it has been a LONG week so there might be some typos guys

~~~~~~~~~~

Alana and Trixie spent about an hour lounging around the living room, throwing ideas about the heist in the air, until the boys finally began to wake up. First came Kord, then, surprisingly, Pronto. Trixie and Alana worked on making them breakfast (at this point, it could probably have been considered an early lunch), and were debating whether or not someone should go ahead and wake up Eli when the Shane finally came walking down the stairs.

"Look who finally decided to join us," Trixie teased as she handed Kord and Pronto their own plates of eggs. "Want some breakfast?"

"Please," Eli said as he stretched out his arms. Alana got another plate out while Trixie restarted the stovetop and began making another egg.

"What do you want to drink?" Alana asked, swinging open the refrigerator door.

"Water, please," Eli responded. Alana grabbed a bottle and turned to toss it across the counter to him. For a moment, their eyes locked, and Alana faltered as she remembered last night. Those eyes.

So much like Will.

Alana blinked and pushed the thought away as she tossed the water to him.

"Thanks," he said, seeming to hesitate on his own before heading over to sit by Pronto and Kord. Alana shut the fridge and walked over to the living area as Trixie used the spatula to set Eli's egg on a plate and carried it over to him. Alana sat on her bean bag chair while Trixie sat on the couch next to Eli.

"Thanks," Eli said as he dug into his food.

"Did you two already eat?" Kord asked.

"We've both been up for a little while," Alana responded. "And we heard from Sam Gray about an hour ago."

Eli looked up at Trixie and Alana.

"What did she say about the plans?" he asked.

"We're gonna have an early morning tomorrow. The train with the supplies leaves Gray Enterprise at seven," Trixie said, annoyed. "Blakk will be on the train, but Sam's parents won't be. The workers will be from Blakk Industries, not Gray Enterprise, so they'll have access to ghouls."

"So we're not just dealin' with business people," Kord said. "It's the usual Blakk threat."

Alana nodded.

"As far as exact layout, we don't have blueprints, but Sam is scheduled to oversee the cargo and make sure it gets to Blakk Industries in one piece," she said. "She said it looks like our best bet is to let the train cars go between Gray Enterprise and Blakk's citadel. The train will have the slugs in the back, then Mecha and blaster mods, then drill equipment."

"That makes things easier on us," Eli said. "Our top priority is rescuing the slugs. After that, the equipment is a bonus."

"Pronto hates to say it, but we may have only been able to board the other trains because Blakk wanted us too. How will we get on this one?" Pronto asked.

"That's a good point," Kord said. "The more of us are on the train, and the longer we're on, the more we run the risk of getting caught."

"But at the same time, the more of us are there, the more efficiently we work," Trixie noted.

"Then maybe we find a good medium," Alana said. "We need the slugs to be the easiest to save, so we should get those first and have the minimum amount of people on the train. From there, it's already going to get harder, so we can add more people as we go."

"Good idea," Eli said. "But we need a fallback plan in case that doesn't work out. We could free the slugs and maybe even the Mecha and blaster upgrades, but I don't think we can get to the drill parts before we get caught. And we could very easily find ourselves overwhelmed by ghoulslingers."

"I'm not thrilled with the idea of letting Blakk just get ahold of that equipment," Trixie said.

Alana shrugged and smirked mischievously.

"When in doubt, blow it up," she said. "If we get to the point where we can't free the cars, maybe we just try to use some Grenukes and Hop Rocks and make sure whatever equipment Blakk gets ahold of is damaged or destroyed."

"Nice," Kord said, giving a thumbs-up. "In the meantime, how are we going to handle getting the cars disconnected from the engine?"

