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〃Couldn't you spare us some？〃 Annie asked； leaning over the Cyclone's seat。
The man snorted。 〃What're you； nuts； kid？ If anyone found out I'd shared my rations； I'd be in deep trouble。〃 He turned his head at the sound of a mechanical click and buzz and found himself staring into the laser muzzle of a strange…looking disc…shaped weapon。
Rook grinned and gestured with the blaster。 〃Know what？ You're already in big trouble； buddy。。。〃
Five minutes later the driver had been dragged to the side of the road。 His arms and legs were bound with rope； and his mouth was sealed by a piece of wide tape。 He continued to struggle while Lunk secured the final knots。
〃Relax； buddy；〃 Rook told him。 〃We're just going to borrow your truck for a while。〃 She hastened off to the spot in the woods where they had moved the vehicle。 Her teammates had the back doors opened。 〃Well； the first stage went pretty well；〃 Scott was menting as she walked up。
Rand was leaning against the trailer with his arms crossed。 〃I had no idea that soldiers also doubled as hijackers； Scott。〃
Rook looked at both of them impatiently。 〃Are you guys going to stand here and argue； or are we going to get a move on？〃
Scott and Rand exchanged looks。 〃Let's do it；〃 they said at the same moment。
A short while later the truck roared into town with Lunk at the wheel； the former driver's hard hat and permits now part of his disguise。 Rook； Rand； Scott； and Annie were in the rear； but not yet in what would soon be their hiding place。 Originally the plan had called for all of them to hide underneath the chassis while the truck was cleared through to the storage facility； but good fortune was on their side in the form of a loft partment built into the truck's trailer。 They could only speculate on what the partment had been used for； but it was perfectly suited to their present needs。 Lunk made one stop along the way to the facility gate…just brief enough to allow Annie to hop out and work her way into the crowds that were already gathering for Yellow Dancer's concert。
〃Be sure to make lots of noise；〃 Scott reminded her。
〃e on；〃 she returned； as though insulted。 〃How do you suppose I got the reputation for being such a loudmouth？〃
Scott grinned and began to pull the rear doors closed。 He was surprised by the size of the crowds and recalled what Rand had told him earlier： When people find out Yellow's ing to town； they go pletely berserk。 When Annie had jumped out； Scott had glimpsed a poster of the singer pasted to the side of a building： Yellow Dancer in a spaghetti…strapped sundress； some sort of matching turban； low heels； and a pearl collar。
Lancer had left for Norristown three days before the rest of the team。 The plan called for him to put a pickup band together and cut a deal with a local promoter； who would secure the sports arena and take care of publicity and logistics。 The promoter； a man named Woods； was an old friend of Lancer's and a member of the resistance。
Scott thought back to Lancer's departure…Lancer in his alter…ego guise。 Scott couldn't help feeling that Yellow Dancer wasn't just Lancer in female attire but an entirely different personality。 Lancer's demeanor changed as well as his voice and carriage。 Yellow was a real entity living alongside Lancer in the same body。 Scott found it inprehensible and just a bit unsettling； but it didn't detract from the trust he had in Lancer。 Scott was wondering how the second part of Lancer's plan was succeeding when he heard Lunk's fist pounding against the cab of the truck…the signal for Scott； Rand； and Rook to take to the overhead partment。 That meant the truck was nearing the twin…towered security gate on the road below the storage facility。
Farther along the road that wound up toward the base of Drumstick Butte was the barracks of the security force that staffed and guarded the storage facility。 The chief of station； Colonel Briggs； was a large； beefy man with salt…and…pepper hair and a thick mustache。 He was in his office in the barracks； feet up on the desk； daydreaming over a color photo of Yellow Dancer that had appeared in the morning edition of the city's newspaper when one of his staff arrived with good news。
〃We've been asked to supply security at Yellow Dancer's concert this afternoon；〃 the staffer reported。 He wore a blue…gray uniform with a red upturned collar； similar in cut and design to that worn by the colonel。 A single red star adorned the front of his brimmed cap。 The Invid had made a point of allowing local customs and garb to remain unchanged in Norristown and numerous other strongholds throughout the Southlands。 〃Shall I refuse the request； sir？〃 the staffer wanted to know。
Briggs didn't bother to lower the newspaper； which effectively concealed him from the staffer。 He hummed to himself； finishing up his fanciful daydream scenario before replying。 〃Are you out of your mind？〃 he said at last。 〃If something should happen to Yellow Dancer； it's our reputation that will suffer。 Send every available man down to the arena。〃
〃But sir；〃 the' staffer pointed out haltingly； 〃we can't risk leaving the facility unguarded。。。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 the colonel said from behind his paper。 〃What time is the concert scheduled to end？〃
〃Around three…thirty； but…〃
〃And what time are the Intercessors arriving to pick up the shipment？〃
〃Four o'clock； but…〃
〃Then there's no problem。〃 Briggs set the paper aside； got up from behind the desk； and walked over to the office window。 〃What can happen？〃 he said； gesturing to the facility half a mile away at the top of the switchbacked access road。 〃The facility's impregnable。。。And besides； I'd like to oversee Yellow Dancer's security personally。〃 He swung around to his lieutenant。 〃See to it that she expects me。〃
Rumor had it that the storage facility was originally a castle imported stone by stone from Europe during the mid…1800s by a renegade nobleman from Transylvania。 It saw more than one hundred years of alteration and modernization before being substantially renovated （in the Hollywood style） by a sports event promoter who fell heir to the place in 2015。 Much of Norristown； including the arena； 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 wen