Panting heavily, Blaise pulled herself to her feet and surveyed their surroundings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEveryone alright?\u201d Gratin had taken to leaning against a wall and was breathing heavily, the mage merely nodding in response. Annie gave a thumbs up and a smile. Doug was using safety railing to climb back onto his feet, grunting as he went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCould be better, but I\u2019m good,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCould use a hand here!\u201d yelled Parkinson from his sniping spot, \u201cthey\u2019re going for the planes! Probably calling for backup too!\u201d he was worried, spying on the ones they were fleeing from via his scope. Tupper calmly strolled over towards his friend, removing his grenade launcher from his back \u2013 a smiley face painted onto the barrel \u2013 and began loading it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry Parky, I got this!\u201d he announced happily. Parkinson paled, went to argue, considered their options and then nodded, getting out of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust don\u2019t blow us up, ok?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo promises!\u201d Tupper beamed, leaning out the window and firing at the first aircraft to get into range, cackling as he went. Doug and Blaise exchanged somewhat nervous glances, Gratin sensing their unease. The mage stepped away from the wall and stretched out his arms, limbering up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you sure you have enough energy for this?\u201d Blaise questioned, watching him carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI will refrain from doing anything too taxing. I fear that if I do not attempt to defend us, then, well…\u201d he let the sentence hang, Blaise getting the point. She sighed and nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust be careful, ok?\u201d Gratin smiled at her in response and took up position at the door, summoning a fireball and letting it loose on their pursuers. Tupper saw the ball arch into the sky and impact one of the pursuing craft, letting out a whoop in his excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHell yeah magic man! Lets see who makes the better explosions!\u201d he cried, laughing manically as he fired another grenade, hitting a plane directly in its engine, the resulting explosion sending the craft into a free-fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blaise helped Doug to one of the plastic seats, Doug dropping into it heavily. She looked sick with guilt as she observed him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry I didn\u2019t tell you about my past. I didn\u2019t want you to have to get tied up in all of that…\u201d she began but trailed off as Doug rose a hand and shook it to stop her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou weren\u2019t the only one keeping secrets. Although terrorism is a big charge. It might have been nice to at least know that Salmanic would be a little upset at the thought of you poking around their stuff,\u201d he chuckled, making it clear he wasn\u2019t angry with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know. But I left New Dawn years ago. Only a few weeks before we met in fact. You actually caught me on my first solo mission,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHeh, see I knew you were greener than me,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot really, I think we\u2019re actually equal in the amount of time we\u2019ve been killing for a living,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBlaise, I was 20 when I went on my first mission. You\u2019d have still been a school girl,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was picked up by New Dawn when I was 13 and I was doing jobs for them by the time I was 15,\u201d Blaise admitted. Doug did a double take, brow raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c15? Why the hell did they send a teenager out to do terrorist work?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKids can sneak around a lot of places without attracting suspicion. Besides, an illegal terrorist movement isn\u2019t easy to advertise for. They pick up new agents wherever they can. Sometimes that may mean finding a traumatised little girl in a gutter and attempting to re-educate her in the ways of subterfuge and murder,\u201d she shrugged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s still messed up,\u201d Doug told her. He paused for a moment as his train of thought switched tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo \u201cKate\u201d, huh\u2026?\u201d he left the sentence hanging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat would be my real name, yes,\u201d Blaise \u2013 or rather Kate \u2013 sighed. \u201cMy full name is Katherine O\u2019Donnell but everyone always called me Kate though. Blaise never really existed. That was just a name I was using to lay low whilst I figured things out. I needed to know if I could be more than what they made me. It sounds rather like a crap joke now…\u201d she trailed off. Doug examined her face and cracked a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKate\u2019s a good name. Suits you,\u201d he beamed. Kate felt her cheeks burning as she smiled sheepishly back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doug moved to make himself more comfortable only to wince as a flash of pain ran up his injured side. He placed his hand against the most painful spot only to pause when he felt a wet patch. He inspected his hand to find it covered in blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShit, stitch got pulled,\u201d he grunted. Kate immediately went to check the injury. Annie had overheard this little exchange and turned to Parkinson, waving him off from his attempts to see to her own injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI ain\u2019t going anywhere, sugah. You better lend a hand with Dougie\u2019s troubles,\u201d she said. He hesitated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAllan,\u201d a stern edge entered her voice, Parkinson grunting and followed the order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy him?