"Sam sent us a file with some of the loadings plans," Trixie said, picking up a holotablet from the coffee table and opening the file. "They're not as specific as blueprints, but they're still useful."

She handed the holotablet to Eli, who looked over the loading instructions.

"Where will Sam be when all of this is happening?" Pronto asked as Eli read.

"Ideally, close by," Alana said. "Helping us out with the train's layout and ready to use her authority if we get in a bad spot. But we can't plan on her being with us the whole time, because if Blakk needs her or if it starts to get suspicious, she might have to go to the front cars."

"And she's coming back here with us when it's all done?" Kord asked. Alana nodded.

"She'll lay low for a night and recover," she explained. "Then she'll be off to Bonnie Springs, working on being a doctor."

"It'll be good to have someone we know out there," Eli said when he finished reading. "She'll be able to let us hear anything about Blakk without worrying about getting caught by her parents."

"So what's the plan?" Trixie asked, nodding toward the holotablet in Eli's hands.

"The last two cars are the ones with the slugs," Eli began. "We'll start with two people on them- I'm thinking me and Trixie. We fight our way through those cars, then detach them. Alana, Kord, Pronto, you three will be riding nearby on your Mechas. We shouldn't have a problem with being seen, because the train route cuts through some forests, so we'll have cover.

"Kord, Pronto, and Alana will take over the released cars and liberate the slugs. After that, we'll focus on the three cars carrying the Mecha equipment. The more I'm thinking about it, the more demolition makes sense," Eli said. "We might be able to get some of the equipment out, and even use it ourselves, but we don't have the means to transport the equipment away. I think we bring Alana on the train to help disconnect the Mecha cars, and Kord and Pronto keep riding behind and use whatever you need to and destroy the equipment."

"Nice!" Kord exclaimed, giving Pronto a fist bump.

"If we get to the drill parts, which are in two cars, we bring everyone on to disconnect them, get back to our Mechas, and trash those," Eli finished. "The only things that really need to make it out of this in one piece are the slugs and us."

"Sounds like a plan," Alana said, excitement building up in her. She couldn't help it- sticking it to Doctor Blakk was fun.

"We play it safe and get it done as soon as possible," Eli said, shutting the holotablet. "Grab Sam, get back to the hideout, and lay low. I want Trixie and I to start on the train, so we'll probably have to be there as soon as they start to head out. The instructions said all the equipment will be put on the train and guarded tonight, then final checks will be made... looks like they're planning on those taking an hour at most... and the train will depart at seven."

"So what time will we need to leave the hideout?" Trixie asked, sounding like she didn't want to hear the answer.

"Five," Eli responded, wincing. "So we lay out everything we can tonight and plan on getting up at 4:30."

Trixie groaned and leaned back against the couch.

"What about us?" Alana asked. "We should get there at a decent time, but there's no need for us to show up at six."

"Six fifty at the latest, so you guys can sleep in until 5:20, then leave by 5:50," Eli said. "No need in everyone being tired."

Alana, Kord, and Pronto all grinned and cheered. Eli and Trixie looked less than amused, but each of them smiled.

"How does that sound to everyone?" Eli asked. When no one voiced any concerns, he nodded and got to his feet. "Then it's a go. We'll prepare throughout today and try to give Sam one more call to finalize things tonight, and by tomorrow night we'll all be back here safe and sound. This is our chance to redeem ourselves after what Twist did."

The mention of his name sent flames running through Alana's skin. She nodded determinedly, and she could already begin to feel adrenaline pumping through her.

"Well, on that note, we all better start doing stuff," Eli said with a sigh. "Because we're gonna want to get to sleep early tonight."

