Jake X (1) Multiverse Fugitive, Page 2

  Chapter 2

  Ambush

  Suddenly Alaric spoke. He was peering out of the fireman’s window on the other side of the cab. “Can you see a junction ahead?” he shouted.

  Jake peered out. A few hundred yards ahead he could see what looked like a rail junction. “Yes, I see a junction!” he shouted. “We must check the points are not set against us.” He tried to pull back the regulator, but it seemed to be stuck. The engine continued to thunder along at a full speed30 mph.. Jake applied all his strength but the regulator would not budge. Alarmed, Alaric now came across the cab and added his strength. The regulator would not move.

  Abruptly the engine entered the points and veered off along another branch line, rocking savagely and almost derailing. The coach followed, jerking across the points with screeching wheels and sparks flying. Inside, the dwarves card game was again plunged into disarray as cursing bodies were thrown in all directions. The train suddenly ran into thick fog.

  They were now running full pelt into a tunnel of roiling mist.

  “We must stop the train!” shouted Alaric. “There is something odd about this! Some kind of force generator is controlling the regulator. What can we do?”

  Jake searched his mind. The regulator was stuck. If he wound up the brake and locked it on, the boiler might blow up! The only thing to do was to throw the fire and lose steam. But the fire was made by a nuclear tube in the grate.

  Jake: “We must stop making steam. How can we turn off that tube thing?”

  “I will call FIDO!” shouted Alaric.

  Alaric produced a mobile phone and dialed a number.

  He spoke urgently into the phone.

  “CLEO! Instruct FIDO to get to the locomotive cab! Full emergency power!”

  Instantly the front connecting door of the carriage opened, revealing the golden form of FIDO. The robot reached out one hand. The arm extended in an extraordinary way until it reached a rail on the front of the tender! FIDO then pulled himself directly into the engine cabin.

  “Orders?” FIDO asked in his peculiar mechanical voice.

  “Shut off the heating unit!” shouted Jake

  Immediately the robot used one metal hand to open the fire door. He put his other hand into the white hot firebox and appeared to turn some kind of knob on the heating unit. Immediately, the incandescent glow began to fade. The robot removed his arm and closed the firebox door. He moved back into the gangway between the tender and locomotive and stood immobile.

  Steam pressure began to drop rapidly. Jake reached for the whistle and for once gained an approving nod from Alaric. Steam whooshed out with an ear-piercing scream. The engine immediately began to lose forward momentum. It ran on down the sideline for a short distance before coming to a halt. A small residue of steam hissed out. Around them the strange fog had lost none of its intensity. Jake reached up and tried the regulator.

  Remarkably, it now moved easily into the off position. He applied the brake.

  Ahead they heard a strange noise. It sounded like enormous feet stamping towards them. Alaric sniffed, elvish nose twitching. “I smell troll!” he said A troll suddenly appeared in front of them. Although smaller than the trolls they had met previously it was still monstrous. It towered over the steam engine.

  Jake felt a surge of terror. The troll would overturn the engine and pick out edible bits for a tasty snack! Edible bits like himself! He could smell the rank odor of the dreadful creature. It was swinging a large club, presumably used to brain its victims. Shivver might be the answer but FIDO had taken the sword and put it inside the carriage! The troll stepped back and peered at the locomotive nameplate using a hand torch. He stepped around and flashed the torch onto the number painted on the boiler. He muttered something to himself.

  “We’ve had it!” whispered Jake.

  Alaric: “Is there anything we can do? What do you suggest?”

  Jake thought furiously. Could FIDO do anything? The robot was still standing in the metal gangway linking the tender to the locomotive. He seemed to be well equipped for various missions. Could the robot attack when they distracted the troll by blowing the whistle? Was there enough steam left to activate the whistle?

  Suddenly the troll reached into the breast pocket of his filthy jerkin and removed an Ion Allan Locomotives of the World! An international ABC! Now the troll thumbed through the book.

  “It looks to us like this is a Brit! Spitfire! Missing since 1942! British B 1 engine vanished after a bomb blast! It may have been stolen by a foreign power?”

  The troll ruminated. Then he said: “This is 999 Spitfire! Missing since 1942 and stolen by a foreign power! And it is here! The foreign power must have hidden it here!! This is a super top cop!”

  He fumbled in his pocket and found the stub of a pencil. Carefully he underlined a number in his book. There was a sudden booming shout from further up the line. “Bolo! Supper! Get home NOW!” With a last fond look at Spitfire, still apparently unaware that the engine had a crew, the troll turned and shambled away. He left behind the pungent smell of troll body odor or TBO. This smell was mixed with a distinct scent of fear from Jake. Further refinement came from the ongoing ambient odors of hot oil, the sharp smell of hot metal and condensing steam.

  Jake sank back onto his seat. The fearful apparition was a train spotting troll! Was there anything stranger in the universe? Jake then glanced out of the window at the place where the troll had appeared. He gave a sudden start of amazement. Where the troll had stood there was now a glowing golden Multiverse Railway Station sign! It must be the one they were looking for. They had arrived! He was about to alert Alaric when he realized the elf was already gazing intently at the sign. “There is something not quite right about this station!” said the elf. “It is not showing the correct colors or playing an appropriate tune. Both items should be present for the purpose of identification. That is clearly stated in the Index of Multiverse Railway Station Identification. Part 1,”

  “It certainly looks like a real station to me!” said Jake

  “It may be a clever trap!” said the elf.

  “How do you know that?” asked Jake.

  “A Multiverse Railway Station should be both visually and musically active!” said the elf. “This station looks vaguely OK but it should be red & blue and be playing music! ”

  The station sign glowed invitingly. It suddenly changed colors. It now resembled a London Underground sign. Soft music began to play.

  Jake’s head began to spin and he found his eyelids drooping.

  Chapter 3

  Valley of the trainee wizard