CHAPTER 3 - TRUTH AND LIES

Layton allowed himself a stop in the Market at one of the small shops that offered coffee and a trip back to the cabin he was currently occupying to freshen up as he straighten out how he was going to deal with Ruth Wardell.

Later that evening he made his way to the main dining car, where he knew she would be seeing to the first class passengers, just as she always did.

Layton was always careful to try and not think about the passengers by their previous monikers. Be they the actual title, such as First Class, or something another group may refer to them as that perhaps was a little less flattering. But it was something that over the past seven years had been engrained even into him. First, Second, Third, Tail. The only way you defined yourself on the train.

Especially of you were a Taillie.

But there were no classes on the train anymore. That was what he fought daily to remind himself of. They were one train now. A group of people, the last of humanity, fighting together for survival.

But some things simply took longer to change than others, he figured. As long as they had something to eat, the other cars didn't seem to much care at the moment what First Class did.

He still didn't much care for the passengers in first class. Despite the well meaning statements of equality, he wasn't so blind as to think people's attitudes and thoughts changed as quickly as their circumstances.

He could cry out the new motto of the train through all 994 cars, and most in Second, Third, and Tail may echo it back. But he would bet anything he had of value he would barely get a polite golf applause response from First.

And though mostly still isolated in their secluded cars, certain aspects did show the deterioration of their previous life style.

Looters had come through and mostly taken what they wanted. Till and Roche had a stack of reports a mile high of missing items. And any animosity First held for the rest of the train simply was amplified at the random desecration of their living spaces.

The food in the dining car wasn't nearly as sumptuous either. Nor as plentiful. While Ruth did her best to make sure it was presentable, certain items were simply not available any longer. Bowls of fresh fruit did not adorn every table, and some place settings weren't exactly complete. Wine, while plentiful before, was now something doled out only with dinner, and only in select amounts.

While the looters had gone through the dining car, they cared little for china plates or wine glasses. They were looking for food. That was the main commodity on the train now. But that didn't mean in the late night hours, when the looters snuck in looking for left overs, that the occasional plate or cup didn't get broken. Or the occasional piece of flatware didn't disappear if it had been as equally carelessly left on a table.

Ruth was standing next to one of the tables, consoling a gentleman over the lack of a certain wine when she looked up and saw Layton standing in the entry way to the dining car. She leaned down and gave the man a few comforting words before standing back up, straightening her jacket, and walking over to him.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you again so soon, Mr. Layton." She stated formally.

Layton casually looked over the people eating at the tables before he turned as pleasant a smile to the woman as he could manage.

"I had some time to think over what we talked about earlier." He replied in a tone to match his smile. "I wondered if we might talk about it further?"

Ruth looked put out. "Now? But...but the passengers..."

"I'm sure your...charges...can feed themselves for a few minutes, Ms. Wardell. This won't take long."

Ruth still looked affronted as she turned once more to check on her passengers, then led the way out of the dining car with Layton following closely behind.

As soon as they were out of anyone's earshot, Layton took up the conversation. The last thing he wanted was for Ruth Wardell to get the upper hand in any way.

"Ruth, I've thought about what you said, and I agree that something does need to be decided on that front."

The response he got was not the one he had hoped for.

"Something has been decided on that front, Mr. Layton." Ruth replied as stiffly as ever. "The train decided on Ms. Cavill's crimes and judged her. That is not a matter of discussion."

"It's a big matter for discussion, Ruth. Things between then and now have changed"

If it was possible for the woman to straighten her spine any further, she managed it. "That may be but a ruling is a ruling."

"Not when it was made by a tribunal that no longer exists."

"The people who judged her do still exist, Mr. Layton."

"And at the time they had no other desire than to want her dead. But things have changed. I'm the leader of this train now. If Melanie Cavill committed a crime, then she'll be tried for it under the new laws."

The woman looked like she wanted to slap him...or worse. "Your laws."

"The laws of the train, Ruth."

"Which are?"

"Which are number one: Melanie Cavill deserves a fair trail. Not an ad hoc one with a jury made up of people who hate her on sight."

