WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Section three of Second Variety by Philip Kadik. This LibriVox

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<v Speaker 1>recording is in the public domain. Klausliked up quickly. You

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<v Speaker 1>can see what she's trying to say. She thinks I'm

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<v Speaker 1>the second Variety, don't you see? Major? Now, she wants

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<v Speaker 1>you to believe I killed him on purpose, that I'm

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<v Speaker 1>Why did you kill him? Then, Tasso said, I told you.

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus shook his head wearily. I thought he was a claw.

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<v Speaker 1>I thought I knew why I had been watching him.

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<v Speaker 1>I was suspicious why. I thought I had seen something,

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<v Speaker 1>heard something. I thought I he stopped. Go on. We

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<v Speaker 1>were sitting at the table playing cards. You two were

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<v Speaker 1>in the other room. It was silent. I thought I

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<v Speaker 1>heard him were there was silence. Do you believe that?

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<v Speaker 1>Tasso said to Hendrix. Yes, I believe what he says.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't. I think he killed Rudy for a good purpose.

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<v Speaker 1>Tasso touched the rifle resting in the corner of the room. Major, No,

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<v Speaker 1>Heindrix shook his head. Let's stop it right now. One

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<v Speaker 1>is enough. We're afraid the way he was. If we

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<v Speaker 1>kill him, we'll be doing what he did to Rudy.

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus looked gratefully up at him. Thanks. I was afraid,

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<v Speaker 1>you understand, don't you Now She's afraid the way I was.

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<v Speaker 1>She wants to kill me. No more killing. Hendrix moved

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<v Speaker 1>toward the end of the ladder. I'm going above and

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<v Speaker 1>try the transmitter once more. If I can't get them,

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<v Speaker 1>we're moving back toward my lines tomorrow morning. Klaus rose quickly.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll come up with you and give you a hand.

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<v Speaker 1>The night air was cold, the earth was cooling off.

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus took a deep breath, filling his lungs. He and

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<v Speaker 1>Hendrix stepped on to the ground out of the tunnel.

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus planted his feet wide apart, the rifle up, watching

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<v Speaker 1>and listening. Hendrix crouched by the tunnel mouth, tuning the

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<v Speaker 1>small transmitter. Any look, Klaus asked, presently, not yet, keep

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<v Speaker 1>trying tell them what happened. Hendrix kept trying without success.

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<v Speaker 1>Finally he lowered the antenna. It's useless. They can't hear me.

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<v Speaker 1>Are they hear me and won't answer, or or they

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<v Speaker 1>don't exist. I'll try once more. Hendrix raised the antenna. Scott,

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<v Speaker 1>can you hear me? Come in? He listened. There was

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<v Speaker 1>only static, then still very faintly. This is Scott. His

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<v Speaker 1>fingers tightened. Scott, is it you? This is Scott? Klaus

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<v Speaker 1>squatted down. Is it your command? Scott? Listen? Do you

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<v Speaker 1>understand about them the claws? Did you get my message?

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<v Speaker 1>Did you hear me? Yes? Fatally, almost inaudible. He could

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<v Speaker 1>hardly make out the word you got my message? Is

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<v Speaker 1>everything all right at the bunker? None of them have

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<v Speaker 1>got in? Everything is all right? Have they tried to

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<v Speaker 1>get in? The voice was weaker? No? Hendrix turned to Klaus.

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<v Speaker 1>They're all right? Have they been attucked? No? Hendrix pressed

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<v Speaker 1>the phone tighter to his ear. Scott, I can hardly

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<v Speaker 1>hear you. Have you notified the moon base? Do they know?

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<v Speaker 1>Are they alerted? No answer, Scott, can you hear me? Silence?

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<v Speaker 1>Hendrix relaxed, sagging faded out. Must be radiation pools. Hendrix

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<v Speaker 1>and Klaus looked at each other. Neither of them said anything.