\u201d asked Doug, brow raised at Parkinson\u2019s reluctance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause he\u2019s the one with the most medical training. Ah\u2019m sure there\u2019s irony there somewhere,\u201d Annie explained, pausing to consider what she had just said, \u201cor maybe just really bad planning. One or the other.\u201d Parkinson knelt down and began his examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShit, Kate, this is some of the worst stitching I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHave you ever sat in on a New Dawn first aid seminar? They don\u2019t teach you how to actually do a good job, just to do a rough patch-up so you can get everyone out without getting caught,\u201d Kate complained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd if a patch job won\u2019t do?\u201d pressed Doug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re assigned cyanide pills,\u201d Parkison replied, \u201cmeans we can leave people behind and not worry about them spilling the beans about our organisation,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…I\u2019m not sure I want to subscribe to the New Dawn medical plan, ta,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell if you prefer to bleed out,\u201d Parkinson removed his hands from Doug\u2019s side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cActually, I have a better idea. Archie? Could you come over here a sec, mate?\u201d Kate could see what Doug was about to suggest, her facial expression turning stern. She picked up her rifle and took up a position at the window so Gratin could see to Doug without leaving a blind spot in their defences. The mage knelt down next to Doug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou wish for me to aid you?\u201d he stated calmly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStitches aren\u2019t going to do the trick, Grat; they\u2019re just going to keep getting pulled. I\u2019m going to need something a little more drastic. Think you can help a guy out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis will hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know the drill,\u201d Doug grinned and clutched the railing next to his seat with his human hand in order to brace himself. Parkinson backed off to give Gratin some room, clearly confused by what was happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo you mean to say that you knew healing magic the entire time?\u201d asked the sniper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, although this isn\u2019t the first time I have needed to perform this particular procedure on Doug,\u201d his hands began to glow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat procedure-?\u201d Parkinson stopped mid sentence when he realised he could smell burning meat. Doug was sweating now, gritting his teeth hard in a grimace of pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStings a bit,\u201d he informed the sniper who had grown several shades paler as he realised that Gratin was stopping the bleeding by cauterising the wound. Gratin\u2019s jaw clenched in concentration as he focused on Doug\u2019s injured side, using his mind to direct the heat to where it was required. Smoke began to waft up from Doug\u2019s flesh and Parkinson could swear he could hear it sizzling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo how come you\u2019re not a big fan of soldiers?\u201d asked Doug, catching the sniper off guard. He peered at the merc quizzically, Doug beaming back in earnestness through gritted teeth and a sweat laden brow. He was clearly in a lot of pain, his fist shaking as it gripped the railing. His bionic hand was clamped onto the seat next to him, the plastic being horribly bent out of shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA mage is performing surgery on you and you want to know about me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSure. Distracts \u2013 ergh- from the pain,\u201d Parkinson couldn\u2019t argue with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cErr, well my parents were the political sort. They liked going to all these rallies to protest just about anything from the governments plans to restrict free school meals to the extortionate price of healthcare. They used to drag me along to them,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSounds like a \u2013 aargh \u2013 fun family day out,\u201d Doug grunted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHmm, something like that. When I was eight, they took me to a protest campaigning against the PSF\u2019s involvement in some war on the other side of the galition. I was just a kid so I didn\u2019t know the specifics, just that my parents wanted the PSF to only get involved in conflicts that effected Lusinia. They thought the military should be publicly owned rather than another money machine. They thought privatisation had turned the military into a bunch of bullies for hire,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard the arguments. Don\u2019t have much of an opinion myself, it was just a job to me,\u201d was Doug\u2019s input.