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〃I've got an idea；〃 Rand said from the door。 〃Jos？ you've put on a pretty good act so far； and now you're going to do some acting on our behalf。。。〃
Jos？pulled Rand and Lunk through the caf？s swinging doors a few minutes later； leading them along on a leather leash。 Their hands were now bound in front of them with white cloth napkins Maria had helped to knot； one of which dutifully concealed Lunk's blaster。 The townsmen were suitably impressed （if somewhat bewildered） and moved in to retake custody of their prisoners； but Jos？waved them off。
〃Pedro has asked me to take them to him。 He wants you men to stay here and capture their panion when he shows up。〃
〃You're doing fine；〃 Lunk plimented him under his breath。 〃Now just keep walking。 Get us out of here and you'll save your skin。 Tell the driver to take us to Pedro。〃
Jos？motioned to the idling van one of the villagers had driven in from the bridge。 〃Is this their vehicle？〃
The man behind the wheel nodded。 Jos？shoved his prisoners into the rear seats and joined them there。 Maria rode shotgun。
〃Be alert for their rade；〃 Jos？reminded the men as he ordered the van off。
Away from the caf？ Lunk loosed the cloth knot and brought the blaster out for the driver to see。 He ordered Jos？and the driver out of the van when they reached the mayor's offices。
〃Now don't get any funny ideas when we get inside；〃 Lunk advised them； making his point with the weapon。 〃I don't want to hurt anybody； but I'll do what's necessary。〃
〃You want me； too？〃 said the driver； Gomez。
〃You； too；〃 said Rand； giving him a light shove。
The building was a wooden two…story structure with tall； curved…top entry doors。 Lunk and Rand stayed behind the two men as they climbed the staircase to the upper floor； but once at the office； Jos？and Gomez burst through the doors shouting warnings to their friends inside。 Lunk was only a step behind them； though； and fired a shot at the ceiling to quiet the room。
There were a dozen or so townspeople in the office； not counting Lancer； Rook； and Annie； who were bound hand and foot on the floor in the center of the spacious room。
〃Hands up！〃 Lunk bellowed。
〃Well； hello； boys；〃 said Rook as plaster rained down on her from Lunk's ceiling shot。
〃Where's Scott？〃 Lancer asked。
Rand moved in to free his friends while Lunk threatened to air…condition the room unless someone directed him to the mayor。
〃That's me；〃 said a large man seated at a table。
〃Be careful； Pedro；〃 Josh warned him。
Lunk leveled the blaster at him。 〃We've got a few questions for you。〃
〃Like where you hid the Cyclones；〃 Rand said； moving to Lunk's side。 Lancer and Rook had some nasty bruises； and a new anger was evident in Rand's voice。
But the mayor wasn't impressed。 〃We have them； and we mean to keep them；〃 he told Rand。 〃You people are free to go； but we keep the machines。〃
Rand showed his teeth。 〃Hear me； mister； and hear me good： We're giving the orders now； not you。〃
〃Give all the orders you want； but we'll do what we have to do。〃
Rand made an impatient sound and grabbed the blaster from Lunk's hands。 〃Talk to him； Lunk； before I do something I might regret。〃
The big man nodded and stepped forward。 〃All right； Mr。 Mayor； forget the Cyclones for a moment。 What I want now is the truth about Alfred Nader。〃
〃I don't know anyone named Nader；〃 Pedro said； meeting Lunk's glare。 But the stifled gasps from others in the room told a different story。
Lunk slammed his fists down on the table。 〃I'm sick of listening to lies； pal！〃
Rand put a hand on his friend's arm。 〃Hold on a minute；〃 he started to say。 But suddenly the building was shaking。 Annie pointed at the window： Rand saw flashes of brilliant orange light in the skies above the mesa。
〃Annihilation discs！〃 said Rand。 〃Invid patrol ships！〃
〃Now at least we know where Scott's been；〃 Lancer chimed in。
Rand turned to the mayor； furious now。
〃Your time is up； Pedro！ We need those Cyclones！〃
The mayor remained tight…lipped。 〃We don't want any more fighting in our village。〃
〃If we don't get out there and help our friend； there won't be any more village；〃 Lancer pointed out。
Pedro scoffed at him。 〃Do you imagine you heroes are going to repel an Invid attack by yourselves？〃
〃You better let us try；〃 Rand said as the sounds of distant explosions infiltrated the room。
〃I mustn't endanger the town！〃
〃We're trying to help your town；〃 Rook told him。
Lunk took the blaster back from Rand and raised it。 〃That tears it！ I'm not standing by while my friend dies for this stinking excuse for a town。 Pedro； you've got ten seconds！〃
〃Wait！〃 Jos？said； stepping into the projected line of fire。 He turned to Gomez。 〃Tell them where the Cyclones are hidden。〃
〃You're responsible for this； Jos？〃 the mayor shouted。 〃If anything should happen to our village…〃
〃I'll take the responsibility then；〃 Jos？answered； whirling on him。
〃They're in the warehouse；〃 Gomez said softly。
The warehouse was a barn situated close to the bridge； an odds…and…ends storage facility for grain； farming tools； and rusting examples of early Robotechnology。 The Cyclones had been rolled into a corner and covered over with a couple of mildewed canvas tarps。
Lancer； Rook； and Rand headed straight for their machines； activated them； and rode off to the sound of the guns。 Annie and Lunk wished them luck and watched as the Cyclones reconfigured to Battle Armor mode。 Lunk was heading back to the van when he heard his name called。 It was Pedro； looking somewhat sheepish and conciliatory。
〃Lunk； you're determined to go through with this？〃
Lunk gestured to the by…now…distant Cyclones and said harshly； 〃That oughta answer your question。〃
Pedro nodded sullenly。 〃Then there's something I want you to see；〃 he said； leading Lunk back into the barn。 Inside； he motioned to an object concealed under a nylon cloth and pulled the cover away。
〃I want you to have this。〃
Lunk knew it by its slang term…a 〃Stinger〃…a lightweight autocannon no larger than a turn…of…the…century M…70 machine gun that ran on Protoculture and delivered piercing bursts of Reflex firepower。 Stingers were the weapon of choice