~~~~~~~~

That evening, Sam called again to confirm that the gang had gotten the loading instructions. She listened carefully to their plan and agreed that simply destroying the equipment and drill parts would be the safest and most efficient. The gang slowly dispersed as the conversation with the heiress continued, until it was only Alana sitting in front of the holodesk, listening to Sam's plans for Bonnie Springs.

"I'm not done with school yet," she said as she walked around her room. She had begun shifting papers, posters, and clothes around, finishing packing whatever possessions she wished to take with her to her new life. "But Doctor Eberly, the president of the hospital in Bonnie Springs, is huge with learning on the job. I might not be a full-on surgeon, but I'll be able to follow the doctors and nurses around and help out whenever I can."

Alana sighed and rested her chin on her hand.

"I'm excited for you," she said with a smile. "You're gonna be a great doctor. Will you actually live in the hospital, or will you get an apartment or something in Bonnie Springs?"

Sam paused as she lifted a box on her bed and started filling it with papers.

"Well, I think right now the plan is to live in the residency area they've got inside the hospital," she explained. "The interns and students usually live in there. I'll rent out a storage locker or something to keep all my stuff in."

Alana nodded, then fell silent for a moment, twirling her bangs on her index finger before sighing and folding her hands in her lap.

"Sam, I'm sorry for questioning you so much about you leaving," she said. "It wasn't fair of me to probe like that."

Sam looked a little taken aback.

"I'm not upset," she said. "I know how that must have seemed. It's okay. I want to leave them because..."

For a few moments, she struggled to find the right words. Then she sighed and ran a hand through her dark hair.

"They never call me 'Sam,'" she finally said.

Alana frowned and raised an eyebrow, confused. Sam laughed and scratched at the back of her head.

"It's the first thing I could think of. They never call me Sam, what I want to be called. They just call me Samantha," she said. "They don't keep what I want in mind. They just do what they think is best, all the time, and even if they're wrong, they can't stand to hear that they are. They demand respect but they don't show it themselves. They make rude comments about how I look or how I dress, and did you know that Doctor Blakk gave me more compliments in a short meeting than my parents have in the last, what, year? Two, maybe?"

Alana frowned, and her heart sank. She looked Sam in the eyes and shook her head.

"That's awful. I'm sorry, Sam."

"It's okay. It's not your fault," Sam said sadly. "It's just the way it is sometimes."

"I guess it is," Alana said. "Well, I'm obviously not glad you're in this situation in the first place, but I'm glad we can help you get out of it."

"I am, too," Sam said. Then she stopped and looked around her room. "I think I'm just about packed."

Alana began to tell Sam she should probably get back to her parents to avoid suspicion, but something came to her mind.

"Hey, Sam. When you saw me on the train, when we did the heist with Twist, you said Blakk had something planned and it would affect specifically me. What did you mean?" she asked.

"I don't know exactly," Sam admitted. "I just overheard Blakk talking about it when my parents were talking about what he had in store. It sounds like it's a person, though. Do you have any idea who could be working with him that you know?"

"Something Twist said when we fought is making me think it's an old friend of mine," Alana said darkly. "She's gone down the wrong path before. She could've gotten wrapped back into things."

"What are you gonna do?" Sam asked curiously. Alana sighed and shrugged, leaning back in the desk chair.

"If I'm right, then try to talk some sense into her. And if that doesn't work, then I guess the Shane Gang just has one more mortal enemy." She laughed bitterly. "We're gonna have to start keeping a list or something."

"You kids are nuts," Sam said, shaking her head. "I'm eighteen and I can't imagine dealing with half the stuff you guys do."

"We're just that awesome," Alana said with a smile.

"I guess so. Well, I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow, Alana," Sam said, waving. Alana did the same.

"See you," she said before the screen turned black.

Alana stared at the screen for a few minutes. Working with Sam seemed to be a chance to redeem herself. She hadn't been as supportive with Dana as she could have been. She hadn't tried to help Dana escape her horrible situation until the last minute, and by then, it was too late. A heart could only take so much before it turned to stone.

But now, with Sam, she could help Sam take back her own life to follow her dreams and make a move against Doctor Blakk. Sam wouldn't end up like Dana. She had confidence and heart and determination.

She won't end up like Dana.

Alana got up from her chair and stretched out her arms, letting confidence flow through her. She was going to use what happened in the past to keep anything like it from happening again. And, who knew- if Twist was right and Dana had joined up with Blakk again, maybe she could change the past, too.

~~~~~~~~~

Sam looked around her room, standing in the middle of it.

The walls, once covered with posters, were bare. The whiteboard that once held her schedule was blank. Her desk was cleared, with the exception of her holodesk, which sat in the middle for her to take on the train tomorrow morning. Her bed was tidily made, and the only things on the floor were a box of papers and pictures, a backpack, and her clothes for tomorrow, including her blaster.

She'd send her Mecha with her box and backpack ahead to the Shane hideout in the morning. If questioned, she would tell her parents that she was sending it ahead to Blakk's citadel so she could ride back home after the shipment made it there.

Sam's blaster was small and simple, painted purple and silver. It wasn't made for power or for speed- it simply got the job done by making sure the slug reached velocity. Her slugs were in a small slug habitat on her nightstand. A few Arachnets, a Rammstone, a Tazerling, an Aquabeek. She wasn't a slinger by any means, but she could point and shoot. And if tomorrow went anything like the Shane Gang missions she heard about, Sam knew she'd be glad to be armed.

Hopefully she wouldn't have to use it.

Sam flopped down on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. Memories flowed through her head.

Some were awful- counting off the days on the calendar she had gone without eating before she came to the realization that what other people thought of her didn't matter. Screaming into her pillows after fights with her parents, angrily crumpling up business school papers. Sam definitely had her fair share of pain and anger in this room.

But it was also familiar, and she had some good memories. Dancing on her bed when her crush had waved at her in one of the Gray stores. Doing her medical school bookwork at her desk until all hours of the night, not even caring that it was so late because she was doing something she loved.

Sam sighed and pulled the covers over her, closing her eyes and forcing down her excitement. Tomorrow would change everything. She would finally be able to work on things she liked, and she would be free from the constant nagging and oppression from her parents. The weight of Gray Enterprise would no longer push down on her shoulders.

Can't turn back now, she thought to herself as she drifted to sleep.

