ant； Mint。 Paradise was just a lie。 My dad's brother has a ranch down south； that's where we'll go。 You can e with us if you want； but I'm not getting involved in any war！ Besides； I have to look after my family。〃
Then he had dropped her hand and run to jump into the passenger seat next to his mother and father。 〃So long； Annie。 Good luck。〃
〃Eddie！ Good…bye！〃 Annie called； but didn't move。 The truck pulled away into the dusk。 〃l love you！〃
She whirled and threw herself into Lunk's arms and wept。 Lunk held her and wept for her； too。
Rand was sitting on and patting the crates of ordnance and the few precious Protoculture cells Maxwell had been forced to give up。 〃At least we got supplies and ammunition。〃
Rook still had her chin on her fist。 〃The chance to kill him against a few supplies？ I still don't like the trade。〃 Rand knew better than to try to reason with her in a mood like this。
Scott turned and saw the APC throwing up a trail of dust； speeding up out of Deguello。 〃We move out as soon as Lancer es back。〃
Lunk's borrowed APC bounced up the road from the town； Carla's suitcase loaded in the back。 Lancer somehow felt stiff and absurd sitting next to Carla。 He tried again。 〃I simply don't want you mixed up in all this； same reason as before。〃
She looked across at him for an instant； then ahead through the windshield。 〃I'm not afraid to fight。〃
〃I know that。〃
But Lancer wasn't so sure Maxwell would let her go； despite all the mayor's assurances。 Then the subject changed from the abstract to the immediate； dashboard displays bleeped； showing three flights of Pincer Ships cresting a ridge nearby。
Lancer stepped hard on the accelerator； ignoring the danger of the curves。 He felt a coldness right down at his center。
Good try； but…they've got us this time。
CHAPTER TWELVE
How did the Regis lose contact with Ariel； such an important agent？ The technically minded hindsighters will point out several reasons。 The rest of us have learned better by now。
Nichols； Zeitgeist Reconsidered： Alien Psychology and the Third Robotech War
The pincer ships swept in； but there were abruptly three new blips on the dashboard's scanners。
Maxwell's trio of prized autofighters swooped in hard at the Invid armor…piercing cannon rounds； loosing missiles and； breaking left； right； and upward； following the aero…maneuvering programs in their memories…maneuvers the Invid hadn't had the time or necessity to learn。。。until now。
Lancer stopped for only a moment； looking back to see the warplanes fighting their last battle。 He saw the bright fireglobes of exploding Pincer mecha in the sky； and the whirling； flaring wreckage of enemy war machines。
Go get 'em！ Lancer tromped his foot down hard on the accelerator。
Maxwell； in a secret tech…pit； watched his fighters roll up a score and then； one by one； be overwhelmed and sent down in flames。 He liked to think that his father would have been happy at this last stand； even though it came late in the game。
At least Carla will be safe。 So much for the jets。 What does it matter？ Not much； without Carla。
He leaned back in the control center chair and closed his eyes； wishing that he would never have to open them。
Snow had begun drifting down。
Lancer had his arm around Carla's waist。 〃Donald sacrificed all three of his father's fighters to save us…no； to save you。〃
He could see that she knew that； she was looking back at Deguello rather than at the smoking remains of the warplanes and mecha。 Lancer wanted to wrap her in her coat and take her along with him。
〃Why？〃 She was trembling。
A core of honesty made him answer。 〃You're everything to him。 He wanted to save your life。〃
He was beginning to shiver； the flakes melting on his skin and the thin bodysuit。 〃What now； Carla？〃 He gripped her shoulders in strong hands。 〃I won't let him use you again！〃
〃Oh； Lancer！ I have to…I'm going back。〃 She reached for the satchel she had left in the APC。 〃This time I guess I'm the one who's jumping the train。〃
She reached up； held him close； kissed him with hopeless passion。 〃Good…bye Lancer； good…bye； Yellow。〃
Then she was going back down the road； walking to the lights of the mayor's mansion。 Lancer walked slowly to the truck。
He automatically checked for the weapons the team had taken from Maxwell's goons and saw the pile was one gun light。 The little palm…size shooter was gone。
Love or death； what will it be？
Lancer took a last look down the road at Deguello。 As Yellow Dancer； he blew a last kiss to Carla。 Then； as Lancer once more； he pulled on the parka Lunk had left on the seat； hardened his heart to all that had gone on before； and floored the accelerator； to go meet the Invid； to take them on on their own ground。
