It only took me about 20 minutes to reach the area where the train was passing through I had a clear view of the railroad tracks across the way, but soon it disappeared down a small hill and into a tunnel. I followed along the tracks until I found a nice spot in a parking lot of what appeared to be a small theme park that was built out of a Ghost town. The park wasn't very big, at least compared to Six Flags in Texas, but it was still decent sized and had lots of small, portable rides that were set up in specialty prepared areas, food booths and even a small gun range. The rail way tracks passed right through the middle of the park, open from the way the park's trains were coming, but from the direction of the BR train, there was a tunnel. Another ingredient to this possibly explosive mixture where two steam engines, HVAC Steam works Asteroids, one from the year 1897 and 2017, were on display and giving rides around the park, something that made me extremely uncomfortable. There was no way Black River's engine would have time to stop at the 100+ miles an hour that modern Turbine Hybrid engines are capable of, if the conductor decided to stop at all. If that train blew through here and crashed, there were no telling how many X-01 units might get lose before the Reborn's could get them under control.

"Morningstar", I said using the Video chat capabilities of the Civic's new ECU, "I found a place to watch the Black River train, the problem is, the path it's on goes straight through a small amusement park and they have two steam engines that have already spoken for the track. I'm concerned that the Black River conductor might not have time to stop his train if he realizes what's going on, especially if it's a turbine hybrid engine. What's more is all I've got is my AR-15, not enough to deal with any Reborns or X-01 units who get lose during a possible crash/"

"Hmm", Morningstar said, "I'd tell you to stand down, but if your old man is to be believed, you've probably already got a plan?"

"Maybe not a plan", I said, "but an idea. Maybe I can convince the people who run the park to stop the train rides just long enough for the BR train to blow through here. If I can't stop it though...were going to have problems so tell my team to get equipped and ready to leave at a moment's notice."

"Rodger that", Morningstar said.

"How far out is the train?", I asked.

"Hawk says you got about 16 minutes before it gets there. It's moving at a decent clip and is armed to the teeth, so get the civilian trains out of the way. Good luck Ace, out."

I killed the video feed and turned to Nina, who was just finishing a hot dog.

"What?", she asked.

"Where'd that come from?", I asked.

"I bought it", Nina said, "with money.

"Did they have anything else?", I asked pushing the Civic's door open, causing the open door alarm to ding incessantly, "that BBQ smelled really good when we rolled in."

"They had fried chicken, grilled cheese and burgers", Nina said sipping a coke, "not to mention Coke."

"I might get something quick then", I said, "haven't eaten since Russia."

"It was cheap so I would", Nina said as we exited the Civic. The sun was beating relentlessly on the California desert, but that didn't for a second deter the activities at the park. There was a long line at every possible ride and for tours at the old houses that made up the Ghost Town the park was built in. The old General store was still in use and packed tightly. It was free rides with entrance, so that unfortunately met I was digging out my wallet at the ticket booth.

"I should make you pay", I said looking at Nina as we walked up to the booth, "two adult tickets please."

"Make me pay?", Nina asked, "why for? That brakes date rules."

"Were not even dating anymore", I said as the man handed me the tickets, "were engaged last I checked."

"Aww", the man said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up who asked you?", I said.

The man laughed, "No one, sorry, I see this all the time."

"You must hate your job", Nina said.

"Nah", the man said, "pays well and keeps me entertained. Enjoy your visit."

Nina and I thanked him and walked into the park, keeping an eye out for the line for the trains.

"We need to get some of that BBQ later", I said, "smells driving me fucking insane."

"Me too and I just ate some", Nina said as we got into the crowd for the trains. It wasn't a line more than it was a giant mass. The conductor of the 2017 Model was taking kids and their parents first while the owner of the older, well maintained engine with vintage Union Pacific livery I wouldn't mind having on the Civic was taking everyone else.

"We have to stop both of these trains at the same time", I said, "somehow I doubt that's gonna be easy."

"How much time we got left?", Nina asked, "I'll go around and try to find the park officials while you stop the trains."

I checked my watch, "14 minutes."

"I'll get on it then", Nina said.

