DISCLAIMER: I own none of this.

A/N. I am quite disappointed by the lack of reviews for this fic, which I put a lot of effort into. I wrote it for fun, and I hoped others would enjoy reading it. If that's the case, please let me know. If you're mad at me for not updating Era of Change, I've got a eleven-day break from school coming up which I can work in. I promise you you will not be disapointed with what I've got planned.

Also, my brother's first fic (poem) is now online in the Matrix section and he's waiting for reviews. Check it out at his profile ComCon01.

89 INT. LEAD CAB, CLOSEUP ON SPEEDOMETER

The speedometer's red needle twitches on the zero line, then rapidly begins to move up through the marks as the music changes to a fast paced action track.

CUT TO

90 INT. LEAD CAB

The yard engineer AL TURNER (61), a grandfatherly man with a face reddened by excessive snowburn adjusts the controls as his steed rumbles into life.

91 EXT. ENGINES

The camera has pulled back so we can only see the engines one at a time. Slowly, almost reluctantly the lead engine crawls forward as the falling snow begins to increase and the electric whine of the train is drowned out by the dull moaning of the diesels.

Quickly the speed begins to increase as the other three engines follow suite, obediently following the leader.

92 EXT. TRACK

The rails shake under the 280 tonne train rolling over them, the wheels making a clunking noise at the rail joints.

93 EXT. FULL SHOT

As the last two engines leave the shelter of the wharehouse the train leaps forward with a vengence, and passing railroad staff move away from it in fear as it passes like a black animal, slithering over the tracks.

94 INT. 4TH ENGINE, NOSE COMPARTMENT

DUO: We're moving man, we're rolling!

Duo jumps for joy, almost smashing his head on the low ceiling.

DUO: Thank you God. YES!

He grins widely at Heero, who ignores him and continues staring out through the slits.

DUO: We make a good team don't you think.

He rests his hand on Heero's shoulder in a brotherly way. Heero turns and glares at him. Duo gets the message and removes the hand, but keeps the grin plastered on his face.

DUO: Well don't we?

95 EXT. RAILROAD YARD

Four engines roll along, but there is an immediately apparent difference: these engines make much more noise and move about twice as fast. They are now moving on a track parallel and to the left of the one they emerged on.

96 EXT. TEMPORARY PARK AREA

This is a waiting area where trains exchange drivers, on the hearing the four noisy engines road engineers CUSHMAN and BROWN both look up, visibly curious. They should be taking over this train from Al.

CUSHMAN: What's his hurry?

BROWN: Sonuva...He is too fast!

The four engines are gaining speed.

97 INT. LEAD CAB

Al is standing by an open window, getting some air. He looks uncomfortable. He then realises he's speeding, slams the window shut and reaches for the controls.

Suddenly...

He stumbles back, blinking in surprise. He gasps and falls against the back bulkhead. Al's hands go to his throat and he gurgles like he can't breathe. He utters no words, but he expression is clearly one of agony. He reaches for the control levers, but slumps over the control panel, winded like he's been punched in the gut before sliding back onto the floor.

98 EXT. TEMPORARY PARK AREA

Cushman and Brown stand dumbfounded as the engines scream past them, still gaining in speed.

CUSHMAN: I'll be damned.

Cushman and Brown share a concerned glance, then break off, running like crazy towards the accelerating train.

99 INT. LEAD CAB

Al is on his back, his feet touching the control panel. He grabs the door- handle above him and slowly pulls himself up with his last reserves of strength.

CUT TO

The speedometer, touching on 25 mph.

CUT TO

Recessed into the wall beside the door is a white pipe with a red lever mounted on it. This is the EMERGENCY BRAKE VALVE. As Al opens the door he grabs the lever and yanks on it.

CUT TO

100 EXT. ENGINE BRAKES

In a tight view from inside the frames we see the brakes clap down on the wheel rims with a horrendous scraping noise that claw on the nerve endings of the listeners. Sparks fly.

CUT TO

101 EXT. LEAD ENGINE CATWALK

The braking force throws Al through the door and he slams against the front railing, almost missing and landing in the train's path.

