imself it was time to begin distancing himself from them； his new loyalties would have to lie with Wolff and whatever missions lay ahead of them。
The four men left their Cyclones in the woods and followed Wolff's lead along a faint trail that coursed over low hills to an enormous clearing。 Through the foliage； Scott caught glimpses of a massive red hemisphere of some sort。 It troubled him that they had left the Cyclones behind and were closing on the Invid Protoculture farm armed only with hand weapons。 Wolff's explanation made sense…that they wouldn't be able to get near the place on Protoculture…fueled mocha…but even so； it was hard to imagine that simple H…90's could effect much damage。
It was only when they reached the edge of the clearing that Wolff made the rest of the plan clear： It was imperative that they make off with enough Protoculture to fuel the massive rescue operation Wolff was planning。 Each previous mission had brought him closer to this goal； and today's could plete the rescue team's requirements。 Beyond that； the four of them simply had to keep themselves from being fried by annihilation discs。 Scott had a clear view of the farm now and understood why Wolff hadn't attempted to describe the place earlier…it had to be seen to be believed。 It was a hemisphere； all right； but one that stood more than three hundred feet high and was nearly a mile in circumference。 It was a kind of blood…red； organic…looking geodesic dome； lit from within by a pulsing light。 And from its techno…system base extended ten tentaclelike projections； each a good fifty feet around。 Scott imagined that it must have resembled a jellyfish creature from above。
Wolff whispered a warning to his men。 〃Don't be fooled just because you don't see any Invid。 They're around； you can be sure of it。〃 Wolff had the faceshield of his Cyclone helmet raised； he had his dark glasses on。
Scott had to admit that the man was cool and alert； not the boozing； self…pitying Wolff he had seen the night before but the Wolff who had led the Pack up the glory road。
〃There are two entry points above the foundation。 The Protoculture is stored just inside these；〃 Wolff said； gesturing to two arched portals in the membranous portion of the hemisphere wall。 He told Todd and Wilson to take the south one。 〃Bernard and I will take the other one。〃
The three men nodded。
〃Don't overburden yourselves；〃 Wolff added。 〃Just take what you can carry without weighing yourselves down。 Remember； you might need a free hand for those blasters。〃 Wolff grinned。 〃But I hope it won't e to that。〃
Wilson and Todd moved off； using one of the tentacles for cover。 Wolff waved Scott forward a moment later。
Halfway along one of the segmented tentacles； Wolff and Scott stopped； huddling down with their backs against the thing； waiting for Wilson and Todd to reach the south portal。
But something unexpected occurred just as Wilson was stepping through。
〃Wolff！〃 Scott heard Todd shout over the suit's tac net。 〃There's a force field of some kind！〃 He and Wolff turned at the same moment： Wilson seemed to be suspended in the entrance； arms up over his head； his body shaking as energy coursed through his suit。 The ground was rumbling all of a sudden； and before they could take a step toward their two rades； an Invid Trooper erupted from the ground not twenty feet in front of them。
The shock of seeing the thing must have been enough to break the charge that held Wilson； Scott guessed； because now both he and Todd were heading back toward the woods at a run； dodging a pincer swipe along the way。 Scott and Wolff adopted a similar tactic； only to find their route back to safety blocked by a second Invid。 The Trooper emerged with enough force to throw Scott off his feet。
A third Trooper had cut off Wilson and Todd's retreat as well； and the two men were depleting their blaster charges against it。
Wolff was shouting for Scott to get up； all the while pouring energy from his handgun into the face of the alien。 Peripherally； Scott saw a flash of white light and experienced a wave of searing heat； he turned in time to see Wilson and Todd disintegrate beneath a storm of annihilation discs； their depth screams a piercing sound track through the net。
Wolff； meanwhile； had managed to chase off the Invid that had been looming over them only a minute before。 Scott couldn't figure out how he had pulled it off but didn't stop to question it。 He was on his feet now； Wolff's mands to run for it in his ears。 The tree line was only fifty feet away； and he made a mad dash for it。。。
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The incident with Jonathan Wolff dealt a severe blow to the team。 Not only because the episode touched them more deeply than they thought possible…they were not as inured as they liked to think…but primarily because it seemed to shift the burden of responsibility entirely onto their shoulders： There was no resistance； except for their own meager efforts。 But they would get over Wolff's treachery。 How could they not； once confronted with the disillusionments that lay ahead？
Zeus Bellow； The Road to Reflex Point
The note Scott left for the team only made matters worse。 It read： 〃Don't anyone worry。 I can't tell you where I'm going or what I'll be doing； but I'll be back around sunset。 Scott。〃
It was the secrecy that troubled Rand most。 If Scott had simply disappeared for the day； Rand might not have given his absence a second thought； but when Scott failed to return with Colonel Wolff that afternoon； he and Rook decided to take matters into their own hands。 They didn't bother with the formalities of the chain of mand that kept Jonathan Wolff insulated from the city's rabble； they simply made their own way to his room and burst in on the man uninvited。