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<v Speaker 1>After a time, Klaus said, did its own like any

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<v Speaker 1>of your men? Could you identify the voice? It was

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<v Speaker 1>too faint. You couldn't be certain. No, then it could

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<v Speaker 1>have been I don't know. Now I'm not sure. Let's

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<v Speaker 1>go back down and get the lid closed. They climbed

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<v Speaker 1>back down the ladder slowly into the warm cellar. Klaus

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<v Speaker 1>spoke to the lid behind them. Tasso waited for them,

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<v Speaker 1>her face expressionless, any look, she asked. Neither of them answered, well,

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus said, at last, what do you think, Major, Was

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<v Speaker 1>it your officer or was it one of them? I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know. Then we're just where we were before. Hendrix

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<v Speaker 1>stared down at the floor, his jaw set. We'll have

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<v Speaker 1>to go to be sure. Anyhow, we have food here

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<v Speaker 1>for only a few weeks. We'd have to go up

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<v Speaker 1>after that in any case, apparently, So what's wrong? Tasso demanded,

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<v Speaker 1>Did you get across to your bunker? What's the matter?

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<v Speaker 1>It may have been one of my men. Hendrix said slowly, Ah,

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<v Speaker 1>it may have been one of them, but we'll never know.

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<v Speaker 1>Standing here, he examined his watch. Let's turn in and

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<v Speaker 1>get some sleep. We want to be up early tomorrow early.

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<v Speaker 1>Our best chance to get through the claws would be

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<v Speaker 1>early in the morning, Hendrix said. The morning was crisp

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<v Speaker 1>and clear. Major Hendrix studied the country side through his

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<v Speaker 1>field glasses. See anything, Klaus said, No, can you make

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<v Speaker 1>out our bunkers? Which way here? Klaus took the glasses

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<v Speaker 1>and adjusted them. I know where to look. He looked

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<v Speaker 1>a long time, silently. Tasso came to the top of

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<v Speaker 1>the tunnel and stepped up on to the ground. Anything. No,

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus passed the glasses back to Hendrix. They're out of sight.

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<v Speaker 1>Come on, let's not stay here. The three of them

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<v Speaker 1>made their way down the side of the ridge, sliding

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<v Speaker 1>in the soft ash. Across a flat rock, A lizard scuttled.

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<v Speaker 1>They stopped instantly, rigid. What was that, Klaus muttered, A lizard.

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<v Speaker 1>The lizard ran on, hurrying through the ash. It was

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<v Speaker 1>exactly the same color as the ash. Perfect adaptation. Klaus said, Pruse,

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<v Speaker 1>we were right, Lesenko. I mean. They reached the bottom

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<v Speaker 1>of the ridge and stopped, standing close together looking around them.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's go, Hendrix started off. It's a good long trip

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<v Speaker 1>on foot. Klaus fell in beside him. Tasso walked behind her,

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<v Speaker 1>pistol held alertly. Major. I've been meaning to ask you something,

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus said. How did you run across the David, the

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<v Speaker 1>one that was taking you. I met it along the

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<v Speaker 1>way in some ruins. What did it say? Not much?

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<v Speaker 1>It said, It was all alone by itself. You couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>tell it was a machine. It talked like a living person.

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<v Speaker 1>You never suspected it didn't say much. I noticed nothing unusual.

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<v Speaker 1>It's strange. Machines are so much like people that you

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<v Speaker 1>can be fooled almost alive. I wonder where it'll end.

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<v Speaker 1>They're going to do what you Yanks designed them to do.

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<v Speaker 1>Tasso said, you designed them to hunt out life and

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<v Speaker 1>destroy human life wherever they find it. Hendrix was watching

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus intently. Why did you ask me? What's on your mind? Nothing,

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus answered. Klaus thinks you're the second variety, Tasso said

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<v Speaker 1>calmly from behind him. Now he's got his eye on you.

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<v Speaker 1>Las flushed. Why not we sent their runner to the

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<v Speaker 1>Yank lines and he comes back. Maybe he thought he'd

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<v Speaker 1>find some good game here, Hendrix laughed harshly. I came

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<v Speaker 1>from the un bunkers. There were human beings all around me.

