Hungerford Bridge took on a whole new vibration as the train hit the tracks.
Simon pushed himself to his feet, drew his sword from over his back, and ran toward the demon as it brushed the last of the motorcycle from its chest. Only then did Simon realize the shifting shadows behind the demon were real.
Hideous corpses stood packed tightly across the bridge. With the shadows and fog ripped away, an army of undead stood revealed. All of the zombies looked fresh from the grave, but Simon doubted any of them had ever been properly buried. The walking corpses shambled forward hesitantly, as if the vibration of the train shooting down the bridge had an effect on them.
Then Simon was on the demon, firing the Spike Bolter and swinging the sword.
Warren watched as the energy balls struck the pulling engine, actually strong enough to rock the heavy locomotive to one side for an instant. Then it tilted back down, churning wheels once more on the rails.
The people inside the passenger cars screamed fearfully. They scrambled to resume their prone positions on the floor.
In the next moment, the train and Warren were outside the Charing Cross Railway Station. Warren urged the Blood Angel to greater speed as he reached for more of the reserves of his power. Two of the Blood Angels actually established holds on the pulling engine, but before they could do more than take a few ineffectual swipes at the men inside, Templar fire cut them to pieces and they dropped onto the pavement.
Just as he was about to throw the energy balls, a Templar fired a steady stream of palladium spikes at the Blood Angel Warren rode. The spikes struck the creature in the head, killing it almost instantly.
Flailing weakly, the Blood Angel sailed over the side of Hungerford Bridge and promptly died. Directionless, the demon dropped, twisting like a broken kite.
Upside down, hanging on for dear life, Warren saw the black surface of the river coming up fast. He hit hard and his senses went as black as the water.
The demon growled at Simon and threw out its hand. Almost instantly, the demon rocked back on its heels as a trio of rockets from a Cluster Rifle slammed into it. Simon felt the detonations as he rushed toward his opponent. He kept firing the Spike Bolter, aiming for the demon’s eyes. Some demons could regenerate, but even if the blindness were temporary, he hoped that it would be enough.
Another trio of rockets hammered the demon again, driving it back a couple of steps. Before it recovered, Simon was on it, slashing with the sword and opening large wounds to join those suffered from the rockets.
Through the HUD, Simon was aware of the train rocketing toward him, knowing that when it reached him it was going to pass him by in a second.
The demon caught his sword on the next blow, trapping his arms so he couldn’t put much force into it. Simon kicked the demon in the crotch and yanked the sword free.
Instead of going down, though, the demon backhanded Simon, catching his helm. Even though the blow seemed weak, it still felt like he’d been hit by a truck. He spun away, barely able to keep on his feet. He’d never fought anyone—any thing—so strong. He was almost out on his feet from the impact alone.
Lifting the Spike Bolter again, Simon fired it point-blank at the monster in front of him as the zombies lurched into the fight. Turning the pistol on the zombies, Simon mowed them down. They were gross, blue-faced and vacant-eyed. Simon hated the idea of blasting the zombies because they’d once been human. The demons never had been.
The demon’s attention turned back to the train. It lifted its hands and traced symbols in the air. Then it growled, or provided some verbal commands.
By that time, the train was already out over the river, racing toward them. Redoubling his effort to get to the demon, Simon slashed his way through the zombies to reach Merihim.
More rockets sizzled past him, but these struck fire from the bridge and not the demon.
Growling again, the demon swatted at Simon. Leaping at once, Simon cleared the blow, tucked, and flipped, firing the Spike Bolter the whole time. Then he holstered the pistol, seeing that the train was rushing at them, growing larger and larger.
Other weapons fire from the Templar aboard the train joined Simon’s efforts. The demon staggered back, roaring with rage.
Landing on his feet, Simon took a two-handed grip on the sword and leaped to the top of the zombies nearest him. He ran across the undead army that had swarmed protectively around Merihim. Skulls crunched, necks snapped, and shoulders shattered beneath Simon’s weight, but he reached the demon.
Merihim threw another fireball at him. It hit him, slowing his approach and setting several of the nearby zombies on fire. Simon drove himself forward, trusting the armor to hold even though the HUD was filled with warnings.
Then he reached the demon and his sword came alive in his hands. He slashed at the demon’s head, driving it back. Runes carved into the demon’s scaled flesh burned molten scarlet. The sword opened grievous wounds that revealed more scarlet, only this trickled down the demon’s body.
Roaring with rage and pain, Merihim curled his hands into fists and struck back. The impacts shook Simon to his core, and for a moment he felt certain that he was about to die.
Then, on the HUD, he saw one of the Templar on the train raise a grenade launcher and fire a volley into Merihim. The grenades drove the demon back.
Taking advantage of the distraction, though he’d been buffeted as well, Simon stepped forward and plunged his sword through the demon’s chest. Moving swiftly as the train reached him, Simon grabbed the bandolier of grenades
