"Before I climbed up, I saw a second guy with him. They had a conversation, and that second guy ran off,” Reese said.
"Where’d he go?" asked Tony as he pulled the binoculars away.
"I don't know, but he ran in the direction of the convention center," Reese said.
Jo's head snapped up, and she stared at him with a wide-eyed look. "You sure?"
Reese nodded. “As sure as I can be from down here.”
Jo turned to Libby. "We can't stay put—we gotta get him out of here."
"Is that safe?” she asked. “I mean…we came here looking for supplies, we hardly have any food—“
"I'm not worried about food right now,” Jo snapped. “I’m worried about what those crazy animals back at the convention center will do if they catch us all here, pinned on the shore.”
“She’s right, we’ve got to move,” Reese added.
Tony frowned. “What did we just step into?”
“Them people got religion,” Jo exhaled.
“What?” Tony asked. “What are you talking about?”
“She can explain later—we need to get you and your aunt and uncle back to those boats so that Jo can take care of you both,” Reese said. “None of us are safe standing here as long as the people from the convention center—the Scavengers, or whoever they are—know that we’re here.”
“I don't think we can all fit in the dinghy,” said Libby as she peered over the side of the dock down to the water’s surface. A little white rowboat bumped gently against the pier.
“Doesn't matter,” Reese proclaimed. “That doesn't matter—we gotta get the injured back to the boat." Reese turned and looked at Tony. “I’ll stay here and help defend the dock if you promise you'll take Jo with you.”
“Oh, no—you’re not gonna pull this self-sacrifice crap on me!” Jo exclaimed. “You’re not gonna give me a guilty conscience for the rest of my life.” She looked at Tony and stabbed a finger coated in Byron’s blood at Reese. “I'm not going anywhere without him.”
“Lotta love going around here, guys,” Tony said with his hands up showing his palms.
"Love has nothing to do with it—I swore I'd take care of her when we left Mount Desert Island, and I almost broke that promise when those freaks at the convention center kidnapped her. Please…get her someplace safe."
"Don't listen to him, the man's delusional,” Jo argued. “All he's trying to do is get back to his wife and kid down in South Carolina. I'm hanging out with him, because there wasn't much better to do, and I quit my job. He's a good guy—well, I guess that's obvious, he's trying to sacrifice himself to save me."
"Look,” Tony began, “I think there’s enough space on the boats, but the problem is—“
“There's no problem," Reese said gently. "Help me get your uncle loaded into the dinghy, and you guys get him out of here. Come back and get the rest of us when he’s safe."
"Well, you're not doing so hot yourself, Reese," Tony said as he pointed out the blood on Reese's shoulder.
“Biscuits and gravy, did you rip open the stitches?” demanded Jo as she hauled herself to her feet and moved to Reese.
Reese rubbed his face with the back of his wrist, careful not to smack himself with the pistol in his hand. "This is insane. Can you please just get somebody out to the boat?"
“Boats,” Tony corrected.
"Tony, do it,” Libby said simply.
"Yes ma'am," Tony replied immediately.
"Alright, stop right there," Jo said as she stood. She pointed at Reese. "You stay here, you're probably a better shot than I am right now anyway, even with your off hand. At least I got two good arms. I'll help get Byron out there, and I promise to make them come back and get you."
"I'm not going anywhere," Libby said. "That dinghy wasn't designed for more than four people. Between the three of you and your gear, I don't want to take a chance on you capsizing. Byron’s the sailor among us—there’s nobody else to drive those blasted sailboats, or that rowboat as well as he can."
"I'm a sailor," Reese offered. He stole a glance up the hill. The man that had kept watch over them was gone. "I can handle the sailboats, but you guys have to get going. The watcher’s gone—I have no idea what's going on, but I bet Sean Mayo’s involved.”
“Who?” asked Tony.
“I’ll fill you in—come on, grab Byron’s feet,” Jo ordered.
After several tense moments filled with curses and sweat, Jo and Tony managed to deposit Byron—-rather awkwardly—in the bottom of the dinghy. They cast off, and Tony yanked the pull cord and the little outward sputtered to life. He spun the dinghy on its stern and hit the gas to work through the debris field. It wasn't the best example of seamanship Reese had ever seen, but it was passable. He estimated by their speed that it would take them about five minutes to reach the sailboats.
“Looks like we got ourselves about ten, maybe fifteen minutes before Tony comes back," Reese said. He moved down the dock and stood next to Libby. "Whatever happens, if we can hold the dock, Tony should be able to pick us up."
Libby pulled the shotgun from her shoulder and checked the chamber. "I wish I knew what was going on," she muttered.
"That makes two of us,” Reese said. “Yesterday, I woke up among a group of strangers hellbent on fighting a war. They found me staggering into a trap, gave me food and shelter for the night, and helped me rescue Jo."
“A war?” Libby asked with a raised eyebrow.
Reese paused before he replied. “Wait. You hear that?”
Libby cocked her head and closed her eyes. “Sounds like a car…”
"I don’t like this…” Reese said as he adjusted the grip on his pistol. His left
