Previously...

By the time the engines returned back to the railway, all of them could look on in stunned shock and horror. The rails looked to be damaged, the shed was on fire and destroyed, and even the station building and platform were the most heavily damaged. Some trucks and coaches were damaged and ruined, with Liliana's two coaches still intact but shaken. The fire department had arrived, but the damage was severe.

"Oh, no..." Was all Diana could mutter out.

"Holy Gresley..." Austin muttered.

"This cannot be..." Anna looked on.

"Our home... it's gone..." Jane fell to her knees.

"It's all gone..." Caitlyn muttered, tears falling from her eyes. "The railway is gone..."

"Our sheds are destroyed..." Darla looks sadly.

"Oh, dear..." Kieron could only mutter out.

"I'd hate to announce this, but the Josephine Railway will have to close down until further notice." Mr. Frankin said to his engines and family.

Braedey could only sit on the edge of the remains of the turntable, looking on at the smoke and fire of the remains of the engine shed, his eyes looking at all the destruction around him. He now gritted his teeth, a look of anger within his eyes.

This isn't a random event. This was a terrorist attack. A coordinated movement set up by someone....

Someone from a forgotten past...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Everyone of the Josephine Railway stare at the remains of the engine sheds and Marion Station. The shed was on fire and destroyed, even the station building and platform were the most heavily damaged. Some trucks and coaches were damaged and ruined.

"Who could've done this? Why did they do this?" Jane asked out.

"This place is ruined..." Jonson muttered.

"Our home and livelihood..." Anna added. "It's all gone."

"This is terrible." Diana added softly.

Mr. Franklin looks on in silence. He stares on at the remains of the engine shed and station building, the fire department talking to his wife in regards to what is the damage sustained to the area.

"Mr. Franklin?" Liliana spoke softly, her voice barely a whisper. "What will happen to our railway?" She asked.

"For the time being, I'm afraid the Josephine Railway will have to close until further notice and investigation." Mr. Franklin replied solemnly.

"I'll contact everyone to tell them the news." Caitlyn said to her husband.

"But where will we go now?" Darla asked softly. "Our home is gone..."

"We will travel to Sodor." Braedey replied sternly, now looking back to the other engines. "That will be our refuge and home for the time being until the Josephine Railway is repaired." He said to them all.

"I agree." Mr. Franklin informed. "That's the best option we have. Everyone, best to collect whatever we can that hasn't been destroyed by the explosion, and we'll take it all to Sodor."

Sure enough, the J.R engines began to collect some well-wagons to pick up the tank engines, with Liliana collecting both her coaches Maryellen and Susan. They all take a moment to look around one last time at their railway. It was a hard feeling for them all to leave their home the way they are now, but they've all got no other choice; they can't stay here for it's not safe, and it's much too dangerous for them to remain here at all.

Braedey takes the lead, with Diana, Anna, Darla, Ella, Madeline, and Shadow alongside Jonson, while the other tank engines and shunter diesels were loaded up onto the well-wagons. Once loaded up, the engines all take one more look around at their home before they chuff away down the line forth to Barrow-in-Furness.

Mr. Franklin, who's up front in Braedey's cab, takes note of how quiet his crimson express locomotive is at the moment. "Braedey, you alright?" He asked.

Braedey was silent for a moment. "Mr. Franklin... I've got a bad feeling about this all of a sudden..." He said softly.

"How come?" Mr. Franklin asked in confusion.

"Now isn't the best time. I'll explain later." Braedey spoke back. "Right now, let's get to Sodor and quickly." He continues to chuff away with the others following.

As the sun was starting to set below the horizon, the J.R engines chug through Barrow-in-Furness, heading on forth towards the Vicarstown Bridge. Some of the engines weren't speaking or talking to one another as they continue onward.

"I've called Sir Topham Hatt to tell them about what's happened." Caitlyn informed to them. "He'll be seeing us in Knapford with his engines when we arrive."

"Good." Josephine nodded in agreement, she and her mother in Diana's cab. "Being around friends can help them recover from this sudden trauma."

"Agreed." Caitlyn nodded back.

After a long slow and quiet travel across Sodor from the East to the West, the sun setting below the horizon as it became nightfall, the Josephine Railway engines eventually arrive at Knapford Station, all of them with downcast expressions on their faces as they slow to a gentle stop. As they look, they saw the engines there, with Sir Topham Hatt and his daughter Emily Hatt.

