Against her better judgment, Alita is now working as an agent of Zalem, as the price for the conclusion of the Zapan incident. She rides as security on the Factory's freight trains going through the wilderness away from the hustle and bustle of the Scrapyard--until the roving bandit Barjack forces attempt a train robbery! This kicks off the "Barjack" arc, the longest and biggest of the series, as Zalem, Barjack, and Nova grapple in the desert sands!!.