Gunvolt returned to Ouncel Town in case Xac and Zod held back. They obviously didn't. "Why don't you move on? Since they're after you, it won't be long until you see them again,' Joule suggested. Gunvolt took the suggestion and salvaged for more jerky before resuming his journey. While Gunvolt traveled a couple towns over he didn't encounter the two. He thought that maybe that maybe he gave up on them, but it wouldn't be as easy as that. They were probably coming up with plans to ambush him.

Gunvolt's speculation was right. While he went city to city, Xac and Zod trailed behind. They were far enough that Gunvolt and his guardian angel won't detect their presence. Apparently, the boy had sharp senses. Xac was still able to connect to Gunvolt's presence even from a distance. It was unknown why, but it was useful so there wasn't any argument. As the followed behind, Zod made Xac transform in and out of forms and use his septima every once in the while so he could get used to it.

"You're slow and weak… really, I'm surprised you're not dead yet," Zod complained once Xac just completed using four septima.

Xac breathed out, "Is that… what you want, Father?"

"Don't play that card with me," Zod countered, disregarding the question. "Anyhow, you are progressing, but it's painfully slow." He then thought to himself, "If the boy is this tired using so septima, will I do any better? Is it just him and his small capacity of a body that's making him so weak to wield these septima?" Zod looked to his own pockets, the small stash of liquefied septima hidden from Xac's view. "Maybe I would be more capable? I am a grown man after all." Zod continues to debate himself until he realized Xac was calling for him. "What? I'm thinking," Zod asked, annoyed.

"Oh… was wondering if you were okay…" Xac said quietly.

Zod made an indignant sound from his lips and glared at Xac. "You have one job, and that's to take Blondie's blood. Why haven't you fulfill it?"

Xac squirmed, his thumbs twindling. "I… don't understand why you want his blood so much. Don't we already have septima similar to his?" Zod strike Xac down and he fell down on his butt. "F-Father?" Tears began to well up in his eyes.

"Don't you dare question me! Isn't it better to expand our septima powers? And it's that field of electricity he summons that I'm most interested in." Zod stopped to ponder more. "Hey. Do you ever notice Blondie shooting you with that spiteful gun of his first before shocking you? Being faced head on with the shock himself, Xac nodded. "That means were have to only disarm him and he won't be able to shock you anymore! That gun itself helps him use his electricity effectively. It's like a lightning rod." Xac looked awe from Zod's theory. "New plan! We rid Blondie of his firearms, then seize his blood!" Zod declared.

"Roger."

Copen was on the last match on the last match box he could find in the pack. The tunnel seem to stretch out long too. It wasn't like he would be lost if the match snuffed out. The tunnel went one way. He never encountered even one path that diverged from the one he has been treading on. When the match finally died, Copen continued walking. He was too far in to backtrack. Luckily, there was rations in the pack that he was able to survive from starvation. It was reluctant, but Copen was grateful for the pack once again. After what seemed like hours walking blindly in the dark, Copen started to hear something. It sounded like people talking. Copen was anxious to find out where it who it was coming from. But he stayed cautious and made sure to quiet his steps. The tunnel was beginning to also light up, proving that whoever had some kind of object to project it.

In front of him, Copen saw the area being bathed in light. He continued carefully walking toward it. Once near the area, Copen tried peering out. It was so bright that it was kind of hard to.

"Who's there?" screamed a man's voice. Copen instinctively stepped back into the dim tunnel until he stepped back out, knowing he was already seen. He finally walked into the highly lit room and his eyes adjusted. A few, no, groups of people stood staring at him. "Who might you be?"

"A lost boy?" someone whispered in the crowd.

"Were you going to raid us?" the man spoke out again. Copen figured that maybe he was some kind of group leader or something.

Copen stepped toward the people again and he could see them scrunch back. "I fell in here and decided to follow this tunnel. For days I walked down here and thought there was nothing. Now this…" Copen scanned the crowd of people and what this place was for them. A home. "Why down here?" he asked.

"There's hell out there if you haven't noticed. People seem to have lost it once that Sumeragi group disappeared," the loud man replied.

"People mug one another up there. People down here trust each enough not to do that," another one supplied. Copen admired these people. They're strong enough to hold against their own.

The man seemed to have noticed Copen's approval and he smiled a cocky grinned and crossed his arms. "I'm right proud of this place. People getting along with people like they're supposed to. But, I will admit that things will only go downhill from here if we don't find a way to get food." The people started murmuring among themselves and the man frowned as if regretting he said that. Nonetheless, it seemed a current issue that all of the people here known but didn't like it being brought up.

"Were you all planning to climb out of here someday?" Copen asked them.

