JP - A Fast Train Away from MegaCorp

Bella whimpered again and barked at Bronte to move faster. She looked back, only to see the strange thing rushing at them like some demonic centipede with arms. It hopped onto the wall and rushed ahead of them, hopping down to land in their way, hissing at the pair.

“Shit.” Bronte whispered. He wished he had a power useful in combat or a serious weapon to defend himself and Bella. He backed away from the creature.

“Down, little one,” Another meta said as she walked up next to the creature. “Calm…” She looked at Bronte and Bella, frowning. “Cook send you out?”

“Y-yes.” Bronte said nervously, looking at the other meta.

She nodded and gestured along. “Come,” She said and both the girl and her strange creature led the way. “Cook said to get you to the cargo train…”

A train? It could be faster than driving, provided he was not caught. He hurried after the girl and creature.

The creature scuttled down along the side of the train and pulled open a door, letting it slide to the side as it looked toward them. “In there…when the train stops for a third time, you and Bella get off.” The girl explained.

“What if something stops the train, like something on the tracks?” Bronte asked. “Where am I supposed to get off exactly?”

The girl held a piece of paper out to him with the name of a place on it. “Be careful…” She said and left with her odd monstrosity.

“Thank you.” Bronte memorized the name and got on the cargo train with Bella.

Once they were inside the cargo train, the door closed and after what seemed to be an hour, the train finally got moving.

Bronte was beginning to think they were not going to go anywhere, was actually thinking about taking Bella and leaving the train to find their own way. Fortunately that’s when it started moving. He heaved a sigh of relief.

Bella whined and stayed close to Bronte, nuzzling into his side out of both fear and pain. The train would not stop for a few hours, stopping at a station where they could hear people outside talking about cargo and metas, but no one ever came near the train cabin he and Bella sat in.

“Just two more stops.” Bronte whispered to Bella.

Bella nodded and cuddled close to Bronte, shaking a little. She was obviously afraid and wanted to be pet.

Bronte patted Bella on the back. "It will be okay."

Bella just kept close and tried to sleep through her pain. The train would stop once more before it finally reached the destination hours later. The sounds of rain pouring down could be heard, accompanied by flashes of lightning and loud booms of thunder.

Bronte groaned as the train stopped. This was their stop. He was not looking forward to going out in that, but he gently woke Bella. “We have to go.”

Bella blinked and looked up at Bronte, whimpering before looking at her broken leg. What was she going to do to make this easier on him?

“Don’t worry, I can carry you.” Bronte smiled kindly as he gently picked her up and carried her out of the cargo train.

The rain seemed to instantly soak them as more lightning flashed across the sky. The booming thunder covered up their footsteps as they got away from the train and were able to easily find a tunnel leading to the sewer system.

Bronte grimaced at the sight of the sewer, but went in anyway. He did not envy Bella’s sense of smell.

Bella pressed her face into Bronte’s chest in an attempt to hide her nose from the stink of sewer, but there was a little light in the distance. When he got to it, he would find it to be a lamp pressed into a crevice of the wall in the sewer with a sign that pointed behind him. If he followed the sign’s instruction, he would see what was a very difficult to see door unless you were looking for it.

Bronte found the door. He struggled to open it while still carrying Bella who was starting to get heavy.

Once the door opened, Bronte would be met with a room that held a bed and a few essentials with a note sitting on top of the blankets. It would inform him that a Meta Underground member would come looking for him within twenty-four hours.

Bronte gratefully set Bella down on the bed and picked up the note to read it. He sunk into a chair.

Bella whimpered softly as she curled up in an attempt to offer Bronte room. It was difficult to do this because of her injured leg, but she was trying at least. The note would also mention a radio he could use if it was an emergency. It was hidden in the wall.

“It’s okay, Bella.” Bronte said, finding some food and water.

Bella shook her head and gestured to her leg and her bandaged side. She hoped he understood that she was trying to tell him she was in pain.

Bronte understood and began looking for something to help with her pain.

Sadly, there was nothing to help with the pain, but if he got the radio, he could get a hold of someone.

Bronte found a hidden panel in the wall and opened it. He took out the radio and switched it on. “Uh, hello?” He said experimentally.

It took a moment but he would hear the crackling of a response and a suggestion to change the channel to three.

Bronte fumbled with the radio and switched to channel three. “Uh, hi. There’s a girl here in a lot of pain.”