(Reverence 6, 59 / 7:50PM)

  (Ground Strike Force)

  Stan, Fred, Gary, and Diego.

  Jenny, Loraine, and Luna.

  Benn, Johnny, and Elizabeth.

  A total of ten people made up the strike force.

  Busting through the train compartments one by one, all of them noticed many of them were more or less guard barracks for soldiers. Seeing neatly tidied bunk beds organized in an old-fashioned yout, Johnny and Elizabeth lowered their heads while walking past them.

  Walking through two to three compartments in, all of them wielded their main weapons, except for Luna and Elizabeth who only balled their fists. Their boots, heels, or any type of shoe pstering along the metal floor, clinked or thumped the more they got closer to the single-digit train carts.

  Losing count, the ten of them entered inside yet another train cart, dull as the st.

  (Stan) Where are most of the agents? I thought we would encounter at least one of them.

  (Gary) Do you think they set up traps farther up?

  (Fred) Unlikely. It would be hard to pull off a lethal trap without destroying or damaging a train cart.

  (Diego) But money is the least of their worries.

  Despite the four of them being the lowest in terms of strength, Stan’s group led the six others who walked behind them.

  Forming the simple line of bait in the front and the strongest in the back, Benn, Elizabeth, Johnny, and Loraine all lingered in the middle. In the back, Luna and Jenny stomped through the metal flooring, as Luna’s boots formed small dents while Jenny pierced them with her heels.

  Noticing bck and white photographs hung on the walls, it showcased a chubby man sitting on a chair wearing his typical thin brown jacket. Grinding his jaws together, Johnny averted his eyes at the sight of the photograph portrait.

  (Johnny) Let’s just get out of here.

  (Benn) Why?

  (Johnny) Look over there.

  Benn looked toward the same painting, causing both of his eyes to scrunch up. Along with his nose wrinkling at the sight of the chubby man’s face, Benn had his eyes darkened the more he stared at it.

  But a soft hand gripped onto his.

  Gncing at the teenage girl who walked beside him, Benn uncurled his wrinkled face. Unable to look at the girl’s eyes, he lowered them to the floor, while his other hand wielded his light machine gun.

  (Benn) You didn’t have to.

  (Loraine) Who is that man?

  (Benn) Someone horrible. Who’s family is horrible …

  (Elizabeth) Except for this one.

  Elizabeth squeezed Johnny’s left hand, as he had his right arm wielding the same gun as Benn’s but lighter. Lifting his head, he gnced down at the cat-girl, whose fingers started trailing through his pointed knuckles.

  In return, his fingers wrapped around hers, the tips of his fingers softly sliding up and down the center of her hands.

  Loraine, still being a teen, stuck out her tongue and deterred her eyes away from the sight of love.

  (Loraine) Yuck!

  Meanwhile, Jenny warmly chuckled, while having her hands clenched together over her crotch. Her cheeks pushed down, her long hair swayed back and forth the more she walked with her high heels.

  In contrast to her, Luna rolled her eyes at the cute couple, letting out a scuff from her dried lips.

  (Luna) Those two annoy me.

  (Jenny) I think love is a beautiful thing. Sometimes love changes people for the better.

  (Luna) Whatever.

  (Loraine) Or maybe she should go out with Luke!

  (Luna) Shut up you brat!

  Steam huffing out from her wrinkled nostrils, Luna’s fingers curled back again, her palms subjecting to more stabbing. Even though she dug deep, no trace of blood flowed from her hand, leaving her to just hiss out air from her clenched teeth.

  Letting out a cheeky ugh, Loraine raised both her hands in the air, all the while closing her eyes and skipping a step. For everyone else on the strike team, a couple of dry chuckles softened inside of their throats.

  And right at that moment, the door leading to the other compartment was in front of them. Being the front runner of the group, Stan gripped the golden handle, before turning it downward.

  (Stan) Open sesame.

  Opening the door wide, their eyes were blinded by gold.

  All of them took in the high-rising chandeliers, with three of the dangling lights forming a line through the compartment. Noticing a bar on the middle left, a wooden table situated itself on the other side of the bar-looking train cart. Light shining on every ounce of metal that it could reflect, led the group to let their jaws drop in awe, their eyes sparkling amongst the turquoise gold.

  But that all changed; once they saw a woman standing on the other side of the room.

  Wearing a bck tuxedo suit, bck scks, and church shoes, as well as a bck fedora, she also wore dark-tinted sungsses. Leaving no trace of light to reflect amongst her eyes, she had both of her hands inside of her pockets.

  (Spartan Alexandra) Sorry, but the bar is closed.