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe you saw an opportunity to get into the Soviet lines.

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe you saw your chance. Maybe you the Soviet lines

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<v Speaker 1>had already been taken over, Your lines had been invaded

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<v Speaker 1>before I left my command bunker. Don't forget that, Tasso

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<v Speaker 1>came up beside him. That proves nothing at all major?

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<v Speaker 1>Why not? There appears to be little communication between the varieties.

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<v Speaker 1>Each is made in a different factory. They don't seem

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<v Speaker 1>to work together. You might have started for the Soviet

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<v Speaker 1>lines without knowing anything about the work of the other varieties,

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<v Speaker 1>or even what the other varieties were like. How do

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<v Speaker 1>you know so much about the claws, Hendrick said, I've

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<v Speaker 1>seen them, I've observed them. I observed them take over

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<v Speaker 1>the Soviet bunkers. You know quite a lot, Klaus said, Actually,

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<v Speaker 1>you saw very little, strange that you should have been

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<v Speaker 1>such an acute observer. Tasso laughed. Do you suspect me? Now?

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<v Speaker 1>Forget it, Hendrix said. They walked on in silence. Are

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<v Speaker 1>we going the whole way on foot? Tasso said, after

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<v Speaker 1>a while, I'm not used to walking. She gazed around

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<v Speaker 1>at the plain of ash stretching out on all sides

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<v Speaker 1>of them as far as they could see. How dreary

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<v Speaker 1>it's like this all the way, Klaus said, in a way,

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<v Speaker 1>I wish you had been in your bunker when the

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<v Speaker 1>attack came. Some one else would have been with you,

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<v Speaker 1>if not me, Klaus muttered. Tasso laughed, putting her hands

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<v Speaker 1>in her pocket. I suppose so They walked on, keeping

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<v Speaker 1>their eyes on the vast plain of silent ash around them.

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<v Speaker 1>The sun was setting. Hendrix made his way forward, slowly,

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<v Speaker 1>waving Tusso and Klaus back. Klaus squatted down, resting his

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<v Speaker 1>gun butt against the ground. Tusso found a concrete slab

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<v Speaker 1>and sat down with a sigh. It's good to rest,

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<v Speaker 1>be quiet, Klaus said, sharply. Hendrix pushed up to the

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<v Speaker 1>top of the rise ahead of them, the same rise

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<v Speaker 1>the Russian runner had come up the day before. Hendrix

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<v Speaker 1>dropped down, stretching himself out, peering through his glasses at

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<v Speaker 1>what lay beyond. Nothing was visible, only ash and occasional trees.

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<v Speaker 1>But there, not more than fifty yards ahead was the

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<v Speaker 1>entrance of the forward command bunker. The bunker from which

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<v Speaker 1>he had come watched silently, no motion, no sign of life.

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<v Speaker 1>Nothing stirred. Klaus slithered up beside him. Where is it

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<v Speaker 1>down there? Hendrix passed him the glasses. Clouds of ash

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<v Speaker 1>rolled across the evening sky. The world was darkening. They

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<v Speaker 1>had a couple of hours of light left at the most,

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<v Speaker 1>Probably not that much. I don't see anything, Klaus said.

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<v Speaker 1>That tree there, the stump by the pile of bricks.

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<v Speaker 1>The entrance is to the right of the bricks. I'll

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<v Speaker 1>have to take your word for it. You and Tasso

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<v Speaker 1>cover me from here. You'll be able to sight all

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<v Speaker 1>the way to the bunker entrance. You're going down the

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<v Speaker 1>lone with my wrist tab, I'll be safe. The ground

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<v Speaker 1>around the bunker is a living field of claws. They

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<v Speaker 1>collect down in the ash like crabs. Without tabs, you

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't have a chance. Maybe you're right. I'll walk slowly

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<v Speaker 1>all the way as soon as I know for certain.

