The Lead engine whined as it was throttled down to a near idle. The long train slunk its way into the dimly lit rail yard just on the edge of Wilmingmore. A snow and train laden, though otherwise barren, plot of land that was hardly the size of a city block. There were no lamp posts or streetlights shining into the yard, what little light could be had was given by the lights of a few idling locomotives or the little lunar luminescence that could poke its way through the clouds.

Steel wheels and rail ground and groaned as the metal behemoth crawled to a stop on a siding. Zeke poked his head out of the gaping hole Peridot had made into the boxcar. They were greeted with darkness. That was a good sign, it meant the Railway police's yardmen hadn't begun inspecting the cars yet.

"Ok" Zeke said, rising stiffly to his feet "The yard guards will probably be around shortly. I don't feel like explaining to them how we put this hole here, so let's am scray."

Amethyst was the first out of the car, followed closely by Peridot. Steven and Connie helped each other out and Zeke followed after them. The snow that coated the rail yard was but a dusting compared to the storm they'd trekked through. Each step they took peeled compact snow off of the sandy ground. The darkness that engulfed them was encompassing, but not overbearing. They could at least see well enough to navigate between the snaking trains and tracks.

"We going the right way?" Amethyst asked

"I… think so?" Zeke said, inspiring no confidence

"That's reassuring." Amethyst quipped sarcastically "I thought you were the hobo extraordinaire."

"So I don't have all the rail yards on the eastern seaboard memorized. Sue me."

"Guys do we really have time for this?" Steven asked wearily

"Right, right, hold on."

Zeke did a short hop and floated off into the air, passing over the roofs of the varying trains and disappearing amongst the dark sky with his black clothing. They did a slow three sixty of the yard and sailed back to the ground. Their feet connected with the thin snow before making a complete one eighty.

"…Other way." Zeke grumbled

"Are you sure about that?" Peridot asked snidely

"Yes, Period, I'm sure now."

The group trudged back the way they came and continued off in that direction. Zeke would occasionally hop into the air and continue to direct them towards the exit. They only stopped walking when they came to an ovate clearing formed by the splitting and merging of the tracks.

Amethyst, Peridot, and Connie continued into the clearing. Steven moved to follow them but noticed that Zeke had stopped at the edge of the clearing, staring out at it.

"What's up?" Steven asked, approaching Zeke

"Hmm? Sorry what?"

"You just stopped for no reason, everything ok?"

"Oh! Sorry, force of habit. Generally speaking I don't trust spaces like this."

"How come?"

"It's too open, too much space where people can watch you without being noticed."

What Peridot had told Steven on the train was still fresh in his exhausted mind. It didn't change his stance on Zeke but he couldn't help but feel a bit cautious. "Well if it bothers you, you could just walk on top of the trains."

"No it's ok, just an old habit. Let's keep moving, you've got to be getting exhausted."

"I think I'm getting used to it." Steven said "I hardly feel anything right now."

"That's the epinephrine keeping your over worked body from collapsing. You'll probably hit the floor and sleep like a log when we get where we're going."

"yay." Steven said in a happy daze

"You guys coming or what?" Amethyst called back

The two continued out after the group, stumbling against the multitude of steel rails that littered the ground. Clouds had rolled back in, obscuring the moon. Amethyst and Peridot were shining their lights ahead, waiting for the two stragglers.

"I thought you were leading the way?" Amethyst asked sarcastically "You getting cold feet or something?"

Zeke rolled his eyes and kept walking.

Steven caught his foot on a rail and tripped. His chest colliding with another rail as he tried to catch himself mid-fall. The breath was knocked from his lungs. The group turned to look at him.

"You ok Steven?" Connie asked

"Yep-" Steven groaned breathlessly "Just tripped."

Steven laid in the snow for a few moments, remaining completely still.

"So… are you gonna get up?" Amethyst asked.

"In a minute" Steven yawned "This ground is actually really comfy."

