Casey & the Traitor

Casey & The Traitor is the first Miniature Railway Adventures Special, first written in 2014 by Michael White

Plot
The story begins during the Second World War in an air raid. While the bombing takes place in a town, some thieves break into a museum where a priceless Emerald jewel is on display. The jewel was found in a temple in a hidden jungle in India and researchers had taken a serious reaction whenever they set eyes on it. One of the thieves was the janitor of the museum who steals the jewel when he first looked upon it. he had attempted to steal it but was caught and fired. After stealing the jewel, he and the thieves head towards a nearby rail yard and still an engine to make off with to the next town. As the train trundles along the coastline, a fallen German fight looses height and crashes onto the the oncoming train, killing all on board. However the museum worker just survives, enough to crawl inland and bury the jewel before dying.

We jump to the present where Casey is getting ready for the Miniature Railway's first day of the construction of its new extension line. but something is troubling him that he wants to talk to Whitehouse about. When he finds him, Casey explains to Whitehouse what is troubling him. The night before, Casey stayed behind to clean out Lady Grange and hears voices coming from within the Motor Car Society, mainly at the old shed where they stopped Bernard from making black market petrol. Whitehouse doesn't see anything about it and suggests asking Jane when she arrives for work.

Meanwhile a newcomer to the railway called Stephen Mercade, offers his services to help with the railway's extension. He explains that he used to work for the MCS but got fired after revealing he had an interest in railways. Everyone welcomes Stephen, but Casey holds a grudge against him. Once an MCS worker - always an MCS worker. With Stephen helping out, the work on the extension line rapidly progresses. Because of the progress, work is believed to be finished ahead of schedule if the work was carried out during the night. The Chairman goes on leave for a few days so Cars is Acting Chairman until he returns. A list for volunteers for the night work is given and Casey signs on for it. However he finds that Stephen is also enrolled for it too. But to make things even worse, he is forced to take Stephen in as a lodger.

Despite not getting any sleep, Casey arrives with Stephen to resume work on the extension line. During the excavation for the track bed, the gang find an emerald jewel. Upon seeing it, Stephen's character changes and insists that he take ownership of it till something could be done about it. However Cars says that the jewel will be locked in his office and an expert will be contacted later in the day. this leaves Stephen furious which makes Casey wonder what has happened to him.

That evening, the gang stop as they need more rails from the workshops. Stephen volunteers to collect them. He is gone a long time and Casey is asked to find him while the others see about getting some dinner. Casey finds that Stephen hadn't gone to the workshops, but instead had gone to the main offices and stolen the emerald jewel. Without him seeing him, Casey follows Stephen all the way to the Motor Car Society and climbs a tree to see what he is doing. Stephen starts to talk to an unknown force which he tells that he's brought the 'rock of all power'. the force forms itself into the museum thief, which turns out to be Stephen's great grandfather, Francis Mercade. Before anything could be done with the jewel, Stephen is caught by Grinder and Gears, who were working late, and threaten to do him an injury for trespassing. Francis tells Stephen to use the jewel against them to which at first they find historical, but find that the jewel possesses a power that makes living souls into mind controlled zombies. Both Grinder and Gears are effected by the jewel and are instructed to alert other members of staff from the MCS so that they too can be brainwashed. Casey hurries to warn the others, but Francis notices him leaving. he instructs Stephen to ensure nobody believes Casey.

When Casey hurries back he tries to explain to Jane and Whitehouse what had happened. Stephen catches up with Casey to which Casey verbally lashes out at Stephen and claims that he is working for the MCS, which upsets Stephen greatly. Stephen admits that because of his short time at the MCS, all the other miniature railway reject his application to work for them and hoped the MCS would be the best choice. Jane assures him that he made the right choice and escorts him back to the railway, leaving Whitehouse to give Casey a stern talking to and threatens to have him terminated from the MES. Before Casey could retort, a scream is heard from the railway.

When the two hurry back to the MES, it is report that as well as the jewel that they found was gone, but the railway's deed. Without it they don't have ownership of the railway. Everyone searches the railway incase it got lost around certain areas. This gives Stephen the chance to make is escape back to the MCS where his army is waiting for him. His first order to them is to accomplish their task of destroying the miniature railway. However Bernard arrives to stop the attack, only to be over powered and locked in the impound cages below. With Bernard out of the way, Stephen commences the attack. All the brainwashed staff storm the MES and capture the railway gang one by one. However, Casey slips their grasp, for he had taken the tracks leading to the old mine line and had parked Lady Grange out of sight. A passing tramp informs Casey about what has happened to which Casey devises a plan to sneak in and stop Stephen.

