Stephen didn't like the old mine under Ulfstead castle. It gave him bad memories of being trapped in there with no steam.
However he had found the crown while entrapped there and he had made friends with the new steam engines.
The Earl, being a paranoid man who constantly worried about thieves after his many many worldly treasures had asked him and his crew to once again go down into the mine and check for any breaches or secret tunnels that had yet to be found.
He had also asked Percy to accompany him and although Percy was not one for spooky mines, it was one of the few jobs where the two little engines got to work together.
The mine ran deep into the mountain and Stephan suspected that there were parts still unknown even after all their exploring.
This time was different however. When they had gotten to the entrance they had found it changed from the last time they had left it.
Someone had gone in and reboarded up the entrance since the last time Percy and himself had been there.
"What if the thieves are still in there?" Percy said nervously and Stephen frowned.
"The nails on the boards have rusted away slightly, they're new but they're not that new," Stephen said as he approached the entrance. "They've been here for at least a couple months."
The engines' crews began removing the boards and reopening the entrance to the mine with haste before mounting huge lamps on the two engines to see in the almost pitch black.
"I don't want to go in there," Percy whined.
"Chin up Percy, between the both of us we can take on anything," Stephen assured him before steaming into the mines.
Percy stared after him, nervous and frightened before following the little rocket into the darkness.
They searched every inch, every tunnel and every single track but could not find anything out of place. That was until they found a tunnel hidden and blocked by several decrepit old trucks.
It wasn't surprising that they had missed this tunnel in the past as the entrance was awkwardly hidden in a way that you couldn't see it until you were metres from it. And it was even less visible with the trucks in front of it.
The trucks had been moved and shunted, different layers of dust revealing it to be recent. Behind them was a dark and seemingly endless cavern.
"I- I- don't like this," Percy stammered, scared beyond his wits. "We should tell the Earl."
"We should explore more first," Stephen said as he shunted the trucks out of the way.
"But what if there's monsters?" Percy whispered terrified and Stephen laughed.
"No such things as monsters Percy," Stephan said with a kind smile. "Now, you can stay out here but I'm going to investigate."
Percy watched as Stephen trundled into the mysterious tunnel.
Frightened of being alone in the old mine he reluctantly followed the small old engine into the dark tunnel.
For many agonising minutes they travelled silently until they came upon an old and rusted turntable with a huge engine sitting on top of it, draped in white tarpaulins and sandbags.
Percy screamed when he saw the engine not realising what it was and thinking that it was an enormous ghost.
Stephen laughed.
"It's just an engine draped in white sheets Percy," he said, calming the engine down. "A big engine mind you, it looks as big as Gordon!"
"As big as-" Percy suddenly froze, recognising the shape of the engine. "Gordon…."
He trailed off as Stephen and his own crew haphazardly cut the sandbags and pulled the sheets off of the engine.
"No way," Percy gasped in surprise.
"It's Flying Scotsman!" Percy's Fireman cried out in shock. "He was in the Ulfstead mines this entire time!"
Stephen's driver climbed up onto the engines running board and ran his hand over the metal, making trails in the thick dust that had gathered on the engine.
"He's warm," the man said confused.
"But he's been here for 8 months!" Percy Driver said bewildered. "How can he be warm?"
"Is this the famous engine I keep hearing so much about?" Stephen asked. "The one that vanished into thin air?"
"Yes, he disappeared from Tidmouth Sheds one night without a trace after the Museum Director threatened to scrap him," Percy explained. "His crew must have taken him here to keep him safe."
"He's not waking up," Percy's driver said as he checked over the Flying Scotsman's cab.
Percy and Stephen gazed at the Scotsman's face and found it serene and peaceful.
It was odd. Gordon had told them that his brother suffered from night terrors and was a light sleeper.
Percy had seen the Scotsman asleep when going out and returning from the mail train. He always looked stressed in his sleep much like Edward.
Yet here, he was the most peaceful and calm that Percy had ever seen an engine sleep. Not to mention that he was warm as if his firebox was still going and hadn't been cold for 8 months.
"I don't like this," Percy said timidly. "Something doesn't feel right. The way he's sleeping doesn't feel natural."
Stephen didn't say anything but he felt the same way.
"We can't tell Sir Topham or the Earl about this," Stephen's driver said quietly. "Not at least until we know the intentions of whoever's behind this. Sodor could get into deep trouble and be accused of trying to steal the Flying Scotsman."
"I agree," Percy's Driver said. "Sir Topham could lose his job, the other engines here could be in danger if another power seizes control."
"But what about Gordon?" Percy asked. "He's been so depressed and sad for the past 8 months, he at least deserves to know that his brother is safe."
There was a moment of silence.
"Gordon should know," Percy's driver agreed. "But we need to keep this between ourselves. At least until we know what is going on."
Percy stared up at the silent and deathly still face of the Flying Scotsman. He hadn't woken up or even reacted to anything which was extremely unsettling.
He looked like a preserved engine, a ghost, in the dim lights of his lamps. It was upsetting Percy deeply.
Stephen seemed equally as unnerved by the engine's lack of reaction.
"Quiet fellow isn't he?" He commented trying to lighten the mood.
"He's not usually this quiet," Percy said. "He's usually a lot more jovial and outgoing. Think Gordon but with a sense of humour and more sarcastic."
"I've seen engines go silent like this before," Stephen pondered. "Usually they had been stored away for years or sent to the scrapyards awaiting to be broken up. They went into this strange sleep that they would never awake from."
