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Lex stumbled as the ice shifted under her。 Falling helplessly into the abyss where the collapsing ice threatened to bury her forever； she yelped as she was yanked upward so forcibly that her arm was nearly pulled out of its socket。 Before she could react； Scar threw her like a rag doll onto a patch of unbroken ice。 She spun； then crashed limply into a snowdrift。
Then the Predator made his own desperate leap to safety as the ice disappeared under his feet。
CHAPTER 30
Bouvetoya Whaling Station
Lex tried to open her eyes； but her lashes were caked with snow。 She had to blink several times to clear them。
She was on her back； looking up at the sky and the heavy； black； cast…iron vat still teetering on wobbly legs at the edge of the cliff； despite the earthshaking violence that had rocked the vicinity。
With a moan； she felt something digging into her back。 The spear Scar had fashioned from an Alien tail and the shield made from their armor were still strapped there。 Lex sat up and looked around。 She and Scar were lying on the very edge of a mammoth crater that had swallowed the whaling station； only the huge vat for cooking whale blubber and the wharf and docks over the frozen harbor remained intact。 Around the perimeter of the crater a few tiny shacks leaned precipitously； on the verge of collapse。
Lex got to her feet and gazed out at the devastation。 Through the fog that curled around her； it was difficult to determine the full extent of the damage。 But the crater itself was vast； stretching farther than she could see。
Deep down； near the center of the pit； Lex could make out a few of the timbers from the old buildings and a high…tech drilling machine lying on its back…all that remained of the whaling station and the Weyland expedition base camp。 A dozen paces from Lex； a snow…covered building still stood； though it now leaned precariously。 An oil lamp； no doubt lit by one of the expedition's murdered members； still burned behind a frosted window with a warm yellow glow。
With an undulating warble welling up from within his throat； Scar rose and shook off the snow； to stand beside Lex。 As she smiled up at him； Lex heard a dull plop。 Then something hissed and sizzled in the snow near her boots。 She looked down to see a great； bleeding chunk of Alien flesh…Lex recognized the grid pattern burned into its hide and felt relief。
More gouts of flesh landed in the snow around them。 Still dazed； she watched Scar dig through the snow and carefully lift an object； which he cradled in his mis…shapened hand。
When Scar opened his fingers； Lex saw the grisly thing he held…a severed Alien digit； somehow thrown clear of the blast； its shattered joint still oozing acid blood。 He held the bloody thing in front of her face； and shocked awareness dawned in Lex's eyes。
She nearly recoiled from it； and what Scar wanted to do with it…but in the end Lex decided to accept the honor。 She'd earned it； and after all； this final pain would pale in parison to what she'd already been through。
As the caustic chemical burned her flesh； Lex winced but uttered no sound。 The pain seemed endless as the Predator carefully traced the distinctive thunderbolt scar on her forehead。
For a brief moment； human and humanoid stood facing one another in the vast polar expanse； sharing a ritual that was already ancient when mankind was still living in caves and hunting wooly mammoths with fire…hardened spears and stone axes。
But the solemn moment was interrupted when an explosion sounded at their backs and they turned to see the Alien Queen burst out of the crater in a shower of snow and ice。
Snarling； Scar pushed Lex to the ground and hurled the last of his throwing disks at the slavering Hive Queen。 The whirling blades slashed the Alien's throat； severing tendons and opening a gaping wound。 Acid blood popped and crackled in the frigid wind and drops rained down； to pockmark the snow。
One disk remained lodged in the Queen's flesh。 The other passed through her black hide and made a wide arc in the air； returning to Scar like a boomerang。 But as the Predator reached to catch it； the Alien Queen lashed out with her tail and batted him into the side of the small building。 Wooden beams shattered； and splinters impaled the Predator's flesh。 From somewhere inside the tangle of broken wood； smoke and flames erupted from the smashed lamp。 Within a minute the entire building was ablaze。
The Predator tore himself loose from the burning debris and staggered to his feet； even as the Queen closed in on him。 Before Scar could get out of the way； the Alien dashed the Predator to the ground and crouched over him； claws raised to tear him limb from limb。
But before she could deal a fatal blow； Lex hopped onto the Alien Queen's back and let out a warrior's shriek。 Shield in hand； Lex lifted the crude spear over her head and drove the tip into the wound Scar had made。 The blow was dealt with all the force Lex could muster； and the Queen howled in surprise。 Hissing； her tail thrashing； the Hive Mother howled in agony even as she threw her crested head back； trying to dislodge the human。
Lex redoubled her efforts； driving the spear deeper into the Queen's shiny black hide。 Acid blood gushed in a great fountain； drenching Lex and rolling harmlessly off the shield。
Then the Queen rose to her full height； hoisting Lex with her。 But still the woman refused to let go of the spear。 Instead； she plunged it deeper into the wound。 Finally； the Queen whipped her head from side to side with enough force to throw Lex off。
She crashed to the ground； losing her shield。 Then Lex rolled away from the Queen； who roared and stamped her massive feet； cracking the ice and trying to crush her flat。 Lex leaped to her feet and took off in a dash。 Risking a peek over her shoulder； Lex felt a rush of satisfaction when she saw that her spear was still embedded in the Queen's throat。
As the Alien fought to dislodge the spear； she stumbled against the burning building and plunged into the middle of the conflagration。 Lex prayed that the monster would burn。 Almost immediately the Queen rose from the flames like a phoenix； to attack once more。 But Lex was gone。
The Whalebone Graveyard
Lex hated to leave Scar lying in the snow； but until she finished off the Queen； she could do nothing for the fallen Predator。 So when the Queen emerged from the burning building； Lex ran in the opposite direction； toward the frozen shoreline。
Cresting an icy mound； Lex gazed out at a vast landscape of bleached whalebones。 The bones littered a beach that was enveloped in a cold mist。 Racing toward the whale graveyard； Lex sought shelter； a place where she could hide until she formulated a new plan of attack。
But time had run out。 As she stumbled across the whale graveyard； the Queen's black head loomed out of the fog behind her。
Narrowly avoiding the Alien's raking claws； Lex ducked into the nearly intact skeleton of a whale。 The bones rose out of the ice to form an ivory cage of protection。 The Queen's jaws snapped as she tried to grab the woman； but the sharp whalebone splinters pierced her hide。 The Queen let loose with sibilant cries of rage and pain