"We gotta get back to the city dudes." Said Luna. "Now that we have all the evidence, we can tell the Five-O the whole story!" "Yeah, But, how are we going to get back?" Asked Lynn. "We gotta get back quickly before Diane shows up again. I'm sure that river had to have lead somewhere."
Abby knew Lynn was right. It was only a matter of time. "We can use that." Said Lana. Everyone turned and saw sitting on an old siding, was an old steam engine. It looked like it hadn't moved in a long time. "This line leads to the main track to Great Lakes City station, but I'm not sure if this engine will even work." Said Abby.
"Don't you worry. I'll have this beauty running in no time." Replied Lana pulling out a wrench. "First a plane, and now a train? What next, you gonna fix a tank?" Remarked Lola.
Lana immediately got to work. And true to her word, Lana got the old engine working.
"Now we need coal and water to get it moving. It's a good thing these coal and water towers are still usable." Everyone soon got to work. Lincoln ran to the water tower and started to fill the boiler with water while Lynn filled up the bunker with coal.
The engine hadn't run in a long time, so Lana found it a little difficult to start the fire, but soon it was burning bright and they quickly got steam up. With a freight car coupled behind, Abby, Lana, and Luna climbed into the cab, while the others climbed into the wagon. Dot came too. She had always wanted to see the city.
"Lans, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Asked Luna, who had offered to shovel the coal.
"Of course I do, I've read all about steam vehicles." Lana replied. She opened the regulator and the engine clanked out onto the main line.
None of them knew that Diane had washed up in a pond through a hole in the mountainside. She had seen them leave. She crawled out of the water and ran to her truck. "I told you this wasn't over." She growled.
Meanwhile, in a beautiful hotel in Florida, Rita and Lynn Sr were sitting in their room. "I don't know Lynn. It's been two days and they haven't been responding to our calls! What if something happened to them??" Rita cried. "It's odd I'm sure, but this tracker I confiscated from Lisa indicates that they're still alive. Maybe the router broke." Rita looked at the blinking red dots. "I just hope they're ok." She sighed.
Rita turned on the T.V and the channel suddenly changed. "We interrupt this program for an important news bulletin. The missing boy from Royal Woods, Lincoln Loud, has been found!" Said the news anchor. Rita and Lynn Sr looked at each other. "Missing?" They asked in unison. "Lincoln has been seen in an old tank engine running along the Great Lakes City express track. The train is bound to reach the station in 1 hour. Police are still advising residents to stay inside until the ones responsible for Lincoln's disappearance is apprehended. At this point, only two of the convicts responsible have been taken into custody. That's all for now."
The channel then changed back to it's original programming. Rita and Lynn Sr were speechless. After about a minute, they finally found their voices. "You pack and I'll call the airport." Said Rita. Lynn Sr immediately got up and started packing the suitcases while Rita called the airport to book a flight home.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm afraid all flights to Michigan are suspended until we've been given the all clear." Replied the booking agent. "What do you mean suspended?? I just saw my son on the news and you're telling me I can't fly home to make sure he's safe!?" Yelled Rita.
"You're the mother of the boy who was missing?" The agent asked. "Yes why?" Asked Rita. "Well, I'm afraid you're son may be in terrible danger." "Danger?! What are you talking about?!" Rita asked, with fear and worry beginning to take over. The agent took a deep breath, remembering receiving the call from the Michigan airport to stop all flights and the full reasoning behind it.
"You may want to be sitting down for this."
Stay tuned for chapter 34!