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSome of the soldiers on guard duty did have an opinion though. They thought we were trying to take away their jobs. So they waited for the flimsiest excuse they could and things quickly turned nasty. Made the news,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAw shit, you were part of the Liaroon protest, weren\u2019t you? I remember watching the footage with my mum. Nasty\u2019s a bit of an understatement; it turned into a full blown riot!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, and I was in the middle of it. Ended up with a broken arm and a concussion,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo wonder you don\u2019t like the PSF, mate. I\u2019m sorry,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. You were just a kid yourself at the time; you weren\u2019t involved,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo is that why you ended up with New Dawn?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause of the riot? No. Let\u2019s just say my parent\u2019s political sensibilities were an inherited trait,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAh, right,\u201d Doug nodded. Suddenly the group made a lot more sense. Parkinson was there as a political activist, Annie joined as New Dawn had protected her when she needed it and so she was probably just returning the favour. Tupper didn\u2019t really need an excuse. The only mystery remaining was Thad, the gentleman currently sitting in a chair opposite Harper, glaring at her whilst aiming her own gun at her. He looked as though he was just waiting for an excuse to lash out at her, a lake of pure rage bubbling under the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As soon as Gratin finished his treatment Doug thanked him, performed a few little stretches to make sure he wasn\u2019t going to damage himself further by being too active, then approached the Gentleman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can take over here, you go be with your fianc\u00e9 mate,\u201d Doug instructed. Thad glanced at Doug, shot Harper one last glare and then wordlessly left to see to Annie, deciding she was ultimately more worthy of his time. Before he had a chance to pass the soldier, Doug grabbed his arm hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll have to have a little chat about what happened out there with your buddies,\u201d Doug stated as a matter of fact. He wasn\u2019t even looking at Thad, focusing his gaze on the opposite wall instead. Thad shrugged out of the grip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am sure we will…\u201d he muttered, marching off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doug sat down, produced a cigarette from his jacket and lit up. Harper watched him suspiciously, Doug taking a deep drag as he surveyed her. He didn\u2019t make any attempt to brandish a weapon as a way to convince her to be a good girl and behave but he didn\u2019t need to. Harper was well aware that she couldn\u2019t take him in a straight fight. All it would take would be for him to grab her with his bionic arm and the fight would be over. They both knew it so Doug wasn\u2019t even trying to act like a proper jailer. He relaxed back into his seat as if this was a regular commute for him rather than the mad dash for freedom that it was supposed to be. If he looked out of the window just to the left of his head then he would have been able to see jets of flame shooting past as Gratin fired spell after spell at the pursuing aircraft, and yet Doug seemed oblivious to the danger they were in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…You know you really had me going for a while there. I vouched for you and everything. Bit embarrassing really,\u201d The mercenary eventually japed. Harper was unsympathetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy heart bleeds for you losing face against these criminals,\u201d she sarcastically told him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all criminals here, Harp. You heard them read out my rap sheet back at the meet,\u201d he calmly pointed out, \u201c\u2019Sides, least they\u2019re not a bunch of traitors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re such a hypocrite McCracken. I\u2019ve seen your full profile. I know what you got up to in the PSF and it was no different than what I do for Salmanic,\u201d Harper jeered at him, \u201check, if it wasn\u2019t for the fact that you\u2019re wearing your head up your ass then we coulda been friends. We\u2019re kindred spirits, Doug, that\u2019s why I wanted to save you from this shit.\u201d Doug leisurely blew out a smoke ring as he considered her apparent goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need saving, ta.\u201d this caused Harper to shake her head at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, you keep telling yourself that,\u201d she rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know my mates and I trust their judgment. If Blaise trusts these New Dawners then so do I. Hell, she\u2019s obviously a better judge of character than I am: she was right about you after all!\u201d he said this with a grin. Harper glared daggers at him, her patience wearing thin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know a lot more about these people than you do, Doug. That includes your girlfriend. I\u2019ve seen their dossiers! The full versions!