Percy felt even worse now, the fear in his boiler rising as he stared into the still face of the Flying Scotsman.
"The Ulfstead Mines? Are you sure?" Gordon whispered.
"Yes, Stephen and I found him on a disused turntable," Percy said quietly as the two engines sat in the sheds. "He was covered in tarps and sandbags in a tunnel off of the main mining sites."
"Was he alright? Did he speak to you?" Gordon asked desperately.
Percy looked away uncomfortably.
"He didn't wake up when we found him," Percy said and Gordon was concerned.
His brother was a light sleeper. Like himself.
It didn't take much for him to wake up and he would often wake up if he sensed someone near him.
At least he knew where his brother was, it was a bit of relief after months of not knowing anything.
"Thank-you for telling me Percy," Gordon smiled at the little engine. "I appreciate it, I really do."
"Driver says not to tell anyone else," Percy insisted and his driver came out to meet them. "They need to find out if it's safe for the Flying Scotsman to come back but from what he's discovered the previous museum director who caused this is trying to find him and scrap him anyway."
"What!" Gordon was shocked. "But he no longer has power over the railway museum!"
"It's not stopping him from trying to seek out Scotsman and his crew," Percy said frightened. "He has one of the mainland engines who was loyal to him also looking for him."
"It's probably Spencer, he always had a grudge against my brother," Gordon hissed angrily. "Why not tell the Fat Controller?"
"He might accidentally reveal something, the former Director still has connections to the board, he was stealing money from the tours Scotsman went on so he might still have friends there," Percy's driver urged. "We can't let anyone know until we're sure he's been dealt with. Police are on his tail but we still need to be careful."
Gordon was furious. A madman was currently fixated on scrapping his brother. And for such a petty and pathetic reason.
"I'm asking you to stay away from the mines Gordon," Percy's driver begged. "We're working to resolve this and we don't want someone seeing you snooping around there and realising what's going on."
Gordon was conflicted.
He wanted more than anything to see his brother but at the same time he couldn't let some revenge seeking mad person anywhere near him.
"I understand," Gordon said sadly.
"We're going to do our best," Percy's driver said. "But for now we have to know what we're dealing with."
"It's still something good though," Percy said with an encouraging smile. "We know where he is."
Gordon returned Percy's smile.
He was right, it was something and something was better than nothing.
"You're right Percy, thank-you for telling me."
"They're saying Flying Scotsman is on Sodor," Green Arrow said as he backed up to the City of Truro's side as he sat resting in his sheds. Truro opened one of his eyes and gazed at the engine annoyed.
"If you're here to start petty arguments between myself and Scotsman again you can bugger off Arrow," Truro said annoyed.
"I'm just saying what I've heard," Green Arrow said sounding hurt.
"You're known for spreading rumours Arrow, it's unbecoming of a grand engine such as yourself," Truro said and Green Arrow frowned.
"I'm trying to do better Truro," Arrow said with a sulk. "I can confirm that Tornado was invited to take Scotsman's place in the Great Race this year."
"She turned it down," Truro said. "I talked to her, she doesn't want to replace him in any capacity. Even for a race. I suggest you leave her alone. Poor girl has enough to deal with without you being an irritant."
"I had no intentions of talking to a child," Green Arrow scoffed and Truro frowned.
"She acts more mature than you've been acting lately," Truro pointed out. "She wants no part in this ridiculous charade of pomp and circumstance."
"Spencer's not entering the race this year either," Arrow said ignoring Truro's previous statements. "He's going to Sodor. Duchess has him looking for Scotsman. I thought I might put myself forward to compete."
"And you heard about Spencer where?"
"From Spencer himself, sources say Scotsman is hidden on the island," Arrow said with a smirk. "Coward can't hide for long."
"Funny, I associated the word 'coward' with you not with Scotsman," Truro bit back and Arrow glared at him. "Flying Scotsman might be many things but a coward is not one of them. You would do well to hold your tongue Green Arrow. Once Scotsman comes back he may not take kindly to being called a coward."
"What if he never comes back?" Green Arrow sneered and Truro froze.
He glared at the engine.
He knew that Green Arrow held resentment for engines bigger than him, especially those who were famous, but never to the point of malice.
"Watch yourself Green Arrow," Truro warned and the other engine seemed to recoil at the threatening tone. "Flying Scotsman is a good friend of mine."
"Yes well I never meant to wish any ill will on the Flying Scotsman," Green Arrow stammered weakly.
"I had hope not," Truro said coldly. "Don't you have places to be, Green Arrow?"
Green Arrow moved off without another word and City of Truro watched him quietly.
Arrow was an ambitious engine, a bit too big for his buffers and very arrogant and obnoxious at times. Truro had watched him grow bitter and sour over the years and found himself increasingly disliking the once pleasant engine.
He frowned in thought but went back to his nap.
Green Arrow found himself wandering the yards, snapping at the little shunters that had got in his way.
He'd tried to befriend Tornado when she'd been brand new but found himself mocking and bullying her along with the others so he wasn't outcast or bullied.
He knew that she'd upset Tornado deeply with his actions and the young engine had called him a two faced coward thinking that the hospitality he'd shown her had been a cruel trick.
Tornado had clearly told Scotsman about what happened as he found himself suddenly excluded from a lot more of the important duties and Tornado taking over some of his jobs. If Scotsman vouched for an engine they were more likely to gain a higher standing and more important jobs.
It made Green Arrow resent the Flying Scotsman even more.
Maybe it was better if the great green galloping sausage never came back.
