A houseboat. Finegan Fine

your hands behind your back. . . Joey, check

the tie on the first man and tie the second.

Tie ‘em tight.

70

As Joey is coming forward with some pieces of rope in his hands,

Finegan steps out from behind the boxes, to be close at hand in case a

scuffle results. The sentry says,

Can we come with you? If I go back with you

holding the gun, there’ll be hell to pay.

Finegan asks,

From who?

And the sentry responds,

President Collins.

______________________________

Both prisoners are now seated on the floor of the house. Their feet are

now tied together as well. Joey is perched on top of some boxes, his

feet under him and in a crouch, holding his pistol loosely in his hand,

dropped wrist, pointing the gun downward. He is at ease. Barney is

tense, sensing the tension in the air, and growling now and then,

circling the seated men on stiff legs, sniffing them. Finegan is seated

on a stool by the table where he has rested his rifle and the rifle

retrieved from the rowboat.

Now explain . . President Collins.

Both the sentry and the oarsman start talking at once. The sentry says,

Former Senator from our parts, Mississippi, but

when it hit and he figured every place else was

wiped out, he said he had to be the new

president, considering the US government had to

be represented and all . .

While the oarsman says,

The guy’s nuts, I think. Holds these cabinet

meetings with his family and claims he has

executive authority because we must be at war

or something. Commandeered all the supplies in

the area too . .

They both stop and look at each other, then both start talking again,

each expecting the other to shut up. The sentry says,

No radio response so everyone else must be dead

While the oarsman says,

Now he’s starting to raid the neighbors . .

They both stop and look at each other again, then at Finegan, falling

silent. Finegan says,

Well, I’m taking you up along the shore a ways,

if its safe, and dropping you off. I’m a trader

but this is no place . . I’d be trading my

freedom . .

71

Finegan looks at Joey.

You stand guard here so’s they don’t move.

Finegan motions out toward the front of the boat, pointing toward the

island city.

Any more like you, snipers?

The sentry says,

This was my post. The rest are inland with

President Collins on raids.

______________________________

Finegan has moored the houseboat at an open spot along the shoreline,

gangplank in place. He is marching the men across the plank ahead of

him. He has untied their feet but their hands are still tied. Joey is

on the roof, standing guard with the pistol in one of his hands,

pointing down at his side. There hear shouting and argument from over

the hill. The sentry and oarsman turn and try to bolt back onto the

houseboat, but Finegan, who is still carrying the rifle, blocks their

way with the rifle across his chest like a board.

I have a better idea. Get up behind those

bushes over there.

Finegan motions for Joey to duck into the house and follows the men

into the bushes. The three men are peeking out of the bushes.

What is that, a raid?

Both the sentry and oarsman start talking at once, again. The sentry

says,

Senator Collins goes out with them, ‘cause

they’d know his face and all . .

And the oarsman says,

They call it taxes, like money ain’t no good no

more so it’s gotta be food.

Both men stop and look at each other again, falling silent. Finally

Finegan says,

I got the picture. So you want out of this, eh?

What do you propose we do with Mr. Collins?

The two prisoners look at each other, then back at Finegan.

______________________________

Finegan has untied his two prisoners and armed the sentry with his

rifle, now trusting them. The oarsman holds a club. Finegan

nevertheless stays behind his two prisoners, just in case they get a

sudden change of heart. They are creeping along the bushes, out of

sight, toward the arguments.