"Got your handgun on you?", I asked leaning in so no one else would hear us.

"In the back of my pants", Nina said.

"Good", I said, "get going."

Nina nodded and slipped away from me while I waited in the crowd for an agonizing 6 minutes and 30 seconds for the trains to lap a track around the entire acreage of the park, this was not fucking good. The clock was ticking down fast. I had seen Hawk make a few passages over the park in a Civilian model single seat jet which I guessed must be her private plane, Warthog I guessed would draw too much attention. She kept Nina and I supplied with up to the second information about the train, which was apparently doing 155 miles an hour down a long stretch of straight track and closing the gap between us and the park. As if the train hauling WMD's barreling straight for us wasn't bad enough, there were some people in the crowd who were starting to notice I was rather antsy and seemed suspicious, not good.

"You okay bro?", someone behind me asked, "you look like your about to freak out."

"I can't find my fiance", I said, pulling the story out of my ass as I went, "It's been a few hours since I've seen her, just worried is all. I suspect she might be on the train and I'm getting rather annoyed with the wait."

"My wife did that to me once", the guy said, "I know the feeling."

The train pulled up as the man and I finished talking. As the Conductor was putting another group on the train and was searching for an opportunity to shut things down, the Black River train came into ear shot, it's horn echoing through the tunnel, loud enough that everyone in the park heard it and almost all activity ceased.

"The hell?", the conductor of the 2017 model engine asked, "no train's been on these tracks for a hundred years."

"Ace", Hawk said over the coms, "times up, that train's doing 203 miles an hour straight for you!"

"Get out of it's way!", I said, "it won't stop for you!"

The conductor just stared at me like I was a freak.

"My name's Deuce!", I said flashing my ID, "I'm a US Army Ranger! Move it before you get whacked!"

The conductor just looked at me like, "who the fuck are you?", at about the same time another man came running from the back of the park.

'MOVE THE TRAINS!", he shouted, "MOVE THE TRAINS!"

The Conductor had just barely looked back to see who was shouting when the yellow and blue, prototype looking Black River train came barreling out of the tunnel, horn blaring, LED headlights lighting up the entire front of the steam engine, exhaust blowing blue smoke and brakes red hot, there was no way it was stopping in time.

I just barely saw the man mouth, "well shit", in the time it took me to jump away before the speeding Black River freight train slammed into the front of the steam engine. The two engines pancaked for a mere second and a half before both their engines turned into giant pipe bombs and sent a wave of white hot fire cascading over about a 500 foot radius while a the shock wave derailed and scattered the rest of the cars, some of them tankers, boxcars and one of them was marked "LIVE ANIMALS, ARMED SECURITY REQUIRED", was sent flying to the Northern end of the park, but I didn't see where it landed as the shock wave knocked my scaled ass right out of the sky and threw me onto the hood of some ugly ass crossover parked right next to the Civic, which was now missing the passenger's side windows.

"Ah for fuck's sake", I groaned as I rolled off the hood and limped over to my Honda, realizing that my tail and left wing were probably fractured if not outright busted. I pulled open the door and grabbed my AR as Hawk's jet flew overhead and started to hover.

"Hawk", I said over coms as I charged my weapon, "what can you see?"

"Turned the whole park into a scrap yard", Hawk said, "Nina's gathering the other survivors of the crash, from what I can tell she's okay, but the two of you are cut off, you'd need to fly over the wreckage or somehow navigate through it."

"I broke my left wing so I can't fly it", I said, "call Morningstar, have him get Shadow and Sabre here, Mercury too if he's up to it, I saw a car of X-01's go flying and I lost track of it."

"But I didn't", Hawk said, "Ace, there's an entire army of X-01 headed for Nina and the group. I'm not in my Warthog, so I'm limited to twin fifties but I'll support you as best I can."

"Go get the Warthog", I said, "we'll have to manage without you."

"That's not a good idea", Hawk said, "without Air support those X-01s will turn the park into a buffet."

'They'll do that anyway without heavy air support", I said, "go get the Hog, that's an order Private."

Hawk sighed, "yes sir, I'll be back as soon as I can."

Hawk's jet launched off as I opened the coms to Nina.

