by Logan Jacobs
“Is this all of the passengers?” I asked as I took in all the empty seats.
“There will be a few more,” Shelton laughed. “Mostly linemen who are here to check the rail between here and Willsport, and then they’ll start work on the next section of rail in a few days.”
“So they’re expanding the line,” I surmised. “Where’s the next line going?”
“South, to join up with the coal and steel industries around Allentown, and maybe one day, all the way to Philly,” Shelton said proudly.
“Wow, that would be great,” I replied. “Will you go any further west?”
Shelton considered me for several moments, then smiled again.
“You’ve been talking to Mr. Riley,” the surveyor declared. “But yes, someday, with a little luck, we can reunite the two coasts.”
We chatted with Shelton about his job and the railroad for a few more minutes while Ahmed remained buried in his book. Other passengers started to trickle in, mostly linemen who were there to lay the new rail. Eventually, two security guards showed up as well, and after a lengthy discussion, the younger guard was sent to the engine to ride with the engineer.
“Damned if I’m going to sit up there in this cold,” the remaining security guard declared as he pulled a clipboard out of his pack.
“I imagine it stays pretty warm with all the coal they feed into the furnace,” Shelton pointed out.
“Ha!” the security guard chuffed as he studied the list on his clipboard. “All right, let’s see who’s here.”
The guard, a man in his fifties with thinning brown hair and very pale skin, read off a list of names. Each time he called a name, someone responded with here, and it was hard not to flashback to my school days. The only non-responsive riders were Hank, who had gone back to one of the bunks after a night of drinking with his brother, and Ahmed, who merely raised his hand. It was clear the guard knew everyone else on board, and he barely looked up as he made his way down the list of names.
“Oh, here’s some new names,” the guard said as he looked at the three of us. “Freya Darwin?”
“That’s me,” the rabbit woman replied as she fluffed her hat.
“That must make you Sorcha Callan,” the guard said as he looked at the Irish mage.
“I am,” she agreed.
The guard turned toward me and Barnaby and then consulted his list.
“So which one of you is Hex Theriot and which one is Charles Darwin?”
“I’m Hex Theriot,” I replied. “And this is Barnaby. He’s on the pass for the animals. Charles is with Mr. Riley at the moment, but he should be here soon.”
The guard pursed his lips and studied the Weimaraner for a moment.
“He can stay here if he can behave,” the guard warned.
“He’ll behave,” I promised.
As the guard and the dog studied each other, Riley and Darwin stepped into the car.
“Ah, good, is everyone here?” Riley asked the guard.
“If this gentleman with you is Charles Darwin, then we are all set to go,” the guard replied.
“Good, everything’s loaded,” Riley said happily. “And I’d like to get this trip underway before any more protesters show up today. So, I’ll go talk to the engineer, and the rest of you can just settle in. We’ll have the train moving in just a few minutes.”
Riley tipped his hat toward us, then stepped back out of the car. As he had instructed, we made ourselves comfortable and waited for the train to start moving. The chatter died away, and most of the passengers looked out the windows or found something else to do while we waited. It was only then that I finally heard the sound of the protesters chanting outside the station, and I exchanged a worried glance with my companions.
The chants grew louder and closer, and I was certain they were about to burst onto the platform. The security guard who had checked off our names uneasily watched the platform with one hand on the saber he carried. A couple of the linemen stood up as well, clearly ready to fight if they had to.
But then there was a jolt, and a few seconds later, the car started to move slowly forward. We left the station behind and passed into the city proper, where people stopped to watch us pass. The rail cut a straight line to the wall, and it was easy to spot where buildings had been torn down to clear a path for the new train. We rolled past piles of debris and buildings with only a front and side walls, and one house that looked like it had been cut in half.
“What happens when we get to the wall?” Freya asked Shelton as she tried to tilt her head against the window so she could get a better view of what was ahead.
“There’s an old gate we go through,” Shelton explained. “It was originally built to be big enough for two carts to pass through at a time, but it wasn’t used much anymore. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but we can make it through.”
“So we’ll have to stop while they open the gate?” I queried.
“Oh, no, they’ll know we’re coming, and they’ll have the gate open before we get there,” Shelton assured me. “We’ll sail through and out into the wilds.”
Sure enough, as the wall loomed closer, I could see the great gates that Shelton had mentioned, which already stood open. The train passed through the arched tunnel, and for a moment, everything was pitch black. And then we were through, and sunlight filled the car once again. The train picked up speed once it was clear of the gate, and I let out a low whistle at just how fast we were going.
“We’re really moving,” I noted.
“We are,” Shelton agreed happily.
“This is nothing,” Darwin snorted. “There were trains that could travel at speeds over two hundred miles an hour, and even three hundred miles an hour.”
“Gramps,” Freya complained. “Can’t we just enjoy this?”
Darwin snorted again, but I noticed that he settled into his seat with a smile. It was quiet in the passenger car after that, with most of the people simply watching the world roll by. Sorcha dug two of the books she’d picked up at Short Hills from her pack and handed one to Freya. The women settled into their own seats and exchanged occasional whispers about something they had just read mixed in with quick glances out the window.
