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Lunk wasn't aware of the trap until he saw the sidecar skid around a corner and head his way。 Turning； he heard Ringo and the rest of the bikes behind him。 He shoved Kevin toward the debris…strewn sidewalk； hoping they would be able to make it into one of the abandoned buildings； but at the same moment the sidecar driver gunned it and came down on them。 One of Ringo's gang…a dark…skinned dude every inch as big as Lunk…leaned out from the sidecar seat and made a grab for Kevin。 Lunk flattened himself against the street； but Kevin sidestepped too late。 Ringo's man managed to get a handful of shirt and shoulder； and by the time Lunk looked up； Kevin was being dragged down the street by the cycle。
Lunk heard him scream for help but could do nothing； Ringo's men were accelerating toward him now； shouting and yahooing。 Lunk spun around and ran toward Pops' bar。 Halfway there； the sound of the cycles ringing in his ears； Lunk noticed that a group of men and women were gathered out front。 And one of them was raising a weapon of some kind。。。
He dropped himself into a tuck…and…roll seconds before the weapon fired。 The round impacted against an unbraced section of heaped…up vehicles and mecha parts and loosed some of it into a slide。 Lunk heard shouts and the squeal of brakes behind him。 One of the bikes went down； sliding uncontrolled along the street with a rasping； scraping sound。 Lunk reached Pops' just as Ringo's cycle pulled up； but the gang leader found himself confronting the man with the weapon。
〃You again；〃 Lunk heard Ringo seethe。 〃You're really pressing your luck； robby。〃
Hearing Ringo use the derisive slang term for a Robotech soldier； Lunk turned to study his rescuer。 The man was straddling a Cyclone and wearing a uniform with patches Lunk couldn't identify。 Nor was the weapon familiar。
〃Put your hands where I can see them；〃 the soldier told Ringo。 〃Now turn your cycles around and get out of here。 The party's over。〃
Ringo adjusted his dark glasses and flashed one of his infamous grins。 〃Have it your way。。。〃 He looked over at Lunk。 〃If you wanna see your friend alive； e on out to the ranch…if you have the guts； that is！〃
The three cycles roared off； and the soldier asked about Lunk's friend。 Lunk quickly scanned the crowd： mostly locals he had seen before； but there were three or four he didn't recognize。 Two attractive women and some carrot…topped kid。 Another Cyclone rider。 They were staring at him expectantly。
〃Stay out of it；〃 Lunk said； starting to walk off。
Spider stepped out of the crowd； they had ridden together previously； Spider； Lunk； and Kevin。。。
〃Hey； Lunk； you're not going to just walk away？〃 Spider said to him questioningly。 〃We've gotta go get 'im； man。 We can't leave him with Ringo！〃
Lunk stopped； hung his head； then resumed his heavy steps。
〃With a friend like you； a guy doesn't need enemies；〃 the soldier called out to the delight of the crowd。
Lunk spun around； ashamed but angry； Spider and the others were still waiting。
〃All right；〃 the soldier was saying； strapping on some sort of pectoral armor。 〃Where's this ranch？ How far is it from here？〃
〃About five miles…〃 Pops started to say； but the soldier's younger panion interrupted。
〃Hang on a minute； Scott；〃 the redhead said。 〃You can't keep fighting everybody's battles for them。 You think you're going to whip the whole planet back into shape single…handed； and I think you're nuts！〃
〃I wouldn't advise tangling with Ringo； stranger；〃' Pops added。 〃Just take our thanks and ride on out of here。〃
But Scott didn't answer either of them。 He put his helmet on； started the Cyclone； and wheelied off。 A woman in similar armor riding a red mecha followed him。 Lunk heard the soldier's panion mutter a curse and yell for Scott to slow down； then he angrily straddled his own Cyclone and joined the others。
〃Lunk。。。〃 Spider said leadingly。
Lunk spun around； a determined look on his face now。 〃All right； let's go。〃
〃Really？〃
〃I won't let those bums make a chump outta me； Spider。 Kevin's our friend； and we can't leave him out there。〃 Lunk turned to the crowd。 〃I need some wheels。 I've got scrip enough to rent 'em。〃
