The next morning as Danziger was loading supplies onto the transrover he glimpsed something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly moved to the front of the rover and grabbed the jumpers. He held them to his eyes, then lowered them blinking. Having shaken his head he raised them again.
"Hey Adair." He bellowed across camp.
"What is it John?" She asked as she moved over to him.
"The scout isn't due back till later, is it?" He asked.
"Of course not. You know that." Devon answered. "Why?" She added.
"Cos there is something headed this way that looks just like the rail." He said. No sooner as the words were out of his mouth Devon snatched the Jumpers from him and looked out to the distance.
"They radio in?" Danziger asked.
"Not since last night." Devon said as she handed the jumpers back to Danziger and reached for her gear.
"Damn." She muttered. "Do you have your gear? Mine must still be in my tent."
"Same here." Danziger said after a fruitless search of his neck.
"I will go an radio them. Can you sort out the camp security, just in case?" Devon said as she hurried off.
Just as Devon reached her tent she ran into Bess. "Bess. Thank god! Have you spoken to Morgan this morning?"
"No not yet. I was just about to radio him." Bess said. "Why? Is something wrong?" She asked immediately concerned.
"I am not sure. Something that looks like the Dune Rail is approaching the camp." Devon replied as Bess hastily put her gear on.
"Morgan? Morgan come in." She started. "Morgan do you read?" She called more frustrated.
"Bess?" Morgan's voice eventually responded, causing Bess to close her eyes and say a silent thank you.
"Yes Morgan it is me. Where are you? Are you returning to camp?"
"Yes Bess. We are a few minutes out." Morgan confirmed.
As Bess nodded to Devon, Devon said. "Ask them why they are back so early." Before she hurried down to Danziger to let him know it was a false alarm.
"Did he say why they are returning early?" Walman asked from his position next to Danziger and Alonzo.
"Not yet, Bess is asking now. I just wanted to let you know you don't need to shoot them." Devon answered.
"It better not be the rail. If they have broken it so help them I wil…" Danziger began, but was cut off by Bess.
"He said everything is ok, but it is better to explain when he gets back to camp." Bess said, then after a pause added. "He sounded different. I think he might be hiding something."
"Just what we need." Danziger muttered as the group watched the dirt cloud generated by the rail grow larger. Suddenly Alonzo grabbed the jumpers and held them to his eyes.
"Julia is not there." He exclaimed as he thrust the jumpers into Danziger's hands and sprinted towards the rail as the rest of the group asked.
"What?"
Danziger looked through the jumpers before Devon had a chance to take them from him.
"He is right. There are definitely just two people in the rail." Danziger said before setting chase after Alonzo, closely followed by Devon, Walman and Bess.
Alonzo sprinted towards the rail like a man possessed and ended up in front of its path, causing Baines to apply the brakes and swerve. If Danziger had not been so concerned about Julia he would have grimaced at the treatment of the Dune Rail.
When the rail was finally at a halt Alonzo grabbed Baines by his shirt and heaved him out of the rail shouting, "where is she?"
"It is best if we tell the whole group." Baines replied as Danziger, Devon, Walman and Bess arrived at the scene.
"No tell me now." Alonzo said forcefully as he thrust Baines back into the frame of the rail.
"Alonzo this effects the whole group." Morgan shouted as he climbed out of the rail.
Before Alonzo could do anything Danziger said. "One of you had better start explaining. Now." He voice low and menacing. Baines and Morgan exchanged a glance. No one was prepared for the next words out of Morgan's mouth.