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The back of the Alien's head blew away and the creature fell limply to the ice。 A few drops of Alien blood sizzled and burned the walls of the wooden crate。
Lex peeked over the edge in time to see Scar decapitate an Alien； only to be attacked by another。 Again； it was the alpha…Alien with the grid…ravaged hide； his lightning…fast attack a blur of teeth； claws and a thrashing stump of a tail。
Unrelenting； the Predator slammed the blade of a throwing disk down on the alpha…Alien's head。 The wound was deep； but not mortal。 Acid gushed from the slash； spraying Scar and pitting his armor。 Then the Alien stepped back； raised its claws； and charged again。
Alien and Predator came together with a great crash； and both went down。 They rolled end over end； locked in a deadly embrace。 Finally Scar kicked out with his mammoth feet； tossing the Alien against a wall of ice。
Lex seized the moment to pull Scar toward the empty crate。 At the wall； the alpha…Alien staggered to its feet； segmented tail striking sparks from the ice。
With an angry hiss the Alien took off after Lex and the Predator。
Stubbornly； Scar decided to make a stand。 With a roar he turned to face the black monstrosity。
But Lex only wanted to escape。 She pushed the Predator backwards with all her might； and her weight carried them both into the empty crate。 Reaching over the edge； her fingers closed on the control lever。 She pushed it to the line that read Emergency Release。
With a slam； she was thrown backwards； her spine cracking against the edge of the crate。 Scar landed at her side at the bottom of the box as it shot up the narrow ice tunnel like an express elevator out of hell。
Up they raced； the sides of the box scraping the ice until it smoked from friction。 Lex prayed that the wood would hold together long enough to get them to the top。
As they neared the surface； she noticed flecks of snow around them and looked up。 She saw the mouth of the tunnel looming in the distance； cloud…filled sky roiling over the pit； and the tripod platform constructed over the shaft blocking the path of their sled。
Lex managed to cry a warning。 〃Hold on！〃
The box leaped from the tunnel； smashing into the winch rig with a massive impact that shattered it pletely and sent the steel tripod supports tumbling down the shaft； clanging as they fell。
Scar was thrown clear。 He hugged Lex in a protective hold as they landed in the snow； rolling end over end across the hard； glacial ice。
When the Predator released her at last； Lex tumbled into a drift； where she lay motionless as wind stirred her tattered clothes and a gentle snow fell around her。
The Predator was up instantly； seemingly oblivious to the wound that still sprayed green gore in rivulets down his chest。 He searched around him for danger。 A low； cold mist wrapped Bouvetoya Whaling Station in an icy grip； and blankets of snow still fell； though the fury of the katabatic storm had finally blown itself out。
Anxiously； the Predator moved to the shaft and peered down。 At first Scar saw nothing； though he heard unearthly； echoing cries rising from underground。 Then he saw distorted shadows skimming the smooth walls。
Finally； the Predator spied the Alien Queen； leading her hell…spawn up the shaft to the world of humans。 Her claws dug into the ice as her children clambered over her； crawling along every inch of the shaft like ants climbing out of a burning hill。 On its mother's broad back rode the alpha…Alien； eyeless head upturned； teeth bared in a savage snarl。 When it spotted Scar； it leaped off its mother's back to scale the shaft on its own。
Scar activated his shoulder gun； but the armor sparked and the red aiming lasers went dim。 Roaring； he yanked open a panel and fumbled with the controls。 After a moment's work； he aimed the plasma gun and fired again。 This time a bolt arced into the shaft and an Alien exploded。 The Queen hissed angrily as gore rained down on her。
As the weapon on Scar's shoulder began to spark again； the Predator stepped away from the shaft and shed the last of his battered equipment； including his now…useless plasma gun and what little remained of his pitted and broken armor。 When he was done； only Scar's mask； a loincloth； boots and chest plate remained from his original gear。 Even the mesh netting…rent with a dozen tears and robbed of its energy…was beginning to cool in the relentless Antarctic conditions。 The frigid wind bit into the Predator； sapping his body heat and reducing his internal temperature to a dangerously low level。
With one last glance down the shaft； Scar retreated； to wait for the explosion that was mere moments away。 。。。
Lex stirred； moaning。 She felt the winds burn her naked cheek； and the sting of snow on her face。 Then a strong hand grabbed the collar of her jumpsuit and hauled her to her feet as if she were a helpless kitten。
Awareness returned quickly； and Lex blinked up at a familiar face mask。
〃Hold on；〃 the Predator said in an electronic voice muffled by the wind。
Hoisting Lex off her feet； Scar ran away from the shaft； toward the abandoned whaling station。 Boots crunching in the snow； the Predator carried Lex through the center of the pound。 The buildings were all nearly buried by drifting powder。 Lex looked backwards； over Scar's bleeding shoulder。
She saw the alpha…Alien emerge from the mouth of the tunnel。 The creature hissed when it saw them。 Then a bright green flash of light nearly blinded her。 She quickly averted her eyes。 A hot jet of burning energy surged up the tunnel； scorching all the Aliens in its wake。 When the plasma washed over the alpha…Alien； it didn't even have time to scream before it was blown to bits。
As the force of the blast rolled over them； Scar redoubled his pace。 But almost immediately； a massive aftershock threw human and Predator to the ground。 The force tossed Lex free of the Predator's grip。 Staggering to her feet； she saw Scar down on one knee； his shoulder gushing green more intensely now。 Then a third shuddering shock wave sent them both reeling to the ice again。
When the blast vaporized everything in the underground cavern； millions of tons of ice were instantly transformed into steam； which melted more ice to create even more steam。 Suddenly the ice pack around the mouth of the shaft and the mess hall next to the pit were catapulted into the air。 Like a house of cards； the weathered timber splintered and pitched to the ground； fully collapsed。
Then the ground began to cave in on itself as the ice grotto and the pyramid were obliterated。 Into the spreading crater； more sections of the whaling station； the abandoned base camp； and the mobile drilling rigs all tumbled； sucked deep into the bowels of the Earth。
Lex watched anxiously as the caving ice continued to spread outward； like ripples in a pond…ripples that swallowed more and more of the landscape as they flowed inexorably toward her and Scar。
Scar grabbed Lex； forcing her to her feet even as the ice pack shattered under them。 Pulling her along； the Predator stubbornly ran on； despite the fact that there was no hope of outrunning the widening tide of destruction。
Lex stumbled as the ice shifted under her。 Fallin