"Welcome, everyone." Sir Topham greeted to them. "Now, all of you are more than welcome to stay here on the North Western Railway for as long as you need to." He said to the engines softly and reassuringly.

"We thank you so much, Sir Topham." Mr. Franklin shook hands with The Fat Controller, Caitlyn and her daughters also shaking hands and hugging Emily Hatt.

Hayden chuffs up, a look of concern and sympathy shown present. "Guys, we're really sorry this had happened to you."

"If there's anything we can to do help, please let us know." Gordon added in, the other engines in agreement with the big blue engine's words.

"We appreciate your concern, Gordon. Thank you." Ella thanked softly. "But... it's not gonna be easy to get over the fact our home has been destroyed." She sighs.

"Don't worry, Ella." Kieron reassured back. "We will be able to rebuild once this is all over."

"For now, you all need some rest and recovery." Emily Hatt spoke up. "Thomas, please take Kieron, Liliana, Jane, and Benjamin down to your branchline. Toby, Percy, Rowan and Lady will be there to see you."

"Yes, ma'am." Thomas acknowledged, him puffing away with Kieron, Liliana, Jane, and Benjamin.

"Diana, Anna, Darla, Ella, and Madeline. You girls best go with Emily to the sheds by Knapford." Caitlyn suggested, the female engines all puffing away from Tidmouth Sheds. "Shadow, Braedey, Jonson, you can stay wherever you'd like to."

The three engines understood, with Braedey over with the other big engines, while Jonson goes over to the Little Western where Duck, Oliver, Donald and Douglas are, while Shadow sleeps at Vicarstown.

Braedey now backs himself down into the empty berth nearby. He was still feeling downcast and hurt about what's happened to his home, but it's also the thought of what or who could have done this. He knew both Fowler and Roderick are more for kidnapping and to go in without a plan. This is not their style - this is of someone else's handiwork.

'Could it be..? No, that's not possible.' Braedey thought to himself. He wasn't sure if it can be, but a bad feeling seemed to form within the pit of his boiler. 'But can it be...?' Braedey decided to rest up and sleep so he has a clear head.

All across the island of Sodor, the engines of the Josephine Railway all settled into their temporary shed and residence, all of them looking up at what they felt was an unfamiliar night sky overhead. They all felt concerned and worried, as if someone or something was watching them right now, judging them, waiting for them to make their next move. With much trepidation and uncertainty about what might happen next, the engines soon fall into an uneasy sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning, everything seemed to feel different to the J.R engines. It was almost surreal or something else compared to what they're used to back on their railway. Despite this, they still have some work to do, but it'll be done not as extensively.

On the Ffarquhar Branch, Jane, Kieron, Liliana, and Benjamin began to slowly handle either goods or passenger trains, though they're still shaken after what happened to their home. Over in the Little Western, Jonson had been asked to handle some mixed-traffic work, which he acknowledged and carried onwards, though he was still thinking about his home. At the same time, Diana, Anna, Darla, Ella, and Madeline were all unsure of going on ahead for today, especially after yesterday, but Anna and Darla go on ahead, the two of them to take the Wild Nor' Wester alongside Gordon, with Diana going off to the Little Western.

Over at Tidmouth Sheds, Braedey was slow to start up, while the others engines have all gone off to work. Eventually, the crimson red locomotive got fired up and he made his way out. He was still feeling downcast and lost in his thoughts as he arrived in the yards nearby Knapford.

"Something on your mind?" The crimson GWR Hall engine looked over to see Hayden the silver/grey GWR King class locomotive on his right.

"Oh, just... lost in thought." Braedey sighed to himself.

"Again, I'm sorry about what happened to you and your friends' home." Hayden said with sympathy to Braedey with a solemn expression. "You know, those like Gordon and Spencer understand the feeling."

"I can imagine. You lost your home of Doncaster when British Railways took over in the 50's, and turned it into a diesel workshop." Braedey sighed softly.

"Yes. I agree." Spencer acknowledged. "But the way you lost your home, it was rather despicable."

"We can count our lucky stars nobody was harmed in the explosion." Braedey commented softly, just as he goes to collect some trucks for a goods train. "I'm gonna go and take this train, so I can take my mind off it."

"You do that." Spencer acknowledged, the LNER A4 Pacific chuffing away.