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t care,\u201d was Doug\u2019s reply, his shoulders bobbing up and down in a lazy shrug. His attitude grated on Harper\u2019s nerves, Harper squirming in her seat to better face him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re just going to blindly follow them? I can vouch for you! I can offer you protection from Salmanic! All you need to do is turn them in and you\u2019re off the hook! They\u2019re fanatics and criminals! You\u2019re a war hero for Faust\u2019s sake!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not gonna hurt Blaise like that,\u201d Doug calmly stated, letting the war hero comment slide. He could understand why she\u2019d apply that label to him \u2013 he\u2019d done a lot for the war effort in his PSF days after all \u2013 but being called a hero never sat well with him. As far as he was concerned, he\u2019d just been doing his job back then. There was nothing heroic about it…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBlaise isn\u2019t even her real name! Listen to me! She was being taught by fanatics to kill from the moment she hit puberty! They took a broken child and gave her a rifle and told her that taking down Salmanic was the only way to fix everything wrong in her life. She should be in a psychiatric ward for being brainwashed by a damn terrorist group! They believe in the cause so much it\u2019s practically a damn cult! She is seriously messed up!\u201d argued Harper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFunny, a lotta people say the same thing about me. Maybe not the brainwashing bit but they definitely say I need help!\u201d he laughed. Harper stared pleadingly at him, trying desperately to make him see sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut you don\u2019t. Not like her anyway. These people will do anything to achieve their goals: they don\u2019t care who they hurt, whether it\u2019s a few dozen civilians or even the charismatic mercenary they obviously have a crush on. You\u2019re just another body to them, Doug. Someone to soak up bullets on their behalf,\u201d She pressed. Doug glanced towards his friend. It had been an eventful evening where he\u2019d learned a lot about his partner in crime. He felt like he was only just beginning to scratch the surface of her past. He wasn\u2019t even sure if he should still be referring to her as \u201cBlaise\u201d or if Kate was more appropriate now. Despite that though, he felt that she was being truly honest with him for the first time since they had met. She had little reason to lie to him any more about her past; he\u2019d already gleamed her biggest secrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kate felt his eyes on her and turned to glance at him, a brow raised. Doug smiled warmly back at her as he addressed Harper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t know Blaise at all. We\u2019re not just partners; we\u2019re friends and we\u2019ll go down fightin\u2019 to protect one another,\u201d Harper shook her head in disbelief over what she was hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re wrong, Doug.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, I\u2019m not,\u201d the smile stayed fixed in place, Doug radiating confidence. It truly worried Harper. She tried one final appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You\u2019re making a huge mistake. You side with her and you\u2019re a dead man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take my chances,\u201d he replied, taking another drag from his cigarette. His nonchalance only served to piss her off, Harper finally running out of arguments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re an idiot. You know what, you deserve each other. You can go be psychopaths together in hell,\u201d she seethed, resentment oozing from every syllable. Doug couldn\u2019t help but chuckle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, and I\u2019ll probably see you there, luv.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gratin had returned to his post at the window after finishing seeing to Doug, relieving Kate. She surveyed the train, trying to take stock of the situation. Parkinson was seeing to Annie, attempting to remove the bullet lodged in her shoulder and stitch her back up, Annie grimacing from the pain and holding Thad\u2019s hand tightly as the sniper did his work. Tupper was continuing to cackle his head off as he opened fire on their pursuers. There was only one aircraft left now but the pilot was tenacious, the craft preforming an assortment of aerial manoeuvrers to dodge any fireballs or grenades fired at it whilst attempting to stay out of range of the brunt of the attacks. For the most part the mage and the mad bomber were laying down suppressive fire to discourage the pilot from getting close enough to attempt to disable the train\u2019s engine, a tactic that was proving effective for the time being. Kate was still worried as to how long it would remain that way for though; Gratin\u2019s breathing was beginning to sound laboured due to the amount of energy he was rather literally burning off and Tupper\u2019s bandolier was beginning to look considerably emptier. Her companions were more preoccupied with other matters for the moment, however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo why grab the Scouse?