The Lost Train of Thought by John Hulme

you will be spending some time in the Pokey.”
    Simly turned a whiter shade of pale. The Pokey was not the Hokey Pokey of birthday parties and roller-skating rinks, but rather the short-term holding cell where hardened criminals awaited processing and small-time hoods learned lessons they wouldn’t soon forget.
    “But sir, wouldn’t it be better if I came along on the Mission? There’s four Fixers and not a single Briefer!”
    “Out of the question.”
    “But—”
    Fixer Blaque silenced Simly with an angry bang of his stick.
    “You’re right, sir. A few nights in the Pokey is just what I deserve.”
    “It’ll be okay, Sim.” Becker patted his favorite Briefer on the shoulder. “Just do what they tell you and keep your mouth shut.”
    “Yes, sir. I won’t say a word.” Simly tried to sound convincing, but everyone knew he’d attempted a vow of silence before, and with dubious results. “And good luck, sirs.”
    The two Fixers gave short and sympathetic nods, then headed off the bus, having already overstayed the Conductor’s ten-minute extension. Simly watched them hop aboard the train, and with a belch of black smoke, the Trans-Seemsberian was off on its overnight journey from the snows of Seemsberia to the scorching desert at the End of the Line.
    “All right you scoundrels! Everybody take a seat!”
    Simly turned to the front of the bus, where Inkar Cyration had claimed the driver’s seat, and two dozen of the most vicious crooks in The Seems were dragging their shackles up the steps. Unlike Simly, their eyes were focused on the floor or the ceiling or the green vinyl seats that they took one by one—anywhere but on the dreaded prison that loomed ahead. The Warden flashed them all a Cheshire grin, then pulled the metal handle that closed the doors tight.
    “Welcome to your new home.”
    15. A unit of Seemsian currency named after Bucky Buckerson, first Administrator of the Department of Miscellaneous, and inventor of dirt.
    16. A unit of Seemsian currency named after William “Bill” Mahoney, first Administrator of the Department of Nature and composer of the four seasons. ( Note: 1 Bill = 10 Bucks.)
    17. A Fixer in fifth-century Eu rope who tried to save En gland by restringing a Chain of Events but ended up causing the Dark Ages instead.
    18. See The Seems: The Split Second.



5

Contemplation
    End of the Line, Department of Transportation, The Seems
    The morning sun beat down upon the old terminal station known as the End of the Line. It was not as merciless as it would be several hours from now, when only gila monsters and sandpipers would risk venturing outside, but it was already hot enough to send the Dust Bunnies scurrying under the passenger platform. From the cool shade beneath the wooden slats, they watched pebbles and tumbleweeds sweep across the Thought Tracks and listened to the desert moan.
    Directly above, the station sign was squeaking in the breeze, while the door to the signal box gently banged against its hinge. On a typical day, two signalmen would be behind that door, trying to ensure that no two trains arrived on the same track at the same time, while the famously cranky Wheel Tapper would duck his head in and lament the fact that Quality Control still hadn’t fixed the vending machine.
    But this was no typical day.
    “I think I found something!” Becker yelled from inside the Yardmaster’s office, which had also been left wide open. Upon the cluttered desk a reading lamp was still on, a mug of Pickmeup half drunk. “Looks like his Time Piece stopped at exactly 7:37!”
    The voice of Fixer Hassan replied from within the signal box.
    “Same with the clock in here! Mark my words, whatever happened in this place, it happened at that moment.”
    Becker returned to the desk and sifted through the papers that were laid about in several stacks. Judging by how meticulously they were arranged, he assumed the first team of Fixers had already gone through these documents—but if