A Different Landing

Chapter-10

Raven was beginning to have a sinking suspicion that something was truly and terribly wrong. They had been traveling for two days now and the signal was just starting to begin to clear up. Something was interfering with the signal and it wasn't a faulty amplifier or troublesome geography preventing the signal from getting out. She knew Monty shared her fears if the side glances he kept giving her were any indication. Nut and Bolt were fortunately distracted by the amplifier she was having them work on while they rode. They were such good seconds, eleven years old and already building their first amplifier on horseback. On the return trip she might even let them try their hands at a bomb.

"That is not a good look, why are you happy, you should not be happy right now." Monty said from his position beside her.

"I should totally be happy. My minions are getting closer to being able to build bombs every day." She grinned enjoying the look of terror that was taking over Monty's usually calm face.

"You're not serious? They're eleven!" He protested.

"And they're already armed." She waved him off moving her horse forward at a trot.

Monty kicked his horse forward after her, "They'll blow up the camp, and swords are not bombs! Do you really want the twins to have access to that type of destruction? We'll all be grey by the end of a week if we aren't charred and crispy."

"Oh live a little, they're my minions and I'm confident they will only blow up the people they want to blow up." They really were smart little buggers.

"Spirits preserve us." He muttered.

Raven heard the static of the radio reception coming in, her horse long used to strange sounds just tossed his head in annoyance. Raven was overjoyed, finally! "Reception!"

Diving for her saddle bag, she pulled the radio out while the others pulled their horses to a stop. It took a few seconds of fiddling with the controls but she got it, a clear connection.

Whooping in joy, she hit the button. "Bellamy come in! Bellamy you fucker come in!" She released the button. Monty and the twins stayed still, anxiously waiting.

"Raven!" Harper's voice came in after a few seconds. "Raven are you guys alright? What took so long?!"

Raven grinned, "Hey, boy have we got a tale for you guys. Are Bellamy and the rest of you all there?"

"Dax is getting them, we've been keeping a rotating watch on our end." Harper replied, her voice clearly happy.

"You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice Harp." Raven leaned back in her saddle. Reaching out a fist, she bumped it against Monty's.

It didn't take long before the nervous voice of Bellamy came across the line, causing the speakers in the radio to vibrate. "Raven! Is Octavia there? What happened? Why didn't you contact us on schedule?"

"Cool it hot stuff," Raven cut him off before he could keep going. "Your sis is doing fine. Something is jamming our signal down here and we can't find out what." She was still annoyed about that, though her suspicions were turning into fear.

"So, you're all alive and unharmed then?" The relief in his voice was palpable and it felt like a punch in the gut.

Raven could feel her smile sliding off her face. Clearing her throat, she pulled the microphone back to her mouth. "Atom died."