OUT OF MIND² ━━ Bellamy Blake

𝐗𝐗𝐕: Noah Versus Demon Pigeons

     The radio goes silent. All Lyra can hear is the sound of the waves brushing against the hull of the boat as their team quietly sails across the ocean; Abby, Jackson, Murphy, Emori, Raven, Nate, Nyko, Noah, and a few of the guard that Lyra doesn't know by name. Rose-drenched sunlight seeps through cotton-candy clouds as Lyra leans back with a sigh, her eyelids drifting shut for a moment as she tries to lapse up the last bit of quiet. The sun is rising and the humming yawn of the ocean rises with it.

     As they sail between an emerald strait thick with forests and rocky shorelines, Becca's island finally comes into view. Shorelines cut from weathered rocks are encased by shimmering cerulean waters, the trees stretching their ancient green branches to the heavens in worship of the golden sun. On all sides, the ocean churns with life, blue as sapphires with foam white as pearls. A crooked and worn dock snakes from the heavily pebbled shoreline of Becca's island and, amidst the thicket of woods, there is a great sprawling and shining building clawing its way into the cobalt sky from the very heart of it. Lyra is struck with awe by the beauty of it all as Emori docks the ship.

     Murphy stands at the bow of the small boat, his dark hair blowing in the breeze. "Where are the boats?"

     "Without Alie, there's no reason to be here," calls Emori as she knots the thick ropes.

     Lyra briefly recalls what she'd learned about Emori's life in the City of Light. Her and her brother were scavengers after Emori was driven out of her own clan due to being a freikdreina ━━ her right arm has been murilated because of radiation. Emori turned to a scavenger at a young age and that was how she had discovered Alie. Alie's hologram had been kept to the mansion on the island, but she was able to communicate with the small number of Grounders that drifted by. Emori had found a job working for Alie and scavenging technology for the woman ━━ that had been how she'd met Murphy. She'd found his and Jaha'a group trekking in the desert and robbed them. Once Murphy had found the island, she'd met him again, and thus they'd stuck together.

     Abby steps onto the docks, shoddy tablet in hand. "According to Thelonious's map, the lab is in the middle of the island, five miles straight ahead."

"Terrific." Noah slings his rifle over his shoulder, looking rather disgruntled as he crosses over the dock and towards the shore. "If any of us have a step goal, today's a good day."

Emori frowns. "Step goal — "

Noah holds up a hand. "Never mind. Raven, you good for the hike?"

Her face screws up in determination. "Try to keep up with me."

Lyra shrugs her own lavender backpack, the same one from Mount Weather, over her bomber jacket. There's a great number of textbooks as well as two different tablets inside and the contents jostle noisily as her back already begins to strain under the effort. Canary sunlight stripes the docks as she jumps onto them, the ancient wood groaning in apallment. She tilts her face towards the golden rays and shields her eyes. It's a nice day. Too much of a nice day when there's such a daunting task laying ahead of her.

Murphy stares ahead, something unreadable in his gaze. "Never thought I'd be here again."

"Ah, you shouldn't have come," remarks Raven as she strides straight past him. "You're not fooling anyone, Murphy. You're still a dick."

Noah and Abby take the head of the group, everyone marching onto the shore one after the other. Only Luna lingers near the boat, still on the dock, and Nyko stands near her. Sensing the warrior's hesitancy, Lyra backtracks towards her and tries offers a friendly smile.