~~~~~~~~

Alana was walking out of the bathroom, now in her pajamas and with her still-wet hair tied in a towel, when she saw Eli heading up the stairs to his room. Ash and Mage, sitting on Alana's shoulders, waved to him and Burpy (who was on Eli's own shoulder).

"Hey, you ready for tomorrow?" she asked. Eli laughed and shrugged.

"As ready as I can be," he said. "I've been staring at the loading plans for ages trying to figure out if our plan is the best we can do."

"Come up with anything different?" Alana asked.

"No," Eli admitted.

"That's because it's a good plan. Don't worry about it," Alana said confidently. "If we can manage to get out of spontaneous situations like Deadweed, we can get through a planned-out train heist."

Eli paused and laughed.

"But you passed out in Deadweed," he pointed out. Alana scowled.

"Don't remind me. But that shouldn't happen again," she assured.

"Well yeah, I hope so. How are things going with that, by the way?" Eli asked.

"Well, I can feel every bit of slug energy flowing around me within a pretty big radius," Alana laughed. "It's... weird."

"Don't you get overwhelmed?" Eli asked incredulously.

"Not really," Alana said truthfully. "There's a lot, but I can't feel it all unless I really focus. It's like seeing a huge forest in front of you, and it's not overwhelming until you focus on every little detail."

"Hm. Well, the more you know," he said, turning to walk into his room. Before she could think about what she was doing, Alana stepped forward grabbing Eli's shoulder.

"Wait," she said. "I need to tell you something about all this stuff going on with Blakk."

"What?" Eli asked, turning to face Alana.

Stupid stupid stupid why would you say that, Alana thought. He doesn't need to know unless it comes up.

Well, too late.

"It... well, it has to do with something Twist told me," she said. Eli's eyes immediately narrowed at the mention of the traitor's name. "When we fought in the tunnel, he mentioned something about someone I used to be friends with working for Blakk."

For a moment, her voice caught in her throat, but she pressed forward, forcing the words out.

"I don't know if it's true or not, but just listen if any of the workers mention a girl named Dana?"

Eli nodded.

"I will. And I'll let you know if I see anyone that catches my eye," he promised.

"Thanks," Alana said, stepping back toward her room. "Now go to sleep. You and Trixie have an early morning ahead of you."

"Yeah we do," Eli sighed. "We'll try not to wake you guys up when we leave, so we'll see you on the train."

"See you. And good luck," Alana added.

"Thanks," Eli said with a smile. "Hopefully we won't need it."

Alana nodded and headed into her room, taking the towel off her head and shaking it through her damp blue and caramel hair. Ash and Mage both squeaked as they were hit with water droplets, and Alana teasingly flicked some of her wet hair at them. Ash smirked mischievously and lit the top of his head aflame. Alana gasped and quickly yanked her hair out of the Infurnus's reach as she tied it into a ponytail.

"Watch it," she warned, but she couldn't help but crack a smile.

