Frozen In Time - Rescue

Part II - Meetings

Before trying to decide how best to plan their next move, Layton felt it was crucial to meet with Wilford and see what his plans were.

Arriving ahead of the assigned meeting time, Layton wanted to be sure everyone knew their role. Wilford was likely to come with his own forces in place. And unless something happened that signaled direct aggression on either side, Layton wanted the meeting to remain peaceful. For him, this was nothing more than an information gathering session.

Standing next to him, Layton's Head of Security did a quick appraisal of the area around them and the placement of his own men.

Conspicuously absent from the gathering were Bennett and Melanie, who it was agreed would remain behind as part of Layton's plan. Melanie's absence especially he knew would offset Wilford, distracting him as to where she was or what she may be up to.

Despite Layton's orders for non-aggression, that didn't stop anyone on Snowpiercer's side of the border from tensing up at the solid sound of boots hitting the floor in near perfect rhythm as Wilford's delegation made it's approach.

As he suspected of the man, true to his ever flamboyant nature, Wilford make his appearance flanked by no less than ten of his own security guards.

Favoring the man with a less than sincere smile, Layton offered his opening to the meeting. "Nice of you to be so prompt."

Wilford responded in kind, leaning slightly on his cane as he studied the man on the other side of the border's massive steel door. "From such a kind invitation?"

Layton didn't waste any further pleasantries in getting to his point. "Where is Hes?"

Wilford equally wasted no time in confirming Layton's assessment of how he would view Melanie's absence. Using his cane to gesture to either side of Layton, he gave the man a questioning look. "Where is your...what is she now? Your 'second-in-command'? And...that troublesome little man who thinks he's an engineer."

"Melanie and Bennett are tending to other matters that are of no concern here. So again, where is Hes?"

Wilford returned a genuinely confused look. "Who?"

Layton took a step forward. "Don't play games with me, Wilford. My patience with you is at the breaking point. Where is Hephaestus!?"

Wilford seemed to have already grown bored with the game. "Oh! You're blacksmith."

Layton simply fixed his stare on the man. "A citizen of my train."

"He's perfectly safe." Wilford answered the hard stare with a pleasant smile.

"He had better be."

"Well, I can well understand your concern. Losing such a valuable asset."

"Hephaestus is NOT an asset, Wilford." Layton countered the statement quickly. "He's a citizen of Snowpiercer. Whom you have abducted. As such I am..."

Wilford suddenly pulled up in good impression of genuine surprise. "Abducted!?" He stated with great indignation. "Where do you get your ideas, Mr. Layton?"

Layton paused for a moment. "Meaning?"

"Your blacksmith came over to Big Alice of his own accord. He was not...'abducted'."

Layton gave a small laugh at the man's explanation of the events. " Are you serious? You're record doesn't speak well of how you deal with people you want under your control, Wilford. Alex is..."

"Perfectly safe." Wilford cut him off with a dramatic sigh of irritation. "We've had this discussion already, Mr. Layton. I don't care to revisit it. Alex did something wrong. She needed to be punished. Part of that punishment is that she is not allowed to see mummy right now, or continue going over to Snowpiercer. THAT was a privilege. Taking that privilege away is simply part of her punishment." He stated. "Now, as for your blacksmith, the man expressed an interest in seeing Big Alice, and I graciously allowed him access to my train. In return...he has agreed to do some minor work for me. Much as he does for you in making parts Snowpiercer is in need of."

Reaching behind him, Layton suddenly yanked forward the man who had deserted Wilford's jackboots in the initial attack. The man had wasted no time in finding someone on Snowpiercer to surrender to and tell his story.

"THIS man tells a very different story."

Wilford reacted to the reveal with a deep sneer and equally condescending tone. " And as I am sure you are already well aware, that...man...is a deserter from my train. You would seriously believe anything he has to say?"

Layton kept the man positioned next to him. "The train car he says was where the attack took place was a wreak. I doubt from it's condition Hes went with you're welcoming committee very willingly."

Wilford crossed his hands over his cane head as he stared back at them "A more likely story is that this man wreaked the car himself to put some validity to his tale."

Layton offered a small smile in return. "Well, this is really a simple matter to settle."

Wilford paused for a moment before answering. "And how would that be?"

"Produce Hephaestus." Layton answered. "Show me he is all right. Let me hear from him that he is on Big Alice willingly and we'll drop the matter there."

Wilford gave his characteristic pause when he wasn't about to acquiesce to something. "I'm afraid that won't be possible right now."

"Why?"

Wilford responded with in a tone that practically bordered on a whining tone to show his irritation at answering a question he felt had already had been addressed. "I told you already, the man is doing some vital work for me on Big Alice. It wouldn't be prudent to interrupt that work right now. It could negatively effect both train's if he were to stop in his work."

Layton held his ground. "You said earlier the work he was doing for you was 'minor'."

Wilford didn't offer any answer to the statement right away as he considered the oversight and how best to deal with it.

But Layton equally didn't give him any chance to offer his new revision of the situation. "You have one hour to produce Hepheastus."

Wilford met the stare with indignation and a total lack of concern at the implied threat. "Or what?"

"Or the border closes. No more trade. No more supplies, until Hephaestus and Alex are returned to Snowpiercer."

Wilford gave the man a small smile. "You are far exceeding your authority now, Mr. Layton. Alex is not one of your...'citizens'. She is part of Big Alice's crew."

"And we have reason to believe she is in danger."

Wilford laughed at the statement. "Alex? You seriously believe I would harm that child?"

But Layton was done dealing with the man and his manipulations. He had what he had come for and it was time to end the meeting on his terms. "One hour." Layton reiterated before turning and leaving with Roche.

Still standing on his side of the border, Wilford quickly noted that a large delegation of Layton's own guards stayed behind, each holding some type of weapon as they stood to defend the border.

With a dismissive sigh, he signaled his own men, who turned and followed him as he left, the solid steal door closing behind him.