I slouched back in my own seat and stared out the window. There was something hypnotic about the click clack of the train on the rails, and though my gaze followed the fields and mountains just outside, my mind was far away as I imagined what life on an island with Sorcha and Freya and Darwin would be like. Barnaby hopped onto the seat next to me and placed his head and one paw on my lap while he drowsed.
We were all content and comfortable, so I was disappointed when the train started to slow. I couldn’t believe how quickly we had made it to Willsport, but then I saw the expressions on the faces of the linemen. A few looked anxious, but most looked like they were ready for trouble. Even Hank appeared from his bunk, and as a group, the linemen stood up and moved toward the door while they waited for the train to come to a halt.
“This can’t be good,” Darwin muttered.
The security guard turned toward the four of us and shook his head.
“Looks like you might get the chance to do your jobs after all,” the balding man declared as he ran a thumb along the hilt of his saber.
“Time to bring out the guns,” I noted as the train finally came to a stop. “Shall we see what trouble we’ve found this time?”
Chapter 7
The passenger car shuddered for a moment as the train came to a halt. The security guard waited a moment, opened the door, and stepped outside. We could hear him yell something toward the front of the train, and then I heard the sound of his boots crunching in the snow as he jumped to the ground and started to walk away. The linemen all followed immediately after him, and a few moments later, Shelton joined them.
That just left us with Ahmed, who had finally set his book aside to peer cautiously at the surrounding countryside. Without a word, Darwin pulled down the boxes with the Winchester rifle and th
e Glock nine millimeter. He handed the Glock to Freya, then cocked an eyebrow toward Sorcha.
“I still have mine,” she assured him.
“I’ll see what trouble we have,” I replied. “I’ve still got the Colt, but I’ll add the rifle if I need it.”
“Then let’s go take a peek at what stopped the train,” Darwin suggested.
I finally looked at Ahmed, who stared at the guns in shock.
“Do you have a weapon?” I asked.
“I have a knife,” the banker replied though his eyes were still locked on the rifle that Darwin carried.
“Stay in the car,” Darwin ordered. “And stay low and out of sight if someone starts to attack.”
Ahmed nodded, then slid low in his seat as we all turned to follow the linemen from the train. We followed the footsteps of the burly crew through the snow toward the front of the train where we could see the engineer and the two security guards having a discussion while most of the linemen moved further down the rail. Two of the linemen had pulled themselves inside one of the supply cars while the two men who had been shoveling coal stood along the edge of the snowy bank and quietly studied the countryside.
“Trouble?” Darwin asked when we drew close to the group.
“Uh-huh,” the engineer stammered when he saw the guns.
“Someone’s pulled up part of the tracks,” the older security guard replied with barely a pause.
I doubted that Riley had specifically told him about the guns, but he probably knew his boss well enough not to be surprised by their appearance. Even the younger security guard and the stoker seemed only slightly taken aback at the appearance of the rifle.
“The linemen can repair the damage, but it will take some time,” the engineer finally added. “We’ll be sitting ducks out here until they do.”
“Then we’ll have to set up posts to watch for trouble,” Darwin mused. “We can use the top of the cars as a perch. That should give us a good view of the surrounding area.”
The older security guard nodded in agreement, then tilted his head toward the younger guard.
“Billy here is good with a bow, so he should be on one of the rooftops,” the guard suggested. “But we should have people down here to protect the linemen. Just in case.”
“I’ll stay with the linemen,” Freya volunteered.
“And I’ll stay with the engineer,” Sorcha added.
The Irish mage must have determined very quickly that the engineer was probably the most important person on the train. Without him, we would never get the engine moving again, and both Darwin and the older security guard nodded in agreement.
“Darwin and I will move to the top of the cars with Billy, then, while Sorcha and Freya stay near the engine,” I replied as I studied the train. “Is there an easy way to get up?”
“There are rungs on the back of each car,” the younger guard replied quickly. “It’s real easy to climb.”
“Okay, then, I’ll take the passenger car, Billy has the second supply car, and Darwin, you can take the cattle car,” I ordered. “That should give us enough eyes and angles to keep anyone from getting too close.”
Darwin gave me a brief smile to let me know he agreed as Billy climbed just far enough inside the engine to retrieve his bow and quiver.
“So why would someone pull up the track?” Sorcha asked while we waited on Billy.
We all turned to look at the engineer and the older guard.
“Probably some of the ranchers,” the older guard sighed. “They don’t want the train running across their property or even all that close to it. Some of them are afraid that the train will kill their cattle or somehow destroy their crops. Others are afraid that the Magesterium will see it as a sign that they supported the train and they’ll be punished along with Riley and the rest when the mages take action.”
“Or it could be someone hoping to rob the train,” Billy added with a gleam in his eyes as he rejoined us. “There are all sorts of bandits and rovers out here.”
The older guard shook his head but didn’t disagree. I personally was hoping for ranchers, since they would probably be less likely to attack. They would, I hoped, be content to slow the train down in the hope that the rail company would move its track. Bandits and rovers, though, were guaranteed trouble. And if they were behind this, then it wouldn’t take them long to realize the train had left early and was already stuck in place.
