Operation Forest

"Come on come on, hurry up you lot, I don't have all day!"
If anyone was passing by Arlesdale Station today, they'd find a rather odd scene. A man in a black suit was standing on a cardboard box yelling orders across the yard as three railway flatbeds, full of construction vehicles, were being lifted onto another railway area, except this one was raised up and had smaller engines on it. Edward and Rocky, the crane, had had to make a special journey to do this job and Duck was impatiently waiting for Jack, Alfie, Byron and Patrick to be unloaded so he could get past and collect his passengers. Jock and Frank watched excitedly as Alfie, the last machine, was lifted onto their rails.
"Chop chop!" Duck snapped. Edward and Rocky sighed and prepared to move. The man in the suit, the Foreman, came over to the four.
"I don't think we'll be doing that often. Anyway, there is a road down there for you us to follow." He said and climbed into a rusty old ute the company used and drove off. The four machines followed behind him.
"I can't wait to start on the hotel!" Jack said excitedly.
"Just don't run into any of the small engines trains." Patrick scoffed and Alfie chuckled.
"I had to do that!" Jack growled.
"You could have done it a bit smoother." Alfie laughed.
"Oh leave the poor digger alone." Byron growled. The three other machines exchanged looks.
"You've been rather grumpy ever since that incident in the mine." Jack said.
"I don't want to talk about it." Byron snapped.
"It's alright if you got scared." Patrick chuckled. Byron stopped and turned around and glowered down at the cement mixer.
"I saw something out of the cave. I don't care about you and your snivelling little jokes so just shut your face!" He snarled and turned around. Jack and Alfie stayed there, jaws dropped, as Patrick sobbed and reversed behind the two, cowering. Byron rolled around and continued to think about he had seen in the forest…

Soon the four arrived at the site. They were amazed at the filthy, muddy land with a railway track alongside and trees and overgrown weeds.
"What a picture perfect site!" Jack mumbled and Alfie laughed. All the others were there having come by the road and they quickly joined them. Miss Jenny stood on a step and looked across at the machines and builders.
"We only have a short time period before the summer holiday makers arrive so we must work fast, but do a thorough and efficient job." She boomed. "Today, we will be clearing the area and making preparation of where things will be going. Cedric Berrob will be here in around a fortnight so we must make sure the pool, golf course and car park are well underway by then. So let's get building!" Everyone cheered and the builders hurried off to get briefed. Some tradespeople started to clear weeds and overgrown bushes from the area while the machines stayed put to get their info.
"Ok team, today we'll be smoothing over the course and examining the surrounding area to make sure everything will be safe for your weight and to get yourself familiar with everything and, if possible, everyone." Miss Jenny explained. "So ok, Buster you get to work, the rest of you go and see what you could help with." Everyone raced off. Jack, Alfie, Ned and Oliver were instantly assigned to help dig away rocks and weeds and load them into Max and Monty. Byron was told to wait for some work to come his way.
"If there isn't any thing for me to do, why am I even here?" He huffed.
"You never know what will happen!" The foreman said as he passed by. Byron sighed and looked around at everyone else working. Then, he realised something. If everyone else was working, he doubted anyone would notice if he trundled of for a little while.
Maybe even down to a forest.

The work began to slow down around lunchtime. The men stopped for a break and the machines were left on their own. Shortly before the break finished, Miss Jenny came over.
"Kelly, Max and Monty, you are needed to collect some trees that have blown over." She announced.
"Of course." Kelly boomed. "When shall we head down?"
"Straight after lunch, I'll lead the way." Miss Jenny replied.
"Great, more work." Max huffed.
"Why not use the lorry?" Monty grunted. Isabella glared at them.
"I am more than I lorry thank you very much! Besides, my paint would get dirty." Everyone sighed at this point.
"Ned, you are needed to clear away some rocks over there. Jock is coming to collect them and take them for a train on the Little Western." Miss Jenny continued. Ned beamed with pride: he was going to get a job! The foreman pressed a button on a megaphone which emitted a loud alarm sound to signal the end of lunch. Kelly, Max and Monty headed off with Miss Jenny while Ned moved off.
"What are the rest of us meant to do?" Isabella sighed.
"We could look for work." Nelson suggested. Everyone except for him, Oliver and Byron began to laugh.
"You know what I want to do?" Byron said.
"What is that?" Oliver asked politely.
"Go mope somewhere probably." Patrick scoffed. Byron went to charge forwards but the Foreman rushed over.
"Break it up!" He snapped. "Nelson, you are needed to take Patrick, bricks and men to Ulfstead Road, an accident has caused damage to the bridge and they are needed."
"Certainly sir!" Nelson smiled.
"At least I'm away from him." Patrick said, looking scathingly at Byron and he quickly reversed behind Nelson. The others sat in silence, except for some light discussion, and watched as the two set off. Only a few minutes had passed when they heard a whistle. Jock, the bright yellow small engine, appeared from the trees and bushes with several ballast trucks.
"Hi everyone!" He called out. Everyone smiled at him, but the cocky little engine was intimidated by the large machines he had not seen that often.
"Hi Jock, how are thing?" Jack asked.
"WATCH OUT!" Oliver yelled. They all turned to see Ned swing his body around just as Jock got close. The driver applied the brakes but Jock smashed into Ned's scoop.
"This doesn't feel very nice." Ned moaned. Jock finally stopped, his eyes and mouth open wide.
"Oh my goodness, I am very sorry!" The driver said. The foreman rushed over and expected the damage.
"It looks like you'll be out of work for a few days, and we need a replacement." He sighed.
"I think we should move." Jock said to his driver. The foreman spoke briefly to the driver about calling the Small Controller and then the driver came and prepared Jock the head home.
"I'll call the Tow Truck company." The foreman said. "But we need a new digger! Any of you know where we can find one?" Jack and Alfie gasped and exchanged looks.
"We know where to find one!" Jack cried.
"There is this digger we met, Fredrick." Alfie explained.
"He is going to be scrapped today."
"But we might be able to save him." The foreman was shocked but this and rushed over to them while quickly dialling a number on his cell phone. Oliver, Isabella and Buster watched this but they suddenly noticed that Byron was disappearing off down the road.
"Hey, where are you going?" Buster called as the three began to chase. But the bulldozer ignored them. Isabella huffed and raced forwards and quickly caught up.
"If you don't tell us, we'll tell Miss Jenny." She said in a sing-song voice. Byron looked at her and slowed down.
"I am going to that forest to look for that thing I saw." He explained.
"You can't be serious!" Oliver gasped. "What if you get lost down there?" Byron turned and smiled at him.
"Maybe you'll have to come with me."

