Noah slowly walked around the house, keeping an eye out for the murderer. At the very least, he needed to get to the Police Station.
He heard footsteps, but couldn't identify where they came from.
"I know you're hiding," he said. "I'll tear down this whole house if it means finding you."
But by the time he got to the ground floor, nothing had shown up. It was all very confusing. Surely, somebody would've shown up by now!
"Show yourself, coward! I'm not afraid to take you on!"
There came no reply. Noah suddenly felt unnerved: had the figure left? Was he…alone? Could it be a trap to make him drop his guard? Perhaps the murderer intended to blow the house up with him inside it. The smell of something burning confirmed his suspicion.
He looked around, until he found a stick of dynamite on the floor. Thinking quickly, he poured out a bottle of water he'd found while exploring the house, dousing the fuse.
There were no further incidents when he finally got out of the house. He took a moment to regain his breath, then continued walking. His next stop was the police station. It was going to be a long and slow walk, especially with his still-injured foot.
By the time he arrived there, it was about 2 am, and he was starting to feel tired. He walked into the station, eyes wrinkled and looking like he was about to collapse. Chief Murphy was at the front desk tending to some paperwork and was surprised to see Noah's condition.
"Dear god, Noah! You look like you've not had any sleep!"
"Hard to sleep when the Germans are shelling," said Noah, dragging himself to the desk. "Nevermind that: I got something you need to look at."
"And what would that be?" Chief Murphy asked.
"I encountered the murderer, he jabbed this into my foot."
Noah placed the knife onto the desk. The chief took a look at it.
"What is it you want me to do with it?" he asked.
"Have it searched for fingerprints," Noah replied. "I never got a look at his face, this is all I know of to get the answers we need."
"Noah… I know you just got back…please, take things easy. We'll do what we can, but take a rest for a while: you look like you need it."
"I can't. I must find him. I must kill him! If I don't…" He collapsed into sleep before he could finish. Chief Murphy took a look at the sleeping Noah.
"I told you you needed rest," he said. He had Noah moved to a couch and kept watch over him until he woke up.
"I better call his grandparents. They'll want to know."
Elsewhere, the murderer had walked off into the woods. He was upset when he realised the house hadn't blown up like he had planned. Nonetheless, he knew he couldn't go back: if he did, he would be in prison.
"Why did you choose him, Henrietta? I had more money and could give you more than that peasant ever could! This is all your fault: you wouldn't have died if you had the sense to pick me instead. But don't worry: you'll be reunited with your lover soon enough, I'll make sure of that."
He still remembered how she'd rejected him. How his love had been rejected.
(Flashback)
The man dipped Henrietta and stared into her eyes.
"My beautiful lady. I have something to say to you. When I am with you, you make me…"
"I said no!" Henrietta said firmly. She began trying to push him away. "I've told you before, you're way too old for me!"
"I am but 22! What is a difference of 8 years? Besides, the law doesn't care: as far as they're concerned, you're the right age for me. I love you my dear. With your beauty and my wealth, we'll be the best couple on Sodor. With you as my Duchess…"
"I still said no!" Henrietta snapped. "I'm not int…mmph!" She was cut off as the man forced his lips onto hers. Henrietta stared with wide eyes. She began trying to break free, but the man held her head. In the end, she kneed him, making him break it off.
"How dare you!" she shrieked. "That was my first kiss!"
"That is but the first I want. Tonight, I shall give you all my love. Bonded in body and soul, we shall be together, fore…" A slap to the cheek cut off his sentence.
"I hate you, stay away, or else!" Henrietta shrieked. She began to run away, but the man grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.
"Maybe you don't understand: I am your destiny. We complete each other."
"I don't even know you!" Henrietta snapped.
"Then right now, let's start knowing each other," said the man. Before Henrietta could react, he kissed her again, forcefully, without any semblance of love.
"I have a boyfriend, you creep!" Henrietta snapped when he briefly stopped.
"Yes you do, it's me," the man said. He then went back to kissing her. Before she could attack him, he lifted her up and began carrying her, still kissing her. She panicked, and began trying once more to break free as he began running off. Where to, she didn't know. They soon arrived at a cottage. Henrietta began freaking out even more, wondering how he was able to kiss her for such a long time. He had not stopped the liplock once, and still wasn't stopping as he opened the door and carried her in.
(Flashback ends)
"Yes, that was a beautiful time we had," he said, drooling. "We went on forever. All that kissing made her fall for me. Until that Goddamn shithead Noah came into the picture and stole her away. Now that she's dead, he'll pay too. Then I'll burn both of their graves into ash. It will serve them right for ruining our destiny."
Of course, the man was wrong about everything. Maybe the beating that the normally calm Mr. Brown had inflicted on him affected his brain. The only thing that was true was that he had managed to kiss her for a really long time without stopping, all the way to that cabin. How, nobody knows. But she had never returned it at any point, she escaped from him at the last minute, when he made the mistake of pushing his tongue into her mouth right when he was about to push her onto a bed: she bit it which made him yelp and accidentally drop her. Spotting something near where she had fallen, she threw it at the man, running out when he fell over.