"Well you're going to have to now." Peridot said, pointing towards a column of cars. "I think something is approaching us."

Zeke looked off where Peridot was pointing Peridot. "It's just some yard guards, we don't want to get caught but it's not like they'll attack us."

"What about the car we broke?" Connie asked

"We're not near it, so they won't immediately connect us to it. Plus they'd probably just call the cops at most"

"I don't know" Amethyst said "I'm getting a sense of… what's it? Dejan blue?"

"Dejan Blue?" Connie asked

"Yea, something about their flashlights are giving me a bad feeling."

"What are you guys talking about?" Steven said, turning his head to look at the group.

"Those two guys over there." Connie said, motioning for Steven to look

Steven turned his head and saw what they were talking about. Roughly forty feet away, at the edge of the oval of tracks, were two odd looking amber lights. They didn't look like flash lights, they weren't shining beams or anything. They were just glowing motionlessly. He could feel something in the back of his mind begin to tick.

"I don't remember the last time night guards used lanterns." Zeke said, unconsciously scratching at his scarf. "But those are definitely some of the oddest flashlights I've ever seen."

"Like I said" Amethyst reiterated "They're giving me dejan blue"

"You mean Déjà vu?"

"Yea, that!"

"I've got a question." Connie said "If they're guards, why aren't they moving."

"Maybe they're wondering what the circus is doing in their rail yard." Zeke mumbled under his breath

Steven continued to stare at the lights. Something about them was disturbingly familiar but he couldn't place why.

"…Well if they're not going to come over here, we should just keep moving."

Zeke turned to keep walking but stopped short. His attention had been grabbed by what was ahead of them.

"Ok… why are there now two guards standing on top of a box car?"

Steven turned his head and looked further up. Just as Zeke had said, perched atop one of the multitude of box cars that laid ahead of them was another set of Amber colored lights.

"Those weren't there a second ago." Steven thought to himself. "How did they-"

At that moment the wires in Steven's brain connected and every alarm he had went off simultaneously. The ground wasn't feeling so comfortable anymore. Steven bolted off of the ground and grabbed Connie's arm, surprising everyone with his sudden recovery.

"We need to go, now." Steven said, trying to keep an even tone. He turned and half lead, half pulled Connie back the way they'd come.

"Woah, Steven hold on!" Connie said, trying to keep her balance and stop Steven. "We're going the wrong way."

"No-" Steven corrected in fearful earnest "We're going the right way."

Steven stopped short in his tracks as another set of lights blinked out of the darkness that was ahead of himself and Connie, no more than fifteen feet away. They could hear a low growling.

"Oh no" Steven Said, quickly back peddling himself and Connie. They soon found themselves rejoining the group.

"What's going on Steven?" Connie asked, slowly feeling on edge as she reached for the handle of Rose's sword in her duffle bag.

"Remember how I had that nightmare at your house?"

"Yea?" Connie gripped her sword, Zeke and Amethyst read the air and readied themselves for what they could assume was coming.

"Remember those monsters that were attacking Ruby?"

"Oh." Connie said dreadfully as she drew rose's blade and held it in front of her. Everyone else pulled their weapons and tools into existence.

The Creatures approached. The three of them had been slowly closing in on either side of the group, leaping down from the box cars and crossing over the tracks to encircle their prey. The only place they didn't have covered was a space to the left of the group. Which twisted and led towards dozens of alleys created by the trains. Steven was feeling a true desire to run into it and put as much distance between the group and the corruptions as they could.

Amethyst and Peridot shone their lights on the creatures and were disturbed by their reptilian forms.

"Gross." Amethyst growled

"We can take them, right?" Connie asked

"Totally." Amethyst agreed "I got no clue what they are though."

"They're some corruptions that work with the one that kidnapped Garnet and Pearl." Steven admitted fearfully "… at least I think they are."

"Uh, Steven-" Zeke said

"Cool" Amethyst said "So this should be fun, right?"

