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Once the Invid find a form that they figure will let them dominate the Earth; there'll be no more need for…uh!'〃
〃At least; I think that was the sound I made。 We had both stopped in midsyllable; mouths open; because the voice we heard then seemed to e from everywhere。 It was female; and there was something slightly familiar about it。 It was mostly alien and cold; yet with an arrogant undertone to it。〃
〃I also got the feeling; somehow; that its words were being transmitted to and echoed by some multitude that spoke with a single voice; subordinate to the main one。 And I know this is strange; but…it sounded like a stage voice to me; like somebody doing Lady Macbeth through a lot of voice…processing equipment。〃
〃It said; ‘Humans; your time on this planet is almost spent!'〃
〃We were both looking around for the source of the voice。 And then I felt cold night air on my neck; because the hair there was standing up; because Annie came to a sitting position; arms folded across her chest。
〃She was still facing away from us; the firelight playing over the hair that looked so straggly after a day of roughing it in that sweaty theme park。〃
〃Scott began; ‘Um; Annie; are you feeling all…'〃
〃That voice came again。 ‘The age of Humans is ing to an end!' What sat on the ground turned toward us; but the features we saw weren't Annie's anymore。 It was something old and malign; using her face and form。〃
〃‘Now;' it gloated; ‘a new era begins on Earth!'〃
〃‘What's she babbling about?' I said; but I didn't mean Annie。〃
〃'Rand; she…sounds possessed;' Scott swallowed。 And I had been hoping he would have some idea what we should do。〃
〃The thing using Annie's body rose to its feet; standing across the camp fire from us。 ‘Humans; you do not know the extent of our power!'〃
〃With that; the fire expanded; the flames leapt high above our heads。 Scott and I backed off a step or two; shielding our faces。〃
〃We saw Annie across the flames from us as she let them die down a bit; her hair floating as if windblown; her hands making passes as if she were a sorceress。〃
〃‘Humans are merely a dead end in the great scheme of evolution!' Annie gestured; and all of a sudden; so help me; we were seeing a moving form silhouetted in the blaze; a female form that didn't look quite Human。 It threw its arms high in triumph; while that chilling voice went on exultantly。〃
〃‘The Earth is entering an era of domination by a different form of life; which has traveled a different evolutionary path。' The thing laughed evilly。 ‘Be warned。。。'〃
〃But then the voice trailed away; until it was Annie's; moaning; and the expression on the face was one we recognized。 Annie slumped; and we rushed to her。〃
CHAPTER FIVE
Those which we call monsters are not so with God
Montaigne; Essays; Vol。 II; XXX
The team's search patterns turned up nothing。 Exhausted; they stopped for a few hours' rest before they would continue with a night…sweep。
Lunk couldn't seem to stop himself from repeating the same thing over and over: 〃What coulda happened to em?〃
〃I don't know where else to look;〃 Lancer admitted tiredly。 〃Our best hope is that they just…show up。〃 He ran his fingers through his long purple hair。
Lunk sat down next to him; leaning against the same boulder in the firelight。 He gnawed noisily on a drumstick that they had scavenged from Wolff's supply depot。 〃I suppose that's all we can do。〃
He looked to where Rook was curled up; a lithe form in a blanket。 There was only a single stray curl of strawberry…blond hair showing; brilliant in the firelight。 〃Isn't she even worried about them? How can she sleep at a time like this?〃
Without turning over; she said; 〃I can't sleep; if you sit there blabbing and gorging yourself all night。 How can you eat at a time like this?〃
Lunk wore a hurt look。 Lancer told him in a whisper; 〃The real reason she's awake is because she's worried; too; Lunk。〃
Rook lay watching the moon; listening to Lunk plain about how spooky it all was。 After riding as a loner for so long; she was feeling again that special torment that she had promised herself she would always avoid…fear that harm had e to a loved one; an all…consuming concern for people who had bee; though she had never meant to let it happen; family。
Annie came around again in a second or two; but when Rand and Scott told her what had happened; she claimed that they were both imagining things。 As far as she was concerned; she had been having some crazy dream in which she married an Invid who looked like her old boyfriend。
That was Annie; mind never too far from the marriage that would; she was sure; let her live happily ever after。 What the two men were telling her was upsetting her; and she gave them a wounded look; asking if they couldn't just drop the whole issue。 Scott and Rand backed off。
But they would have had to stop talking about it anyway; just about then; a battle of the bipeds started up。 In the dim nightlight glow from the haze overhead; they could just make out some big meat…eaters tangling with each other; probably over a kill or some carrion。 Rand thought it was between two Ceratosauruses and a larger Allosaurus; but couldn't see for sure and wasn't interested enough to stick around and find out。
Dangerous as it was traveling at night; the men snapped on their armor; started the Cyclones; and the moved out。 They found the dry water course they had been traveling on; but they had no sooner increased their speed than the air was full of pterosaurs of all sizes and shapes; swooping and diving; beaks napping。 Scott couldn't figure out if they had been stirred up by the blood and noise of the fight; or if the Invid were somehow sending them at the Humans。
Luckily the flying things were getting in each other's way; so that evasive maneuvers saved the Cyclone riders for the moment。 And lucky was the word; Rand saw one that had a fifty…foot wingspan。 Scott's voice came over Rand's helmet phones; 〃You and Mint find cover! I'll fight them off and catch up!〃
Rand couldn't argue; the armor gave the men a lot of protection; but Annie was pletely vulnerable。 Rand rogered and increased his speed; peeling away and heading for