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listen； and finally she could make out the sound of a human voice calling her name。
〃Lex 。。。〃
〃Sebastian！〃
Eyes darting； Lex peered beyond the slabs and the mummies。 In an antechamber； she saw a cluster of ghastly statues mounted on the wall…statues she did not remember seeing the last time she was in this room。
The voice called again。
〃Lex 。。。 Help me 。。。〃
She looped her club to her belt and pulled a spear fashioned from the tip of an Alien's tail off her back。
Then she slowly approached the stone sculptures； her weapon raised and ready。 As her eyes strained in the half light； Lex could make out some of the repugnant details of a horrific； terra…cotta mural。 It appeared to be the three…dimensional image of a mythical beast with a hard shell for a body and a tiny； humanlike head。
〃Lex 。。。 Please 。。。〃
Only when the voice called again did the truth bee clear。 This wasn't a mural。 This grotesque tableau was actually alive。 The mythical beast was really a human being…Sebastian De Rosa。
The archaeologist was encased in a monstrous Alien cocoon； his arms； legs and feet pletely enmeshed in a near…impenetrable shell。 On the stone floor lay a deflated egg sack and the translucent shell of a spent face hugger； belly up； its legs stiff with rigor mortis and pointed at the ceiling。
〃Oh； God 。。。 Sebastian 。。。〃
The man tried to smile； but the effort died on his lips。 When he spoke； the words did not e easily。 Each breath was labored。 He retched； and red foam flecked his pallid cheek。
〃Lex 。。。 I 。。。〃
〃Hold on； I'll get you out of there。〃
Lex tore at the cocoon with her hands； but it was futile。 The surface was as hard as marble。 Lex drew a piton and hacked at the enveloping shell； gouging out a few splinters before the steel spike blunted and bent in her hand。
〃No！〃 Sebastian gasped。 〃It's too late。 You have to stop these things。〃
Sebastian convulsed。 The tendons in his neck bulged as his head jerked from side to side。 His mouth gaped open； and blood flowed from his nose。
〃Lex 。。。 They can't reach the surface 。。。〃 he moaned； struggling。
The Predator appeared behind Lex。 Gazing impassively at the dying man； he rested his huge hand on Lex's shoulder。 She shrugged it off and lunged at the cocoon； beating it with her fists。
〃Don't worry； Sebastian。 I'm getting you out of there！〃
Scar gripped her shoulder again； far less gently now。 The Predator dragged her back； away from the cocoon； as she struggled against him。
〃Get off me；〃 Lex cried； eyes wet。 〃I have to help him。〃
The emotion she'd buried in order to survive overwhelmed her now。 She'd watched Max Stafford and Charles Weyland die； and she was not about to give up on Sebastian。 Not without a fight。
But still Scar pulled her away。
〃Let me go；〃 she screamed。
〃Make it to the surface 。。。〃 The Predator's modulated voice replayed Lex's own words to her again。
〃I said get off me！〃
〃Kill me！〃 Sebastian cried out with the last of his strength。 〃Do it。〃
He convulsed again。 The pale； naked flesh under his heart began to stretch and bulge。 Crimson rents appeared as his skin split open and blood gushed everywhere。 Then the man threw his gaze heavenward and cried out in agony。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Lex murmured。
She raised the handgun and fired at Sebastian's head。 His tormented screams came to an abrupt end。
Lex dropped her head。 The Predator stood next to her； watching the dead man； waiting 。。。
Suddenly a creature clawed its way out of the dead man's abdomen and launched itself at Scar。 With lightning…fast reflexes； the Predator caught it in his hand。 He held it firmly in its grip and turned it from side to side； examining it。 The tiny creature squirmed to free itself； its jaws snapping at Scar's face。
Casually the Predator snapped its neck between his fingers as if it were a matchstick。
In the Queen's Chamber
The Aliens came from every corner of the pyramid； singly； in pairs； and in clusters large and small。 Like a rippling tide of black oil； the swarm flowed down sheer walls and deep shafts； and made their way through drainage tunnels and narrow air spaces between the thick walls。 Tittering and hissing； they instinctively responded to the maternal cries of their Queen。
In a great living tsunami the creatures surged into the Queen's chamber； hastening to the edge of the misty； frozen pool。 Others crawled down the stone walls or scampered down the long； barbed chains that held their Queen captive。
The largest group of Aliens was led by the alpha…Alien with the net…ravaged hide。 They poured in； filling the chamber； hissing and squabbling。 Then all movement ceased as the brutes bowed their eyeless heads to their matriarch。 For a long time the Aliens remained still； quiet； respectful…a jet…black sea of shining； chitinous hides and slavering jaws； their cylindrical heads bowed and swaying from side to side in supplication。
The Queen rattled her chains and cried out in a sustained； sibilant hiss that inflamed her spawn and spurred them into action。
In a flurry of gnashing teeth and ripping jaws； the creatures attacked their matriarch。 Leaping from the edge of the frozen pool； most caught hold of the great harnessing machine that rendered the hive mistress immobile during her reproductive labor…though a few plunged screeching to their death through the rising mist into the vapor pool。
Crawling over one another in a maniacal press to rip their mother's flesh； the monsters moved as a single； sweeping entity； descending the walls and clinging to the chains； while others swooped down from the high ceiling like raptors。
The things caught hold of the Alien Queen in a thousand places and tore at her hide incessantly with tooth and claw。 When the tittering mass reached the Queen's head； slobbering jaws gnawed at her great horned crown； cracking the bony crest and tearing the barbed hooks loose from their moorings。 Fountains of acid blood flowed in rivulets down the Queen's ravaged frame； splattering her offspring and inflaming them to further savagery。
At last the final hook was torn from her crest in a shower of splintered bone。 Although the Queen's head was free and her jaws were more than capable of destraying any of the gnawing； rending creatures within her reach； she still did not fight back。 Instead she hung there…manacled arms outstretched； head erect…as if inviting her children to feast on her flesh and drink her blood in a blasphemous orgy of matricide。
The Queen bled from a score of wounds； her boiling blood splattering everywhere。 Suddenly there was a shower of sparks as the big machine that held her lower extremities began to melt。 Ravaged by the Queen's acid blood； chain metal began to twist； wires snapped and cables buckled。
Triumphantly； the Queen yanked the chain restraining her right arm； casting several of her children into the frozen mist。 Fearing for their own lives； the rest of her panicked offspring reversed their course； leaping onto the floor far below； hopping onto the walls； or dangling from the remaining chains like rats escaping a sinking ship。
When both arms were free； the Queen used her claws to shred the semi…molten machine that had enslaved her for so long