Chapter 7
25th July 1914, Vienna to Budapest
First Service Dinner was announced. Abbot and two of the Serbians traveling with Milos and Vesna were in the Dining Car. Robert rose up and went towards the First Sleeping Car. There, he realized that Anna was still in her compartment. She called for the conductor to tell August to cancel the dinner because of her awful headache. When the conductor was gone, Robert went to her compartment, which was opened.
"I was afraid you were getting off at Vienna." He said, leaning against the door frame.
"In Vienna? Why should I?" She said coolly, reading a book.
"I don't know. I'm just glad to see you."
"The journey would soon be over."
There was a silence.
"So what happens to August Schmidt?" he asked.
"He would find the police waiting for him at Budapest, the guns would be discovered and confiscated."
"I see. A job well done, you should be proud of yourself." Robert said sarcastically.
"You want to talk." Anna retorted, taking her eyes off the book. "Is smuggling guns your idea of an honorable profession?"
"Is that my profession?" he replied back.
"It's like a game to you, taking sides." She laughed. "Today you help the Bosnians, tomorrow the English. Do you know why Tyler died?"
Robert frowned.
"I tell you why. For thousands of years, people have been killing themselves over the Balkans. Our history is a chain of blood. It binds us, reaching deep into the past, and they're not going to stop for one American."
Robert looked away but Anna continued.
"Tyler is dead, and you can't bring him back! You have no reason to be here! Why don't you go home before the same thing happens to you?"
"Tyler was my friend." He said quietly. "Perhaps the word doesn't mean much to you. But when a friend asks for help, and it's too late, you don't just leave it like that."
Anna closed her eyes and looked away.
"Go away, please."
Robert stood there a while longer, then left, closing the door behind him. He went back to the other Sleeping Car, and was going to go between the now Baggage and Sleeping Car (due to Kronos' departure), when he stopped in front of the door and heard Tatiana and Alexei talking.
"Just how are you going to abolish Property?" Tatiana asked, looking worried and annoyed at the same time.
"By Revolution." He said, looking out the window. "By smashing the evil systems. It's the only way."
There was a silence. Then Tatiana said softly, "Why can't you be like everyone else? Forget about all the politics and think about yourself. Why don't you begin a new life? Buy a house, live in the countryside, get a job," She paused, then added. "Get married-"
"I don't believe in marriage." He declared.
That remark made Tatiana stop sharp. Then that kiss meant nothing to Alexei? Did he not love her?
"At least stop this madness before you start a war." She sniffled.
"Why should the Russian worker fight the German worker?" he said, ignoring her words. "We're all the same! It's always the government that starts the war. And it's always the people who spill blood. We're sheep being led to the slaughter!"
He then turned to Tatiana, his eyes full of determination.
"Lets leave then, if that's what you want Tatiana." He whispered. "We'll drop off at Belgrave and run away from all of this."
"But I can't!" Tatiana cried. "I can't leave my grandfather!" she started to cry.
"It is men like your grandfather who sets Russia back a hundred years." Alexei scowled, looking out at the night once more. He didn't want to see Tatiana cry again.
"My grandfather is not a bad man!"
"Vassili Alexandrovich is the most merciful person I've ever seen."
"If you could just hear yourself!" Tatiana wept.
"If you could just see what I'd seen… if you could just hear what I'd heard…" Alexei trailed off. "You would draw a knife upon him and kill him."
"I won't hear this!" Tatiana cried out, then in English. "If you hate my grandfather so much, you must hate me!"
"Tatiana!" Alexei turned towards her. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her.
"I don't hate you Tatiana, and I would never hate you for the rest of my life. You are the only connection to the world to me, and if you don't go with me, my life would mean nothing!"
He paused, stroking her hair.
"But what I had experienced was too much for me, and I feel an urge to change it as much as possible. So that's why, I created a bomb."
Tatiana gasped and looked up at him.
"A bomb that would kill each and everyone one on this train, especially Vassili Alexandrovich."
"But everyone on the train is innocent!" she gasped.
"No one on the Orient Express is innocent." Alexei glared.
His hands tightened around her arms and she tried to wrench away.
"You can't hurt all those people back there, Alexei." She said as she stepped back.
"It's the only way that I would be willing to sacrifice." He muttered and turned back to the window. Tatiana was much troubled. She planned to speak to the American afterwards, for he was the only one on the train who could help her.
Robert heard nothing more and left them be. He had learnt that Alexei was planning to do something terrible to the train, but cannot make out all of the words because they spoke in hush whispers. But Robert would find out, if Alexei's actions would cost him and the people on the train their lives. The conductor was already at his post, and the guard was coming down announcing the arrival at Poszony. He walked passed the guard and when the guard was blocking the conductor's view, Robert took this opportunity and went into Alexei's compartment. Luckily the door was unlocked, so he brought himself in easily. His eyes wandered up and down until he caught sight of a suitcase sitting high on the rack. Bringing it down, he opened and nearly cursed aloud. Inside, laid a detonator. Alexei was planning to blow up the train! Robert closed the briefcase and placed it back onto the rack. He made for the door, when it suddenly opened.
