Chapter 590: The Station

A map of Virginia was spread out on the table.

Inisha’s slender index finger roughly circled an area. “This area is where we previously thought Connal might have encountered an accident.”

Wayne nodded, and then Inisha’s fingertip moved across the paper, first tracing the lines representing the steam train route within the circled area, then making a slight turn and stopping at a blank spot:

“Today, I found an opportunity at the station to view the steam train arrival records for the past six months, and then I went to City Hall to consult some archives. To put it directly, there’s a disused steam train station at this location, but I believe it’s still being secretly used.

“Although the arrival times of the steam trains aren’t fixed, the regular occurrence of similar delays suggests they are being affected by the same influence.

“Even though City Hall has officially decommissioned that station in its documents, there are no prior records of its construction or maintenance, and it’s listed as public land in the archives, yet City Hall has excluded it from its management scope. Even Ms. Susan, who has lived here for many years, only knows that ‘there’s an abandoned station there’ and is completely unaware of any other specific details.”

It makes the public “know but not know,” and it itself “exists but doesn’t exist”...

Wayne thought for a moment, “Could it be a secret facility of the Federal or state government?”

“That’s what I think too.”

Inisha nodded. “I remember when we took the steam train to Richmond before, we passed through there. My impression was that it looked like a duty or maintenance station for patrol personnel along the line. The train didn’t slow down or stop when passing it. However, there are several railway sidings there, and the location is also near a small valley, so it wouldn’t be surprising if there were additional facilities.”

“Do you think Connal and his group might have had an accident there?” Wayne asked.

Inisha shook her head slightly. “I’m not sure, but I can’t rule out that possibility. Based on the patterns, the affected arrival times are all for night freight trains, which indicates a high level of secrecy there, with no public entry or exit during the day. And if we deduce their itinerary from the time Connal might have released his pigeons, there is indeed an overlapping part.

“If Connal’s disappearance is truly related to that abandoned station, then they might have coincidentally noticed something and then investigated it on their own. Or perhaps to hurry their journey, they secretly boarded a train they shouldn’t have approached and were then discovered.”

Hmm...

Did it accidentally involve an official secret facility?

Honestly, compared to “someone is secretly targeting members of the Detective Agency,” or “an Extraordinary Person so powerful that even Connal couldn’t escape appeared inexplicably in Virginia,”

Wayne actually thought this possibility wasn’t too bad...

There are many Extraordinary People in local secret Agent organizations. If that place really is some official secret base, it wouldn’t be too surprising for Connal, bringing a few outsiders, to suffer a disadvantage when encountering professional “regular troops.”

...

Strictly speaking, ordinary people investigating official secret facilities without authorization, in any country, is at minimum an “illegal act.”

The laws in America regarding this are not yet complete at this time; there are “statements” but no “details,” which makes such matters even more terrifying, as if one could enter a dangerous state where “speaking out is unreasonable, and whatever is done to you secretly is legal.”

Wayne felt that Inisha’s dilemma was probably here: on one hand, Connal was both a “Hunter” and an “Agent,” and the few people who came with him likely originated from the Hunter Association. Even if the possibility was small, Inisha would probably feel it necessary to investigate and confirm.

But on the other hand, such an action was clearly “wrong” and carried certain risks. Based on Wayne’s understanding of Inisha, he felt she was the type who “could go herself but wouldn’t ask companions to come along.”

After Lina returned in the evening, the three of them met.

Inisha’s final opinion was indeed very similar to what Wayne had guessed: “The restaurant and workshop are opening these two days, and everyone has things to be busy with. I’ll go check it out myself tonight, and I’ll report any new developments.”

“I’m coming with you,” Wayne immediately volunteered.

Inisha hesitated, trying to dissuade him, “If it’s as we speculated, this matter has little to do with the Detective Agency... there’s no need to involve everyone.”

Wayne’s reason was also very sufficient: “Connal is an Agent of the Detective Agency, and I also have a Hunter’s badge.”

Some things are like cockroaches in the house.

It’s not about saying “seeing one means there are a thousand more,” but rather “it feels like there’s one on the bedsheet, and if I don’t confirm it, how can I sleep tonight?”

Lina’s interest seemed significantly higher. “I want to go too, I want to go too. I’ve never seen an official American secret facility before. Even if Connal isn’t there, I still want to go see it.”

Hey, you just said what was on my mind.

A secret base of the Great American Dynasty! Wayne had seen many in movies and TV shows before, each looking more advanced than the last, usually with crazy scientists and flashy monsters at the final boss level.

Now that there was a chance to encounter the real thing, it was truly hard not to want to experience it...

Inisha still felt it wasn’t appropriate: “For safety reasons, it’s best to have a partner stay behind at the workshop. We put so much effort into modifying the mill; it wouldn’t be good if it were damaged.”

Lina also changed her excuse, “We’re just worried about you. Although you still have the injection and the temporary unsealing badge from the church, the restraints are still there. Whether you get injured yourself or cause a big mess, it would have a significant impact on the Detective Agency.”

While they were still talking, Doug brought Daimon McQueedy over.

When asked, Wayne had only intended to have someone bring two of Connal’s personal items for “praying to God” if needed, but he didn’t expect this guy to not stay at the main base but instead make a personal trip for such a small matter.

Sensing Wayne’s surprise, Daimon McQueedy quickly explained, “Professor Maisel takes Emma’s education very seriously and has visited the main base twice. I was also thinking that if the situation was suitable, I’d take Emma back to Georgeberg. Don’t worry, Peter and the others are cooperating well with the work now, and small issues at the main base won’t cause problems.”

Hmm...

That Emma has been having so much fun lately; if you want her to go back to class obediently, you’ll probably have to tie her up...

But since he’s here, he can conveniently take back Wayne’s letter to Professor Maisel, and he can also have this guy stay at the workshop tonight to watch the house.

This kind of unauthorized absence won’t be tolerated again, but for now, it’s not lacking this short while.

Unexpectedly, after Daimon McQueedy heard the general situation, he immediately raised his normal hand, which hadn’t swelled into a “Kirin arm,” “Can I apply not to guard the house and go with you to see the secret base?”

Wayne & Lina: “No!”