Case File 2018.05.25
With the train starting to move, Liam and Lachlan make their way towards the rear of the locomotive. The two found the rooftop of the rear car they were on pretty lightly monitored, only one Red that was quickly dispatched. The fact that Liam didn't appear disturbed that he was covered in Red blood gave weight to Lachlan's info that the Councilman wasn't as disconnected from the real world. They continued to move towards the edge of the car to make their move. As the two reach their targeted rail car, Liam dispatches the Red they find there before working to disconnect the car once the train was in position to allow them to gain more momentum.
They watched as the train cars came apart and those disconnected cars begin to slow while allowing the rest of the train to pick up some speed. There was a pause, waiting to see if other Reds would come flying off the roof to attack, but nothing happened. So they proceeded to look for Nedd, the Council's asset. Lachlan seemed pretty uneasy as they made their way into the train car to begin the search, expecting some of those within to be thralls waiting to attack.
There were more Reds inside as they make their way towards the prisoners, still within flesh masks among them. It didn't take long for the two to take out the guards and locate Nedd. One of the Reds had tried to set the book The Heretic had been holding earlier to flame as it realized the suddenly unexpected guests arriving. Nedd wouldn't allow that to happen and took out that vampire as a deadly version of cats cradle took hold and ended its life. Liam kept close to Nedd and sent Lachlan ahead to check on the others.
Rhea and Ramirez had split off from the others earlier, heading towards the front and the engine. They only noted a single guard on top of the rooftop while heading towards the engine. This looked too easy, but she made quick work of the Red by mimicking the effect of it being sucked through a jet engine via wind currents. As they neared their destination a voice called out on over the wind and ran across The Heretic. The main Red that they'd seen from a distance earlier, but now unfortunately close up-- Rhea noticed this Red had two different colored yes, one blood red and the other golden yellow. She'd seen those eyes before on a different face once before now. At the same time as that individual called them out, other Reds from the car behind him emerge without their flesh masks an crawl up towards the two Wardens. The numbers they'd seen from a distance were off, there were far more Reds on this train.
Rhea drew up a wind shield around them, not expecting it to completely stop them, but hoping it would allow them to control the fight. That hope was quickly dashed as The Heritic uttered a word to collapse her spell as other Reds lunge in for the attack. One taking Ramirez off the top of the train roof. It was staggering to have the shield forcefully dropped and as the other Warden was swept off the side, it left her outnumbered. She took a few gashes from claws until a couple Reds were able to restrain her for The Heretic. She couldn't compete with the unnatural speed, nor the sudden change in numbers. She was sorting through her options as that Red approaches, some sickly spell at his fingertips while gloating at adding a new member to the Blood Kings cause-- at least up until Ramirez reappears. With a bit of a bang too as the explosive he'd set up blew a bit earlier than expected, sending him flying towards Rhea and allowing him to scoop her out of the Red's grasp as the other vampires went flying off from the force of the blast.
In the chaos, the blast did disconnect the train car, leaving them both with a need to jump in order to catch their ride before there was too much distance between each car. Rhea collects herself as quickly as possible and makes ready to jump with Ramirez to safety. However, she feels a force that pushes her forward suddenly towards that other car without the other Warden at her side. Ramirez intends to say behind and deal with The Heretic and remaining Reds, opening a Way for the train to pass into along the rails. That was something that had put a level of fear in the vampires to avoid doing in this area, it was his best plan to take them out of the fight and give the others the opportunity to get out of there with the asset and the prisoners. The last Rhea sees is his sly grin as he winks at her.
Rhea was angry with a mix of emotions at the last minute stunt by the time Lachlan caught up to her to confirm they'd located the Council asset and it was time to leave. They'd managed to succeed in their goal, but were now one man short of the four that originally arrived to the train station. They did their best to get the prisoners out and back to safety, however some succumbed to their injuries and didn't make the trip. With the sun rising up now, it would provide some safety as the Red's wouldn't pursue during the day. They'd made it back to the city, saving as many as they could from the night's events. Once Liam, Nedd, Lachlan and Rhea had a moment to rest, they made their way to head back to Chicago. Rhea didn't say much during it all, no more than need be, keeping mostly to her thoughts while focusing on getting out of that place in one piece.
