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a person was infected。 Great。 Rock watched the parka…clad woman slide along on skis。
Rona had earned her entry into the mission。 Without her initiatives； it would never have been possible。 She was some lady。 And Rock looked forward to sharing his sleeping bag with the leggy redhead。 A bonus for having her along。 The guys would understand … wouldn't they？ Of course； McCaughlin would tease … but what the hell。 And Scheransky … Rock was proud of the man。
The Russian was an asset。 A man who Rock had e to admire； as much for his courage and open…mindedness as for his technical knowledge。 Rockson couldn't get over the change in Scheransky。 The Russian defector was quite different from when Rock had first met him； right after he'd parachuted down from a Soviet plane。 Then； Scheransky had been a pudgy techie； brainwashed into believing most if not all of the munist party line。 Now he was lean and hard； a seasoned veteran of the Freefighter forces。 His allegiance was to freedom now； freedom and strength。 The rest of the team were friends and worthy members of the human race。 Rock worried that some of them might not survive the whole journey。 Just a hunch。 Who？
It was near dark when Rockson decided； by taking sightings with his navigation equipment； that they were nearing the Hall of President's museum。 The Freefighters had shuffled positions again。 Now； Detroit and Chen were hanging onto the sled that the Russian drove。 Each wore the short metal skis that had special almost…frictionless bottoms under their boots。 That lessened the weight the dogs had to pull。
Rockson's sled followed。 He drove its six fan…hitched wolf…huskies relentlessly； and they never tired。 McCaughlin and Archer were sliding along holding on each to their own handle behind him。
Rock hoped that at the end of each day's trek they could find some sort of shelter … a rock overhang； anything。 They had a survival tent； but there was a suspicious wind rising from the east。 The worst storms came out of the Great Plains； where they could build and build； unencumbered by mountains。 He feared the worst。
CHAPTER 7
Rock watched the towering black clouds building over the hills。 Though it wasn't snowing； the increasing winds ing from the blackness ahead whipped through his down coat and threatened to tear off his fur…flapped hat。
Most snow clouds are gray。 Black snowclouds could mean acid snow … the conical…flaked death snows。 No one could predict when the black snow would e to devastate an area； they just came out of nowhere。
A biting cold hit just as the sky became totally dark。 It was as if the sun had set； and yet it was an hour before sunset。
Rockson； anxious to make their goal before all hell broke loose； pushed their teams to the utmost。 The cold ate into his hands； his arms； his legs； despite the thermal layers of synseal and goose down。 The others too by their grim expressions were feeling the sixty…below temperature … and realizing the danger。
There was only open； rolling terrain ahead； but hopefully they could reach the cliffs he could see miles ahead； find shelter before the storm hit。 Worry about finding the museum later。
Within minutes； as the seven brave Freefighters whipped their half…wild teams to a frenzied pace； the storm overtook them。 A thunderous howl of wind…blown snow obscured the way； and in that blown white snow appeared black specks … the dreaded black snow。
〃Faster； we've got to go faster。 Shine your flashlights ahead； use your passes。 Keep going west…south…west。 We've got to find shelter。〃
The sled he was riding started to shimmy in the wind； the dogs were howling； their voices an eerie cross between wolf howl and dogs' growl。 Lightning and thunder rent the air。 The black specks increased。 Rockson got the first hit on his lips。 It burned。 Acid snow； all right。
There appeared a dozen； then a hundred； smoking tiny holes in his snow suit。 The acid flakes were eating into his clothing。
He pulled the hood down over his face … he couldn't see ahead anyway； so he just kept the luminous pass in sight through the tiny hole he left to see through。 〃Faster； faster；〃 he yelled； whipping the howlers。
It was totally dark now； they were plunging ahead at breakneck speed； but they had no choice。 The super…strong wolf…dogs were the one thing in their favor。 Snow…wolf pelts were special … they were immune to acid snows； the result of a hundred years of genetic mutation after the nuke war。 The dogs would keep going。 But the acid snow； though it didn't blind the teams； still stung their eyes。 Therefore the howls of pain。 The dogs wanted to stop and huddle together； protecting their eyes。 But if they stopped； the humans they pulled would be burned to skeletons in a matter of ten minutes。
Only the whip kept them going。
Rock had to look ahead … he uncovered his eyes。 It hurt； but he had to look。 There； through the swirling gray…blackness； Rock dimly saw a shape … the cliffs。 〃We're almost there； keep behind me； I'm going to find a niche in the rocks for us to hole up in；〃 he shouted； the wind nearly drowning his words。
It didn't take long once they reached the jagged jumbled rocks of the cliffs to find a deep rock overhang。 In seconds they were out of the snow and wind。 With their flashtorches lit； they unhooded and removed their outer clothing and applied ointment to their stung faces and eyes。 Detroit had a space between his left glove and his coat； and the skin was badly burned there。 But by some miracle that was the only injury。 The parkas weren't impervious to the acid snow； but they had some resistant quality。 Schecter had synthesized the material the parkas were made of。 Good old Schecter。
There were some small gnarled tree stumps in the rock shelter； 〃Joshua trees；〃 said Detroit。 〃Thousands of years old。〃
Rock carefully unhitched the teams of dogs and tied them to the stumpy trees； then Chen and he applied ointment to the wolf…dogs' big red saucer eyes。
They seemed to sense that they were being treated for their own good； and the salivating teeth…aplenty creatures docilely accepted the ministrations。