Later on, Braedey had slowly made his way along the mainline with the goods train, all the while thinking on about what had happened, why this happened, and ultimately, who was to blame for this terrorist attack. He was still thinking about it as he eventually came to a stop over at a red signal nearby one open field.

"Old boy, you're going to lose your mind if you keep thinking on what's going on, you'll blow a valve over it." Braedey's driver spoke up, gently patting his cab.

"I'm just worried..." Braedey sighed softly. "Worried that it might happen again... and there may be casualties."

Just then, the sound of whirling winds could be heard now fast approaching. Braedey looked up to the sky overhead, the sound of helicopter blades coming in. As he watches on, Braedey could see Hawk the S-92 Rescue Helicopter flying in.

"Hawk! Where have you been?" Braedey smiles in relief as the helicopter hovers before landing in the field next to him.

"I've been working out on the south coast of Britain on rescue patrols and whatnot." Hawk explained, his engines winding down as his rotor blades start to slow down. "Just doing my part in the rescue business. But as I was making my flight back towards the Josephine Railway, I saw two unfamiliar locomotives heading away from the J.R, travelling East into the mainland."

"That no doubt has to be Bernard and Rachel, those two engines that appeared out of nowhere wjth those gunpowder wagons." Braedey realised, steam shooting out of his pistons in frustration. "Where did they go?"

"I was able to track them to a location far from London or any populated areas, rather remote in the British countryside." Hawk explained, his side door opening as he turns to his right. A screen deploys from inside his cab to reveal it. "But due to the heavy smoke in the area, I wasn't able to get a clear view of the area, but thanks to my thermal cameras, I got this snapshot."

Braedey now takes note of what's on the screen in Hawk's midsection. He could see what looks to be a large refinery location with a marshalling yard before it, with a series of tracks and switch points around the whole area. There were three large buildings, no doubt one being a smelting shed, the two others being repair shops as well as other buildings.

"We believe this could be the headquarters of the D.G.S.S.E itself." Hawk added in.

"Hmm... definitely haven't seen such a place before." Braedey noted. "But thanks for telling me, Hawk. I'll go and tell Mr. Franklin about it." He then saw his signal turn green. "Talk to you soon."

"Of course." Hawk acknowledged as Braedey now puffs away at speed. "Remember to keep to the speed limit." He called.

Braedey chugs along at speed, his thoughts focused on the facility that Hawk had discovered. If that place really is the headquarters of the D.G.S.S.E, then this has to be informed at once. He eventually arrived at the next station, then asked the stationmaster to make a call to Mr. Franklin so he can meet him for something important. The stationmaster understood and goes off to make the call. Braedey dropped off his trucks and he sat in an adjacent siding, his crew refilling his boiler and water tanks, as well as topping up his tender with coal. They had a feeling their engine will need it.

After a few minutes, Braedey saw Mr. Franklin drive up to the station. "Sir." He greeted.

"What's the emergency, Braedey?" Mr. Franklin asked as he walked up.

"Hawk has come back, and he says he's found the headquarters of the D.G.S.S.E." Braedey informed, and that was enough to make Mr. Franklin look serious.

"Very well. Braedey, we're going to investigate." Mr. Franklin declared firmly, Braedey rather surprised at his owner's sudden change in demeanour. "We will go and see what this place is about."

Braedey then looks stern. "Yes, sir." He chuffs, just as Mr. Franklin climbs up into his cab. Braedey then spots Thomas now approaching with a line of coal trucks. "Thomas. I need you to tell Sir Topham Hatt that myself and Mr. Franklin are gonna be gone for a while and be back soon." With that, the crimson locomotive chuffs away down the mainline at speed, Thomas watching him leave with a look of confusion present on his face.

'What was that about?' Thomas wondered to himself. He then heads off to go and find anyone.

Thomas eventually found his way down to Knapford, and he found Gordon, James, Peter, and Darla ready to leave with their next trains. The blue tank engine now informed to the others about Braedey leaving the island in a hurry with Mr. Franklin.

"What do you think this could mean?" Darla asked.

"Do you think it has to do with Hawk and what he found?" James inquired, everyone else looking to him.

"What are you talking about, James?" Gordon asked. James then recounted what Hawk had told him when he met him over at Dryaw. "Oh..." Gordon now said.

