The Molentary Express entered the long, dark tunnel and every light on board turned off. Since everyone was asleep, no one knew exactly what happened in the tunnel. But Luke still remembers from the last time he went through the tunnel.
Luke managed to wake up to the sound of metal being moved and dragged. He noticed Flora was fast asleep, practically cuddling him and he had his arm around her. Luke noticed Dimitri also managed to wake up.
"Dimitri? You're...awake?" Luke asked, yawning and stretching.
"Yes. I managed to wake up about five minutes ago actually. I went out of the train for a brief moment to see what they were doing to it. It turns out they are in fact swapping tracks."
Luke carefully got up from the couch without waking up Flora. He managed to rest her head on a pillow and then walked over to the window in the room and looked outside.
"Bollocks. I can't see anything. It's too dark."
"It is a dark tunnel after all. And all the lights on board have turned off too." Dimitri turned to Clive who had his head rested against the back of the couch and was in a sitting position whilst still asleep.
"How were you able to wake up so quickly?" Luke asked Dimitri, puzzled.
"Well, that's what many years as a scientist gets you. Lack of sleep and being able to wake up so quickly."
"But, surely that isn't good for your health is it?"
"You are right about that. But, I've dedicated my whole life to research and being a scientist. It's only natural I must act like one too. Even if lack of sleep and waking up early is not what they do. I'm just...different I guess you can say."
Luke suddenly heard some talking coming from outside the train. He couldn't make out all of it but managed to hear 'Alright, it's done.'
"It sounds as if they've swapped the carriages around. Looks like we'll be heading to Folsense now."
"Ah, so that's how to get there. On this train! Got it. Now I know in case I ever decide to come back on my own."
Luke looked at Dimitri, slightly disgusted. He had already told Dimitri how to get to Folsense. He was sure of it. Unless he didn't pay attention.
The lights on the train came back on and the train started to move again.
"EVERYBODY GET READY TO ROCK! THE NEXT STOP IS THE NEWLY RENOVATED TOWN OF...FOOOOOOOLLLLLLLSEEEEEENNNNNNSSSSSSSEEEEEE!!! Come on passengers, let me hear you SCREEAAAMMM!!!"
"We should probably take this time to have a quick look around the train right?"
"And leave these two here?"
"I mean, they're just sleeping so nothing should happen to them right?"
"I guess. Okay, well let's go look around anyway. We shouldn't take long though otherwise they might wake up and notice we're gone."
"Agreed." Luke opened the door to the hallway. "Alright, let's have a look around."
Luke and Dimitri walked out of their room and closed the door behind them. The shadowy figure that was behind Clive before was now behind them. But before Luke could turn around and see it, it quickly disappeared.
"I could've sworn I thought someone was watching us there." Luke looked at the area where the shadowy figure was before Dimitri approached him from behind.
"You know, Clive had a similar reaction here before. He thought someone was behind him but no one was there."
Luke started thinking about something.
"Well, we shouldn't waste any time. Let's have a look around the train quickly."
The two of them walked around the train to notice nothing had really changed. Just the paint in one of the carriages was different than it was last time.
"Nothing's changed? Well, except that one carriage anyway." Luke sighed. "We should head back then."
"Yes, it seems we're almost there."
Luke and Dimitri returned to the VIP Carriage and back to their room. They opened the door to walk in and noticed Clive was awake now and Flora was still asleep. Clive looked as if he had just woken up.
"Hey Clive. I take it you're awake too." Dimitri stated.
"No. Merely just daydreaming is all." Clive chuckled at his own sarcasm. "It seems Flora is still asleep. Where did you two go?"
"We just had a look around the train to see if anything had changed. Just one carriage is different but that's it really."
"I see." Clive looked out the window to notice a partially shadowy silhouette of what looked to be a town approaching them. "Is that Folsense? What happened to it? I thought it was repaired?"
Luke looked out the window as well to also notice the town with some lights on.
"What happened here?"
Flora managed to wake up, stretching and yawning.
"Oh, you're all awake?"
"Yes, we've been awake for quite some time now." Dimitri looked towards the window. "It looks like we're here."
"Oooo how exciting! Is it the same as last time you were here Luke? With the lights?"
"I told you that was an illusion. It was fake. Yes, there was news about the town getting rebuilt but still not being marked on the map. Right now, the town looks like it's been destroyed."
Luke noticed a smoke pillar emerging from what looked to be near the middle of the town. The train came to a stop but to their surprise, no one was alerted to its arrival.
"Alright we're here! We should leave and get this investigation started." Ordered Dimitri.
"Agreed. We mustn't wait any longer." Clive picked up his suitcases.
Dimitri took two of his four suitcases, Luke took his bag and Flora took her bag. The four of them arrived in the station only to notice that there wasn't a single light anywhere so it was practically pitch black.
"Sammy, how long do we have until the train heads back to Dropstone?"
"Well, it was only you folks and one other guy that came here. But I don't think he's going to return any time soon. He didn't looks happy at all. So, whenever you want to head back, just let me know and I'll get the train running."
"Thank you, Sammy."
"Not a problem."
Luke proceeded to walk through the dark station with Flora, Dimitri and Clive. Luke felt something hold his arm but realised it was just Flora. Dimitri and Clive followed behind them and tried to look for a source of light but they couldn't see anything.
"Luke...I'm scared." Flora shivered lightly.
"Don't worry Flora. Nothing's going to happen to you as long as we are here."
Flora was too scared to respond to Luke's words. They reached the double doors that triggered the effects of the gas to take place last time they came here but miraculously, nothing happened.
