We had been blindfolded when we arrived at Kent's banks. I thought it was because we were getting close, but in actuality we were still quite the distance away.
We occasionally had to change tracks presumably as a train or DMU was passing by. But apart from that I had no idea what was going on. Eventually we stopped and we were shunted around for ages probably around a yard.
They finally removed the Blind folds off us and we could see everything.
There were so many locomotives in various states of being disassembled. There were old trains, New trains and some were even from other countries.
The hijackers left our cabs but had drained us of any fuel.
"Right, move the 3F and the Industrial shunter to the west wing, take the class 11 and see what's salvageable from his motor and take the final one to the smelting room, but keep him on low priority.
We were shunted by yet another car with track modifications, but this time it was a couple of trucks. Somehow, we were placed right next to Daniella. I didnt notice, but Colin did.
" Peter! Peter! That's her! " Colin said.
I looked over and sure enough, it was. Her metallic eye patch, four pronged claw and her custom livery was unmistakable.
"What do we do now?" I asked
she must've heard us as she said:
"Listen, I'm not gonna kill you right. This claw's saved for the Bastards that brought me here"
"Well why don't you use it?" Colin asked before I could.
" the cunts immobilized both me and the claw. Diesel 10 would go ape shit if they did that to pinchy. " She snarled.
What I didn't know was how many vulgar words come out of that diesels mouth. It's bearable now but it hits you like a wave at first.
"Now long have you been here?" I asked.
"Too fuckin' long! How's the scrapyard? How's Sodor? How's Diesel 10?"
I told her everything. About the engines being sold off (which she didn't like) and how John took the place over. How the A.F.M rendered Thomas immobile and the fact they made Sir Niel resign. She was angry at those points. It was when I told her about Diesel 10 that's when she lost it.
"So John derailed them both. They're both in railgate. And-" Danielle cut me short of finishing my sentance.
"What! Why did he do that? I thought the magic engines were keeping him in check or something? God damn it Lady!" She shouted at the top of her voice. The other engines told her to be quiet.
She started going on a huge ramble about Sodor and the magic railroad. I had to bring her back into reality.
"Listen, you can continue the rant later, right now we need a plan!" I said.
" Listen, you probably come from Sodor right? Your life has probably been filled with happy shit. It's a different story on the mainland though. Believe me when I say this. We are not escaping. This is the A.F.M I've had to deal with those wankers for ages now. They're tough and know what to do. "
What she said struck me. We had been on the mainland and it was one of the worst experiences ever. Granted she wouldn't have known but I had to give her a piece of my mind.
"We do come from the mainland! Yeah we've been living on Sodor but still! Colin was nearly killed and put in two scrap wagons! I ferried him around hoping he wouldn't die on me! All while staying out of sight of diesels! "I boomed. "So don't say my life has been fine. If we survived that, we can survive this!"
She looked at me bewildered. She did eventually say:
"Great speech, but now the fuck are we going to get out?!" She yelled "we can't move, other engines are blocking the way and I saw more of you! So how will we get them?"
I froze, she had a point. Then I remembered something.
"Wait. Colin, did you see Hannah?"
"No, I don't think she was with us!"
"She escaped! She can help us!" I shouted.
"but how? She doesn't know where we are and neither do we! "
"Well... Um..." I stammered.
" Why don't we just get Lorelei to help! " Colin butted in.
"She's not here. She was left just before Cark when the little shits hijacked me." She grumbled.
" How did they do that anyway? Your claw wasn't immobilized then was it? " I asked.
"No, one of them got on top of my roof and broke one of the hydraulics. Then I was defenceless."
We brainstormed for ages trying to think of how to contact Hannah. But instead of contacting Hannah, we could contact John.
In 1975, a train was hijacked and driven into a station. Sure it was an accident but it would have to be prevented from happening again. So every locomotive was fitted with a radio system to contact anyone in case of emergency.