\u201d Parkinson asked aloud as he put the finishing touches on Annie\u2019s stitches. They looked far neater than the ones Blaise had sown into Doug not too long ago, Kate reasonably impressed. The thought did occur that half of Parkinson’s squad consisted of people that preferred close combat techniques and another quarter was liable to blow themselves up so having a half decent medic on the team was probably in high demand, even if that medic was the one member of the group that was the least likely to be anywhere near any of the others if a medical emergency was suddenly called for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo be honest, Al,\u201d Thad began with a sheepish chuckle, \u201cI was hoping a hostage would be useful. Then I remembered that Salmanic\u2019s probably not the sort to give two shits about some security guard turned mercenary, are they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI dunno Sugah, she might be good for something. She probably knows these parts pretty well if she works out here, right?\u201d said Annie as she focused on her fianc\u00e9, \u201cmaybe she\u2019ll be able to give us a little bit of info on\u2026 wherever it is we\u2019re going? Just where in the heck are we running to anyway?\u201d the two men glanced at each other, each one\u2019s face being completely blank as they realised they didn\u2019t have a clue as to where this train went. Annie then shifted her gaze to Kate who could only feebly shrug in answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was starting to wonder that myself to be honest…\u201d she admitted. Annie frowned, considered their options and then turned in her seat towards those at the back of the train.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOi, Harp?! Where does this fancy dan train go anyway?!\u201d the southern belle yelled, catching Harper off guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat? Fuck off, I ain\u2019t telling you squat!\u201d Harper showed the back of her middle finger to Annie for emphasis<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t make me come back there and ask you again you little-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust try it, I\u2019ll clip your other wing! I ain\u2019t afraid of you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA dead bee can still sting, sugah and ah can still kick your ass six ways to Sunday!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh yeah, prove it!\u201d Annie attempted to jump to her feet but was held back by Thad. Doug, however, did get to his feet and loomed over Harper with a brow raised, the Scouse having second thoughts about making trouble as she eyed the bionic limb attached to her guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI suggest you don\u2019t start making trouble for yourself, Harp. We\u2019re being nice to you right now but it doesn\u2019t have to stay that way. \u2018Sides, I doubt your bosses are gonna be to thrilled about how you got yourself kidnapped. Playing nice with us might just be your best chance at survival right now…\u201d He let the sentence hang, making a point to rub his metallic knuckles as a way to emphasise his point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSalmanic are the good guys, McCracken whereas you\u2019re the asshat running around with terrorists and murderers,\u201d she pointed out in an aggravated tone but there was doubt in her eyes. She\u2019d heard the rumours about what happened to people who displeased Silverton Salmanic and right now she was a liability rather than an asset. She was more likely to be put down by the security teams in an attempt to put an end to this fiasco than be rescued by them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doug was smiling confidently at her as the two tried to out stare each other, Doug not needing telepathy to see what was going on inside her head. It didn\u2019t come as much of a surprise when Harper made a scoffing noise and returned to staring out the window in a bid to avoid his gaze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDunno why you\u2019re even askin\u2019 me, s\u2019not like I know what direction we\u2019re even travelling in,\u201d she muttered. The New Dawners were hardly impressed, Annie groaning and rolling her eyes. Parkinson fished a compass and a map out of his fishing vest, handing the map to Thad as he studied the compass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re heading North West,\u201d stated Parkinson as Thad unfolded the map of the desert he and his compatriots had been using to keep track of all the Dark Worlder attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHmm, I think we were over here,\u201d he pointed to the valley they had just left on the map, \u201cso if we\u2019re going North West then that means we\u2019re heading towards the centre of the desert where all the monorail tracks converge by the looks of it,\u201d Kate leaned over to get a better look at the map, noticing an odd detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s nothing drawn there accept for the monorail tracks. No buildings or anything like the Monitor Stations…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWeird. I wonder why they all converge on that specific spot. What\u2019s out there?\u201d Thad wondered aloud. Doug was still watching Harper like a hawk, the Scouse\u2019s composure tensing up considerably as she listened in on the conversation. She was attempting to hide it but she was clearly panicking inside. Doug decided to press the issue, leaning down so that his hands were holding onto the armrests either side of Harper, his face lowered to be inches away from hers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou already know the answer to that, don\u2019t you pet?