Karma City

by Gardener Browning

  Rain fell over Karma city.

  Albert ran from the building and joined Jameson and Luna at the curb. He yelled, “Are you two insane?”

  Jameson wiped the rain and dirt from his brow. “Get to the ambulance, now!”

  Guards poured out of the building and opened fire. Gunshots rang throughout the Red-Light District creating fear, confusion and chaos. People screamed in terror.

  The ambulance’s wheels spun on the slick, rainy pavement. Bullets ripped through the vehicle’s body as it sped off. The glass shattered; rain pouring in. Albert whimpered as he steered down the avenue. Eden’s security guards followed after in a cruiser.

  Luna heard a series of sharp pings. Bullets bounced off the wheels. She looked out the back window to see the guards hanging from their cars with automatic weapons. “Hurry up, Albert!”

  A stream of gunfire pounded their vehicle. The rear tires burst, making the ambulance wobble over the wet road. Smoke curled from under the hood; the unmistakable smell of gasoline filling the cabin. Luna’s eyes met Jameson’s. “Fumes and smoke,” she said. “You know what comes next. We’d better ditch this thing.”

  “Albert, stop!” Jameson shouted. The ambulance squealed and fishtailed to a stop under the train bridge.

  They scattered from the vehicle as fast as they could. Gasoline emptied onto the rainy street. The plume of black smoke flashed and a wave of fire flared, swallowing the ambulance in a terrible blaze. The three regrouped beside one of the bridge piers as the orange inferno swirled over their vehicle.

  Albert shook his head. “Worst night ever.”

  Luna pointed down the street. “It’s not over yet.”

  Eden’s cruisers sped toward them with blinding high beams. More gunshots blasted, sparking off the iron pilings.

  Albert paced in dread. “I’m thinking now that this wasn’t the best way to explore my scientific curiosities surrounding Malad-X.” A gunshot pinged over his head. “A gross miscalculation, indeed. There’s no way out of this one!”

  A low and woeful whistle bellowed over the night.

  The bridge overhead rumbled, as if trembling in fright. Luna stepped forward and slung her rifle over her back. She pulled a small pocket watch from her belt and smiled. “Right on time.” She climbed the bridge pier and looked down at the group. “Train’s coming. Climb!”

  They followed Luna’s lead, scaling the towering leg of the bridge. Lightning flashed in the clouded night sky. The cold rain slicked the bridge’s frame, slipping their soles and numbing their fingers. Luna pulled Jameson up to the rail deck and Jameson helped Albert. Eden’s men fired shots from below but the bridge’s structure shielded their attack. The train coursed along the tracks, unmoved by the wind of the brewing storm.

  Luna positioned herself dangerously close to the rails. She shouted over the chugging of the approaching train, “Get ready to board!”

  The engine rushed by, warming the air around Luna, sending a wave of heat through her clothes. The smell of steam and burning coal teased her heart with homesickness. She ran along the cargo cars, reached out and snatched hold of the cold handrails. The train’s momentum threatened to pull her arm from the socket, but she leapt up and swung her feet onto the car’s step as she’d done a thousand times before. She reached out for the others who sprinted after the passing train. Jameson took hold of Luna’s outstretched hand. She tugged him upward and he latched aboard. Albert jumped for Jameson, who clamped the doctor’s wrist and yanked him up. The three entered a darkened cargo car and pulled the sliding wooden door closed behind them.

  Albert wrung the rain from his clothes and slumped to the floor to rest. The train rattled. Luna moved through the car and lit a lantern. Shipping crates and pallets surrounded them.

  Albert sighed. “Oh, this is just cozy! If Gemni pops out from the shadows, I’m going to be the first to jump from this train.”

  A female voice disturbed the shadows. “Maybe you should jump right now.”

  Chapter 8

  Luna watched as an Iron Tribeswoman entered the circle of lantern light. She had long red hair that hung in front of her scared face. Her brown leather boots, studded with metal spurs, tied off just under her knees and her tight denim pants hugged her hips. The lantern light revealed the bandoleer of bullets tracing her waist-length coat of stitched hide. She moved the muzzle of her rifle over the group.