"Define fun?" Steven asked

"Mop the floor with them, maybe get a little cathartic?"

"Guys?" Zeke said again

"I don't know" Steven said, shield raised "They're fast and almost as strong as Ruby."

"Well that shouldn't be too bad." Amethyst smirked "After all there's more of us than them, plus we got Mr. Hobo the Gem Hunter. Right, hobo?"

Zeke remained silent.

"Uh… hobo?"

"… We're in trouble." Zeke said uneasily

Silence filled the air.

"…what?" Steven asked

"I'm in over my head. I have no clue what these things are-"

From the darkness to the left of the group, a pair of amber orbs materialized no more than five feet from the group. The creature lunged from the darkness and clamped its jaws down on the closest thing it could reach. In this instance: Zeke's left arm.

The Creature's multitude of sharp teeth tore through Zeke's sleeve and ripped into his arm. It landed on top of him and shook wildly, ripping at Zeke like a dog at a beef shank. His weapon suddenly dispelling as its teeth sunk in. Zeke was left to struggle for himself as the rest of the Creatures joined the fray. One lunged at Peridot, Amethyst barely intercepted in time. The remaining two pounced at Steven and Connie.

Amethyst grabbed Peridot and dipped to the side, the jaws of the creature attacking her snapped at the empty air before whipping back towards the two of them. Amethyst decked it in the side of its head. The creature's wide head pivoted on its slender neck as it stumbled to the side. It reaffixed its gaze on her and growled before snapping at her again.

Steven bubbled himself and Connie, the creatures collided with their barrier and the children tumbled back. They continued to roll as the creatures pushed them, trying to claw their way through the hardened light. Steven and Connie struggled to regain their balance, pawing desperately to rise to their feet and gain the chance to act. That's when Steven had an idea. He stopped trying to run, allowing the creatures to close in.

"Steven what are you-" Connie began

The creatures chasing them slammed upon them once more. But Steven made no effort to fight back, he let the force of their assault drive him and Connie away and towards another target. The pink bubble took off like a shot.

"Amethyst!" Steven shouted

The mauve gem reacted within a fraction of the time a human could've. She saw the pink boulder bearing down on her and her cargo and dove to the side as the creature took another swipe at them. They were not greeted with empty air for their endeavor. They were rewarded with a six foot tall cannonball to the face. The strike shifted its momentum onto the creature, stunning and driving it back.

The pink light shattered momentarily. Just long enough for Amethyst and Peridot to hurl themselves into its reforming walls. The four of them huddled together, backs to each other as they stared out at the creatures.

"We can take them." Amethyst persisted

"I really doubt that." Steven said, breathing raggedly "Where's Zeke?"

"Still busy being mauled." Amethyst said, motioning back toward where he'd been left.

The creature that'd pounced Zeke was still pinning him. His arm was still trapped in its vice-like jaws as it tried to rid him of its weight. With his free hand he punched it repeatedly in the face, with little to no effect. A glow emanated from his free hand as he materialized a new weapon. Compared to the sword he normally used, the knife he now held was crude and slip-shod. Seeming more akin to a prison shank than an actual weapon of war.

Punctuated with pained grunts, he stabbed the creature repeatedly in the closest orb. It quickly began to deflate and dim, oozing its glowing amber ichor on the ground. The creature released its grip on Zeke and he used both of his legs to kick it off of him.

"Zeke!" Steven shouted

Zeke scrambled from the ground and stared at the pink bubble, lunging and diving for it as his attacker nipped at his heels. Steven poked a hole in the bubble and Zeke dove through before Steven shut it again.

So here they were once more. Huddle together as their enemy encroached on them.

"Ok, now can we take them?" Amethyst asked

"I think we're the ones getting taken." Zeke groaned

"What do we do?" Connie asked, sword still in hand

"I don't know." Steven said his tired mind racing for an answer but coming back fried.