Turns out, she indeed had a boyfriend. Noah, who the man once considered a friend. Unable to accept she didn't love him when he found out, he broke off their friendship and increased his harassment of her, using whatever he could think of to stop Henrietta from getting together with Noah. Until he got imprisoned But now…it was time for revenge.
Dawn had broken by the time Noah woke up. After receiving breakfast, he told Chief Murphy about his encounter.
"Did you manage to catch any glimpse of his face?" asked Chief Murphy when Noah finished.
"I'm afraid not sir," Noah admitted. "His hood covered his entire face, I didn't even get a chance to pull it off. All I know for sure is that his voice seemed familiar. Like I said, he also said something about vengeance."
Noah couldn't help but think about how he'd met Henrietta, back when both were 14.
(Flashback)
She'd been stalked by a creep 8 years her senior. Henrietta had been weak and starving, having been on the run for about a week. Noah stood between her and the stalker, ready to fight if he needed to.
"I'm your only friend, Noah. Stand aside."
"I can find other friends," Noah snarled. "And even if you find a way to prevent that, my family will stand by me."
"I can ruin your life. Ruin your family in every sense. I can also bring you great gifts. Stand aside, and I'll make sure you're rich. Stand aside, and I'll…" Noah kicked him before the man could finish.
"I don't want your bribes, shithead!" he said firmly. "And know this: if I wanted to fight you, I wouldn't have messed up your downstairs. This girl isn't a prize to be won, she's her own special independent woman free to make her own choices. If you can't respect that, you don't deserve her."
"You know well I don't mind being hit, so I don't care you kicked me. You don't understand, this girl is perfect for me, because…"
"Chief Murphy!" a voice called out.
(Flashback ends)
Noah was interrupted from his thoughts as another man entered the room. "We have analysed the fingerprints and found a match," the man continued. "That said, they are confusing."
"What makes you say that?" asked Chief Murphy.
"Well, the fingerprints are those of Johnathan Norramby, but he's supposed to be dead!"
"To be fair, no body was ever found," said Chief Murphy. Noah stared wide-eyed in shock as the two continued to speak. He should've known who it was the moment they met again, the voice did seem familiar. How could he have not put everything together right then-and-there?
"Of course it's him. He tried to do horrible stuff to Henrietta."
Hungrier for revenge than ever before, he began to stand up. The chief noticed it.
"Something you want to say, Noah?" he asked.
"Yes. I'm going to kill him. I'll make Norramby pay for what he did to her."
"No, you won't. You'll stay here. Leave capturing him to us. If he's sentenced to death, I'll make sure the court gives you the honours of performing the execution, you can be as brutal as you want then. Does that sound like a deal?"
Noah thought about this: it did sound like a good deal. Even so, could he really be sure the police would catch him?
"How do I know you'll succeed?" he asked at last. Chief Murphy faltered: it was a good question. How could he guarantee success? If he was able to slip away before, Norramby would surely slip away again.
"And how do you know you would fare any better? Can you answer that?" he finally managed to ask.
"I…I…I don't know!" Noah admitted.
"Then leave it to the police, Noah," said Chief Murphy sternly. "We'll do what we can. I can promise you that at least."
"Alright, fine," said Noah reluctantly.
Secretly, he still wished to find him and kill him himself. And thus, the second the officers were gone, he went into the arsenal, which had been left unlocked.
"Today you'll die, Norramby."
After taking a pistol and around 5 magazines, Noah quietly followed the coppers, making sure to stay out of sight.
The search was fruitless, at least at first. They had gotten dogs to get a scent of Johnathan, but they were having no luck. The bastard was smart enough to avoid cities, not that there were many: Vicarstown was the closest city to the area.
"Search any nearby towns, and order any trains to the mainland cancelled. We cannot let him take the easy way out," Chief Murphy ordered.
The Fat Director agreed to comply with the request.
"It is a matter of safety for our own passengers. I can't have them travelling with the knowledge there's a murderer on the train."
Vicarstown station was closed until the murderer was caught, with Crovan's Gate serving as a temporary terminus. No train was to travel further than that. Not all engines were pleased about this of course. Lily, in particular, grumbled dreadfully.
"Why do we have to leave our comfortable sheds at Vicarstown, and be made to sleep in this cramped place?"
"Didn't you hear about the murderer?" replied Luci. "Vicarstown was closed to make sure he doesn't escape."
"Bullshit! He can still walk or hijack a car, how's closing Vicarstown supposed to stop him?!"
"At least it will prevent him from getting far," Luci pointed out. "Cars can't really travel very fast and it will take days for him to walk to the mainland."
"And what's stopping him from getting onto a boat?" Lily quizzed.
"Tidmouth has been under the protection of the Royal Navy since the war began. They're likely under alert. And before you point it out, so is Kirk Ronan."
"Aren't we losing money by severing the only link between this island and the mainland?"
