Chapter 17 · Dead Track Drop

"Brake harder!" Kane shouted as the train screamed across the dead track.

"You think I am not trying?"

The control lever shook under my hand. It had already snapped past the red mark, but the railcar kept gaining speed. Every turn threw us sideways. Kane slammed one palm against the wall to stay upright, his other hand locked around the overhead brace.

Behind us, metal shrieked.

A drone punched through the rear door.

Its armored nose tore the door clean off. Fragments whipped through the car, slicing the seats and chewing sparks from the floor. I ducked behind the control housing. Kane did not duck. He pulled his sidearm and fired straight through the smoke.

The first shot cracked the drone's sensor cluster.

The second hit its front rotor.

The machine spun, clipped the ceiling, and crashed into the aisle hard enough to split the floor plating.

"That was one," I said. "How many more?"

Kane glanced at the rear camera feed. His cyber-eye flickered blue against the red emergency lights.

"Six confirmed. More behind them."

"Great. Love a crowd."

The ruined drone dragged itself upright. Its legs unfolded with sharp mechanical clicks. A targeting beam crawled across my chest.