The creatures drew closer, soon they'd begin batting at the bubble like a toy. Steven wasn't sure how much longer he could keep it up.

"… How well do you jump Connie?" Zeke asked

"What?" Connie responded

"How well do you jump?" Zeke repeated

"um… ok I guess?"

"I'll take that as not very high. Steven I need you to do something."

"Yes?" Steven asked

"Help Connie through what we are about to do."

"You got a plan, clod?" Peridot asked

"Yea, I've been in a number of situations like this before. This is the only plan that works."

"Ok, then spit it out." Amethyst said

The creatures were closing in, they were no more than ten feet away.

"On my mark Steven, burst this bubble and everyone follow me exactly. No matter what happens, do it until your last breath."

"Do what?" Steven asked

"Get ready." Zeke interrupted

The Creatures were upon them. Five feet. Four feet. Three-

"Now!" Zeke shouted

Steven burst the bubble and a shockwave rippled out, stunning the creatures. Zeke ran towards the closest creature and planting his foot on the creature's head. They then pushed off of the creature, spring boarding into the air and onto the nearest boxcar.

"Run away!" He shouted at the top of his lungs

It took a second before his words registered in everyone else's minds. By the time they did, the creatures had almost regained their composure. Amethyst hurled Peridot at Zeke before launching after her. Steven grabbed Connie by the hand and ran towards the boxcar. Weaving between the creatures.

By the time they'd leapt up with the rest of the group the creatures were ready and they were rabid. Steven could see the edge of the rail yard from the top of the box car, just over fifty yards away. They could hear the creatures clawing after them.

Amethyst grabbed Peridot again and began long jumping across the boxcars, Zeke followed close behind her. Steven and Connie lagged behind, trying to clear as much distance as they could. But Steven was beyond exhausted and there was nothing Connie could do to lighten the load. Fusing would take too long and both of them were spent. But Steven struggled on, determined to help his friend. Even as his legs turned to jelly and his heart thundered in his chest. The scrapping hiss of their pursuers grew closer.

"Almost there!" Connie said, pushing Steven on "We can do this, come on!"

There were no more boxcars ahead of them, only empty tracks with engines further down. Steven steadied himself, aiming for the empty space between the tracks. The two children collided ungracefully with the ground, kicking snow and sand up around them. Steven held Connie's and continued to pull her ahead.

Only for her to be wrenched free of his grip. As her hand left his, Steven turned and watched as Connie was pulled back into the Darkness. He could see the single orb of the creature Zeke had stabbed. It bit down on Connie's foot and dragged her away.

"AAGH! Steven!" She called

"Connie!"

Steven Lunged back after her, clasping onto her hand with one of his. His other found an ice cold rail and he held it fast. Everything hurt and his body screamed for him to stop. But he grit his teeth and refused to let her go.

"Steven!" Zeke shouted

Steven couldn't see Zeke, but he could hear he was too far away. He wasn't going to make it before Steven's grip failed. The creatures were coming.

He could hear them in the distance hissing and snarling as they cleared the distance between the two groups. They were going to get everyone and that would be it. He could feel tears stinging his eyes. He felt tired.

But then he heard something else.

It roared like thunder.

The force that tried to drag Connie disappeared. Replaced by a furry of wind, sound, and sparks as a train slammed full force into the creature, blowing it away and down the tracks. Connie scrambled towards Steven as the two hundred ton locomotive rode the rails to oblivion. The sound of crumpling Steel could be heard elsewhere in the yard as the train collided with another, its trail of cars jittering to a sudden stop.

Steven held Connie tight as he stared at the train. He switched his gaze back to where they'd been heading. Zeke was still ten feet away, now stopped dead in his tracks. He looked dumbfounded. But nowhere near as much as Peridot. She stood further back still, a single arm out stretched towards them. A look of pure wonderment on her face. She looked like a child who'd just opened their first birthday present.

"What- how did-" Zeke babbled

They all snapped back to reality as the creatures could be heard, trying to scramble around the new train.

