Going to Plan
Cutler was soaring through the clouds at full speed. Wearing a harness designed for carrying a single pony, he’d picked up Southern Belle from just outside the signal box and both were now well on their way to meet up with Moneybags in the bridle oak tunnel.
“There’s the tunnel down there! Look” Southern Belle called out over the rushing wind.
Cutler said nothing, but just nodded in approval, angling his wings so he could make a quick spiral decent towards the tunnel mouth. They were within 200ft of their target when both of them suddenly noticed the forms of three Royal guards, one of which could be easily Identified as a captain with his purple armour, walking along the tracks towards the entrance.
Instantly realising that if they landed they would be caught, Cutler pulled up sharply, winding Southern Belle as the force of the wind hit her. The two of them glided straight over the top of the tunnel, Cutler’s plan being to simply gain access using the other entrance, but when they glided over the southern entrance they could see two more guards down below, using their magic to illuminate their horns before entering the tunnel. Re-plotting his decent with precision once again, Cutler gently dropped from the sky, landing an eighth of a mile from the southern tunnel entrance. Unfortunately due to the how tight the harness needed to be when they flew, when they touched down Cutler ended up in a position mounting Southern Belle’s back, so they both leaned back on their hind legs, Cutler further leaning against a nearby oak tree, to make the situation far less awkward.
Belle moved her flying goggles up onto her forehead and removed her small receiver from a small pouch at the front of the harness, clicking it into the ‘on’ position “S.B to Leader”
Moneybag’s voice crackled back through the speaker “What is it Belle, you should be here by now”
“We’ve run into a slight problem. There are royal guards converging on the tunnel from both entrances, there’s no chance of us getting in”
“Right” there was a slight pause as Moneybags considered what options were available “You and Cutler fly along the route of the old line to the rendezvous point. We’ll meet there. Out”
With a click, Belle slipped the receiver back into the small pouch on her harness.
“Ready?” Cutler asked. He knew Belle had never liked how tight the harness had to cling to her coat, often remarking on how overweight she felt is made her look whenever they’d tested it.
Southern Belle pulled her goggles back over her eyes “As ready as I’ll ever be”
The both stood up in unison, Cutler gently mounting himself on Southern Belle’s back. With a few strong sweeps of his wings they’d both left the ground and were heading in an easterly direction, following the blocked up brick ventilation shafts that marked where the disused branch line spurred off the main line inside the Bridleoak tunnel.
The two royal guards who’d entered through the south tunnel entrance were now walking through the gloom, illuminating their way by the light of their horns. The silence was incredibly eerie, punctuated every now and then with drops of water falling from the tunnel roof and hitting the ground below. It was this atmosphere that was unnerving one of the guards.
“What was that?” he turned round quickly at the sound of rolling stones behind him.
“Ballast” Replied the other Guard calmly, obviously rather disgruntled at being stuck with such a nervous member of the royal guard.
“What?”
“Small stones piled up around the track to hold it in place, you’ve probably just caused some them to unsettle under the weight of your hooves”
The two had hardly progressed any further when three sharp, bright lights appeared in front of them, approaching them quickly. The sound of the ballast ahead shifting up and down as they quickly approached became more and more audible.
The nervous guard immediately panicked, shouting over the noise “What the? B-b-but you said another train wasn't due through here for another two hours!”
He immediately jumped into one of the many workers’ holes that lined the tunnel walls and ducking down on the floor, shutting his eyes tight and sticking his hooves in his ears to drown out the noise. He stayed in that position for what he felt was an eternity, before slowly opening his eyes. Four sets of hooves were now stood right before him. Looking up nervously he found the imposing figure of Captain Shining Armour staring down at him, along with two more guards besides him, both out of breath from having just charged through the tunnel.
All five grouped together around the workers’ hole.
“I take it you haven’t found the train?” Shining Armour asked.
“No” Replied the nervous guard “And I take it you haven’t either?”
Shining Armour shook his head.
“Well” The guard paused slightly “This is awkward”
None of them paid any attention to the hastily re-boarded branch line tunnel portal beside them.
Since her unfortunate encounter earlier Octavia had been practising using the phone in-between marking the progress of the train on the map. She and Celestia were finishing yet another cup of tea when the telephone started ringing again. Feeling her blood suddenly boil with fright, Octavia nervously glanced at Celestia, who gave her an approving nod. Realising that this was a suggestion that she should answer the phone, Octavia took a couple of deep breaths before clenching the receiver in her forehoof and lifting it to her face, beaming with delight at how far she’d progressed.
