"So, this is back in December of last year. She's on tour, with family, checking out Bartlett University in Cambridge, Massachusetts."

A red barrel, one of many in the floor, stood in between the four, doing its secondary job of keeping them warm.

"These dudes in white masks and hazmat suits, they shoot up the place, and they have these gas bombs, deadly as fuck. Everything's locked down. Big shootout, multiple casualties. By the end of it, mom and dad of hers took several, among many. Lasted as long as a regular work day. Poor girl."

Dana was still in slumber, in the past few hours.

Lincoln stared outside the grid-style window panel. Below, the darkness covered everything like a blanket.

"Christina here, car crash claims parents and younger brother, and the driver who ran the red light, lived. But she wasn't taking it. In her own vengeance, she suffocated the bastard, after sneaking into the hopsital he'd been taken to."

Chandler snickered at the redhead, who returned a finger at him. "They're truly soulless."

"He deserved it. Fuck you, Chandler."

Christina took the mattress beside Dana.

"Boy, come take this one for you." Christina removed her gray zip sweater, and tossed it on the empty mattress on her left.

"Go on, Lincoln." Lori assured him it was okay.

The boy placed on the sweater, and laid down. Christina pulled the mattress closer to her. "You're so handsome! Its Lincoln, right? How old are you?"

"I'm eleven." He put on the sweater's hood.

"I'm sorry we don't have pillows. Is there any way I can make you feel comfortable? Would you like a bedtime story?"

Lori's eyes were still on him, until Chandler broke the stare. "You two close?"

"We weren't too much, before all this."

"What would 'this' be?"

"Well, there was a fire. He ran away, but I found him. We went to live in with our grandfather, but he passed recently. After that..."

Lincoln faced away from Lori, not wanting to hear the recap of the latest events. Christina snuggled the boy.

"...we ended up here. We lost our parents, and one sister in the fire."

Dana finally awoke, yawning with such relaxation. "Hi, guys."

Christina tilted her head back. "Hey, you."

"So, nowhere to go to, is that right? Well, consider yourselves in luck. You can stay here, regardless of how long." Chandler pulled out a toothpick, and placed it between his lips.

"What's with all those guns? They're not real... are they?"

Most of them, handguns, were laid down by occupied mattresses. Only a few Lori had seen were automatics, either by their heads or feet.

He chuckled, before answering. "Yes, yes they are. Don't tell me you're afraid of us. I've seen you fire without hesitating the slightest. Lucky for us, your marksmanship was accurate. Who taught you?"

"I learned solo. Killed a few deers, amongst other animals."

"Impressive. You imply you have a hunting rifle, correct?"

Lori nodded in agreement. "A few, actually. In the van."

"You steal them, or something? Those you see here, weren't ours to begin with."

"Yes, and no. They were locked away with my grandfather's. So, I take it those guys who attacked you are connected to those guns?"

"Good inference. We snuck into their hideout, and took what we were able to."

"He called you Freights, so he knew you?"

"Uh, not exactly. We've stirred up some noise, I guess that's how they were able to deduce it was us, and we aren't exactly good at hiding, most of the time. Thanks, by the way."

"Why that? Why Freights?"

"Freight trains deliver the goods. And we're delivering our own goods. Also, I like trains."

"But, you lead this whole thing, right?"

"Yeah."

"You know, I'm starving. There any food?"

Chandler pointed upwards. "There's a small room up there, that's filled with non-perishables and MREs mostly. There's fruit, but we try to eat it as soon as possible. They said this was once a shoe factory, back in the 60s or something. Rumors were, a relative of the CEO went missing. Everything closed down, due to financial troubles he faced. I never bothered, and still can't be, to google. I'm skeptical, why does a shoe factory need a small room in the roof? If you were wondering, we also steal food. We can't live back like the regulars. Its far too late for such a thing."

Christina mouthed to Lori. "He's asleep."

"Destruction of property? You vandalize, like say, spray paint areas? That sort of thing?"

"Well, when I said destruction, I really meant it. We blow up whatever we can, destroy whatever we can."

"So, basically..." Lori looked at the fire inside the red barrel. "You're like terrorists."

