Narrator: By now, Thomas still had not arrived at Bridlington, and his coal bunker and water tanks were nearly empty.

Thomas: Oh dear. Have we really been traveling for that long?

Troublesome Trucks: Yes. Yes we have.

Troublesome Trucks: And the sun's about to go down.

Troublesome Trucks: Does that mean we'll be out here all night?

Troublesome Trucks: I hope not. I need my beauty sleep. (Thomas sighs, then spots something ahead)

Thomas: Hey, wait. There are lights ahead. Where there are lights, there's often a building. That could be the yard right there.

Troublesome Trucks: And if it's not?

Thomas: Well, then, we can see if they have any coal and water to spare, then ask for help and keep on going.

Troublesome Trucks: Or find another engine.

Troublesome Trucks: Yeah, one with a sense of direction. (as trucks giggle, Thomas ignores them, then gasps as they approach the building's entrance. Trucks gasp, too, when they see it.)

Troublesome Trucks: Thomas, I have a feeling we're not on Sodor anymore.

Troublesome Trucks: Ah, what's with you? It's not like we've gone over a rainbow or something.

Thomas: Shh! (eyes buildings and layout) Wow. Would you look at that? James must be so jealous right now! (voices are heard from within the building, surprising Thomas.)

Hurricane: Hello?

Frankie: Who's out there? (they emerge from the shadows) Oh, good day, little tank engine.

Thomas: Hello to you. Sorry if I came in without asking. The doors were open, and…

Frankie: Oh, nothing to it. We love visitors. We don't get enough of them these days.

Hurricane: So, new friend, what's your name?

Thomas: Oh. I'm Thomas.

Frankie: Well, I'm Frankie. It's a pleasure to see you.

Hurricane: And I'm called Hurricane. You know, like a storm! (imitates sound of blowing wind and rain)

Frankie: We're in charge of running this Steelworks.

Thomas: This is a Steelworks?

Hurricane: Oh, yes. We say it's the Hottest Place you've ever seen. No but seriously, if you can't take the heat, you don't belong here. (Frankie clears her throat and eyes Hurricane.) Not that I'd ever judge what an engine can or cannot do. (chuckles)

Frankie: Do you know what happens in a Steelworks?

Thomas: Uh, I think it's where things get melted down and used again.

Frankie: Very good. You hit the nail on the head. Though 'round here, it's usually just melting and dumping.

Hurricane: So, what brings you here, Thomas?

Thomas: Oh. I'm on my way to the goods yard at Bridlington and I was wondering if this place has a coal bunker? And a water tower?

Hurricane: Oh, sure. We're well stocked in those departments.

Frankie: You say you're headed for Bridlington? We've made a few deliveries there before.

Thomas: Really? Great. I need directions there anyway.

Frankie: I've got a better idea. Why don't you uncouple yourself, go get refueled and then have a nice rest for the night, while we take care of your trucks for you? (Frankie coerces Thomas into a siding for the trucks.)

Thomas: You mean you want to deliver them?

Hurricane: Sure, why not? It's the least we can do. Besides, you look exhausted.

Thomas: I do? (trucks are uncoupled)

Frankie: Oh, more than you know. Now, come on in and relax. (Thomas suddenly notices music playing)

Thomas: Hey, is that music?

Hurricane: Oh, yes. Working to a song always makes the work go by faster. And happier.

Frankie: And we think a nice hot tune is perfect for the hottest place in town!

Hurricane: (chuckling) Ha! You said it!

Frankie: (singing)

I don't know where you thought you were going

But here you are (Frankie)

I don't know what you thought you were doing

But you've come so far (Hurricane)

This is the place you were meant to be being

These are the sights you were meant to be seeing (F)

We'll lift your thermostat up a degree or two (H)

And we're guaranteeing that you'll be agreeing it's true (Both) (Hurricane: Woo!)

This is the Hottest Place in Town

We'll warm you up when you're feeling down

We'll make a smile out of every frown (B)

Just take a look around at all the joy we've found (H)

This is a place you can have some fun

Where you can feel like a number 1

We've got more sunshine than the sun (B)

There's a light in our eyes, we simply can't disguise (F)

This is the Hottest Place in Town (B) (Hurricane: Yeah!)

Come in and come along for the riding

Shunting lovely ladle trucks up the sidings (B)

Rails so smooth that you'll be gliding along (F)

And before you know it you'll be joining us in our song (H)

This is the Hottest Place in Town (Hurricane: Woo!)

No other like it anywhere around

You'll be a king and you'll wear a crown (B)

What we're trying to say is that we hope you'll stay (H)

This is the place you can shine like gold

Our jobs are cool, but we're never cold

We really think you can fit the mold (B)

You'll be part of a team; you'll be living the dream (F)

This is the Hottest Place in Town (B)

Come in and come along for the riding

Shunting lovely ladle trucks up the sidings (B)

Rails so smooth that you'll be gliding along (F)

And before you know it you'll be joining us in our song (H)

This is the Hottest Place in Town (Frankie: Yeah!) (Hurricane: You know it!)

