott。〃

〃Let　'im；〃　Rand　argued。　〃Why　not？　He　got　us　into　this；　didn't　he？〃

〃We　got　us　into　this；〃　Rook　said；　raising　her　voice。

Scott　told　them　both　to　shut　up。　〃Besides；　we　might　get　a　lucky　break　yet。〃

Rand　and　Rook　waited　for　an　explanation。

〃If　the　a/v　scramblers　fade　before　the　water　gets　much　higher；　we'll　probably　get　to　face　a　firing　squad　instead　of　drowning。〃


In　the　stage　wings；　the　colonel　looked　out　at　Yellow's　screaming　audience　and　swung　harshly　to　Woods。　〃If　this　mob　gets　any　more　unruly；　the　Invid　are　to　going　to　send　a　few　Troopers　in　here　and　we'll　have　all　hell　to　pay！〃

Woods　had　to　agree。　Yellow　was　supposed　to　have　finished　up　already；　but　instead　she　was　going　into　yet　another　encore。　The　crowds　were　whipped　up　into　such　a　frenzy　that　the　arena　seemed　unable　to　contain　it。

Yellow　Dancer　sensed　Woods's　concern　and　turned　to　him　briefly　as　she　gyrated　around　the　stage。　Where　is　Scott？　she　asked　herself　as　the　band　revved　up。　She　took　several　giant　steps　toward　the　wings　and　tried　to　flash　her　acplice　a　signal；　touching　her　earring　and　shaking　her　head　as　if　to　indicate　that　she　hadn't　heard　from　Lunk　yet。

Woods　acknowledged　his　understanding　with　a　shrug　and　a　slight　gesture　toward　the　chief；　who　was　pacing　in　the　wings　like　a　nervous　animal。

Yellow　brought　the　mike　up　and　asked　if　everyone　was　all　right；　holding　the　mike　out　to　them　as　they　screamed　replies。　Again　they　strained　at　the　security　cordon；　and　several　kids　succeeded　in　making　it　onto　the　stage　before　being　scooped　up　by　guards　and　carried　off。　Something　had　to　be　done　quickly！


Scott；　Rook；　and　Rand　had　scarcely　a　foot　of　breathing　space　left；　and　the　water　level　was　still　rising。　Things　had　reached　the　desperate　stage　a　few　minutes　before；　and　now　the　three　of　them　were　in　the　water　pushing　up　against　each　and　every　ceiling　stone；　praying　that　one　would　give。

〃That　story　about　the　hero　escaping　through　a　loose　stone　is　just　a　fairy　tale；〃　Rand　was　saying；　when　his　hands　felt　the　stone　budge。　For　a　moment　he　was　speechless；　but　finally　he　managed　to　gulp　out　the　words：　〃It　moved！　The　stone　moved！〃


〃She's　already　gone　a　half　hour　overtime！〃　the　chief　shouted　to　Woods。　〃I　want　the　concert　wrapped　up…and　I　mean　now！〃

〃But　look　at　the　kids；〃　Woods　tried。　〃They're　having　the　time　of　their　lives。　I　mean；　after　all；　when　do　they　ever　get　a　chance　to　let　off　a　little…〃

〃Now！〃　the　chief　said　firmly。　〃Or　this　will　be　the　last　chance　they　ever　get。　Do　you　understand　me？〃

Woods　backed　away　and　threw　a　signal　to　the　control　booth：　They　were　to　cut　the　power　as　soon　as　Yellow　finished　her　song。。。

Lunk；　meanwhile；　was　pacing　back　and　forth　in　the　small　area　beneath　the　stage。　Scott　was　way　overdue。　There　were　no　contingency　plans　other　than　to　get　out　of　Norristown　as　quickly　as　possible。　Annie　and　Lancer　would　be　all　right；　but　Lunk　could　be　identified　by　the　guards　at　the　facility　tower。　But　just　as　he　was　resigning　himself　to　this；　he　heard　sounds　of　movement　behind　him。　He　swung　around　in　time　to　see　his　waterlogged　friends　step　through　the　parted　wall。　Each　of　them　was　toting　Protoculture　canister　packs。

〃Well；　it's　about　time；〃　Lunk　said　to　them；　eyeing　their　soaked　clothing。　〃What　happened　to　you　guys…you　e　by　way　of　the　river；　or　what？〃

〃We'll　explain　later；〃　Scott　said　hurriedly；　already　fastening　the　packs　to　the　balloon　clusters。　〃Signal　Lancer；　and　let's　get　this　show　on　the　road。〃


Yellow　was　aware　that　the　control　room　and　sound　personnel　had　been　ordered　to　cut　the　power；　so　she　was　milking　the　final　song　for　all　it　was　worth；　extending　the　chorus　and　encouraging　the　audience　to　join　in；　in　the　hopes　that　Scott　would　appear　in　time。　But　by　now　she　had　done　all　she　could；　the　band　was　finishing　up　with　an　interminable　one…chord　wrap…up；　and　she　was　just　about　to　make　the　grand　leap　that　would　cut　it　off。　Then　she　heard　a　small　but　unmistakable　flashing　tone　emitted　by　her　left　earring。　It　was　Lunk's　signal：　Scott　had　made　it！

〃Thank　you！　Thank　you；　all　of　you！〃　Yellow　yelled　into　the　microphone　over　deafening　applause。　Yellow　gestured　to　Annie　and　watched　as　she　began　to　worm　her　way　toward　the　cordon；　readying　the　pass　that　would　admit　her　backstage。

People　in　the　crowd　were　pointing　to　something　in　the　air　now；　and　Annie　got　a　glimpse　of　a　skyful　of　balloons　before　she　disappeared　through　the　door　to　the　stage　wings。

〃I　love　you！〃　Yellow　added　as　she　left　the　stage。

The　plan　called　for　Scott；　Rook；　and　Rand　to　infiltrate　themselves　among　Yellow　Dancer's　retinue　of　sidemen　and　bodyguards；　all　of　whom　had　been　handpicked　by　Woods。　At　the　sa