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<v Speaker 1>If they're down inside the bunker, you won't be able

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<v Speaker 1>to get back up here. They go fast. You don't realize.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you suggest, Klaus considered, I don't know. Get

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<v Speaker 1>them to come up to the surface so you can see.

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<v Speaker 1>Hendrix brought his transmitter from his belt, raising the antenna.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's get started, Klaus signaled to Tasso. She crawled expertly

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<v Speaker 1>up the side of the rise to where they were sitting.

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<v Speaker 1>He's going down alone, Klaus said. We'll cover him from here.

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<v Speaker 1>As soon as you see him, start back fire past

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<v Speaker 1>him at once. They come quick. You're not very optimistic,

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<v Speaker 1>Tasso said, no, I'm not. Hendrix opened the breach of

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<v Speaker 1>his gun, checking it carefully. Maybe things are all right.

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<v Speaker 1>You didn't see the hundreds of them, all the same,

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<v Speaker 1>pouring out like ants. I should be able to find

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<v Speaker 1>out without going down all the way. Hendrix locked his gun,

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<v Speaker 1>gripped it in one hand, the transmitter in the other. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>wish me luck, Klaus put out his hand. Don't go

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<v Speaker 1>down until you're sure. Talk to them from up here,

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<v Speaker 1>make them show themselves. Hendrix stood up. He stepped down

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<v Speaker 1>the side of the rise. A moment later he was

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<v Speaker 1>walking slowly toward the pile of bricks and debris beside

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<v Speaker 1>the dead tree stump, toward the entrance of the forward

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<v Speaker 1>command bunker. Nothing stirred. He raised the transmitter, clicking it on. Scott,

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<v Speaker 1>can you hear me? Silence, Scott, this is Hendrix. Can

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<v Speaker 1>you hear me. I'm standing outside the monker. You should

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<v Speaker 1>be able to see me in the view site. He listened,

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<v Speaker 1>transmitter gripped tightly. No sound, only static. He walked forward.

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<v Speaker 1>A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward him.

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<v Speaker 1>It halted a few feet away and then slunk off.

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<v Speaker 1>A second claw appeared, one of the big ones with feelers.

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<v Speaker 1>It moved toward him, studied him intently, and then fell

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<v Speaker 1>in behind him, dogging respectfully after him a few paces away.

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<v Speaker 1>A moment later, a second big claw joined it silently.

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<v Speaker 1>The claws trailed him as he walked slowly toward the bunker.

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<v Speaker 1>Hendrick stopped and behind him, the claws came to a halt.

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<v Speaker 1>He was close, now, almost to the bunker's steps. Scott,

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<v Speaker 1>can you hear me? I'm standing right above you, outside

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<v Speaker 1>on the surface. Are you picking me up? He waited,

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<v Speaker 1>holding his gun against his side, the transmitter tightly to ear.

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<v Speaker 1>Time passed. He strained to hear, but there was only silence, silence,

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<v Speaker 1>and faint static, then distantly metallically. This is Scott. The

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<v Speaker 1>voice was neutral, cold, He could not identify it, but

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<v Speaker 1>the earphone was minute. Scott, listen, I'm standing right above you.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm on the surface, looking down into the bunker entrance. Yes.

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<v Speaker 1>Can you see me? Yes? Through the view sight? You

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00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:41.480
<v Speaker 1>have the sight trained on me? Yes, Hendrix pondered. A

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<v Speaker 1>circle of claws waited quietly around him, gray metal bodies

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<v Speaker 1>on all sides of him. Is everything all right in

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<v Speaker 1>the bunker. Nothing unusual has happened. Everything is all right.

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<v Speaker 1>Will you come up to the surface. I want to

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<v Speaker 1>see you. For a moment, Hendrix took a deep breath.

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<v Speaker 1>Come up here. I want to talk to you. Calm down.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm giving you an order. Silence. Are you coming? Hendrix listened.

