11_metamorphosis-第14章

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　there's　an　Invid　fortress　smack…dab　in　the　middle　of　that　range；　not　even　a　rat　could　get　through。　But　there　is　a　map　that'll　show　you　a　secret　route。　And　it'll　only　cost　you…〃

He　pulled　an　ancient　pocket　calculator。　It　was　a　solarpowered　model　that　had　been　more　of　a　novelty　than　a　work　tool　before　the　wars；　but　was　very　dear　in　these　days　when　batteries　were　scarce。

He　squinted　at　their　Cyclones；　keying　buttons。　The　calculator　beeped　with　a　final　sum　which　he　showed　them。　〃…this　much！〃

Scott　recoiled　from　the　figure；　payable　in　gold。　〃But　we　haven't　got　that　kind　of　money！〃

The　man　looked　the　Cycs　over。　〃Well；　there're　those　in　this　town　who've　been　known　to　do　some　barterin'　and　tradin'。　Them　fancy　machines　might　do…〃

〃Forget　it；〃　Rand　said　flatly。

The　man　was　about　to　argue；　but　stopped　when　he　saw　the　look　in　the　Forager's　eye。　〃Have　it　your　way；　m'friend。　But　all　the　high…tone　highway　hardware　in　the　world　ain't　gonna　do　you　no　good　if　you're　stuck　here。　And　I'll　tell　you　one　thing：　Paradise　is　waitin'　fer　you；　right　on　the　other　side　of　them　mountains。〃

He　turned　to　go；　〃Look　around；　see　if　I'm　not　telling　you　the　straight　gospel。　If'n　you　change　your　minds；　you　can　find　me　right　over　there；　most　any　time。〃

〃Without　that　map；　we'll　never　get　through　the　mountains！　We're　stranded　here！〃　Annie　said；　close　to　tears。

〃Within　arm's　reach　of　the　Invid；〃　Scott　added。　〃Rand；　you　shouldn't　have　been　so　quick　to　refuse　to　bargain。〃

Rand　made　a　sour　face。　〃It's　lucky　for　you　you've　got　a　Forager　along；　Lieutenant　Bernard。　You　think　somebody　with　a　map　that　valuable　would　be　lounging　around　in　the　street；　looking　like　that？〃

〃Rand's　right；〃　Rook　added。　〃Maybe　there's　a　map；　but　it's　not　very　likely　that　that　pig　has　it。　Why　d'you　think　he　was　so　anxious　to　cut　a　deal　right　away；　before　some　other　con　artist　could　get　to　us？〃

〃It's　a　pretty　good　bet　that　this　friendly　little　munity　is　crawling　with　every　kind　of　sharpie　there　is；〃　Rand　said。　〃The　way　I　see　it；　our　best　bet　is　to　split　up；　take　a　look　around；　and　try　to　get　the　feel　of　the　place。〃

Scott　nodded　in　agreement。　〃All　of　you　be　careful。　Is　everyone　armed？　Lunk　will　stay　here　and　guard　the　vehicles。　Annie；　you　stick　close　to　him；　got　that？〃

Lancer　said；　〃I've　heard　one　or　two　things　about　this　place。〃　He　was　removing　a　pack　from　his　Cyclone。　〃I　want　to　check　them　out；　but　it's　something　I'll　have　to　do　alone。〃

Soon　the　team　was　setting　off　in　various　directions；　hoping　Deguello　held　some　hope　for　their　survival。


CHAPTER　NINE

Mom　wasn't　surprised　at　the　way　things　were。　I　think　she　found　grim　irony　in　the　fact　that　the　one…percenters　were　in　the　majority　at　last。
Maria　Bartley…Rand；　Flower　of　Life：　Journey　Beyond　Protoculture

Lunk　was　deeply　engrossed　in　his　gearhead　window　shopping。　It　was　a　great　chance　to　examine　some　leftover　war　machinery。　Annie　put　up　with　it　for　as　long　as　she　could　and　then；　while　he　was　on　a　mechanic's　creeper　under　an　APC　like　his　own；　she　slipped　away　to　check　out　Deguello　for　herself。

