The group, a strange mixture of misshapen humanity and utter normality made its way to the train engine. A rifle popped out of the sunroof of a train car and fired wildly. Wess bent his way out of the shots. Almaa stared straight ahead and the bullets arced suddenly out of her way. The legionnaire, reacting to the sudden display of physics-altering power, darted behind the woman. Ed dropped to the side of the train, as did Aricc, whose claws dug into the opposite side of the train car. Ricahh clung to Raff, whose dense skin barely registered her.
Jerredd rushed the man, ducking and feinting away from the crisscrossing arcs of the bullets. Aricc's muscles tensed, then contracted fully, throwing Raff into the air. Jerredd, struck by an indiscernible number of bullets, bucked and rolled off of the train's top. With the distraction made, Raff landed, choked, gagged, and projectile vomited on the churchmember, sending him reeling in pain from the acidic onslaught. Raff licked his lips and smiled. "Looks like I missed," he said and picked up the still intact rifle. "Hey, Jerredd," he shouted, "where are ya?" His eyes scanned the roof of the train car. "Little wendabb?" A small, clawed hand reached over the edge of the roof. Jerredd pulled himself over and on top. Raff fell to his knees, hugging the feral boy to his chest. "Ah, Venexx...I thought you were dead, kid..."
"So did I, Pukey," Jerredd muttered. "Get off, yourrr breath's killing me!"
Almaa ran her gaze over everyone as they made their ways back onto the roof. She said, "Get in the car, please." She put a hand to her head and walked towards the train engine. The legionnaire followed, taking the rifle from Raff on the way.
Aricc put his left hand to his side, to the bullet wound, and shook his head. "You can't go alone, Almaa."
"No, I can not. Which is why I will not." Almaa nodded to the legionnaire and Ed and continued walking.
At the roof of the engine, the legionnaire popped the sunroof and fired into the compartment, clearing out any threats. Almaa closed her eyes for a few seconds. When her eyes opened, she nodded to the legionnaire, who dropped into the compartment and checked if it was clear. He offered a thumbs up and moved to the controls. "That was easier than I..." the legionnaire began. He looked over his shoulder to make sure that some ironic twist would not befall him. Smiling, he positioned himself before the train's controls only to find neither a lever nor a steering wheel nor anything recognizable. Only row upon row of buttons written in strange code. "Damn."
Ed looked down into the cramped compartment and asked, "Is something wrong?"
"I'd say so. Dammit, I knew this was too easy. Look, I can't slow this thing down! You got any backup plans?"
Ed looked over his shoulder at Almaa, who sat cross-legged behind him. He dropped into the compartment. "We need to remove the front of this vehicle from the back sections.
"Alright," the legionnaire said, "that might be a start. It would keep the rest of the cargo in place, but we are most likely headed for a church outpost! We are sitting ducks and there is no way I am jumping from a train at this speed!"
"You need to calm down." Ed walked out of the back of the compartment to the link that connected the two closest train sections. He stooped over and began to pry at it with his knife, but it was to no avail. The crude mechanism that held the two sections together at this speed was also held fast by the pull of the train engine. The legionnaire reached into his pouch, removing a plastic bag. After pinching a miniscule piece from the block of plastique, he spread it around the retaining pin and slid a pin into it. Rolling out a string of wiring, the Freeman stepped out of the doorway and knelt, putting one finger in his ear while connecting the wiring to a boom-clip. His thumb slid over the firing button and destroyed the connector.
"Got it. Now, how are we going to stop this thing?" the legionnaire asked.
"Like this." Almaa stood near the control panel, concern showing on her face as she looked over the confusing array of buttons and switches. She closed her eyes and put her hand against it. With a flash of sparks, the panel collapsed in on itself, but the engine kept moving as steadily as before. "Brace yourselves," Almaa muttered as she lowered herself to her knees.
The engine lurched suddenly. A jarring shock ran through the compartment, throwing its occupants who were not already sitting to the floor. The engine rattled on the rails.
"I can't stop it. We are moving too fast and we weigh too much. I...I just can't," Almaa said.
"We are so screwed. We are sooo screwed," the legionnaire chimed in.
"Then just stop the wheels," Ed said, wandering towards the side of the train engine. He rapped his knuckle against it and nodded to Almaa. He then said, "Unarmored. You should be able to bend it like those bars."
Almaa nodded and pressed her hands against the wall. It buckled outward, stretching and warping until a domed embossment was left. The legionnaire stood, raised his confiscated assault rifle and fired into the large dent, shredding the metal wall like paper. Almaa crawled to the edge, staring into the hole, and reached out with her thoughts, taking control of one wheel then another then a whole piston, slowing it, then bending it into such a shape that it strained against its supports and tore itself apart, taking the wheels with it. The engine jumped its rails, tipped, and rolled out of control. A strong hand reached out, grabbing Almaa by the back of her pants and pulling her away from the opening. Ed smiled approvingly and tucked his head between his knees. The legionnaire followed suit and Almaa used the last of her strength to keep them from bouncing around the cabin.