Complete Mess

Chapter 9: Derailed

Complete Mess

Chapter 9

Derailed

"Last metro to Independence BLVD!" The announcement echoed within the subway. It was technically the last thing Lake heard before she curled into her caretaker's arms. Ingo didn't seem to mind carrying her. Actually he seemed almost experienced in the care of children. Probably from the many different children he came across as a subway boss. Many missing children...at least that's what Lake thought. She had no idea that he had been lost at some point. The care of a few young teenagers here and there. This sort of care didn't go unnoticed to Emmet who had little to no experience as he did.

Sitting down within the cab they prepared for the ride home. Emmet slowly looked around at his brother who ran his fingers absentmindedly along Lake's back. Her arms were curled into herself, but there was a small set of fingers wrapped around the light blue tie. It wasn't a hard hold, just a gentle one.

"She's not a Sneazel, brother. We can't just keep her as if she is." Emmet told his brother. The elder of the two sighed and nodded. He knew that keeping a child was a lifelong commitment, but he felt...attached to the child. Whether it be a situation, or a deeper desire. He felt that she was placed with them for a reason.

"I know Emmet...I just don't feel she's safer anywhere else." Emmet had to admit the young girl had an air of danger about her that he couldn't shake.

"I agree. It would seem her track in life is doomed to derail without a proper escort." Emmet admitted. He leaned over looking down at the soft look on her sleeping face. "I dare say...I wouldn't mind...seeing it through." He moved a stray hair out of her face.

"Coming up on Independence BLVD." The announcement called out. It caused the young girl to jump for a moment.

"It's alright Lake. We are almost to our destination." Ingo stood up and waited by the door as per usual. Luckily they were the last people on the circuit. So the train was empty.

They came up on their stop, but the train kept going.

"Ingo?" Emmet asked, pointing to their stop.

"Yes, this is most peculiar. Perhaps the navi computer is malfunctioning again." Ingo walked to the front of the train and used his key card to get to the front. Emmet walked into the cockpit and looked over the computer. He tapped at the controls for a moment and then shook his head.

"It's jammed." Emmet called out.

"Oh you saw that did you? Interesting that you two are the ones who ended up with her." A face washed over the displays. Emmet gritted his teeth. He knew the guy by reputation alone.

"You know, Lake?" Ingo asked, rubbing the scared girls back. She had woken up after they rushed to the front of the train.

"Of course I do. She's my meal ticket. You see...she's got something that belongs to me." The guy blew smoke and smiled. His teeth looked so straight and so white that it could have only been doctored that way.

"I'm afraid you are mistaken. She's only got a single bag with her at all times. She's got nothing with her in the way of money." Emmet told the man.

"Oh, is that right? Have you checked the bag?" He chuckled as he saw the girl curl into her bag.

"You see the way she protects the thing? She's got something in there that she doesn't want anyone else to see." He narrowed his eyes and chuckled.

"Lake?" Lake shook her head and hugged the bag to her. It seemed to be just an ordinary black backpack. It even had a panda painted onto the front.

"I got my pictures and that's it." She told them. She even opened the bag to show them that night clothes she wore the night before, the lunch box Emmet gave her, and a small book with pictures inside. "That's all I got." She admitted. She didn't want them to hate her. So she told the truth.

"That's all that's in there...just clothes, a lunch box, and a photo album."

The man smiled again and leaned into the camera and spoke low.

"Her parents died...because of that book. The map...is in there. I'd hate for her to lose more...family." He chuckled and sighed as he watched Lake pull the bag closer to herself. "Ah well...whatever. We'll just pick up the pieces when the train crashes at the Carousel."

The carousel was the area where train cars turned around at the end of the circuit.

The train learned forward causing everyone within the call forward and hold on.

"They've pushed the train to go faster. What are we going to do Ingo!" He had to yell over the scream of the engine. Ingo reached up pushing the emergency brakes bar. It did nothing, but it would alert the main console room that there was a major problem. They'd look into it.

"Come on...we need to get to the last car." He picked Lake back up and started to run toward the back.

Entering the last car Emmet hit the emergency release for the cart and it came uncoupled. Ingo pulled the air brakes and held onto the side. The car slowly began to stop while the rest of the train kept going. At least it was night and no one was on the train.

"Come on...we need to get out of here." Ingo climbed down and went up the closest ladder they needed to get out of the tunnels. Especially if that man had control of them.

"Just who is that horrible passenger?" Ingo asked. Emmet ran next to his brother.

"He's the new Mayor." Emmet told him. Ingo looked baffled, the previous mayor was a very kind hearted man. But something told him the new one probably pushed the old one out. Especially after what had just happened.

"I'm sorry..." The low voice from Ingo's arms whispered. "I didn't mean to get you into this."

"Ah, it's not your fault. It's not like you asked for this to happen." Emmet told her.

"Well something tells me heading home might not be a good idea. We need to get out of town. Head out. Heading that way is just desert though so we'll head up into the mountains." Ingo told them. "Although we'll need a ride." He stopped just short of an old car. He knew who owned it and he hardly ever touched it. Maybe...Ingo would have to apologize for borrowing it.

"You aren't planning on taking The Professor's car...are you?"

"He's on a journey at the moment. I don't even think he'll notice it's gone." Ingo told his brother who just snorted and shrugged.

Climbing into the old beat up Oldsmobile. The keys being in the glove box they decided to make their way toward the forest, and mountains.