Blade Breaks Out

A remote mountain range on the border between Germany and the Czech Republic, outside a secret prison few outsiders had ever heard of.

On the railway leading straight into the mountainside, an old-fashioned train sped along.

Church circled overhead in a battered Black Hawk helicopter.

Seeing that the train below still showed no sign of trouble, Church impatiently picked up his communicator and said, "Barney, are you guys ready yet?

"It's just a damn train. The best weapons they've got aren't as good as the stuff in my kitchen cabinets.

"Fuck, are you all idiots?

"I know now why the Vietnam War dragged on for so many years without a victory."

Barney's hoarse, low voice came through the communicator. "That war had nothing to do with justice...

"Church, why have you gotten so damn talkative?

"Get ready to pick us up. If the train makes it into the mountainside, things will get complicated!"

While Church and Barney traded nonsense, Ivan, who was helping them, cut in over the communicator. "Barney, you've gone soft.

"Ten years ago, you'd have blown this train up already..."

As Ivan spoke, a rapid burst of gunfire came from Barney's end. Barney seemed to say something to the people beside him, then panted as he ran and said, "Blade got himself thrown in prison. Are we really supposed to kill hundreds of innocent people over one stupid vampire hunter?"

Then Barney suddenly shouted, "Cover us! We're coming up..."

At Barney's call, Church dipped the Black Hawk until its landing gear nearly brushed the top of the train.

The flower-eared Toll Road and the muscular Black Caesar sat on either side of the helicopter, each holding a ridiculous "toy" machine gun, ready to cover Barney and Christmas as they climbed onto the roof.

Black Caesar smacked the