"No, its not like that. We don't..." He looked around. "We just want to spread the message, deliver the goods. These victims, Deadlites as we call them, are who the message intended for. We want everyone who's suffered in similar events to do some damage, in our name, and have the idea expand; the world all but a perfect world. It deserves to die!"

Lori was beginning to understand.

"I'd like you and the boy to join us. You're clearly set for the game. We don't really expect firefights, but we do go on, carrying them around. Well, most of the time."

"It sounds... Insane. You're offering me something that's... That's radical, dangerous. Then again, maybe what you're trying to sell isn't so crazy. This world, it just changed, and I've stepped into this new one. Is it really ludicrous to say yes?"

She took a mattress, placing it next to Christina and Lincoln, ready to rest.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to sleep on it."

Christina and Dana, merely listeners, butted in.

"Its not exactly serious-levels of illegal. We're quick operators."

"Yeah." Dana rose up to see Lori. "We practice the basics. Before we all went out and struck, we learned alot of skills. Within time, that's to say if you'll join us, you'll learn to survive."

"And we're not harmfully or fatally hurting anyone. We make sure of that. We target only isolated or vacant places."

Lori stared up.

"Can... Can Lincoln stay with me? Its been forever since..."

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Bedtime, Freights!"

September 16th, 2016

"You have a good sleep, Lincoln?"

Lori tossed a pair of Twinkies in front of him. "Its not much, but its what they had. Unless you prefer a rotting banana." Lori set down a bottled Starbucks mocha in between them. "I think you might lile this."

"Is this like coffee? Because I don't like it."

She smiled and laughed a little. "I remember that. Technically, it is, but it has a very delicious taste." She opened it for him. "Give it a try."

Lincoln took a small bite from one of the holy god-tier cakes, and hesitated for a second, before sipping a small amount down. Then, he drank a bigger take.

"That's not bad actually. Its not that bad."

"Twerp..."

Lincoln quickly recognized the serious softness in her voice, signifying she had some news or something.

"We're going to stay here. I don't know if its... I mean, I don't know how long. There's nowhere else to go. Will you be okay being here with all of these teenagers around?"

Lincoln did a scan around, seeing the countless others beginning to wake up. "Yes, I'll be okay with this, as long as you'll always be with me."

"I'm never going anywhere, twerp..."

"...I promise."

Lori took out the red duffel bag. "This is what we were able to bring."

Chandler took the bag from her, and opened it up after setting it down. "Very nice choices. These are Remingtons." He gripped one of the rifles. "Model 783. And these handguns, they're Colts. Military standard. If I may..." He took one of each. "I don't have these ones, until know. I'll return them-"

"Keep them, there's more than enough in my possession. And, I don't think I'll actually use them that often."

"Heh, don't be so sure. So, I take it you're in?"

Lori placed the duffel bag back inside Vanzilla. "I'm going to regret this, but... Yes. I'm in."

"Sweet. I'll let the others know."

"What of my brother?"

"We don't put kids into our faction. All he'll be is living with us, at the moment. You do know you're going to come on runs after we train you, right?"

She looked up, seeing Lincoln staring back down at her. "I'm prepared to give anything to... survive."

Chandler was pleased at this.

"So, what will I be taught?"

"Well, various things. There's fighting. We've got a few martial artists in the Freights. I'd teach you to shoot, but I think you're alright in that department. Parkour, maybe."

"What's that?"

"Its like gymnastics. And also, we're gonna show you how to handle proper... equipment."

"Equipment?" Asked the curious Lori.

They stopped at the floor before the top one. He opened the door for her. "Check this out."

Before her, she saw various beer bottles, dirty rags scattered on a few tables here and there. Some protective gear, and gloves dumped in a corner. The more she looked, the more she realized that this was indeed a workshop of a madman. Or rather, madmen.

"Ironically, we don't steal explosives. We make them here."

"You... Literally make them?"

"Its very dangerous, yes. These bottles, we turn them into Molotovs. The easiest thing to whip up."

That's-"

"I know, I know. But compared to everything else, this isn't really the riskiest of all."