Stephen gloats to his catch, who are chained to the wall in the impound cages, and even offers Jane her freedom if she becomes his queen. She complies with a hard knee to his groin. With that noted, Stephen leaves them to suffer until the time comes for them to be brainwashed. Casey sneaks back to the MCS in a disguise and hides in his tree as Stephen orders his men to arms. However, Casey falls from the tree and is attacked by Stephen and his men. With only one idea left, Casey pretends to have been brainwashed by the jewel, which Stephen falls for. he orders Casey to guard the prisoners as a way of showing to them that they have no choice but to serve under him.

The others are relieved to see Casey when he temporary breaks cover but makes sure to prove to Stephen that he is under the jewel's power by brutally punching Whitehouse. Satisfied, Stephen orders Casey to join him for their next mission. When they had gone, Whitehouse reveals that Casey had snuck the cage's keys to him in their staged performance, but before they could uncut themselves, Bernard tries to snatch the keys resulting them to fall through the gratings of a drain.

Outside, Stephen announces that he is putting Casey under 2nd in command to which Casey temporary feels comfortable to be praised by the MCS staff. However Francis' spirit is not done yet and instructs Stephen to use the jewel to restore his mortal body. Satisfied, he takes control of the jewel and orders Stephen to carry out his bidding. As a result, Stephen slowly starts to return to his old self but the jewel's power is still strong within him as he, Casey and some men to the MES. During the attack earlier, they had stolen Puffa and used it to make the final journey of the miniature railway. Before they could start the destruction, Lady Grange, who still has a fire in her firebox, lets off her safety valves resulting in Casey to break his cover when Stephen enquires what the noise was.

Furious that he is not under the jewel's control, Stephen lunges at Casey and the two have a pick- axe and shovel sword fight on the carriages, which break away and carrier down the line's gradient towards the MCS. Casey jumps in time as the coaches crash into the petrol shed causing serious injuries to Stephen. Francis is displeased with Stephen's actions and threatens to kill him. but Stephen is quick and knocks the jewel from Francis's hand with a bit of broken timber. The jewel falls and smashes resulting in its powers to be reversed. The ground begins to shake as the ghostly underworld reclaims Francis' soul. Stephen and the other MCS staff run for cover as the entire MCs begins to crumble.

Casey quickly drives Lady Grange to the MCS and frees the others and Bernard from the impound cages. Grinder and Gears are knocked unconscious by falling rubble and are dragged to safety by the railway gang. Corps notices something and hurries back into the crumbling building as Casey drives Lady Grange and the others to safety. The MCS is now in rubble, but everyone is safe. Bernard, furious at the loss of his business forces Grinder and Gears to help the other members of staff to rebuild their base, without so much as a thanks to Casey for saving his life.

Then the others find Stephen, sad and heartbroken about what he had done. Casey then learns that Corps had gone back into the MCS and blames Stephen for his death. However as they quietly morn the loss of their friend, Corps appears having survived the danger. He reveals that he had gone back to fetch the deed to the railway, which Stephen had stolen with the jewel earlier. Happy that they own the railway again, the gang go to celebrate; but not before asking Stephen if he'd still want to work for them. Stephen is shocked at the idea, but after Cars explains that before he was under the effects of the jewel, he had worked a good deal and was a credit to the railway. His actions under the jewel's power are not to be disclosed to the Chairman or the directors, and Stephen is welcomed merrily to the gang.

A week later, the extension line is ready to be opened. As a special present, the society have named the line after Stephen calling it, Mercade Pass.

The story ends with a cavalcade of engines parading through the extension line.

Audiobook
A three part audiobook adaption was released in April 2018 on YouTube, read by Michael White. the full audiobook is available on Soundcloud.

Trivia

 * This is the first Special of the series to be written.
 * The plot is inspired by the 1970's film, Dougal and the Blue Cat.
 * This is Stephen Mercade's debut to the series.
 * This is the introduction to Mercade Pass.
 * This is the first in the series to show a character dying.