"So Braedey and Mr. Franklin have gone off to locate the D.G.S.S.E headquarters?" Peter commented. "Man, those two are pretty fearless."

"What I'm worried about is what he'll find when he gets there." Thomas said in concern.

"Same." Darla agreed.

Maverick the red Westerner diesel rolled up nearby and had overheard the conversation between the engines. "Thomas, I'm sure Braedey will be alright. He'll do some reconnaissance before returning back to Sodor, so he'll tell us what he's found." He stated.

"Of course." Edward agreed as he puffs up alongside. "We will just have to wait until Mr. Franklin and Braedey return back to the island later on."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Over on the mainland, the crimson GWR Hall Class engine chuffs along as fast as possible, a trail of steam swirling around in his wake. Braedey puffs away down the mainline at speed, not slowing down as he goes on ahead, Mr. Franklin in his cab as he holds on tight.

After a long endurance and charge on ahead of the mainline, Braedey eventually slowed his pace and saw a set of tracks leading away further into the landscape away from the mainline. Being careful and cautious, Braedey chugs along down the line, taking note of the rust on the rails and sleepers and how overgrown the bushes and trees are.

"Looks as though this particular line hasn't been touched in several years." Mr. Franklin noted, then sees some trees having been ripped apart or have been broken up. "But it seems that someone has been down here."

Braedey takes note of oil down on the tracks. "You are right. There's oil down on the rails." He then could smell something. "Wait... I smell smoke..." He muttered.

"Isn't that from you?" Mr. Franklin asked softly.

"No. It smells like molten steel..." Braedey muttered as he chuffs along slowly and carefully. He chuffs slowly and carefully among the bushes and trees. He gently pushes his way through the pushes, and he saw the huge oil refinery before them. "There it is..."

"That must be it." Mr. Franklin looks on at the huge oil refinery, the smoke swirling around overhead and all about the scrapped machinery around the whole area. The redhead then spotted the oil-splattered sign that reads 'D.G.S.S.E' by the main gates. "Yep. This is the place."

"There's a single-line track that looks to go around the exterior of the refinery." Braedey noted. "We'll use that to sneak around without being seen. The bushes and trees around us, as well as the piled-up scrap will hide us."

Mr. Franklin agreed as he got out of Braedey's cab, then he switched the tracks, the crimson engine gently and quietly puffs along down the single-line track. Once they travel along, Mr. Franklin jumps back into Braedey's cab, the two of them sneaking on as quiet as they can.

"What do we do?" Mr. Franklin asked softly.

Braedey now came to a stop, his eyes widening as he looks through some of the twisted metal to find an open roof shed where Fowler, Diesel 10, and Roderick were parked up, the three of them no doubt having an indignation meeting.

"There they are." Braedey whispered softly, he and Mr. Franklin both looking through the scrap at the three engines in the shed.

"Well, well, gentlemen." Diesel 10 spoke out. "Us now on the precipice of a near victory."

"That, as well as having a surplus of engines at our disposal to fight in this war." Roderick added in next. "Thanks to us, we will have a tactical advantage over our enemies."

"Speaking of which, how are things going with the other diesels?" Fowler asked. This got both Braedey and Mr. Franklin's attention as they listen in quietly.

"Repairs have been going along smoothly, and the three Gronk diesels will be ready to go in no time." Roderick informed. "It'll be a matter of time until they function once again with new engines and wheels. They, along with that GT3 piece of work."

"Right. By orders from the big boss..." Diesel 10 added.

"One thing I cannot wait to hear is the news from both Bernard and Rachel of what's happened to the engines in the Josephine Railway." Roderick now wondered.

"Actually, I just gotten word from those two the moment they came back a few hours ago." Fowler informed. "Turns out that none of the engines were there at the time the bombs went off."

"WHAT?!" Diesel 10 snarled out, gritting his teeth. "You mean they wasted an entire explosives train for nothing but structural damage?!"

"They said something about all the engines being at Barrow-in-Furness for something." Fowler stated. "But there's no doubt they've gone to Sodor to regroup."

"HA! We can just roll up over there and give them what for." Roderick added in with a smirk. "Is that the plan for the Big Boss?" Braedey and Mr. Franklin both didn't like the sound of what's going on, but the next set of words shook Braedey to his very core..

"Well, this is all Goliath's planning coming to fruition."