"I'll... Learn to make such-"

"Well, yes. Only if... Its a mandatory thing. Everyone knows, but there's only a few guys who actually make them. If anything should happen, they get replaced, immediately."

"That's cold. But... I don't know."

"You seem nervous. That's funny. Just yesterday, you took two lives. And I know you haven't before." He grabbed her hand. "I mean, if you don't want to, you can put it off, delay it."

Lori walked up to a table, and began to look at the materials. Finally, she returned her attention to him. "Alright, when do we start?"

Later

She rushed it, getting the lesson over with, knowing she wouldn't want to later, once she thought about little Lincoln. It was no easy walk in the park. Lori mixed various chemicals here and there. Chandler guided the teenager what went where, and how much had to be. At the end, she had done it. And so, Lori decided to ingite the bomb, in the form of a cylinder. Chandler said otherwise, and only wrapped it away. She removed her protective gear and washed her hands from a bucket filled with water, one of many at the end of the floor.

For one second, there was a point where the two gave each other a look of vulnerability. Then, nothing. Lori didn't know if she made it correctly, but was told she was. Regardless, she did not relax. Once everything was done, she prayed she'd forget how to do it.

The two were already back at the top floor.

Lincoln removed Christina's sweater, and handed it back.

"Oh, uh, you can keep it for awhile. You'll need it more than I do. Oh, they're back." The readhead teen scrubbed Lincoln's hair.

"So, how was it?"

"We're off to a good start."

Christina delivered a high five to her.

"She'll make a marvelous Freight. Won't you, Lori?"

Lori had her small amount of doubts and worries. She glanced at Lincoln, who was talking to Dana.

"Yeah..." It was all she was able to say at this moment.

September 24th , 2016

For the fifth time in consecutive, Dana flipped Lori on her back.

"Hey there, you still want to continue?"

Dana helped her up, scrubbing off the dirt stuck to Lori's green sweater. "Yikes... Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it."

Lori stretched out her legs.

"To be honest, I didn't think you'd sign on with us. I mean, you still have your brother. You're not exactly one who has lost everything."

"Well, yeah, I do." Lori landed several side kicks on a tree in front of her. "But we both have nothing. There's... There's no fixing what we've been through. There is no return to it. You do know how that feels, right?"

"I do."

Lori pulled out her phone, scanning tnrough the contacts.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Dana snatched it from Lori's hands. "Lori, whoever you're thinking about calling or something, its unwise." Dana dropped the phone.

"What are you doing?! I wasn't gonna-"

"Trust me, Lori. Even if you want to go back..." Dana stomped on the phone. "You shouldn't."

"Buh... Bobby..."

"I'm sorry, it had to happen. Does he have one?"

Lori didn't answer.

Dana let out a sigh. "I know how hard this is, and further down, it will continue to be. We'll help you, and it'll be easier for you."

"Will Lincoln be part of this?"

Dana thought about the answer.

"We've never had a pair of siblings come together. Moat of us jumped on the train, but Lincoln is young. Maybe if, well you know, if he's older, thirteen at most. If you haven't left us, that is to say. Can you feel it? You've just begun."

October 3rd, 2016

Chandler shook the white spray can. Dana and Lori placed themselves to both sides of the corners of the alley's entrance. Dana took a glance around, playing with her fingers. She spun her pinkie three times, and Chandler went on to go ahead and wrote;

FREIGHTS WERE HERE

"Its done! Back inside the car!"

Chandler honked thrice, after the girls got in. "Wait for it..."

A faint explosion cried out somewhere close by. "And that's our cue to move out." Chandler pulled out of the alley, speeding away from visible black smoke behind them. "Driving causally here, we don't want any heat of any kind."

Passing three blocks down, he parked on the side. "This is how we do things. Christina's solo run, and we are the exfil. Also-"

Christina slowly entered the car.

"What'd you hit this time?"

She giggled. "Parking lot. It might still be raining cars. Its satisfying, for there may be a chance that any of those might've been involved in a car crash. Goddamn, I love me."

"You're a real hoot, Christina." Dana high fived her.

"Eyes out, until we're back to base."

"Guys..." Lori spoke.

Dana and Christina both halted the pandemonium of giggles.