102 INT. 4TH ENGINE, NOSE COMPARTMENT

Heero's eyes fly open as the engines lurch, the brakes restraining them.

103 EXT. WHEEL DETAIL

As the train skids across the tracks sparks rain down onto the ties. The engines roar as if enraged.

104 INT. FRONT CAB - SPEEDOMETER

The needle swings down from thirty towards twenty-five, dropping rapidly.

105 EXT. YARD

Yard foreman CASSIDY and a coupler, WRIGHT look up as a piercing screaming noise grabs their attention. They turn and stare in confusion.

106 EXT. CASSIDY / WRIGHT'S POV:

The four engines pound towards them, fighting the brakes with all of their 8000 horsepower. The resulting display is impressive. Smoke and sparks stream from the sides of the train, like a fiery tail.

CASSIDY'S VOICE (VO): That looks like Al's train!

Al drags himself to the edge of the catwalk, ready to throw himself off the gangway ladder.

WRIGHT'S VOICE (VO): What the hell's he doing out there?

CASSIDY'S VOICE (VO): He looks sick. Damn!

The engines flash by, a roaring monster. Al is on the verge of collapse.

CUT TO

107 EXT. CURVE IN THE EASTBOUND YARD.

The four engines hit the curve at a speed of about twenty m.p.h. The front engine jerks violently, seemingly bucking Al off the front deck like a rodeo bull does its rider. He crashes into a pile of oil barrels stacked at the trackside and lies there motionless.

Cassidy and Wright run down the track towards Al.

CASSIDY: Al!

WRIGHT: Better call a paramedic.

At the same moment Brown rushes in, with the older, heavier Cushman puffing along behind. They all stare after the speeding train, totally stunned.

Cassidy is the first to realise.

CASSIDY: (horrified, looking after the train) Oh my God...get to the controls...Stop her!

As the four railroad men stare after the engines, further sparks fly onto the rails.

108 EXT. WHEEL DETAIL

A particularly thick spray of sparks rain down on the rails like a small meteor shower.

109 INT. LEAD CAB - SPEEDOMETER

The needle continues to fall, holds on the 15 m.p.h line, then slowly begins to increase. The engines respond with a vengeance.

110 INT. 4TH ENGINE, NOSE COMPARTMENT

Heero looks round puzzled. He yells over the roar of the engines. Duo cups his hand to his ear.

HEERO: (Shouting) Something's wrong.

Duo gestures as if to ask what.

DUO: (unconcerned, grinning) Relax, they know what they're doing.

Heero opens his mouth to respond, can't think of a reasonable argument, and sits back down, uneasy. Duo curls up on the floor, trying to rest, but Heero is too tense to rest. He peers out through the ventilator again.

111 EXT. CURVE IN THE EASTBOUND YARD

Cassidy is yelling into his radiophone.

CASSIDY: Nova! Hello Nova! Dick get off your ass and answer me! Cassidy here. There's an unmanned runaway heading your way. Stop her for God's sakes! I'm not kidding, Stop her!

CUT TO

112 EXT. CASSIDY'S POV

The runaway engines roll away innocently like a murderer from a victim. Speed now about 30 mph. As he watches the mass of steel slides into a curve and vanishes out of sight. All that's left is a faint cloud of smoke and a burning smell.

113 EXT. SWITCHMAN'S SHED

About half a mile down the line is a switchman's shed. DICK NOVA, the switchman jumps out still holding the dead radio. He stares straight ahead.

114 EXT. NOVA'S POV

The distant engines roll around a curve into view.

115 INT. SWITCHMAN'S SHED.

Nova runs into his shed and screams into his telephone.

NOVA: Clark Street! Clark Street! Unmanned engines coming my way...Track 191...Yeah, you heard me! What to I do? Speak up Pulasky!

116 INT. CLARK STREET CONTROL TOWER

The train dispatcher, PULASKY, a fat man – incomprehensively wearing a hat indoors is staring at the receiver in his hand, stupefied.

