Out Of The Past

Part XVII - Preparing For Home

Josie hardly got any sleep that night. The voice kept her up for hours going over a plan to make sure she was ready for what was coming. Teaching her how to answer Wilford, react to the things he would possibly tell her, and how to make her own reactions seem genuine. They had rehearsed different scenarios, answers, questions; everything Wilford could possibly come up with to make Josie think her best option going forward was to turn her allegiance over to Big Alice and it's leader.

By early morning, Josie was grateful when the voice called a stop to the 'training'. For the past hour the voice had played Wilford's part and fed her one supposition after another about what was happening on her former train and how she would likely be greeted.

Wilford was no fool, the voice warned her. He knew the moment the other train learned of her miraculous survival, they would welcome her back with open arms.

And then the subtle manipulations would start.

Of course they would be happy to see her, Wilford would tell her. She was different now, and of use to them. More than before.

They would begin questioning her.

What had she learned on Big Alice?

What could she tell them?

What were the other train's weaknesses?

All of this, Wilford would say, in an attempt to coerce information out of her that they could use to hurt Big Alice and the people on her.

And they would eventually turn their questions to her.

What had happened to her?

How and why had Wilford saved her?

What was she capable of?

Again, all in an attempt to learn Big Alice's secrets and decide which ones they could use against him.

By the time the voice sent her to bed, Josie doubted she knew her own name if someone didn't tell it to her.

Oddly, her befuddled state seemed to please to voice as it told her she had done very well and was ready to face down any manipulation Wilford might try.

Crawling into her bed, Josie closed her eyes and did her best to try and put everything out of her mind, finally managing at least a few hours sleep before a knock on her door woke her early the next morning.

With a slight grumble and wondering what suddenly made her the most popular person on the train, Josie got up and went to answer the knock.

Opening the door, despite what the voice had warned her about, she was still somewhat surprised to see Wilford standing there.

"Good morning, Josie." Came the chipper greeting. "I trust you slept well?"

For the second time in just a few hours Josie found herself too stunned to stop the person on the other side of her door from making themselves welcome as Wilford stepped past her.

"Ye...yes, sir. I slept quite well." She quickly lied.

To her knowledge, it was totally out of character for this man to be seen at this hour for nearly any reason.

"A bit early for you, isn't it?" The question was out of her mouth before she could stop it, suddenly realizing how rude it could be taken.

But Wilford turned back to her with a wide smile and a small laugh. "I suppose to some extent that is true. But I felt it was my...duty to come and apologize to you. After all, I don't take well to my guests being treated poorly."

Josie sat herself on the sofa opposite where Wilford had already made himself comfortable. "I don't understand. I haven't been treated with anything but kindness and respect since I came here."

"Even last night?" Came the knowing question.

Josie looked a bit surprised, but quickly covered it. "News travels fast on Big Alice, I see." She replied. "Within a few hours of being caught in a restricted area, I'm being questioned by your chief inquisitor, and now here you are bright and early apologizing for it."

"Now you see," Wilford stated "I knew you would be upset."

"I'm not upset, Joseph." She replied. "What I am is wanting to know what is going on."

Wilford made himself more comfortable on the sofa, leading Josie to understand this was not going to be a short visit. The man had something on his mind.

"What is 'going on', my dear Ms. Wellstead, is the security of my train. Now, whereas I do not approve of Ms Elson's tactics sometimes in reaching that goal, she does seem to...get the job done, as it were." Wilford pulled himself up on the sofa now, so he could rest his arms over his knees. "But it's you I'm concerned about, my dear."

"Me?"

"Yes. For whatever her reasons, Ms. Elson seems quite convinced these...rebels will try to make contact with you...if they haven't tried already."

"They haven't." The words seemed to be out of her mouth before Josie even thought them.

"But they might. You would be, after all, a prime target for them."

"Why?"

"Because of your knowledge of Snowpiecer. These are very ruthless people." Wilford explained in a gruff, disapproving tone. "They have no morals and no consideration for anyone but themselves. They see Snowpiercer as just another...land...to plunder. And they likely see you as the key to getting there. IF they can recruit you into their group."