“Let’s get topside,” Darwin ordered at the mention of bandits and rovers.
“Barnaby, stay here,” I ordered as I started to follow Darwin and Billy.
The Weimaraner looked as if he wouldn’t obey for a moment, but Sorcha called his name quietly, and after giving me a chuff, the silver dog followed the Irishwoman and the engineer. I tried not to chuckle as Barnaby trotted alongside the mage and looked up at her with adoring eyes. For a moment, I wondered if that’s what I looked like when I was alone with the mage, and then I shook off the comparison and strode toward the last car.
I paused to watch Billy scramble up the back of the cargo box using a set of rungs, and then Darwin did the same at the cattle car. It made sense that there would be a way to climb up on top of the boxes, and when I walked around the back of the passenger car, I found a similar set of rungs that led to the roof.
I climbed to the top and found a decent position in the center of the slightly canted roof where I had a good view of the surrounding fields. For the moment, the only other lifeforms I could see were a few cows munching on hay in a distant field. Everything else remained still.
As I watched the cows, I debated which gun made the most sense. I needed distance and accuracy, as well as something that could do some serious damage from far away. That meant either the Winchester 70 or the M-1 Garand. I finally settled on the Winchester even though it didn’t carry as many shots as the Garand, but its scope would make it easier to take out a target before they got too close to the train.
I pictured the long barrel with the scope and the black stock with its shoulder guard and felt an answering tingle in my hand. A heartbeat passed, and then I felt the weight of the weapon in my palm. I looked down and smiled at the shimmering rifle that had appeared, the ghostly twin to Darwin’s.
As I glanced toward Billy and Darwin, I saw that the young guard sat upright with his bow in his hand and his quiver of arrows close to hand. Darwin, however, laid flat on his stomach and scanned the countryside periodically with the scope of the rifle. Though I was sure Darwin was probably colder and wetter, he also provided a smaller target. Another advantage of the gun over the bow I decided as I got down on my stomach as well.
It wasn’t hard to tell when the repair work got under way. The clang of hammers smashing into metal startled a flock of grouse from some nearby brush, and the birds flitted across the sky while they sounded their queet, queet call in alarm. The cows looked up for a moment, though in typical cow fashion, they returned to their meal when nothing immediately attacked them.
Like Darwin, I kept scanning the horizon with the scope, but other than the local wildlife, I hadn’t spotted much movement. The snow on the roof had melted beneath me and I was wet, cold, and more than a little grumpy. As the work continued, I wondered why it was taking so long and how soon we would be underway. That led to thoughts about hot coffee and the possibility of food inside the passenger car once the train started to move.
I was so caught up in the dream that I almost missed the flicker of movement near the edge of some trees. I raised my hand and when Darwin turned toward me, I pointed toward the trees. There was another bit of motion, and then two humanoid shapes in gray and white clothing started to move across the field. While Darwin kept his eyes on the two figures, I did a quick scan of the area again. I noticed Billy was squinting at something behind me, and I shuffled around until I could see the area more comfortably.
It took a moment, but then I spotted movement coming from the opposite side of the train. Billy raised his bow and nocked an arrow as two mo
re people in gray and white appeared from the brush and walked toward the train. I slid around on my stomach again, and spotted yet another pair emerging from a third point, and when Billy whistled and pointed, I knew a fourth group had appeared. Then Darwin threw up a hand with two raised fingers and pointed back toward the original two figures, and I put the count at ten strangers now walking toward the train.
As I tried to decide which group was closest, Ahmed’s head appeared over the edge of the car. I ignored him until the banker cleared his throat and pulled himself higher on the rungs.
“I wanted to make sure you’ve seen the people walking toward the train,” Ahmed offered.
“There’s at least ten by my count,” I drawled as I peered down the scope toward what I could now see was two bearded men.
“And you will shoot them?” Ahmed pressed.
“If we need to,” I replied. “Now, if they’re good and turn around and go back home when they realize the train is protected, then we won’t have to kill anyone.”
“But you will if they attack?” he demanded.
“We will,” I agreed as I finally turned to look at him.
The banker was pale and had suddenly developed a twitch. He kept glancing toward the woods, like he expected a horde of mutants to appear at any moment.
“What are you so concerned about anyway?” I asked. “Just stay inside the car like I told you and stay low.”
“Yes, of course,” the banker stated but he hovered on the rungs rather than returning to the safety of the car.
“Is there something you need to tell me?” I asked in frustration.
“Ummm,” Ahmed stalled. “Just, I’m glad Joker decided to hire extra protection. And even though I did not know about the guns, I am not opposed to your using them.”
“Well, that’s mighty fine of you,” I drawled. “I’ll be sure to pass that along once we take care of this.”
Still the banker remained on the rungs, and I finally gave up and peered down the scope of the rifle again. If he wanted to hang onto the outside of the box, that was his business, but no one could say I hadn’t told him what to do. Finally, I heard his boots clatter against the rungs as he started back down, though by that time I had stopped paying attention to him.