  The strike force of ten all wielded their weapons low to the ground, their lips smirking up to the height of their ears. Some of them ftlined their lips, all of them spread out, lining side by side as they all had the advantage.

  Considering it's a 10 vs 1.

  Taking a couple of steps forward, Stan had both of his hands wielding his usual AK, the chamber already loaded with his finger on the side. The butt of the gun jamming itself into his shoulder, Stan didn’t groan under the pain he inflicted upon himself.

  (Stan) And I’m afraid we don’t care. We aren’t here to indulge in alcohol, so move.

  (Spartan Alexandra) Oooh~ Trying to give me an order?~

  (Stan) I would prefer to call it a command.

  (Spartan Alexandra) Sorry but.

  Her left hand was already in her tuxedo suit’s pocket, she pulled out a simple drill. Having her finger already on a button, she pressed it for the drill to awake from its slumber, with the outer yers of the metal…

  Freckling the air with electricity.

  A regur drill turning into an electric one, she had the weapon down to her thigh, the tiny electric zaps zipping near her bck scks.

  (Spartan Alexandra) I don’t listen to men. I’m not a typical woman that submits to them, as you may know.

  Standing side by side, Fred, Diego, and Gary all aimed their weapons at the above-average-height woman who smeared a seductive smirk. In unison, the four of them let out a cold shiver down their spines, their bodies beginning to numb from just seeing the sight of Alexandra licking her lips.

  Luckily for them, Loraine stood right next to them as well.

  (Loraine) I think I should help you guys out.

  (Fred) This woman is pretty intense, so I don’t think—

  (Loraine) Hush hush! I fought with that stupid lich named Pedro, and I did most of the fighting. Even Benn was injured, so I could handle the crazy woman!

  The four of them looked at one another. Shrugging, Stan nodded once before looking toward the five others, their barrels or weapons all pointed at the smug-grinned woman.

  Specifically looking toward Johnny, Stan nudged his head forward.

  (Stan) You guys go on, me and the boys and Loraine will handle the Ball Conqueror.

  (Johnny) Gotcha.

  Running toward the door that Alexandra blocked, the female spartan slid her right foot back, her body strength forcing itself to the tips of her toes. Her right church shoe wrinkled from the edges, she had her left leg lunged forward, her back arched, and…

  She took off.

  Flying through the air, she extended her right hand out, the drill shooting out sparks of electricity softly zapping her hand.

  (Spartan Alexandra) Eat my—

  A nylon rope wrapped itself around her right wrist.

  Pulling her entire body to the ground, the other five managed to run past through the tumbled agent. Seeing them going through the door, both her teeth clenched shut, as the st person that she saw running…

  Was a monolid woman with gsses.

  In a split second, Jenny raised her right hand, stuck out her middle finger, and followed the rest to the other train carts.

  (Spartan Alexandra) Damn, that monolid bitch!

  Loraine, who used both of her hands to grip her rope, clenched it hard enough for blisters to form along her palms. Grinding every tooth within her mouth, she rubbed it at a snail’s pace the longer Alexandra struggled on the ground.

  On both sides of her body, the four non-blessing users pointed their guns at the female agent.

  (Gary) Really? Ball Conqueror?

  (Stan) Shut up.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Reverence 6, 59 / 7:50PM)

  (Roof Stealth Force)

  Luke, Miles, Hope, Sean, and Jack.

  Only five people made up the small stealth force.

  In between the 15th and 16th train carts, a small gap on the outside led them to see a small dder leading to the roof. With Luke being the lead, his sweat-stained palms gripped the metal bars, before pulling himself up with his boots. Reaching the roof, the moving train combined with the desert wind smmed against his face, leading him to get on all fours.

  Looking back at him, Jack and Sean already climbed up to the roof, the air already making them follow Luke’s example. As Miles began his climb up, Luke slowly stood up, the wind resistance rippling the bottom and even the top of his leather jacket. Barely standing, Luke walked on the center of the train, his eyes unable to look down at the dunes on the left and right sides of the tracks.

  (Luke) Form a line! Try not to fall!

  (Sean) Better said than done! Why shouldn’t we all just plow through the ground!?

  (Luke) It’s so that we are the Pn B! If they don’t reach the emergency brakes, then we will first!

  (Miles) That’s if the wind lets us!

  Like a conga line, the four of them got behind Luke, steadily walking on the moving train that smmed heavy dry wind to their faces. Their hair swaying, they let their tilted down faces see the many train carts they pass, since most of them didn’t leave gaps for the outside.

  Looking down to the right side of the train, Jack’s eyes were encapsuted within the moving ndscape, leading him to lean to the right side of—

  Miles grabbed his back colr.

