Chapter 4: An Explosive Surprise

It was late afternoon when the tugs set to work, preparing the traps. Zip had gotten another idea to set a trap for the mysterious tugs. She, Venus and Tex were by the same channel where Zak and Zeus had once tricked Big Mac and Scorpio into coming down during the race the Stars, Z-Stacks and Salvage crew once had back in 1929.

"Very nice, sweetie," smiled Venus. "Taking one of Zak and Zeus' ideas and using it for good."

"Thanks, sis," replied Zip as she moved the buoy out of the way. Then Snowy came up alongside.

"I'll hide in that nearby warehouse ready to arrest anyone who comes down here," she said.

"Good idea," said Zip as she finished moving the buoy.

"Perfect," said Venus.

"And you're sure this will work?" Tex asked incredulously.

"Of course it will," replied Zip. "It's likely these tugs have never been to Bigg City before, so they won't know the harbour like we do."

"Whatever you say," replied Tex. "I suppose we'd better get into our positions." With that, Tex backed into his position whilst Zip and Venus stood guard outside.

Over at the Railhead, Zob was getting his trap ready.

"There," he said. "The barge is in position and the flares are set to go off. Now, Molly, you're to go inside the warehouse. I'll stand guard outside just in case anything goes wrong."

"Right, Zob," replied Molly.

"Little Owl and I will stand guard on the railway as well," called Puffa.

"Eddie and I will shout if we see anything," added Frank.

"Excellent," said Zob. "Right, everyone – to your posts!"

With that, the engines all stood to their positions on the railhead, Molly rushed into the warehouse and Zob backed away from the flare barge.

Ten Cents, Warrior, Sunshine and Penny made sure to surround Theodore with barges at Lucky's Yard whilst Ariel finished setting up the flare barge.

"Ah wonder what Captain Zero would've thought of this," mused Sunshine.

"He'd probably have praised us for taking a leaf out of his book," chuckled Ten Cents. "Everything okay, Ariel, sweetheart?"

"All set, Ten Cents, honey," called Ariel. Penny and Sunshine couldn't help but giggle at that whilst Warrior just smiled.

"Okay, you two lovebirds," said Penny. "Let's get ready for our 'little visitors'." With that, the five tugs got into their positions.

"This is a nice, tactical spot," said Warrior. "Quite strategical… Er, quite good, eh?"

"Make sure you don't bump into the barge before anyone else does, Warrior," Ten Cents said cheekily.

That evening, the Lightning Stacks were getting ready to go and capture some more diesel tugs, except for the six Mermaid tugs. They were guarding the tugs that had been captured already.

"When are you cowards going to start capturing those oil-guzzlers as well?" snapped Venom.

"You know full well we don't want to do this," retorted Attina. "It's wrong, and you know it."

"What is the matter with you six?!" snapped Piranha. "You were willing to liberate Europe in World War II! Why can't you do the same here?"

"That's different!" insisted Arista. "We were liberating Europe from an actual tyrant! These diesels don't pose a threat to anyone at all!"

"LIES!" snapped Cancer. "Steam was almost wiped out because of them!"

"That will do!" snapped Saleen. "Now, come on, you three! Let's go and continue the job."

"Fine!" Venom, Cancer and Piranha said in unison. The four tugs went to meet up with Julissa, Cyclothymia, Blaze, Mara, Chlotilda and Lightning.

"Alright, my tugs," said Julissa. "The Bigg City tugs will have arranged some security arrangements and have all the remaining diesel tugs paired with a steam tug at all times. In order to ensure this mission is successful, you must seek any unusual pairings. Understand?"

"Yes, Julissa," said the evil tugs.

"Alright then," said Julissa. "Lightning Stacks, move out!"

"Yes, Julissa!"

Stormy and Scorpio pretended to be asleep and awaited at the edge of the Salvage Fleet dock. They had also placed the flare barge meters away from themselves. Meanwhile, the rest of the Salvage Fleet and Donald were asleep at their berths. No one saw Venom creep by; one of her crewmen looked through a pair of binoculars.

"Looks like one of the Salvage Fleet's switchers has swapped places with one of the V-Tugs," he said.

"Right," said Venom. "He's mine!" With that, Venom charged forward, but the barge was in her way.

"Oh no, you don't!" she snapped, trying to push it out of the way, but…

CRACKLE, BANG!

