The dredlocked man exited the train car, awkwardly navigating his passenger through the door. Alicia saw him jump down to the ground - a real trick with another person laid out across his shoulders. He stumbled and fell to his knees on impact, but was soon back on his feet and traversing the short distance to the treeline.
Down at the south end of the train car, Ghost's opposite number started backing away slowly, never taking his sights off of Ghost's face. He linked up with the dredlocked man, covering the medic as they made for the woods.
They were almost to the trees when the captured T-bird screamed its way back onto the scene, decelerating deftly over the clearing, and then dropping rapidly an expertly into the tree-circled space. Alicia watched it plunge virtually to the ground before halting its descent right beside the little girl, who, from Alicia's viewpoint, showed little reaction.
From the cockpit, though, Cutter saw the little girl for the first time. She appeared to be no more than ten, and although dressed in a flimsy shift, seemed to mind neither the rain nor the incredible turbulence kicked up by the LAV's thrusters as they held the metal beast inches off the ground. Dead leaves, ash dust, and pine needles were swirling everywhere, but he could clearly see her face as she looked briefly at the open door, back at him, and shook her head calmly. With just a small movement of her hand, she waved him away. Her lips might have been moving, but there was no way anything could be heard over the roar of the turbofans.
