Cherry rushed towards the sea train station and had almost reached it before remembering she was supposed to let them leave the island first.
She hid her presence nearby to wait for the train to start moving.
The biggest worry she had is that she had no idea where the old monster was. One could presume he boarded the train, but she couldn't be sure without the ability to sense him in some way.
The others were still searching for Franky around the city. It was Luffy and Nami who came to check the sea train station, arriving just as the sea train finished boarding all its passengers.
Luffy stretched his arms out to grab the sea train, but before his hands could touch the roof of the sea train, another set of hands grabbed onto his.
It was the old monster, who had appeared out of nowhere.
"You pirates are always touching things that don't belong to you. I'm afraid I can't let you interfere." He said, yanking the arms and bringing Luffy flying towards him.
"Let go of me!" Luffy complained, trying to kick him futilely.
"That's a fine idea." He said, forcefully squeezing Luffy into a ball, then hurling him into the distance. The wind picked him up and slammed him into a distant building at the center of the city.
"Luffy?!" Nami exclaimed. It was only natural she would be surprised. Even Rob Lucci hadn't been able to treat Luffy casually, but this old man she'd never seen before literally pitched him across the city.
"As for you, little girl. Hmm, I'll take you as a hostage. Never hurts to have a few back up plans, am I right?" The old monster spoke to Nami. Before she could run he appeared behind her, snatching her up by the back of the neck.
He brought her aboard the sea train, vanishing within one of the compartments.
'How the hell am I supposed to board this train without him picking me up with his Observation Haki?' Cherry pondered, but no ideas came to mind.
The sea train started to pull out of the sea train station and Cherry hadn't boarded it. She decided it would best best to follow from a distance, likely aboard Cabernet's flying ship form.
...
Aboard the sea train, Puffing Tom.
"No, you'll be staying right here." Rob Lucci commanded coldly.
"From what I've heard, he's an idiot. If I talk to him he might let something slip." Robin tried to persuade him.
Rob Lucci didn't trust the woman in the slightest. He operated on the assumption that Robin was working directly against their interests. The arrival of the Straw Hats at Iceburg's mansion tonight was suspicious, though he didn't need any proof to believe that Nico Robin was treacherous.
"It's not like she wouldn't have anyone else with her to make sure he isn't up to something." Kaku said.
"He would be on guard with anyone else aside from her in the room with them. The answer is no." Rob Lucci stood firm in his decision.
"Don't be such a stick in the mud, brat. Live a little." A creaky voice sounded behind Robin, causing her to stiffen in fright.
"Master." Rob Lucci gave a slight bow of his head towards the old man.
Robin recognized the voice as that of the old man who left with Cherry, and from his nonchalant attitude it would seem he beat her without any trouble at all.
All the rage and pain from her loss in the past and the new loss to the same tyrants came surging to the surface of her heart. It took a great deal of willpower not to attack him, however futile such a course of action would be. Even if Cherry was dead, she had other friends to protect.
The voice spoke again directly into her ear. "What? Worried about your girlfriend?"
Robin's anger rose to another level at his mocking tone. She could see where Rob Lucci got his bad attitude. Still she simply sat there silently.
"Nothing? I'll give you credit keeping a cool head. Not bad." He nodded somewhat in approval, he felt the youngsters of this era weren't too pathetic.
"Lucci, let her go talk to the cyborg alone. Don't eavesdrop either. I can't let things be too easy on you or you'll go soft." He instructed. Rob Lucci motioned for Robin to go ahead without questioning the old man's motives.
He sent Kaku with her to explain the situation to the marines and other Cipher Pol agents.
Robin asked even though she didn't expect a straight answer. "Who is that man?"
"He is the founder of Cipher Pol. The name he goes by in this era is Wilson Alexander." Kaku spoke calmly.
"Why would you tell me that?" Robin was shocked and perplexed by the directness of the answer.
"He told me to tell you that if you asked. That's all." Kaku explained.
"I didn't know that Cipher Pol was so relatively new..." Robin wondered aloud. Kaku did not deign to correct her, that Cipher Pol was founded over two hundred years prior.
They reached the storage car where Franky and Nami were being held and Kaku sent out the guards.
"You said you would them go!" Robin seethed.
"I've got nothing to do with it. Complain to my Master if you have a problem." Kaku said, then left them alone.
Robin bloomed arms to remove the gags from both their mouths.
"This is totally not SUPER!" Franky complained as soon as his mouth was free.
"Robin, I'm glad to see you." Nami was relieved.
Robin created various eyes around the sea train car. Find no signs of any spies she replied with a tired smile. "I'm glad to see you too, Nami."
"Now that we're away from Water 7, we just need to escape somehow yeah?" Nami asked.
"I don't know if we can. They have someone who is stronger than either of us can imagine. He defeated Cherry easily, I have no idea if she's alive or dead." Robin said grimly.
"Cherry?" Franky asked. "Does this Cherry have a SUPER cool lightning sword?"
"Yes, that's right." Robin answered.
"Where is this bastard?! I'll kill him, just untie me!" Franky started making a fuss and squirming.
"Why are you acting like this? You robbed and attacked us before..." Nami was confused.
"Hmph, that only makes her an even better friend to have. Even though I spent all the money I stole from you, she didn't say a single word about it to me!" Franky was starting to tear up.
"She WHAT?!" Nami was furious.
"Don't shout, Nami. We need to think about a way out of this situation. We're on our way straight to Enies Lobby. It'll be much more difficult to leave by then, perhaps impossible." Robin said.
They all racked their brains for ideas.
"What if we fought to the sea train car at the back and disconnected it? That would at least give the others a chance to catch up." Nami suggested.
"The main obstacle is not alerting the CP9 agents, especially not the old man. I'm not even sure it's possible, and attempting it jeopardizes my deal with them to let the Straw Hats go. It'll be all or nothing." Robin said.
"Hmph, as if any of us would choose to let you sacrifice yourself for us. It's been all or nothing from the start." Nami gave a cheeky smile.
"And I'd sooner have us both drown than let the World Government get their grubby little hands on you, Nico Robin." Franky concurred.
"Alright, then. It's not much of a plan, but I suppose it'll have to do." Robin sighed.