The Return of Charles Augustus Milverton

In the smallish town of Barrow in Furness, a black engine rested, his name is James.

He had been purchased from a big railway on the Mainland to do mixed traffic work on the Fat Directors Railway. As of now James was cross at being purchased by a small railway to pull mostly trucks.

"Dirty Trucks." He said, "Why do I have to take their trucks around?"

His driver simply patted him and said "Oi, it's better than being stuck in that shed in Lancashire. You never got to pull coaches there. Here you'll be able to pull them."

"Oh please! Like they'll allow it, I'll spoil the passenger engine image will be the excuse." James responded.

The black engine fell into a sullen silence, the crew gave him a quick rubdown when they heard a sob.

James looked out of his shed and saw that on the road, an older woman was weeping heartily and being consoled by an older man.

A part of him felt worried and without thinking, asked, "What is wrong?"

The crew jumped and the two people turned to see the black Mogul looking sadly at them.

The woman looked shamefully away and the ancient man spoke, "None of your business." before releasing a violent cough.

Then James' driver walked out and saw the scene, "Did we do something?"

The man looked ready to erupt but deflated once he saw the concern, "Nothing you can help with gentlemen."

The driver smiled and said, "I'm certain we can help, if you need help with the railway we can drive you onto Sodor. We're doing a stopping train and I'm certain the guard will let you ride."

The woman smiled at this and said "No, thank you sirs."

Then the older mans eyes lit up and he asked, "Are you gentlemen going through Vicarstown, the express platform?"

The driver looked at him curiously and said "Yes. Why?"

The man whispered to the woman who agreed and both turned to the engine and crew looking excited in the way a gambler does when he has a Royal Flush.

"Let me ask, are you willing to help us by weeshing a human?" The man asked.

James looked surprised and the driver and fireman looked at each other in shock.

The man and woman, Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler, explained the circumstances.

While initially thought killed, a blackmailer named Charles Augustus Milverton, had survived an assasination attempt.

While he could not really go against Holmes for various reasons, Milverton had laid low blackmailing less violent people.

During the year before, he had finally hit a jackpot when he discovered Irene Alder's past criminal actions and threatened to expose her to the British and American public ruining her while forcing her to come to Sodor where blackmail laws were non-existent to pay a ruinous sum.

Desperate, Irene had contacted her one time opponent Holmes to assist. However, age had reduced both their abilities and prevented recovery of the evidence which was on Milverton's person.

The driver stroked his chin, "Quite a situation you're in miss. Still, Bill, you did anything?"

"My divorced wife knows everything." The fireman responded.

"And I haven't either. James hasn't done anything. So yes. We will help." The driver responded.

The two smiled, "Well, driver. Here's what we will do." Holmes said.

That afternoon, James travelled up the line to Vicarstown and was relieved to see he was on the correct line.

To his relief, he saw Adler and Holmes, the latter with a walking cane in his hand, walking up to an older man who looked smugly at them. James slowed down slightly as they approached each other.

James kept an eye on them as he entered the station.

Then Milverton took out the papers from his coat as they were near each other.

As soon as he saw this, James' eyes widened and he whispered "Faster!" The driver blew the whistle and put more steam into the cylinders.

Milverton paid no heed and even seemed to welcome the approaching goods train to use the steam to hide his actions. Adler took out an extremely large package in waterproof packaging and Milverton greedily approached.

Then it all happened at once, steam shot forth from James' funnel and cylinders spraying water all over them.

Milverton stumbled allowing Holmes to strike the hand with the blackmail with his cane, the soggy paper and pictures flew underneath the wagons destroying them.

Adler saw this and screamed, "Thank you!" causing several trucks to question James as they left the station.

As soon as James heard some trucks asking why the lady was thanking him, he whistled excitedly to say your welcome.

-Present Day-

James grinned and said "Well, that's all folks. I have work to do."

Sir Topham Hatt turned, "Oh really?"

"Fine." James responded after a moment of silence.

-1924-

James was cocky, he didn't care what he was doing as he thought of his actions.

"What a lark, what a lark! That shows that dirty scum for trying to take advantage of an old lady on my railway!" James chortled to himself.

He bumped the trucks accidentally causing them to mutter and groan, they had been initially enthused by James' actions and wondered if the engine would tell him about the adventure.

Now though, the engine seemed more concerned about showing off to himself and was bumping them.

The trucks had enough and decided to wait until they reached the summit of Gordon's Hill.

Then they would show him who was at the top!

-Present Day-

"So you just lost concentration and then they pushed you down the hill?" Thomas asked remembering the trucks trick and cleaning up the aftermath of it.

"Shaddup! It could happen to anyone." James growled bristling at the memory.

Neil and Skarloey rolled their eyes, they were aware of other lapses in concentration he had in the past and just decided to not say anything.

The society leader was very surprised though, "Irene Adler and Milverton? What a surprise. "

Thomas looked at the man and asked, "What happened with Miss Adler, did they like each other?"

"No! Well, not like that but he respected her as a partner. Given you all gave us such lovely stories, let me tell you about their meeting." The society head said.

He took out a book and began reading, "To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler-" The engines listened quietly to the story of the Bohemian Prince and then the awful first case with Charles Augustus Milverton all through the day.