by J. G. Martin
The train depot was south of the Raccoon and Des Moines River junction near the airport. The processing operations and grain storage were also located there. The main garrison was north east of that, connected to the rest of the city by two large bridges that were heavily guarded. Patrols did sweep the city and outskirts on a regular basis, but they seemed to be more interested with keeping people in than looking for intruders.
When Derek and Rora arrived they found a large train with many attached cargo containers preparing to leave. The Voice had intercepted some radio chatter that indicated the hacker and Red Berets were leaving on this train for Illinois. Surprisingly security seemed relatively light. Rora was surprised the Red Berets hadn’t rounded up every soldier available to guard them until they left, but she supposed they all felt safe behind their border defenses.
“What’s the plan?” She asked Derek as they sat overlooking the train depot.
“Obviously we have to get on board.” Derek stated. “I think we ride ahead and board the train in transit.”
“How do we do that?” Rora asked in annoyance. “I’m pretty sure they’re not going to stop and let us on.”
He laughed. “We ride alongside the train and then climb on.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. It shouldn’t be that difficult, and they won’t be looking for that.” Derek responded and then roared off.
Rora followed reluctantly, jumping onto a moving train from a moving motorcycle wasn’t exactly on her to do list. But it would just be another crazy thing added to the list of crazy things they had already done. Time with Derek certainly was never boring. And while she sometimes enjoyed herself, he seemed to positively thrive on the crazy and death defying action.
Derek scouted out a good flat spot ahead where they could intercept the train and they waited for it to arrive. It arrived about ten minutes later traveling at about forty miles an hour. There was a large, powerful engine car; followed by three passenger cars, several cargo cars, and then a long string of grain carriers. As the train passed they could see that the first and third passenger cars were standard with rows of alternately facing seats, but that the middle car had individual rooms.
Fortunately the cars containing the milled grain were heavy and prevented the train from going much faster. That would make it easier to get on board. There was no sign of guards on the roof or anywhere on the train except a couple on the engine itself. They seemed to be focused on looking ahead to make sure there were no obstacles.
With a wave, Derek was off and Rora followed. The train’s rolling wheels drowned out any sound created by the bikes and they were able to get alongside undetected. Derek grabbed hold of a ladder on the side of one of the grain carriers and hauled himself up onto the car. Rora quickly followed suit on the car behind and their now rider-less bikes crashed along the rail bed. She scrambled up top and joined Derek atop his grain car.
He gestured and then slowly began to move forward, stopping at the end of each car to check for guards before he jumped to the next one. She followed, imitating exactly what he did. They slowly made their way across the top of the train towards the passenger cars. As she watched the tracks whiz by below her, she had to remind herself that this was for an important cause.
When they reached the edge of the final cargo car, Derek paused with a strange look on his face. “Do you hear that?” He asked in confusion.
“I don’t hear anything.” Rora replied shaking her head. “What do you hear?”
Derek laid down on the car and put his ear to the roof. “It sounds like a radio.”
Rora followed suit and listened carefully. Darned if she didn’t hear it too. It sounded like music coming from a radio. Then a man’s voice came on and she was sure it was. The voice was muffled but there was definitely a radio on in the car below. She looked over at Derek with a puzzled look on her face.
“I hear it too.” She agreed.
“Something is definitely off here.” He stated slowly. “No guards, which is unusual; even on a cargo train. And what sounds like a radio coming from a cargo container. This is looking more and more like a trap.”
“It was convenient that the Voice intercepted that radio chatter.” Rora agreed. “So what do we do?”
“We have to get the hacker, or at least what he stole.” Derek mused. “So we go spring the trap.”
“Aren’t we just giving them what they want then?” Rora asked in confusion.
“A trap isn’t as effective if the target knows it’s a trap.” Derek explained. “Give me a couple of minutes and I’ll try to even the odds a little.”
With that he disappeared over the side of the cargo car. Rora crawled over to see what he was doing and watched him climb over to the sliding door on the side of the car. She watched as he rigged a grenade to swing into the car when the door was opened. She smiled as she thought about how surprised the troops inside would be when the opened the door. Then she watched as he moved to the second car and jammed a piece of rebar into the door latch. It wouldn’t hold for long, but it would buy them some time.
He then climbed back up onto the car and rejoined Rora. Together they scanned the windows of the passenger car in front of them. Their view was limited, but every man and woman inside was wearing a long coat and hat. That wasn’t unusual for this time of year, nor was it unusual was that no woman they could see had long hair. All the passengers could well be soldiers, but the plain attire and simple haircuts of the U.S.T.G.’s workers made it very hard to differentiate.
“What do you think?” She asked Derek.
“I’m thinking that all the passengers are solders.” Derek replied quietly. “This is going to get ugly fast.”
“That’s what I’m thinking too.” Rora agreed. “What’s your plan?”
“I’m going to enter the cabins in the second car through the window.” Derek said as he handed her the M-14. “You stay here and cover me. As soon as the soldiers reveal themselves and start moving towards the other car, you open fire with the M-14 and then switch to the MP-5. I’ll make my way back to you once I have what we need.”
