Chapter 38
Cowboy shined his light back toward South Street Station. “That was a bomb. A big fucking bomb.”
They’d heard the train coming, felt the wind as it moved down the tunnel, then the explosion. They were only a quarter mile or so out of the station when it happened and it felt like the earth was splitting in two.
“You’re right,” said Cowboy. “More like a train full of dynamite.”
“So that’s it, then,” said Hawk. “Bomb detonated, party over.”
Cowboy scratched his head. “I guess so, but we’re not going to get out that way, so let’s keep walking to the next station. I hope Grace’s kid is okay.”
Hawk stopped walking. “Wait. Do you feel that?”
Wind, coming toward them. “There’s a train coming this way.”
“It’s going to run right into the rubble at South Street Station.”
“Fuck. How do we stop a train?” asked Cowboy.
“The third rail gives it electricity,” said Austin. “You have to find some way to short it out.”
“That giant fucking explosion didn’t short it out?” yelled Cowboy.
“It couldn’t have, or the train wouldn’t be moving. Quick. We look around for metal. If we can connect the third rail to the running rail, the electricity will stop,” said Austin. “But we have to hurry.”
Cowboy shined his flashlight up and down the sides of the tunnel. “There! On the next track. There are pieces of metal.” He ran over there and tried to pick one up. It didn’t budge.
The wind was getting stronger.
The other men each grabbed on. “Lift on one, two, three,” said Austin.
Together they were able to just get it off the ground.
“We need to drop it on the track on my count. As soon as you let go, get the fuck out of the way.” The train’s metal wheels squealed on the bend in the track, the rumble of the locomotive getting louder.
“Ready? Just a few more feet. Good. On three. One, two, three!”
The men dropped the steel onto the tracks and scattered in the opposite direction, pressing their bodies against the side of the tunnel. Sparks flew as the train rounded the bend, then everything went dark, including the lights on the train. Its engine was quiet.
“Woot!” yelled Cowboy. “We did it!” They’d stopped the train from crashing into the debris. It was only in the silence that followed their congratulations that he heard the cries of a baby coming from inside.