"So the gas doesn't have an effect any more? That's good to know." Luke stated.
"Wasn't this to do with the destruction of Herzen Castle? And the debris filling up the gold mine?" Clive asked with concern.
"Yes it was. That was what stopped the side effects of the gas and the hallucinations. The true nature of Folsense was revealed. Luke opened the Train Station's door and was shocked what he saw. Destroyed buildings. Ripped pieces of clothes. Cracked floors. Flickering, dim lights. Pools of blood. But not big enough for someone to have been killed. It's as if someone threw up blood or had started dripping blood.
"My word. What on Earth happened here?" Luke asked himself whilst looking around the the exit of the Station.
"So, it must never have been repaired then. Those stories were most likely lies, just like the gas." Dimitri expressed with concern.
"I wouldn't jump to conclusions yet Dimitri." Luke started. "Some of these buildings have been repaired." Luke pointed at a partially destroyed building near the Hotel they stayed at last time they came. "That building was fully destroyed last time when the effects of the gas dispersed. Now it's practically half built."
"Is that so?" Dimitri muttered to himself.
"Alright, let's look around to see if we can find any people who might still be here." Luke said. "It would be best if we stick together. After all, it could be dangerous."
"I agree with you. We mustn't split up whatever happens." Clive approached Flora and spoke to her lightly. "Flora, make sure you stick as close as you can to Luke or any of us okay?"
"O-okay!" Flora squeaked, still lightly shivering.
The four of them continued through Folsense. There was nothing but silence. Not a single sound except the light sound of wind blowing. They passed by the Cabaret. Luke all of a sudden shuddered slightly. His memories of passing by there last time. The Cabaret was also moderately destroyed but Luke could still make out what it was. There was a faint scream in the distance.
"Did you hear that Luke?" Dimitri asked whilst looking around in confusion.
"That sounded like it came from Herzen Castle. But...why there?"
Dimitri continued looking around until he found someone who was unconscious under some rubble. He managed to see their arm and they had what looked to be a white lab coat on. Dimitri ran up towards them to confirm if it was a person.
"LUKE, CLIVE, OVER HERE! THERE'S SOMEONE HERE!"
"What?"
Luke, Clive and Flora ran towards Dimitri. The flickering lights looked as if they were flickering even more. Luke, Clive and Dimitri helped get rid of the rubble and debris on top of the person whilst Flora watched with her hands covering her mouth. The man was a scientist. Or at least he looked like one.
"Dr. Avagadro!" Dimitri instantly rushed in picking up the remaining rubble and lifted up the scientist to check if he was still breathing. "He's still breathing." Dimitri sighed with relief. "Thank goodness."
"Is he part of your expedition team Dimitri?" Luke asked.
"Yes, we've found one but there's still three more to look for. One of them is Horrace."
Dr. Avagadro regained consciousness.
"Bo-boss? Is that...you?"
"It's me Avagadro. You're okay now." Dimitri put the scientist down so he could walk. "What happened? Where is everyone in this town? And the rest of your crew?"
"We...were attacked. By some people dressed in all black. Some were armed...with guns. Others used...Martial Arts or something. They...attacked the town. Scaring off everyone, making them...run away. They took Horrace somewhere. Asking him...if he knew where Herzen Castle was. The leader amongst them...dressed like that man, Professor Layton, asked him. Horrace said...he didn't know but...the boss kept on beating him up until...he spoke. He said Herzen Castle was on top of the hill...partially destroyed." Dr. Avagadro pointed towards Herzen Castle in the distance.
Dimitri looked towards the castle.
"What about the rest of your team? Where are they?"
"I'm...not sure. I think they...might be with Horrace...and those people."
Dimitri became overrun with rage. The thought of his team being ambushed without him being there to help was enough to anger him. And a lot. He put down Avadagro and stood up. He clenched his fists, stood still for a moment before he looked at Avagadro in the eyes.
"Alright, new plan. Dr. Avagadro, please head towards the Train Station and wait there for us. We'll board the train when we're done here." Dimitri turned his head back towards Luke and the others. "As for us, we're heading straight to the castle. And we're going to beat us some Targent thugs. Before they threaten anyone else. I'm going to find the boss of them, and deal with him myself."
Dimitri started to march towards the castle before Luke and Clive ran in front of him to stop him.
"Wait Dimitri! Killing them is not what we do. Nor is it what we'll do."
"That's right. You don't want to fall into the same path as me do you? Constant hatred and revenge. It'll get you no where, only in jail."
"Well we're not letting them go free. Even if they have to be beaten to a pulp, they do not escape here." Dimitri pushed Luke and Clive out of the way before proceeding on towards the castle. Luke, Flora and Clive chased after him.
"DIMITRI! STOP!" Luke caught up to Dimitri. "I agree that they must be stopped but this isn't the way. You said you wanted to be a gentleman? This is not what a gentleman does."
Dimitri started to lose his rage and slow down a bit.
"Well then...if they aren't dying, or getting severely hurt, then there's no point in us even trying to stop them. They are a threat to out society and they must be stopped even if it means one or more of them end up dying. They kidnapped my team, attacked the people of Folsense and even tried to attack you and Flora back in London. Who knows what they're going to do next? We stop them here, before they even try doing anything else."
And with that, Dimitri carried on towards Herzen Castle with Luke, Flora and Clive following behind. The mysterious person who looked like the Professor watched them move towards the castle before they swiftly went in the same direction, out of sight from the four of them. Dimitri intended to stop Targent in Folsense and he would put some of his machines to good use on them but he had to be careful when using them. otherwise Targent might take him in to power up the device back in London.