Moments like these with her slugs made her wonder how anyone could ever want to corrupt them and twist them into creatures of darkness.

~~~~~~~~

Eli went to sleep feeling pretty good about the mission, but when he woke up to his alarm clock at 4:30 in the morning.

He groaned and shut it off, sitting up and trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to just lay back down and go to sleep, but he robotically got out of bed and changed from his sweatshirt and shorts into his slugslinging gear. His slugs began to stir around him, most of them using socks laying around the room as sleeping bags.

"Up and at 'em, guys," he yawned, setting his orange backpack on his bed. "Load up. I'll be back in fifteen."

Eli quietly walked out of his room, putting on his gloves and clipping his bandoleer as he went. His raven-black hair was sticking up haphazardly, and he tried to flatten it down with his hands as he stumbled down the stairs.

Trixie was already in the living room, eating a protein bar in a zombie-like state. Her emerald eyes were droopy and her orange buns were almost as messy as Eli's hair. Eli snickered as he walked into the kitchen area, grabbing a banana and a roll.

"Good morning," he said as he walked by her. Trixie scowled and looked up at him.

"I could fight Blakk right now just for scheduling the shipment to leave so early," she said quietly. Eli shrugged and smiled.

"Save that anger for the mission, I guess."

~~~~~~~~~

Sam felt like everyone's eyes were on her as she paced the train depot.

The main source of light came from lamps periodically placed throughout the clearing behind the main Gray Enterprise building, the Lumino crystals around the cavern still dark and lifeless.

Workers in gray and black hurried around, checking on the large train sitting in the station, talking to workers in gray and red. Sam had a holotablet in her hands, checking off items as Gray Enterprise workers came up to her and confirmed they were loaded and secured.

Every once in a while, she would glance up and see two Blakk Industries workers stealing glances at her- a boy and a girl. Trixie and Eli had arrived shortly before Gray Enterprise workers began heading out of the building to check the train, so Sam only had time to briefly greet them before they rushed into the fray.

Now, when Sam glanced up, Eli began walking toward her. She raised an eyebrow, but didn't question anything.

"Everything's loaded," he reported. Sam nodded and turned away from him, walking to the center of the clearing, hoping she was being dismissive enough to make it look like she didn't know him.

"Five minutes until we depart, everyone!" she called, her voice echoing across the station. Gray Enterprise workers began to make their way back to the building, while Blakk Industries workers headed into the train.

"Is everything ready, Samantha?"

Sam scowled and rolled her eyes, but quickly painted a smile on her face before she turned around.

"Yes, everything's ready," she told her mother. She was dressed in her usual heels, skirt, dress shirt, and blazer, with her hair in a tight bun and eyes narrowed.

"Be sure to listen to Doctor Blakk. We don't want this deal going up in flames," Mrs. Gray said. "Follow his directions, no matter what they are."

"I will," Sam lied. She glanced over at the train as its engines began to turn on. Blakk Industries workers were finishing boarding.

When she turned back to look at her mother, Sam's fingers tightened around the holotablet she held. She wanted to say something, to get some form of closure, but she couldn't risk revealing her traitorous plan. So she just sighed and looked her mother in the eyes.

"Good-bye," she said, turning away. She faltered for a moment, but pressed forward, hurrying toward the train. Every step she took was putting her farther and farther away from her old life.

Doctor Blakk stood outside the front car of the train, speaking to Sam's father. Sam avoided both men's gazes as she filed onto the train with the last of the Blakk Industries workers.

The front half of the engine car was dedicated to the control panels for the train. A large, red pane of glass was above the panel, showing the train tracks ahead. Behind the panel there were seats and a few tables with paperwork bolted down to the train floor for stability.

At one of the tables sat two teens, a boy and a girl, but they definitely weren't Eli or Trixie.

One had tan skin, blond hair, and turquoise eyes, and Sam recognized him as Twist. He was the one who Blakk had sent in to spy on and then betray the Shane Gang. He sat next to a girl Sam had never seen before.

She had gray pants, dark gray boots, and a red shirt under a gray jacket. Her bandoleer had nasty looking ghouls in it that were quietly snarling and growling at each other. A pair of black glasses hid her eyes, but Sam couldn't shake the feeling that the girl was staring at her.

Sam stood in the engine car, waiting until Doctor Blakk boarded the train, steadying herself on one of the chairs as he nodded at the workers sitting by the control panel, giving them the signal to depart.

The train lunged forward, and Sam watched through the front windshield as the tracks in front of them began to move rapidly.

"We want to keep this as short as possible," Blakk said when he noticed Sam's look.

"That's a good idea," she said, forcing confidence into her voice. "If you don't mind, I'm supposed to make one more check on all the cargo before we arrive at the citadel."

