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〃Sorry about that；〃 Scott told him offhandedly。 〃Look； we need some information…〃
〃Wait a minute！〃 the driver cut Scott off； eyeing him up and down。 〃You're a soldier！ What are you doing out here？〃
Scott revealed just enough to satisfy the driver's curiosity。 〃I'm looking for others who may have bailed out。 Have you e across anyone？〃 Scott saw the man give a start； then avert his gaze。
〃Nope。 No one。。。But lemme give you a free piece of advice；〃 the driver answered him； throwing the truck into forward gear。 〃You're gonna wish you never came back！〃
Scott legged the Cyclone off to one side； calling out for an explanation as the truck roared off。 The other drivers in the convoy regarded Scott warily from the cabs of their trucks as they lumbered by； but no one said a word until a young boy in the back of the final one yelled out： 〃Hey； mister； don't tell anyone who you are or you'll be in deep trouble！〃
Scott thought he would hear more； but the truck's headbanded elder put a hand over the boy's mouth。 〃Don't talk to that man；〃 he threatened the kid。
Rand watched the convoy disappear around the bend and saw Scott's gesture of puzzlement。 〃You ing or not？〃 the offworlder asked him suddenly。 Rand thought about it for a moment while Scott took off down the road。 All his instincts told him to follow the trucks； but ultimately he coasted down the incline and set out to catch up with Scott； after all； somebody had to keep the guy from sticking his nose where it didn't belong。
In the trees at the edge of the roadway； the red optic scanner of an Invid Scout rotated slightly to track the rider's swift departure。。。
〃Ken； please e with me！〃 Annie was shouting。 〃I'll be good for you； I promise！ I love you！ You promised you'd stay with me！〃
He was dragging her down the road now； his hands underneath her arms。 They were a good half mile from the causeway checkpoints already； and Annie was still causing a scene。 Finally he dropped her on her butt。
〃Whaddaya want from me…you want me to leave my family and friends？〃
She looked up at him and said； 〃Yes。〃
Ken bent down eye to eye with her。 〃Look； I know it seems bad right now； but you'll find somebody to take care of you。〃
〃Don't worry about me！〃 she yelled in his face as she got up。 〃I can find my own way around。 Men are a dime a dozen for someone like me。〃 Then suddenly she was all over him again： 〃Please； Ken！〃
Ken shook her off； sending her down to the ground on her knees。 Fed up； he began to walk back to the checkpoint。 Ten steps away； however； he turned at the sound of approaching vehicles。 Scott and Rand were just ing around a bend in the tree…lined road。 They halted their Cyclones where Annie sat crying。 Ken took one look at the cycles and saw a sweet deal in the making。 He went over to them with a gleam in his eye。
Closest to Annie； Rand was asking； 〃What's the matter； kid； are you hurt？〃
She looked up； surprised； and told him in no uncertain terms that she wasn't a kid。 〃So； beat it！〃
Ken ambled up and gestured appreciatively at Scott's mecha。 〃Nice wheels； rogue。〃 Ken smiled。 〃Where'd you forage 'em？〃
〃I'm mander Bernard of Mars Division；〃 Scott said when he had raised the helmet faceshield。 〃I'm looking for other survivors of my unit。〃
Ken glanced over at Rand and stepped back。 〃You're for real； then…soldiers； I mean。〃
〃Have you seen any of the others？〃
〃e with me；〃 Ken said after a moment； already setting off for the causeway。
Scott was suddenly full of hope。 〃They're here？〃
〃And you can e； too； Annie；〃 Ken added without turning around。
Annie's eyes opened wide。 〃I take back what I said。〃 She hurried to catch up with him and attached herself to his arm lovingly。
Rand and Scott exchanged looks and brought the Cyclones back to life。 〃What's the chance of landing some belly timber？〃 Rand wanted to know。 〃We've got trade goods。〃
〃Follow me；〃 Ken told him。
Annie beamed。 〃You've made me so happy； Ken。〃 She went up on tiptoe to kiss him on the mouth。