"We were thinking of taking the train," the man replied, like he was glad the topic was something else. He jutted his thumb back to another dark tunnel. "Train's down there." Copen told the man to lead him to it and people started sharing glances in suspicion. "Sure," the man responded after thinking about the option himself. People spread from their paths as the man took Copen down a tunnel away from the light. Copen realized now that they were fire high up on the walls.

The tunnel was dim, but Copen could still see from the light of the main room. It wasn't that far down the tunnel when Copen could see it. It was a subway train. The engine probably ran out. "We need to work that thing up," the man explained. "Then we can ride it to EctoWav City." Hearing the word EctoWav, made Copen think of Gunvolt. How many days has it been since he split from Gunvolt? He could have made it to EctoWav about now. Copen stepped onto the subway train while the man stared after him. "Do you have any suggestions?" the man asked. Although, the tone of his voice read that he doubt Copen had any ideas.

Copen went to inspect the engine. It was dead and out of energy. Copen started tugging on some stuff. Maybe in some way, he could hotwire the stuff. The man asked what he was doing. Copen replied, "Let me try something. I'll get right back to you when I fix it."

The man laughed. "When you fix it? You're so sure, aren't you?" Copen didn't give a response. "Err, so the name's Earl." Copen said his. "Copen, eh? Well, I'll trust you if you can fix it, but don't play with the thing so much that it broke forever." Surprisingly, the man walked away. Copen thought he would keep watch of him in case he was a "raider." On the other hand, Copen was glad he had some quiet to himself.

The wires were fried up somehow, so the engine was entirely useless. Copen had to find another way to work the train. He felt around himself, looking for what he knew he needed. He pulled out a plasma gun he stole from QUILL. He didn't know what it did, but it was probably custom made for Gunvolt. Without thinking, Copen shot the gun and it static electricity flew out before fizzing out in the dark. It didn't even crash the whole. It just disappeared in the middle of the air. Copen walked toward where it disappeared and he suddenly felt paralyzed, static running through his vein. He dropped to the ground and silently groaned for some time. Moments later, Copen's numbness subsided and he stood back up.

"This thing paralyzes foes to make targets easy to attack…" Copen concluded. The volts this plasma gun held was dangerous. If he was shot fresh from the gun, Copen was sure he would have been paralyzed for longer or even possibly die. "What a dangerous toy… Just what I need." If the engine needed energy then this gun may be able to help it come to back to life. Shot a few of this into it and the train would be roaring over to EctoWav City in no time.

Copen went to tell Earl this. "Is that so?" he said, skeptical.

"I'm not saying it would work, but if it did, the train would be long gone. If you want to leave, get on the train. No one will be able to stop it once it starts up," Copen said. The man started wondering about the decision. People who were down here was content enough to have stayed down underground for some time. They all knew the train was there, but didn't start and try fixing it until recently. There was no progress until this random lone boy in white appeared and resolved everything in less than an hour.

"Fine," Earl finally decided. "Everyone onboard!" With so many people in the underground already. It took some time to get everyone packed up and in the train. They have been living down here long enough to display some personality on their personal camping spots. But the worse part came when not everyone could fit in the train. The men decided that they would stay back and the women pleaded no. Children started crying from the hectic. It was a complete mess. Copen, refusing to leave anyone behind, told the people to leave behind some of their belongings instead.

"There will be more to restock in EctoWav City," he explained as best as he can. "Throw out anything that has anything to do with food." People shared glances again, deciding if they should listen Copen. In the end, they probably got desperate and dropped the food from the train like rocks. That actually helped lessen the space in the train and the men could jump in alongside their family. Copen stood near the engine. It was lodged on the back of the train. He would have to shoot the plasma gun and quickly jump on. There was a bar he could hang onto that was on the back of the train. He would have to hang on tight when it starts.

"You're not coming, Copen?" said a voice. Copen turned to see it was Earl. He was smiling in a joking way. "Ah, thanks for the help, kid. Just like that, you resolved how to work the train."

"I'm only hoping it works," Copen said, looking back down at the engine. "I'm going to shoot. You should get on the train now."

Earl nodded in understanding. As he turned around, he said, "Your father would be so proud." Copen paused from hearing the words. It was common when someone compliments another person (especially someone young) by saying their father would be proud. Would Copen's father be proud of him? He believe it would be likely. After all, he helped these people. May have helped. Copen wasn't sure this would work, but he was smart enough to know that it will and it have to.

Copen clung onto the bar and shoot. The plasma flew over the engine and it disappeared. For a moment, nothing happened. Copen almost let go of the bar and hopped down to the engine to see what was happening. But then the whole thing jolted forward. Copen caught on the bar with both hands as the train sped up from zero to 70 mph. And it seemed to still rise. Copen was afraid he won't hold on but he told himself that he had to. So he could make it to EctoWav City and save those people too.

To be continued...

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