"By all means," Blakk said, gesturing toward the door. "I understand your parents have a bit of anticipation with this deal. Anything to put a halt to their worries."

"Thank you," Sam said, turning toward the door. She snuck one more glance at Twist and the mystery girl before leaving the engine car.

There was a small railed walkway between each car, no longer than three feet. Walking outside to the wind nearly pulled Sam's hair from her bun and sent her holotablet flying, and she couldn't help but think about the Shane Gang as she made her way through the cars, making it seem like she was going to start taking inventory in the back with the slugs and then work her way back up to the drill pieces in the front. Hadn't the Shane Gang had duels on top of moving trains? How did they do it?

There were multiple Blakk Industries workers milling about every train car. None of them gave Sam a second glance- to them, she was the harmless heiress who, despite the blaster clipped to her back, meant no harm.

Her gaze wandered around the cargo as she passed it all. Mecha pieces, blaster mods. She hoped the Shane Gang would be able to destroy it, because if they didn't, Blakk would wreak even more havoc than he already was.

It seemed to take hours to reach the back two slug cars, but in reality took less than ten minutes. The second Sam stepped into the second-to-last train car, her heart sank.

Slug carriers were stacked up along the walls, holding hundreds of slugs captive. Two Blakk Industries guards stood at both the ends of the car, looking unamused with their positions, and Sam quickly learned why.

The slugs were (understandably) miserable. They were squeaking and chirping sadly, and when Sam walked into the car, the noise only picked up as they cried out to her in desperation. It took all of her willpower to keep a blank face and keep moving forward.

The same thing happened when Sam walked into the last train car. The slugs began chirping again, looking at her pleadingly. She forced a scowl on her face as she raised her holotablet, pretending to glance at the files there.

She looked up at the workers in the train. There were four, like before. Two unfamiliar ones stood at the end of the car, which was a dead end. She shot a glance over her shoulder. Eli and Trixie were standing on either side of the only exit.

Her heart thumping, she began to walk down the rows of slug carriers, making fake check marks on her holotablet as she pretended to count them. She felt like her legs were made of rubber.

Here we go.

Sam leaned forward, looking at one of the carriers. Then, she suddenly exclaimed,

"I think some got out!"

The two real Blakk Industries workers hurried over to her, followed by Eli and Trixie. Sam smiled and quickly stepped away from the carrier. The real workers faltered, confused, and Eli and Trixie lunged at them.

The two reared back their fists in unison, punching one of the workers in the face and sending him sprawling. The other worker yelped out in fear and dove away, grabbing for his blaster.

"Fight them off! I'll call for backup!" Sam called, trying to keep the smile from her voice as she ducked behind a row of slug carriers and pretend to radio in for help.

The worker fired a ghouled Flaringo at Eli, who fired his Aquabeek in return. The teal slug shot out a jet of water that stopped the ghoul in its tracks, sending it back to protoform. Trixie fired her Tormato, which released a gust of air that slammed the worker back into the wall of the train. He scowled and fired a Grimmstone at Trixie, who dropped to the ground to avoid it.

The ghoul crashed into the exit, punching through the wall and into the entrance to the next slug car. Sam gasped and wrapped her arms around one of the slug carriers as wind rushed into the train car. Eli fired an Arachnet at the worker, pinning him up against the wall, and turned toward the second slug car.

The four workers from that car leapt into the one with Sam, Eli, and Trixie. Sam dropped down, pretending to cower.

"Stop them!" she cried out. "I already radioed for help, backup is on the way!"

The ghoulslingers didn't give her another glance, firing at Eli and Trixie. Eli fired Burpy, who released a wave of flames that knocked two of the workers out of the destroyed wall and off the train completely. Trixie fired an Arachnet, tying up the remaining workers, and Eli finished them off with his Tazerling. The slug electrocuted the workers and set them toppling to the ground.

"That was amazing," Sam laughed as she shaking got to her feet. Trixie and Eli both grinned.

"Thanks!" Eli called over the wind. "Come on, let's disconnect these two! Alana, Kord, and Pronto should be riding alongside us right now!"

Sam nodded and followed Eli and Trixie out of the last car and into the second slug one, where the wind wasn't as violent. The slugs were all chirping happily at the sight of their saviors. Eli opened the exit door, and Trixie and Sam followed him out to the small railed platform between cars.

