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e downtown hub of that empty burg for a few days； to see what else there might be that we could use。 The Forager in me didn't trust the place…those windy streets； echoing concrete canyons…but I knew there would be few other places to resupply between there and the coast。〃
〃Figuring a few rest stops； Scott told us he estimated another eleven days' travel to the Pacific coast of Panama； where we would get ready for that hop to what all the old maps call Baja California。 Most of Central America was an Invid bailiwick； and the Gulf of Mexico was their bathtub； we didn't have much choice but to go around。 Scott said we might manage to be in the region of Reflex Point in as little as a month or so。〃
〃Yippee。。。〃
〃While Scott and Lancer went over the maps； and Marlene sort of huddled in Rook's old jacket； watching Scott。 Rook and Lunk and I rode off to see what else we could forage。 Our headlights only made the city seem spookier and more ominous。 Rook was grousing； something about the foolishness of scavenging in the dark。〃
〃I told her； ‘We'd be sitting ducks during the day…not that I feel a whole lot safer now。 I'm beginning to think the Invid see equally well； day or night。'〃
〃It wasn't much of a ment； I suppose。 To tell the truth； I was still thinking about Marlene； and the looks she was giving Scott。 If we had been living some oldtime musical； I would have said the two of them were about to burst into a somber duet。 As for me； that intimate connectedness I had felt with Marlene seemed to be fading。 And my feelings toward Rook changed from second to second。〃
〃Anyway； there we were riding among leaning and teetering buildings； toppled wreckage； cracked streets with weeds growing up through them…and the Invid jumped us。 A flight of Pincer Ships were following either that giant one we had seen back in the valley or its twin。〃
〃They took a novel approach； blasting the top floors of buildings to pieces； raining cinderblocks and cement and pieces of girder and glass down on us。 We did some stunt driving you won't find in any books； with dust coating our goggles and sticking in our teeth。 A granite splinter opened a groove in Lunk's cheek。〃
〃It seemed like we fled forever。 Then we zazzed around this turn and Scott and Lancer were there； running neck and neck； Marlene riding pillion behind Lancer。 We had gotten lax； maybe； because Scott was the only one in armor。 Wearing that tin can never seemed to bother him； I had seen him sleep in it often。〃
〃At any rate； he told us to find cover while he ran interference。 It made sense； without our armor； the rest of us were just bikers in a bull's…eye。 Then we heard his fireworks； and we poured on everything we had because as good as Scott was…and he was the best among us…he couldn't hold 'em for long。〃
〃I was in the lead； and I spotted a major subway entrance。 We went down； giving our kidneys a nice little massage on the steps。 Scott was right behind Lunk's truck； and the Invid rounds were already melting the entrance canopy。 We ran to the end of the platform and then hit the rails。〃
〃Ladies and gentlemen； it was dark down there！ Our headlights scared up rats as big as small dogs； and other things that didn't fit in any Audubon book I ever saw…mutations； of course。〃
〃I figured we could put up a pretty good fight down there； because the Invid would have to bunch up and move slowly。 But I made a note to slip on my helmet the second there was a chance； weapons make noise； and in the confinement of the tunnel a few shots would be plenty for a little short…term hearing loss。〃
〃What I hadn't foreseen； though； was that the Invid would just shoot at us from the street above。 They had tracked us by Protoculture emissions； I concluded。 I bet that big bozo we had seen was the one doing the shooting； Pincer Ships simply didn't have that kind of raw power。 Even Shock Troopers didn't pack such a wallop。〃
〃Sure enough； the first one made me partially deaf and gave me the beginnings of a week…long headache。 At every junction we looked for a way to go deeper。〃
〃The Invid shots blew straight down through ceiling and floor behind us。 The ceiling suddenly collapsed and Lunk's APC was nearly stuck； but somehow he churned free。 I do believe that glorious old wreck listened when he talked to it。〃
〃We shut down our Cycs so the Invid couldn't sense our Protoculture； but they must have gotten a final fix on Lunk's truck； because the last volley damn near nailed him。 As it was； the whole tunnel began to break up。〃
〃We all wriggled to shelter under some subway cars； except for Marlene； who had taken a spill； and Scott； who crouched over her； protecting her with his armor。 I looked at the two of them and the way they looked at each other and I knew； in that bizarre instant flash you sometimes get； that they were what Vonnegut called a 〃Duprass〃…a bonded pair。 Something to do with fate； no doubt。〃
〃It sounded like they were knocking whole buildings over up above； the tunnel was blocked by fallen debris and concrete back the way we had e。 Lunk's beloved old jalopy was crumpled； too。〃
〃Then it got quiet。 We guessed that they had decided they had destroyed us。 But there was no going back； our only chance； the way I saw it； was to look for another route out of the place…find a junction further down。 And we had to do it fast； Lancer pointed out； because there might be Invid looking for a way in。〃
〃Scott was mechamorphosing back to cycle mode while he was reminding us how persistent the Invid were…as if we hadn't seen that for ourselves。 If Scott had one weakness as a leader； it was stating the obvious。 But as he stripped out of his armor and went to look for an exit； his light showed that the tunnel had been sort of squooshed together like a toothpaste tube in that direction。〃
〃We were sealed in。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY
What is to bee of men and women…males and females…and the way they cope with one another and the differences between them？
Doesn't this go to the heart of the reason the Robotech Wars started in the first place？ The Regis and Zor？ The soullessness of the Masters？ The Shaping of the Protoculture itself？
Isn't it the question that must be answered before