Maxwell had told the truth in at least one matter： the Invid fortress blocked the only usable pass。
The team had hoped to avoid it； the hidden road was perilous but had served for much of the way。 A recent quake had brought the entire side of a mountain down； though； making further progress impossible。 There was no choice but to tackle the fortress。
Watching the morning patrol of Pincer Ships and Shock Troopers return； Scott did his best not the hear Annie's teeth chattering and not to think about the silent shivering of Marlene and the others。
〃It's a pattern；〃 Lancer said； still grave after days journeying from Deguello。 His skin was paler than ever from the high…country snow and chill。 〃The bulk of their mecha goes out at sunrise。 That's the best time to make our move； Scott； whatever our move is going to be。〃
They were still bickering about the best way to deal with the alien stronghold when they heard a cracking and splintering of wood； and Rand's cry； 〃Tim…ber…rrrr！〃
By nightfall； they were sitting around Rand's fire； wearing every stitch of clothing they had； and huddling under cargo pads from Lunk's truck as well。 Under the draperied shelter of a rock overhang； Rand used the molecule…thin edge of a Southern Cross survival knife to carve skis； bringing them up every so often to sight down their lengths critically； while he explained。
〃Okay； we can't get our mecha anywhere near that fortress without being detected； right？ So one of us has to get cross…country to the fortress and knock out their Protoculture detection gear。〃
〃And so you'll just ski on in there？〃 Lancer asked with a tug of a grin。
But Scott admitted； 〃It might work。 What other chance do we have？ When Rand signals us that； he's knocked out their sensors； we'll run the gauntlet and hope nobody notices。〃
〃There's only one hangup； isn't there； Rand？〃 Rook asked； giving him a look he couldn't quite read。 〃You don't have any idea what an Invid sensor looks like。〃
〃I'll know it when I see it；〃 he grumbled。
Annie grabbed one of the skis and began sighting along it as if she knew what she was doing。 〃Hey； Rand！ You're gonna let me e along； aren't'cha？〃
He shaved another paper…fine layer off the ski he was working on。 〃Actually； Mint； I'm afraid I cut these for somebody a little older and taller than you。 With blue eyes and long； strawberry…blond hair and a shape that…〃
A snowball hit him in the back of the head。
〃I mean； a team spirit that we all admire；〃 Rand amended。
〃Well； you can count me out；〃 Rook told him。 〃This dame isn't wandering around in the wilderness with you； country boy…〃
It was just then that Marlene went into another seizure。 Nobody but Rook saw how hurt Rand looked； nobody but Rand saw how confused Rook seemed by what she herself had said。
Lunk； Scott； and the others kneeling near Marlene didn't seem to be of much help and she appeared to e out of the fit by herself。 Rook； standing and looking down at her； said； 〃It's almost as if she's got some horrible memory locked up deep inside； that's trying to push her over the edge。〃
Rand looked at Rook's profile in the firelight； and wondered how much of that was something Rook was projecting。
The Invid fortress was cut into a mountain face that resembled a miniature Matterhorn pockmarked with hemispherical openings。
〃Look： I cut those skis down for you； Mint；〃 Rand told Annie； 〃but don't get cocky。 Practice runs are a lot different from what we're gonna have to do today。〃
〃Don't call me ‘Mint'！〃 was all she had to say； as she adjusted her improvised bindings。
The others looked on from the treeline。 Watches had been synchronized； explosives packed； weapons charged…all of it checked a dozen times over and then checked again。 Rand had managed to snatch a little sleep； but he doubted that Scott had slept at all。
The fact that Annie should acpany Rand was less and less of a surprise to them。 Aside from the Forager； she was the only one with cross…country experience （she insisted that some undyingly devoted boyfriend had taught her）。 And aside from Rand； she was the only one who could hope to cross the open country to the fortress in a reasonable amount of time。 The snow was so chancy that even snowshoeing was out of the question。
At five A。M。； when the sun was beginning to light the sky； Rand and Annie moved out。
As Rand turned to go； snatching his makeshift ski poles out of the ground； Rook seemed to be about to say something or eve