Kingdom Gone

SALT AND PEPPERED

"Jakkar, Douglas reported gunshots a few cars ahead."

I put down the newspaper and grabbed Miranda off the seat beside me. She'd always been a loyal shotgun, despite her counterpart. But the past was the past, and now I had more pressing matters to deal with.

"Looks like it's go time, people. Mike, Keenan, you two take lead. Big Joe, David and I will cover you, while the rest of you take the rear. Miss Evans is to be taken alive. So if you shoot her, I shoot you. Now form up!" My men all nodded in affirmation before taking positions. The civilians in our car all fled to the next one once we boarded, the sight of our weapons alerting them that something was about to go down. I took my position behind Keenan and motioned forward. Ready, we walked through the door.

I scanned the room, looking down the sight of my shotgun. Two seating areas divided by an aisle, 12 rows, 8 seats in each. No passengers. No Jason Landing.

"Let's move." I order. As we made our way down the center aisle, Big Joe nodded at me.

"Sir, how dangerous is this kid? We brought 30 of our best men on this mission."

"Despite his age, the skills Jason Landing possesses exceed yours, and on a bad day, exceed mine. His accuracy is deadly, deductive and problem solving skills unparalleled, and his fighting style is unorthodox, unpredictable, and unmatched. He likes using his environment as a weapon and improvises 99% of the time when fighting large groups, so keep that in mind." I glanced at the sweat drop forming on Big Joe's forehead. "And his jacket is bulletproof."

"How do you know so much about him?" Keenan said, looking over his shoulder.

I adjusted Miranda. "I've scrapped with him once or twice over the years. I don't wear this eye patch as a fashion statement."

We moved in silence for the next four cars. I motioned for my men to stop once we reached the Cafeteria section. It's long been vacated, trays everywhere and chairs turned over. I looked at Mike.

"Isn't this Douglas's car? Where the hell is he?"

"Must've moved up, sir. The target's train car is just two ahead."

I shook my head, seriously doubting that statement. "Alright, form up. We're moving-"

Tink.

We all whipped around, guns at the ready. I stared as a salt shaker bounced off a nearby table and settled on the floor.

A distraction.

I turned around just in time to see a cafeteria tray fly at me from behind the kitchen counter. The tray bounced off Miranda's barrel, knocking her out of my hands, and slammed into David's neck. Shortly after a pistol popped up and fired off two rounds, downing Mike and Keenan. I reached for my secondary, but before my men's bodies even hit the ground, a sleek silver canister landed at my feet. In just a matter of seconds, we were two men down and engulfed in smoke.

"You had a second smoke bomb?"

"It was a two for one special!"

A boot heel emerged from the smoke and smashed into my face. I felt the window splinter as my back slammed against it, tendrils of air seeping between the cracks. Through the haze I spotted two figures running towards the back of the car and took aim with my secondary weapon. But just as I was about to fire, I felt a trickle of blood run down my face. My vision became blurry as I began to sway, my fingers touching the shards of glass embedded in my skull. The floor welcomed me as I collapsed, watching helplessly as my men tried to open the door to the previous car, but I knew it was futile.

HoloTram emergency door locks initiate five seconds after a train car's atmospheric pressure changes.

Like by a cracked window.

Damn.