"Questions for later!" Zeke shouted, resuming his dash to Steven and Connie. He grabbed them by the arms and wrenched them from the ground. "Move!"

The two children moved as fast as they could, they cleared the remaining distance to the exit in what felt like seconds. Peridot and Amethyst were waiting for them.

"What was that!?" Amethyst asked

"Not now, move!" Zeke said, trying to usher everyone on.

With that, they fled the rail yard. Finally having reached Wilmingmore.

*five minutes and one cab hailing later*

They five haphazardly flopped into the back of the pale yellow sedan. The Cabbie looked at them strangely.

"Yes, I know we're an odd group." Zeke huffed "Just get us to 105 sycamore ave. we're in a rush"

The cabbie stared tiredly at Zeke, moving slowly into motion. Zeke pulled a roll of bills from his pocket and plucked two from them. He smacked them against the acrylic divider, waking the driver up. They stared at the bills for a moment.

"Get us there in under five and this is your tip."

The cabbie stared blankly at the group and the bills Zeke was holding to the glass. He nodded curtly and the cab slammed readily into motion. Everyone was impacted into the seats as the cab swerved around streets and traffic.

"… Running away?" Amethyst asked "That was your plan?"

"It worked didn't it?" Zeke said, his voice a pained grunt.

"Yea. But I still think we could've taken them."

"Maybe we could have. Or maybe we could've wound up like Garnet and Pearl."

"What were those things?" Connie asked, barely maintain consciousness

"No clue." Amethyst answered, "Last I checked, hobo didn't know either."

Zeke remained silent.

"We made it though." Steven said "Now we can move forward from here right?"

Zeke nodded. The cab was silent for a minute as they all staved off exhaustion a little longer.

"So… Peri can move trains?"

"Oh yea." Steven said sheepishly "That was cool. Thanks Peridot."

"Yes it was rather… unexpected."

"We'll talk about it tomorrow." Steven said, starting to nod off

The cab then bit the curb as it took a hard turn, jolting everyone awake. The cab pulled up in front of an old brick building. It was dark and looked abandoned.

"This the place?" The Cab driver asked

"Yea." Grunted Zeke, tossing a bunch of bills through the divider. "Don't take this wrong, forget you saw us and keep the change."

Everyone flopped out of the cab and it sped off into the night. They all stood in the dim street light, just in front of the building.

"How do we know those things won't find us?" Amethyst asked

"we don't" Zeke grunted "But the city is big and full of people. It should at least take them a little while to find us."

Zeke walked up the stoop in front of the brick building and jimmied a brick free from it. He pulled out a small brass key attached to a lanyard. He used it to unlock the door to the building, holding it open for everyone to walk through.

"Let's go, gems and children first."

The group stumbled through the door. The interior proved one thing, the building was abandoned. Dust lined the floor and every available surface. It was dark, cold, and reeked of mildew.

"Yep, hobo cave." Amethyst affirmed

Zeke didn't respond, he stumbled past her and towards a flight of stair. They followed him up, walking to the top floor. The cold atmosphere was replaced with a stuffy, warmer one. At the top of the stairs they were greeted by a solid wood door. Using the same key, Zeke unlocked it and pushed it open.

Beyond the door was a softly lit loft. Rugs lined hard wood floors and a gas fire place warmed the space. An oversized den was separated from the kitchen by this wall that was perforated by two doorways and an island counter. A small tv hung in the den, across from a futon couch. On several walls were shelves lined with either books or black lacquered wooden boxes with brassy plaques.

"… ok, nice hobo cave." Amethyst affirmed

"Whatever." Zeke groaned, he stumbled into the apartment and walked into an alcove. He turned a corner and closed a door, cutting himself off from the group.

"…Weirdo." Amethyst said

"Clod." Peridot added

Steven and Connie didn't say anything, they collapsed next to each other on the floor. Finally allowed to rest.