"I think this was pretty fun... I mean, its wrong, but, my heart, its beating with...-"

"You're feeling the adrenaline. That's what it is. I guess this means you're no longer conflicted about this, aren't you?"

"Less so, actually. Count me in to the runs." Lori gave a hearty smile for Chandler to see from the mirror.

March 11th, 2018

"Have you read the papers?" Dana placed the recent newspaper print on Lori's mattress. "We've gotten the attention of people."

Freight Anarchists Strike Again! Car Dealership In Ruins!

"Anarchists? I'm surprised they didn't call us vandals, or hooligans."

"The fire continues, but I think we should stop targeting places like that. Its a miracle no one's been caught yet."

A newly placed map hung on the wall on the right. Various red X's were marked all over. "We've hit the isolated areas around Ohio. Where next...?"

"Let's lay low for awhile. We're stirring up more noise nowadays."

Thirteen-year-old Lincoln yawned widely, scratching his back.

"Morning, twerp."

Lincoln paid no attention to her, getting up for breakfast. As soon as he left, Dana broke the silence in between. "He still mad, huh?"

"It wouldn't be the first time. Its been mildly complicated before the fire. I thought everything would strengthen our bond, but I'm wrong."

"Why's he mad?"

"He hates me doing that. I've seen it from his perspective; he's scared that one day, I won't return. But, its too late for that... Am I a bad sister?"

Chandler's arm rested on her shoulder. "I don't think you are. You'd better go talk to him."

And with that, Lori went after him.

Lincoln shut the small room closed, holding a pair of Pop-Tarts freshly sealed. "Hi. Can I have one?"

He stared at her, looking into her eyes. Then, he pointed to the door. "Get one yourself." His voice, now deeper, made him sound like Grant Palmer.

"Linc, come on. This is absurd."

Lincoln dropped his breakfast, using his hands as fists, repeatedly hitting Lori. "Do not use that card! How dare you?! You go risk your life, is that really necessary?! What about our future? Yours? Mine? Why can't we just leave?"

She pushed his hands away. "And where would we go?! There's nothing for us anymore! Nothing!"

"You-" He fell on his knees, unable to hold back the pain. "You promised you'd never leave, never go anywhere. And yet..."

Lori set his hands down. "Linc, its not easy for me either. Everytime I take off, I secretly pray nothing bad happens. I've already got enough experience with these things. But I'm still here, Lincoln. I never want to leave you alone. I love you, and I want you to remember that."

"You don't love me enough, if you keep- Keep doing that." He shook his head. "What would mom and dad think-"

Lori slapped him at full power. "How. Dare. You. I could be teaching you how to be one of us! If you don't want to be alone here, then just join me! I like what I do, even if its wrong!"

The force of the slap send Lincoln backwards. Lori made her stage exit, leaving the growing teen to cry alone.

I'm not going to be stopped because you're afraid. This is... A dog-eat-dog world. And you'd do better to understand and accept it.

She sat on the stairs, letting his words sink themselves into her brain.

"You promised you'd never leave... You don't love me enough..."

"Oh, Lincoln..."

Despite the many hits alongside them, there was no time for such sentiment. The growing Lincoln had not shown any hatred or pain until a few days ago. The source of the heated argument then was the same thing; he went on to confront her about their motives. Lori knew this moment would eventually, and yet, was not prepared for the words that formed.

She pulled at her new purple sweater. The green one had now done its job, grew out on here, not physically, but emotionally. Now that she reminded herself about it, maybe Lincoln was also mad about his phone.

Lori was the one to break it, while Lincoln watched in pain. He screamed, telling her his only memoores with Ronnie Anne had been saved, filled with a few pics and the long text message thread he had never deleted. Lori was unable to go through with it, but did it anyway. This was a week ago.

And that was it, the bond was on the verge of breaking.

March 20th 2018

"This is insane."

Lori and Lincoln were walking on the streets.

"Where are you taking me?"

She led him to a secret destination, remaining quiet for the drive. She turned into a different direction, going in between two buildings. "Lori?"

She took out a box of cigarettes. "Care for a smoke?"

"Oh, god. When did- No! Did you bring me here just for that? I'm not old enough for that! And I don't think that's healthy."