Braedey felt the water in his boiler turn to ice, a cold and uncomfortable feeling racing through his frames. That name... Goliath... he thought he'd never heard that name ever again.

'That's impossible. He is still alive?' Braedey thought to himself in worry and trepidation. 'But that can't be. He was arrested by the R.I.U back in 1960 before I was withdrawn in '63. How can he still be about?' He then had a terrible feeling settle within him. 'Beeching...'

"So what's the final plan he has in mind?" Roderick now asked.

"Oh, it'll be perfect. To find a way to finally be rid of the engines on the North Western Railway and the other engines." Fowler answered back with a smirk.

Diesel 10 now smirked darkly. "Ah, yes. THIS is a job... FOR THE BIG BOSS!!" He laughed evilly and snaps his claw four times to emphasis his point, Roderick doing the same.

"We have to slow them down. We need to distract them now." Braedey began to look around him, trying to think of something that he could use to try and distract them. Just then, he remembers his 'war' whistle.

Fowler and the two diesels suddenly hear the bellowing whistle, now startling them. "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" Diesel 10 yells out as he honks his horn to call the others.

"We've got company!" Roderick yelled out.

Diesel 10 and Roderick abruptly raise their claw at tremendous speed, inadvertently smashing into a structural beam just above them, and it brought down the whole shed roof on top of the three engines with a crash! Roderick was now infuriated, and this resulted in his claw bursting through the roof, sparks coming off the claw as well. Diesel 10 did the same with his claw.

"What in the- Oh, not again!" Roderick yelled out.

Braedey and Mr. Franklin laugh quietly to themselves, seeing what happened, thanks to Braedey's quick thinking, as Roderick and Diesel 10 struggle to control their wayward claws.

"Pinchy, get back down here!" Diesel 10 barked at his claw. "Pinchy, don't make me come up there! I hate it when you do this!"

"Useless hunk of metal! You do what I tell you, you stupid piece of machinery!" Roderick barked out.

"Good show, old boy." Mr. Franklin smiled to Braedey as he jumps back into the cab.

And with that, the crimson locomotive steamed off in a cloud of steam to rendezvous back to Sodor with the others about what he's learnt, leaving, Fowler, Diesel 10, and Roderick still trapped under the old shed roof.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Once back on Sodor, Braedey and Mr. Franklin have all called in an emergency meeting for all the engines of the NWR to meet up at Knapford Station, so they can explain to them all about what they've found.

"So, what did you and Mr. Franklin find, Braedey?" Sir Topham Hatt asked to the crimson locomotive.

"We found the location of the D.G.S.S.E Headquarters, as well as a number of familiar faces." Braedey now informed to everyone, Hawk also parked in an open space nearby, who was showing the screen of the so-called refinery and base.

"We found Fowler and Roderick, along with a familiar BR Class 42 'Warship' diesel." Mr. Franklin added in.

"What? Diesel 10 is back?!" Lady echoed in worry.

"I thought he was gone after that whole avalanche incident on Christmas." Thomas added in.

"I'm more concerned about what they've mentioned in regards to the three 'Gronk' diesels they were talking about. As well as a familiar GT3." Braedey stated.

"Oh, for crying out loud... Croghan, of all engines?" Max grumbled in exasperation. "Seriously, out of all the arrogant buckets on wheels we've had to deal with, HE has to be one of them?"

"And on top of that, Roderick and Fowler are the ones responsible for the damage done to your railway." Gordon scoffed in frustration.

"Gordon. This isn't Fowler or Roderick's handiwork... This is different..." Braedey looks on with narrowed eyes.

"Braedey, if Fowler and Roderick didn't blow up your railway sheds and station, then who did?" Ella asked in concern. "I'm... I'm a little scared."

Braedey looks on. "This is the work of the DGSSE... but it's not the work of Fowler and Roderick. Those two are hunters who prey on engines, not assassins who plant explosives to blow up a station and sheds. This is the work of someone else higher than those two, higher in the ladder of hierarchy."

Thomas looks at the crimson engine in concern. "Someone higher on the ladder of hierarchy? Are you saying that Fowler and Roderick are not the head honchos of the DGSSE?" He asked.

Braedey chuffs. "That's right, Thomas. Fowler and Roderick, they're the leaders of their little task force that hunts down and collects engines for scrap. They answer to someone of HIGHER status and authority."

"The TRUE leader of the DGSSE... Goliath..."