Ken whisked them through the checkpoint and escorted them along the causeway that led to the main island。 It was a picturesque spot for a city； Rand had to admit： a crystal…blue lake surrounded by forested hills。 But there was ample evidence of the war's hold over the place…the scorched and rusted hulks of Zentraedi battlecruisers； downed Adventurers； Falcons； and Bioroids。 He noticed that there was a second island； accessible only from the main one； and that it； too； was host to a densely packed cluster of tall； mostly ruined buildings； rubble； and debris heaped up in the streets。 Up close the city was somewhat less than inspiring； literally a shell of its former self； but so far they hadn't been searched； hassled； or otherwise bad…vibed； and Rand was beginning to wonder where all those rumors had e from。
〃These are Robotech soldiers！〃 Ken announced to the sullen…faced people huddled inside the buildings； postapocalypse cave dwellers in high…rise cliffs of slagged steel and fractured concrete。 〃They were with the forces who have returned to Earth to rid us of the Invid。〃 No one moved； no one returned a word。 There was only the slight howling of the wind and the steady throb of the Cyclones' engines。 〃They're looking for lost members of the assault group。 I'm going to take them over to the other island。〃
Ken turned a wan smile to Scott and Rand。 〃As you can see； folks around here aren't used to strangers；〃 he said by way of apology。 〃They're always a bit suspicious at first； but don't worry about it。 They'll soon get used to you。〃
Scott； Rand； and Annie followed Ken's lead to the causeway linking the main island with its twin。
〃There it is。〃 Ken pointed。 〃If any of your rades have e through here； they'll have been taken over to the other island。〃
〃Thanks a lot for your help； Ken；〃 Scott said。
Ken disengaged his hand from Annie's two…fisted lock on it。 〃Why don't you show them over the causeway while I go talk to the Elders about your staying here？〃
Annie called out to him as he was walking away。
〃Yes？〃 he said impatiently； not bothering to turn around。
〃Bye…bye； sweet things〃
〃And don't forget that food！〃 Rand thought to add。
Annie made an elaborate gesture； then laughed。 〃Now； if you gentlemen will just follow me。。。〃
Rand chuckled and patted the rear seat of the Cyclone。 〃Hop on；〃 he told her。 〃It'll be fun。〃
CHAPTER FOUR
The Invid Regis ruled her empire from Reflex Point （located in what was once the United States of America； specifically the Indiana…Ohio frontier）； but there was scarcely a region without one or two large hives （except the poles and vast uninhabited tracts in Asia and Africa）。 In this way her Scouts were always about； with Enforcers （a。k。a。 Shock Troopers） not far behind。 Brazilas was no different from other northern regions in that it was effectively an occupied zone。 Like Vichy France of the Second World War； each town had its sympathizers and resistance fighters； but the former far outnumbered the latter； and it was not unmon to encounter gruesome and ghastly acts of betrayal and butchery undertaken in the name of self…survival。
Bloom Nesterfig； Social Organization of the Invid
As Rand himself would later write：
〃There was something about Ken's telling Annie to lead us across the causeway that hit me like a cold wind； but for some reason I just turned my back to it。 Scott's innocent enthusiasm had something to do with this。 Psyched about seeing some of his friends； he was off in a flash； the Cyclone's rear end chirping a quick good…bye to me and the kid。 So I told her to climb on and followed Scott's carefree course； Annie laughing and hanging on for dear life while I goosed the mecha into a long goldcard wheelie。
〃The bridge was a simple affair； a flat span no more than fifteen feet wide and a quarter mile long； its plastar surface every bit as holed and bellied as the rest of Laako's streets。 The causeway seemed to bisect the island's stand of colorless truncated towers； which rose before us like some ruined vision of the future； an emerald without its shine。 Beyond it； a ridge of green hills and a soft…looking autumn sky。
〃Scott was a block or two ahead of me when we hit the island； and ta