when it was my shoulder she should have been leaning on！〃
〃The moon was full and low in the west； casting long shadows across ground cushioned with pine needles。 To a sound track of insect songs； I stole silently through the trees and spied Rook； alone； in a clearing dominated by a tall oak。 Her Cyclone was parked nearby； obviously she had wheeled it away from the pack while the rest of us slept。 She seemed to be staring transfixed at something carved into the trunk； but I was too far back to make out what it was。〃
〃I heard her say； ‘Why…why did it happen？' and the next thing I knew she was hopping onto the Cyclone and moving off。 I ran after her and thought about calling her。 The word or name ROMY was carved into the tree trunk。 It didn't mean anything to me； but it had obviously touched off something in Rook。 I went back for my Cyclone and pushed it a good hundred yards from the woods before starting it up and going after her。〃
〃It wasn't hard to follow her trail； and there was enough ambient moonlight for me to tail her without bringing up the Cyclone's headlamp。 Straight off； it was apparent that she knew where she was going。 She cut through the woods in the direction of the main road； headed north for several miles； then turned east along a rutted track that coursed over a barren； seemingly endless stretch of land。 She was perhaps a half a mile ahead of me when I saw her suddenly veer off sharply to the right for no apparent reason。 Fortunately； I thought to cut my speed some； because just short of the spot where she had made her turn I realized that the land dropped steeply away。 I braked and threw the Cyclone into a sharp turn that brought me close to the edge of a narrow chasm； scarcely the width of a city block。 In the darkness below I could discern two rows of ruined buildings backed against the canyon's walls； almost as tall as the chasm was deep and facing each other across a single potholed street。 Still a good distance ahead of me； Rook was disappearing into a kind of open…faced bunker that projected from the land as though it were a natural outcropping。 Nearby were the tops of two massive circular shafts I guessed were exhaust ports for the city below。〃
〃I twisted the Cyclone's throttle and accelerated into the unlit tunnel； not knowing what to expect。〃
〃The city was dark and deserted…looking； claustrophobic due to the closeness of the canyon walls but threatening in a way that had nothing to do with the uniqueness of its location。 Rook was still unaware of my presence。 She had parked her Cyclone halfway along the street； dismounted； and was now peering into the permaplas window of alighted and apparently occupied ground…floor apartment。 I think I came close to abandoning my little game just then； the sight of Rook eavesdropping on someone called into question my own position。 But I decided to hang in； rationalizing that I was simply keeping an eye out in case anyone came wandering in on Rook's scene。 Again； I was too far away to make out exactly what was going on： I heard Rook say； ‘Romy；' as a man in a yellow shirt passed by the window。 That at least explained the tree trunk carving and Rook's knowledge of the area。 She had been here before； perhaps was native to the place。 A moment later I heard Rook's sharp intake of breath。 She had turned away from the window as if in disbelief。〃
〃‘My sister Lilly？' she asked softly。〃
〃Rook took a few backward steps； straddled the Cyclone； and roared off。 I stomped my mecha into gear and followed。 I had all intentions of catching up to her now and having a heart…to…heart； but suddenly there were three more vehicles in the street； tearing out in front of Rook from an alleyway that ended at the canyon wall。 They were solid…hubbed Harley choppers with twin front headlights； dressed down for rough and ready street riding。 The riders were of the same ilk…Mohawked； shaved…skulled； maniacal。 They were chasing down two young women； taunting； gesturing； and otherwise cat…and…mousing them。 I saw the Mohawked rider e alongside and douse them with beer from the bottle he was carrying。 Then； when one of the women fell…a cute brunette in knee boots and a full skirt…the riders began to circle her； revving their bikes and promising a wide variety of injustices。 The only helmeted rider had taken hold of the second woman and was grabbing what he could； heedless of the fury of her fists。
〃Rook； meanwhile； had edged her bike up to the perimeter of the riders' circle； now； as they were making grabs for the downed girl； she switched on the Cyclone's headlight and brought it to bear on the group。 Stunned； the riders brought hands up to shield their eyes。
〃‘You Snakes haven't changed a bit；' Rook growled。 She turned the front wheel aside so the bikers could get a look at the hand blaster she had trained on them。 ‘Well； now don't tell me you've forgotten my face。。。'〃
〃The Mohawked rider； who I now noticed had a blue heart tattooed on his left arm； squinted and scowled。 ‘Why； it's Rook！'〃
〃The two women broke free of their pursuers and ran to stand by Rook's Cyclone； one of them crying hysterically。〃
〃‘I suppose you degenerates have overrun the whole place since I've been gone；' Rook continued。〃
〃The outlaw riders looked at one another and said nothing。 Finally； they laughed and took off； warning Rook that she had made a big mistake in ing back。〃
〃‘Skull's right；' I heard one of the women say to Rook。 ‘You better split。 The wars aren't like before。 The Red Snakes have five times as many members now。'〃
〃‘Five times？。。。Is Romy doing anything about it？ Are the Blue Angels still around？'〃