“Wait. How are we getting off the train?”
“We cross a river not that far up ahead, we should be able to jump off there.” Derek explained as he began to move.
He was gone before Rora could disagree. Shaking her head, she settled in with the M-14. She killed time by switching her aim from passenger to passenger. Derek quickly scampered across the cars until he was on top of the passenger car with the cabins that theoretically housed their prey. She watched with concern as he hung off the side of the car and moved from window to window, checking to see who was inside. Finally seeming satisfied, he kicked off and then crashed in through one of the windows.
Chapter 28
September 8, 2029
Cargo Train East of Des Moines, Iowa
The window shattered as Derek’s booted feet slammed through it. He dropped into the room next to the very surprised hacker. The man quickly regained his composure and nodded as Derek sat down beside him. The hacker was cuffed and shackled and the shackles were attached to a steel ring newly installed in the floor.
“I’d get up, but…” The hacker greeted Derek as he raised his cuffed hands.
“I’ll make this quick.” Derek told him. “I know this is a trap, but I need what you have.”
“You must want it very badly, if you stuck your head into a trap for it.” The man pointed out.
“Rora assures me that it is world changing.” Derek replied.
“It is.” The man agreed, not bothering to insult Derek by pretending he didn’t know who Rora was. “But I’m not sure the world is ready for it.”
“So you know what it is?”
“I do. Do you really know what it is you are seeking?” The man asked with a slight tone to his voice.
“What do you mean?” Derek asked, slightly puzzled.
“You know what Rora told you the ARK was, but how do you know what
its true purpose is?” The man asked mysteriously.
Before Derek could answer that question, the door opened and the female soldier who had stalked him from the shadows in the barn burst through. She came through the door already attacking with the combat knives she held, one in each hand. Derek fell back before the slashing onslaught of the flashing blades. The woman was wearing only BDU pants, boots and a standard issue tank top. She had eschewed the Red Beret armor to give her more mobility and flexibility.
She smiled as she came closer and closer, her blades weaving a complex patter in front of her. Derek couldn’t use his machete in such close quarters and reaching for his shotgun or pistol would give her an opening and he might accidentally hit the hacker. So he was going to be forced to defend himself with only his hands. She continued to approach and he gave ground until he was backed up against the exterior wall of the train. Her smile got even bigger as she knew she had him trapped.
Desperate Derek tore down one of the curtains hanging by the open window. He tried to tangle one of her knives as she slashed in. But the blades merely sliced through the cloth and scored his arms. Blood began to drip down as she lunged in again, striking like a snake. Again he deflected the blades but paid the price. He realized she was trying to weaken him before going for the killing blow. Instead of waiting for the next attack Derek suddenly lunged forward.
She slashed at him frantically as he collided with her, but did little damage. He head butted her as they tumbled to the ground, smashing her nose and sending blood spraying. To her credit she rolled with the attack and flipped him over her backwards with her feet. He flew out into the hallway and crashed into the wall on the opposite side. He scrambled to his feet and barely got back into the cabin before the hallway filled with lead. The Red Beret Derek recognized as their driver fired his carbine on full auto as Derek charged back into the cabin.
Despite her blood and broken nose, the knife wielding soldier was still eager to fight. She spit blood to the side and rushed at him, blades stabbing. Derek needed to end the fight quickly so he did something desperate. He twisted to one side, catching the blade in her left hand in his right side and then wrapping that arm up with his own. She stabbed the other blade at his throat and he blocked it with his left hand. The blade penetrated his palm and drove towards his throat but stopped when the guard struck his hand.
She stared at him in shock as he wrenched the blade away from by yanking his hand to the side. He then rotated to his right and used his hold on her left arm to throw her across the cabin. She flew sideways and bounced off the seats opposite the hacker. Derek followed her as she rolled to her feet. A powerful thrust kick caught her on the jaw and sent her crashing unconscious into the wall.
After disabling her, Derek rolled to the side to see the other soldier entering the cabin. Derek yanked the knife out of his hand and hurled it at the entering soldier. The blade sank home in the man’s unprotected neck and he collapsed to the floor, grasping at the knife in his throat. He pulled the knife in his side out and dropped it. Still in battle mode, Derek snapped the neck of the unconscious soldier. When he moved over to the chained hacker, and was surprised to see that man staring at him in horror.
“What?” He snapped in confusion.
“She was already out of the fight.” The man said in disgust. “You didn’t need to kill her.”
“Rule #3, never leave an enemy at your back.” Derek informed him coldly. “Now, do you want to get out of here or what?”
“That depends.” The hacker replied slyly.
“On what?” Derek growled as he pulled the other knife out of his side.
“On what’s in it for me?” The man responded with a smile.
“How about I don’t kill you right now and search your body for whatever you took?” Derek snarled at him.
“Temper, temper, Major.” The man said mockingly. “What I have is more than just physical. You need me alive.”
“If you don’t want to come with me, I can leave you here for the Red Berets. I’m sure you will really enjoy the enhanced interrogation at the hands of the GIA.” Derek pointed out.
The man pouted. “Very well, I will come with you. I was just hoping you would be more inviting about it.”