That acplished。 Rockson said； 〃Maybe we can get a fire burning … there're lots of broken branches and some dried grass in clumps here and there。〃 It was a good idea； for the temperature still hovered around sixty below。 In no time at all； wood and kindling had been gathered and a roaring fire lit。 Rockson sat down close to the fire on the bare earth。 Ah； this was better。
He felt something unfortable … maybe a root … under him。
He stood up to see what the offending object was； and picked up what looked like the femur bone of a human skeleton。 〃Hey； look at this … seems like we're not the only ones to ever stop here。。。〃
〃Nor the unluckiest。 I wonder what he died of。〃 Chen said。
Rona said； 〃Maybe we'd better have a look around。。。〃
One of the bigger of the wolf…dogs； the one that Class Act seemed to always huddle with； began growling。 His fierce red eyes； glowing in the campfire light； fixated on Rockson。 The beast yowled and lunged forward； snapping his restraint； his salivating triple jaws heading straight for the Doomsday Warrior。
〃Drop the bone；〃 Rona said； throwing her weight against Rockson； pushing him aside in the nick of time。 Rockson rolled and came to a stand。 He had dropped the bone； yet was preparing for another onslaught from the wild dog。 But the dog just lost interest and sat down。
Chen put his exploding star…knife down。 〃I was just about to throw it at the damned animal。 We would have been out one damned good dog；〃 he said。 〃Good thing it quieted down。〃
〃I wonder what upset it？〃 Rockson mused； carefully going over and retying the creature。 It didn't even growl。 Then Rock went over to the bone again and started lifting it。 Instantly the dog began growling。 He dropped it。
〃Looks like it isn't you but the bone the dog doesn't like；〃 Rona observed。
〃Okay with me；〃 Rockson said。 〃I'll leave the damned bone alone。〃 He walked to the fire。 〃McCaughlin； do you have that dried caribou meat？ The dogs might be a bit hungry。 Maybe that's what's bugging them。〃
〃I'll get right to it。 Rock。 I'll fix it up； roast it on a spit over this here fire。 And I'll fix us humans up some good grub too。〃
〃Took the words right out of my mouth。 Save the fatty parts for our dogs。 They deserve some food。 They sure are doing their job。 Glad I thought to use them for this trek。〃 Rock shot a glance at Rona and winked。
In a matter of twenty minutes； they were all chomping on the delicious dried meat of the caribou。 The howling winds were subsiding outside； and they were warm。 The snow had bee white； and the hissing acid death was being dissolved by pretty white snow… flake crystals。
Detroit took some of the gristle over to the dogs and fed them one at a time； in size order。 That's the way they ate in the wild。 Biggest first。 Feed them any other way and you're a dead man。
Then he hesitated。 There were some funny noises。 And Detroit felt the ground under them tremble。 It wasn't an earthquake； it was …
〃There's something burrowing under us；〃 Detroit exclaimed。
They all stood； drawing their shotpistols。 The ground exploded all around them。 And out of the exploding gaps came hurtling snarling creatures。 Red…eyed； fanged creatures。 They moved so fast they looked like blurs。
One took a snap at Rock's heels； he shot it with his pistol。 〃They're some sort of gopher；〃 Rock said as another one jammed its jaws around his sleeve and tore off some material。 Everyone had their hands full。 The dogs thought it was great fun； for the creatures from the ground would bite at them； and then be slavered up by the big wolf…dogs； who didn't even bother to chew the foot…long creatures。
Chen tossed a series of knives； catching three of the hell…gophers in midair。 The rest of the Freefighters fired wildly； but to some effect。 The ravenous invaders had inch…long fangs。 One got poor Danik on the right wrist and hung on trying to tear his arm off。 Rock pushed the Eden citizen to the ground and stomped the brains out of the thing that wouldn't let go。
The humans weren't doing too well； but the sled dogs had broken loose and were having a field day chasing down the creatures。 They closed their triple rows of teeth around them and swallowed them whole。 Then a snarling gopher lunged for Scheransky's throat before he could fire； Class Act intervened。 The intelligent female wolf…dog snapped the gopher out of midleap and digested it。
Because of the dogs； and only because of them； it was over。 The dogs were sated； and fell asleep in a pile over by the scrubby Joshua trees。 The humans dressed their wounds … Danik was the worst； but he was patched up and Chen gave him one of his potions。 He'd be all right； Rock believed； they'd been lucky。 Rock only found out later that half the supplies had been consumed by the furry devils！
〃Do you think there are any more of them？〃 Danik asked； dry…mouthed。 〃Perhaps we'd better leave this cave。。。〃
〃You crazy？〃 McCaughlin said； 〃Go out in that temperature and wind in the middle of the night？〃
〃Well post a guard；〃 Rockson ordered。 〃I'll take first watch。 Keep the fire high； sleep close to it。 They shied from the fire … the holes in the ground are no closer than eight feet to the fire。。。〃
〃You're right。〃 Rona exclaimed。 〃And besides； I think the dogs might have eaten 'em all … if not； they sure will eat any more that try that act again。〃
Scheransky went over and petted the furry head of Class Act。 〃I will never call you a mangy wolf again； I swear it by Lenin … I mean George Washington。〃
They had an uneasy night's sleep but there were no more incidents。 Rock； between dozes； listened to the wind whistling by。 It was as if it were speaking to him； warning him； 〃Go。。。 home。。。 Go。。。〃
The next day the weather was better … overcast but not quite as cold； and they made good progress。 Rockson said； 〃I believe what's left of Colorado Springs is right over that hill。〃
They came over the ridge and looked down on a glassy…surfaced blackened plain。 〃That's the area that took a nuke bomb hit back in the twentieth century；〃 said Rockson grimly。 〃The heat of the air…detonated blast melted the sand into that shiny surface。 Not a thing grows there to this day。 You notice