Frozen In Time - Rescue
Part VII - Moving Forward
Frank didn't have to go very far into the engine to find her.
Standing just a few feet past the door to the inner engine core, Melanie stood looking like she was ready to face down even her enigmatic assistant.
"So, are you coming to 'talk me out of this'?" She stated.
Frank calmly approached her as she stood staring him down. "If you'll recall," he said in an even tone, "I was the one advocating for you to go over to Big Alice initially."
"Oh." She stated quietly. "Right."
"And I still feel you are the better candidate for this mission."
"Well, tell that to Layton."
Jackson watched her as she began pacing the small room they were in. Something he knew she did when she was trying to figure out a problem.
"I think a better course of action in this situation might be to circumvent Mr. Layton in this matter." Jackson offered instead.
Melanie instantly stopped her pacing as she turned to him, deciphering his last statement.
"You want me to lie to him?"
"'Lie' is a very harsh word, Ms. Cavill." He explained. "It brings with it so many negative connotations. I prefer...temporarily exclude him from our plans."
"It's still lying, Frank."
The man took a deep breath. "Then I suppose what this matter comes down to is how badly you want to get your daughter off that train...along with your blacksmith. And how many casualties you are willing to accumulate along the way."
Melanie studied the man for a moment. "And your solution to this would be...?"
"Before anyone goes over to Big Alice, we need to know more precisely where your daughter and Hephaestus are being held. Once we have this established, through my contact, I can have someone on Big Alice ready to receive the laundry cart and take it across the border. Once there this person could direct it, under your instructions, to the nearest tunnel doorway. From there you could begin working to get to your daughter and your friend. Once located, you need only get them to a cold lock and be off of Big Alice likely before Mr. Layton even knows you're gone."
"We'll need the trains slowed for that."
"As soon as you are on Big Alice, I will inform Mr. Knox only that we need to implement that part of the plan immediately. My contact can let me know when you are in the cold lock and ready to depart."
Melanie stared up at the man. "That fast?"
"In the vernacular of your blacksmith, Ms. Cavill, we need to strike while the iron is hot. The longer we sit around planning out every last detail the longer Mr. Wilford has to do the same."
Melanie considered the situation. She knew if she went along with Jackson's plan, Layton was going to be more than furious with her. But the pull to get to her daughter was simply stronger.
"All right." She answered him with a small smile. "Let put a plan into action then, Mr. Jackson."
The man gave her a small, gentlemanly nod. "I would advise over the next 12 hours to be as diligent as you can in teaching Ms. Till about the tunnels on Big Alice." He stopped her before she could even protest the suggestion. "It could be extremely useful to have someone on Snowpiercer who knows at least the basics of these tunnels and where they are located. It also will keep Mr. Layton thinking his version of the plan is being worked on."
"You said 12 hours."
"That's how long it should take my contact to get the information we need."
Melanie studied the man for a moment. "Your contact seems awfully...well versed in this sort of work."
"I have, as stated, Ms. Cavill, been in contact with this person for seven years. And several years before the trains even left. We are...quite well acquainted with each others methods. And they are extremely reliable in getting me information when needed."
Melanie crossed her arms in front of her as she continued to study the man. "I'm just wondering, Frank. How many times since you became my assistant have you used this 'contact' to get something done?"
"Since coming into your employment, I have not had a great deal of need for their services. And you understand, 'snooping about' on Big Alice sometimes makes you the center of the wrong sort of attention. I prefer my contact not find themselves in that sort of situation. So I use them as sparingly as possible."
"They sound like someone you care about."
The man seemed to consider his answer before giving it. "As stated, Ms. Cavill, I have known this person for a very long time. Naturally, I would have some connection with them and therefore, do my best to see that they don't come to harm while trying to help me."
"Well," Melanie answered with a slight smile, "if your 'contact' ever wants to come over to Snowpiercer, I can assure you they would be most welcome."
"They seem very settled in their life there. But the offer is appreciated."
"All right. Then I will begin teaching Till whatever I can while you make other preparations."
"I would suggest you spend only part of the twelve hours with Ms. Till." Jackson suggested. "And part of it sleeping. I doubt you'll get much of that on Big Alice."
Melanie gave him a slight nod as she headed out of the engine with Jackson following closely behind.
At the door, Melanie made a line for the table where Till was still standing while Jackson headed out of the engine room and off to get everything in order.
Melanie took her assistant's suggestion to heart and spent 6 of the next twelve hours with Till and six of them sleeping. Thankfully when Layton came to bed, she was already asleep. She wasn't sure she could even face him, knowing what she was about to do.
She knew it wasn't that Layton didn't trust her, or that he was even just being his usual overprotective self. What he had said in the engine room was true. She still was the only person on the train who knew all the systems and how to fix them if something went wrong. Something she was working every day to correct as she trained Bennett and Javiar on the more intricate systems and worked with the apprentices to get them up to speed on as many of the train's working systems as possible.
Being the sole person able to fix the train as a whole wasn't something she was overly comfortable with. And it wasn't a good working plan overall. Multiple people needed to be able to do what she could. And the more, the better.
