按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃In fact；〃 Scott said excitedly； 〃if it's good troops you're looking for…〃
〃No；〃 Wolff cut him off firmly。 〃I don't care how good they are。 If they're not Robotech…trained； I don't want them。〃 He turned his back to Scott to stare out the window。
〃But； sir…〃
〃That will be all for now； Bernard。〃
Scott buttoned his lip and saluted。 〃Your orders？〃
〃Oh…five…hundred sharp at the main gate；〃 Wolff said without turning around。
Four Cyclone riders suited up in battle armor left the basin base at sunrise； ascended the escarpment； and headed into the lush forests an hour's ride east。 Wolff； Todd； Wilson； and Bernard。 Scott had made no mention of his meeting with Wolff to Rand or the others。 He had gone as far as bunking with them in a room they had managed to secure in one of the base's barracks turned hotels and had crept out under the cover of darkness after leaving a scrawled note of explanation on his bedroll。 He had to admit that it felt strange and disforting to be without them； his surrogate family and personal 〃wolf pack。〃 But he told himself it was time to begin distancing himself from them； his new loyalties would have to lie with Wolff and whatever missions lay ahead of them。
The four men left their Cyclones in the woods and followed Wolff's lead along a faint trail that coursed over low hills to an enormous clearing。 Through the foliage； Scott caught glimpses of a massive red hemisphere of some sort。 It troubled him that they had left the Cyclones behind and were closing on the Invid Protoculture farm armed only with hand weapons。 Wolff's explanation made sense…that they wouldn't be able to get near the place on Protoculture…fueled mocha…but even so； it was hard to imagine that simple H…90's could effect much damage。
It was only when they reached the edge of the clearing that Wolff made the rest of the plan clear： It was imperative that they make off with enough Protoculture to fuel the massive rescue operation Wolff was planning。 Each previous mission had brought him closer to this goal； and today's could plete the rescue team's requirements。 Beyond that； the four of them simply had to keep themselves from being fried by annihilation discs。 Scott had a clear view of the farm now and understood why Wolff hadn't attempted to describe the place earlier…it had to be seen to be believed。 It was a hemisphere； all right； but one that stood more than three hundred feet high and was nearly a mile in circumference。 It was a kind of blood…red； organic…looking geodesic dome； lit from within by a pulsing light。 And from its techno…system base extended ten tentaclelike projections； each a good fifty feet around。 Scott imagined that it must have resembled a jellyfish creature from above。
Wolff whispered a warning to his men。 〃Don't be fooled just because you don't see any Invid。 They're around； you can be sure of it。〃 Wolff had the faceshield of his Cyclone helmet raised； he had his dark glasses on。
Scott had to admit that the man was cool and alert； not the boozing； self…pitying Wolff he had seen the night before but the Wolff who had led the Pack up the glory road。
〃There are two entry points above the foundation。 The Protoculture is stored just inside these；〃 Wolff said； gesturing to two arched portals in the membranous portion of the hemisphere wall。 He told Todd and Wilson to take the south one。 〃Bernard and I will take the other one。〃
The three men nodded。
〃Don't overburden yourselves；〃 Wolff added。 〃Just take what you can carry without weighing yourselves down。 Remember； you might need a free hand for those blasters。〃 Wolff grinned。 〃But I hope it won't e to that。〃
Wilson and Todd moved off； using one of the tentacles for cover。 Wolff waved Scott forward a moment later。
Halfway along one of the segmented tentacles； Wolff and Scott stopped； huddling down with their backs against the thing； waiting for Wilson and Todd to reach the south portal。
But something unexpected occurred just as Wilson was stepping through。
〃Wolff！〃 Scott heard Todd shout over the suit's tac net。 〃There's a force field of some kind！〃 He and Wolff turned at the same moment： Wilson seemed to be suspended in the entrance； arms up over his head； his body shaking as energy coursed through his suit。 The ground was rumbling all of a sudden； and before they could take a step toward their two rades； an Invid Trooper erupted from the ground not twenty feet in front of them。
The shock of seeing the thing must have been enough to break the charge that held Wilson； Scott guessed； because now both he and Todd were heading back toward the woods at a run； dodging a pincer swipe along the way。 Scott and Wolff adopted a similar tactic； only to find their route back to safety blocked by a second Invid。 The Trooper emerged with enough force to throw Scott off his feet。
A third Trooper had cut off Wilson and Todd's retreat as well； and the two men were depleting their blaster charges against it。
Wolff was shouting for Scott to get up； all the while pouring energy from his handgun into the face of the alien。 Peripherally； Scott saw a flash of white light and experienced a wave of searing heat； he turned in time to see Wilson and Todd disintegrate beneath a storm of annihilation discs； their depth screams a piercing sound track through the net。
Wolff； meanwhile； had managed to chase off the Invid that had been looming over them only a minute before。 Scott couldn't figure out how he had pulled it off but didn't stop to question it。 He was on his feet now； Wolff's mands to run for it in his ears。 The tree line was only fifty feet away； and he made a mad dash for it。。。
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The incident with Jonathan Wolff dealt a severe blow to the team。 Not only because the episode touched them more deeply than they thought possible…they were not as inured as they liked to think…but primarily because it seemed to shift the burden of responsibility entirely onto their shoulders： There was no resistance； except for their own meager efforts。 But they would get over Wolff's treachery。 How could they not； once confronted with the disillusionments that lay ahead？
Zeus Bellow； The Road to Reflex Point
The note Scott left for the team only made matters worse。 It read： 〃Don't anyone worry。 I can't tell you where I'm going or what I'll be doing； but I'll be back around sunset。 Scott。〃
It was the secrecy that troubled Rand most。 If Scott had simply disappeared for the day； Rand might not have given his absence a second thought； but when Scott failed to return with Colonel Wolff that afternoon； he and Rook decided to take matters into their own hands。 They didn't bother with the formalities of the chain of mand that kept Jonathan Wolff insulated from the city's rabble； they simply made their own way to his room and burst in on the man uninvited。
〃Where's Scott； Colonel？〃 Rand said； out of breath from his run down the hall。
Wolff turned puffy eyes to them。 He was seated at a table in the fetid room； a half…empty bottle of vodka in front of him。 He had barely moved when Rand and Rook had thrown open the door and was now regarding them tiredly； with little concern。
〃Scott who？〃 he said； refilling his glass。
〃Bernard；〃 said Rook。 〃We know he was with you this morning； and he hasn't returned since。〃
Wolff made a dejected sound and put down his glass。 He reached for his dark glasses and slid them on。 〃Bernard。。。〃
〃Well？〃
Tight…lipped； Wolff turned his gaze from them and shook his head。
Rand gasped。 〃You mean。。。〃
〃I can't say for sure。 The Invid surprised us； and in the confusion I didn't see if he made it out or not。 They were waiting for us； and we were overmatched。 What more can I tell you？〃
Struggling with the possible truth of it； Rand said nothing。 But a suspicious look had begun to surface on Rook's face。 〃A whole lot more；〃 she told Wolff。 〃How did you escape； Colonel？〃
Wolff shrugged。 〃I was luckier than the others。 That's the way it is。〃
Rook snorted。 〃From what I hear； that's the way it always is with you。〃
〃What are you insinuating？〃 Wolff seethed； flashing her a cold look。
Rand gestured Rook to back off。 He took two steps toward the table and slammed his hand down。 〃Just tell us whe