<div style="text-align: center">《 Rachel 》&amp;《 Ezra 》&amp;《 Tobias 》<br/>
<i>Location: Shuttle pick-up location<br/>
Addressing: Rebel, each other</i>​</div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify">Every word that came out of Rebel’s mouth made her blood boil. He was arrogant and antagonistic. She respected law enforcement and the relationship she had in the Before with the Bellingham Police Department, but all she felt was hatred and annoyance towards this specific patrolman. <br/>
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“You know people on the outside that can help us.” Rachel repeated, nodding as she processed the statement, her expression softening just so as she addressed him. The anger was still there.  “You talk as if it’s your right or responsibility to help us. Like anyone here asked you. Are we supposed to bow and kiss your feet and say ‘thank you’ after you shack us up with the next community that will inevitably also send us away after they realize that their supply cannot accommodate over thirty adults?” <br/>
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Rebel’s next statement made her realize just how little he knew about the people he had spent the past few years protecting. He had stated that they just learned about this upheaval, but was that correct? Or was Rebel just so self centered that he didn’t bother to familiarize himself with his neighbors?<br/>
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“Ezra doesn’t care about me. He hardly knows me.” Rachel argued, “Ezra asked that you stay here with me because he doesn’t trust your leader and Lord Savior Hale because the man is <i>unhinged</i>.” <br/>
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She wanted away from this man. She needed her brother and Ezra to return so that she could hop on the carriage and ride away to whatever future was intended for them. Rebel was doing her no favors.<br/>
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“Oh, gosh, I didn’t realize.” Rachel feigned surprise and innocently batted her long lashes at him. “We may be dead by nightfall, but let's give Lieutenant Rebel a break because he was<i> trying his best</i>.” The expression faded away faster than the snap of a finger and she raised a brow, daring him to respond.<br/>
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Fortunately for Rebel, Tobias and Ezra appeared, approaching them like a pair of pack mules. <br/>
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There were easily seven or eight bags between them. Guessing by the size of Anise, Rachel wasn’t sure that she would be strong enough to carry a single one. That left the packs to be distributed between the three of them, four maybe if Tobias threw together a bag or two for Kennedy. <br/>
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There was no hope for them. They were going to die. Even with their possessions, they were extremely unprepared.<br/>
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“Where are the others? Anise and Kennedy?” Ezra questioned as he dropped a bag on the ground and looked down the empty driveway. He couldn’t see but a sliver of the gates from where he stood and his sister was nowhere to be found. Ezra had tasked Rebel with staying with Rachel, but what about Anise?<br/>
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“They went to the gates to help out there.” Rachel answered, her eyes avoiding Rebel. “I wanted to wait here for you to come back so you didn’t think we had all abandoned you.”<br/>
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Ezra nodded, though he wasn’t sure how pleased he was with the response. He had left in such a huff that he didn’t necessarily think about what Anise’s options were. He supposed that she was safe enough with Kennedy, even though the man appeared to be public enemy number one in Hale’s eyes. <br/>
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He took a step to Rachel, intending to take his gun back, only to see that the holster was empty. <br/>
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Rachel caught his gaze and gestured to Rebel. “I gave it to him for safe keeping.” <br/>
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Ezra nodded and held his hand out to the man for his weapon. “If you wouldn’t mind?”<br/>
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“Ah, there’s the carriage. Right on time.” Tobias adjusted a bag on his shoulder. The carriage passed them by and circled around at the wide end of the drive. He set a bag down on the floor of the vehicle as it settled to a stop in front of them. He tossed the other four in and wiped his hands on the palm of his jeans before he approached Rebel. “Thank you for keeping Rachel company.” He stuck his hand out to shake.<br/>
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"Yes, it was quite the treat." Rachel murmured off-hand as she pulled herself into the carriage. She stood on the top step and gazed back at Rebel, reaching to brush a lock of hair from her eyes. "I'm assuming you'll catch the next one? With Sou?"​</div>