Derek shook his head in frustration. This man might very well be insane. The Red Berets were only seconds from storming in here and possibly just killing both of them. At the very least he would be horribly tortured if Derek didn’t rescue him. And he seemed more worried about feeling wanted.
“Lean back and hold your hands to the side.” Derek ordered as he drew his shotgun.
The chains and the ring could withstand a shotgun blast, but the floor around the ring wouldn’t. A quick blast with both barrels and the floor splintered enough for Derek to yank the ring free. Rora would have to pick the lock to set him free. The hacker stood up and moved for the door, but Derek grabbed him and propelled him towards the window. The man hesitated.
“I can’t climb out there with these on.” He stated petulantly.
“I’ll climb up and then haul you out.” Derek told him.
“Not to worry.” The man said and stepped free of the chains as they dropped to the floor.
“Why didn’t you do that before?” Derek asked in annoyed amazement.
“I was waiting for you.” The man replied matter of factly, and climbed out the window.
Derek gave a small roar of annoyance and followed him out. When he got up top he could hear and see Rora firing into the rear passenger car. She had already emptied the M-14 and was keeping a steady stream of fire into the car with the MP-5. He knew she didn’t have much ammo left, so he needed to hurry. He gestured towards her and the hacker took off running. He easily maintained his balance as he sprinted down the car and leaped across the gap between cars. Derek followed a short distance behind.
He landed on the rear passenger car and moved to join Rora on the cargo car, but a gloved hand grabbed his ankle and tripped him up. Derek scrambled to his feet and turned around just in time to see a helmeted Red Beret climb up the ladder onto the roof. He was carrying one of the new assault weapons, but Derek could see this soldier was wearing an enhanced suit like the one the last man he had fought in the village had been wearing. Derek had killed that man in Omaha, so he knew it wasn’t the same man. Derek didn’t even bother drawing a weapon; he just surged forward to attack as the man was getting his footing.
They collided with a crash as Derek hit him full force and they flew across the gap and landed on the roof of the car Derek had just left. The impact jarred the soldier’s rifle loose and it fell down and was crushed by the heavy wheels of the train. They struggled for a minute and Derek tried to keep the armored man pinned down, but he head butted Derek with his helmet and managed to free his hand. He punched Derek repeatedly in the face, the augmented blows stunning Derek and causing him to pull back. The soldier then pulled his feet back and mule kicked.
Derek flew back across the gap and onto the roof of the last passenger car. As he flew through the air he could see the hacker had reached the Rora and they were both watching the fight. He debated just rushing to them, but he didn’t want to turn his back on his opponent. The man was already coming at him, by the time he got to his feet. The armor would not only protect the soldier from Derek’s strikes, but it would damage his hands or elbows if he struck the man. So he was reduced to launching kicks at the oncoming Red Beret as the man attacked, trying to keep him at bay. But he was running out of roof.
The soldier saw that he had the advantage and pressed the attack. Derek was forced on the defensive blocking the incoming punches and kicks. The man attacked violently and wildly as if he was crazed. Normal blows were enhanced by the suit and Derek was started to feel the effects. He was still weak from all the bleeding he had done in Omaha. Even the blows he was blocking were starting to hurt. Then a punch slipped through and stunned him. He stumbled and nearly fell off the car’s roof.
When he dropped down,
Rora took advantage of the opening to fire a burst into the soldier. The rounds merely knocked him back, the armor absorbing or deflecting all the incoming bullets. But it was enough for Derek to regain his footing and resume the fight. He needed to change tactics, there was no way he could hurt the man inside the suit with any weapons he had or with his feet or fists; and he couldn’t keep blocking the incoming strikes.
So instead of blocking the next attack, Derek absorbed the blow and moved to grapple with the man. They struggled atop the roof of the moving train; frozen in position, as neither could gain an advantage despite all their straining. Derek could hear servos in the suit whining as they tried to provide more power. The man head butted him again and Derek saw stars. The Red Beret pulled his head back for another strike, but Derek managed to rip the helmet free first.
Now he could see it was the captain of the Red Berets with whom he struggled. The man’s bruised face was twisted into an ugly grimace and he glared at Derek with burning hatred. Drool actually escaped the corner of the man’s mouth and he muttered unintelligible gibberish as they struggled. They wrestled for another few minutes with neither of them gaining an advantage. The captain tried to knee him in the groin, but Derek managed to turn the blow.
Then he felt the train begin to slow. It was only a matter of time before more soldiers joined the captain and they were forced to surrender. Derek made a desperate move and stopped pushing on the captain. Instead he threw his weight backwards and sideway and dragged him off the roof. Rora screamed as the toppled off the moving train. As they fell Derek rotated his body so he was on top when they crashed to the ground. They landed hard, but the Red Beret leader absorbed most of the impact.
Derek was thrown free from the force of the landing, but managed to quickly regain his feet. He staggered towards the stopping train. The Red Beret didn’t move, but Derek was pretty sure he wasn’t dead. There wasn’t time to finish him off though. Once the train stopped the troops in the cargo cars would come swarming out and everything would be lost. He blocked out the pain and began running back towards the cargo cars.