"Nina?", I asked, "you okay?"

There was static for a few seconds before Nina replied.

"Yeah", she said, "I'm fine, it' was sheer luck that my cloaker didn't shatter from the blast. Ace, there are Reborn's all over the place and all I got is my handgun."

"Hawk is returning to base", I said, "she's gonna bring reinforcements and her Warthog."

"I heard", Nina said, "I'm gonna try and get these people organized as best I can. What's the ETA on Hawk's return?"

"Gimme about 20 minutes Nina", Hawk said over the radio, "I already contacted Morningstar, my plane should be on the runway ready to rock."

"Hurry up", Nina said, "there are Reborn's crawling around like ants and if they decide to come into this building were all fucked."

"I'm going as fast as I can", Hawk said, "out."

"I'm coming to you Nina", I said, "try to keep the people quiet as you can."

"Rodger", Nina said as I started forward, "out."

Sighing at myself, I pushed forward. The park was buried under a thick fog of black diesel smoke, charcoal and water vapor, turning the humidity up to ten and then some. The flaming scrap of the train was too hot for me to get anywhere near, if I didn't the heat would probably knock me out.

'Something's burning real good in that", I said holding up my paw to block the heat, "damn, gotta find another way around."

So with that said I began to search for tunnel, a non burning car I could climb on top of or maybe a building with a tunnel knocked in it, which I did eventually find. There was a small brick building with the restrooms in it that had one of the black river box cars smashed through it. The pipes from the broken toilets were spraying water, which was keeping the heat down. This was also about the time that the rank smell of reborn and X-01 hit my nose, and judging from the reek, there were a lot of them.

"Those dead fuckers must be everywhere", I sighed to myself as I held my paw over my nose. I peeked around the corner, finding about 22 reborn guards policing a group of six civilians while the other six were rounded up the somehow uninjured X-01 units, along with some ugly ass roach-spider hybrid looking thing with glowing yellow eyes and two legs that came equipped with nasty looking claws that seemed capable of slashing through the armor of an Abrams tank. While no where near as intimidating, well built or tall as the X-01, I could see at least 4 dozen of the fucking things in cages, most of them injured, but seeming to be handling it quite well. The X-01s didn't seem to take too kindly to them however, the five units looking ready to maim and eat every single one of these pathetic looking creatures.

I broke out of cover and slid in behind a large chunk of rock that was beside an overturned box car that had crushed an X-01, only it's tail and back legs sticking out. Even over the sound of the cracking of the fire inside the hot box car, I could hear the Reborn's talking.

"Fucking hot out here", A female said.

"Stop bitching", a man told her, "just be happy you didn't get crushed."

"Yeah yeah", the woman said, "this is a fucking mess, I thought these rail lines were abandoned?"

"So did the Boss", the man replied, "didn't expect these ass hats to have a park here."

"So what do we do with these fucks then?", the woman asked, "they've seen the X-01, us and the X-04, we can't just let them leave."

"Throw them in the fire", the man said, "cause of death was burning when the cars caught fire, no one will know any better."

"Throw us in the fire!?", a little boy shouted.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!", the woman shouted. I peeked out from around the rock just in time to see the woman grab the boy's head and smash it against the train car, his skull gave no fight as it caved in against the hardened steel of the car.

I clutched my rifle tightly as a stream of LN started to drip down my jaw, sizzling when it hit the ground. There wasn't shit I could do about what was about to happen, the Reborn's an X-01's together, not to mention two dozen of this new X-04 shit would tear me to tiny pieces and then burn the pieces. Until my team got here, it was safety on and just watch.

"Do I need to smash someone else?", the bitch shouted.

No one answered.

"Thought so", the man said, "private, we'll start with the kids, they'll burn quickest and will put up less fight."

The two Reborns grabbed the two kids in the group then split off, one of them walking my way, the other to the opposite end of the train. It was just my luck that the bitch was coming right towards my rock. I retreated as close to the car as I could and deactivated my cloaker as the woman brought a second, screaming little boy over to the burning car right behind me.

"Don't throw me in there!", the boy shouted as screamed and fought the undead bitch attempting to drag him to his death, "I'm afraid of fire!"

