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leaned forward to look at Vasquez's leg. Where armor, harness, and flesh
had been eaten away by the acid, bone gleamed whitely.
Her eyes were glazed when she looked up at him. Her voice was a harsh
whisper. ?You always were stupid, Gorman.?
Her fingers seized his in a death grip. A special grip shared by a
select few. Gorman returned it as best he was able. Then he handed her a
pair of grenades and armed another couple for himself as the aliens
closed in on them from both ends of the tunnel. He grinned and raised
one of the humming explosives. She barely had enough strength to mimic
the gesture.
?Cheers,?he whispered. He couldn't tell if she was grinning back at him
because he had closed his eyes, but he had a feeling she was. Something
sharp and unyielding stroked his back. He didn't turn to see what it was.
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?Cheers,?he whispered feebly. He clicked one of his grenades against one
of Vasquez's in the final toast.
Behind them, the serviceway lit up like the sun as Ripley, Newt, and
Hicks pounded along full tilt. They were a long way from the opening the
corporal had cut in the wall of the duct, but the shock wave from the
quadruple explosion was still powerful enough to rock the whole level.
Newt kept her balance best and broke out in front of the two adults. It
was all Ripley and Hicks could do to keep up with her.
?This way, this way!?she was shouting excitedly. ?Come on, we're almost
there!?
?Newt, wait!?Ripley tried to lengthen her stride to catch up to the
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girl. The sound of her heart was loud in her ears,! and her lungs
screamed in protest with every step she took. The walls blurred around
her. She was dimly aware of Hicks pounding along like a steam engine
just behind her. Despite his armor, he probably could have outdistanced
her, but he didn't try. Instead he laid back so he could protect against
an attack from behind.
Ahead the corridor forked. At the end of the left-hand fork a narrow,
angled ventilation chute led upward at a steep forty-five degrees. Newt
was standing at its base, gesturing frantically.
?Here! This is where we go up.?
Her body grateful for a respite no matter how temporary, Ripley slowed
to a halt as she examined the shaft. It was a steep climb but not a long
one. Dim light marked the end of the ascent. From above she could hear
the wind booming like air blowing across the lip of a bottle. Narrow
climbing ribs dimpled the smooth sides of the shaft.
She looked down to where the chute punched a hole in the floor and
disappeared into unknown depths lost in darkness. Nothing stirred down
there. Nothing came climbing toward them. They were going to make it.
She put her foot onto the first climbing rib and started
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up. Newt followed as Hicks emerged from the main corridor behind them.
The girl turned to wave. ?Just up here, Mr. Hicks. It's not as far as it
looks. I've done it lots of tim-?
Rusted out by seeping water, worn through by the corrosive elements
contained in Acheron's undomesticated atmosphere, the rib collapsed
beneath her feet. She slipped, managed to catch another rib with one
hand. Ripley braced herself against the dangerously slick surface of the
chute, turned, and reached back for her. As she did so, she dropped her
flashlight, watched it go skittering and bumping down the opening until
its comforting glow faded from sight.
She strained until she was sure her arm was separating from her
shoulder, her fingers groping for Newt's. No matter how far over she
bent, they remained centimeters apart.
?Riiipplleeee...?
Newt's grip broke. As she went sliding down the chute Hicks made a dive
for her, laying himself out, flat and indifferent to the coming impact.
He slammed into the floor next to the chute, and his fingers dug into
the collar of the girl's oversize jacket, holding the material in a
death grip.
She slipped out of it.
Her scream reverberated up the chute as she vanished, plummeting down
into darkness.
Hicks threw the empty jacket aside and stared at Ripley. Their eyes met
for just a second before she released her own grasp and went sliding
down the chute after Newt. As she slid, she pushed out with her feet,
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braking her otherwise uncontrolled descent.
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