"Well, they won't. I would never betray either train to a group of rebels."

Wilford gave a small laugh.

"You doubt me?"

Wilford shook his head. "No, my dear. I just found your choice of words somewhat interesting. After all, weren't you at one time Mr. Layton's second-in-command during his revolution?"

"There was nothing dishonorable about what we were fighting for." Josie quickly defended.

"A rebel is rebel against the established regime." He replied. "But I suppose," He quickly added, leaning back again on the sofa, "when that regime is ruled by Melanie Cavill, you have a point. After all, she did keep your people locked in the Tail for seven years and fed you practically nothing. She let your children starve and freeze and exacted unforgivable punishments for the smallest of violations. I suppose you saw your revolution as...justifiable?"

Josie wisely stayed silent this time, sensing a trap of some sort.

When she didn't answer, Wilford seemed to sense her suspicions and changed the direction of the conversation.

"Well, just the same, I do hope you didn't take too great offense from Ms. Elson's questioning tactics. She was, as stated, merely looking out for the security of my train."

"I understand." Josie replied. "But I wouldn't relish another encounter with her any time soon."

"Well, I think that's hardly likely, is it."

"Why not?"

"Surely you haven't forgotten your impending departure?"

Josie quickly jumped at the new subject line. "I've actually thought of little else. When am I going to go back to Snowpiercer?"

A clearly forced smile answered her. "Soon, my dear. I did say in a week, did I not?"

"Yes."

"And I keep my word, Josie." The smile remained firmly set. "But tell me, what do you think it will be like for you when you return to Snowpiercer? Things have changed greatly since you came to Big Alice. Your former train doesn't even know you're alive yet. And the leadership has certainly changed, though I don't know that it was for the better."

"Why not?"

"Well, I'm sure that Mr. Layton, having lived seven long years in the Tail, knows and understands the frustration of the people in second and third class. But Melanie isn't exactly..."

"Layton runs the train now." Josie quickly put in. "He won the revolution. And I'm sure he went on to implement many of the plans we had for forming a more equal society on the train."

"Be that as it may, Mr. Layton doesn't run the train by himself. I've told you many times how things are on Snowpiercer where the governing of the train is concerned. Melanie turned the control of the train over to Layton only so far as she was still allowed to have a say in how things were run. And you can believe she is very good at getting people to seeing things her way. Explaining why her way is the best way to accomplish a goal."

"Andre can think very well for himself." Josie put in with a good deal of determination.

"I'm sure under normal circumstances, that is true."

"And what makes these circumstances 'not' normal?"

Wilford leaned back on the sofa. "My dear Josie, Melanie is a woman of exceptional talents. Look at what she has managed to accomplish since the train left. She's completely taken it over. She had the entire train believing a lie. How do you think she managed all that? By asking politely? No, no. She is more than capable of applying that feminine side of her nature when it suits her. That is, after all, how she got the engineers under her control. She...allied...herself with Bennett Knox. Until she took over, he ran engineering. Not Melanie."

"You think she only is in a relationship with him because of what he can do for her."

"I don't think it, my dear. I know it. And that relationship didn't start on the train. Melanie was manipulating Knox long before that. Getting him to stand with her against me. And all it took was a good roll in the sheets every so often to keep him by her side."

Josie added nothing to what Wilford said, wanting more to see where he was going with this.

"And I'm sure you can understand how damaging such a relationship between Mr. Layton and Melanie could be for our trains?"

"Our trains?" Josie's interest suddenly picked up. Where WAS he going with this?

"But of course, my dear. Why, if Melanie had not manipulated Mr. Layton into this...relationship, who do you think would be running that train?"

Josie could see the way the man was watching her this wasn't a rhetorical question. "Layton." She quietly answered.

"Of course!" Came the enthusiastic reply. "And any good leader always needs a second. Now, who would you think could fill that role better than anyone else?"

Josie gave him a questioning look.

"Who better than the person who helped him successfully run his revolution?"

