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〃A couple of the town's soldiers came in just then； announcing that they had finally dug up a photo of this Dusty Ayres character； and they wanted to pass it around to us。 Rook and I stood at the bar with the rest of them as the photo circulated。 It was of course the face of our mysterious stranger。 The cigarette in his mouth made him look even more sinister than he had appeared in the flesh。〃
〃I was waiting for Rook to say something or at least throw me a look； but she didn't do either。 I turned to her； my face all twisted up； and said：
〃‘You see？…I was right all along！'〃
CHAPTER TEN
If the Ayres incident proved one thing； it was that Humans and Protoculture were basically immiscible。 Invid and Protoculture？ That was something else； as we shall see。
Mingtao； Protoculture： Journey Beyond Mecha
Rook edged away from the bar and left the saloon。 The sight of Dusty's photo in the hands of all those soldiers who were eager to see him killed； all those soldiers who had allegedly lost friends at his hands； had brought into question her earlier efforts on his behalf。 Her flirtations。 She sat in the dark on the saloon steps； while inside the soldiers drank and swore vengeance； and wondered why she always seemed to fall for the bad boys； the loners and rogues。 It went back to Cavern City； she supposed； to Romy and the Angels and the days when she had been something of an outlaw herself。 She couldn't deny； however； that she had seen something noble in Dusty's character。 She thought back to that brief glimpse she had had of his chest plates and prosthetic arm。 〃My friends did nothing to stop them；〃 she recalled him telling her。 〃They made no attempt to rescue me； or at least put me out of my misery。。。 〃 Not that that justified his going on a murder spree。
Rook heard Rand's voice and glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the saloon。 He was telling the men that he knew where Dusty could be found。 But he made no mention of the time he and Rook had spent with him。 He was being his usual protective self； and yet Rook found that she was angry instead of grateful； she didn't want to thank him as much as throttle him。 Because Rand； underneath all the arrogance and sarcasm； was actually a pretty sensitive man…in a hick sort of way。
Rook shut her eyes and pressed her hands to her forehead； as though in an attitude of prayer。 I knew he was the one they were searching for； but it just doesn't seem possible that he could be so cold…blooded。 And maybe Rand is right…maybe he is an Invid agent。 When she looked up； she found Marlene standing in front of her。
〃Are you all right？〃 Marlene asked her。 〃I saw how upset you got in the saloon。〃
〃I'm touched；〃 Rook said nastily as Marlene sat down beside her。
Marlene made a puzzled expression。 〃I guess I must deserve that for some reason。。。You see； I don't mean to pry； but you just looked like you could use a friend。〃
Rook sighed and took Marlene's hand。 〃I'm sorry； Marlene。 In fact I was just thinking about friendship。〃
〃Do you want to talk about it？〃
Rook made Marlene promise that what she was about to say would remain between them； then she told her about the brief skirmish with the Invid ships and the wounded rider she had helped。 〃It was Dusty Ayres；〃 Rook confessed。 〃I think I knew right from the beginning； but I just didn't want to believe it。 And after he told me what he had been through； I started to feel sorry for him。 I probably wouldn't have said anything if that photo hadn't turned up。 Now I'm going to have to lie about it。〃
〃But Rand won't say anything。 He doesn't know what you were feeling。〃
Rook showed a thin smile。 〃Oh； he knows； Marlene； he knows。。。〃
A light rain had begun； but a moment passed before Rook took any notice of it。 She could hear the soldiers in the saloon discussing their plans to hunt Dusty down。 Suddenly； she shot to her feet； startling Marlene。 〃I won't be able to rest until I see him again。 Maybe I can convince him to surrender before he gets himself killed！〃
Rook raced off； leaving Marlene alone in the rain。
An hour later； Scott was leading a Robotech posse across the sands。 Rand was overhead in one of the Alphas （the Beta was close to depleted）； directing the five Cyclone riders to where he and Rook had last seen the outlaw Ayres。 The APC was trying to keep up with the group； Lunk had two of the town's soldiers with him。 No one knew where Rook had gone； Rand had an idea； but he wasn't saying。
A heavy rain was falling； and the barren land had all the charm of a landscape in hell。 But Scott was inured to the idiosyncrasies of the Earth's weather。 Besides； he was obsessed with Ayres's capture； even though he had wanted no part of it initially。 Perhaps it was because he was convinced that there was more to the story than anyone was telling him。 A supposedly invulnerable outlaw who was systematically killing off Robotech soldiers。。。And yet the man wasn't thought to be an Invid agent； and no one had the slightest idea what was motivating him to murder。 It just didn't add up。 Scott was even beginning to suspect Rand of holding something back。 It was obvious from the things he had said back in the saloon that he and Rook had had more than a passing encounter with Ayres。 But why would Rand lie about it？ Scott wondered。 With Reflex Point almost close enough to touch （and with the new information the town's soldiers had supplied him）； it was imperative that the mystery be solved so everyone could get back on track。
As if to reinforce Scott's concerns； a squadron of some fifteen Invid ships appeared suddenly out of the clouds。
〃Invid at twelve o'clock！〃 Lancer reported over the net。 〃A bunch of 'em； too！〃
Scott made a motion for the Cycloners to fan out。 〃Here we go； Rand；〃 he sent up to the Alpha。 〃Standard battle plan！〃
In the Veritech cockpit； Rand had to laugh。 Standard battle plan。 That was their little joke； meaning： Do your best and we'll all try to keep from killing one another in the process。
Rand wished them luck and threw his fighter into the thick of things。 The squadron was posed of Pincer units and one blue leader that he could see； he managed to destroy one of the ships straight away but spent the next few minutes juking and dodging discs and laser fire from the rest。 The blue especially was riding his tail with a vengeance。
〃Too many of them！〃 he shouted over the net； upside down now and enmeshed by angry red bolts and streams of annihilation discs。 〃Where the hell is Rook when we need her？〃
Elsewhere on the sands； Rook was confronting the outlaw。 Ayres had almost fired on the red Veritech when it appeared but had stayed his hand at the last minute when he recognized Rook inside the cockpit。 She was standing by the fighter's kowtowed nose now； mindless of the rain。 Dusty was dressed in the same poncho and hat he had worn earlier； his all…terrain war machine was idling softly behind him。 〃You took a chance ing out here； Rook；〃 he was telling her。
〃I know that。 But it was a chance I had to take； Dusty。〃
He grinned at her knowingly。 〃So you know my name； huh？ And you just had to find out more about the mysterious killer。 Is that it？〃
〃I suppose so；〃 she started to say； wonderi