You'll warm me up when I'm feeling down

You'll make a smile out of every frown (Thomas) (F: You've got it!)

You know you're keeping it real when you're working with steel (H)

This is a place I can have some fun (Hurricane: Go for it, Thomas!) (Frankie: Woo!)

Where I can feel like a number One

I've got more sunshine than the sun (Thomas) (Hurricane: You're number one!) (Frankie: Yeah!)

There's no looking back now, you're on the right track now (F)

This is the Hottest Place in Town (All) (song ends on all three chuckling)

Thomas: I must say, you two know how to welcome an engine.

Hurricane: We do our best.

Frankie: So does that mean you'll stick around for the night? I mean, the moon is already out.

Thomas: Oh. Well, I think my wheels could use a rest after my journey. It took longer than I thought.

Frankie: Excellent. Hurricane will show you to your shed.

Hurricane: Certainly. Right this way, Thomas.

Thomas: Thanks. Night, Frankie.

Frankie: Good night to you, little engine.

Narrator: As the tank engines headed off toward the sheds, Frankie chuckled to herself and smirked.

Frankie: This one will do anything I say. I think he's a keeper. (chuckles again)

Narrator: Toby the Tram Engine was on his way to Tidmouth Sheds, to sleep with his friends.

Toby: Ah, here we are. How I've missed the old place. Very different from Arlesdale End.

Narrator: The others were surprised to see him.

Percy: Toby! Fancy seeing you here.

Toby: Well, I dropped by the Steamworks to check on Henry, and he said I could have his berth until he's mended.

Emily: How's Henry doing?

Toby: Last time I checked, he was all right. He doesn't really like sleeping from the hoist, though. He told me he likes being in the sheds when they're all full. (Toby turns round on turntable, backs into Henry's berth)

Emily: Well, they're not exactly full yet. Thomas isn't here.

Percy: Yes. Did you see him anywhere on your travels, Toby?

Toby: 'Fraid not. Does he have an evening job?

Edward: Not that we know of. And James is missing, too.

Toby: Well, I didn't see him either.

Gordon: (groaning) If I had to guess, I'd say he's gone to find someplace where he can look at his paintwork all evening.

Percy: I don't know. I…I'm worried.

Emily: I know the feeling. One engine missing is no big deal, but two? That's too many for my liking.

Gordon: Oh, enough of this. They'll come back; they always do. Anyway, it is better that they keep other engines awake than us!

Percy: Gordon, if our friends are missing, than it's our job to find them.

Gordon: If they are missing, Percy, we shouldn't go looking for them until we know why they're missing.

Edward: He has a point, Percy.

Percy: I know, but…I can't help how I feel.

Narrator: That feeling started to spread to all the engines. They knew they would not sleep well that night. Meanwhile, a certain red tender engine was determined not to sleep that night…

James: Mainland, here I come! And when I find Thomas, I'll make him eat his smokebox out! (chuckles)

Narrator: The next morning, at the Steelworks… (close up on Thomas sleeping soundly, then a loud horn is heard)

Thomas: (startled) OH! Whoa! What the…?

Frankie: Wakey-wakey, little tank engine. (Hurricane comes up from behind, gives Thomas a push)

Hurricane: Time for you to start work.

Thomas: (yawning) Give me a chance to wake up first. My fire takes a while to…wait, what work?

Frankie: Well, since we delivered your goods to Bridlington last night, it seems only fair that you help us with some work here.

Thomas: Oh. Well, I suppose I do have time before I return to Sodor.

Frankie: How kind of you. Now, there's a lot of slag that needs to be loaded up and taken out to the heaps. You'll dump your load and then return for another one, and so on.

Hurricane: Mind you with the trucks, though. They can get pretty heavy.

Thomas: I see. Well, at least they probably won't play any tricks on me.

Hurricane: (chuckles) Definitely. Anyone who plays tricks around here gets severely punished.

Frankie: Ahem. Don't scare the little one, Hurricane. We want him to enjoy his stay here.

Hurricane: (slightly sighs) I suppose so. Just having a good laugh, that's all. (Thomas heads for slag trucks)

Thomas: Oh, I understand. There are plenty of cheeky characters back on Sodor. I'm used to it.

Frankie: (chuckles) Good for you. Isn't he so clever, Hurricane?

Hurricane: Very much so. (they share a laugh and leave Thomas to do his work.)

Narrator: The trucks were heavy. Thomas often found himself red-in-the-face before he managed to get them moving. But once they were, everything else seemed to be free-steaming. The trip to the slag heaps wasn't very far, and Thomas coped well, surprisingly quickly. He watched as the slag was disposed of.

Thomas: (singing) This is the Hottest Place in Town. You'll warm me up when I'm feeling down. This is the… (stops, sees slag pouring out.) Wow. Dare I say it, cinders and ashes! (chuckles) (Nearby, Hurricane and Frankie laugh too)

Hurricane: (to Thomas) Great job, Thomas! Keep going!

Frankie: He is a hard worker, isn't he? If he keeps this up, he might become my favorite new engine!

