he brick pile. More Davids poured from behind them,
out onto the plain. One of the Wounded Soldiers moved toward the bomb,
stooping awkwardly down to pick it up.

The bomb went off. The concussion whirled Hendricks around, throwing
him on his face. A hot wind rolled over him. Dimly he saw Tasso
standing behind the columns, firing slowly and methodically at the
Davids coming out of the raging clouds of white fire.

Back along the rise Klaus struggled with a ring of claws circling
around him. He retreated, blasting at them and moving back, trying to
break through the ring.

Hendricks struggled to his feet. His head ached. He could hardly see.
Everything was licking at him, raging and whirling. His right arm
would not move.

Tasso pulled back toward him. "Come on. Let's go."

"Klaus--He's still up there."

"Come on!" Tasso dragged Hendricks back, away from the columns.
Hendricks shook his head, trying to clear it. Tasso led him rapidly
away, her eyes intense and bright, watching for claws that had escaped
the blast.

One David came out of the rolling clouds of flame. Tasso blasted it.
No more appeared.

"But Klaus. What about him?" Hendricks stopped, standing unsteadily.
"He--"

"Come on!"

* * * * *

They retreated, moving farther and farther away from the bunker. A few
small claws followed them for a little while and then gave up, turning
back and going off.

At last Tasso stopped. "We can stop here and get our breaths."

Hendricks sat down on some heaps of debris. He wiped his neck,
gasping. "We left Klaus back there."

Tasso said nothing. She opened her gun, sliding a fresh round of blast
cartridges into place.

Hendricks stared at her, dazed. "You left him back there on purpose."

Tasso snapped the gun together. She studied the heaps of rubble around
them, her face expressionless. As if she were watching for something.

"What is it?" Hendricks demanded. "What are you looking for? Is
something coming?" He shook his head, trying to understand. What was
she doing? What was she waiting for? He could see nothing. Ash lay all
around them, ash and ruins. Occasional stark tree trunks, without
leaves or branches. "What--"

Tasso cut him off. "Be still." Her eyes narrowed. Suddenly her gun
came up. Hendricks turned, following her gaze.

* * * * *

Back the way they had come a figure appeared. The figure walked
unsteadily toward them. Its c