Jack and Alfie quickly explained the scenario to the Foreman, who allowed them to go to the scrap yard along Edward's branch line and see if Fredrick was there. The two raced back to Arlesdale and Bear, who was taking scrap there anyway, offered to take them.
"Pretty mighty feat to willingly go into a scrap yard." The mighty diesel chuckled as he rattled down the line, the two machines on a flatbed behind him.
"We need to rescue him!" Jack explained.
"If we don't, his life and our project could both be in jeopardy." Alfie added. After a while, the train went down a different track and onto Edward's branch line and they soon reached the Wellsworth scrap yard.
"Here you guys go." Bear said as he came to a halt. "I'll wait around till you get that digger." Jack and Alfie thanked him before they rolled off on ramps and ventured into the scrap yard. There were piles of scrap metal everywhere and they made jagged shadows on the muddy ground. The two rolled through puddles of oil, grease and filthy water, past smashed cars packed on top of each other and a frame that looked suspiciously like an engine. There were large machines everywhere used to crush cars down into small cubes, and a dark warehouse that Jack and Alfie didn't even want to think about.
"This place is giving me the creeps, are you sure Fredrick would be here?" Jack asked nervously.
"I am certain, this is the main scrap yard on the Island, though I do hope we find him soon!" Alfie whispered back, but then he saw Fredrick up against a fence. He had already become dirty and he looked miserable. "I see him!"
"Finally! Come on, let's collect him and then get out of this place!" Jack said, grinning widely. But just as they moved forwards, three figures moved out from the other side of the pile of scrap: George, Mac and Grudge.
"You two!" George snarled.
"You three!" Jack gasped.
"You lot?!" Fredrick cried, speechless.
"Well this day just got interesting." Mac smirked.

Meanwhile, Kelly, Max and Monty were collecting the trees back near the hotel.
"This is so boring." Max groaned.
"I'd rather be doing nothing." Monty added.
"Oh shut up you two!" Kelly snapped. "While you're waiting for things to get started, why don't you go annoy some woodland creatures." The dump trucks glowered at her but decided to go do something and they rolled away. Miss Jenny saw them moving up the hill and yelled out.
"Get back here you two!" She shouted. "Things are nearly ready."
"That's what you said ten minutes ago." Max mumbled.
"Let's have a race back down." Monty said eagerly.
"What, a few metres?"
"Well, we need to do something."
"Alright, you're on!" Max replied and sped ahead.
"NO FAIR!" Monty boomed and charged forwards into Max's back bumper. The two swirled down the hill and crashed into the side of the mountain next to them. There was a crashing sound as the part of the wall they hit caved in to reveal a deep, dark cave.
"I didn't know there was a cave out here!" Kelly gasped.
"It must have been blocked off, there is probably something wrong with the roof." Miss Jenny replied. "I don't want any of you going down there or there will be big trouble for all of you!" She said, giving a special glance in Max and Monty's direction. Kelly smirked at their crestfallen faces and began to heave the first tree up.