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<v Speaker 1>There was no response. I order you to come to

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<v Speaker 1>the surface. Calm down. Hendrix set his jaw. Let me

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<v Speaker 1>talk to leone. There was a long pause. He listened

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<v Speaker 1>to the static. Then a voice came, hard, thin, metallic,

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<v Speaker 1>the same as the other. This is Leone Hendrix. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>on the surface at the bunker entrance. I want one

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<v Speaker 1>of you to come up here. Com down. Why come down?

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<v Speaker 1>I'm giving you an order. Silence. Hendrix lowered the transmitter.

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<v Speaker 1>He looked carefully around him. The entrance was just ahead,

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<v Speaker 1>almost at his feet. He lowered the antennae and fastened

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<v Speaker 1>the transmitter to his belt. Carefully, he gripped his gun

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<v Speaker 1>with both hands. He moved forward, a step at a time.

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<v Speaker 1>If they could see him, they knew he was starting

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<v Speaker 1>toward the entrance. He closed his eyes a moment, then

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<v Speaker 1>he put his foot on the first step that led downward.

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<v Speaker 1>Two Davids came up at him, their faces identical and expressionless.

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<v Speaker 1>He blasted them into porticles. More came, rushing silently up,

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<v Speaker 1>a whole pack of them, all exactly the same. Hendrix

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<v Speaker 1>turned and raced back away from the bunker, back toward

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<v Speaker 1>the rise. At the top of the rise, Tasso and

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus were firing down. The small claws were already streaking

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<v Speaker 1>up toward them, shining metal spheres, going fast, racing frantically

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<v Speaker 1>through the ash. But he had no no time to

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<v Speaker 1>think about that. He knelt down, aiming at the bunker entrance,

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00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:09.559
<v Speaker 1>gun against his cheek. The Davids were coming out in groups,

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<v Speaker 1>clutching their teddy bears, their thin knobby legs pumping as

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<v Speaker 1>they ran up the steps to the surface. Hendrix fired

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<v Speaker 1>into the main body of them. They burst apart, wheels

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00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:26.079
<v Speaker 1>and springs flying in all directions. He fired again. Through

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<v Speaker 1>the mist of particles. A giant, lumbering figure rose up

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<v Speaker 1>in the bunker entrance, tall and swaying. Hendrix paused, amazed.

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<v Speaker 1>A man, a soldier with one leg, supporting himself with

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<v Speaker 1>a crutch. Major Tusso's voice came more firing. The huge

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<v Speaker 1>figure moved forward. Davids swarmed around it. Hendrix broke out

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<v Speaker 1>of his frieze the first variety, the wounded Soldier. He

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<v Speaker 1>aimed and fired. The soldier burst into bits, parts and

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<v Speaker 1>relays flying. Now many Davids were out on the flat

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<v Speaker 1>ground away from the bunker. He fired again and again,

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<v Speaker 1>moving slowly back, half crouching and aiming from the rise.

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<v Speaker 1>Klaus fired down. The side of the rise was alive,

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<v Speaker 1>with claws making their way up. Hendrix retreated toward the rise,

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<v Speaker 1>running and crouching. Tusso had left Klaus and was circling

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<v Speaker 1>slowly to the right, moving away from the rise. Hey

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<v Speaker 1>David slipped up toward him, its small white face expressionless,

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00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:45.839
<v Speaker 1>brown hair hanging down in its eyes. It bent over,

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<v Speaker 1>suddenly opening its arms. Its teddy bear hurtled down and

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<v Speaker 1>leaped across the ground, bounding toward him. Hendrix fired. The

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<v Speaker 1>bear and the David both dissolved. He grinned, blinking. It

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<v Speaker 1>was like a dream up here, Tasso's voice. Hendrix made

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<v Speaker 1>his way toward her. She was over by some columns

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<v Speaker 1>of concrete walls of a ruined building. She was firing

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<v Speaker 1>past him with the hand pistol. Claus had given her thanks.

