Free Champions of the Apocalypse by Michael G. Thomas Page A

travelled along the tracks and towards the mountains. As they moved on Synne worked tirelessly on the band until she had loosened and removed all but one of the screws. With a gentle pull, she could easily lift the band that held her manacles to the side of the cart. As she freed herself, one of the others in the cart spotted what she had done and made to move towards her. Synne raised her finger to her mouth to make him keep quiet.
    “Ssh, I will help you as well. Keep still, we can’t try to escape until it is completely dark,” she whispered.
    The man nodded and watched as Synne replaced one of the screws so it was held tight before leaning to the others in the cart.
    “Loosen the screws, don’t remove them yet though. When it is dark we’ll jump and head for the mountains. Okay?” she asked.
    The passengers all nodded in eagerness and waited patiently. Synne looked back further along the train to where Jonas was still watching. Synne looked to his side and indicted towards the metal band. Jonas wasn’t quite sure what she was trying to communicate but following his eyes her noticed the band on his own cart. Synne lifted her hand a little but not too much to draw attention. She showed Jonas the coin before moving it to the metal band and the screws. Jonas quickly saw what she was doing and started to look around for a tool he could use.
    Synne moved backwards and looked ahead, watching for signs of trouble from the guards. So far, it was clear they were obviously far more interested in watching the horizon than the beaten and dejected prisoners. The mountains were getting closer and Synne could see the train track followed a winding course that disappeared up into their craggy heights. The sun was getting lower now and the shadows from the mountains cast long, dark shapes across the open plains. She thought back to the map and tried to work out roughly where they might be. This track was too far north for it to be the tracks they had come across during previous operations against the Raiders. Unless of course the tracks turned away at some point, and travelled parallel to the mountains rather than heading between them. Either way it didn’t matter. The sun was setting to the left and that was the west so she was heading away from home. Her plan was simple, escape to the mountains and find shelter. Then work out a way back home, find her brother and seek vengeance on those that had caused so much death and misery. It was beginning to look like it would be time soon enough.
    Synne looked along the train to Jonas who lifted something metal and nodded to her. She couldn’t make out what it was but the important thing was that he had removed his metal bands the same as Synne. With just a few twists, she removed the one on her own cart and with a tug it pulled away, the chains from the six prisoners clattered to the ground. Synne’s heart fluttered as she worried they would be heard. It shouldn’t have concerned her though, nobody could hear with the noise coming from the tracks.
    Are you ready?” she asked the others with her.
    “Now, when we’re moving? Shouldn’t we wait till we’ve stopped?” asked one of them, scared by the speed they were travelling.
    “No, that would be the death of us all. If we wait and try to escape when the train is still we will be easily spotted and they will hunt us down and kill us. They are fit, strong and well equipped with weapons. Do you think you can escape them and their crossbows?   No, we have to jump, and fast, before we hit the rocks or it will kill us anyway.”
    Synne checked the others, noting each of them was waiting for the word. She turned back to the obviously frightened man.
    “It is dangerous but I’m willing to risk it. Are you?”
    The man said nothing, he just sat there looking terrified.
    “It’s up to you, I’m going. Ready?” she asked the others.
    They nodded once more and readied themselves to go. Synne signalled to Jonas and he started to move