Back at the Depot, Rheneas was still recuperating in the shed- but he was now feeling much stronger and healthier than before.

"Well, old boy, you're looking a lot better," Said his driver good naturedly.

"Yes, and I feel it too." Rheneas confided.

His fireman checked his joints over and dusted down his paintwork with his sleeve very briefly. "I think you might be ready for work soon, old boy," he added, grinning at his engine.

"Oh, it would be nice to see something other than these four walls!" The old engine exclaimed in heartfelt relief.

"And our faces, undoubtedly," Added his driver, laughing. "No doubt you've had enough of them!"

Rheneas laughed. "But I can't thank you both enough for sticking by me during my illness." He added, smiling earnestly at his crew.

"It's nothing, old chap," His driver replied, looking at the plucky old engine fondly. "Well, Ethan and I better see the Thin Controller about whether you should go back to work."

"If he says no, I'm going anyway- and no one can stop me!" Rheneas retorted, partly in jest, and the trio laughed.

...

Once the two men left to go and speak to the Thin Controller, Rheneas began wondering how Luke was. Luke had been a forbidden subject in the engine sheds at night, as Duke, Freddie, Bertram and Mighty Mac were in the dark about Luke.

Plus, he'd been too tired to talk to the other engines due to his illness- he mostly slept. When he was well enough he conversed with Skarloey and Peter Sam very briefly.

Now Rheneas sat impatiently, yearning to break free from his prison and re-join his friends in the Blue Mountain Quarry. His eyes were eagerly scanning the yard for his crew's return; when they narrowed on a particular target- puffing. He looked over, and noticed Duke coming, fuming.

"Er, hello, Duke," he said cautiously, unwilling to aggravate the younger engine. "What's the matter? You look enraged."

"Hello, Rheneas," Duke replied politely, still scowling. "It's that wretched politician Mr. Pound! He called me old fashioned and redundant- the nerve of the young these days!"

Rheneas frowned. "I've had similar problems with him, too," he sympathised, and explained his and Skarloey's encounter with the resented MP weeks ago.

"Well, that will never suit His Grace." Duke said, once his companion finished.

"My, haven't you been told it's rude to talk about others behind their backs?" a voice asked suddenly, and Rheneas' boiler bristled indignantly, whilst Duke wheeshed furiously as the familiar figure of Mr. Geoffrey Pound strode towards them.

"Well, it's also rude to comment on one's age," The number 2 engine retorted. "You have insulted me, my brother and our dear friend here in no less than two occasions." He growled. "I will not have you near my friends again!"

"Why should you engines care about feelings?" Mr. Pound asked rudely. "You're nothing but a bunch of rusted, scrap worthy tea kettles!"

Duke wheeshed angrily at the remark, and Rheneas retorted, "And whoever gave you any form of power has clearly had some 'external influence'!" causing Mr. Pound's face to turn purple in rage, his fists clenching.

"How dare you imply such dishonesty!" He hissed, pointing a finger right at Rheneas's face.

"Oh, and who was it who said that engines shouldn't care about feelings?" Asked Rheneas sweetly. This surprised Duke, as this wasn't like Rheneas at all. But, then again, he could tell that Rheneas had had enough of people commenting on how old he and the other engines were- especially when used as an insult.

"Don't be such an impertinence!" snapped Mr. Pound. He then called Rheneas by a name so foul that Duke was grateful his Grace couldn't witness it. But Rheneas, unbothered, just sat there. "You dare defy me?" Asked Mr. Pound, glowering venomously at Rheneas- only for the old engine to glare back at him.

"You've hardly any authority over me, so I can hardly call this defiance." Rheneas answered breezily.

"Just you wait! You'll be sorry you said that!"

"Wait for what, exactly?" Challenged Rheneas, with all the courage he had.

Mr. Pound smirked. "Why, for the lost engine to resurface, of course. I know you know something." He said, grinning wickedly at Gallant Old Engine.

Rheneas didn't dare breathe a word. He held his puff, using all his self-restraint to not shout at him or wheesh steam at him.

'Luke is like a snowdrop. If you trample in the wrong place, he'll wilt away. It's our job not to let that happen to him.' he thought in alarm as he stared at Mr. Pound.

"What engine?" Duke asked, both in anger and confusion.

"Didn't you know? An engine disappeared from Brendam Docks." Mr. Pound smirked, certain he had cornered Rheneas now. "An engine that was meant to work up at the Blue Mountain Quarry, no less."

Indeed, 'Gallant Old Engine' did feel trapped by the conniving MP, but nonetheless, bravely kept his silence, wishing desperately that the ground would open up and swallow Mr. Pound whole.

Duke, however, was not inclined to act so acquiescing. "You lily livered liar! Why would Rheneas have anything to do with this blasted affair? He is one of the railway's finest and most esteemed engines!"

'I can hardly say that about myself,' Thought Rheneas. But he pushed his own reputation to the side- for, compared to Luke's fight for home, nay, even his life- the matter of the old engine's daring feats and honest demeanour paled significantly.

Mr. Pound glared at Duke with something resembling the deepest and darkest of hell's eternal halls. His blue eyes narrowed to snake-like slits, and his mouth pursed to resemble a bizarre and yet unsettling cross between a prune and an eel.

The two friends inwardly winced at the sight.

"You will regret crossing me, you two... may the cutter's torch scream your names to the bowels of Hell and beyond." He warned.

Rheneas, who had swiftly recovered from the MP's accusations regarding Luke's secret, was only too quick to retaliate with, "And may Hades pluck you promptly to answer for your actions against us and others,". The pair watched as the politician stalked away.

"Well, I wouldn't worry about him. That loony has no proof you're involved in such a sordid affair. Well done, Rheneas."

But Rheneas was concerned- Mr. Pound's words troubled him greatly. He knew that if they weren't careful, the horrid little politician could lead to Luke's exposure and exile.

"Right, you ready for the quarry, old boy?" Asked his driver jovially.

Gallant Old Engine almost jumped out of his livery on hearing his crew address him. "Um, yes, sir," He answered uncertainly.

"I think the question is whether they're ready for him!" Duke added, with a hint of mischievousness, and Rheneas' crew chortled.

Gallant Old Engine, however, remained silent as his fire was lit and stoked, before saying goodbye to Duke and leaving the yard on shaking wheels, his funnel full of nasty thoughts about Mr. Pound, and his fears for Luke's safety.