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She was still trying to get them to join her when the surface of the water broke behind her； and something huge began to rise。 〃Annie！ Behind you！〃 Scott shouted； his voice sounding a bit strange and processed over his suit's external speaker。
Both men were off their cycles； groping for their sidearms。 Annie stood rooted as a plated head the size of a small fishing coracle reared； shedding water in all directions。 It opened its mouth and revealed rows of teeth like thick pegs。 Rand's mind threw up a strange word； Eogyrinus？
Pieces of torn flesh still clung to the teeth； and it reeked of death and the marshes it hunted。 Annie knew that through their helmets Scott and Rand couldn't even smell it。
Scott and Rand were jockeying for a clear line of fire。 It was seemingly hopeless with Annie standing frozen right in front of the thing； hypnotized like a mouse before a rattlesnake。 They were both armed with MARS…Gallant Type…H90s…the latest word in hip…howitzers； but that firepower was of little use with Annie in the crosshairs。
The thing had gotten very close。 Rand saw that it was wide and flat； like a big croc with a bobbed； broad snout…no doubt an experienced shore hunter； just like the books said。
Scott hollered at Annie to get out of the way。 She backpedaled and fell on her rump in the wet sandy shore。 She stared into hungry； merciless eyes that； she could see； saw her as nothing more than another morsel of food。 She threw herself flat on the ground just as the creature reared up to lunge for her。 Then the neon…blue blasterbolts flew； making a mewing sound。
As the H90s spat； the torrid air got even hotter。 Rand fired with the modified two…hand stance that Scott had taught him。 The thing heaved up as the dazzling hyphens of energy hit it。 Pieces exploded from it as the furious heat of the shots turned the moisture in its cells into superheated steam； blowing it apart。 There was no blood from those wounds； instead； the gaping holes in the thing had the look of broiled meat。 The stench of it made the atmosphere that much more repugnant。
The monster thrashed and twisted。 Roaring and bellowing； it swiped at the air with thick claws； snapping its jaws at the radiant bolts。 Unable to understand what was happening； it nevertheless knew that it was dying。 Its rage shook the air； the primeval plant…forest； and the sluggish lake waters。 It fell back with a mighty splash； still quivering and contorting。
Annie kept screaming as Scott and Rand dragged her back to shore by her jacket。 〃Mint； he didn't bite you； did he？〃 Scott asked anxiously。
That seemed to bring her around a little。 〃N…no； but almost。 And don't call me Mint； okay Scott？〃
He held out his hand to her。 〃Sure thing。 e on； up you go。〃 But even as she was scrambling to her feet； Rand yelled and pointed； sounding thoroughly rattled。
〃Here es more pany！〃
Three more of the things had surfaced and began ripping away at the first； while it spasmed。 They tore out huge gobbets of flesh； snarling and whistling。 Scott remembered hearing somewhere that real Earthly gators usually left their prey to rot； if it was too small to swallow in one gulp。 That wasn't the case with this lunch crowd。 In seconds； flesh； bones； blood； and viscera surged and rolled in the oily waters。
Rand gulped。 〃They passed on the salad course； I guess。〃
〃Just look at them；〃 Annie breathed。
Just then one of the three paused in its gorging to hiss a piercing whistle at them； giving them that same hungry； pitiless stare。
〃They're looking at us！〃 she cried。
If we shoot； these three； do nine more show up？ he wondered。 Even Robotech weapons had their limits。 He grabbed Annie's arm。 〃Let's get out of here！ Move； move！〃
In another moment the armor had mechamorphosed； and the two Cyclones leapt away； Annie clinging to Rand once more； the tires automatically adjusting to travel over the soft soil。 The Eogyrinuses came swarming up at them moments too late。
〃Guess we lost 'em；〃 Annie reported； glancing back over her shoulder to be sure。 〃I don't think they're built for long…distance events。〃
〃But where did they e from？〃 Scott murmured。
Rand gazed upward。 The sky held no sign of the energy field； instead there was a low gray haze。 They sped up another dry watercourse； past tall； odd…looking conifers and cycads and some bennettitaleans。
〃The Lost World； 〃 he said softly。
Lancer looked at Rook hopefully as he hopped down from the cockpit of Scott's abandoned Alpha fighter。 Let it be good news！ Let her have found something！
But as Rook slid her cycle to a stop； Lancer was already listening to negative results over the armored suits' tac net。 〃I followed the path north and cut a circle for a mile around。 There wasn't a trace of them。〃
As she finished her report； Lunk showed up in his olive…drab APC truck。 〃If they circled back； they weren't leaving tracks；〃 he reported。
That left another question。 Scott's Cyclone was gone； and there were no tire marks anywhere。 But why would they have gone straight to full armor and flown away； without leaving a message or trying to make mo contact with their teammates？
Maybe the tire tracks had been obliterated by someone？ That would be easy enough to do in this kind of soil。
Lancer yelled out； 〃They know better than to do this to us。 〃 Rand might be a bit impetuous； and Annie was flighty to say the least； but Scott； a trained officer and team leader； would never simply ignore his responsibilities。
There was only one explanation that might make some sense of the situation； and that was the appearance of Invid。
〃Shouldn't one of us scout ahead？〃 Rand asked as the two Cyclones sped through the eerie landscape of the subterranean world。 〃I've had enough surprises for one day。〃
〃We'll stick together for now；〃 Scott ordered。
〃Well； do you have any idea where we're headed？〃 The instruments were all useless。
〃No； Rand。 But anywhere away from those reptiles will be fine with me…hey； power down！ There's something up ahead…the end of the trail； maybe。
They stopped in an open part of the water course。 What they saw ahead of them was a rampart of stone some hundreds of yards high； running away to the left