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<v Speaker 1>He joined her, gasping for breath. She pulled him back

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<v Speaker 1>behind the concrete, Fumbling at her belt. Close your eyes,

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<v Speaker 1>she unfastened a globe from her waist. Rapidly she unscrewed

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<v Speaker 1>the cap, locking it into place. Close your eyes and

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00:20:35.480 --> 00:20:40.079
<v Speaker 1>get down. She threw the bomb. It sailed in an

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<v Speaker 1>arc an expert rolling and bouncing to the entrance of

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<v Speaker 1>the bunker. Two wounded soldiers stood uncertainly by the brick pile.

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<v Speaker 1>More Davids poured from behind them out onto the plain.

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<v Speaker 1>One of the wounded soldiers moved toward the bomb, stooping

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<v Speaker 1>awkwardly down to pick it up. The bomb went off.

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<v Speaker 1>The concussion world Hendrix around, throwing him on his face.

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<v Speaker 1>A hot wind rolled over him. Dimly, he saw Tasso

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<v Speaker 1>standing behind the columns, firing slowly and methodically at the

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<v Speaker 1>David's Coming out of the raging clouds of white fire.

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<v Speaker 1>Back along the rise, Klaus struggled with a ring of

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<v Speaker 1>claws circling around him. He retreated, blasting at them and

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<v Speaker 1>moving back, trying to break through the ring. Hendrix struggled

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<v Speaker 1>to his feet, his head ached. He could hardly see.

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<v Speaker 1>Everything was licking at him, raging and whirling. His right

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<v Speaker 1>arm would not move. Tasso pulled back toward him. Come on,

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<v Speaker 1>let's go, Klaus, he's still up there. Come on. Tusso

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<v Speaker 1>dragged Hendrix back away from the columns. Hendrix shook his head,

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<v Speaker 1>trying to clear it. Tasso led him rapidly away, her

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<v Speaker 1>eyes intense and bright, watching for claws that had escaped

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<v Speaker 1>the blast. One David came out of the rolling clouds

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<v Speaker 1>of flame. Tasso blasted it. No more appeared, but Klaus,

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<v Speaker 1>what about him? Hendrick stopped standing unsteadily. He come on.

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<v Speaker 1>They retreated, moving farther and farther away from the bunker.

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<v Speaker 1>A few small claws followed them for a little while,

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<v Speaker 1>and then gave up, turning back and going off. At last,

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<v Speaker 1>Tasso stopped, We can stop here and get our breasts.

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<v Speaker 1>Hendrick sat down on some heaps of debris. He wiped

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<v Speaker 1>his neck, gasping, we left Klaus back there. Tasso said nothing.

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<v Speaker 1>She opened her gun, sliding a fresh round of blast

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<v Speaker 1>cartridges into place. Hendrix stared at her, dazed, You left

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00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:04.440
<v Speaker 1>him back there on purpose? Tasso snapped the gun together.

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<v Speaker 1>She studied the heaps of rubble around them, her face expressionless,

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<v Speaker 1>as if she were watching for something. What is it?

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<v Speaker 1>Hendrix demanded? What are you looking for? Is something coming?

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<v Speaker 1>He shook his head, trying to understand what was she doing?

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<v Speaker 1>What was she waiting for? He could see nothing. Ash

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<v Speaker 1>lay all around them, ash and ruins, occasional stark tree

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<v Speaker 1>trunks without leaves or branches. What Tasso cut him off

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<v Speaker 1>bestill Her eyes narrowed. Suddenly, her gun came up. Hendrix turned,

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<v Speaker 1>following her gaze back the way they had come. A

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<v Speaker 1>figure appeared. The figure walked unsteadily toward them. Its clothes

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<v Speaker 1>were torn. It limped as it made its way along,

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<v Speaker 1>going very slowly and carefully, slopping now and then resting

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<v Speaker 1>and getting its strength. Once it almost fell. It stood

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<v Speaker 1>for a moment, trying to steady itself. Then it came

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<v Speaker 1>on Klaus. Hendrix stood up. Klaus, he started toward him.