"The jury was diversified."

"And hardly a person on this train, First, Second, Third, or Tail, didn't hate her at the time."

"That has suddenly changed?"

"And that is exactly the reason I won't let her sentence go forward right now. It's still decided for the wrong reasons." Layton paused as he took a calming breath. "I agree something needs to be decided, Ruth. But now is not the time."

"Then when will be?"

"When things calm down. When we have some sense of normalcy again. And when I am satisfied this train can survive without her. Because as much as you may not want to agree with it, Melanie Cavill is important to the train still. She is the only one who truly knows how it works."

"We have Mr. Knox. Mr. Torres."

"They don't know as much as Melanie. She built this train. Bennett and Javiar are learning from Melanie, but..."

Ruth gave a dismissive huff. "More likely they're learning just as much as she wants them to know." She all but spat back at him. "If she thinks she has something she can hold over us, she'll use it, Mr. Layton. Mark my words."

"I don't think she's doing that with teaching the engineers. She's trying to make sure they are capable of running this train."

Ruth sighed loudly as she stared back at the man. "Did what she do for seven years 'teach' you nothing, Mr. Layton? You honestly think she'll reveal all of her secrets about this train?" Ruth's expression suddenly turned serious. "She's playing you, Mr. Layton. Just as she did all of us for nearly seven years. From that alone you should realize how good she is at it."

Layton gave her a small sigh. "She's not playing anyone, Ruth. She doesn't even want to lead the train."

Ruth's expression quickly switched to an incredulous look. "Really?" She all but drawled out. "Then why is she in that cabin?"

Layton returned a puzzled look. "What cabin?"

Ruth raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Wilford's cabin, Mr. Layton. Down just a few cars from the main engine?"

Layton did his best not to look too surprised that Ruth knew about the cabin. But he supposed it wasn't that unusual. There were several abandoned areas in the upper train, mostly used for storage. First class certainly didn't miss the space as they all had plenty already.

Nor was he surprised Ruth knew Melanie wasn't still in her old cabin. Most knew she had moved out of that space. But he was willing to bet few knew where she was staying now. What interested him more was where Ruth got her information. Or that she implied directly that the cabin had been built specifically for Mr. Wilford.

"That cabin?" He asked, trying to brush the reveal off as nothing of significance. "That's hardly a cabin I would expect the illustrious Mr. Wilford to want to spend the last seven years in, Ruth."

Ruth folded her arms in front of her. "Have you seen the rest of our cabins? They aren't even a quarter of the size of that one. Two bedrooms? a private bath? Its own kitchen? A sitting room? Perhaps coming form the tail, Mr. Layton, you aren't that familiar with the concept. But on this train, THAT is luxury."

"How do you even know the cabin was Wilford's? I was told it was an abandoned storage space."

Ruth gave him a condescending smile. "By who?"

Layton didn't answer her.

"I thought so. And as to how I know about it, Mr. Layton," She added with that same smile, "because Mr. Wilford showed it to me while the train was being constructed. He was very proud of how it was 'hidden'. Why, you could walk right by it and never know it was there. Or how large it really was. Have you seen the inside? It has a lovely sitting room. Several large windows on the one side opposite the kitchen area. And there's a small hallway to the bedroom. Two smaller rooms on either side, though both are the size of my whole cabin. And one of them just for a bath. And did you see the bedroom, Mr. Layton? It's large enough for a full sized bed.

Now, who else, but the person who would run this train, or who fancies themselves running this train...would stay in that room? And you can bet your last coin she knows what that room really was."

"If that's the case, that is a matter I will take up with Ms. Cavill...in private. But for now, Ruth, I want it clearly understood that I do not want Ms. Cavill harmed in any way. She is too important to this train. Once things have stabilized and the train is more secure, then the council will decide what is to be done with Ms. Cavill."

Ruth didn't seem to like the resolution of their discussion one bit. But she, as ever, presented that stiff upper lip she was so well known for as she faced him down.

