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！
〃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 gleaming smile up at him。 〃Shit； man； there's no place in this whole city we can't go if we want to。〃
〃But the Invid…they're crawling all over this place。〃
〃Yeah； but they don't bother us if we don't bother them。〃
〃That was some display you put on；〃 Lancer said； changing the subject。 〃You're quite an acrobat。〃
〃A performer；〃 Jorge emphasized proudly。 〃Fact is I was on my way to rehearsal before I had to stop and save your necks。〃 He laughed at their chagrin。 〃Why don'cha e with me and check us out。〃
Lancer looked over to Rand； who returned a shrug of consent。
〃Well； I'm all for it；〃 said Annie； quick to take Jorge's arm。 〃I'm gonna have some fun in this place if it kills me！〃
〃It should be a great show；〃 Jorge was telling them a few minutes later。
He and the rebel trio were on a staircase landing overlooking a small stage； where a dozen male and female dancers were executing syncopated martial kicks under colored lights。 It was a kind of historical piece； harkening back to the frenzied； kata routines of the turn of the century； with some break dancing and pelvic thrusts thrown in for variety。
〃They're good；〃 Lancer mented。 I wonder if their dreams will survive this alien nightmare？
But on stage some of the performers were wondering whether they would survive the director。 He was nothing if not the consummate perfectionist。 〃Hold it！ Stop！ Stop！〃 he was shouting now； an effeminate curl to his voice。 He was twice the age of the oldest on stage but well built nonetheless。 He had a pencil…thin mustache and brown hair； save for a section of bleached forelock。 〃This is awful； just aw…ful。 Harvey；〃 he continued； pointing； 〃I swear you dance like a moose in heat。 And Arabella： You look like you're waltzing； for heaven's sake。 Remember； everyone； this is supposed to be 1990； not 1770！ So could we please try not to embarrass ourselves？〃
The dancers had all adopted hangdog expressions by now； and Jorge took advantage of the lapse in the music to call out： 〃Simon！ Hey！ Up here！〃 When the director looked up； Jorge gestured to Lancer and the others。 〃I brought some friends to watch the rehearsal； okay？〃
Simon scowled at him。 〃Absolutely not！ You know my rules about people…〃 He broke off his scolding and was staring at Lancer。 〃Am I seeing things？ Is that the face that launched a thousand slips？！ Lancer； is that you？！ Or should I say Yellow Dancer？〃
Lancer smiled and went downstairs to take Simon's hand。 Jorge； Rand； and Annie tagged behind。
〃Lancer； I still can't believe it；〃 Simon exclaimed。 〃I've thought about you a lot。。。What's it been； something like two years？ In Rio； wasn't it？ What are you doing here？ I want to hear everything。〃
Lancer looked over his shoulder at Rand。 〃Well； we're just passing through。〃
〃Passing through？〃 Simon said； surprised。 〃Since when does anyone enjoy the privilege of ‘passing through' anymore？ You can't be serious。〃
〃We've got transportation；〃 Lancer said； holding back。
Simon stepped back to regard the trio quizzically。 〃Perhaps it's not in good taste to ask too many questions；〃 he said after noticing Rand and Lancer's sidearms。
〃Probably not。〃 Lancer smiled。
〃Well； you've just got to e to the show tonight； that's all there is to it；〃 Simon enthused。
〃The Invid are permitting performances？〃 Lancer asked。
〃They haven't tried to stop us yet。 I guess they figure it keeps the slaves happy and out of their way。〃
Meanwhile； in the hive atop the Trump Building； Sera was engaged in an argument with her brother/prince； Corg。 The Robotech rebels had not been located； and Corg was in favor of taking matters into his own hands by simply exterminating every Human in the city。
〃I will not permit it；〃 Sera told him。 〃Observation of these life…forms has not yet been pleted。 They require more study； even if that means the rebels live for a time more。〃
〃Your lenience is a sign of weakness；〃 Corg answered her。 〃I say destroy them now。〃
She glared down at him from the massive throne…a monolithic two…horned affair set atop what appeared to be a thick…stalked； flat…topped mushroom； adorned along its outer edge with a band of glossy red discs。 Beneath the cap stood two Urban Enforcers； as silent and motionless as statues。 The domed room itself resembled the inside of a living neural cell。
〃You seem to forget our instructions； my brother。 We are to study the Humans' behavior patterns and learn from them。〃
Corg made a disgruntled sound。 〃The experiment is as good as plete。 It is time to exterminate these lifeforms。 I'll proceed with my program； regardless of instructions。〃
She knew that he had been defeated on every occasion and wondered whether this was influencing his behavior； but she didn't want to point this out to him。 〃I'm warning you； Corg； do not challenge my authority in this matter。 The Regis has placed me in charge。〃
〃For the moment；〃 he snarled。
〃What makes you so sure of that？〃
〃It's perfectly obvious。 You have no stomach for destruction。 But you've known all along that our plan calls for the eradication of these creatures。 And I intend to begin that process immediately。〃
Corg disappeared through the floor of the hive even as Sera was ordering him to call off his attack。 She reseated herself to digest his words。
Maybe he is right； she began to tell herself。 Perhaps I don't have the determination to carry out this task。 She had to admit to herself that she had no grasp of the emotions that were keeping her from destroying the rebels…especially that one who had touched her with his voice。 Surely she should have killed him when they had faced each other at the chasm。 But she had let him live； and now Corg was beginning to suspect her。 All at once it seemed imperative that she speak with Ariel； because in that brief confrontation with her lost sister she had e close to understanding some of the changes that were going on inside her。
Sera shot to her feet。
I must try to find her。。。
Corg wasted no time assembling his Shock Troopers and mencing his murderous assault on the city's Human population。
Across the Hudson River； where Scott and the rest of the team were awaiting word from Lancer； Marlene sensed the warlord's destructive swing and screamed as those hellish emotions assailed her consciousness once again。
Scott was by her side in an instant。 〃Where？〃 he asked as he tried to fort her。 〃Where are they attacking？〃
〃The city；〃 she managed to bite out； hands pressed to her head； body rocking back and forth in Scott's arms。 〃They're going to wipe out the entire city！〃
〃But you've got to be mistaken；〃 Scott started to say when the sound of the first explosions reached him。 He grabbed a binocular scanner and ran to the edge of the roof that was their temporary camp。 Training it on the city； he saw countless flashes of intense light； and within minutes it seemed that the entire northern portion of the island was ablaze。
CHAPTER TWELVE
There is some truth to the claim that Corg contributed to the Invid's defeat； such as it was； but only in th