"Suit yourself." She lit hers up. "Look behind you. What do you see?"

Lincoln faced towards a multi-floor parking lot. "I see it. Why?" When he faced back at Lori, she held a black square device in her hands. "What are you-?" Then, he figured it out. "Lori, no!"

Too late.

The bottom floor became hidden behind a screen of light gray smoke. Lincoln tumbled at the heavy shaking of the detonation. Lori was now running further down, into the other street. The smoke went on to block the view of the street, and Lincoln ran behind Lori. "Why?! WHY?!"

Lori's heart was beating wild once more with the high octane fuel. It boosted her stamina for a good while. This was the plan; get Lincoln to go through the same. She hoped it would work, so they'd never be separated again.

Lori used the Sentra this time. This one, a 2013 year model, came with a built-in camera activated when going in reverse. It was a good car, and Lori taken more of a liking to this than Vanzilla, after a test drive with Chandler, but would not want to acknowledge the opinion.

Lincoln kept glancing at the side mirror at this side. "Oh, geez, you've done it now. What if, what if you hurt... Or even killed someone?!" He was clearly freaking out.

"Calm down, there was no one around. Wasn't a big enough blast to kill anyone. At minimum, some were hurt."

Lincoln was beginning to be afraid. "We..."

"How do you feel?"

"I'm gonna throw up."

"Lincoln, you've played such violent video games. Why's that different?"

"I've known all that was fictional. Just like us, we're fictional characters, too."

"But stuff like that, it happens in real life. Where do you think developers pitch ideas from? Don't be so blind. If you want..." Lori stopped at a red light. "I can teach you to shoot a gun. I'm willing to do that now."

Lincoln lost himself from the argument. "Do you really mean that? Will you?"

She nodded. "I think its time I have."

Lincoln faced forward. "Okay." He said curtly.

March 22th, 2018

Lori cocked back the Colt, lining up the sight to the row of cans placed on a wooden table. "Watch me."

The two were half a mile away from the Freights' hideout. Lori picked a good grass area for her to provide a demonstration. She fired at all five cans, using seven bullets in total. "So, maybe I still need practice."

She handed the gun to him, holding it by the front. "You try."

Lincoln raised the gun slowly. "It's... Its loud than I figured it'd be. You gonna pick the cans up?"

Lori pointed to a nearby tree. "That's what you're gonna aim for. Use both hands, twerp."

Lincoln held the gun with both hands. "Lo-Lori, I don't feel good about this." His hands trembled.

"Come on, twerp. You're just hitting a tree. Nothing alive." Her arms were crossed, as she became more impatient.

"A tree is alive-"

She screamed at him. "Just fucking shoot or I'll shoot you!"

Lincoln fired. The bullet missed its target.

"Again!"

Lincoln let every bullet in the mag fly off. Only two made it to its intended target.

"This is stupid."

"Hey, you wanted to shoot. Why's that changed?"

"No, I mean-"

"You'll learn by me, if you keep practicing. Maybe you might surpass me in marksmanship."

Lincoln returned the gun to her. "I'm empty."

Lori extracted a second from the sweater's pocket, and reloaded. "Give it another try. Use them all, just focus on the tree."

Lincoln took a deep breath, synchronizing with the calm natural area around. He broke the praceful silence with the next shots. Lori was a bit satisified, seeing him actually land more on the tree.

"Not bad, Lincoln."

"Is that it?"

"For now. One of these days, you'll be shooting off from one of the rifles we've got."

"So, you're planning to put me in? Is that it? Then... Count me in."

March 27th, 2018

Lincoln was prone, firing at several empty bottles a good fifty meters away. Lori was far behind, leaned up against a tree. She watched each bottle fall out of place, after each shot rang out. After all had fallen, Lincoln got up, still gripping the rifle. He headed back over to his tutor. "How was that?"

She nodded in satisfaction. "That was pretty good. You hit them all, without missing. Remember that speed is also essential. Gotta be quick with your movements."

She took the rifle from him. "You dry?"

"Yes"

She dropped the rifle, and without warning, punched him. He immediately stepped back.