PULASKY: (stuttering) Wh - what did you say?

Nova screams incoherently. Pulasky stands up and stares eastwards out of the window in horrified anticipation.

PULASKY: Okay, okay...switch her through to track eleven, get her out of the sidings.

117 EXT. SWITCHMAN'S SHED

Nova, eyes on the runaway tearing down Track 191, runs out and darts directly across the tracks in their path, grabbing the hand switch and jamming it down.

118 DETAIL - THE SWITCHTRACK RAILS SHIFT POSITION

The runaway engines change straight onto the shunt line and roar straight at Nova, who stands very still. With juggernaut force, the engines suddenly switch to track 11, barely missing the terrified switchman.

Nova is stiff with fear as the runaway zooms past. He stands stock still for a second, then shakes and laughs nervously, drunk with the joy of being alive.

119 DETAIL - SPEEDOMETER READS 35 MPH

120 EXT. ENGINES - NOVA'S POV

The runaway peels ahead and some SHARDS OF METAL SPRAY ONTO THE TRACKSIDE.

CUT TO

121 EXT. SWITCHMAN'S SHED

Nova's face pales. He rushes to examine the fragments, his sense of fear intensifying.

122 EXT. CURVE IN WESTBOUND YARD

We get our first view of Al's body. His face is surprisingly serene as two paramedics lift him onto a stretcher. there's a deep cut on his head but no blood seeps from it. Cassidy watches the paramedics carry the dead engineer away when his radio beeps. he whips it to his ear.

PULASKY'S VOICE: (on phone) Cassidy! Give me the full story on these bastard engines.

Cassidy sighs in relief.

CASSIDY: Pulasky, thank God. Al fell off the engine, he's dead. You've got four units heading your way.

123 INT. CLARK STREET CONTROL TOWER

Pulasky blinks, disbelieving.

PULASKY: Say again? How many.

CASSIDY: (over phone) Those four shit diesel units. Stop them for God's sakes.

Pulasky is calmer now. He turns his seat slowly.

PULASKY: Relax Cass. Now then...

Pulasky suddenly notices his computer's monitor. The yellow blip representing the runaway advances towards Clark Street, rapidly consuming the few short miles between it and Pulasky.

Pulasky however, notices only one thing.

The display is flashing COLLISION ALERT!!

The blips highlight two trains, the runaway, moving, and a stationary train parked right outside Clark Street - on the same track.

PULASKY: Holy Crap!

(dials phone)

PULASKY; Central, damn you Central. Emergency. Pick up the Goddamned phone!

124 INT. AER CENTRAL CONTROL ROOM

The phone rings unanswered. The camera pulls back to reveal the Alaska Eastern Railroad control room.

An entire wall is taken up by a massive schematic track layout, which shows the route of the railroad, trains indicated by flashing lights. Every single switch-track, siding and signal are clearly shown.

Mounted above and beneath the map are banks of TV monitors, a few showing trains but most turned off.

Facing the map are several control stations, desks with built - in computer terminals and keyboards.

CAMERA PANS ROUND

The back wall of the room is glass and through it can be seen a reception area.

The bright white light streaming through the windows highlights the only two occupied desks. One dispatcher has his back to us, working a terminal, the other is reading a newspaper. A few night-shift workers are leaving off home, but none of the day shift have arrived yet. The room is practically deserted. The two figures are dwarfed by the high-tech scale of the room.

The phone rings and the first person picks it up, back still to us.

DISPATCHER: Central here.

PULASKY'S VOICE: (over phone) Barstow is that you?

The dispatcher sips some coffee.

DISPATCHER: No he's...occupied. Hold for a second.

125 INT. CLARK STREET

Pulasky's almost crushing the receiver in his over-sized paw.

PULASKY: Hold it my ass! We've got an emergency! A big emergency.

126 INT. CENTRAL

Pulasky's voice is so loud that the dispatcher holds the phone away from his ear, but the words are still audible.

PULASKY'S VOICE: (over phone) We've got four unmanned units!