"What the…?!" Venom cried in shock. Then, she saw two tugs charging towards her. Venom tried to escape.

"She's getting away, Stormy!" Scorpio called. "You follow her! I'll take a shortcut and stop her at the pass!" With that, the two Salvage tugs split up.

"They might need backup," said Ember as she set off. "You girls stay here in case anyone else tries to kidnap Donald."

Venom tried to escape, but she felt someone ram into her side and she crashed onto some rocks.

"I've not felt a kick like that since I stopped Johnny Cuba all those years ago," smirked Zebedee. At that moment, Scorpio, Stormy and Ember approached them.

"Nice one, Zebedee!" said Scorpio.

"No problem," replied Zebedee.

"Hey, look at this!" said Stormy. "This tug is called Venom. I'll bet that it's the same one you, Pisces and Misty knew, Scorpio."

"Hey, you're right!" exclaimed Scorpio angrily.

"I'll get a crane and we'll take her to dry dock where she belongs!" said Ember who passed by.

If Venom is involved in all this, Scorpio thought to herself, I'm willing to bet Cancer and Piranha are as well.

Meanwhile, Chlotilda had set off a flare and was now being chased by Venus. Zip stayed behind to guard Tex.

"Oh no!" cried Chlotilda. "The plan is ruined! Oh, Julissa's going to be so angry when she finds out…!" She was in such a panic that she failed to notice she was going the wrong way until it was too late.

"Ahh!" she cried as she hit the scrap metal underneath. "What's happened?!" A look of anguish crossed her face as Venus and Snowy surrounded her.

"Chlotilda!" exclaimed Venus. "I might have known!"

"Do you know this tug, Venus?" asked Snowy.

"Yes," replied Venus. "My obnoxiously loud, good-for-nothing sister. She was built at Tulloch Works a year after me."

"I see," said Snowy. "Well then, Chlotilda, you're under arrest for kidnapping and attempted kidnapping!"

"Looks like your kidnapping days are over," smirked Venus. Chlotilda then went into a rant using every bad word in the English language. Zip and Tex overheard everything.

"Heh, I didn't know she had such colourful language," smirked Tex.

"I didn't know she was mine and Venus' sister," said Zip, stunned by the foul language. "Wait! Chlotilda! Wasn't that the name of one of Misty's bullies? I'll need to ask her about that."

Thanks to the Bigg City residents' plan, no more tugs were kidnapped that night. The remaining Lightning Stacks returned to their hideout, their paint blackened and singed.

"Goodness me!" gasped Julissa. "What happened to you?"

"It turns out that the tugs remembered the flare trick from 1921," groaned Lightning. "The worst part is that we failed to capture any more diesel tugs, and Chlotilda and Venom are about to be dry docked."

"WHAT?!" Julissa exclaimed angrily. "Why those Bigg City folk! They couldn't have… How did… Oooooh!" She stomped her foot in anger and clenched her fists.

"You see?!" snapped Aquatta. "The tugs of Bigg City Port know this is wrong! It's time to face facts! You lost and you should surrender!"

"Yeah!" her sisters agreed in unison.

"You want me to give up?!" Julissa replied. "Listen here, you useless scrap piles! I didn't agree to help Addison set up her organization just so a group of tugs who were clearly brainwashed by their captains could defeat us! I will not rest until every last diesel tug in this port is eliminated!"

"And then what?!" asked Andrina. "They'll just build more diesel tugs!"

"Then we'll cut off oil supplies so that they're forced to build steam tugs instead!" insisted Julissa.

"Are you insane?!" asked Arista. "Without oil, cars will be stuck in garages, planes will remain grounded, and life will just grind to a halt! Did you not think of that?!"

"If anything, they're just as much to blame for steam's downfall!" snapped Mara.

"Exactly, Mara," agreed Julissa, before addressing the Mermaid tugs again. "Now, listen here. Tomorrow night, you six are to go out and finish the job, and if you try to weasel out of it, it will be a one-way trip to the scrapyard!" The six Mermaid tugs just gulped.

"Poor girls," Melody whispered to the other captured tugs. "We've got to encourage them to stand up for themselves." Everyone else agreed, but they weren't so sure how.

Arthour's notes: Well, seems like Sodor and Bigg City got the same idea. And unfortunately, Julissa and Addison did too... On the plus side, Ariel's sisters are beginning to break out of their chains... or are they?

And with that, the tugs investigate further as The Mystery Deepens. See you then.