That’s not my fight, he thought. The Navy didn’t need a bomb-disposal expert for this battle. The best thing he could do was keep Akio safe and get him back to his family. Thank God that thing hasn’t reached San Francisco… yet.

He looked ahead anxiously, trying to spot the upcoming terminal. Skyward lights came back into service, illuminating a stretch of elevated track ahead. All seemed clear as the train rounded a curve and the reawakened spotlights revealed…

The MUTO, straddling the track directly in front of them!

Pandemonium erupted aboard the train as the other passengers spied the gigantic winged monster directly ahead, but the automated train kept gaining speed, heading straight toward the creature. Fear-crazed passengers rushed toward the opposite end of the train. Ford tried to hold onto Akio, but the panicky stampede tore the boy from his grasp. Akio was swept away by the mob, even as the train sped toward the monster. Ford sprang from his seat and dived after him.

No! he thought. I can’t lose him!

An Apache helicopter swooped down from the sky, adding to the tumult. The wash from its rotors rattled the train’s windows. It soared past the head, right overhead. The attack ‘copter’s sudden arrival elicited more screams than cheers. Ordinary travellers suddenly found themselves caught in the middle of a battle between the armed forces and a giant insect-thing.

Ford kept his eye on Akio, who was trying to get back to him. Lunging forward, Ford tackled the boy to the floor just as the Apache opened fire on the MUTO. Its 30mm automatic cannon blasted loudly in the night, unleashing a barrage of ammo at the crouching creature, which reacted angrily. Howling in protest, it swiped at the chopper with one of its enormous middle limbs. The elusive ‘copter dodged the swipe, but the monster’s flailing limb smashed through the front of the train as well the elevated track beneath it.

Horrified screams were drowned by the din of shredded metal and shattered concrete. Tons of debris, mixed with falling bodies, crashed down onto the tarmac, more than two-dozen feet below. The rest of the train continued over the edge of the splintered track, but caught on mangled steel supports and dangled precariously over the rubble below. Gravity seized the survivors who tumbled helplessly out the severed end of the train, screaming all the way, even as the recorded voice kicked in automatically:

“Please watch the gap…”

Ford struggled to hold onto Akio while simultaneously anchoring himself to one on the upright metal poles in the middle of the aisle. Shrieking men and women tumbled past them, nearly knocking Ford loose. Gravity tugged on Akio, briefly yanking him from Ford’s grip. Screaming, the boy started to slide away…

No! Ford thought desperately, scrabbling to reach the boy.