按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
canisters。 Rand went over to one of the crates and pried open the lid。
〃There's enough here to take a whole army to Reflex Point！〃 he whispered excitedly； hefting one of the sodacan…sized fuel canisters。
〃Provided we can get it out without being spotted；〃 Lancer said absently。
〃Ha！ Don't worry about a thing； sir；〃 Rand began to joke。 〃Protoculture Express at your service！ We deliver overnight or you get your money back。〃
〃Guaranteed！〃 Annie joined in。 〃In fact； if we don't make good； we pay you！〃
〃Now all we've got to do is get back downtown and tell Scott about this；〃 Rand said。 〃Right； Lancer？。。。Lancer； are you okay？〃
Lancer was glancing around the theater； amazed。 〃Sorry；〃 he said； turning to his teammates。 〃I was just thinking what a beautiful place this used to be。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃This is Carnegie Hall；〃 he explained with a sweep of his arm。 〃I guess it doesn't mean much to you； but before the Robotech Wars this was one of the finest concert halls in the world。 I remember reading about it。 The people who used to sing here。。。〃 He smiled at the thought。 〃I used to dream of playing here。 Now there isn't much chance of that； I suppose。〃
〃Culture of a different sort；〃 Rand mused。 〃Maybe the Invid will start holding auditions； huh？〃
Lancer ignored the ribbing and allowed himself a momentary fantasy that featured Yellow Dancer on stage； singing 〃Lonely Soldier Boy〃 to a packed house。。。
I won't let the Invid destroy my dreams！ he promised himself。
It was that promise that enabled Lancer to justify going along with Rand's spur of the moment plan to take what they could get their hands on straightaway rather than risk a second entry into the place。 It also made sense from a practical point of view； because they would have enough fresh Protoculture to recharge the Beta and utilize it in a follow…up raid if it came down to that。
They were in the midst of packing away a few sixpacks of the stuff when they heard loud footsteps echoing in the hall and headed in their direction。 They had already secreted themselves among the maze of stacked crates when one of the Invid foot soldiers entered； seemingly on patrol。
〃Keep under cover；〃 Lancer warned as they made themselves small。 〃We don't want to fight it out if we don't have to。〃 He and Rand had their handguns drawn。 Annie was wide…eyed； trying to hold on to the armful of canisters she hadn't had time to set down。
Lancer cautiously peered over the top of one of the crates。 He could see the soldier moving systematically through the aisles formed by the stacks。 〃It may just be on an inspection tour；〃 he said softly。 〃It'll probably go away if it doesn't find anything wrong； but be ready； just in case。〃 Silently； he stole across the aisle and repositioned himself for cross fire。
Rand looked over at Annie and her precariously balanced load。 〃Try not to move。 Don't even breathe if you can help it！〃
She shut her mouth tightly and rearranged the canisters as judiciously as she could； but there was one that insisted on sliding。 She made a nervous sound。
The Enforcer stomped past their aisle and stopped； as though alerted to something。 Rand drew a bead on the things back。 Here we go again； he told himself。 Sitting ducks。。。！
The Invid began to move off； but Annie was suddenly desperate。 〃Rand； help me！ They're slipping…they're gonna fall！〃
And a moment later they did； hitting the floor with a sound of toppling bowling pins。 Rand managed to stifle Annie's scream with his hand； but the Enforcer had heard enough to warrant a second pass along the aisle。
〃They slipped；〃 Annie explained in a panic after Rand took his hand away。 〃I'm sorry； I couldn't help it…〃
〃Here es trouble；〃 he interrupted her； arming the Gallant。 〃Just keep quiet。〃
The Invid raised its rifle as it began to retrace its steps； but its pace remained unchanged。 Lancer threw a quick nod to Rand and leveled his own weapon； wondering just where you had to hit these creatures to have it count。 He chose the scanner as a likely target and bracketed it in his sights。
〃Just a few steps closer；〃 Rand was whispering to himself when he heard the cat。
At least it sounded like a cat…a rather large cat at that。 It growled twice more and then launched itself from wherever it had been perched。 Rand went up on tiptoe and just caught a glimpse of the animal's shadow as it leapt from stack to stack。 It was even bigger than its growl had indicated！ He could see that the Invid soldier had swung its snout to the sound and was also tracking the shadow now。 The cat took a few more leaps； making one hell of a racket in the process。
Rand breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Enforcer's rifle begin to lower。 Obviously it was satisfied that the animal had been responsible for the noise。 It's going to fall for it！ he thought。
He let himself collapse in sheer nervous exhaustion when the Enforcer exited the room； and Annie came over to him thinking he had been hit or something。 Then suddenly the cat was back； snarling a long meow and executing an incredible tumble from the box seats near the hall's stage。 Only now Rand was sure the thing wasn't some ordinary cat。
And in fact it wasn't： it was a young； curly…haired Hispanic boy wearing elbow pads； sky…blue dancer's tights； pale yellow leg warmers； and a tank top emblazoned with
a large J。
〃Well that was easy！〃 the boy laughed； one leg crossed over the other and hands behind his head after his upright landing。
〃Have you been here the whole time？〃 Lancer said once he had gotten over his amazement。
The youth nodded。 〃That was my Persian。 Wanna hear my Siamese now？〃
Annie still didn't get it。 〃You mean that was you？ There wasn't any cat？〃
〃Okay； so you do a good feline impression；〃 lancer said warily； gesturing with his weapon。 〃What are you doing in here？〃
The boy's eyebrows went up。 〃What are you doing here is more like it； mano。 As for me； I hang out here sometimes…but I know a lot of easier ins and outs than using the air ducts。〃
〃So you saw us；〃 said Rand。 〃Hope you're not nursing any ideas about turning us in。。。〃
The youth laughed again。 〃Wha'…for； foraging a little 'Culture？ Be real； Red。 'Sides； I'm no symp； if that's what you're thinking。〃 He motioned to Lancer's blaster。 〃Look； I'm not plaining or anything； but how 'bout lowering the hard…tag？〃
Lancer glanced down at the weapon and deactivated it。
〃That cop's gonna be making another pass pronto；〃 the youth warned。 〃We better make tracks； unless you're dying to use your juice。〃
Rand got up； his H90 casually aimed in the boy's direction。 〃Lead on； Lightfoot；〃 he told him。 〃We're right behind you。〃
There were indeed quicker ways out of the place than the route they had taken in； and in a short time the youth was leading the trio down an east…west street a few blocks from the Carnegie Hall storage facility。 The Protoculture canisters had been safely stashed away for the time being。
〃I guess we owe you an apology and our thanks；〃 Lancer was saying。 〃What are you called？〃
〃Jorge；〃 the youth answered him。 〃I've got a nest in the balcony back there。〃
〃You can enter that place at will？〃 Rand asked； impressed。
Jorge turned a gleam