〃Where's Scott； Colonel？〃 Rand said； out of breath from his run down the hall。
Wolff turned puffy eyes to them。 He was seated at a table in the fetid room； a half…empty bottle of vodka in front of him。 He had barely moved when Rand and Rook had thrown open the door and was now regarding them tiredly； with little concern。
〃Scott who？〃 he said； refilling his glass。
〃Bernard；〃 said Rook。 〃We know he was with you this morning； and he hasn't returned since。〃
Wolff made a dejected sound and put down his glass。 He reached for his dark glasses and slid them on。 〃Bernard。。。〃
〃Well？〃
Tight…lipped； Wolff turned his gaze from them and shook his head。
Rand gasped。 〃You mean。。。〃
〃I can't say for sure。 The Invid surprised us； and in the confusion I didn't see if he made it out or not。 They were waiting for us； and we were overmatched。 What more can I tell you？〃
Struggling with the possible truth of it； Rand said nothing。 But a suspicious look had begun to surface on Rook's face。 〃A whole lot more；〃 she told Wolff。 〃How did you escape； Colonel？〃
Wolff shrugged。 〃I was luckier than the others。 That's the way it is。〃
Rook snorted。 〃From what I hear； that's the way it always is with you。〃
〃What are you insinuating？〃 Wolff seethed； flashing her a cold look。
Rand gestured Rook to back off。 He took two steps toward the table and slammed his hand down。 〃Just tell us where you were attacked。〃
Wolff's hand went out to steady the bottle。 〃If you're thinking about trying to go out there and find him； forget it。 You won't make it。〃
Rand showed his teeth； then relaxed。 〃Look； we've got an Alpha fighter hidden nearby。 If there's even a chance that Scott's alive； you better believe I'm going out there to find him。〃
Mention of the VT seemed to bring Wolff around somewhat。 He lifted the bottle but set it down without pouring。 〃Even a fighter might not be enough。〃 Wolff gave Rand an appraising look。 〃Yes； Scott told me that you'd seen action together。 But we're up against a hive； not a Scout patrol。〃
〃It's still worth a try。〃
Wolff thought a moment； then said： 〃All right； I'll lead you out there。〃
〃Great！〃
Wolff stood up and went for his jacket。 〃We'll leave immediately。〃
Rand swung around to Rook。 〃Let the others know what I'm up to。 We'll get Scott back！〃
With that he rushed from the room； Wolff a few paces behind him。 Rook stood dumbfounded for a moment； then followed him to the doorway。 〃What am I…your personal messenger or something？〃 she yelled to his back。 But he didn't turn around。 〃Rand！〃 she shouted again； fuming。
Rand showed Wolff where the Alpha was hidden； but the colonel insisted they recon the area on Cyclones before bringing the Veritech into play。 The fighter； Wolff insisted； would stir up the entire hive； it was simply too precious a modity to risk； even for the life of a valued friend。
Rand saw the logic of it； disturbing as it was； especially after Wolff had led him to the hive。
〃The place is a fortress！〃 Rand exclaimed； keeping his voice low。 〃I've never seen anything like it。〃
Wolff regarded him from behind the dark glasses； obviously pleased by Rand's shocked reaction。 They were at the edge of the clearing now； suited up in Cyclone armor and armed with hand blasters。 〃It's just one of many；〃 Wolff said。 〃There's a chain of these things that runs clear to Reflex Point。〃
Rand swallowed hard； discouraged。 〃It was around here that you last saw Scott？〃
Wolff nodded and lowered the helmet's faceshield。 〃We'll search the perimeter first。〃 He motioned Rand off to the right。 〃Stick to the woods； and I'll meet you on the other side。 I only hope there's something left of Bernard to find。〃
Rand refused to allow the thought to register。 He turned and was about to move off when the ground began to tremble。 Wolff drew his blaster and pivoted through a 360； searching for some sign of the Invid's egress point。 Rand managed to get his blaster unholstered and aimed in the same general direction as Wolff 's。
In a moment the Invid Trooper showed itself； rising up through the earth and underbrush just outside the clearing。 Wolff and Rand hit it full power； but neither of them was successful at directing a charge to any of the creature's vulnerable points。 The Trooper seemed to sense their helplessness and opted to kill them with its claw rather than cannon fire。 It had one of its pincers raised for a downward strike； when someone behind the two men stunned it with a Scorpion delivered to the head。
Rand turned in time to see Rook's red Cyclone's rearwheel landing in the clearing。 She slid the tail end of the mecha around and shouted through the externals for Rand to jump on。
〃I told you you weren't leaving me behind；〃 Rand heard as he raced to the Cyc。 〃And it's a lucky thing for you two that I decided to follow。〃
As Rand straddled the Cyclone's rear seat； he realized that Wolff wasn't behind him。 Over his shoulder he glimpsed Wolff waving Rook off。 〃Get going！〃 Wolff told them。 〃I'll make it back to my mecha！〃
Rook wasn't about to sit around and argue。 She toed the Cyclone into gear and sped off almost before Rand had secured an adequate handhold behind her。 Meanwhile； the stunned Invid had e to life and was spewing a horizontal hail of annihilation discs into the trees。 The Trooper pursued them； its shoulder cannons blazing。 Rook pushed the Cyclone through a series of twists and turns； dodging explosions； plumes of fire and dirt。
Rand was thinking they were in the clear whe