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rier。 She knew they were ing； he told himself。 But what was the strange link they shared？ What channel had the Invid opened in her shocked mind that allowed her to sense their ing？ And could the team somehow tap that frightening frequency？
He thought back to the mand ship's momentary paralysis when Marlene had appeared to pick up Annie's lost dress。 Why didn't the alien pilot fire？ he wondered； thinking back to the blond pilot's similar reluctance。 The Invid had her right in its sights； and yet it was almost as if the thing had recognized her。
Almost as if Marlene was。。。one of them。
CHAPTER SEVEN
Opinions vary： there are those who give Annie LaBelle's age as thirteen and others who give it as seventeen； and there's enough contradictory background data to give strength to either argument。 Subsequent research has yet to reveal enough to persuade or dissuade either camp。 Rand； in his voluminous Notes on the Run； states that 〃Annie was thirteen going on seventeen； 〃 while elsewhere he opines that 〃she may be seventeen； but she acts like she's thirteen。〃 It is a minor controversy； to be sure； but one that is still argued over。 Ms。 LaBelle has not been helpful in laying this matter to rest。
Footnote in Below； The Road to Reflex Point
The presence of Invid scouts patrolling the outer perimeters of the central hive forced the team to keep to the mountains and turn south once again。 There was still no sign of Hunter's invasion force； and the Protoculture reserves in the VTs were simply too low to permit any worthwhile reconnaissance behind the enemy lines。 No one was really put off by the delay； even Scott breathed easier knowing that Reflex Point was temporarily out of the question。 Besides； the snow was behind them； even though the land itself was no less rugged。 Travel since 〃Denver〃 had been almost due south…into what Scott's maps indicated had once been called western Texas。
Scott； Rook； and Lancer had done most of the flying； Lunk's APC was back on the ground where it belonged； with Rand's Cyclone to keep him pany。 Annie was in the mecha's buddy seat； urging Rand through the old highway's twists and turns。 It was a warm； blue…sky day； and she felt gloriously alive and unmonly optimistic。 Indeed； she had good reason to feel this way。
〃It's my birthday！〃 she shouted into Rand's ear when they had exited one of the road's many tunnels。
〃If you don't stop screaming in my ear； it'll be the last birthday you celebrate；〃 Rand warned over his shoulder。
They had lost sight of the VTs on the other side of the tunnel； so he took the turn fast； hoping to spot them before entering the figure…eight switchbacks that led down into the valley。 All at once； Rook's red Alpha came whipping around the shoulder； scarcely ten feet above the roadbed。 Rand told Annie to hold on and locked the Cyclone's brakes； stabilizing the mecha through a long slide as Rook was setting the fighter down。 Lunk had a clearer view of things and managed to bring the APC to a more controlled stop behind the cyc。
〃Why don't you look where you're going？！〃 Rand shouted even before Rook had opened the canopy。
〃Are you trying to kill us？！〃 Annie threw in。
〃Just the opposite；〃 Rook said peevishly over the Alpha's externals。 〃There's an Invid hive on the other side of the ridge； and at the rate you two were going； you'd have been on it in no time。〃
Rand's eyes went wide； but instead of thanking her or apologizing； he simply said： 〃Way down here？ Choicest spot around。〃
Rook was correct about the hive； what she didn't realize was that the Invid were already aware of the team's presence and were heading toward them。 About the same time she was warning Rand away； the Invid Regis was issuing new instructions to her troops through one of the hive's bio…constructs。
〃Shock Trooper squadron； prepare to relieve ining patrol drones；〃 she announced。 〃Projected course of Robotech rebels from last point of encounter should bring them into our control zone during the next eight hours。 Evidence of Protoculture activity on the outlying limits of scanning perimeter indicates possible presence of Robotech mecha within control zone even now。 All scanning systems on full alert。〃
On foot； Rook； Rand； and the others joined Scott and Lancer at the top of the ridge； where the two had concealed themselves among some rocks。 The VTs had been shut down and left on the roadbed。
〃I don't like the looks of all this activity；〃 Lancer was telling Scott when the rest of the team approached。 He had a pair of high…powered scanning binoculars trained on the hive dome。 Shock Troopers and Scouts were buzzing in and out of the hemisphere； and several Pincer units were in assembly on the ground； as though receiving orders from some unseen mander。 〃I think they're expecting us。〃
〃But they weren't expecting us to spot them first；〃 Scott said gruffly。
〃How does it look？〃 Rand called out behind them。
Lancer lowered the binoculars and stepped away from the outcropping。 〃In a word…bad。〃
〃We've got to double back；〃 Scott told them。 〃There's a high road that keeps to the ridgeline above this valley。 We might be able to get through before their sensors pick us up。 It's going to be slow going； but I don't see that we have any choice。〃
The refrain； Rand said to himself as he trudged back to his mecha。
Scott； Rook； and Lancer led the slow； silent uphill procession； relying once more on the battery…operated thrusters that had seen the Guardian…configured Veritechs over many a northern pass。 But once over the ridge； they risked increasing the pace somewhat and brought the Protoculture systems back into play。 They kept to the road nevertheless but were now hovering fifteen or so feet above its rough surface。 But this still wasn't fast enough for Annie。
〃Some birthday；〃 she griped to Rand。 〃No party； no presents； and no fun。〃
He had been hearing this for the better part of three hours now and was beginning to tire of it。 〃Count your blessings；〃 he told her。 〃We're lucky to be alive。 Isn't that right； Marlene？〃 he added； hoping to gain some support。
But Marlene didn't have much to say beyond a soft 〃Uh…huh〃 from the front seat of the APC。 Her head felt as though it was splitting open； but she was determined not to let the others see how much pain she was in。
The three pilots became more brazen on the downhill stretches and were soon winging the fighters along at a good clip。 Encouraged （and seeing an opportunity to raise the noise level of the mecha above that of Annie's nonstop plaining）； Rand began to feed the Cyclone more throttle。
〃Mint； what d' ya say we goose this thing a little。 That sound good to you？〃
Annie hammered her fist against his shoulder。 〃Don't call me Mint…Whoa！〃
With a turn of his wrist； Rand saw to it that her words were left behind。 The three Veritechs had disappeared around the bend； but with a bit of fancy weaving under the foot thrusters； Rand thought he could not only catch up but pull out into the lead。 As soon as he made his first move； however； the first Invid ship appeared on the scene。 It elevated into view from the trees at the base of the slope and skimmed two streams of annihilation discs straight into Rand's pat