Josie's look remained as neutral as she could make it.

"And all we need do is remove one pesky obstacle that would keep that from happening still."

"Melanie."

A broad smile answered her.

"You are suggesting I go back to Snowpiercer, solely to kill Melanie Cavill?" Josie asked in a less than enthusiastic manner.

Wilford quickly picked up on her tone. "No, no, no, my dear. You misunderstood me. I would never suggest killing such a valuable asset to our trains. Just...containing her influence."

Josie pretended to consider the suggestion. "In what way? If she's as close to Layton as you say, he would never agree to having her imprisoned."

"Which is exactly why we can't have her on your train. We need to devise a plan to get her over to Big Alice. Once away from her influence and back with you...," Wilford gave her a reassuring smile, "...I'm sure things will begin to straighten themselves out."

Josie sat staring back at him, trying to keep her expression as neutral as possible.

"I'm sensing...some hesitancy here." Wilford stated, trying to keep his own voice as light as he could manage, but a tone of disapproval came into it nonetheless.

Josie felt like her mouth began to work before her brain did. "No. It's just...there's a lot to consider."

"Like what?"

Something inside of her brain seemed to click into action. Above all else, regardless of her personal feelings, she knew she had to make this man believe she was following his lead with no reservations. "If Andre is being manipulated by Melanie, it would have to be an awfully strong influence. Breaking that would not be easy."

"Which is why you are so important in all of this." Wilford assured her. "In order to break one influence, all one needs is a stronger one. Now, surely your not suggesting that Melanie Cavill holds more...sway...over Mr. Layton than you?"

Josie allowed her tone to take on a slightly questioning tone. "I'm not sure anymore." She replied. "Layton hasn't seen or heard from me in nearly a year. You yourself said he's moved on with his life. Who's to say how he'll react anymore?"

Wilford leaned forward again, resting his arms on his legs once more. "My dear girl, you must have more faith in yourself. I am sure whatever sort of relationship Mr. Layton is in with that woman, it would never stand up to his seeing you again. To his knowing he could have you in his life once again. You need to believe in that."

Josie managed a small smile for the man. "Well, I guess in a week, we'll know."

Wilford gave her a chuckle this time. "Indeed."

Heading back into the engine room after his talk with Josie, Wilford noted his First Engineer sitting at the helm. As she gazed out the window, her long, elegant fingers idly played over a small control switch that had been set in the helm controls.

Stopping as he came into the engine room, Wilford watched her activity for a few moments before walking over to the helm.

"You were eavesdropping." He stated with a clear tone of disapproval.

An equally idle look answered him before she spoke. "I listen when it interests me...or when I'm bored."

Wilford walked over to the other helm chair an took a seat, turning it to face her. "And none of that sparked your interest?"

Eliah liked this mood the best of all his quirky expressions. It indicated he was interested in what she had to say and, rather than be angry at her, was willing to listen to her.

"It barely verged on gossip." She replied in an equally bored tone.

"Gossip! It was hardly that. And if you had listened a little more carefully..."

Eliah swung her feet off the console suddenly as she leaned forward in the helm chair towards him, giving him a broad smile. "...I'd have noticed your barely contrived attempts to manipulate her. Honestly, Joseph, if you want the woman properly...influenced...give her to me. I'll make sure she gets the job done."

Wilford quickly waved her off. "If you didn't come into the conversation too late, Eliah, you would remember Ms. Wellstead doesn't particularly care for your company."

Eliah fell back in her helm chair with a disapproving frown.

"You leave Ms. Wellstead to me." Wilford stated. "By the time she's ready to go back to Snowpiercer, I couldn't be sending a better trained assassin back to that train."

Eliah allowed the smallest show of interest in her expression. "Assassin? I thought you said Cavill was too valuable to kill."

Wilford smiled back at the statement as he got up from the chair. "Oh, my dear, no one is non-expendable." He replied, walking past her. "Not even you."

Eliah sat quietly listening to the man leave the engine room and retire to his private quarters. A deep frown etched itself across her face as she heard the door behind her close.