Riding south after Wilmington, Luke reviewed Mattie’s advice that the train would stop in Georgia, Tampa, and end in Miami, but that the next stop was a tiny town. He decided to get off at the small stop to avoid law enforcement presence in larger cities and acknowledged he could not count on more lucky breaks. He remembered he still had Maureen’s flash drive, which might contain proof against the Institute.

When the train slowed near a depot marked DUPRAY SOUTHERN & WESTERN, Luke resolved to jump and run for the nearby trees. He timed his jump but landed at near-train speed and struggled to keep his balance. As two men at the depot noticed him, one shouted a warning about a post.

Luke slammed into a red-flashing signal post, striking the right side of his face and his damaged ear. He crashed into the cinders and bled heavily, dazed but conscious. Attempts to use his telepathy failed; he could not read either man.

The man from the forklift checked Luke’s limbs and decided to move him despite head-injury protocol. When Luke asked which one was his supposed uncle, the other man reacted with confusion. The forklift operator instructed his companion to call a doctor—"Doc Roper"—using the station phone and said he would take Luke to Mr. Jackson’s back room.

After testing that Luke could stand, the forklift man introduced himself as Tim Jamieson and led Luke out of the sun. Luke, still suspicious and in pain, withheld his own name.