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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 some tree cover。 The soaring hunters concentrated on Scott。
Scott switched to full Battle Armor mode； rising on thrusters； Cyclone ponents being part of his powered suit。 One blast from the H90 sent a small Pteranodon tumbling to the ground。 With the flock hesitating； surprised at the blast； Scott landed in a blaring of backpack thrusters； to fight from the ground。
He blasted the wing off another as it stooped； but then had to duck and roll aside as a third came at him from the left。 Its beak and wicked teeth would have taken off an unprotected arm； but the Robotech alloy saved him。 He rolled onto his back； holding his H90 in both hands； firing at any pterosaur that came near。
The things shrieked as the blue bolts quartered the air； seeking them out。
〃Scott's doing okay；〃 Rand said； from the shelter of the trees； dividing his time between watching Annie and keeping an eye out for strays。 〃I don't think he needs our help。〃
〃I。。。I kind of feel sorry for those creatures；〃 Annie confessed。
〃Aw； Mint； gimme a break！〃
Scott was back on his feet again； shooting this way and that with a high degree of accuracy。 Dead and dying soarers； whole or in pieces； lay all around him。 As Rand and Annie watched； he nailed one that was ing straight down at him with folded wings； he got it dead center and its head exploded。
Then Rand noticed； from the corner of his eye； a glow ing from the foot of the nearby cliff…wall。 It pulsed brightly； waned a bit； and brightened again。
〃Hang on； Annie； we have to check something out。〃
High on a cliff ledge overlooking the savage battle； an Invid Shock Trooper mindspoke to itself and its panion。 It was the Regis's voice； the same voice that was heard through Annie。
〃The Human life…forms are most determined！ Their will to survive is strong！〃
Like the Zentraedi and the Robotech Masters； the dinosaurs were discovering that Humans weren't as easy prey as they looked。 Yes； it seemed all this experimentation with life…forms from Earth's past and mutations of various ones from its present was pointless。
There would have to be further study of the Humans； to find out if their form would suit the Invid despite its aberrant behavioral patterns。 But as for the ones below； they had done enough damage in the Genesis Pit。 It was time to rid the place of contaminants。
Rand stopped some distance from the tunnel； which was at ground level。 From the mouth of the tunnel； the light and heat pulsed so strongly that Annie hid in the lee of his armor except for an occasional peek。
〃I knew something like this had to be here！〃 Rand cried。 Heat； light； the energy field…perhaps even the force that kept the stupendous stone ceiling up…they had to be powered by some source。 Some Invid source。 Rand armed his forward Scorpions。
〃Rand； what are you doing？〃 Annie asked sharply。
〃It's time for ‘Last Call at the Lizard Lounge；〃' he said。
Eventually the pterosaurs broke off their attack； the slaughter having been too much even for them。 Scott stood on the battlefield； the smoking remains all around him； fitting a fresh charge into his H90。
He rolled a body over with his foot； inspecting his work。 〃Must've been something he tried to eat。〃
Rand appeared； Annie still clinging to his waist； the Cyc skidding to a stop。 〃Are you all right？〃
〃All right so far。〃
〃Listen； Scott； I've gotta tell you…〃
But before Rand could get out his story about the Invid power source； or control center； or whatever it was； a new chorus of sounds came to them。 They looked up to see that the sky was filled with every possible flying creature： dragonflies and other insects as well as pterosaurs。
〃Something's stirring them up；〃 Scott said。
〃Something's got 'em all on the run！〃 Annie shouted。
They peered into the haze…light and； sure enough； the whole population of the strange sanctuary seemed to be headed their way。
〃Looks like we're going to be right in the middle of rush hour；〃 Scott was saying。 Suddenly the ground began to tremble and dance beneath them。 There was nothing they could do except lurch and teeter； trying to keep their balance。
〃Earthquake！〃 Rand yelled。 This wasn't the time to tell Scott about the two rockets he put into the Invid cave installation； or of the terrific secondary blast they had set off…or of the dark silence in the cave afterward。 They could hear the grinding and cracking of uncountable tons of bedrock all around them。
A tree swayed like a giant flyswatter； and came down smack atop a Triceratops that just ignored it and kept bulldozing along。 A big conifer broke the back of a smallish Stegosaurus； passing meat…eaters ignored it； continuing their flight。 A boulder the size of a bus； falling from the ceiling； squashed an Iguanodon。
As the herd passed by； Rand and Scott changed modes and soared overhead on thrusters。 Then they fell in behind the beasts； letting them lead the way。
〃Scott； doesn't it occur to you that being in the middle of a dinosaur stampede could be bad for our health？〃
〃We don't know where we're going； Rand； maybe they do。 Any better ideas？〃
Rand muttered； 〃Oh； brother。。。〃
Clouds of dust rose from the ground and fell from the ceiling。 The haze began to grow dim。 Rand figured that the energy field was losing the last of its power。 It took every ounce of their skill to keep the Cycs going； but Scott insisted that they stay on the ground。 The air was a storm of flying things that would have blinded them and perhaps even knocked them out of the sky。
Two big Tyrannosauruses some distance in front of them simply disappeared； tails flailing； and Scott barely had time to give a warning。 There was no time to brake； and the two Cyclones went off the edge； into the abyss that had opened in the ground before them。 All three howled； Annie loudest of all。
As the armored men mechamorphosed； rising on their backpack thrusters again…the Cyc wheels repositioning up on their backs； out of the way…and Rand held Annie in his arms； something rose out of the chasm with them；