The Eagle's Eye

Chapter 6

"I am surprised," Eddie chuckled, seated alongside the Hashim cousins and the mercurial Featherhead. "Your knowledge of various fields, including science and technology, is...immense."

"Immense..." Featherhead mimed.

"Never thought you had it," Eddie insisted, a smile popped up from his face. "Even better than my knowledge of things."

"Mr. Detective, I am using all I know into use. That is all."

"Are you a detective?"

"No," Dominic shook his head. "Why?"

"Just asking. Maybe if you want to join the police force..."

"No, thank you," Dominic replied before Eddie completed his sentence.

Eddie erred but soon replied, "Okay."

"I am more interested in working through things on my own. There is no need for associates."

"But we think you are a genius..." Baraq said.

"Your compliment does not justify anything to me," Featherhead said.

"We are sincere," Jamal interrupted. "By the way, it is a pleasure to meet you," he added in his typical modest way.

"You, too," Featherhead replied. "Now, I am guessing that there will be people coming in here, to check their belongings."

"Maybe they want to take their things and leave," Eddie said.

"Definitely," Featherhead said. "Anyone has coffee?"

"No coffee in here," Jamal replied. "We checked all the compartments. No food, either."

"Testament to the terrible train service provided by the Creamland railway station."

"What do you mean?"

"I was talking about the cargo trains."

"Oh."

"Anyway," Eddie said, rubbing his palms, "the items in this train are, no doubt, volatile. They are dangerous, like Featherhead pointed out. I checked the origami, but I still have not understood it deeply. I need to do more research."

"Who do you think is responsible for this?"

"I am not very certain, but based on discoveries, like the clothes worn by some of the guards, I can be certain of something. It is most probably Marks, the former petty criminal."

"Who?"

"To be exact, it is his old name, but he is believed to have changed his name. Actually, his real name is unknown, because he does not have a trace of fingerprint in any part of Earth."

"How is that possible?"

"He just never did. His old nickname, Marks, I found out from a man in a trench coat that we just caught. One of whom is responsible for my friend Joe's disappearance."

"Your friend disappeared?" Featherhead asked, his eyebrows rose underneath the mask. "Is that Joe Jackson guy your friend? The one in the papers?"

"True," replied Jamal.

"We wonder how he is right now," Baraq added.

"So, you are all here, in this train, to find him?" Featherhead asked, becoming a little puzzled with his new friends.