‘Yes, I think so,’ the youth replied.
‘Good. You need to go down to the town — there’s a cop called Miranda, tell him what’s happened and get him to bring in the feds, and Interpol. They’ll want to go through this place.’
‘What’s left of it,’ said Nina, taking in the burning buildings.
Roland nodded. ‘What are you going to do?’
Eddie gave him a tired grin. ‘Catch a train. Nina, Jared, come on.’
‘Where are we going?’ Nina asked as they started back through the Enklave.
‘The railway. There was a brake van on one of the sidings — a caboose, I think you call ’em. They’d use it to slow down the train when they took whatever they mined here down the hill. Hopefully it’ll still slow us down if we can get it moving.’
They reached the tracks, passing the line of rusting ore trucks to find the little wagon standing alone on a spur. It was barely more than a wooden box on wheels, short verandas overhanging each end. The glass in the windows had long since broken, leaving it largely open to the elements. Eddie hopped up to find that the interior was as functional as the outside, a bench beside a corroded iron pedestal. A large metal wheel was mounted flat at its top. ‘Okay, I’m guessing this is the brake,’ he said, straining to turn it. There was a shrill of metal, and the van shuddered as long-locked brake shoes were released.
Zane regarded him dubiously. ‘What exactly are you planning, Eddie?’
The Englishman looked down the track. ‘The plain’s on a slope. Once we get this thing rolling, it should free-wheel after the train — all we’ve got to do is slow it down on the curves so it doesn’t fly off the track.’ He saw the Israeli’s increasingly sceptical expression. ‘It’s either that or run after the fucking train. And from the way you were limping, that’s probably not what you want to do.’
Nina was equally uncertain. ‘Are you sure this’ll work?’
‘It’s our only chance of rescuing Banna and getting that fish.’ He jumped back down and went to the van’s rear. ‘We need to push it.’
He leaned against the chassis beside the coupler and braced his feet against a sleeper. A metallic groan came from the wheels. ‘It probably hasn’t been moved in years,’ said Nina as she joined him.
‘Shame we don’t have a bucket of WD-40,’ he replied. ‘Okay, get ready — and push!’
She added her weight to his. Another moan as rusty parts scraped against each other, but this time the van shifted, inching down the narrow track. ‘That’s it!’ Eddie grunted. ‘Jared, give us a hand!’
Zane reluctantly took up position beside them. With all three of them driving it on, the brake van gradually picked up speed. The noise from the axles faded as the surface layer of rust on the wheel bearings was ground away. Eddie glanced around the side of the wagon. ‘Points coming up,’ he warned as it trundled towards an intersection. ‘Once we’re through ’em, it should be clear to go.’
The van rocked alarmingly, wheels screeching as it crossed on to the main line. Nina cringed at the noise, but kept pushing. ‘Whoa, it’s rolling!’ she said as she realised her effort was now more about keeping up with the caboose than forcing it onwards.
‘Get on, quick!’ Eddie hopped aboard, then pulled Nina on to the rear veranda.
Zane swung himself up. ‘Will it go fast enough to catch them?’
‘It’d better,’ Eddie replied as the brake van rumbled down the line. ‘’Cause after everything they’ve done, I’m not letting those bastards get away.’
30
Nina looked ahead. The train was out of sight, but a drifting line of smoke revealed its position over the crest of the hill. ‘They must be a mile ahead of us by now. We’ll never catch up!’
‘We will,’ said Eddie. Expansion gaps between each section of the old rails made a loud ka-clack! as the brake van’s wheels passed over them — and the time between each noise was gradually shrinking. The truck was already at running pace. ‘I doubt that train gets much above twenty on the straights, and it’ll have to slow down even more on the curves.’
‘And what about when we go around the curves?’ Zane asked, eyeing the brake wheel.
‘Well, we’ll figure that out at the first one, won’t we?’ He joined Nina, looking down the line.
‘So when we catch up with them — assuming we even stay on the track — then what?’ she asked.
‘If we can match speeds without being seen, this thing should automatically hook on to the back of the train.’ He pointed at the coupler. ‘Then I can climb aboard and go along the roof to get Banna and that fish.’
‘And if they see us?’
‘Plan B.’
‘Which is?’
‘Buggered if I know. But it’ll probably involve shooting.’ He watched the empty farmland roll past. ‘Ay up. We’re definitely getting faster.’ Twenty miles per hour, he estimated, and the wheels’ metallic chatter was becoming more frantic.
The track curved away to the right, heading for the first hairpin at the top of the long descent to the plain. The Nazis’ train was indeed only crawling, the stem of the wafting smoke plume moving slowly across the plateau’s edge to their left. Eddie thought back to his ascent with Julieta. ‘You know something? If they’re going that slow, we can get ahead of them.’
‘How?’ Zane asked.
‘They’re still only on the first leg of the track. If someone jumps off, they can run down the hill and get in front of them on the second one. Maybe chuck a big rock on the track and try to derail them.’
‘By “someone”, you mean you, right?’ Nina said dubiously.
‘Jared’s leg’s pretty knackered, so yeah. Unless you want to?’
‘That would be a big no, but I don’t want you to do it either.’
‘We’ve got to stop that train somehow.’
Zane limped to the front of the wagon. ‘He’s right. And even if he can’t do it at the first turn, he can still go down to one below and try again. Better decide soon, though,’ he added. The van was still gaining speed, the first hairpin coming into view ahead.
‘Slow us down,’ Eddie decided, pointing at the wheel. ‘I’ll jump as we go around the corner. Soon as you’re clear, take off the brake and let it free-wheel until you come to the next turn. You should catch up with the train pretty fast.’ He checked his MP5, finding it almost empty. ‘Jared, top up with this,’ he said, tossing the magazine to the Israeli. Dropping the empty sub-machine gun, he secured his pistol inside his jacket and took up position, ready to leap off.
‘Eddie, this is crazy,’ Nina protested.
‘No change there, then.’ The brake van was now doing over twenty-five miles per hour, the ground blurring below. ‘Okay, Jared, you ready?’
The Mossad agent finished reloading and went to the brake. ‘When you are.’
‘All right, start slowing us down. Not too much, though — you need enough speed when you come out of the bend to keep going.’
Nina went to her husband. ‘Eddie.’
‘What?’
‘Don’t die. Please. I can’t lose anyone else.’
He turned away from the approaching curve to meet her eyes, then kissed her. ‘You’re stuck with me until the end,’ he promised.
‘I’d better be,’ she replied, managing a faint smile.
‘We’re almost there — get ready,’ Zane warned. Nina withdrew, holding a handrail as Eddie prepared to jump. ‘Okay… I’m slowing us down.’ He turned the brake wheel.
Nothing happened.
Nina looked at him with concern. ‘Any time you like. Although preferably now.’
He spun it through another two turns. ‘It’s not working!’