The Secret Rebellion (Book 3 in The Secret Series)

Chapter 6: Train Trip!

Chapter 6: Train Trip!

Nick didn’t send us away during the next hour, which means that I could have had that extra hour of sleep.

Instead, he made us wait around the Helicarrier aimlessly until six in the morning. Steve argued valiantly for his shield, insisting that he there must be some way to bring it. However Nick remained unmoving, and Rogers was reluctantly forced to accept that this was one mission that he’d have to do without his beloved shield.

We were taken to Edinburgh via helicopter, which dropped us off at the outskirts of the city. Then we were forced to walk into the city to the train station. Nick deemed catching the train into London more appropriate and less suspicious then flying us straight into London city centre.  Why Nick didn’t have us catch the train from a place closer to London was beyond me. I decided that he probably liked the thought of me and Steve suffering the boredom of a four hour train journey. Or maybe he wanted to save on helicopter fuel costs…

When we finally got on the train, a feeling of foreboding swept through me. I shook it off and dismissed my nerves with a flippant smile to nobody in particular. An old man gave me a strange look, before returning to his newspaper. I sat beside Steve, opting for the seat by the window.

The journey was going to take roughly four hours, but thankfully there were no changes. I couldn’t stand sitting still for long, and my jumpiness was making the prospect of staying still even worse.

The train began to move, creeping forward slowly before picking up the pace. The grinding of the wheels against the track, and the metallic groans that echoed through the train both served to unnerve me even more.

“Relax,” Steve said quietly, looking calm as always, despite lacking his reliable shield.

Dressed casually in jeans, a check shirt, leather jacket and sunglasses, with a serene expression on his face, he could have been going on holiday.  I shrank back into my seat, grimacing at the uncomfortable chair.

I pulled the visor of the grey cap that I’d procured from the back of my wardrobe further down, casting my face into shadow. Steve rolled his eyes.

“You know you look more suspicious by doing that, right?”

I glared at him, before scanning my surroundings. The train wasn’t very busy; only a few yawning humans occupied it, their glassy gazes fixed on newspapers or the blurred scenery.

The air was stale, like the atmosphere of the train. Health and safety signs decorated the walls, but I didn’t waste any of my time reading them. The “no smoking” sign caught my eye, and I smiled inwardly. I wondered if that covered smoke made from magic fire …?

After I planned out a potential escape route, I allowed myself to recline back further into the chair, feeling a bit less on edge.

“Do you think we’ll find Tony and Bruce?” I asked quietly.

“Definitely. Tony isn’t someone who can stay in hiding for long – he enjoys being the centre of attention too much,” he replied reassuringly, with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“I just hope he doesn’t do something stupid before we get there,” I said worriedly, and Steve grinned.

“Well, he’s survived this long – probably thanks to Bruce.”

“Probably,” I agreed, praying that they were both fine.

I gazed out of the window, my thoughts drawn inward. It wasn’t just Tony that I missed – it was all of the Avengers.  It seemed like a lifetime ago that the team was together. I missed Thor particularly. I  wanted to see my Uncle as soon as I could – he was more of a father to me than Loki ever had been.