Me and Colin were both given one when we arrived on Sodor. Though it was uncommon for steam engines to be fitted with such things. Daniellas was destroyed, but ours went undetected.
"Oh! We can use our radio system!" I said.
"Don't be stupid. Mine was destroyed and steam engines have never been fitted with them! " Daniella said.
"They haven't been fitted with them on the MAINLAND... But on Sodor every steam engine has one! " Colin replied.
"Well don't just sit on your arse! Use them!" Daniella shouted.
Without a second warning, we did. We contacted John and told him we were at least past Cark and that he should look for a huge yard with a giant building. And that he should bring back-up.
It took him a while. But eventually he showed up with quite the collection of engines following behind him. There was Bear, Gordon, BoCo, Murdoch and Scarlett.
The rail cars tried to block them from entering, but due to how lightweight they were, they were easily pushed off the two entering tracks. When the engines get crews realized what was happening, they grabbed fuel either from their coal bunker or their tanks and filled as many engines as possible with fuel.
They reached us and gave us just enough to reach the next station. Daniella sped off immediately. I had to stop her.
"Daniella!" I shouted.
" they'll be fine! They brought fuel! Any others they can carry! I would love to help, but we are running on reserves right now! "
She had a point. Me and Colin reluctantly left without everyone else.
When we arrived at the next station. Many engines were waiting there trying to return to their own railway. Most however were refueling in the yard.
We waited until we could too. Daniella, Colin and I filled up ready to go. But our troubles weren't over yet.
We were reaching the juntion from the previous story, and we proceeded towards Blackwell. But when we reached Askam, we met a familiar face. The controller of the maintenance diesels, with a new class 66. It had the exact same livery as the old class 60.
He opened the diesels window and said:
"Oh... What a surprise I'd see the same two steam engines that ruined my business! It's almost like I planned it..." , he said laughing menacingly.
"Who's this dipshit?" Daniella asked.
" the same person who owned that class 60 which made diesel 10 ki-" I was interrupted again by Daniella.
"You son of a bitch! You fucked up my brother!" She screamed charging at the diesel.
The diesels roof then opened to reveal a claw much like diesel 10s. It hit Daniella with it causing her eye patch to come partially loose.
The two continued to fight one and other. Thank God no trains were passing at that time. A tactic the class 66 used was to switch its face round before Daniella got close to it. She couldn't do that however, due to the eye patch.
What we didn't know is while we were waiting to refuel, John passed us to go back to Blackwell. He heard the brawl happening nearby and went to check it out. John noticed the pattern and when the 66 swapped its face he went on to grab it.
He caught the diesel by the eye and mouth, he was unable to swap his face now.
"Listen, you do NOT come back, you and your driver stay away! Peter told me everything about your old sexist company and if I see you or him again! I will make sure I am the last thing you see! Hear me!?" John threatened.
The class 66 switched tracks and left.
"Sorry for that! People like him annoy me so damn much." John apologized. "You must be wanting your scrapyard back now won't you Daniella?"
"Yes I will! Thanks for keeping it in business for me! " Daniella thanked. "But we need Lorelei to help us with Sodor!"
" I know! I found her at some random station. I recognized her for when she was training to drive a locomotive with me. She's with Dennis. " John awnsered.
When Daniella heard Dennis's name, she went to him without any hesitation.
They had been in a relationship for a while. Everyone knew that. And they had a lot of catching up to do.
Me and Colin decided to stay at Blackwell for the night. With that new 66 roaming around, we could be attacked at any minute! So we collectively decided to wait until the day.
It was hard to get to sleep that night. It was probably a combination of the dying locomotives around us, what happened earlier in the day and Hannah.
I do like Hannah, but I repressed my feelings and thought it was probably because I felt sorry for her. But after seeing Daniella and Dennis swoon over each other it made me think of a relationship.
The sun rose from the horizon. Me, Colin, John and Lorelei (in John's cab) set off for Sodor, saying goodbye to Dennis, Daniella and the other dying engines.