The scene at the scrap yard was very quiet as the Sodor Building Inc team eyed their enemies.
"So…" George said at last. "Why exactly are you here?"
"We want to rescue Fredrick." Jack yelled out instantly. Alfie glared at him and then looked back at the SBI's. Mac let out a booming laugh and looked at the digger.
"You mean that old rust bucket?" He snorted. "I didn't know he'd be useful at anything."
"You three are just imbeciles who don't know a thing!" Jack growled.
"We're not impufiles!" Grudge snapped back. George rolled his eyes and moved forwards.
"I am giving you two ten seconds to move before me and my friends here take you into the warehouse and turn you into a desk weight!" The steamroller roared furiously.
"We are staying put!" Alfie said, and raised his scoop in defence. Unbeknownst to the others, Fredrick had moved quietly and as fast as possible behind some scrap and was moving behind the SBI's.
"All right them." Mac grumbled. "Time for a true fight." As the three rolled forwards, Alfie swung around and pushed Jack backwards with his arm.
"What are you doing? Jack groaned. But his question was answered a second later as the pile of scrap next to them tumbled over and crashed down over George and Mac. Fredrick stood behind the carnage, scoop raised high and he laughed croakily.
"Take that!" He chuckled before looking at Jack and Alfie through his large glasses. "Thanks for coming, I'd love to join your team."
"Great, than let's leave!" Jack called and the three rushed for the exit.
"Don't worry guys, I'll free you." Grudge said dopily and began to clear away some of the scrap.
"HURRY UP!" Mac roared and began to shake around.
"Bear, get ready to go!" Alfie yelled. Bear had started to doze off after shunting his trucks and collecting two flatbeds. The guard dropped down the ramps as Bear's driver started him up. Fredrick rolled onto his and Jack and Alfie onto theirs. The driver and guard quickly tied them on and moved the ramps just as George and Grudge burst from their steel confinements. Mac sped forwards but skidded on an oily patch and crashed into several stacked up cars. They all fell over and blocked the path as Bear took the machines back to the construction site.

The rubble from the cave-in had been cleared away and the forest was back to it's usual peaceful self.
Except for the four machines driving around.
"I hate forests, there so icky and green!" Isabella huffed.
"What do you expect them to be?" Buster grumbled as he dragged slowly behind them. Byron let out a chuckle as he continued on, his blade making a clear path for them. He was moving with surprising speed and Oliver struggled to catch up.
"We haven't found anything yet Byron, why don't we just head back before people begin to wonder where we are." The excavator suggested. Byron let out a sigh and looked at his friend.
"I need to get closure; I must see what's out here!" He replied.
"But this has gotten a bit out of hand!"
"I don't really care."
"But we're lost!"
"I DON'T CARE!" Byron shouted and birds erupted from the tree tops, soaring high into the sky and leaving the tense scene behind
"Wow, calm down." Isabella grunted.
"I agree with Oliver, I should never have come." Buster huffed.
"Fine, leave then." Byron growled and the bulldozer burst through a clearing and arrived into a familiar surrounding.
"Now Byron, wait a minute-" Oliver called, but Byron turned around with a grin on his face.
"This is where I saw it, look!" He exclaimed and Oliver, Isabella and Buster could see the gaping hole in the hill that represented where this incident had started from.
"So… so… so there is a dead body here?" Isabella spluttered.
"Yeah, let's look for it." Byron said excitedly.
"Umm… I think I'll leave that up to you guys." Buster said and quickly reversed. Suddenly, there was a loud squelching sound and they all looked. Buster gulped at looked at them.
"Please tell me that I didn't just run over it…."

Midnight, London
After a long day of drawing and planning, the only thing Cedric Berrob liked to do was to sit in the leather armchair of his penthouse apartment and stare into the electric fire. His shining leather shoes alongside and he had taken off his the black jacket of his suit but left the grey tie on. He poured himself a glass of French red wine and placed the bottle on the side table next to him, along with his half moon reading glasses and one of the many crime novels he was addicted to. Cedric was a man who had a set plan for the day, week, month and year and made sure he sticked to it. He wore the same sort of suit and tie each day, had the same food, went to work for the same amount of hours, watched the news and one of his favourite crime shows, read the same amount of pages of a book for the same amount of time and stared into the fire for half an hour before getting ready to sleep. Suddenly, a knock at the door interrupted his plan.
"Enter." Cedric said, but he continued to stare into the flames. One of the men who had delivered the art folder on the rooftop many weeks ago entered, this time typing into a blackberry and holding a fax in his hands.
"Look at this." He said and went to pass the paper over to Cedric who ignored him.
"You know that the only thing I read at night is my crime novels Jacob." The man replied. Jacob sighed and started to read.
"URGENT: One of the bodies has been found by the machines. Autopsy being performed to determine which one it is. Will search for the piece tonight." He finished reading and looked at Cedric who had once again not shown any added emotion.
"Well that is very interesting, I knew those machines would come in handy. Don't bother me until you have the identification and the piece." Jacob nodded and walked away, his eyes rolling. Cedric smirked up and stayed there, his mind racing slightly. He was bothered and got up and went to bed a minute earlier.
There is always a time for change.