Octavia’s expression slowly turned from one of delight to one of horror as the voice of one of Celestia’s agents spoke to her down the line “You’re certain? Yes….yes, right. Goodbye”
Octavia nervously put the receiver back on the handset, terrified that she was the one who would have to relay such bad news.
“Well?” Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.
Octavia nervously turned round to face her, slightly shaking with fear “Well, Princess, it appears the train has…vanished…”
The silence was tremendous, and only caused Octavia to become even more nervous.
“Vanished?” Celestia deadpanned.
“Y-Y-Yes, it started to slow down, entered the Bridleoak Tunnel, and…er…didn’t come out the other end!”
Celestia silently walked over to the map of the train route, using her magic to pin one of Octavia’s many badges to the icon that signalled the Bridleoak Tunnel “I see…”
Octavia began to panic even more with how calmly the princess was acting, causing her voice to become more and more higher pitched as she spoke “Now Princess, before you banish me from the castle, I’d just…”
“Banish you from the castle? Octavia, why should I do that?”
“Well, the train, it’s…”
Celestia raised a hoof; causing Octavia to be silent immediately “The hijackers may find the contents of that train more than they bargained for”
Octavia held her head in her hooves “B-B-but…” she sighed “…I’m confused”
“You’re obviously overworked Octavia” Celestia smiled.
“Just a bit” Octavia slightly chuckled, thinking back at how hectic her past week had been.
“Don’t worry” Celestia’s horn glowed as her yellow magic aura took possession of Octavia, causing her eyelids to slowly flicker shut and send her into a light sleep “Everypony needs rest sometimes”
Using her magic to bring a large, plush cushion into existence she levitated Octavia on top of it, recoiling her magic from around her to leave her to rest. Certain that she was completely at rest Celestia walked over to one of the stone pillars that lined the walls of the throne room, gently pressing a brick at head height with a hoof, causing it to spring open like a door, revealing a secret compartment inside. Inside the compartment was a simple pre-set receiver system with a small screen above the speaker. She flicked the switch by the receiver and spoke clearly as it began to contact its recipient.
“Canterlot Castle to Carrot Top”
The image of Carrot Top sat in the suitcase flickered on screen “Go ahead Canterlot Castle”
The tunnel entrance that brought the railway tracks out onto the Stirrup branch line was totally overgrown. Since the lines closure mud and soil had washed down the banks of the cutting due to heavy rainfall, and thick weeds and bushes had grown all around the portal, nopony would have known it was there if it wasn’t for the railway track mysteriously disappearing into the undergrowth.
The silence of the countryside was slowly killed as the distant grumble of the diesel engine became more audible from the tunnel. Slowly the mound of foliage in front of the tunnel bulged, soon breaking apart under the stress as the parcels van slowly rolled out of the tunnel mouth, being pushed up the line by the diesel engine. Having overcome the obstacle of nature, Moneybags leaned out of one of the cabs windows in order to get a view of the line. On the floor besides him was the unconscious body of the driver, his hooves bound together behind his back, along with a gag tightly round his mouth. As per his plan, Moneybags had taken his jacket and hat before he'd tied him up and put them on himself, swapping them for his more formal attire.
The tired and worn track creaked and groaned with every inch the train progressed along the branch line.
Whooves was sat on one of the packing crates in the parcels van, his forehooves clasped tightly in front of his muzzle, eyes closed, deep in concentration. In reality, he was listening the voice of Carrot Top over his ear piece, keeping him up to speed with all the events that had unfolded outside that she had been made aware of through her earpiece.
“Yes, the situation is clear to me. Yes, yes, I understand…goodbye” He opened his eyes and looked towards his two travelling companions “Well, it would appear the train has been hijacked”
“I knew it” The Guard was collecting all his playing cards and putting them back in their packet “I can tell from the sound of the rails that we aren’t on the main line. But, er, you seemed to be talking to someone Whooves?”
Whooves simply smiled “A voice from afar…”
“I see…” watching Whooves close his eyes and concentrate once more the Guard leaned over to the Porter and whispered “Better keep a close eye on him” he tapped his head with one of his hooves.
Whooves couldn’t help but smirk from behind his clasped hooves.
Having changed into his old regulation uniform, Porter bounded onto the dilapidated platform with a spring in his step like that of a stallion half his age. His deep blue jacket surprisingly still fitted him, even hanging off him in a few places where he’d thinned out over the years, as did his shirt and tie, though he’d neglected to press them with how little time there was, instead spending what little time he had polishing the brass crest of the Equestrian Railways board that adorned his hat, which not sat prominently on his head. He held two flags, red and green, under one of his forelegs.
