He was able to make better progress through the less-crowded car, closing in on the final one as he flew through the aisle. He could feel the train slowing down as the automated announcement blared that it was approaching the next station. Panic set in as his adrenaline spiked, and he used the unexpected energy to explode into the final car only to find that it was nearly deserted.

As the train’s brakes screeched, Tim stared agape at the handful of passengers inhabiting the last car; the beggar-beast was not among them. Faces of people standing on the platform blurred by as the train coasted to a stop at the station. Knowing that, in only a moment, any chance of locating the man would be gone, Tim sprinted to the other end of the car, looking beneath the bench seats and examining the very surprised...

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