"I say, I think you got the wrong compartment!" Abbot exclaimed.
"It looks like we both got the wrong compartment." Robert said and walked out.
Abbot went back to the other sleeping car with Robert following. That was close, and Abbot was hot on his trail. It was clear now that Abbot was a detective, perhaps investigating the murder of the Irish policeman. When Abbot entered his compartment, Robert stopped outside his door and listened to his conversation with Claude.
"Good evening. I saw you at dinner and I didn't want to bother you." Abbot said. "Did you have a nice dinner?"
"Dinner was satisfactory."
"Yes, it must be wonderful to have dinner with the family. That's the problem with traveling, dining alone. After a few times, it really gets to you."
"Your problems are not my concern." Claude responded.
"Ah…well yes, of course. Interesting…"
Robert made way for the guard and walked to the Dining Car for second service dinner. Sophie and Rebecca arrived as usual. After both Robert and the ladies had ordered, Robert listened as he ate his fish to their conversation about marriage. A typical ladies' topic, Robert knew that. Finishing the last remains of his meal, he rose up and went back to his compartment. He saw Vesna and her other two friends heading towards the front of the train. Outside his compartment, Robert caught sight of Tatiana but didn't say anything. He went inside and closing the window shut, he heard someone knocking on the door. Opening it, he realised it was Tatiana.
"Monsieur, can I speak with you?" she asked, looking worried.
"Of course." He let her in.
"Monsieur, you were so kind to my grandfather. I don't know how to begin…" She said quickly.
"Is he worse?" Robert asked.
"No. It's Alexei. He told me to run away with him at Budapest."
"What did you say?" he asked.
"What do you think I said?" she cried. "Grandfather is ill, I cannot leave him. That would be wrong, wouldn't it?"
"Alexei is a romantic. They say a romantic would spend his life finding a good way to die." Robert said, looking elsewhere.
"But I said no. Then he started to say wild things." She continued. " He said that I was the only connection to the world to him, and if I don't go with him, his life means nothing. You don't know him, I think he might do something crazy. He's trying to kill my grandfather with a bomb. He could kill dozens of innocent people. I talked him out of it, but I'm afraid he might do something else."
Then she said in a hush whisper.
"Oh I love him so!"
Robert considered, and then turned back to Tatiana.
"I'll see what I can do."
"Oh thank you, Monsieur, thank you!" she cried, tears swelling in her eyes. When she left, Robert gave a huge sigh and rubbed his face. Then he left his compartment to go to the Smoking Car where he saw August earlier. He also saw Alexei there as well. And indeed, August was still sitting in the corner, drinking whiskey and looking drunk. He was dressed in an elegant blue suite and wearing refined white gloves. Robert guessed he was upset from the unsuccessful dinner, but he approached him anyway.
"Ah Whitney, sit down and have a drink. It makes the journey shorter."
"Thanks." Robert slowly said and sat down.
He sat as August poured him some whiskey.
"I've misjudged Fraulein Wolff." August said. "There is no other explanation. Again and again, I asked myself, could I have imagined it?"
Robert smiled and accepted the drink.
"Could it be a fantasy? Or a romantic dream? But now as I remember, the day she looked at me. The warmth in her eyes. But I know, I must not be mistaken. Something has changed her." He looked intensively for an answer from Robert.
"Well, August, she is an artist." He replied.
"An artist? Ah yes! An artist. And when I return to Munich, she will play for me! She will perform in my house. Let me pour you some more, Whitney."
He poured him more whiskey.
"You, at least, haven't disappointed me."
Robert frowned a little as August sat back.
"And yes, she would play for me in an concert. You will me there too." He pointed to Robert. Excited, August stood up as he blurted out the names of the passengers on the train. "Kronos, the Obeleskies, everyone will be there! We will all be together, and we shall dance!"
He dragged Robert up and preparing to waltz, August and Robert danced across the car as he sang a popular classical melody in German. They were spinning and spinning, until Robert let him go and August fell back on the chair, smiling drunkenly. Robert chuckled, shaking his head, and returned back to his compartment where he rested for the night.
He had a dream again. This time it was of the Orient Express going through a tunnel and out into the light, where there was a familiar castle standing on top of a cliff. Inside the tallest tower, Robert was standing behind Anna. He tapped her on the shoulder, and when she saw him, they embraced. Then there was a knocking on the door. Robert turned and letting her go, he went to answer it.
"Don't answer it." Anna said.
"I have to." He replied.
Robert went for the door. When he glanced back, Anna was reaching out as she faded away. The knocking was louder, and as Robert opened the wooden door, the light exploded into his eyes…
There was a knock on the door and Tatiana glanced back from her grandfather's bed as Alexei came in.
"Vassili Alexandrovich, this is our farewell." He said.
Tatiana jumped up in dismay and tried to push him back outside.
"No! Grandfather, he's trying to kill you!"