  (Miles) Don’t look down you dumbass!

  (Jack) O-Oh shit! T-Thanks!

  Despite going at a slow pace, they were achieving great time considering how many miles away they were from the bridge.

  Luke’s shoulders were cmped by Sean, Sean’s shoulders being cmped by Jack, and vice versa. Not looking at the dizzying ndscape around them, all of them heaved their breath the more they reached the single-digit train carts.

  Feeling like they were halfway there, Luke stopped.

  (Jack) Something the matter?!

  (Luke’s thoughts) Shoot!

  In front of him, a gap separated from the cart they stood on and the next one. The wind whisting through their ears, Luke had the tip of his boots barely hovering over the gap, and his knees buckled in pce.

  Inflexing a multitude of air into his lungs, he pushed the air back out, drying his throat and lungs with the desert wind he took in.

  (Luke) We’re going to have to jump over it!

  (Sean) Are you sure about this!?

  (Luke) We have no other choice! Unless we decide to go through the main train carts!

  (Jack) It’s just a small gap! How hard can a simple jump be?!

  The four of them behind Luke took a few steps back.

  Pressing down onto the train's metal roof, Luke dug deep with just the heels of his feet, twisting and turning like he was on sand. Even though he wasn’t, Luke hunched his head forward, squinted his eyes, and pushed off.

  Lunging in the air, his luck got him to the other end of the train cart. Pressing both his heels down, his knees bent while having his hands out, remaining still as he turned his head toward the others.

  (Luke) It’s ok guys! It’s not that bad!

  Sean closed his eyes, taking in a big chunk of desert air into his lungs. Having the sand particles molest his throat and pink sacs, it stung repeatedly the more air he sucked in, leading his chest to balloon.

  Pushing it out, so did his feet. Like Luke, he got to the other side safely, only this time he tumbled forward. Being on all fours, he looked toward Jack who prepared his stance.

  (Jack’s thoughts) Alright Jack, easy does it…

  Sprinting with all his might, he tried to—

  He forgot to jump.

  (Jack) Ah!

  As if a miracle occurred, his right hand held onto the ledge of the other train cart. Luke, being the nearest to the edge, gripped Jack’s hand as he pulled him up to safety. Lying down on the metal roof, the right side of his cheek glued to the metal like a tongue sticking to a metal pole on a wintry day.

  Pushing out-of-breath air from his mouth, a small chuckle came out of him.

  (Luke) We just need you two!

  Barely able to stand up, Sean buckled his knees while spreading both of his feet apart. The trio seeing Miles getting ready to jump, the burly man sprinted and then lunged forth, getting onto the other side with ease.

  The st person was Hope, her entire body quaked, as every nerve in her system revolted against her brain.

  Her face growing pale, Luke extended out his hand, his fingertips parching from the desert wind blowing past his skin.

  (Luke) It’s okay Hope, I’ll catch you.

  Swaying her head shyly, she panted heavily the more she stared at the gap, leading her eyes to blur. But as soon as she squeezed her hands firm, she instantly ran to the edge, letting the tips of her toes spring her body up—

  A hand grabbed her left foot.

  Gravity pulling her down twice as much, she grabbed the edge of the train cart with her palms, with no words quivering out of her mouth. Her face ghostly pale, Luke instantly grabbed a hold of her left hand, while Miles grabbed her right. Using every ounce of strength from their arms, their muscles bulged from her weight alone, as if her body weight doubled…

  Something flew out from behind Hope’s back.

  In slow motion, both Luke and Miles widened their eyes at the blur of bck in front of them. Since they pulled Hope to the roof, the ball of bck blur lunged something at Luke.

  Immediately, Luke arched his head back, the reverb service bell loudening into his very soul. The bck blur finally took shape, right under his nose was none other than the form of a bck church shoe.

  (Luke’s thoughts) It’s…

  Without thinking, Luke thrust his hands directly onto its ankle, as he threw the person in back of him. In the present motion, everyone stood on guard, as Hope barely recovered from her near fall experience.

  The four men all watched as the agent smmed her head against the metal roof. Noticing that she wore gsses, was short, and had medium-length hair, a breath of relief harrowed through Luke’s nose.

  (Luke) Oh, it’s Agent Ada.

  No time to check up on her, all five of them began fastening their footsteps, their heads unwilling to turn back at the recovering agent. Without tripping, they walked as fast as they could, the roof barely able to keep their feet glued since friction wasn’t friendly.

  Noticing they were a couple of carts away, Luke pushed his lips to the halfway point of his ears.