"Very well, Mr. Layton. You are, after all, our new chancellor. And you may have fallen for her...story...though might I say, that it's a very poor reflection on you." Ruth tilted her head up a little further. "But I suppose...it is possible...that she's employed other 'means' to persuade you to her side of things."

Layton nearly missed her implication, But the moment he caught on, he felt that anger he had such a tight grip on suddenly rage to the forefront. "Other means? Ruth, surely you're not suggesting...?"

Ruth held her ground. "I'm not suggesting anything, Mr. Layton. Other than that you are a man...and...Melanie Cavill is a woman who is well versed in getting what she wants." She added, holding his stare. "By whatever means."

Layton took a slow, deep breath as he set a hard stare on the woman. "I believe we are done with this conversation, Ms. Wardell. You can return to your passengers." He stated before turning and leaving her standing in the corridor.

Ruth watched him leave, a small smile working its way across her lips.

"Of course, Mr. Layton." She answered as he walked off.

Layton resolved to give himself one day to calm down before he went looking for his chief engineer again. Not that it helped much.

He knew he wasn't walking on solid ground with her as it was. They were both still just coming off what he termed as their first real fight. And now he felt they were definitely headed for their second.

Anyone passing him in the hallways knew better than to try and stop him for any reason. The man simply looked like he was headed into battle.

He remembered what Audrey had told him about Ruth. She had a revenge streak a mile wide and she didn't look favorably on anyone who she felt betrayed her. He knew he hadn't made a friend the previous night, and he would deal with that later. Since taking control of the train, he was getting used to people just being generally angry with him.

But at that moment he didn't much care who liked him or hated him on the train. Like Ruth, he didn't like being lied to. And while he had allowed himself to be led into thinking on some level he was establishing some kind of rapport with his chief engineer, Ruth had shown him she was more than likely simply still playing her old tricks.

Storming into the small room she was working in in the back of the engine, he wasted no time in getting to the point.

"You lied to me!" He all but bellowed at her. " Again!"

Melanie quickly turned to face him. She hated when he came to her angry, which he often seemed to be. It reminded her too much of the only time she was ever truly afraid of him. Of what he was capable of.

Granted, he wasn't always like he was that day, or always ranting like he was now. But he always seemed to be angry about something. Even if he was smiling at her, she could always sense the tension lying just below the surface. Someone was making unreasonable demands. Some group was threatening to stop work if their demands weren't met. He just personalized everything. And she had tried to make him see that and make him stop letting every person on that train make their problems his.

It was all part of leadership. Of being the head of the train. She had learned her lessons fast. She had had to.

Layton simply cared too much. He still wanted to fix every problem brought to him.

She was trying to teach him that wasn't possible. To teach him some hard and fast rules without seeing him turn into what she had become. And sometimes she pushed him too hard. She knew that.

The day they had had to cut off the cars. She clearly remembered calculating out the plan. Everyone knew their part. Everyone knew what had to be done. The only uncertain variable in her equation was Layton. She had studied him. Watched him. Wondered if he could do it.

But it had been a test. Sadly, one he past. And as the two cars recoupled, as she stood at the door studying his expression as the two cars drew closer, she swore she watched a small part of his humanity die right before her eyes.

She swore to herself right then she was never going to let that happen again. He was a good man. She knew that. At his heart, kind and gentle, just wanting to help. Much as she had.

And he had been set up in a position where those very traits were what would destroy you.

That was the main reason she gave herself that she hadn't turned her back on him that first time he had come to her and ask for help. That he was, at his core, a good man trying to do good. She never understood how he came to be where he was. She felt he started things rolling, but then just sort of got caught up in the momentum. In the bloodlust of others. And suddenly he found himself the head of a revolution and the leader of the train.

And he had no idea how to be that.

So she tried to help. She tried to advise. To offer suggestions and ideas.

And sometimes for all her trouble and effort, she simply got in return what she was facing now.

Setting her expression to as neutral as she could manage, she turned to face him straight on. "About what?"

As though suddenly realizing that while they were in the back area of the engine, there were still others up front, Layton tempered his tone a bit.

"About that cabin. About what it was."

