ICEBREAKER

Part XVII - A Meeting In Moscow

"Mr. Knox!"

A loud banging on his cabin door had Bennett practically falling out of his bunk.

Quickly pulling on a shirt, he opened the door to an excited looking young man.

"What is it, Mr. Lares?" He quickly asked the senior engineer standing in his doorway.

"Mr. Jacobs...Hes... sent me to get you. He said you're needed in the Engine Room right away."

Bennett didn't asked any questions, but simply followed the young man the short distance from his own cabin back to the engine room.

He expected to find the place a hive of excited activity based on his own apprentice. But on entering the engine room, he stopped in surprise as he looked around.

Hes was standing at the helm with Javi sitting in the chair next to him. Behind them the apprentices were all going about their assigned tasks with their usual model efficiency.

Giving the scene a skeptical look, Bennett walked over to the helm.

"Mr. Lares nearly took down my door coming to wake me up." He stated, meeting the blacksmith's unconcerned stare. "I expected at least a small fire."

Hes' look changed to a please smile as he turned to the man. "Nay. Go to forge if looking for fire. However...," he added, pointing to the area map on the console, "...be thinking might find this a bit more interesting first."

They had been traveling steadily for the past two days and were now within 25 miles from Moscow.

Looking at the map, Bennett quickly noted the red dot on the map that showed their own location. The dot steadily moving ever closer to the city.

But what caught his attention almost as quickly was a second red dot that had just come onto the scanning map, Heading on an intersecting course with theirs at Moscow.

"Mr. de La Torre has already confirmed the object is moving at a constant speed. Traveling on the same back track Ms. Cavill and Mr. Layton would be on."

Bennett tried to temper down his hope. "It's not a Track Scaler?" He asked, though to him even that would represent cause for optimism.

But Hes shook his head even as Javi turned to them from his helm chair. "It's far too large to be a Track Scaler." He replied. "But it does fit nearly the exact same dimensions of the object Melanie and Layton went to investigate."

Bennett looked out the front window in almost a sense of awe. "She got it running." He whispered. "That's Icebreaker."

Javi gave the man a wider smile this time. "That's the only explanation we have." He replied. "The object has to be the third engine. Icebreaker."

Bennett quickly slid into the other helm chair. "How far are we from the juncture, Javi?"

"Under an hour."

"If their speed remains constant, when will they arrive there?"

The Third Engineer's words echoed the look on his face. "A half hour after we pass."

"Does not sound like good plan." Hes commented. "Half hour after Snowpiercer passes, all cars may not have cleared juncture. Do not know if Ms. Cavill can slow train. Both could be injured, unable to control train's speed and course. Need better plan." Hes commented, turning to Bennett. "Can slow Snowpiercer? Make it so it arrives at the juncture after Icebreaker?"

Bennett quickly glanced up at the readings on several screens, then turned back to the man with a brief nod.

"Prepare to cut speed." Hes ordered, then turned to Bennett. "Will need to contact Eliah on Big Alice. Let her know what is happening."

Bennett quickly picked up the phone and relayed the instructions to Big Alice's Second Engineer.

As soon as he hung up the phone, he turned back to Hes. "What about Wilford? He'll feel the trains slowing."

A smile crept over the metallurgist's face. "Leave snake to me. Will handle him just fine." Hes replied as he turned to leave the engine room. "Mr. Knox will have the train." He ordered.

Thirty minutes later Frank Jackson sat in his cabin, the small cube, twin to the one Melanie had with her, sat in the palm of his hand as he stared at it. He had been in the engine room when Bennett had come in, and stood quietly in the background as he listened to the three men talk. Returning to his own cabin, he now sat patiently watching the cube to see if Melanie would take the action he suspected. The one he had trained her so well to adhere to in just such a situation.

Suddenly the little cube came to life, though Jackson gave no more of a startled reaction to it's sudden activity than to allow a small smile to cross his lips as he watched it flash out it's message.

As soon as the message finished, Jackson got to his feet as he placed the cube back in his pocket.

"Well, done, Ms. Cavill." He commented as he headed for the engine room.