〃Take mine；〃 said Pops； fishing keys out of his shirt pocket。 〃And don't worry about paying me； either。〃
Lunk caught the tossed chain； threw a thanks over his shoulder； and ran over to Pops' olive…drab tri…wheel。 Spider straddled the rear seat。 Lunk noticed that the tall woman singer he had seen once or twice in the bar was also headed toward her vehicle。 Meanwhile； the little kid with the E。T。 cap was beside him； introducing herself as Annie。
〃Are you married by any chance？〃 she asked Lunk。
Lunk's face twisted up in shock。 〃What； are you kiddin'？〃
Annie threw open her arms and said； 〃You lucky boy！〃 as Lunk rode off； a look of bewilderment on his face。 〃The man of my dreams；〃 she added a moment later； climbing into Yellow Dancer's pink roll…barred jeep。
Scott's improvised posse of seven followed the road out of town to a turnoff that wound up into the hills。 They stopped once so that Scott and Rook could suit Rand up in Cyclone armor and run him quickly through the basics of mechamorphosis。
The ranch sat at the crest of a gentle rise near a wide stream that made it one of the choicest spots in the district。 It was enclosed by a rustic post…and…rail fence； and there were patches of grass and a few beautiful old trees that had weathered more storms； natural and otherwise； than anyone cared to guess。 Scott and pany rode in without ceremony and found Ringo's gang waiting for them in the shade of an immense oak。 There were five of them： the knife…wielding punk； the hulk； and two others who had been with Ringo in the bar earlier that day。 They were all astride their bikes…the hulk in his usual sidecar seat…grouped close together in a shallow arc； cycle weapons pointed outward。 Kevin was behind them； lashed by thick rope to the tree trunk。
Scott ordered his group to a haft two hundred yards from the tree。 Ringo's group wouldn't have stood a chance against the firepower of one Cyclone； let alone three； but it was obvious from the start that Ringo wanted to go one on one with Lunk。 Kevin's precarious position guaranteed against any Cyclone fireworks； so in a certain sense （as was always the case when hostages were involved） Scott's position was the more vulnerable one。
Lunk was aware of what was going down and asked Spider to climb off the triple…wheeler。 It was likely； given Ringo's flair for dramatics； that he would begin the festivities with a bike joust； and Lunk figured he could handle the thing better if he was alone。
〃Okay； but be careful；〃 Spider said； stepping away。
Lunk snorted。 〃I'm sick to death of being careful。〃
Rand and Rook were side by side a few yards away； with Scott slightly off to one side behind them。 〃I can't figure out why you came；〃 Rand was saying to the red Cyclone rider through the helmet。 〃You've got no stake in this。〃
〃I've got just as much reason to be here as you；〃 Rook said harshly without looking over at him。
〃Everybody stay loose；〃 Scott warned。 〃Keep your fingers away from the triggers。 I don't want anyone getting hurt unless it can't be helped。〃
〃No great loss； if you ask me；〃 Rook muttered。
Rand glanced over at her。 〃Reminds me of a movie I saw once。 Gunfight at the。。。I can't remember the title。 But what happens is that…〃
〃People die in real life； pal。 Keep that in mind。〃
Before Rand could say anything； Ringo called out： 〃Hey； Lunky…boy…I can hear your knees knockin' together！ Is it gonna be just you and me； or do you need the army behind you？〃 Ringo's gang hooted and howled。 〃I mean； you didn't have much use for the army a while ago； did ya？ In fact； you got a history of runnin' away from fights； the way I hear it。 Ain't that right？〃
Lunk gritted his teeth。 Sweat was beading up across his face； and indeed； his knees were knocking against the valve covers of the cycle's engine。 〃You don't know nothin' about it； ya little shit！〃 he managed to bite out。
Ringo laughed and slapped his knee。 〃Sorry if I blew your cover。 I keep forgettin' you're too modest to brag about your military record！〃
〃What're you trying to prov