*OLD*Phantom Detectives*OLD*

Ch.14 Off The Rails

Eloise M.

Our tickets were for first class seats. Seeing as I was traveling with Thunder, he would be sleeping in my quarters for the time being. I was slightly uneasy being on a train like this seeing as the last time I was on one our train stopped in the middle of a tunnel and we were all stranded for three days.

Thunder laid on the rug as I fixed my bags for the trip. That's when a voice behind me chimed, "Ah, Detective Millore."

I spun around only to smile and chuckle, "Varian Black, ain't you a site for sore eyes."

Varian was an old friend that helped Arthur and I on a case a while back. His hair was an ash blonde, his eyes hazel, and his skin a warm beige. Varian wore a deep violet suit complete with black gloves. The fine stitching on his suit was the same as my attire... seeing as he made my clothes.

"Would you care to join me in the dining car darling?" Varian asks, extending his hand.

"Why certainly good sir." I roll my eyes taking his hand with a smirk. "You know you should say hello to Arthur, he'll rant if you don't."

"Don't worry love, he and that James fellow are already in the dining car. James seems like a good man. Quite the catch if you know what I mean." Varian teases.

"Test me and I'll push you straight out the window, Varian."

"Ah, same old Millore eh? So what brings you on this train?"

"Attending a dinner party, yourself?"

"I've gotten a business deal in the states."

"Lucky you and, Varian, you wouldn't mind helping me with something would you?"

"Of course not my lady, what is it that you need?"

"Have you ever encountered anyone with the last name Mistwood?"

*

Varian, unfortunately had never heard that name before. But then again, considering what happened at my cousin's bar, I suppose it was a good thing that Varian hadn't encountered him.

It was 8:30 pm, and the great majority of the first class guests were now in the dining car. Since there was a pool table, I challenged Varian to a little game of billiards. When he lost, the others on the train decided to give it a go. James surprisingly was quite good at billiards and even won a couple of games when I stepped out.

I had a pleasant talk with a woman in the first class section. Apparently she was going to see a play at a theater near the coast. She was a somewhat plump woman with brunette hair.

Not long after our talk, I went back to another round of billiards. I sat at the corner of the pool table when suddenly-

"Dear lord, is it just me or did the train just pick up pace?" The woman I was talking to asked.

"It appears you're right." Varian confirmed.

"Good lord! If we don't stop the train, at this speed we'll crash when we make the next turn!" A man at the bar shouted.

Gasps filled the room as the chatter and conversation arose. I jumped up on the pool table and boomed, "Attention! Attention everyone! Please, don't panic. I'm Detective Eloise Millore. My partners and I will have this situation under control but until then I'm going to have to ask you all to sit down."

"Millore!" Varian shouts. "We're locked in, we can't get out!"

"Never say never Varin." I call back.

Jumping off of the pool table I run up to the door kicking it down. I pull my gun from my belt and find that James, Arthur, Thunder, and even Varian are right behind me. "Varian, you stay behind and keep things under control here." I command.

"Got it. Be careful darling." Varian warned.

I nod in return and give a silent motion for the others to follow. We run down the narrow hallway of the sleeping quarters, bursting through the door to the storage car just before the engine. We find two of the workers on the train out cold but still alive.

"Alright the jig is up! Come out or we're going in!" Arthur bellows, banging on the door.

With no answer and the door locked, I kick it open. The conductor is out cold, the speed control stuck at top speed.

"How do we shut this thing down!?" James shouts over the engine.

"James, help me push!" I shout, grabbing the speed control stick.

James and I both push against the stick, and after what seems like hours, the stick clicks and we start to decrease speed. But we weren't going slow enough to make the next turn.

"We're not going to make it!" I shout.

"Don't worry, I've got this!" Arthur bellows.

He grabs a string on the roof of the car. James and I fall backwards as inertia kicks in, the brakes screeching, pulling the train to a stop. Once we're just barely going along, Arthur releases the brake, allowing the train to slowly enter the tunnel. I glance at the boys, Thunder successfully waking up the conductor. Our hearts and minds are racing when faced with the fact that if that woman hadn't noticed the change in speed...

We all would have died.