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s the continental divide in favor of the less traveled northern passes； even though this made for more difficult ascents。 But there were numerous satellite hives in the warmer valleys to the south； and since the team's reserves of Protoculture were low； they couldn't afford to risk all…out engagement。 They had managed to procure a few canisters of fuel； but Scott had insisted they be used for the red Alpha； which Rand and Rook had retrieved。
The weather was against the team； however； and although a week went by without an enemy encounter； their progress was slow。 When at last they crossed the spine； they began to sense the nearness of the prairielands beyond。 But tectonic upheavals brought about by the Zentraedi Rain of Death had so altered the terrain here that they often felt off the map； and given their precataclysm charts； indeed they were。
It was snowing now in this final pass that had no right being there。 Fearful of calling attention to themselves and careful to conserve what little fuel remained； they had decided to keep the Veritechs grounded。 Lunk had secured chains for the APC and fashioned skids and tow bars for the fighters using plate and barstock he had scavenged from what had been a recreational ski area。 They had the APC rigged as a kind of tow vehicle； but most of the real propulsion was derived from battery…driven thrusters in the VTs' raptorlike legs。 Annie and Marlene were riding up front with Lunk； the rest of the team was currently on foot。
〃It's so cold；〃 Annie whimpered to Marlene； shivering and clutching the hooded poncho to her neck。 〃It feels like my nose is going to fall off or something。〃
Marlene pressed herself closer to Annie and brought some of her own poncho around Annie's shoulders。
Scott； Lancer； and Rook； similarly attired in coldweather ponchos； were alongside the red Alpha at the middle of the caravan。 〃Soup；〃 said Rook； daydreaming。 〃Nice； hot soup。 A cup of thick soup； a bathtubful of piping hot； steaming soup。。。〃 She felt Lancer's hand on her shoulder。
〃Don't。 It only makes it worse。〃
Then she heard Rand： 〃Hold up a minute； guys！〃
He was behind them at the Beta's wingtip； preoccupied with his latest acquisition…the thermograph Jesse had given him shortly before the assault on the broadcast tower。 It was about the size of a small chain saw； with a muzzlelike sensor and top…mounted carrying handle。 Rook saw that he was kneeling down； sweeping the instrument across the snow。
〃Lunk！ Stop the sleds！〃 Scott called out over the wind。
〃It's amazing。。。There's something underneath us！〃 Rand was saying as Scott； Lancer； and Rook approached。
〃Yeah； we know。 It's called ice；〃 Rook told him。
Scott motioned her to lighten up。 〃What are you picking up？〃
Rand double…checked the indicator readings。 〃A large heat source。 Massive； way off the meter。〃
〃Volcanic？〃
Rand shook his head； loosing wet snow from the poncho。 〃Definitely not。〃
〃Then the thermograph is on the fritz；〃 Rook said through chattering teeth。 〃Either that or it's your brain。〃
Rand ignored the ment and began pushing snow aside； as if to get a glimpse of something beneath the ice。 〃It's gotta be a generator of some kind。。。just below this layer of snow。。。〃
Rook made an impatient sound。 〃e on； man； you're wasting our time。〃
He looked up knowingly and got to his feet。 〃Wasting our time； huh？〃 All at once he was beside her； pushing her toward the window he had excavated。
〃Quit your shoving！〃 she protested。
〃Well； Miss Know…it…all； why don't you take a look for yourself？〃
She glared at him for a moment； then went down on her knees； wiping away flakes of new snow and peering in。 The ice was virtually transparent； as clear as Caribbean water。 But her mind refused to accept what her eyes were telling her： she seemed to be looking down on a turn…of…the…century building bathed in artificial light…one of those twenty…story milk cartons she had seen pictures of。 There was steam or something issuing from exhaust elbows on the roof； and below that she could discern other buildings and lit streets。
Overwhelmed by a sudden sense of vertigo； she had to turn away。
〃It's a city！〃
〃Told you；〃 said Rand。
Scott looked at both of them and frowned。 〃Sorry； guys； but it's no time to play archaeologist。〃
〃We just need a pickax and some ropes！〃 Rand said excitedly。 He was already up and running toward the APC。 〃Think of the food and supplies that are down there！〃 He threw off his poncho and made a mad leap for the vehicle's shotgun seat； mindless of Lunk's bewildered cries。 He was rummaging around in the storage partment beneath the seat when the ground started to give way。
It was too late for the warnings Scott and the others were shouting out； the APC fell through； almost dragging the VT caravan with it。 Instinctively； Scott grabbed hold of the Beta's skids； but momentarily the fighter train came to a halt of its own accord； with the blue Alpha perched precariously at the edge of the hole； its radome dropped； like the beak of a bird searching for worms in a hole。
Down below； Annie felt herself for broken bones。 She looked around and saw that Rand； Marlene； and Lunk were performing similar self…examinations。 She had no idea what they had fallen into or onto； but it seemed to be some sort of roof。 The APC was upright nearby； the chains that had connected it to the lead Veritech snapped。 Overhead； Scott and the others were leaning in to inquire if everyone was all right。 Annie got to her feet and felt a strong uprush of heated air。
〃Hey； I think we can get down to street level！〃 Rand was shouting。 He had thrown open the door to a boxlike structure that housed the building's stairway。 Atop it were the jetting exhausts Rook had seen from above。
Rand disappeared through the door； and Annie followed him without a thought。
The rest of the team had lowered themselves to the roof by now and had discarded their ponchos。 Above the jagged rend in the ice the snowstorm was still howling。 Scott moved to the edge of the roof and looked around in amazement： It was indeed an underground city； intact and apparently deserted。 He turned to gaze up at the hole and realized that the city was not only subterranean but fully enclosed by a protective dome of what appeared to be fabriplex。 Somehow the place had been spared destruction by both the Zentraedi fleet and subsequent geological shifts。 Over the years it had bee buried by earth and snow。 He wanted to run this by Lunk and Lancer； but Lunk had other concerns on his mind。
〃The landing gear's been damaged；〃 he told Scott； indicating the undercarriage of the still suspended blue Alpha。
〃I guess that means we're stuck here for a while；〃 said Rook； not exactly unhappy about it。
Scott scowled。 〃Another delay；〃 he muttered under his breath。
Rand and Annie； meanwhile； had hit the streets。 They had taken the forty flights warily； and Rand had his blaster out even now； but there was no sign of activity。 The ground…floor levels of many of the buildings were illuminated； as were numerous signs and street lights。 Still； there were indications that the place had been abandoned in haste； and it was an eerie feeling to walk through it all。 There w