“I knew this day had to come, Mr fenman!” He said with glee for the umpteenth time “I knew the Railways Board wouldn’t forget Stirrup Halt!”
“Yes, yes, Porter” Fenman glanced at his watch “The train will be here any minute. Now, remember just to do exactly as I told you”
“You can rely on me, Mr fenman” Porter saluted him.
Fenman turned away from Porter, silently raising a hoof to one of the inside pockets of his jacket, instantly recognising the shape of a pistol at a hoofs touch. He breathed a small sigh of relief at having remembered to conceal it.
The deep toned horn of the diesel engine broke Fenman’s concentration, causing him to spin round in time just to see it coming in to the platform, parcel van first, with Moneybags leaning out of the driver’s cab window. Porter ran up the edge of the platform, holding his red flag aloft with one of his forehooves and extending the red fabric with his other one due to the lack of wind as with a gentle purr the engine was smoothly brought to a halt.
Porter quickly rolled up his flag and put it aside on one of the rotting platform benches, before turning back to the train, calling out “Stirrup Halt! Stirrup Halt!”
Moneybags stepped out of the engines’ cab, shaking his head in a silent pity at the sight of Porter in his old uniform before making his way over to Fenman.
“What’s going on?” Fenman asked with a slight hint of panic “Where are Cutler and Belle?”
Moneybag’s removed the driver’s hat from his head, it was an uncomfortable size to small “There was a change of plan at the Bridleoak tunnel; the royal guards were more quick on our heels than we anticipated. But they’ll be here, don’t worry”
The Guard walked over to a small cabinet on one of the walls of the parcels van, opening it up and taking out two thick truncheons, handing the second one over to the porter “Alright. As soon as they open the doors let them have it” He thumped his truncheon into one of his forehooves, trying to emphasise his point.
Whooves stepped in “Gentlecolts, please. It’s almost certain they’ll also have a means of harming us. Let us avoid violence, allow me to handle the situation” He held out his forehooves, and grudgingly, the two guards handed over their truncheons.
Porter was amazed at the sight of Cutler and Southern Belle coming in smoothly to land on the platform, Moneybags and fenman remained unfazed by the procedure as both ponies landed with a slightly audible thump of their hooves on the stone paving slabs, just shy of the station building’s wooden canopy.
Moneybags leant over to Fenman, making sure Porter was out of earshot “Is the cart ready to move in?”
“It’s on its way” Cutler replied, having overheard their conversation whilst unclipping Southern Belle’s part of the two pony harness away from his “We saw it not so far off when we flew over”
“Alright then” Moneybags eyes seemed to glow with madness “Open her up”
Fenman reached into his jacket pocket and produced his small pistol, ready for a possible brawl as Southern Belle moved to the door and lifted up the heavy steel catch on the door, then with the help of Cutler she slid back one of the doors, revealing the figure of Whooves stood impressively in the doorway.
“Good morning” He beamed cheerily, acting as if he was in no danger whatsoever.
“Who’s this, Moneybags?” Fenman asked, totally bewildered by Whooves sudden presence.
“Ah, I’d forgotten about him” Moneybags grumbled through gritted teeth.
“Ah, Mr Moneybags” Whooves casually stepped out of the parcels van, brushing past Fenman’s pistol as if it wasn’t there “You’re looking a little peeky today, but then you have a lot on your mind. I never suspected that you were the ‘inside colt’ as they say. I’d assumed we’d left you back in Trotting…”
Moneybags quickly interrupted him, turning to Fenman “Alright, take them all into the station…”
“All change! All change!”
They all turned their heads to look at Porter, still completely oblivious to the present situation.
Moneybags turned back to Fenman “…and take that idiot Porter in there as well!”
“Gladly, Porter!” Fenman called out.
Porter immediately stopped trying to move a rusted old porters trolley towards the train and hurried over to him “Yes, Mr Fenman?”
“It would appear we have some stowaways” Fenman indicated Whooves and the two railway officials with his pistol.
“Now just hang on a minute…” The guard began, but Fenman interrupted him.
“Be so kind as to take them into the building would you? I hear the royals guards are currently on the look out for these three in particular”
From inside the suitcase, Carrot Top watched out of the small periscope as Whooves, the guard and the porter were lead away at gunpoint to the station building.
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Seems Whooves has the situation in hoof. This will be fun!