A short while later Jackson, Hes, Javi, and Bennett were all standing around the table in the counsel room.

"You're sure the message was from her?!" Bennett asked, unable to keep the hope and anxiety out of his tone.

"Ms. Cavill and I use a specific code to communicate. Much as Eliah and I do. And neither knows the others code. The only person who could have sent that message was Ms. Cavill."

"And she verified they are on Icebreaker?"

Jackson gave a short nod. "Just as you indicated earlier, Mr. Knox, she verified the train's core was stable and working. She stated she and Mr. Layton had been running the train in reverse for the past two days down the side track here." Frank traced a line over the map on the table in front of them. "She stated they should make the juncture in a time frame much as Mr. de La Torre indicated." Frank pointed to the map again. "They will be coming to the juncture in reverse, and we will need to open the switch so Icebreaker can get back onto the main line. Once it is on the main line, we will then close the switch again and they will proceed forward so that Icebreaker is in front of the other two trains."

Bennett quickly turned back to the other man. "What is her plan to get them back on Snowpiercer?" He asked.

A small smile came to the man's lips "Ms. Cavill made some mention of 'docking'."

A short time later, Hes was making his way down to the brig area.

A small smile was already on his lips as he anticipated the encounter. He had met plenty of people in his lifetime like Joseph Wilford. Arrogant, greedy, and narcissistic, but with just enough humanity left in them to care for other people, but only in so much as what they could do for him.

He never quite understood why Wilford hated or feared Melanie Cavill so much. Nor did he much care. That was their affair.

For him, he simply found the man interesting. A verbal sparing partner he enjoyed engaging with.

He knew Wilford had started out as most did, seeing him as some slow-witted metallurgist savant. But he also knew Wilford had seen past the facade quickly enough to now be on guard with him whenever they spoke.

To Hes, this simply made the man all the more entertaining and more of a challenge whenever they met. As they were about to do again.

And this was a pleasure Hes wanted for himself alone.

Wilford was already at the cell door by the time Hes arrived.

"What's happening?" He asked in an irritated sounding tone. "Why have we slowed down?"

"Making re-connection from days of old." The blacksmith answered him with a small, but pleased smile.

Wilford stared at the man, trying to figure out what the cryptic words meant.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Meeting old friend from past." Hes replied. "But do not think will enjoy reunion."

Wilford had enough of Hes' game already. "What are you talking about!?" He all but shouted at the metallurgist. "What old friend?"

"Am told made another engine." Hes answered him. "Engine had a name."

Wilford stared back at him as understanding dawned on him. "Icebreaker."

"Aye. Are close to Moscow. Where tracks meet again. Third engine is on back track, also heading towards juncture."

Wilford shook his head. "No. That's...that's not possible."

Hes smiled at him through the wired bars. "Then is VERY large snowball running down track."

"That train was destroyed!" Wilford stated. "I made..." But he stopped suddenly, realizing his near mistake. "So...so Melanie...she's alive then?"

"Aye. Both she and Mr. Layton report so."

"And...and she's driving Icebreaker...here?"

"Aye. First good news have had in days."

Wilford shook his head slowly. "No. No, that is not good news, my dear Mr. Jacob. That is not good news at all. You see, I tried to make Melanie understand that train was unstable. Not to try and reactivate the nuclear core. If your wise, you will not allow that engine anywhere near Snowpiercer or Big Alice. It's simply too dangerous."

"Have spoken to Mr. Knox. Does not share your concerns."

"Mr. Knox is...is little more than a second rate engineer!"

"With background in Nuclear Engineering." Hes cut him off quickly. "Explained background quite thoroughly. Trust him more than trust you on this matter. Will meet Icebreaker at Moscow juncture. No worries.

"Well, you should have some." Wilford replied.

Hes set himself at the door to the cell. "Like what?"

Wilford returned the man's stare past a small smile. "What about your position, Hephaestus?"

"Position fine."

"Really? Then what is going to happen if Ms. Cavill and Mr. Layton come back on board this train? What happens to Hephaestus then?"

"Go back to forge." Came the same blunt answer.

