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Rook and Lunk kept their fighters airborne until the concert ended； then they hovered down in Guardian mode； just as Scott was returning from the Jersey side of the river。 Yellow Dancer； who had borrowed makeup and a flashy pink outfit for his part of the show； was already out of character by the time everyone regrouped。
〃I got a bone to pick with you three；〃 Scott yelled as soon as the VT canopy went up。
〃Save it； Scott；〃 Rand answered him from the roof。 He tossed a canister of Protoculture fuel up to Rook。 〃Figured you might be a quart low by now。〃
Scott lost most of his stored anger while he listened to a quick rundown of the events of the day。 He couldn't really find fault with their actions； especially in light of what had followed。 There was certainly no going back to the storage facility now； but what they had managed to carry out was more than enough to take the team the rest of the way to Reflex Point。 Once they finished here； of course。
Scott pulled Marlene； aside while Lunk set about refueling the mecha energy systems。 〃We're going to have to go back up；〃 he explained； his hands on her shoulders。
〃Yes； I know。〃
He wanted to say more； but Lancer was now standing alongside them； urging Scott to hurry it up。 〃I don't mean to break you kids up； but we've got lots of work to do。〃
Embarrassed； Scott withdrew his hands。 〃See you；〃 he said； blushing； and ran for the Beta。
Lunk and Annie remained with Marlene as the two Alphas and the now separate ponents of the Beta lifted off。 Hurry back； Marlene was saying to herself when Lunk stepped up behind her。
〃You miss him alread…〃
An explosion erased the rest of his words and threw both Lunk and Marlene ten feet or more in opposite directions。
Marlene was first to e around。 Unsure how long she had been out； she stood up and coughed smoke from her lungs。 One section of the roof was holed and in flames； and she could hear screams of panic in the darkness。 Lunk was on his back nearby； apparently unconscious； Annie was nowhere in sight。 Someone yelled； 〃Ariel；〃 and for some reason she found herself turning around。
It was the green…haired woman they hadn't seen since the mountain attack。 She was stepping from the flames that were licking at the armored legs of her towering mand ship。
〃Ariel；〃 the woman repeated； and again Marlene felt something stir within her。 〃I am Sera； princess of the Invid； and I have e for you。〃
Trembling； Marlene stared at her。 〃But my name is。。。Marlene。 I don't understand why you've e for…〃
〃Because you have turned against your people and I must know why； before we begin transmutation of our race。 Why have you disobeyed the Regis？〃
Marlene gasped。 What is this woman talking about？ 〃I don't believe what I'm hearing；〃 she said； as if Sera were some hallucination she could banish through an effort of will。 〃I'm not an Invid。〃
Sera was taking steps toward her now； her crimson eyes flashing a kind of anger that burned deep into Marlene's soul。 〃You were placed among the people of Earth to learn their ways； so that we might profit from your discoveries。 The Regis has been awaiting your reports； and yet you choose to ignore our mands。 Do you expect me to believe that you have forgotten who you are and why you are here？〃
Marlene shook her head back and forth； she tried to deny the words her heart seemed eager to affirm。 〃No。。。it can't be。〃
The woman regarded her quizzically。 〃What can't be； Ariel？ Search your thoughts； search them for the truth。〃
〃You're lying！ You must be！〃 Marlene screamed as an explosion tore up another section of the roof。
Sera leaned away to shield herself。 〃I must stop Corg； before the battle es any closer；〃 she said。 Then her eyes found Marlene。 〃I will deal with you later。〃
Marlene watched Sera race off to her ship。 Behind her； Lunk was ing around； wondering aloud what had happened。 But she hardly heard him。
It can't be true； she thought。 It can't be true！
Down below； the battle was raging in the streets。 Reconfigured to Battloid mode； Scott's section of the Beta was backed against a building； the rifle/cannon in both hands laying down a thunderous sweep of fire into the face of an advancing Trooper。 Elsewhere； two Pincer Ships pursued Lunk through the city's right…angle canyons。 Two more had ganged up on Rook's red Battloid； forced it into a corner； and were now attempting to open it with their claws。
She called for help over the net。 〃These cursed things are trying to rape my ship！〃
Rand came to her aid a moment later； his Battloid hovering overhead and taking out each ship with a single shot。 But the next moment he was facedown in the street； felled by a blast to the back by none other than Corg himself。
The Invid put down behind the crippled Battloid and moved in to finish it off； but Lancer blew it back into the air with a massive Bludgeon release from the reconfigured burly hindquarters of the Beta。 At rooftop level； Corg countered with a wave of annihilation discs that pinned Lancer to the wall； but the Invid prince recognized that he was outnumbered and darted off to muster support。
Scott moved in to check on Rand's status； the rifle/ cannon upraised and ready for action。 Rook joined him shortly。
〃Looks like they're pulling back；〃 said Lancer； while his ship launched and reconfigured。 〃What do you say we call it a day； Scott？〃
〃We're not done yet； there's still the hive。〃
Rand whistled over the net。 〃The hive！ Don't you think you're asking a lot out of four little fighters？〃
〃Yeah； Scott；〃 Rook chimed in。 〃Have you got a secret army or something？〃
〃No； but I've got a plan；〃 he told them。 〃Obviously the Regis never figured on a direct attack； or she wouldn't have had her workers build the hive in such an accessible spot。 My bet is we can bring the whole thing down with a few well…placed cobalt grenades。〃
There wasn't much time to discuss the pros and cons because Corg had returned with three Pincer Ships to back him up。 So the three Battloids launched to join their leader and boostered off toward the hive； the four Invid ships in close pursuit。
In the hive； the Regis's voice reached into the very thoughts of her unsuspecting children。
〃Attention； perimeter guard： Four Earth fighters are preparing to launch an attack against the hive。〃
But Sera was nowhere to be found； and without her the Invid drones and Enforcers could do little more than scurry about in a kind of blind panic。 And by the time Corg understood the Humans' intent； it was already too late to stop them。
The VTs had climbed to an altitude of several thousand feet and were now falling on the hive like metallic birds of prey： They directed their warheads into the conical summit of the tall structure that housed the hive； and the energy of the ensuing explosions funneled down through the building like a bomb dropped through the top of a chimney。 The hive took the full force of the contained blast and blew apart； raining great clumps of organic mass to the streets。
Corg felt the collective deaths pierce him like a lance。 In the face of the hive's collapse he broke off his pursuit and cursed the Humans for their barbaric act。
I will have my revenge for this