Everyone gave her an odd look. After some seconds, Lily began to feel uncomfortable.
"What?"
"Do you understand how dangerous this man is, Lily?" asked Edward, very patiently.
"I do."
"Why are you complaining, then?"
"Just because it's necessary doesn't mean I have to like it," she snorted.
"At least you got a shed. I have to sleep on a siding!" complained Thomas.
None of the engines knew that the whole ordeal was to come to an end sooner than later.
Meanwhile, the dogs had managed to track Norramby's scent to a woodland. Chief Murphy waited for a bit as they rested, then called out, "You know, Noah, it's not called stealth when you make lots of noise." Noah stepped out from behind a tree.
"How did you know?" he asked.
"I knew you wouldn't take my orders lying down," Chief Murphy answered. "I had a feeling you would try to follow us when we weren't looking. Not that I blame you: the psycho did kill your girlfriend purely out of jealousy."
"But if you knew, why didn't you stop me?" Noah asked.
"I never planned to stop you," replied Chief Murphy. "But I couldn't tell you to come with us: I wanted to see how far you were willing to go to get your revenge. And now I know: you're willing to disobey orders to bring justice. But now that I know, this is one thing I want you to do, and you must promise to obey me. Do I have your word?"
Noah looked around: the other officers had aimed their guns at and surrounded him. One wrong move would lead to his death. He gave a sigh.
"Fine, I'll listen," he said.
"Good," said Chief Murphy. "Now…" he handed Noah a hunting rifle with a scope attached. "Take this: we're going to lure him into a trap, making him think we're stupid. Once we get his guard down, you, Noah, will shoot him in the leg. Doesn't matter which one, get both if you have to. But don't approach, no matter what, not until you get his legs. And wait until he starts gloating or makes it clear he saw through us, that's the best time to snipe him. Do I make myself clear?"
Noah looked at the Chief and began to smile.
"Crystal, Chief," he said.
"Glad to see you and I are on the same side," replied Chief Murphy, and he brought one of the subordinate officers forward. "Hannigan here was a sniper in the Boer War. He knows more about it than you. Follow Hannigan and do what he says."
"Yes sir."
"Excellent. I want this guy dead too, but I want it to be done in public: nothing against the Norramby Family, but this guy deserves to let the public see him die. Now let's get going."
With that, the officers and Noah went their separate ways: Noah followed Hannigan while the rest went into the forest.
In the centre of the forest, the cops cornered Norramby, who seemed to be more concerned with ranting about something.
"Don't you fucking dare move!" Chief Murphy ordered as they all surrounded him. Norramby looked up.
"It seems that you found me. Not that I care. My objective is nearly complete."
"Not anymore it isn't," said Chief Murphy. "Justice will be served tonight. You either come with us or we make you. And to be truthful, I'm not opposed to either option. You're surrounded anyway, and are only armed with a knife. There's nothing you can do to get past us."
"Is that really what you think?" Norramby scoffed. "Pathetic."
"What the bloody hell are you talking about? Surrounding you isn't pathetic. How can you escape when you're surrounded?"
"By blood. I'll kill you all. I'll do what I must!"
"Do what you must for what? You have nothing to gain."
"You are mistaken. I will regain what is rightfully mine."
"No you won't: nobody returns from the dead," said Chief Murphy.
"On the contrary: there is a way to return from the dead. I know: I discovered it."
"I've had enough of this nonsense," said Chief Murphy. "Fire!"
Norramby began to run, right into a good position for Noah to shoot him. With a busted knee, Norramby fell face first into the ground.
"You're under arrest, son of a bitch," said Chief Murphy, handcuffing him.
"Go ahead: my father, Sir Charles Henry Norramby, will have your neck if you dare touch me. He won't tolerate his son being arrested."
"What makes you think he will?" asked Chief Murphy. "He's currently away serving in the Sodor Regiment on the Front Line. And even if he wasn't, he knows full well you brought shame to the Norramby Family."
"I did no such thing. I only loved…"
"You didn't love anybody, jackass!"
Noah came down and walked over to him.
"You were obsessed with her, not in love, there's a goddamn difference mongrel!" he snapped. "I have half-a-mind to kill you right here, right now, but we'll let the law decide what punishment you deserve."
"I'll break your neck for this one, Noah. THEY CAN'T HOLD JOHNATHAN NORRAMBY!"
The authorities DID hold Johnathan Norramby and gave official thanks to Noah and Chief Murphy. Norramby would be executed a week later, Murphy keeping his word and, using his connections with the law, ensuring Noah was the one who got to perform it. As Noah stood before Norramby with a rifle in his hand, the bastard taunted him for the last time.
"Go ahead, do it. Oh wait, you can't, because you'll end up being like me: a merciless killer who…" A blast to the head interrupted his speech.
"I already am," said Noah. "War has such an effect. See you in hell, bastard."
The corpse was later burned, the ashes sprayed over the island.
"Nightmare's over," said Noah. "We can all rest easy now."
"So it seems, brother," Conan said.