  Luna gasped. “Mandy?”

  The woman lowered her rifle. “Luna?”

  The two smashed together in tight hug.

  As the lantern light shone on Mandy’s face, the train of memories rattled down the tracks of the past, sweeping Luna up and carrying her away. Jameson Shoals spoke up, snapping Luna back to the present. “Who’s your friend?”

  “Jameson, this is Mandy Briggs. My mentor and tribal sister.”

  Mandy tipped her hat and eyed the group. She spoke to Luna, “How long has it been, kid?”

  “Nearly a year.”

  “Time races on the rails.”

  “It moves slowly off of them.”

  “What’s brought you to the train tonight, Luna?”

  “We needed an escape.”

  Mandy crossed her arms. “I see. And this band of misfits you’re traveling with?”

  Luna introduced her companions. “This is my partner, Jameson Shoals. He’s a Void Lander with city roots.”

  Jameson lit a cigarette and handed it to Mandy. She accepted with a half-smile.

  Luna looked at Albert, who wore a juvenile grin, noticeably eager to say hello. “This is Dr. Albert Walker, a scientist working on efforts against Malady.”

  Albert interjected with a nervous ramble. “I’ve got a private lab and medical center in Undertown open to the public. If you’re ever in the neighborhood...actually, the train tracks don’t go to Undertown...but there’s a subway and... wait, does the Iron Tribe ride subways? I’m sorry, that’s probably a personal question and—”

  Mandy put up her hand. “Relax, Dr. Walker. Welcome aboard. Allies of Luna are allies of mine. You may all ride the rails with Luna and receive our courtesy. Now, Luna, tell me what you’re trying to escape.”

  “I need to jump in here, if I may,” Albert interrupted. “Luna, did you finish the job at Eden? Because if I lost my ambulance for nothing, I’m going to cry.”

  “The computer drive is in my pack.”

  “What’s going on?” Mandy snapped.

  Luna struggled under the moral imbalance. Here stood her tribal sister, and the devotion remained. Yet, she had aligned herself with new friends and formed new bonds. Though the train coursed on a linear track, a crossroad challenged her. The Tribe sought the one responsible for the destruction of the car and the bridge, and to withhold knowledge was a violation of the Southbound Code: no other place or cause shall come before the needs of the Tribe. But she was no longer bound by their rigid laws.

  Luna saw the concern framing Mandy’s face.

  Albert spoke before Luna could answer. “Like your esteemed tribe, Mandy, the three of us are pursuing the one who bombed the train. Our efforts led us to Eden, where we met a moment of conflict beyond resolution. In addition to needing a means of escape, we’ve come aboard tonight to offer the information we’ve gathered regarding our shared foe for the benefit of the Iron Tribe and the good people of Karma.”

  “How noble,” said Mandy. “Go on.”

  Luna let out a slow exhale. Albert’s squirrelly nature spared her from having to bend the truth. Appreciation welled in her. She would not forget it.

  “Our enemy calls himself Gemni,” Albert continued. “He is running a campaign to kill innocent people.”

  “The Iron Tribe wants him dead for his crimes against Mother.”

  “I understand.”

  “Where is this Gemni?”

  “He is aboard the Graves Enterprises shipping vessel.”

  “That’s beyond the reach of our rails.”

  “Well, we’re going after him and if you get this trai
n to drop us at the docks, we’ll hunt him down in honor of the Mother.”

  “I’ll inform the engineer of our new route.” She tipped her hat and left the group, hurrying through the passage to the next car.

  Luna turned to Albert. “Thanks for jumping in. I didn’t know what to say to her. But we don’t know where Gemni is.”

  Albert shrugged. “Sometimes part of the truth works better than the whole thing. She doesn’t need to know the extent of this mess.”

  Jameson gave Albert a light punch in the arm. “Nice job, doc. Really came through.”

  “Here to serve,” replied Albert with a wince. “So, Luna. It must be nice reconnecting with your old friend. I can see where you get your style.”

  “It’s not easy being back on the tracks. This was my train, my route, my family. And I left them.”