Early the next morning, Melanie thanked her usual habit of waking up before the sun came up for getting up and dressed. Thankfully, it appeared Layton had come in quite late, since the later he went to bed, the sounder he slept. And the man never so much as opened an eye as she moved about the bedroom and finally out into the cabin. But even if he was awake, he wouldn't have been concerned over her early morning hours. It was a matter of habit that she usually was gone long before he got out of bed.
She managed a quick breakfast before opening the cabin door at the appointed time.
True to his ever punctual habits, Jackson was patiently waiting for her in the corridor, despite the cold that still hung in every corner.
Melanie quickly took in his attire as she closed the door behind her to the cabin. "If this were a regular work day," She commented, indicating his clothing, "I'm afraid I'd have something to say about this, Mr. Jackson."
Instead of his usual pristine uniform that Melanie often swore would make the staunchest hotel liaison manager cry in envy, Jackson was now dressed in a pair of grey overalls and work boots. To complete the look she swore he had even smudged something on his face.
"In my time working in the laundry, before coming into your service, this was the common uniform of the laundry workers. I doubt it has changed much, especially since the laundry is where I acquired this outfit."
"Well, you should have come in and gotten something to eat instead of freezing out here." Melanie whispered as they headed off down the corridor.
"It wasn't a very long wait, Ms. Cavill." He replied. "You were, as usual, perfectly on time."
Several cars and a ride in the subtrain later, Melanie and her assistant placed themselves only a few cars from the border.
"Ms. Wardell was kind enough to make sure she had the shift for the morning." Jackson stated. "So getting over to Big Alice shouldn't be a problem."
"So how will this work exactly?" Melanie asked.
"Well, I believe you are familiar with the laundry services Snowpiercer provides to Big Alice?"
"It allows them to conserve power on their side." Melanie replied. "And it helps keeps relations...pleasant between the trains in a show of good will."
"Exactly. It has also been a bargaining tool for those on Big Alice."
"Bargaining tool?"
"The guards know the laundry and the food carts are one of the biggest pipelines for counterban between the trains. But all they get out of stopping it is...stopping it. Wilford usually confiscates any counterban if it's something worth while. So the guards are sometimes more apt to overlook things if they can, say, 'get a piece of the action'."
"So what is my cart's 'piece of the action'?" Melanie asked.
"Sheets."
"Pardon?"
"Clean sheets. And several blankets thrown in for good measure near the bottom to soften any hits from the poles. If they choose to even use them once they find the blankets. A highly valued commodity on Big Alice I am told."
Just one car up from the border, Jackson helped Melanie situate herself inside the modified cart. Once she was as comfortable as she could make herself, Jackson leaned down for some last minute instructions.
"You won't be in the cart for long. I'll take the cart to the border to make sure it is handed off to the right person. My contact gave me a good description of the person coming to help collect carts. All that needs to be done is to make sure your cart gets to the right person."
"How will I know?"
"If the correct person collects your cart, they'll take it down a corridor separate from where the others will be taking carts. They'll tell anyone asking its a special delivery going to the forward cabins. Once they get in line with the door to the tunnel you indicated, you'll have less than 30 seconds to get out of the cart, open the door, and get into the tunnel."
"How will I know when that is?"
"The person pushing the cart will stop, they'll open the compartment your upper body is in for you from the outside, and then leave the cart to start taking some of the sheets to a storage area. When they come back they will assume you made your escape and continue on with their work as normal."
"And if someone else gets my cart?"
"You'll end up in the laundry sorting room. My advice is stay put until they empty the cart, load it with dirty articles, and send it back to Snowpiercer. Just remember, there are several people on Big Alice aware of this operation, and they are in place to help you if you need it. They'll clearly identify themselves by a numeric code."
"What code?"
"I chose something you would be familiar with. The entry sequence to begin the synchronization program for the forward engine."
Melanie thought for a moment. "5847490."
"Precisely. The difference is, each member of the team was assigned a letter, and they will end the sequence with their letter. A through E. E is the one you will meet at the coldlock. You'll have to get to the one closest to the border."
"So only five people."
"Too many cooks, Ms. Cavill." Jackson answered.
Melanie gave him a slight nod of understanding.
"If you get into any trouble, get to the border as quickly as you can. My next stop is to Mr. Layton to let him know what has happened so he can set up a rescue brigade at the border if it is needed."
Melanie gave him a nervous smile this time. "You're sure that's a good idea?"
"A necessary one." Jackson replied. "He needs to be part of this as quickly as possible to work on Snowpiercer's side to get you all back safely."
"All right. Just...keep a few feet between you when you tell him."
"Of course." Jackson stood back up, leaning over the cart now. "Are you ready then, Ms. Cavill?"
Melanie nodded back to him. Jackson quickly velcroed the seam on the cart shut that hid her upper body.
A few seconds later Melanie could feel the cart start to move.
There was no turning back now.
Pushing the cart down several hallways, Jackson felt the plan was going well. A few people on Snowpiercer had given him odd looks, recognizing him as Melanie's assistant, but wondering why he was working suddenly in the laundry detail. But thankfully none of them were interested enough to interfere and Jackson finally made it to the border.
Where he suddenly stopped after just entering the main car.
Standing at the border, positioned solidly in front of a closed door and looking none to happy, was Layton.
Standing in front of him, looking very nervous about the situation, was Ruth.
"Mr. Jackson...," she stammered slightly, "there...there appears to be a slight change of plans."