"You fool!" Wilford stated firmly. "Don't you understand! This is a LAST chance to have everything you ever wanted. You can still take control of this train! Secure your position as it's leader once and for all. With no worries about what will happen to those other two. They'll have their own train now. Perfectly sustainable! You can be the leader of Snowpiercer!"

Hes stepped up closer to the door. "Never listened." He stated, still smiling at the man through the wired bars. "Do not want to be leader. Only want forge."

Wilford met him on his side of the door until little more than the wired bars separated them. "Then let me out! I can lead both trains and you can stay in your forge for the rest of your life. Happily playing with your metals. Making parts for the trains."

"Not that foolish." Hes answered him. "Already aware of how your promises go. All fine as long as all do what you want. Not comply...," Hes added, holding up his scarred hand again, "...then show true self."

"That...," Wilford stated with emphasis, "...was a...'misunderstanding', my good man. We didn't know each other at all then. But you and I, Mr. Jacobs, we understand each other better now. We each know what the other wants."

Hes shook his head. "Know nothing." He replied.

Wilford pressed himself closer to the door's wired bars. "But I do know you, Hes." He stated. "You spent nearly seven years in the Tail under Melanie's tyrannical rule. Or have you forgotten those years so easily? How she starved you? Left you in the cold with barely enough to survive? How you had to trade and barter for every little scrap of food? Did you forget those times, Hephaestus? How many scares do you have from all the accidents you had, working over that piecemeal forge you had in the Tail? How many scares did Ms. Cavill give you?"

Hes shook his head slowly at the man. "Are fool." He stated quietly. "Have train. Have people, mostly loyal, hard working. Have pesky little Second Engineer, most loyal of all. Have working society. Proper trade. Life is good for you." Hes said, then shook his head again. "But still not satisfied. Still want more. Want all." He added with a harder tone.

Wilford slammed a hand into the door's wired bars, causing the guards to turn suddenly, but Hes raised a hand to hold them in their places.

"Because she STOLE this train from me!" Wilford yelled at the man through the wired bars. "I built this train! I paid for it with my own years. MY dream built this train! She has NO right to it!"

Hes stared back at the man with a calm expression. "Then what right would Hes have to train?" He asked.

Wilford simply stared back at the man, trying to think of what to say. But Hes spoke first.

"Already disprove words of trust and friendship."

"But that's not how it would be between us, Hes." Wilford tried again. "We're friends. We understand each other."

"Not friends." Hes answered him in the same flat, solid tone. "Adversaries." He amended the word. "Adversaries in ideas. Adversaries for power."

Wilford gave a small laugh. "But you see, I do know you, Hephaestus. You do want power."

A shake of the man head answered Wilford again. "Nay. Want proper person in power. Fighting to put her there."

"But Melanie isn't in power, is she?" Wilford stated. "That bothersome Mr. Layton is." Wilford suddenly saw a new angle. "But we can work together, Hes. You want Melanie in power again? I would certain take her over Mr. Layton. Why, you and Ms. Cavill could run the train together."

Hes shook his head once more. "Need to stop talking now." He stated. "Have stopped making sense. Only came to give message anyway."

Wilford gave him a confused look. "Message? What message?"

"From Ms. Cavill." Hes stated, a slow smile coming to his lips. "Said to tell you last piece of puzzle coming into place soon."

"Last piece of the puzzle?"

A smile now firmly on his face, Hes looked back at the man through the wired bars of the door. "Icebreaker coming back to rejoin others. All be one train again."

Wilford looked dumbfounded for a minute. "She's planning to dock Snowpiercer." He stated suddenly in a small whisper. "She can't do that!"

Hes simply gave the man one last parting smile as he turned and walked off. Jackson had already told them, in relaying Melanie's message, what she planned to do. As did she indicate quite correctly, in Hes' opinion, Wilford's reaction to the news.

"She can't do that!" Wilford called out again. "She has no idea what she's doing! Hes!"

Staring after the man until he heard the door to the holding area close, Wilford slammed his hand one more time against the door before retreating back to the small bench set in the back of the cell.