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“He probably won’t even have a hangover,” Max said enviously He turned to Juan and furrowed his brow “I know that look You’ve got an idea”

“We’ve been looking for a way into that factory,” Juan said “Parsons is taking his giant hovercraft over there in theThe Marsh Flyer seems pretty roomy Why don’t we just hitch a ride?”

TWENTY-SEVEN

It was three in the an Max, Hali, Eric, and Murph were in the Oregon’s op center watching the hovercraft on the large screen at the front of the room The Marsh Flyer sat in the center of the concrete apron abutting the defunct aluminuuard was posted at the bohile two other guards circled it on patrol

“They’re well trained,” Murph said with his artificial voice He was now out of his hospital clothes and wearing jeans and a black T-shirt that said “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you”

“Their pattern is randoet past the seen”

“Where is the team?” Max asked from the command chair

Hali was on the radio with Raven “She says they’re in position”

Raven, still id-hull inflatable boat through the harbor to the opposite side of the taruards Juan, Eddie, Linc, Linda, and MacD were prepared to dash to the hovercraft, but they needed a distraction to get across the open ground

“All right, Murph,” Max said, “lock on target with the laser”

Eric cleared his throat Max was so used to Murph at the weapons station, he’d spoken without thinking

“Sorry, Murph,” he said “Eric, you ready?”

Eric zoomed in the view on theout of a crack in the concrete “Locked on”

“Fire”

In an instant, the grass erupted in a blaze of light, ignited by the laser’s invisible but intense beam