"Good", the reborn snickered as she turned the corner to my rock, "make's it more fun for..."

"You to die!", I hissed as I reached out and sank my claws into her neck, yanking her off her feet with no problem, the skinny little prick fought and squirmed, trying to shout for help and get free of my grasp. I pushed her down to her knees and then slammed her head into the train car, her helmet popped off, but her skull didn't brake,which would have been doing a favor because not only did she stink with all the power of a thousand never cleaned septic tanks, but she also looked like a thousand uncleaned septic tanks.

"Piece of shit!", I growled, "no one kills kids! NO. ONE."

I took in a deep breath and sprayed her head with the LN, squeezing her neck at the same time so she couldn't scream. I opened my jaws as wide as they could go and then clamped down on the bitch's skull, my teeth ripping through the bone with a morbidly satisfactory crunch. I spit out the blood and bone, turning my attention to the little kid, who was starring at me with a horrified look.

"I'm not going to hurt you", I said, ", I promise."

The kid just starred at me as the other Reborn shouted, "HEY KID! HOW COME YOUR NOT BURNING!?"

I sighed, "well at least I tried to do it quietly."

Realizing I was probably going to die here, I stood up from behind the rock and started sending lead downrange. The first two rounds killed the male Reborn coming towards us, which alerted every single Reborn and X-01 in the area to my presence.

"Get behind me!", I shouted as I emptied my magazine into a charging X-01, punching through it's chest plate and shredding something vital because it dropped and skidded for a few feet, not getting back up. I dropped the magazine out of my rifle, pulled out the first of my four remaining magazines, shoved it into the mag well and slammed the bolt forward, turning to engage the second charging X-01, Nina had now joined the fight as well. Her handgun didn't have the power to stop even the Reborns, to say nothing of the X-01 units, but she turned most of them off me, leaving only one of the X-01s and two Reborn's to worry about. I gunned down the X0-1, dropping him next to his buddy and spent the final two rounds in my AR on the Reborn with an M60 GPMG, which I pulled off him, along with his vest. The M60 had a full belt, which was about to come in very handy.

I didn't waste anytime in turning the M60 on the enemy combatants. The 7.62 ammunition tore through the Reborn's with no trouble, but they were smashing almost flat against the X-01 units, who turned their attention back to me. I couldn't take the both of them at once, not in this life time, which meant my only chance was to get to cover. The only cover around? The gap underneath a burning train.

I growled at myself, "I hope I'm fire resistant!"

I grabbed the kid and slid under the train. The temperature wasted no time in setting upon me while it forced the X-01's back, but it wouldn't be long before they found a way to get to me. The fuckers were dumb, but not that dumb, they knew the heat would eventually drive me and the kid out and they could pick up a nicely warmed snack.

"HAWK!", I shouted as a large green paw reached under the box car, I chomped at it, my teeth nicking the X-01's paw, causing it to yelp and recoil, "Where the fuck is my air support!?"

"Thunder 1-1 is in from the south", Hawk said, "ten seconds."

I could hear the sound of turbocharged jet engines drawing near. Soon the rhythmic rip of an all to familiar 30mm chain gun tore through the air and the two X-01's hit the ground with a loud thud.

"X-01 units vaporized", Hawk said, "Thunder 1-1 exiting to the west to establish holding pattern."

"Rodger that Thunder 1-1", I said as I crawled out from underneath the burning train with the kid, who ran straight to his mother, a red head that had come out of the main building with Nina, who ran up to me and kissed me.

"Are you okay love?", she asked.

"I'm a little hot", I said kissing her and pulling her tightly too me, but other than that I'm fine."

"Do you need a hand Ace?", Mercury called from John's Chinook. I looked up to see him and Jayden fast roping down along with the other member's of our team. The Chinook must have had some sort of Autonomous software because I could see John flying overhead in a stealth AAS-72, the same four seat attack chopper he'd used in the car chase.

"Feeling better Mercury?", I asked.

He swiveled his arm in it's socket and handing me my vest and m220, "I almost can't tell the difference between the fake arm and my real one. You leave anything for us?"