"Come on, Linc. Don't be afraid to hit me. I'm attacking you. Defend yourself!" Lori kicked him in the stomach. He went down, moaning in pain. "Fucking weak." She did a 360 around him. He made a fetal position pose. "Ugh, please stop." She bent down to his level.

"You won't win a fight in your miserable life, Lincoln. You're too soft, and the world is shaping into something more cruel with each brand new day." Lori grabbed the rifle and headed back to the hideout.

"Catch up, or I'll leave you behind, too."

Night

"What was the point of that?"

Lori did not turn from her side, but answered him. "I'm trying to get you ready. You need to be pushed."

"There's no rush."

"Don't question my authority. I know what I need to do. You're my responsibility."

Lincoln fell quiet.

"I'm going to sleep now, twerp. See you in the morning." Lori watched Chandler put out the fire from the barrels. He fell back on his bed, next to Lori. "Hey."

She smiled at him, giggling. "Hey."

"How's the training with him?"

"I'm still getting there. He's good with a gun. I've tried to revv him up in fighting."

"When?"

"Today."

He grabbed her hand, and began to rub it. "Is he looking?"

Chandler shook his head. "He's asleep."

They leaned in for a soft kiss.

"Do you need me to take over?"

"I can do this. It has to be me."

"I understand."

Lori shifted herself closer to him, snuggling closely. He kissed her forehead, and Lori fell to sleep, more comfortable this time.

April 4th, 2018

Lori pushed him down again. Lincoln did a roll, quickly getting back up.

"Come on. Hit me!" Lori waved her hands, nudging him to attack.

He ran, and made a leap at her. She elbowed him, sending him down. That wasn't the end. He swung one leg in a sweeping maneuver, bringing her down.

He placed his foot over her. "I win." He helped her up, after moving himself off.

"Good work, Lincoln. You graduated from pussy to combat-ready." She grabbed his arm, pulling him down. "There's other things I have to teach you." The two siblings got up, and Lincoln sprinted into a run.

"Last one's a rotten egg!"

Lori chased after him. "You little cheater!" She playfully yelled.

May 20th, 2018

The five had entered a rooftop.

"That was easy." Lincoln looked onto the hotel, two blocks away, with binoculars.

"You guys ready?" Dana and Christina nodded. Chandler gave Lori a look.

"Go for it, Lincoln."

Lincoln set down the binoculars, and took out the trigger. He stared at it, briefly. "Here we go..."

Lincoln set off the row of bombs on the sixth floor of the hotel. Lincoln looked down, seeing the people below cry out. Several of them immediately took out their cellphones, either to record or make the calls. He pulled back, leaving with them.

"That was beautiful, Lincoln. Maybe you can replace me when I decide to step down."

Lincoln gulped.

"I'm kidding. I'm never going anywhere."

"Heh, good..." He nervously said.

December 18th, 2020

Lincoln, now fifteen, took his take of bombs and guns.

"You sure you don't want us to help?" Dana sat in the passenger seat of Vanzila. "You don't have to-"

"I want to do this alone. Please get out..." Lori, smoking a cigarette, did not do anything to prevent Lincoln from leaving.

Vanzilla disappeared, and Lori was met with a cold stare by Christina. "What?"

"I thought you two stuck together. Did he really just go by himself? Its even more dangerous."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Look, nothing has happened to us. We've done well over two hundred successful strikes, and no one has found us. We'll be fine."

Christina grunted, heading back inside.

"I don't see why you're worried. He's my brother, not yours."

Dana replaced her spot. "She doesn't want you to lose him, is all. She looks at you, but sees herself in your place."

"Well, she shouldn't. If she cared, she'd have begged him to go. I know him, and he wanted to go solo this time. I trust he won't fail."

"And what if he did?"

Lori let out the puff of smoke blow away. "Then I've failed, myself."

Just then, a gunshot was heard. Both of them looked up to the top floor. Several more shots were fired.

"Go, go!" Lori put the cigarette out, and raced upstairs after Dana. A small crowd of ten Freights stood at the doorway. "What's going on?" Lori pushed past the crowd, and peered inside. Four bodies were lying on the floor. Christina and Chandler held a gun to the culprit.