Melanie returned a slightly confused looked, then returned the only answer she could come up with at that moment. "I didn't lie."

Layton was now right up in her face. "You didn't tell the truth."

"You ask me what the cabin was. I told you."

"You said it was abandon." Layton fired back.

Melanie was still trying to play catch up with him while keeping some semblance of conversation going, since that was the only way she was going to find out what he was so angry about. "And it was."

Layton narrowed his eyes at her, which caused her to pull back at little. "Because it's occupant never boarded!"

Melanie suddenly stiffened a little. So that's what this was about! Well, someone had happily been sharing information. And she didn't feel she had far to go to find out who.

"It wasn't his cabin!" She replied, trying to keep her tone level.

"Then who was it for!?"

How could she answer that? It wasn't any of his business...of anyone's...why she had wanted that cabin so badly. And though she usually well known for thinking fast on her feet, this time that particular skill seemed to have utterly abandoned her. So she did the only other thing she could think to do.

She remained silent.

Standing in front of her, Layton forced himself to calm down again. "Ruth thinks that your being in that cabin is your way of shoving it in everyone's noses that you're still in charge." He stated, still holding a fixed gaze on her.

Well, that confirmed her theory for her as to where he got his information.

"And you believe her?" Melanie fired back. "This is how you trust me?! You believe the first stupid story you're told about something?"

"I am coming to you for your side of things." He answered her.

Melanie stood facing him for a few minutes, thinking over her options.

Layton swore it was like watching a computer stare you down while it worked out a complicated set of algorithms before handing you it's answer. And he swore she could do it with matching speed. And he didn't have long to wait this time either.

"Well, I suppose there's only one way to solve this then." She replied, and shoving her way past him, she stormed out of the room.

Audrey's words once again echoed back to him.

'Don't let her run.'

"Melanie..." He hurried after her

He quickly followed her out of the smaller room, into the main engine area, and right into the main engine room. He kept pace with her even as he noted the stares they were garnering from the others. He wasn't sure if they had heard the raised voices, but he didn't doubt for a minute not one of them missed the look on both their faces as she stormed out of the room ahead of him.

He quickly tried to adjusted his expression to something more neutral and silently followed her through the hallways, not wanting to elicited anymore gossip than they had likely already initiated in the forward engine room. And one thing he knew for sure, no matter where you were, First, Second, Third, or Tail, nothing entertained the masses quite like some nice, fresh gossip.

Well, he hated being the subject of any form of gossip, good or bad, so he was determined that whatever they needed to work out between them, they could do it best in privacy somewhere else.

Somewhat to his surprise, 'somewhere else' led him directly to her cabin.

Walking into her quarters, he found himself pausing nonetheless. It was only the second time he had been in that particular cabin since she first moved into it. He felt like just being there was somehow a violation of her.

She had never asked him for much. Only one thing really that she had ever requested purely...and perhaps even a little selfishly...for herself.

That cabin.

Whatever made this cabin important to her, she clung to it like a life line. Thought she never gave one indication one way or the other if she was pleased or happy he had allowed her to claim it for her own, there was no doubt she had done just that. Moving her things into it and spending most of her free time there, it seemed to him like it was her private sanctuary. Helped along by the fact it was so well hidden. It was somewhere she could escape. Where for a few simple, safe hours, no one would bother her or interrupt however she chose to spend her free time.

Yes, the cabin meant something very important to her. He just had no idea what. No one treasured something as much as she treasured that space unless there was a purely personal reason attached to it.

But walking into the room now, she stopped suddenly and turned to face him, her expression one of well controlled rage.

"You want to listen to Ruth Wardell? You want to listen to the idle gossip of others and believe the only person who belongs in this cabin is the leader of this train?" She stated, nearly spitting the words at him. "Fine." She added, straightening herself with the force of an iron rod. "I relinquish the cabin to you, then. The true leader of this train."

She paused for barely a second as she forced her usual hospitality smile onto her lips, though it didn't carry one inch into her tone as she gestured to the front area they stood in in an almost haphazardly manner.

"Welcome home, Mr. Layton."