"Tatiana, you don't understand…"
Alexei tried to get in as Tatiana tried to protect her grandfather. But the Count was already armed. As Alexei moved towards the bed, his back to the Count, the old man held up his knife and plunged it into his back. Tatiana screamed as the Count stabbed Alexei multiple times, the sound of the blade plunging through flesh filling Tatiana's ears. Alexei fell back onto the bed, blood draining from his front and back, some trickling down his mouth. Tatiana continued to scream and woke up nearly everyone on the train…
Robert woke up suddenly and heard the screaming. He quickly left his compartment and ran towards the sound. He recognised it was Tatiana's. Darting around into Compartment A, he gasped in horror as he saw Alexei lying half-dead on the bed, blood staining the white covers. The Count was chanting and praying on the ground, his hands clapped together and his head towards the sky. Tatiana was crying, blood splattered over her white nightgown and staring at Alexei in disbelief.
"I am not afraid of death…" the Count chanted to the invisible God.
Robert approached Alexei, getting blood on his hands. There was really not much he could do. Then suddenly, Alexei grabbed his coat and pulled him close to his face.
"Tatiana…Take…her away from here…" he gasped, breathing heavily. "Clock…Long live Anarchy!" he managed to cry out before he went limp and died.
Robert rose, thinking about what he had said.
Outside, Abbot was talking with the guard. He was asking the guard to keep the incident quiet from the other passengers. As Robert passed them, he suddenly heard a ticking noise. He listened carefully, trying to locate the sound. He found himself in front of the guard's forward station panel. Opening it, he found the bomb. Of course, Robert remembered the time that Alexei had noted down in his timetable on the first night. 10.40pm. The device was hiding behind the small flap that covered the buttons. Trying to remember back in his younger days when he taught himself how to disarm bombs, he slid the square-shaped bomb carefully upwards. Then lighting a match he carefully burnt through the plastic covering of the wires. He untangled them and placed the bomb onto the ground. Anna, Abbot and the guard were watching from behind. Robert turned the box around and removed the screws from the hinges as he opened to see the contents inside. The clock was ticking loudly with the contacts moving back and forth. Using the telegram, Robert placed it between the contacts and the ticking stopped. Everyone sighed in relief as the bomb was disarmed.
"I say, well done." Abbot said, looking at Anna as she turned and left without a word.
"Now, how about that drink?" The Englishman bent down and asked Robert as everyone dispersed.
Now the bomb was out of the way, Robert went to the Smoking Car where Abbot was waiting. He sat at the front corner, and Anna, Robert noted, was sitting at the far corner. But Abbot caught sight of him and had two glasses of whiskey on the table.
"Ah, there you are." He said as Robert sat down. "Well, good thing that's over. Saved me a lot of trouble. Cheers!"
"Saved you trouble? How?" Robert asked.
"Well, the word was out that a fellow anarchist boarded the train just to blow up that poor fellow Obelensky. And so the company sent me out so I could spot him and put him behind bars, you see? Frankly for a while, I wasn't sure if it was him or you."
"Me?"
"Well, travelling without a ticket, assumed name and all that." Abbot droned on. "You see how I could have wondered? No hard feelings I hope?"
"No hard feelings." Robert muttered.
"Good job getting rid of that bomb." He continued. "I'm wondering if you're interested in doing more on that line?"
"What line?"
Robert had no intention on disarming bombs as a career. He had his own mission, and worked for no one. Abbot started talking about how the world was on the brink of war, and that the case of the Irish policeman has finally proved Robert's innocence. He continued describing how the English Police Force had an eye on him for a long time and the contents of the job, but Robert was only half listened and he caught sight of Anna leaving the car. His mind was elsewhere while Abbot talked on and on, until Robert excused himself and left eagerly. He followed Anna down the car until he reached and called for her.
"Anna,"
She turned, looking tired.
"I'm very tired. Please let me go."
She went. But Robert kept on following her until she got to her door and she noticed he was next to her.
"Why are you following me?"
He didn't say anything.
"There's so much I want to say. But I'm very tired. You can't imagine how tired I am."
She looked at Robert, thought for a moment, then reached out and kissed him on the lips. Robert held her until she let go.
"We'll talk in the morning." She said.
When she entered into her compartment, Robert stubbornly grabbed the handle and opened the door for himself. Anna had her hair down and turned. Before she could say anything, Robert stepped towards her and kissed her. She pulled him away, and then kissed him again. On the third time, Anna took his cloak off, and un-buttoned his vest. Robert held her close as her warm lips touched his, until she pulled away, stepping back. They stared at each other, and Anna was about to say something, when the train jerked and they almost fell. Something was wrong. Anna and Robert gazed out the window.
"Something is wrong. We're not stopping." She said.
The train indeed didn't stop and passed the Budapest station. The people outside caught back in surprise at the speed of the train as it raced past. Robert and Anna turned as two Serbs charged in. Vesna was holding a rifle as another held a crowbar, following behind her. They took Robert and Anna out, and when they reached the other sleeping car, another Serb was trying to open the door of Mahmoud Mahkta. The fat Persian came out, brandishing his sword. But Vesna pushed her way across Robert and fired her rifle, hitting the Persian perfectly into the stomach and he fell. Robert tried to wrestle the gun out of her, but sensing a presence behind him, he turned around and a Serb knocked him out with his crowbar.