"Steven, lower the gun."

The short-haired teenager, sweating intensely, moved the gun to each of them. "You're all evil, man. We have to die. This idea, this whole thing, man. We're- We're just-" He laughed, while slowly breaking. "We're terrorists man. We have-"

Christina moved to the side.

"Stop right there! Don't move!" Steven made steps back into the glass barrier. "I'll kill you all, I'll kill us all."

"Steven, be reasonable. We can talk about this."

Steven fired at Chandler's feet. "DON'T TALK CIVILIZED TO ME! HOW CAN YOU-"

The glass shattered, after shots from below rang out. Steven fell forward, dead.

"What the hell?" Chandler kept his gun aimed at the dead Steven, carefully walking to the window. He barely caught a glimpse of Vanzilla pulling away from view.

"Who is it? Who fired?" Christina looked back at the others. "You all alright?"

"It was Lincoln..."

Lori stood by his side. "Lincoln?"

Both stared out the window, looking for the van.

"Who's gonna help me move these bodies?"

Later

Lincoln returned just in time to see the burial commence. "He kill?"

Dana wiped a tear from her left eye as the others were heading back up. Chandler and Lori were burying the four dead.

"How'd you know?"

"I heard shots, and you guys don't fire around here, except when training. Figured something was wrong. Saw him firing, knew he was the assailant in the room."

"A likely story." Chandler dropped the shovel. "I've seen you two talk the other night. This a scheme, isn't it?"

"What are you on about?"

"That's right, I've seen him chat with you."

Other Freights stopped as Chandler raised his voice. "This boy is a traitor. How's it funny to know where he'd be, after you left to do your own thing? And you going solo, its also odd! Don't you see? He's-"

Lincoln formed a fist, striking at Chandler's face. "Shut your mouth. Its not my fault you didn't see this coming. Why blame me for your fuck-up?"

Lori helped her secret lover up.

"If you're gonna go accusing me of such mahogany, that's fine by me. But I know you're wrong. And that's fine by me." Lincoln, with the red duffel bag still in his hand, went back to Vanzilla.

"Lincoln, where are you going?!"

"I'm carrying on the mission. Our mission."

"You just got back!"

"And now I'm leaving, because fuck you."

March 9th, 2021

Lori dressed up, seeing Chandler still asleep. She found her way up, feeling queasy. She barfed in the entrance.

"Oh god, you're disgusting!" Christina forcibly led her up to the rooftop. "Puke all you want here." Lori was on all fours. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" Lori nodded in shame, coughing. "Fuck's sake."

"You have everything, but condoms!"

"No one really sleeps with each other. You and him are the first. Congratulations, by the way."

Lori gave her the finger.

"What's that?"

"Its my middle finger."

"Not that." Christina walked to the edge. "Your brother's back."

Lori rose up, standing beside the redhead. The familiar van came into view.

"Come on."

The two girls met him outside. Lincoln came out with two blue duffel bags. "Ladies."

"Lincoln, you don't have to keep doing this daily, sometimes trips. Take a break."

"I don't need them. Here's all you need."

Christina took one of the duffel bags. "Good work. Thanks."

Lincoln placed the other in between them. "Go on, take it."

"Lincoln, I'm... I'm pregnant."

He froze. "Damn. I made a pool among the others. I lost."

"What the fuck... Was it that obvious?"

He laughed. "Of course it was! Take the bag. I'm heading back to work."

"Lincoln, one day, just one day, take a break."

He stopped to consider. "Fine."

Later

Lori sat in the driver's seat of Vanzilla, feeling a bit closer to home. Everything was as she remembered it. Well, almost everything. She looked behind, and saw a newspaper over the sweet spot. She grabbed it;

Golden Gate Bridge Under Attack! Bombing Claims Over 60! Freights Invade West Coast!

"Bombing? Lincoln, you-"

"Get out of there!"

Lori jumped at the sight of him. "DON'T LUCY ME!"

"Why are you prying?"

"What's this?!" She held up the newspaper.

"I spread the message."

"How did they even know?!"

"Turn to the next few pages."

A white truck, abandoned, was vandalized with the word 'Freight'.

