REMEMBER – words and phrases in nonbold italics are what each man wrote and then crossed out. To read the story in its proper form, though, you should hop over to ArchiveOfOurOwn (same story title, author name is Ella_Greggs).

POSTMARKED: "The Train Job"

Dear Dad,

I received your letter, which means you received mine and this channel of communication may be safe to use, at least for a while.

River sends her love. She wishes we were home. We are fine. I can't tell you much more than that about our immediate circumstances. You'll think I'm being paranoid, but please trust me when I say powerful forces in the Alliance want to recapture her are looking for her. Withholding our whereabouts is the best way to keep the entire family safe. Mom and you can't be punished for concealing what you don't know. I am truly sorry if that causes Mom and you further distress but I don't know what else to do.

I'm sorry my last letter about River's condition was so vague. Perhaps telling you the truth (at least as much as I know) will help you understand why I did what I did. Perhaps you will even forgive me. It is as I feared – River was definitely being abused at the Academy. So far, I haven't been able to get her to tell me what exactly they did to her what exactly happened, but she's clearly suffered a severe serious psychological trauma and it's impacted her ability to think rationally. One moment she'll be her normal, lucid, know-it-all self, and the next she's cowering in the corner mumbling gibberish. Right now, my highest priority is keeping her safe and helping her get better. I can't do either if we come home. Already things are looking up. Some people are helping us, although I'm not sure how long that will last or how far I can trust them and River is happy here.

I've found a way to practice medicine out here keep practicing medicine (after a fashion). The facilities, supplies and equipment available out here are subpar, to say the least, completely inferior in every way to Osiris. However, I choose to consider that a challenge to overcome, rather than an obstacle to be endured. It's comforting to do something familiar, something I'm good at, in surroundings that are so alien. My patients are a motley bunch different from what I'm used to, but I am adjusting.

I'll write again when I get a chance.

Simon

Simon,

I really don't know how to react to your letter. The courier this time was a child, a ten-year old child! He pretended to fall in the street right in front of me. When I bent down to help him up, he handed me this letter and told me he'd be waiting one block away at exactly that same time next week if I wanted to send a reply. The price of "postage," he informed me, has gone up. It's horrifying to think you must also be dealing with such detestable people.

I still don't understand what is going on. After your first letter, I contacted the Academy, demanding information, but received no reply. And yesterday an Alliance colonel with troops came to our house. The troops fanned out in the living room. The colonel said you had stolen "valuable government property" and demanded to know where you are. Of course, we told him nothing, for we know virtually nothing. Now your mother is so worried and I don't know what to tell her. I wanted to believe this was all some terrible mistake, that you were just being overprotective and paranoid and River was fine at the Academy. But you are with River now and I am not, so I'm trusting you to tell me the truth. If you say she was abused, then I believe you.

Child extortionists, military intimidation, River's suffering. This is all too much for me. Your mother was wonderful yesterday. You should have seen her give that colonel a tongue lashing for invading our home trying to intimidate us!

I didn't shared your letters with her, but I did tell your mother you'd managed send a message saying you and River are safe. I told her right after the colonel left. She was so relieved. We agreed something untoward must have been going on at the Academy, because how else to explain the military getting involved when a supposed "theft of government property" from a school should only concern the civilian authorities. I say "theft." The colonel did not tell us what exactly you and your sister supposedly stole, and, as I said, we've heard nothing from the Academy.

Come home, Simon, so we can confront the people who mistreated River and clear your names. You shouldn't be hiding out as though we were nobodies, rather than one of the leading families in Capital City. I'm not going to let those responsible get away with hurting my precious girl. I also don't like keeping your mother in the dark.

We love you both very much. Come home, please.

Dad