The dispatcher pauses, coffee halfway to his lips. He puts the mug down and slowly turns his seat round to face the map.

It is TROWA BARTON.

TROWA: Pardon?

PULASKY: (Hysterical) Four units just tore loose at Stonehaven! They're heading my way and they're coming with a bang! Where the hell is Barstow?

TROWA: Calm down! He's here, using the lavatory.

He puts his hand over the phone to drown out Pulasky's screeching and turns to the other dispacther, face still hidden by a newspaper.

TROWA: You better get Frank.

The newspaper goes down and an attractive feminine face gazes at us.

It is LUCREZIA NOIN.

She opens her mouth to retort back but thinks better and gets up with a simple nod.

127 INT. HALLWAY.

Noin strides down the corridor and walks straight into the men's room, not bothering to waste time by being polite.

128 INT. MEN'S ROOM.

Noin ignores the stares of a janitor at the sink and walks to the only closed cubical. A steady hissing sound can be heard. She raps on the door.

VOICE: (From inside) Wait a sec would ya!

The hissing continues for a few seconds. Noin looses patience.

NOIN: (irritated) You better stop soon Frank or that damn things gonna' fall off!

There's a start inside.

FRANK: (From inside, seductively) Damn it Noin if you wanted some that bad you only had to ask.

Noin rolls her eyes.

NOIN: You wish. Now get moving - we've got a crisis.

The door flies open and FRANK BARSTOW (23) runs out, still zipping his fly. He's a handsome, energetic man but a very-slight belly indicates he's spent most of his recent life behind a computer desk.

129 INT. CLARK STREET

If Pulasky was screaming any louder he'd be having a cardiac arrest.

PULASKY: Central! Central! Where are you? Dammit!

130 INT. CENTRAL

Trowa's left the phone on the desk and is tapping furiously at his terminal. He's rewarded by an electronic chime and a close-up diagram of Clark-Street. The runaway has only a mile and a half to go before it collides with the halted train.

Frank bursts in and Trowa vacates the his seat. Barstow picks up the phone.

FRANK: (speaking very calmly) I'm here Pulasky, now what seems to be the trouble.

PULASKY'S VOICE: (over phone) We got a runway on Track 11. The damned engineer fell off the train.

FRANK: (examining Trowa's schematic, grasping the situation quickly) Is there anyone else on board?

PULASKY'S VOICE: (over phone) How the hell should I know! She's only travelled a couple of miles but she's already hitting on thirty.

Frank frowns, that's fast.

Frank quickly runs a finger along the screen of Trowa's terminal, tracing a route that will take the runaway out of the path of danger.

Silence holds for a few seconds. Pulasky thinks he's been abandoned and starts screaming again.

PULASKY'S VOICE: (over phone) Anyone there? What the hell am I going to do - I'm down to my last minute.

Frank snaps.

FRANK: Be quiet - calm down! Now, what I want you to do is to run her onto the main line...

Trowa tries to intervene.

TROWA: That's not a good idea.

Frank cuts him off.

FRANK: Shuiddit! (to Pulasky) ...yeah, Track 1 - give her a red light and the automatic signal will stop her.

133 INT. CLARK STREET.

Pulasky's already pulling on his gloves.

PULASKY: Right Frank.

He slams the phone down and flips a few switches before peeling out of the building.

134 DETAIL - SWITCHTRACK

Outside Clark Street, the electric switch-track snaps into place, connecting Track 11 with Track 1.

135 DETAIL - SIGNALS

In rapid succession several signal towers switch to red.

136 DETAIL - PULASKY'S TERMINAL

The yellow blip of the runaway overtakes the icon for Clark Street.

137 EXT. CLARK STREET

Pulasky runs out of the tower just in time as the runaway pounds by directly in front of him, making a high-pitched scraping noise, throwing sparks in pinwheel profusion. Pulasky watches in fear and amazement. The screaming engines echo off the sides of the cutting that the tracks and tower are situated in.

The runaway engines plunge onto Track 1, narrowly missing the idling train on Track 11. Her crew stare, awestruck as the lead engines slams past a red signal.