"This is serious trouble. Do you know what you've done?!"

"I do. Lori, let's leave. These guys, they can't be saved."

She quiteted down, all ears on him.

"Lori, is this the future you want? You have a child now."

"Linc-"

"Lori, please."

"I can't..." Lori slowly walked away.

October 27th, 2021

Lori set the baby, napping in the basket, down on the top step of the orphanage. Chandler was halfway through a cigarette, waiting for her.

Lori knocked on the steps, and jogged back to the car. Chandler sped away, as Lori faced the window, trying not to cry. "This is all just misfortune. I'm sorry, there was that, or... The other option."

"Don't remind me. One day. I'll come back for him."

Lincoln stood waiting for them, holding a Bowie knife in his hand.

"He's out for good. Didn't think abandoning the baby would make him quit."

Chandler gave him a nod. "I'll leave you two alone."

"Yeah, thanks."

Chandler left upstairs.

"Fucking dickhead. I'm sorry about the baby."

"He didn't even care."

"Lori, we can leave. You and I can live. I don't understand what keeps you here. Do you really want to die for them?"

"No, I don't."

"Come with me."

"Lincoln, go yourself. Save yourself. I'm not going. I'm a Freight now."

He put away the knife. "Is that final?"

"Yes. Goodbye, Lincoln." Lori turned, and not looking back, made her final decision.

March 22nd, 2023

"Ha, look at this. New science corporation in the works!"

Lori took the newspaper from Dana.

Vial Corporation Arrives! New Science Division Promises To Reach Beyond!

"Never seen you excited about such a thing."

"Are you kidding?! I'm something of a sucker for these things. These guys are the new thing. Rumor is that an eleven year old girl actually started it, but no evidence has been found to confirm it. I'm not skeptical, I know very bright figures exist."

"An eleven year old, huh?"

"We're back." Chandler turned off the car. He, Dana and Christina slowly descended upstairs. Lori took her time heading up, but was stopped by Lincoln, who revealed himself.

"Lori, hey."

"Lincoln? What are you doing here?"

He took out a small book.

"This contains all my safehouses. You can leave them, and with me. Come on."

"Lincoln-"

"I set a bomb up there. The whole floor will be buried. Killed the others who were here."

She looked up. "Did you?'

"Its over, Lori. We can take the baby back."

"You... I'm not."

"Don't make me kill you..."

"We're both dead, anyways."

Lori then raced upstairs after them.

"Lori! Damn it!"

She was halfway up, when she remembered she had a voice. "CHANDLER, DANA! BOMB!"

Lori was shaken off balance, once the detonation happened. Dust and rubble fell from above. "NO!"

Afraid to continue, she returned back down. Chandler left the keys inside, prompting her to escape in that. Before she pulled away, she saw a black young man pulling Lincoln away from falling rumble. She looked closely and noticed that he wasn't at all moving.

Lori then drove away.

May 2nd, 2026-Now

The dead of night. Clyde was asleep on one of the safehouses, when the phone rang. He wiped off the drool, picking it up. "Hello?"

A familar voice replied. It was Lincoln. And he had just woken up from the coma.

AN: As I was working on this, BunnyAbsentia has created an OC, named Lucky Loud, from the outskirts of Tumblr. Green light was given for it, but of course, I never said I'd make changes. Huehuehue.

I found a good place just for him; here, being the child of Lori and Chandler. This fic, it has already expanded way too much. Now that I have taken another big step by placing the tyke here, you gotta wonder, will this ever end, as it grows bigger?

Yes, there is an end, but because of how slow I've been updating, its long aways from today. Otherwise, we'd be on Bounty- Err, I mean, 3/4 of the way there. That's if I haven't expanded from here to the end. Which I have, haha.

All OCs used are not of my own, but I've made them my version for this. Obviously.

I'm trying to do something very different at the moment. Hopefully I get it to work.

The last thing to note; Lincoln forgets that Lori had Lucky, due to the brick that gave him the scar as well. Ain't nobody know, not even Lisa.

That's a wrap for the Lincoln and Lori prequel. Next up, Lynn for the win! Anyone? No? Yikes.