When we arrived on Sodor, my first instinctive was to find Hannah. I looked everywhere. But she was nowhere to be found. I got increasingly nervous. I never saw her leave, but then again I never saw John leave and he got to Blackwell.
I decided to check Barrow, but no engine was in sight. I decided to investigate further...
I followed the route that lead me to the yard. I found police tape covering the place with various 09's that belonged to the police were blocking off the entrance.
"Oi! Your not allowed 'ere steamie!" The grizzly voiced diesel said, " go away from 'ere! "
"I'm just wondering if you saw a small yellow maintenance diesel leave or was left in here?" I asked, " its a... friend I'm concerned about. "
"No, but we did see some lil' diesel take off with the A.F.M when we arrived. As well as a bunch of other engines."
This made no sense, she wasn't taken. Then I remembered something.
I never knew Hannah's frequency. I must've set John's to the same frequency as Hannahs. From what I know now, she arrived just after when everyone else had escaped and the A.F.M were just fleeing. They successfully hijacked her as well as any engines that remained and sped off.
"Well, where did they go?" I asked.
" just the way you came from. Heard sommat about a Sobar. "
"Sodor!" I exclaimed .
"That mean sommat?"
"Thank you!" I said.
I sped back for Sodor. Only to find Converted vehicles at Barrow holding captives. The Vicarstown bridge was open, and the cars were slowly reversing. Pushing their prisoners further back.
"Stop!" I yelled.
"Why? We have a way of removing faces from any time vehicles unfortunate enough to bear them! We just need a few dead ones to test our theory! " the leader shouted.
"But you'll kill them!" I exclaimed.
"That's the point! Non Faceless vehicles can cause delays, crash easier, can refuse to do work, are harder to scrap and much more! It's better that way!"
they were still reversing, one of the back locomotives was about to fall down the end. Something had to be done. And I had just the plan.
"Take me!" I screamed.
"Why? " one A.F.M member asked.
"Because I consent. I know just the place you can kill me too."
" What? That's insane! " Hannah exclaimed from inside the hostage group.
Sure enough, they all entered Barrows yard to let all the engines free. Hannah stopped and said:
"This is insane! You can't give yourself up!"
" I'm not! I have a plan. Just tell Daniella to be ready to fight ok? "
She nodded and sped towards Blackwell.
"So, where are we killing you then?" The leader asked.
" Just follow me. " I said grinning to myself.
We went to Blackwell. They were getting antsy to kill know me however, they kept on threatening me with a blowtorch.
When we arrived, they were all confused. They didn't know of Daniellas return yet, but were about too...
"Reaper!!!" I shouted, disturbing the old engines.
She came up to me and shouted:
"What are you doin here steamie?!" She was acting this, obviously.
"Hey listen, if you could-" she cut me short once again.
"Cut the act! Let's destroy these bastards!"
Daniella had never been so violent before. But I guess these guys did too much to her for it to just go over her head. They were quickly destroyed, none were killed but the cars and the A.F.M members were seriously damaged and brocken. Though they were found by the police, the rest of the Cult still stays in the shadows. Granted, the cult is tiny now but still.
When we arrived back in Sodor, Lorelei was taking care of everything. She successfully persuaded everyone that the railways were good and that they should permanently stay on the island.
Everyone was happy to see us, that was the end of all the troubles for a long time after that. But I still had things to sort out.
Hannah was talking to Den and Dart about a recent troubles. I decided to but I'm and talk to Hannah.
"Umm... Hey guys! I just need to snatch Hannah for a few seconds, is that ok?"
they glared at each other, but eventually decided to let me talk to her.
"Umm so what now?" I nervously asked.
" I don't know. Perhaps if you asked something the-"
"Do you want to go on a date?" I asked.
"Finally! And yes. I will." She replied.
And that was that. Though dates aren't really possible for an engine, we were able to find a time to visit the Culdee fell railway. As I said. Not much happened after that. Well except for the steam revolt that occurred on the mainland. But I'll save that story for later...
