"Master Alice… are you sure you want to do this?"
Philrain asked, and Alice gritted her teeth, caught her breath, and nodded. The girls were in the last carriage of the swaying train.
The front and rear of the train had a chassis that could tow other vehicles with engines. Philrain bit her lip as she operated a panel on the wall.
–To detach the rearmost train.
That was what Alice had suggested. Without bringing the train to a halt, only the rear of the train would be separated and return to the shelter.
Then she would join Jack and Iberis. Once finished, they can take the train they boarded or a local train to depart.
… Alice can't handle this by herself. It was essential to have someone who could operate the machine to some extent to accompany her.
She did not inform Raffi of this. From the speakers on the wall came the voice of the bishop.
"Phil, we are now decelerating the train slightly. Disengage the coupling there."
She had explained this to the bishop. Of course, she objected her for heading back. But Alice was adamant about going back.
"I understand. The long-range radio device is in operation. I expect some communication will be possible…"
Philrain then addressed Alice, who was sitting back in her seat, clasping her clothes.
"I'll detach the train… from this vehicle."
"Yes… please."
"Master… Jack didn't wish for you to go back.. did he?" There, Philrain turned to Alice and spoke quietly. "We can still call it off now. Let's evacuate together to the shelter down the path."
"…"
However, Alice shook her head. Seeing that her will was firm, Philrain bit her lip and directed at the control panel on the wall.
"Disengaging!"
As she operated the panel at the same time as the bishop's voice, there was a rumbling noise, and the vehicle they were in began to drift in the opposite direction. Then, after vibrating a few times, it slowly stopped after a while.
"I'm starting the engine… and heading back to full speed!"
Philrain controlled the panel, and the train resumed traveling the way it had begun. It accelerated steadily.
Gnashing her teeth, Alice gripped her clothes. She wondered if Jack… and Iberis were safe. That was all that came to her mind.
"Master Alice…"
When Philrain was about to call out to Alice, who seemed to be in dire straits, Alice's head was seared with a sharp pain. She involuntarily screamed and restrained her head.
Her heart was racing as if it was ready to spring out of her chest, and her ears were ringing with the pounding of her heart. Then in her chest, she felt some dark… stagnant black emotion creeping closer.
"It's… them…"
Alice stood up, gritting her teeth.
"Eh…?"
"It's the Nightmare. This train is being pursued."
Alice's hair began to rustle, and rainbow-colored fluctuation leaked from her mouth. When she saw this, Philrain's complexion changed.
"No way… then…"
Jack and Iberis failed to…?
Before she even had a chance to think about that fact, Alice was speeding towards the front of the train.
"You take control of the train!"
Without hearing Philrain's voice to stop her, she opened several layers of doors and passed through to the other side, raising her voice at her. Then she turned the air c̲o̲c̲k̲. The interior of the train locked up, and air poured in from the outside at breakneck speed.
Alice then opened the door of the train. The train was traveling at an incredible speed, blasting through the dark underground tunnel. Nearly blown away by the wind, she climbed up the side ladder to the roof of the train. With her Bandersnatch hanging on to the roof, Alice stared into the dark tunnel.
–Something's coming.
There was no doubt about it. This train was being hunted. It wasn't something anyone had told her, but she was convinced of that fact.
How are they after us?
I don't know, but if it's an enemy…
I have to rout them to advance.
I must go and save them both.
Then a savage chill shot through Alice's chest. Before her body could even react, the Bandersnatch moved to protect her body from something flying at high speed. Something massive was slamming into Alice as if it was going to collide with her body.
"Ugh…!"
She grunted and was unable to resist, getting bounced off and almost tumbling off the train. As she rolled on the roof, Alice quickly extended her hand and caught a piece of the roof. The Bandersnatch also stretched and entangled, barely escaping the fall.
… Dark.
The rainbow-colored fluctuation of the Bandersnatch allowed her to make out her surroundings dimly. On the roof, something was sticking out. It was an egg-shaped object. It pierced her head and pulled her body out of the roof. Then he pumped the dust from his clothes with his hand.
It was Humpty Dumpty, a monster that resembled a gigantic egg with human gangrene attached. And the figure that was clinging to him… raised his body with a whoosh.
His head seemed… to be that of a lion. With his mane blowing in the wind… the Jabberwock bent down and glared at Alice.
–Two of them.
It seemed that Humpty's ability had sent her flying. If the train hadn't been disconnected, she would have to fight while protecting the citizens.
In that respect, the "worst" situation was avoided, but… Alice gnashed her teeth forcefully and raised her voice.
"Jack…! What have you done with Jack and Iberis!"
She slammed the words down with hatred. When Humpty and the Jabberwock heard this, they smirked and exchanged looks with a sickening grin on their faces.
Humpty shrugged his shoulders and tapped his foot on the roof of the train. Then he opened his mouth.
"Well… how about you guess it?"
The Jabberwock laughed.