Hurricane: Mine too. (has a thought) Oh, hold up. His island. That place called Sodor. If he doesn't make it back, they might send someone to look for him.

Frankie: So what if they do? We'll just tell them the truth, lead them back here, and then…well, we do it like we always do, right partner?

Hurricane: (hesitantly) Uh, yes, uh. Right, partner. (chuckles nervously) Well, I'll go check the schedule and see whether or not we've missed anything. (reverses away)

Frankie: Excellent idea. (to herself) Great way to make yourself useful. (smirks)

Narrator: Meanwhile, some ways away, James had spent the entire night on the Mainland looking for Thomas. But he had gotten so tired that he was beginning to lose his sense of direction.

James: (yawning) Wh-what's this place? Driver, is this the right route?

J's Driver: Eh, I have no clue. It's hard to see where you're going in the dark, you know.

James: (sarcastically) Oh, perfect. What a place to get lost in.

Narrator: He couldn't know it, but he was taking the exact same track that Thomas had been on when he got lost.

James: (yawning) What kind of line is this? Who would think to put a line in a thick forest where no one can see anything? (he closes in on the old signal box and branch line, a voice echoes through the air.)

Merlin: Hello. Have you come to hide here, too?

James: Aah! This place is haunted! I'm out of here! (he speeds away quickly. Merlin approaches from his hiding place, eyes clenched shut.)

Merlin: Invisibility off! (steam encases him, he opens his eyes. Sees no one near him.) Hello. Anyone? Oh. I thought somebody was puffing hereabouts. Someone screamed, that's for sure. Hmm.

Narrator: Back on Sodor, Sir Topham Hatt was about to get a surprise of his own. (inside office, TFC is looking over his map of the railway, complete with model engines, sips a cup of tea.)

STH: Hmm. Wonder what's up with James today. Oh, better yet. Where's Thomas? Surely it didn't take that long to deliver those trucks. Probably had to stay the night on the Mainland. Oh, that means I'll have to rearrange the…(the phone rings. He answers it.) Hello? Northwestern Railway, Sir Topham Hatt speaking. (goes on to have a conversation with receiver on other end of the phone.) Ah, yes. How are you, sir? (…) The goods train arrived safely, then? Excellent. I'll be sure to give Thomas your seal of approval when he gets back. (…) What? A tank engine with 10 wheels, and a little blue diesel shunter? (…) No. I don't have any engine with those descriptions. There should have been a little blue tank engine, numbered #1. (…) Yes, of course. I wish to have this cleared up as soon as possible, too. (…) I'll see what I can do. Thank you so much for calling. (…) Goodbye. (hangs phone up.) Oh dear. How many headaches does a controller need? (takes another sip of tea, engines stir outside.)

Narrator: Unknown to him, there was a little red tank engine who overhead the phone call. (station announcer comes in over the P.A. system: "Now arriving at Platform 5…")

Rosie: Uh oh. Doesn't sound like Thomas made the delivery. (Percy pulls in on platform next to hers.)

Percy: What, Rosie? (she is startled a bit) What's that about Thomas?

Rosie: Um…Percy, can you keep a secret?

Percy: Uh, it usually depends. But if it's about Thomas, definitely.

Rosie: Well, Thomas took James' train to the Mainland.

Percy: (starts shouting) He di…(realizes his volume levels, whispers) He did what?

Rosie: I helped put the train together, and I gave it to Thomas. He and I thought it would be fun to prank James.

Percy: But…he hasn't come back.

Rosie: I know. I overheard Sir Topham Hatt on the phone, and I think Thomas is in trouble.

Percy: If he took James' train, than James probably went to look for him.

Rosie: James is missing, too?

Percy: Yes. He and Thomas weren't at Tidmouth Sheds last night.

Rosie: Oh, mercy me. What we are going to do? (Percy contemplates a moment.)

Percy: I've got an idea. Thanks for the help, Rosie. (puffs quickly away)

Rosie: Uh, my pleasure, Percy, I suppose. (hears thunder from above) Oh, that doesn't sound good.

Author's Note: So, just a quick recap, Thomas has found the Steelworks, and met Hurricane and Frankie. Those two seem to have a hidden agenda. Meanwhile, James has abandoned his work to go to the Mainland and look for Thomas. He even ran into Merlin, unexpectedly. Finally, Rosie has told Percy about what happened between Thomas and James, leading Percy to act quickly. Talk about a lot of action in one chapter!

While a lot of this one is similar to what was done in canon, there are three primary differences. One, I tried to move the pacing along by changing some of the scenes and dialogue between Thomas, Hurricane and Frankie. Two, since Merlin won't be appearing for another chapter or two, I didn't want to leave him completely out of the story, so I added an extra bit of James getting lost and meeting Merlin briefly, though he did not stay for a chat! Thirdly, since James has already headed for the Mainland, it begs the question of what would happen if the Fat Controller and/or the other engines found out what happened to Thomas. And James, for that matter. After all, your actions have consequences.

Speaking of which, Thomas' actions will have very serious consequences for him. What does he do? Find out in the next chapter!