〃‘Broken up；' the other woman said between sobs。 ‘They've fallen apart。 Romy spends all his time with。。。'〃
〃‘Say it； Sue…I already know。'〃
〃‘Your sister；' Sue said； lowering her head。 ‘He can't fight them alone。 No one can。'〃
〃The canyon widened some at its eastern end； where there was a surprisingly well kept park。 Rook spent the rest of the night there…what little there was left of it…still unaware that I wasn't fifty feet away from her。 In the morning a small van drove into the park； a nondescript…looking guy and a girl who couldn't have been more than fifteen stepped out； opened up the back； and； for an hour or so； sold and refilled canisters of propane gas for what appeared to be steady customers。 Rook watched for some time without revealing herself； until the last customer had been served and the duo was getting ready to pack up and leave。 Of course it occurred to me that these two might be Romy and Rook's sister； Lilly； but I had no way of being sure until Rook opened her mouth。〃
〃On foot； she had moved her Cyclone to the top of a wide stone staircase that overlooked the couple's business area and signaled her presence by starting up the mecha。 The man looked up at the sound and said； ‘Who the heck。。。？' then； ‘Rook！' full of excitement。〃
〃But she returned a cold sneer。 ‘Romy； how the heck could you just let the Snakes take control of this place？' she demanded。〃
〃‘Wele back；' Romy said； nonplussed。〃
〃‘Sue tells me there's five times as many of them as there used to be。'〃
〃‘I worried about you； Rook。'〃
〃‘Liar！' she shot back。 ‘I'll bet you were real worried about me when Atilla and his Snakes were stomping the hell out of me in a rumble you and the rest of the Angels never attended！'〃
〃‘Rook…'〃
〃‘How could you have done that to me； Romy？' Rook said； sobbing now。 ‘If you only knew what they did to me。。。there was no way I could stay here after that。'〃
〃While all this was going on； I saw the girl walk out from behind the van； her hand to her mouth in a startled gesture。 Now she spoke to Rook through sobs of her own。〃
〃‘You don't understand…it wasn't like that at all！' she began。〃
〃Rook's younger sister！ I thought。 She bore almost no resemblance to her blond sibling。 Lilly was raven…haired and petite； dressed in a pleated white skirt and a simple burgundy…colored sweater。〃
〃‘Romy didn't run away…he tried to help you； but he was ambushed by the Red Snakes。 They beat him up so bad； he couldn't walk for a month。 It was the Snakes' plan all along to make it seem like Romy deserted you。 They knew you would leave the Angels； and without you； the Angels were nothing。 So when you left； everything fell apart。'〃
〃Rook wore a confused look now。〃
〃‘That's enough；' Romy was telling Lilly。〃
〃‘Please don't blame him；' said Lilly。 ‘He searched all over for you。'〃
〃Rook looked from one to the other； former lover to sister。〃
〃‘Why should I believe you？' she asked。 ‘Either of you！'〃
〃Lilly took a step closer。 ‘Besides； you can't expect Romy to take on the Snakes alone。' She motioned to the delivery van and to Romy； who was tight…lipped and； I think； embarrassed by the scene。 ‘We're trying to build a life for ourselves； Rook。 Romy isn't going to do the stupid things he used to do。 He's。。。he's grown up。'〃
〃I thought Rook was going to take offense at the remark； but she didn't。 In fact； I could see that she was no longer angry。〃
〃‘Sure the Snakes are an evil bunch；' Lilly continued。 ‘But if you don't give them a reason to fight； they mind their own turf。 Romy's not holding back because he's a coward； but for the good of everyone。'〃
〃Rook smiled。 ‘So you're holding back； are you； Romy？'〃
〃I'm not sure just what was on Rook's mind…maybe the idea that Romy was also holding back the affection he still had for her。 In any case； Lilly answered yes for him； and Rook said that she was beginning to understand。 ‘I guess it took a bookworm to make him see the light；' she directed at Lilly。〃
〃Lilly was about to say something； when one of the girls Rook had rescued appeared at the top of the staircase。 Sue； if I recall。〃
〃‘You've got to run for it； Rook！' she said； out of breath。 ‘The Red Snakes are all over Trenchtown looking for you！'〃
〃I saw Rook grin。 ‘Great！' she said； engaging the Cyclone。 She asked Romy if the Snakes still hung out at something she named ‘Highways。' Romy nodded warily。 ‘Rook； you're not thinking of…'〃
〃‘It's what I've been waiting for；' she told him。 'Revenge！'〃
〃She stomped the Cyclone into gear and raced off； leaving all of us wondering if we would ever see her again。〃
CHAPTER ELEVEN
〃No one can dispute the acplishment。 The very fact that they undertook the journey ！to Reflex Point＇ is in and of itself a measure of their courage and mitment； the very fact that they journeyed so far through such hostile territory a testament to their skills。 But someone needs to point out the troubles the journey stirred up for those along the way。 Can anyone name one Southlands settlement that survived their ＇the Bernard team's＇ wake？〃
Breetai Tul； as quoted in Zeus Bellow； The Road to Reflex Point
〃I decided to show myself after Rook split。 I brought the Cyclone to life and pulled out from my place of concealment in the bushes； surprising the hell out of Romy and Lilly。 I popped a small wheelie for effect and screeched to a halt； allowing the tail end to slide around to where Romy stood with his mouth half…open。
〃'Well； don't just stand there waiting for flies to land；' I said to him。 'Hop on and let's give her some backup support。'〃
〃Romy flashed Lilly a look that municated several dozen things at once a