It seemed so long ago, to CB, that he'd been brought back to the trainyard, and been taken in by Poppa and Belle. He'd been happy, for a long time, though he had been plagued by nightmares... But now, things were changing. He'd met Electra, and the electric engine had decided the caboose would be useful.

At the moment, CB was in bed, resting up, after an extremely long freight run. It had been hard, and yet, he'd managed. He'd only been working for three years, on the line that called his yard home. He was now getting ready to move out, and be on his own. He was eighteen, now, and even though he was preparing for the races, he still had to do his share of the work.

The caboose jerked upright, as something hit his window. He looked out, and saw Joule below him. The young dynamite car motioned for him to open the window. He did so, and leaned out.

"What do you want?"

"Electra wants to see you."

"What for?"

"It's about the races."

"Be right down... I have to sneak out..."

"Hurry, CB! Electra's not a locomotive who likes to be kept waiting."

The caboose sighed, as he snuck out the back door. He rolled toward Joule, and suddenly found himself being wrestled to the ground by her fellow components, Krupp and Purse. Purse clamped a hand over the caboose's mouth, as he tried to scream for help.

"Yell, and I'll kill you!" Krupp whispered.

CB felt a gun press against the back of his head, and he knew the armaments car was serious. He did the best thing he could think of. He went limp, and kept silent.

"You guys promised you wouldn't hurt him!" Joule whispered, panic in her eyes.

"Shut up, Joule." Purse growled.

The two male components pulled CB to his wheels, and Krupp held his arms, now bound behind his back, and forced him to roll forward.

"What's Electra want, this time?"

"That's for us to know, and you to find out, cutie." Purse said, pinching the caboose's cheek.

CB jerked against the bonds that held him, screaming curses at the money truck. Krupp kicked his legs out from beneath him, and CB fell to the ground, getting the wind knocked out of him. Krupp glared at the caboose, and kicked him. Purse took the hint, and joined in, kicking at the caboose.

"Purse, Krupp, stop it!" Joule yelled. "You guys promised!"

Joule grabbed Purse's arm, and pulled him back. The money truck jerked free, and backhanded her. She fell, after staggering backward a few feet. She watched, as they continued kicking at the caboose, who was, by now, only semiconscious, and bleeding from gashes on his arms, on his right cheek, and above his left eye.

Krupp gave CB a kick to the stomach. The caboose retched, and barely managed to keep from vomiting. Something in him told him that they deserved just as much as they were doing to him, and worse. He fought it down, struggling to stay in balance, to keep the sanity he'd worked so hard to regain. He managed to force the anger back, and glared up at the two components.

Joule whimpered, as a familiar form helped her up. She stared up at the locomotive she'd been working for since childhood. He'd taken her, and the others in, when nobody else wanted them. In return, they'd become his components. None could function without the others, including him.

"Electra... Make them stop... Please..."

The electric locomotive stared sadly at the handprint on Joule's cheek. His head angrily jerked toward his male components.

"Purse! Krupp! Stop harming the caboose, he's done nothing to harm either of you!"

The two components backed off, not wanting to face Electra's wrath. They glared at the caboose, and watched, as Joule and Volta, the dynamite and freezer trucks, respectively, helped CB to his wheels. The caboose couldn't stand on his own, and could barely lift his head to look at Electra.

As the electric locomotive explained things to the caboose, two of his female components helped the caboose back to the doorstep of the home he shared, with Poppa, Belle, and Rusty.

"So, CB... You'll help me?"

"Only if you'll keep Purse and Krupp away from me."

"It's a deal."

The two shook hands. Electra mussed the caboose's hair.

"Sorry about this, kid... I have to make it look like it was some sort of accident. Anyone finds out, and I'll make sure Purse and Krupp finish the job they started. And that's a promise."

The electric locomotive placed a hand on the back of the caboose's neck. He pulled the caboose forward, and kissed him on the forehead. A blast of electricity went through the caboose, and he screamed. Electra sighed, as CB fell to the ground.

"Volta, Purse, Joule, Krupp... Come... Let's all get back, and see how Wrench is doing on that new axle I need..."

The components turned and left, following Electra. Joule stopped, a moment, and looked at the caboose.

"I'm sorry, CB... I tried to stop them..." she whispered. "I tried..."

"Joule!" Electra called.

"Coming, Electra..."

CB remembered a time when Dinah had said almost the same thing to Poppa. That had been just before he'd run away. It had been before everything bad happened. A tear slipped down the caboose's cheek, before everything went black.