"Just dead X-01's and Reborns", I said pulling my kit on, "but come take a look at this freaky shit over here."

I lead him over to the cages with the X-04 creatures.

'The fuck are these?", he asked, "mutated roaches?"

"Your guess is as good as mine", I said, "I overheard the Reborn's talking of something called Project X-04, I'm going to guess that this is what this train was transporting. Some kind of biological weapon to clean up after X-01."

"That's not possible", Mako piped up, "there's nothing on Black River's servers about a 4th weapons project."

"Then we fucking missed something", I said, "cause here they fucking are."

"Could someone find it in their hearts to explain to me what the actual fuck is happening here!?", a man in the back said flashing a CIA badge.

"Classified", Jayden said answering the man.

"I'm a Federal Agent", the man said, "you will disclose what's going on or I will detain all of you!"

"How about I just shoot you and be done with it?", I asked, "I'm not in the mood for your bullshit Agent. How's about you pick up one of these M16's and make yourself useful?"

The CIA agent mumbled something to himself and picked up an M16 off one of the Reborn's as Hawk came back on the radio.

"Um guys...either I'm hallucinating, or you got what looks like a Meteor coming straight....wait...the fuck is that?"

The ground around us began to vibrate as the area became unbearably bright. There was what sounded like a groaning sound and then a thundering CRASH as this giant, just absurdly huge pulsing red and yellow....thing landed on top of the burning box cars and instantly planted six fucking enormous tentacles into the sand. It was growling like it was very, very unhappy and ready to pawn some newbs. Yeah, those newbs were probably us.

"What the FUCK is that!?", Trace shouted, I a voice I didn't know she had, "seriously couldn't they just strap dynamite to a cat or something!?"

"WHO CARES!", I shouted, "OPEN FIRE!"

Everyone who could hold a weapon had one on their hands and was emptying ammunition into the meat tower. I could see chunks of flesh flying off the tower, but being replaced just as quickly as we were blowing them off. John's Gatling gun wasn't even doing anything.

"Hawk!?", I shouted over the radio as I pulled open the dust cover of my M220.

"Thunder 1-1 is check on target. Visual on friendlies, in from the South, 20 seconds", Hawk said, 'Danger close."

"20 seconds till Hawk rips it a new one", I shouted, "keep pressing the fight! We can win this!"

No sooner had "we can win this", tumbled past my teeth than the caged X-04s managed to wiggle free and attack the group of civvies aiding us. Mercury's and the bulk of my squadron had turned to engaging the X-04's, leaving me, Nina, John and Mako focusing on the tower, which was starting to suck itself in.

"What the fuck is it doing!?", Mako squeaked.

It was barely two seconds after Mako's words left his mouth that the Tower released a cloud of gray dust that had the constancy of pollen, but...that shit was NOT goddamn pollen. When it came into contact with the Humans, they bubbled up and popped like grapes, leaving only bloody skeletons. It didn't seem to be powerful enough, whatever it was, to kill us, but the pain and the feeling like our skin was sliding off our bones was more than enough to cripple us. Everyone collapsed to the ground screaming, however, everyone seemed to be screaming due to something different.

"Put it out!", Mercury said, flaring as if he were trying to put out a fire, "PUT IT OUT!"

"GET THEM OFF!", Trace shouted, as if she were shooing away a horde of wasps, "OH GOD GET THEM OFF!"

Hunter seemed to almost be gagging on whatever pain he was experiencing, seeming as though he were trying to pull something out of the side of his head. Nina and Mako were on the ground, convulsing as if they were getting eaten and everyone else was out right unconscious, that left me as the only one combat capable, somewhat disoriented from the pain that was shooting through my body, yes, but still able to stand on two legs, hold my weapon and see somewhat clearly.

"Hawk?", I said pushing myself to my feet, putting my weapon on what looked like a soft spot and flipping the safety selector to Ludicrous mode, 'I need that fucking air strike...now!"

"Coming in now", Hawk growled, "Eat this you fucking shit!"

I swear Hawk emptied every round she had on that plane into that tower of meat. The groaned and growled before eventually falling over, ripping itself in half.

"Welcome to the USA", I said collapsing and passing out.