  Luna turned up the lantern to brighten the car, then pulled out a few wool blankets from one of the crates and handed them to Jameson and Albert. The group set the blankets on the floor to relax as the train rolled through the rainy night.

  “Can I ask you why you joined the tribe and why you left?” asked Albert. “I mean, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s perfectly acceptable; I’m sure Jameson would gladly indulge us with one of his tales of Void Land woe to pass the time.”

  “Funny, doc.”

  Luna chuckled. “No, it’s okay.” She took a breath to collect her thoughts. “I guess the best place to start is with my real family, in Borealis. It’s a village along the base of the Rime Mountains. I lived there with my father and older sister, Samantha. My name was Rachel O’Keefe. My father was a miner, working in the tunnels of Mount Rime. When my sister came of age, she had to work the mines, too. I was left alone at home to clean and prepare dinner. I missed Samantha so much. And I was afraid for her because the mines were very dangerous. I told her how upset I was and she gave me this,” Luna reached into her shirt and revealed an old half-moon necklace. “My ancestors from Borealis called the moon, Luna. They believed it to be a symbol of unity. My sister wore the other half of the moon around her neck every day. We never took them off.”

  “That’s sweet,” said Albert. “You know, I never had any siblings. Probably for the best though. Although, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a brother who was a dentist. Imagine the wellness center we could set up. Then sometimes I think—,”

  “This isn’t about you,” piped Jameson. “Let her talk.”

  Albert squirmed like a scolded child. “Please excuse me, Luna.”

  “Well, by the time I became sixteen, Samantha was twenty years old, and a hardened working woman. Borealis changed as well. The growing presence of Malady in the Void Lands, and the medical advances in Karma, pulled the village away from the mountain and closer to the train tracks. The Iron Tribe’s train provided many things for us: food, supplies, medicine, information, and most importantly, escape from life in the shadow of Mount Rime. I became inspired, wanting a better life for my father and sister. But Samantha didn’t see things the same way. She was proud to work beside our father in the mines and offended that I didn’t desire the same. One night, after another argument over it, I prepared a big meal, hoping to make amends with my sister and get back on my father’s good side. As I dressed the table, the sound of a far-off whistle called in the night. An alarm from the mountain. I ran outside and looked up the slopes. A huge fire blazed from Rime’s east mines.

  “I followed the other panicked villagers to the cable car platform to meet the evacuating miners. Many had terrible burns. I waited for an eternity for the crowd to thin out, all the while praying for my sister and father. I stopped one of the emergency responders to ask for help, telling him that my family hadn’t come down from the mountain. He shook his head and told me there were no more survivors. My heart shattered to a million tiny pieces. And that’s when I heard the train’s haunting pipes calling out from somewhere far away. That’s just what I wanted. To be far away.”

  Albert wiped a small tear from his cheek. “You ran? Got on the train?”

  Luna nodded.

  “But you were only sixteen; you had to have been terrified.”

  “Yeah, I was. But when I stepped aboard the train, the engine’s valves blew a cloud of steam around the tracks, and it felt like I had stepped up onto a cloud that was about to lift off into the sky. The powerful, whirring wheels lulled my sadness. I fell asleep.

  “The next day, a blast of the steam startled me awake. A busy, crowed street waited outside full of markets, saloons and lined with vendors peddling wares from the city and places unknown. One of the Iron Tribe’s guards pulled me from my seat, saying, ‘Station stop. Lobos, City of Wolves. This is your stop, kid.’ Even though I didn’t know where Lobos was, I knew better than to disobey the tribesman.”

  “You got off the train in a strange place?” Albert asked in disbelief. He turned to Jameson. “She’s got some great stories! Have you heard this before?”

  Jameson rolled his eyes. “Just shut up and listen.”

  “Right. Sorry.”

  “I felt hungry, so I entered a nearby saloon. The men eyed me like dogs. They hooted and hollered with foul taunts. One man stood up from the bar and yelled, ‘I’m talking to you, girl. Get over here.’