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<v Speaker 1>How the hell did you? Tasso fired. Hendrix swung back.

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<v Speaker 1>She fired again, the blast passing him a searing line

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<v Speaker 1>of heat. The beam caught Klaus in the chest. He exploded,

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<v Speaker 1>gears and wheels flying. For a moment, he continued to walk,

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<v Speaker 1>Then he swayed back and forth. He crashed to the ground,

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<v Speaker 1>his arms flung out. A few more wheels rolled away silence.

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<v Speaker 1>Tasso turned to Hendrix. Now you understand why he killed Rudy.

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<v Speaker 1>Hendrix sat down again. Slowly. He shook his head. He

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<v Speaker 1>was numb. He could not think. Do you see, Tasso said,

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<v Speaker 1>do you understand? Hendrix said nothing. Everything was slipping away

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<v Speaker 1>from him, faster and faster, darkness rolling and plucking at him.

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<v Speaker 1>He closed his eyes. Hendrix opened his eyes slowly. His

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<v Speaker 1>body ached all over. He tried to sit up, but

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00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:28.559
<v Speaker 1>needles of pain shot through his arm and shoulder. He gasped,

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<v Speaker 1>don't try to get up, Tusso said. She bent down,

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<v Speaker 1>putting her cold hand against his forehead. It was night.

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<v Speaker 1>A few stars glinted above, shining through the drifting clouds

337
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<v Speaker 1>of ash. Hendrix lay back, his teeth locked. Tusso watched

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<v Speaker 1>him impassively. She had built a fire with some wood

339
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<v Speaker 1>and weeds. The fire licked feebly, hissing at a metal

340
00:25:54.599 --> 00:26:01.480
<v Speaker 1>cup suspended over it. Everything was silent, uning darkness beyond

341
00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:06.960
<v Speaker 1>the fire. So he was the second variety, Hendrix murmured.

342
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<v Speaker 1>I had always thought, so, why didn't you destroy him sooner?

343
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<v Speaker 1>He wanted to know you held me back. Tasso crossed

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<v Speaker 1>to the fire to look into the metal cup. Coffee

345
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<v Speaker 1>it'll be already to drink in a while. She came

346
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<v Speaker 1>back and sat down beside him. Presently, she opened her

347
00:26:26.039 --> 00:26:31.200
<v Speaker 1>pistol and began to disassemble the firing mechanism, studying it intently.

348
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<v Speaker 1>This is a beautiful gun, Tasso said, half aloud. The

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<v Speaker 1>construction is superb. What about them the claws? The concussion

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<v Speaker 1>from the bomb put most of them out of action.

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<v Speaker 1>They're delicate, highly organized. I suppose the Davids too. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>how did you happen to have a bomb like that?

353
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<v Speaker 1>Tasso shrugged. We designed it. You shouldn't underestimate our technology. Major.

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<v Speaker 1>Without such a bomb, you and I would no longer exist.

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<v Speaker 1>Very useful, Tasso stretched out her legs, warming her feet

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<v Speaker 1>in the heat of the fire. It surprised me that

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<v Speaker 1>you did not seem to understand after he killed Rudy,

358
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<v Speaker 1>why did you think he I told you. I thought

359
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<v Speaker 1>he was afraid. Really, you know, Major, For a little while,

360
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<v Speaker 1>I suspected you because you wouldn't let me kill him.

361
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<v Speaker 1>I thought you might be protecting him, she laughed. Are

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<v Speaker 1>we safe here, Hendrix asked, presently, for a while, until

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<v Speaker 1>they get reinforcements from some other area. Tasso began to

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<v Speaker 1>clean the interior of the gun with a bit of rag.

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<v Speaker 1>She finished and pushed the mechanism back into place. She

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<v Speaker 1>closed the gun, running her finger along the barrel. We

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00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:02.240
<v Speaker 1>were lucky, Hendrix murmured, Yes, very lucky, and thanks for

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<v Speaker 1>pulling me away. End of Section three.