The Ticket

Then the drone released a swarm of glinting alloy bolts. Several pierced through Maarv’s shield. One tore clean through his left shoulder; another pinned his leg to the ground, wrenching a grimace of pain from him. Pressing the attack, the drone descended low, almost skimming the earth, as though toying with him before delivering the final blow.

Maarv’s shield was nearly gone. Wrenching a length of rebar from the cracked concrete, he clutched it in helpless fury, knowing this was the end.

Suddenly, behind him came the screech of rending metal, and the ground shook with a growing vibration. Blood from a deep wound on his forehead streamed across Maarv’s face. Barely clinging to consciousness from the searing pain, he caught sight of something massive thundering toward him at terrifying speed.

With the last of his strength, leaning on the length of rebar, he wrenched his leg free from the bolt pinning it to the earth and hurled himself aside. A heavy locomotive roared past at full speed, striking the hunter with the full force and weight of its colossal mass, hurling it far along the tracks, where the iron wheels tore it apart and scattered the fragments in a storm of screeches, crashes, and sparks.

Maarv regained awareness only when Kane was shaking him gently, trying to bring him around. With effort, he forced his eyes open.

«Maarv, you scared the hell out of me», Kane said, pale as a sheet. «I thought you were… you know… done for.»

«What happened?» Maarv asked, wincing from the pain of his wounds. «For a moment there, I thought I was finished myself…»

Kane laughed with relief. «You see, when you so cheerfully decided to step off the handcar, we thought it unfair that all the fun should be yours alone. A little farther on, we spotted that massive iron beast – a derelict locomotive. Its generators and engines were still in decent shape, and I managed to get it running. John climbed into the control tower and, by some miracle, managed to switch the tracks correctly. Lucky, wasn’t it? Guess that drone was never programmed to give way to locomotives – something to keep in mind for your next firmware update!»