  “The train whistle blew, ready to depart. I sprinted out of there and ran for the rails, shoes kicking up dust and rocks. I was almost to the train car’s steps when the man tackled me to the ground. I screamed and clawed to get free. But he was too big, too strong. He rolled me over pinned me down by the throat. I could smell his stinking breath as his mouth lowered close to mine. Then, the blur of a boot whooshed by, smashing against his head, knocking him to the ground.”

  “Woo-hoo!” cheered Albert.

  “I scurried to my feet. A woman with long, red hair, stitched hide coat and wide-brimmed hat moved in front of me. She pressed her rifle muzzle to the man’s forehead. She said, ‘Time for you to run along, asshole.’

  “The man moved back, retreating. His angry eyes were those of a ravenous animal suddenly robbed of its kill. The woman lowered her rifle and shifted her attention to me; then, the man pounced, a silver knife now flashing in his hand. The rifle fired. The back of the man’s head erupted. I couldn’t believe my eyes. My whole body shook and my mind reeled in a strange delirium. Never had I witnessed such a gruesome scene. A cold numbness fell over me.

  “I boarded the train again, this time no longer alone. As the train rolled along the tracks, I watched the lawless town of Lobos peel from view while the endlessness of the Void Lands opened around me. I cried a little and the woman who saved my life noticed. She said, ‘I can’t tell you things will be okay. But I can tell you they’ll be different. The name’s Mandy Briggs. Iron Tribe. And you are?’

  “I thumbed my moon pendant hanging around my neck and took a new name.”

  Albert sighed and gave a smile of empathy and understanding. “Rachel O’Keefe had become Luna Briggs.”

  “Yep. I pledged my life to the Iron Tribe and defended the locomotive as it rumbled through the valleys, plains and mountain passes of the Void Lands stopping at settlements, towns and camps alike. The Iron Tribe protected me as I protected them. In time, my marksmanship became unmatched. Protecting the Mother meant dealing swift death and doing so instinctively. I lived a life of might and wealth, safe within the impenetrable force of the Iron Tribe.”

  “Can I ask a personal question?”

  “Sure.”

  “Maybe it’s the doctor in me, but I have to know so I’m going to ask. The scars. How is it done and why?”

  “Tribals are unified by ‘mother’s touch.’ Initiates kneel before the engineer and,” she closed her eyes, fighting back the memory of her branding. “Let’s just say the furnace is very hot.”

  Albert shuddered. “I can’t imagine enduring that. What made you leave the Iron Tribe?” asked Albert.

  “My sister.”

  “Mandy?”

 
“No. Samantha.”

  “But I thought she died in the mines.”

  “So did I. Last winter, the Tribe made a Quell delivery to a newly built depot standing along a recent expansion of the railway tracing the westward bend of Mount Rime. A large crowd of people waited at the depot, eager for the shipment of meds. They were angry. The winter weather had delayed the delivery by two weeks and many of them were desperately sick. My experience told me that caution was necessary at stops like this. Especially with such a high value cargo to off-load. I watched the crowd and noticed a father cradling his baby in one arm and holding his wife close with the other. My attention was suddenly diverted when villagers stormed the cargo car for the cases of Quell. They opened fire on the Tribe and Tribesman responded with lethal force of their own. People screamed as blood splattered over the depot walls.

  “Through the eye of my scope, I watched the father holding the baby pass the child to the mother. He came at me then, a pistol in his hand. I ordered him to stop. But he didn’t listen. He raised his pistol at me, and I shot him in the chest. The train rolled away from the riot. The woman holding the baby knelt beside her dead husband. Her mournful cries became my own when I saw a crude, half-moon pendant dangling from the woman’s neck.”

  Albert held his head in his hands. “Luna, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say.”

  Jameson slid next to her and wrapped his arm over her shoulders. “You don’t need to keep going.”

  “It’s important. Feels good to talk about it.”

  Albert wiped his glasses. “Did you go to her? To Samantha? Is that when you left the tribe?”

  Luna shook her head. “I stayed on the train for a few more days. But I couldn’t hide my suffering. Not from Mandy, anyway. She found me standing on the forward platform of a passenger car. It was really late at night and I watched Karma City approach. Mandy asked, ‘You’ve been withdrawn lately. Only remorse does that. What did you do?’