“Man, I’ve never seen the Citadel like that before. They must be on full alert.” Barney looked down to where Gordon was standing, some 20 feet below him. “Here, take this crowbar. You’re gonna need to get to the lab on foot. It’s a dangerous route but the canals will take you right to it.” Gordon stepped back as the crowbar hit the concrete steps, chipping a small bit out of the tattered material. He bent down and picked it up. Gordon gripped it tight in his hand and proceeded to walk down the steps and out into the rail yard.
Gordon eased his way behind an empty box car. He peered around the corner toward the rail station only to realize that Metro Police were crawling all over. They weren’t just on patrol. This was a full-scale manhunt. When Gordon turned around, there was a droid hovering inches in front of his face. His first instinct was to cover his eyes, having become quiet familiar with these devices. Instead, he gripped the crowbar in his hand and lashed out at it. The droid shattered into pieces as if fell to ground, letting out a high pitched screech and finally a fizzing pop. He took a deep breath, leaning against the red boxcar, and hoped that he had not been spotted. He turned around and climbed up onto the boxcar. The stations many tracks all ran together into four main tracks. If only he could some how get to the other side of the station. Gordon knew he had to act quickly. He hopped his way across to the next train. Then, he swung body down into the open door on the train, falling onto a pile of pallets and empty crates inside.
“SEARCH THE CARS,” a soldier ordered. “DOCTOR FREEMAN CANNOT ESCAPE.”
“Great, I’m trapped now,” Gordon thought. He looked out of the crack between the doors, trying to get a hold on the situation. The sound of a raging freight train caught his attention. Maybe he could use it to his advantage. “A distraction,” he thought. “No, that’s insane, but it could work…”
Gordon stuck his head out from the boxcar; examining the tracks schematics. Another smile worked its way across his face. “This is insane,” he thought again. Gordon had noticed the entire station seemed to be leaning down hill, with multiple storage tracks running into the four main tracks. Gordon checked to see if any soldiers were near, and then climbed back up on top of the train. He ducked his head and scurried from car to car, crowbar in hand, until he reached the last car. The entire train was locked into a single backstop barricade. He hoped down and thrust the crowbar into the lock, prying open the four greasy, metal teeth. A loud snap startled him as the train groaned and reluctantly started to roll towards the fourth main-track.
Back in the lab, Barney searched frantically for his helmet. Hew knew if he didn’t get back on his shift, there’d be hell to pay. Doctor Kliener babbled on about Lamar, but then remembered the slightly more severe repercussions of Gordon’s situation. Nonetheless, Doctor Kliener had faith in Gordon to live up to his reputation. After all, what kind of doctor builds a hazard suit plated with third-degree bullet-proof plastics? He turned on the video receiver and told Eli that Gordon didn’t make it through. He told Eli that Gordon was on his way to the lab through the canals but there were no promises.
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?” the soldier’s yelled. “STOP THAT TRAIN! BOTH OF THEM!”
The oncoming freight train blasted its horn, signaling it intended to pass through the station. Gordon watched as the line of cars inched closer to the fourth track. The freight train grew closer and Gordon suddenly realized if he didn’t act soon he wouldn’t be able to get across the track. He dashed toward to other side of the station, leaping over the fourth track; hardly beating the freight train. Never before had Gordon ran so fast or been as exhilarated as he was now. He landed on the loose rocks between the tracks and scrambled to get up again. The massive freight train flew by with tremendous speed, only to smash head on with a run off train from the storage tracks. The sound was near deafening as the runaway train’s petroleum tanks exploded in a violent fury. The stream-line freight train buckled and ruptured, screeching in all directions, and inevitably demolishing the entire cargo station.
Gordon made it to the far end of the track and tugged at the metal sewer grate. It lifted with ease and he scrambled down the shaft. A piece of wreckage thundered over the pipe sliding to a dusty stop, blocking off all light entering the tunnel...
Gordon eased his way behind an empty box car. He peered around the corner toward the rail station only to realize that Metro Police were crawling all over. They weren’t just on patrol. This was a full-scale manhunt. When Gordon turned around, there was a droid hovering inches in front of his face. His first instinct was to cover his eyes, having become quiet familiar with these devices. Instead, he gripped the crowbar in his hand and lashed out at it. The droid shattered into pieces as if fell to ground, letting out a high pitched screech and finally a fizzing pop. He took a deep breath, leaning against the red boxcar, and hoped that he had not been spotted. He turned around and climbed up onto the boxcar. The stations many tracks all ran together into four main tracks. If only he could some how get to the other side of the station. Gordon knew he had to act quickly. He hopped his way across to the next train. Then, he swung body down into the open door on the train, falling onto a pile of pallets and empty crates inside.
“SEARCH THE CARS,” a soldier ordered. “DOCTOR FREEMAN CANNOT ESCAPE.”
“Great, I’m trapped now,” Gordon thought. He looked out of the crack between the doors, trying to get a hold on the situation. The sound of a raging freight train caught his attention. Maybe he could use it to his advantage. “A distraction,” he thought. “No, that’s insane, but it could work…”
Gordon stuck his head out from the boxcar; examining the tracks schematics. Another smile worked its way across his face. “This is insane,” he thought again. Gordon had noticed the entire station seemed to be leaning down hill, with multiple storage tracks running into the four main tracks. Gordon checked to see if any soldiers were near, and then climbed back up on top of the train. He ducked his head and scurried from car to car, crowbar in hand, until he reached the last car. The entire train was locked into a single backstop barricade. He hoped down and thrust the crowbar into the lock, prying open the four greasy, metal teeth. A loud snap startled him as the train groaned and reluctantly started to roll towards the fourth main-track.
Back in the lab, Barney searched frantically for his helmet. Hew knew if he didn’t get back on his shift, there’d be hell to pay. Doctor Kliener babbled on about Lamar, but then remembered the slightly more severe repercussions of Gordon’s situation. Nonetheless, Doctor Kliener had faith in Gordon to live up to his reputation. After all, what kind of doctor builds a hazard suit plated with third-degree bullet-proof plastics? He turned on the video receiver and told Eli that Gordon didn’t make it through. He told Eli that Gordon was on his way to the lab through the canals but there were no promises.
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?” the soldier’s yelled. “STOP THAT TRAIN! BOTH OF THEM!”
The oncoming freight train blasted its horn, signaling it intended to pass through the station. Gordon watched as the line of cars inched closer to the fourth track. The freight train grew closer and Gordon suddenly realized if he didn’t act soon he wouldn’t be able to get across the track. He dashed toward to other side of the station, leaping over the fourth track; hardly beating the freight train. Never before had Gordon ran so fast or been as exhilarated as he was now. He landed on the loose rocks between the tracks and scrambled to get up again. The massive freight train flew by with tremendous speed, only to smash head on with a run off train from the storage tracks. The sound was near deafening as the runaway train’s petroleum tanks exploded in a violent fury. The stream-line freight train buckled and ruptured, screeching in all directions, and inevitably demolishing the entire cargo station.
Gordon made it to the far end of the track and tugged at the metal sewer grate. It lifted with ease and he scrambled down the shaft. A piece of wreckage thundered over the pipe sliding to a dusty stop, blocking off all light entering the tunnel...
