The Tragedy Of The Thumbs Down Pin

Chapter 23: Crossed Wires

Frank sat in the dimly lit crypt, Mortis' radio clutched tightly in his hand. He knew therisks of what he was about to do, but the information he had uncovered left him no choice. 

switched on the radio and adjusted the frequency, his mind racing with the possibilities.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered his voice to imitate Mortis' chilling tone. "Chuck, come

in. This is Mortis. I need an update on your situation."

There was a moment of static before a reply crackled through. "This is Chuck," came thevoice, though something about it seemed slightly off. "Barley hijacked the train. I'm stranded inthe middle of nowhere."Frank's eyes narrowed. The story seemed convenient, too convenient. But he playedalong, his mind already forming a plan. "Where are you exactly?" he asked, his voicemaintaining the sinister edge of Mortis'."Near the old railway crossing, west of the mountains," the voice responded. "I needhelp. They've got the Clown Pin."Frank's suspicion deepened, but he knew he had to act quickly. "Stay put. I'm sendingsomeone to secure you," he said, then switched off the radio.He gathered ropes and other supplies, determined to confront Chuck and uncover his truemotives. If Chuck was indeed stranded and not the culprit, Frank would tie him up and get theanswers he needed. Either way, he couldn't let this opportunity slip by.With the ropes slung over his shoulder, Frank left the crypt and made his way to thelocation described. The journey was arduous, the rough terrain making every step a challenge.But Frank pressed on, driven by the need to uncover the truth and protect whatever secrets theClown Pin held.As he approached the old railway crossing, he saw three figures in the distance. His heartraced. He had expected to find Chuck alone, but instead, there stood Edgar, Barley, and Byron,all looking equally surprised and wary.Edgar's eyes widened with recognition. "Frank?" he called out, his voice tinged withconfusion and suspicion. "What are you doing here?"Frank tightened his grip on the ropes, his mind racing to process this unexpected turn ofevents. "I could ask you the same thing," he replied, his voice steady but filled with underlyingtension. "I was told Chuck would be here."Edgar exchanged a quick glance with Barley and Byron before turning back to Frank."We haven't seen Chuck," he said carefully. "Why are you looking for him?"Frank hesitated, the pieces of the puzzle not quite fitting together. "I was going to...secure him," he said, lifting the ropes slightly as evidence. "I thought he might have been behindthe train hijacking."Barley took a step forward, his face pale but resolute. "Chuck set us up," he said. "Wewere trying to retrieve the Clown Pin to use against Mortis. We didn't hijack anything."The tension in the air was palpable, each side trying to assess the truth behind the other'swords. Frank felt a knot tighten in his stomach. Something was deeply wrong here, and he didn'thave all the answers."So if Chuck isn't here," Frank began, his voice trailing off as he tried to piece togetherthe next steps. "Where is he?"Before anyone could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through thenight. All four of them turned to see a shadowy figure emerging from the darkness, their identityobscured by the dim light.The four of them stood in silence, each grappling with their own suspicions anduncertainties. The night seemed to grow colder, the shadows deeper, as they prepared forwhatever revelation the next moments might bring.