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〃I expected the worst； but for once she wasn't busting my chops。 ‘Don't give up hope。 I'm sure we'll e up with a way out of here eventually。' Her voice sounded so different all of a sudden； the world seemed to change。〃
〃I was flummoxed； as the ancients would say。 To cover up； I said that even if we did get out； the team would never be the same。 Rook just lay back with her head pillowed on her hands； looking up at the ceiling。 I wanted to stretch out next to her the same way…nothing funny； you understand； just lie there together like we were out on a hill someplace looking at clouds。 But I thought she might take it the wrong way； so I didn't。〃
〃‘I should tell you something；' she said。 ‘I've been thinking of quitting the team。'〃
〃It was the last thing I expected her to say。 But she insisted； ‘It's been on my mind a long time； Rand。'〃
〃‘But we're counting on you more than ever now that…'〃
〃‘I'm tired of people counting on me！ Or maybe I'm just tired of running for my life all the time。'〃
〃I didn't know how to respond to that； so my mouth said； 'C'mon； you're just like me。 You thrive on danger！'〃
〃She was looking at me out of the corner of one eye； in a very strange way。 ‘Up to a point。' From her； it was a major concession； agreeing with anything I said like that。〃
〃So I gave in a little； too。 ‘You're right。 I'm not being straight with you when I say fighting is fun。 Maybe I just keep repeating it to keep from facing the fact that I'm scared sick a lot of the time。'〃
〃Now she was watching me with both eyes。 ‘What d'you know？ I never thought I'd hear you admit a thing like that。'〃
〃I shrugged。 ‘It's all been working at me； Lunk and the Invid and all。 Matter of fact； I wonder if this whole mission isn't just a hopeless effort。 A half…dozen people just can't do it。'〃
〃Now she was up on one elbow； and I couldn't help noticing how she moved in that shiny； skintight biker's racing suit。 'Rand； I just had a bright idea。 Let's quit the team together。 Hear me out！ We'd be saving everybody's life。 Scott would have to postpone the mission while we all go looking for more recruits。 There are Resistance units。 We might be able to assemble a real strikeforce。'〃
〃I thought about that for a few seconds。 An hour would not have been enough； but I didn't want her to think I was slow or indecisive now that she was just starting to be civil to me。 ‘I've got an even better idea： Why don't you and me just pull out and not e back？'〃
〃Those fair； fine brows of hers came together。 ‘What are you saying？'〃
〃‘We could hop on our bikes and hit the highway again！ You and I could get married； have us a coupla spare wheels…'〃
〃It will； by now； be obvious to the knowledgeable reader that in spite of all the boasting I had done； I really didn't know much about women。 Rook was giving me a glare that made me wonder if I should go get myself fumigated。〃
〃But all at once she turned and started twirling a wisp of her forelock around one finger looking at it kind of cross…eyed。 ‘You've pletely missed my point； Rand。 The point was to pull out together so we could find more people and bring them back。 Get me？'〃
〃‘I thought the point was to hit the road together because you feel the same way about me that I feel about you；' I opened up。 ‘We'd be perfect together。 I'd follow you anywhere in the world。 You know that。'〃
〃‘Have you pletely lost your mind？'〃
〃‘Huh…uh。 I've pletely lost my heart。' God； what else did she want me to say？ And so； of course； because （I'm pretty sure） I had made my point； she just…jumped to her feet！ She just broke off the conversation！ With that one move； she was calling the tune again。〃
〃So I got up； too； and put my arm around her shoulders； not at all certain that she wouldn't flip me down over the third rail。 But she stamped one foot and pushed my arm away and scolded me instead。 ‘The point of this deal is to save our friends' lives； not to establish a relationship。 If； if you're willing to accept that； then I'm still game。'〃
〃‘Since you put it that way； I can hardly refuse； can I？'〃
〃She chuckled softly； that throaty laugh that made me wish so muck that we could be together。 ‘Boy； will Scott be mad；' she added。〃
〃She laughed some more and it made me laugh； but really I was thinking the whole time what it would be like to hold her in my arms and have her embrace me instead of pushing me away。 It made my head swim and I kind of forgot what we were supposed to be laughing about。〃
〃Scott didn't think our dropping out was so funny； of course。 We kept citing burnout and the need for more troops； without touching on the Lunk matter； and poor Lunk just stood there looking hangdog and miserable。 Scott was hampered by the fact that； after all； none of us had ever signed an enlistment paper or sworn an oath of loyalty。〃
〃Marlene was just puzzled； but I think Lancer wasn't fooled for a moment。 Still； he kept his peace； for the most part； especially when I told them I had thought of a way that we might get out of that sepulcher。 They heard me out； disliked my brainstorm； but gave in to it anyway。〃
〃It didn't take long and it wasn't too sophisticated。 We fastened our last spare Protoculture cells behind a kind of wedge we put on a length of rail that we cut loose with H90's。 Scott mounted the wedge on a derelict subway car using his Cyc armor's strength。 The rest was pretty obvious。〃
〃Scott had yanked Lunk's truck loose and even straightened out most of the damage； with his powered armor。 Everybody understood that there was a chance that we would bring the whole place down on our heads； but the air was starting to get thin； or so it felt； and we had all had enough of being buried alive； there were no objections。〃
〃Lunk was calm again。 He got the cells； primed them； and lashed them in place； steady； proficient…almost cheerful。 The rest of us got into our armor； while Marlene and Lunk got to cover。 Scott and Lancer stood ready to fire in case Invid came swarming through the hole we were hoping we would make。〃
〃The car's motor was long dead； of course。 But Rook and I started heaving and pushing against the back。 The powered armor got that crate moving in no time； rusted parts