Sure enough, through the bushes and mushroom trees passing by the train at incredible speeds, Sam could catch sight of a black and cyan wolf Mecha.

~~~~~~~~~

Alana had given Kord and Pronto a half hour after they woke up to change their attitudes around. When that half hour was up and the three were riding through the caverns to meet up with the train, she insisted both of them quit complaining about the early hour.

She knew they weren't thrilled to be up so early- she wasn't, either- but they were on a mission. This was, arguably, one of the best parts of being in the Shane Gang. The thrilling, adrenaline-pumping heists that gave you a rush you just couldn't get anywhere else.

That excitement was what Alana was feeling as she sped alongside the train on Midnight, her hair flying behind her in the wind. Kord and Pronto followed behind her, all watching the train in anticipation, waiting for a sign that Eli and Trixie had successfully taken the last two cars.

They began to hear slugfire over the clacking of the train on the rails and the rush of wind, and Pronto called up to Alana,

"Should we help them?"

"No," Alana responded. "Not until we know they need it. We don't want to blow our cover."

"Otherwise we're dealin' with a whole train of ghoulslingers," Kord added. Alana nodded, and watched the two trains cars intently. A Grimmstone shot by between the two cars, but a few minutes later, Eli, Trixie, and Sam appeared on the platform between the first slug car and the last equipment car.

Alana laughed and waved to them, and Trixie waved back.

"There they are! Okay, guys," Alana called, turning back to Kord and Pronto, "Eli and Trixie are gonna disconnect the slug cars now. Release the slugs, then catch back up to the train!"

"You got it!" Kord yelled.

"Ah, yes, Pronto the Magnificent will be the savior of the slugs!" Pronto called. Alana snorted and rolled her eyes, turning her gaze back to the train.

Eli, Trixie, and Sam huddled up against the door to the equipment car. Then, Eli fired Buzzsaw, and the Thresher sawed the edge of the platform in half, releasing the two slug cars. Kord and Pronto fired Frostcrawlers that iced the wheels of the cars, slowing them down enough to put more and more distance between them and the rest of the train.

"See you guys soon!" Alana called, swerving out of the mushroom forest and driving Midnight up to the train.

She took a deep breath and leapt from her Mecha to the small platform. She almost overshot it, but Trixie reached and and grabbed her arm before she went toppling over the side of the rail.

"Thanks," Alana gasped.

"No problem," Trixie said. It was weird to hear her voice coming out of a Blakk Indstries uniform.

"Alright, you guys ready for phase two?" Eli asked. Alana, Trixie, and Sam all nodded. "Then let's do this."

With that, he kicked open the next door.

~~~~~~~~~

Dana was less than amused to be stuck on the train. She wanted to be out slinging, fighting, taking slugs. But she also knew that if she wanted to prove to Blakk that she deserved the authority he gave her, she had to stick with him through all these tedious day-to-day tasks.

She and Twist made small talk as the train sped along, talking about the shipment and what it would mean going forward, but the conversation lacked substance. Twist still seemed to be adjusting to this new life of his, and Dana's mind was usually elsewhere.

She was leaned back in her seat, legs propped up on the table and flicking her dagger up in the air, when she felt it.

Somewhere in the background of her mind had been the light energy radiating from the two train cars of slugs. But it suddenly faded away.

She caught her dagger midair, bringing her legs back down the the ground and straightening in her seat.

"What?" Twist asked.

Dana remained silent as she focused on the back of the train. She was positive- the slugs' energy was gone. And then a new spark appeared, something that radiated light unlike any slug she had ever felt.

She got to her feet and turned to face Doctor Blakk, who sat at another table.

"The slugs are gone," she said. Doctor Blakk tensed and lowered the holotablet he was reading from.

"Excuse me?" he asked coldly.

"The slugs are gone, and I can feel her here, the Shane Gang is here!" Dana exclaimed, sheathing her dagger and grabbing her blaster. Blakk frowned and glanced at Dana and Twist.

"Go."

~~~~~~~~~

gotta love heists. Looks like everyone's favorite red-eyed dark-energy-corrupted girl is finally gonna get a piece of the action

Cyan out!