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〃And the restaurant owner never heard of him； huh？〃 Rand said knowingly。 〃What are they trying to cover up？〃
〃There's supposed to be a bakery somewhere along this street；〃 Lunk said； leaving Rand's question unanswered and looking around。 〃There it is；〃 he said a moment later。 〃A few more landmarks and I might be able to find my way to Nader's house without anybody's help。〃
Rand was silent while Lunk took one turn after another； the pattern of disappearances and threats unbroken。 〃You know； something just occurred to me；〃 he said to Lunk when they had reached the outskirts of town。 〃Maybe they're trying to protect Nader。〃
〃How do you mean？〃 Lunk asked； pulling the van over。
Rand turned to him。 〃These people don't know us。 For all they know we could be sympathizers。 If Nader was a politico； he could be in trouble。〃
〃With who？〃
Rand shrugged。 〃The Invid； for starters。〃
The rest of the team； having met with the same reception； had abandoned their search and were killing time at the edge of town； waiting for Lunk and Rand to show up。 Rook was on her feet； leaning almost casually against the stone wall of the bridge。 Lancer and Annie were sitting on the grassy embankment above the stream。
〃Lunk and Rand have got to pass by here eventually；〃 Lancer was telling the others。
Rook agreed。 〃We're better off just waiting for them。 But one of us is going to have to find Scott。 Where do you think he put the Alpha down？。。。Hey！ A truck！〃 she said suddenly。 〃Maybe the driver can shed some light on this thing。〃
Annie turned to glance at the truck。 〃Looks like they're stopping。〃
No one moved as the truck came to a halt on the bridge。 They had seen two men in the cab and were looking there； when without warning a third man jumped from the canvased rear。 It took them a moment to realize that he was wearing a gas mask and what looked like a twin…tanked oxyacetylene rig on his back。 And by the time they had made sense of this it was too late： The man had brought the rig's torch out front and released a foul…smelling； eye…smarting gas into their midst。
Almost immediately Rook and Lancer began to cough uncontrollably。 Beneath the cloud and consequently somewhat less affected by it； Annie tried to slide down the embankment and reach the stream。 But the gas's effects caught up with her； she felt a searing pain work its way toward her lungs and doubled up into a fit of coughing。 The cloud was as dense as smoke； but she could discern that several other men had followed the lead man from the back of the truck。 They； too； had gas masks on； but they also earned bats and clubs。 Just before Annie went under； she saw Rook and Lancer fall as roundhouse blows were directed against them。
There was an olive tree and a small circular well where there should have been a house。 Otherwise the lot was empty； the buildings that surrounded it on three sides burned and abandoned。 Puzzled； Lunk stood staring at the scene。
〃Are you sure this is the place？〃 Rand asked him from the van。 He had pulled out one of the former police vehicle's air…cooled autopistols and was resting it up against his collarbone now。
〃Yep。 He told me his dad had a well and an olive tree in his backyard。 And there they are。 Now all we have to do is find the house。〃
Rand frowned and stepped away from the van to join his friend。 〃There's got to be twenty houses in this town with an olive tree and a well in the backyard； Lunk。 And even if this was Nader's place； he's obviously not here now。 I don't know；〃 Rand added skeptically。 〃Maybe he's dead； and that's why everybody's acting so strange。〃
Lunk was starting to reply when Rand heard the sound of footsteps behind him。 He looked over his shoulder and found himself facing half a dozen angry…looking men； one of whom was carrying a kind of backpacked welding torch。
Rand swung back around； putting all he had into knocking Lunk to one side while he threw himself in the opposite direction。 Lunk took the full force of the gas cloud in the back； but before the men could move in； Rand was through his roll and taking aim at the torch。 He pulled off one quick shot that effectively decapitated the twin…spouted rod and gave the men pause。 They began to scatter as Rand squeezed off three more shots； one toward the feet of each of the men who were standing guard by the van。 The three leapt through a kind of impromptu dance and fled along with their rades。
Rand called to Lunk and made a beeline for the van； throwing himself into the shotgun seat through the passenger…side door； Lunk just steps behind him。
Off to one side； the men were rallying for another attack。
〃Make tracks！〃 Rand yelled； pounding a fist against the dash。
〃You make good sense； buddy！〃 Lunk yelled back； putting the pedal to the metal。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It has yet to be demonstrated that the Invid Regis was capable of direct dealings with each of her remote drones…Scouts； Troopers and Pincer Ships…prior to Scott Bernard's forcing her hand； so to speak。 mentators have pointed to the incident at Roca Negra as an example of changes in the previous hierarchical organization； in which each hive queen （sic） was made responsible for her own soldiers。
Bloom Nesterfig； Social Organization of the Invid
In Jos？s Caf？the churlish mayor of Roca Negra； a large； mustachioed man named Pedro； received word of the brutal attack on Rook； Annie； and Lancer。
〃They beat them up！〃 he bellowed now； bringing his big fist down on one of the tables and rising to his full height of six foot four。 His English； like Jos？s； had a Spanish accent。
〃Yes；〃 Jos？s wife； Maria； continued。 She was a small； pretty woman who usually wore her auburn hair in a loose braid over one shoulder。 〃They put the three of them in the back of the truck； and then they sped off somewhere。 But I think the two others got away。〃
Jos？watched his wife from across the room but said nothing。 It worried him to have her interfere in these matters； but she had been adamant about reporting the attack to the mayor； and when she was decided about something； there was nothing Jos？could do to stop her。 He only hoped that the rogues who captured the three strangers would not learn of h