She　was　surprised　at　how　much　lowland　food　and　other　goods　were　available　in　this　mountain　outpost。　Maybe　somebody　had　discovered　an　emerald　mine　or　something？

The　fact　that　most　of　the　people　living　in　Deguello　were　from　somewhere　else　wasn't　so　unusual；　the　first　two　Robotech　wars　and　the　Invid　conquest　had　set　most　of　the　world　adrift。　And　the　fact　that　the　team　was　in　what　had　once　been　South　America　didn't　really　mean　that　much　anymore；　either。　All　nations　were　long　since　extinct；　all　cultures　had　been　thrown　together。　Everyone　was　engaged　in　the　struggle　for　survival。

But　what　struck　Annie　was　strange　was　that　so　many　folks　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　something。　She　saw　people　holding　furtive　negotiations　in　taverns　and　alleys；　and　others　marking　time　in　the　square；　looking　this　way　and　that　as　if　expecting　someone。　Annie　also　noticed　that　people　were　selling　or　trading　their　personal　possessions　in　return　for　gold　or　gems…apparently　the　only　currency　that　counted　here。

In　some　ways；　it　reminded　her　of　a　romantic　oldtime　motion　picture　that　was　one　of　her　favorites；　but　there　was　no　Rick's　Cafe　in　Deguello；　although　she　prided　herself　on　looking　just　a　little　like　a　young　Ingrid　Bergman；　when　the　light　hit　her　just　right；　though　Lunk　and　the　others　scoffed。

Still；　it　was　nice　to　dream；　her　dreams　were　the　only　things　she　really　owned。。。

She　scuffed　her　sneaker　at　a　bit　of　garbage　that　lay　on　the　pitted　cobblestone　sidestreet；　aware　that　many　eyes　were　following　her。　Brother！　I've　been　in　some　creepy　places　in　my　time；　but　this　one　takes　the　booby　prize。　What　a　slimebucket　zoo！

She　was　thinking　that　while　watching　a　coughing；　apparently　tubercular　man　shuffling　along　and　gagging　in　to　a　disgusting…looking　rag。　She　was　so　distracted　that　she　bumped　right　into　somebody。

〃Hey；　ya　little　geek；　why'n'cha　watch　where　yer　goin'？〃

He　was　definitely　one　of　the　Bad　Boys；　a　snake…lean；　rat…faced　guy　in　a　dark；　greasy　jumpsuit　open　to　his　shrunken　waist。　There　was　a　scorpion　tattoo　on　his　cheek。　He　wore　a　chain　belt　of　massive　links；　and　a　blue　Chi　Army…style　cap；　with　a　red　bandanna　tied　around　his　thin　left　bicep。　He　had　werewolf　sideburns；　a　sawed…off　12gauge　side…by…side　（a　popular　weapon　in　Deguello）　in　a　shoulder　rig；　and　there　were　fishhooks　stitched　to　the　knuckles　of　his　fingerless　black　leather　gloves。

Her　street　instincts　resurfaced；　and　she　realized　that　she　had　been　traveling　in　the　charmed　pany　of　Robotech　heroes　for　so　long　that　she　had　forgotten　how　vulnerable　she　herself　was。

Uh…oh；　Annie　thought。　It　was　her　considerable　luck　that　he　merely　clapped　a　hand　down　on　her　cap　and　shoved；　to　send　her　stumbling；　arms　thrashing。　But　quick　hands　caught　her；　saving　her　from　landing　on　her　derriere　in　the　gutter。

〃You　should　be　more　careful；　little　boy。〃　She　found　herself　looking　up　at　a　clean…cut；　handsome　face…a　young　man　who　couldn't　be　more　than　eighteen　or　so。　He　had　big　blue　eyes；　wavy　black　hair；　and　a　blinding　smile。

She　squirmed　to　break　free　of　his　grip。　〃I　am　not　a　little　boy！　What're　you；　blind？　I'm　a　woman！〃