\u201d he calmly stated as he breathed smoke over her. She was unnerved, considering what would happen if she kneed him in the balls and made a break for the back of the train. The answer was clearly that O\u2019Donnell would shoot her in the back before she reached the fire door at the end of the carriage. Frustrated, she grunted and stared down at her lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Power Plant. Follow the tracks to the centre of the network and you\u2019ll find The Power Plant,\u201d she muttered. Doug grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow was that so hard? Damn sight easier than messing us around, I\u2019d wager,\u201d he straightened up and backed up a pace to give her room. Harper glared up at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLife\u2019ll get a damn sight harder for you if you actually go there! Most of Salmanic\u2019s security is based there! You\u2019ll have to go through a small army to get out!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBet that\u2019ll also be where Salmanic dock their aircraft and any other vehicles they use to navigate the desert, right?\u201d Doug reasoned. It was a logical conclusion as every other Salmanic building they\u2019d been to so far had landing pads but no hanger bays or other such sites to store aircraft for any meaningful amount of time. The fleet had to be fuelled and maintained somewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harper paled a little when she realised The Power Plant might be a legitimate chance of escaping for these people. She quickly grasped onto the first idea that could persuade them to avoid The Power Plant at all costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019d still have to fight through security to get to the hangers! And you\u2019d have to know how to pilot a craft as well!\u201d this only caused Doug to laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEx-PSF, remember? I\u2019ve got a bloody pilot\u2019s licence! Heck, I can taxi us out into space if I wanted to! Ain\u2019t exactly hard!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo what, your plan is to fight your way through Salmanic\u2019s top security team and fly outta here?\u201d she asked incredulously, \u201cyou\u2019re going there by monorail! It\u2019s a set route! They\u2019ll be expecting you, dumbass!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou let us worry about that, luv,\u201d he winked at her. Harper slunk back into her seat, head in her hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re gonna die. They are going to gun you down and I\u2019ll be caught in the cross fire…\u201d she began muttering to herself. Doug wasn\u2019t paying attention to her. He was more concerned by the sounds of gunfire peppering the roof of the carriage, Tupper swearing loudly and the carriage rocking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThad? We gotta big problem!\u201d The scarred man announced. The Gentleman climbed to his feet and joined Tupper at his window, Kate joining Gratin at his. Doug also approached a window, trying to work out what the fuss was about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their pursuers had been joined by their friends, a further 3 aircraft now trailing behind them, these ones equipped with machine guns. Gratin attempted to summon a spirit shield over the roof of their escape vehicle as one of the craft made another attack run, bullets raining down like hailstones. The strain of it brought Gratin to his knees, a trickle of blood running out from under his mask as he forced more power into their defences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGratin!\u201d Kate cried in alarm, attempting to catch the mage as he fell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am sorry Mistress but you were right. I am beginning to run low on energy reserves…\u201d he told her as he wiped the crimson liquid away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRest up, we\u2019ll think of something,\u201d she instructed him before looking in Doug\u2019s direction for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCan\u2019t we outrun them? How fast is this thing going?\u201d he suggested. It didn\u2019t feel like they were going particularly fast and the aircraft were easily keeping pace with them. Thad hurried to the front of the carriage to find out, pouring over the console found there to work out what to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s stuck at 35 miles per hour!\u201d he yelled back as soon as he found the speedometer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat do you mean stuck?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat it won\u2019t go faster?\u201d Thad tried cranking up the speed, an error message appearing on the console as a result, \u201cit\u2019s not letting me go any faster!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAin\u2019t this thing a maglev? Thought those things were supposed to be fast!\u201d Doug was sure this was a magnetic levitation train as it had the same sleek design as the maglev monorail that wrapped around the City of Light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDunno what to tell you, pal! The speedometer says this baby can hit 330mph but if I try to push it above 35, the console freaks out!\u201d the Gentleman paused as Harper began to laugh, both men turning their attention onto her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou really thought you\u2019d get away? All the trains have limiters built in to stop them from going too fast and derailing! You\u2019re not going to outrun anyone in this thing!\u201d she informed them, laughing all the while, \u201cyou might as well give up now! Those planes aren\u2019t gonna let you get to the Power Plant!