138 DETAIL - WHEEL ASSEMBLIES

The brakes, stimulated by the automatic signalling system, make one last- ditch attempt to stop the train.

139 EXT. PULASKY'S POV

Suddenly, something gives. Metal disintegrates and fragments scatter in all directions and burn with bright flames where they land. The snow hisses and steams where it melts.

BACK TO PULASKY

He runs up and tires to pick one up. The red hot metal burns and he drops it with a yell.

PULASKY: Shit!

The fragment lands with a 'CLANG!'. Pulasky kicks it with his shoes, turning it over with his shoe, as if to make sure what they are.

He stares at a burnt and shattered brake shoe, transfixed, then looks up.

140 EXT. PULASKY'S POV

The engines roll away, silent as ghosts. The wind howls, dissipating a thin cloud of smoke that trails from their still smouldering wheels.

141 INT. LEAD CAB

The speedometer now touches on 40 mph.

142 EXT. 4TH ENGINE CABSIDE

From the perspective of someone leaning out the cab window we look ahead. The engines ahead bounce and sway on the rails as the country flashes by.

A red pinprick appears ahead, dwarfed by the mountains. A signal tower, red light gleaming rushes up, then vanishes behind us.

143 INT. 4TH ENGINE CAB

Hold for a few seconds on an empty cab. The room sways slowly. It's silent except for the near silent hum of the engine and the thudding of the wheels on the rail joints.

The door to the nose opens a fraction and Heero sticks his head out, checks for danger, then scrambles out. Duo practically bounces up the short staircase and scrambles over to the left window.

144 EXT. DUO'S POV - ALASKAN LANDSCAPE

The scenery flies by right to left, a white field stretching to the peaks on the horizon, dotted with tundra grass.

Suddenly the train thunders onto a bridge over an iced-river and the girders streak by barely a foot from Duo's face.

CUT TO:

145 INT. 4TH ENGINE CAB

He bounces back in surprise and bumps into the control panel.

DUO: (excited) We're flying now!

He turns to Heero who is looking out of the back window, not listening.

HEERO: (to himself) Shouldn't we be hauling some freight?

DUO: Who cares.

Heero turns and walks to the front bulkhead. Duo slams down on one of the seats mounted on the wall.

HEERO: I do.

He starts scraping rust off the labels under a row of switches, revealing nothing of any use. Duo kicks back and puts his feet on the second seat.

DUO: Don't you ever lighten up?

HEERO: Give me a good reason to.

He finds a switch, examines it's label and flicks it on.

146 INT. DETAIL - HEATERS.

Warm air starts blowing out of the heaters mounted in the cab. Duo sighs in relief and starts pulling his gloves off.

147 INT. 4TH ENGINE CAB

DUO: We'll we're out for one thing...

He warms his hands over the heater.

DUO: ...and it looks like this...animal ain't stopping for nothing...

Heero shakes his head as if saying "That's what's worrying me." As the cabin warms up Duo pulls off his jacket and tosses the pile of clothes into a corner. One glove hits a shelf built into the forward bulkhead and tips out a collection of papers and a few books. Heero picks them up.

DUO: (hums to himself)

Heero's sits down in the engineer's seat and is rifling through the documentation. Callsheets, maintenance notes, the locomotive's log-book. He finds a very yellow newspaper clipping and glances at it quickly, grunting in surprise. Duo looks up.

DUO: What?

Heero hands him the clipping.

HEERO: Read the date.

DUO: (mumbling) Fire consumes railroad depot. Wednesday January 14th 2004...

He trails off and hands it back to Heero. He's reached the bottom of the pile of papers and pulls out a book.

148 INT. HEERO'S POV

It's a paperback about the size of a notebook, clearly labelled - GENERAL MOTORS GP7 - OPERATORS MANUAL.

He starts leafing through it.

149 EXT. RUNAWAY

It's still early morning as the runaway engines race the rising sun west, moving across the snow-covered terrain with a rapid clip.

A/N: I'm still waiting for reviews.