  Trying not to turn back, Luke continued to press his face forward, his boots squeaking with the golden turquoise-colored metal the faster he walked.

  (Luke) Come on! We’re almost—

  Another agent jumped right in front of them.

  Settling his church shoes deep into the metal, the tall agent had silver hair, his hair shaped with a ponytail that covered his neck. His hands to his sides, not a single twitch was seen from his fingers.

  Huffing air out of his mouth, Eren looked at them with pushed-down eyes.

  (Agent Eren) You guys are pushing our limits…

  (Luke) You don’t have to fight. You could just step away and let us do our thing.

  (Agent Eren) Oh well…

  Moving his hands toward the inside of his jacket, he had them grip on a metallic object situated amongst his back. Pulling out a gun, both his hands showcased a small sniper rifle, with the chamber taking the appearance of an assault rifle. The metal gleaming under the evening sun, Eren pushed his lips down to his jawline, steadying himself with his rifle in hand.

  (Agent Eren) Guess I’ll have to abandon my ideals with you guys then.

  Two men sprinted toward Eren.

  One had red hair, and the other was ginger, both bulged every calf and thigh muscle to squeeze like a lemon. Tilting their bodies at an angle, their shoulder bdes moved toward the front of their bodies, their bones spiking up like a sore thumb.

  Jumping back, Eren had his body in the air and aiming down the scope at the same time. His finger already on the trigger, he had his sights on the ginger-haired elf, the crosshairs aligning itself right to the elf’s…

  An elf appeared in the back of him.

  (Agent Eren) What the—

  Turning the rifle toward Sean, the barrel smacked against … it went through the clone’s body.

  Widening his eyes, and gawking his mouth, he quickly turned around to see the two men already in front of him. Not fast enough to pull the trigger in time, his shoulders dug deep into both the men’s fingers, as they dragged him to the st cart which had a roof above.

  The second cart, where the money was.

  Seeing a gap, both Sean and Jack lunged down, along with Eren in tow. With both men reaching the treasure vault, now it was just Luke, Miles, and Hope on top of the roof.

  (Luke’s thoughts) We three have to deal with her.

  Turning around, the three of them saw the short woman getting up, her hands patting her knees with chunks of dust fleeing off to the ground. The crevices of her eyes snted inward, her right eyelid sprouted out a vein, her teeth grinding against one another.

  Her cheeks burning red, Miles and Hope pced themselves right in front of Luke. Wielding dual-wielding sawed-off shotguns, Miles had the double barrels pointed to the roof, as the hot wind blew against his parched skin.

  Same for Hope, she had both her hands gripping her combat pistol, her shoulder right next to Miles’s arm.

  (Miles) You go on ahead Luke. Me and Hope could handle her.

  (Luke) Are you sure? She’s a lot stronger than she looks.

  (Miles) Your mission is to force the conductor to keep going; ours is to prevent the usage of emergency brakes. That’s what you wanted right?

  Luke looked down at the metallic roof in which he stood, his hands frozen to his thighs as he looked up at Miles. Seeing he was staring at the agent woman, Luke slowly trailed his steps backward, whilst curling his fingers into his palms.

  Nodding once, he began running.

  On his way to the very front of the train, Luke waved off one st time, before calling out to Miles and Hope.

  (Luke) Protect Hope with your life!

  (Miles’s thoughts) I pn on doing that.

  Leaving him and Hope to deal with the agent, Miles noticed the gap from which Ada jumped. Gncing at the many compartments in front of him, and on the cart he was standing on, it was a given that they were right on top of the cart they needed to go.

  Which was the third cart.

  Pushing his right lip up to form a smirk, Miles dug the heels of his feet into the metallic roof, denting the metal with his leather boots. His fingers on the sides of his shotguns, he had his trailing eyes on the woman’s fingers and feet since she also had the same stance as his.

  Like the light of a match, both he and the woman pushed off from the metal.

  (Miles) Off you go!

  Using his right shoulder as a shield, he had his eyes pinned onto the short woman, who lunged to the left to avoid…

  Miles extended his left hand outward.

  Lowered, he pushed the woman and himself into the small gap that led to the third cart. Smming chest first onto the floor, he maintained his grip on his sawed-off shotguns, his palms loosened with the wood.

  (Miles’s thoughts) Good thing that I’m still young…

  Trying to push himself off the ground, a church shoe jabbed itself right into his throat.

  Scrunching his face, he closed his eyes as not even a simple speck of air smoothed into his throat or nostrils. Gasping for air, his grip on the sawed-off shotguns continued, his hands moving themselves to tilt the barrel toward any part of the woman’s body.

  (Agent Ada) Good thing that I’m still young.