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doug considered her words, grunted, turned on his heel and marched towards the front of the train where he crawled underneath the console and opened it up, muttering all the while. Harper\u2019s laughter subsided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat the hell is he doing?\u201d she asked, a question nobody could answer as they were all watching Doug\u2019s knees, the merc obscured by the console. The train was rocked by more gunfire, the carriage rocking violently as a few bullets made it through the roof, Kate taking cover behind a seat as a bullet impacted where she had been previously kneeling. The train shuddered once more and Tupper let out a surprised \u201cwhoah\u201d as the carriage lurched forward, leaving the aircraft in its wake as its speed shot up. A moment later and a mechanical part was thrown out from under the console, the piece hitting the floor and bouncing towards Harper\u2019s feet, the Scouse alarmed as Doug pulled himself out from under the console.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIs that-?\u201d she nervously began only for Doug to cut her off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Limiter? Yep,\u201d he turned to Thad, who was practically glued to the console, \u201cthink you can keep a good speed up without us derailing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m certainly gonna try, pal!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGreat! I\u2019m gonna go sit down, give a yell if there\u2019s any more trouble,\u201d and with that, Doug returned to his seat in front of Harper, the Scouse feeling the need to put on a seat belt now a bunch of clearly crazy people were in charge of their vehicle\u2019s speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It didn\u2019t take long for a mass of concrete buildings to appear on the horizon. A tower block covered in satellites was surrounded by silos and a warehouse complex, a train yard situated at the front of the slabs of concrete that made up the buildings of the Power Plant. There were barely any windows, the only ones visible being for the uppermost floors of the tower block. It looked less like a traditional power plant and more like a fortress. As Doug and Kate peered out of the windows towards it, they could swear they could see some anti-aircraft gun in-placements on top of the various towering silos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe might have to rethink flying out of here…\u201d Kate muttered to her partner, who was already scanning the lower levels for ideas. She had joined him on his bench not long after the limiter had been removed much to Harper\u2019s displeasure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere,\u201d he pointed to the far side of the building, \u201cdoes that look like a road to you?\u201d Kate followed his gaze to where a series of street lights reasonably spaced out stretched out into the distance. As she surveyed it, she could just about make out what looked like a dune buggy driving along the road, towards The Power Plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLooks like it. Might be the best shot we have of getting out of here,\u201d she agreed. They turned their attention onto the Scouse who was sat miserably behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou gonna tell us what we can expect in there?\u201d Doug asked. Harper shrugged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re never gonna make it to the parking bays; they\u2019re on the other side of the complex,\u201d she said in response, feigning disinterest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah? What\u2019s in the complex? What\u2019s the actual power room or whatever like?\u201d Doug further pressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo idea, most of the important stuff is underground. Never been down there,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen what\u2019s the point in keeping you around then?\u201d asked Kate, drawing a pistol and examining the clip. Harper took a moment to observe what the red head was doing before glancing away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI live here for a start. The upper floors are barracks. I know my way around above ground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not from the City of Light then?\u201d Doug queried, surprised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMe and my colleagues were flown out there to observe you mercs and to throw off any suspicion. I\u2019m actually supposed to be guarding this place, not giving tours!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFunny how life works out but we appreciate your efforts all the same,\u201d Doug sarcastically remarked, earning an eye roll from Harper.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Panting heavily, Blaise pulled herself to her feet and surveyed their surroundings. \u201cEveryone alright?\u201d Gratin had taken to leaning against a wall and was breathing heavily, the mage merely nodding in response. Annie gave a thumbs up and a smile. Doug was using safety railing to climb back onto his…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[71,72,32,31,33,37,120,99,89,100,22,92,9,73,44],"class_list":["post-330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-mercenaries-tale","tag-allan-parkinson","tag-annie-stone","tag-blaise","tag-doug-mccracken","tag-gratin","tag-jessie-harper","tag-kate-odonnell","tag-monorail","tag-new-dawn","tag-power-plant","tag-salmanic-incorporated","tag-thad-the-gentleman","tag-the-mercs","tag-tupper","tag-vehicles-and-transport"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}