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ye； Scott！ Bye； Marlene！ Bye； everyone！〃
She frolicked away； laughing giddily。
Scott； watching her go； unfolded the map slowly。 Rand and Rook and Lunk were ecstatic。 The other team members went off to see to their vehicles。
Reflex Point was suddenly much nearer。
Scott looked at the map； matching it up with a hand held display that showed aerial survey records from the memory banks of his Alpha。 It didn't take long for his face to go from elation to scowling anger。 A fake。。。
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Who will ride？
Who will fall？
Cyclone Psychos！
Deguello ballad
〃That's his business； selling fake maps；〃 Carla was telling Lancer。
〃And nobody knows because nobody es back。 Did he start the rumors about Paradise； too？〃
She gulped and nodded。 Lancer looked around him。 〃And that's what pays for all of this。 Sheer dumb； stubborn Human hope and longing。 Maxwell's going to pay…〃
He stopped as he heard an engine roar at the edge of town。 From his vantage point high up； Lancer could see over the mansion wall to the street where Annie and Eddie sat in the back of the Truman family's all…terrain truck。
Most of the cargo bed was taken up by the Trumans' good and baggage； lashed under tarps。 As the ATT pulled away； Maxwell and a half…dozen of his Lurp scouts waved。 Near them were two all…terrain jeeps。
〃Annie！〃
Lancer dashed for the door。
Armored and mounted； the team made final checks； ready to begin the pursuit。 Cycs were tested for battle…readiness； Lunk made sure that the ammo well for the Stinger autocannon mounted in his APC's prow was filled to the brim with linked ammunition。 Marlene sat next to Lunk； looking more bewildered than ever。
Scott was ripping up the map； though he already entered its directions in the displays； in order to trail the Trumans。 〃When I get my hands on Maxwell…〃
Lancer snapped； 〃There's no time to think about Maxwell now！ We've got to catch Annie before it's too late！〃
All four Cycs went into wheelies； a way of releasing energy and yet not getting too far ahead while the APC accelerated。 They streaked away toward the mountains。
Carla had watched from her vantage point in the mansion。 Now she raced down the stairs and past the three silent fighter planes； flinging herself at the door； determined to steal a car or do whatever it took to catch Lancer and go on with him or die with him。 She was determined not to be left behind ever again。
But Maxwell came through the door。 〃Hey！ What're you doing； Carla？ What've you been up to？〃
〃I told them； Donald！ I told them everything！〃
The team roared up the mountain roads； the Cyclones taking curves as only Robotech mecha could； Lunk doing his best to keep from falling behind。 〃We're in'； Mint！〃
Marlene suddenly cried out； holding her head as if she had been hit by a migraine。 〃I； I heard them。 Something。。。there's trouble！〃
Truman slowed down his all…terrain truck； adjusting his glasses； squinting at the map。 〃I can't understand it。 I can't orient this map； it doesn't make any sense。〃
His wife； a kindly woman with an open； fleshy face and hair pulled back in a black bun； looked on disheartenedly； doing her best not to distract him。
Suddenly she looked up in terror； as shadows crossed the windshield。
At the back of the cargo bed； Eddie was joking with Annie。 She understood that he regarded her as a kid sister and had decided to wait until she got to Paradise to make her move。 If a little makeup could work wonders for Yellow Dancer； she could imagine what it could do for Annie LaBelle！
Then she heard a roaring of thrusters； and bulky mecha heliographed the sun in a close pass。
〃Invid！〃 She could see four Pincer Ships； claws folded close to them while they made their attack dives。 Mr。 Truman had seen them； too； and began swerving as the first annihilation discs hit。 The all…terrain truck wove back and forth on the road； the Invid seeming to drive it almost playfully； until at last Mr。 Truman swerved sidelong into a boulder； and Annie and Eddie were thrown from the cargo bed。
A strafing Pincer chopped a line of explosions along the road； and Eddie rolled into the ditch with Annie in his arms。 Mr。 Truman and his wife fell along after； clutching one another。 The Pincer's wingmates held back while the leader came in for the kill。
Then there was an additional explosion and they saw that the leader was wobbling and tumbling through the air； like an unstrung； burning puppet。 It erupted into a balloon of energy； smoke； and shrapnel just before it struck a nearby cliff。
Annie looked up； dazed。 Suddenly there were Cyclone knights everywhere in the sky。 All at once； the Invid were getting a costly lesson in dogfight tactics and learning that the sky was still a hotly contested killing ground。
Lancer pulled up nearby； still on his Cyc； and Lunk in his truck。 〃Get them out of here while we cover！〃 Scott's voice came over the tac net。
Rook's red…and…silver armor was sleeker； more maneuverable than the others'； and had that wide…bore long…gun that was unique to it。 Scott's blue…and…silver was more heavily armed than before； with an assault…rifle module acquired in the wreckage of his strikeforce's graveyard； he stood straddle…legged； letting the Invid e at him； and held the trigger down。
Rand's armor； light…blue…and…silver； seemed more specialized for handgun…firing； and that suited him just fine； the armor wielding a bigger； more powerful version of the H90。
Then Lancer scooped up Marlene； who had dismounted in a numbed astonishment； set her behind him on his Cyclone； and started off。 Annie and Eddie helped his parents into Lunk's truck； and it accelerated to catch up。 The Cycs fell back in good order； firing； as the Invid came down at them； but then split up as the firing became too intense。
Scott jetted backward on thrusters that set the brush among the trees afire； awaiting his chance。 He could see Rand and Rook doing the same。 Trees and mounds of soil and rock exploded； the Invid lashing out at everything in their frustration。
At last the defenders were driven down to a lowermost verge。 From that spot they could either go to the open sky； where they would be shot like clay pi