He　let　her　go；　surprised；　plainly　upset　that　he　had　hurt　her　feelings。　〃I'm　terribly　sorry！　Forgive　me。　Um；　my　name　is　Eddie。〃

She　took　a　closer　look　at　him　and　noticed　that　he　resembled…let's　see。。。James　Dean！　Only　nicer！　He　was　a　dreamboat　in　a　white　T…shirt　and　a　leather　jacket！

She　swayed　toward　him；　almost　melting。　〃Oboy！　I；　I　mean；　I'm　Annie！　Eddie's　my　favorite　name！　You　can　call　me　Mint！〃

She　vaguely　recalled　that　she　was　supposed　to　be　on　a　mission　of　espionage　and　derring…do。　〃Um；　d'you　live　up　in　those　mountains；　by　any　chance？〃

He　chuckled；　she　sighed。　〃No；　Annie。　Only　the　Invid　live　up　there。　But　beyond　them　is　Paradise。〃

Her　eyes　were　the　size　of　poker　chips。　〃You　mean　all　that　stuff　is　true？〃

He　nodded；　pointing　at　the　distant　mountains。　She　thought　he　was　as　beautiful　as　a　hood　ornament；　〃Paradise　is　a　city　that　was　set　up　by　the　old　United　Earth　Government　and　the　Southern　Cross　Army；　so　that　if　there　was　an　invasion　or　a　catastrophe；　the　Human　race　would　be　able　to　go　on。　A　kind　of　New　Macross；　I　guess　you　could　say。〃

〃Paradise　is　like　Earth　used　to　be　before　the　Invid；　or　the　Robotech　Masters；　or　the　Zentraedi！　People　are　free　there；　and　safe。〃

Annie　felt　faint。　A　place　where　people　were　safe　and　free　and　happy！　But　what　was　Eddie　saying？

〃…the　place　for　me。　It's　taken　us　a　long　time；　but　that's　where　my　family's　going。　I…I　wish　the　whole　world　could　be　like　Paradise。〃

Annie　launched　herself　straight。　up；　throwing　her　arms　around　his　neck；　clinging　there；　swinging　her　feet。　〃Oh；　Eddie！　That's　so　beautiful！　I　love　you！　Please　take　me　with　you？　Pleasepleaseplease？〃


The　mayor　of　Deguello's　mansion　was　as　grand　as　a　small　palace。　The　place　had　fallen　into　extreme　disrepair　in　the　latter　twentieth　century；　especially　with　the　privations　of　the　Global　Civil　War；　and　the　First　and　Second　Robotech　Wars。　But　now　there　were　signs　of　a　revivification。　The　reflecting　pool　and　formal　gardens　had　regained　much　of　their　glory；　the　mansion　shone　with　light　and　elegance。

The　mayor；　son　of　the　previous　mayor　and　descendent　of　many；　sat　in　the　ballroom；　holding　the　hand　of　a　beautiful　woman　who　in　turn　owned　his　heart。　Donald　Maxwell；　so　used　to　manding　the　obedience　of　others；　of　navigating　his　way　through　the　treacherous　political　waters　of　Deguello　and　the　post…invasion　world；　thought　there　was　a　cosmic　symmetry　to　it：　everyone　had　their　Achilles'　heel；　and　his　was　love。

Under　the　ballroom's　chandeliers；　brilliant　even　in　daytime；　and　the　paintings　as　big　as　barn　doors；　portraits　of　a　score　of　ancestors；　he　sat　in　his　Louis　XIV　chair　and　she　in　hers。　In　its　time　the　ballroom　had　been　the　most　splendid　and　celebrated　in　a　hundred　mile　radius。　Now；　though；　its　decor　was　stranger　than　anything　its　original　builders　could　ever　have　envisioned。

〃But　we　must　talk　about　our　wedding；　Carla；〃　he　was　saying。　〃It's　long　past　time。

〃Have　you　tired　of　my　lovetalk？　Then　think　about　what　you　have　to　gain　if　you　marry　me！　I've　always　given　you　everything；　anything　you　wanted。　But　this　I　need　from　you！　And　when　you're　my　wife；　my　only