In a dream, James is in the setting of Cratersville before he approaches ghostly figure of Colin, who turns and smiles.
Colin: Hey, James....my best little nephew. You smart boy. You turned into such a brave man.
James looks out into the distance of the city.
James: This city. It's beautiful.
Colin: It is...isn't it?
James scoffs, before turning to Colin and hugging him.
Colin: My boy....my son.
Hearing this, James then briefly cries.
Colin: Why are you crying, son?
James: Uncle Colin...I'm so sorry for what I've done.....over the last few years. I've tried building a stable home. Failing....failing...over and over again....I've lost people...friends...My wife....she's lost her whole family....
Colin steps back, taking James by his shoulders.
Colin: James....
James: Maybe if I had done things harder or tried, they'd still be here. She'd still have her family.
Colin: She has her family, boy. She has you. Your wife is so strong....because of you, James. I'm not worried about her. I'm not worried about you either. You have Kyle. You have your brother. You've built a great family since your mother, father and I left this earth.
James: I'm just....I'm just worried....that we've....we've killed so many people to protect our family....we've had to kill so many other families....I don't know if I can take it anymore, Uncle Colin. I just don't....I'm tired....we've finally found a good home and we're still fighting people just to protect it...killing people...just to protect it.
Colin: You're conflicted....You have a heart, James....Your compassion....your intelligence....that's why I have faith in you, my son....you've grown up so much from that boy who would smoke weed every day in Cratersville.
James: The kid....I don't know what to do....He's the son of the guy who's attacking us, but....Uncle Colin, I feel like he could be one of us...that I can teach him to be one of us.
Daniel: If that's what you think....then you need to protect that boy....Promise you'll protect him, James.....protecting that boy will mean a better future for you...for your wife....for your family.
James nods.
James: I will....I'll mentor him...just like you did for me. I will, Uncle Colin.
In reality, James is resting when a knock on the door is heard. James carefully gets up to not wake up Cassandra, then answers the door, revealing to be Shawn.
James: What do you want? It's late.
Shawn: Outside.
James steps outside with Shawn and the two quietly talk.
James: What's the deal, Shawn?
Shawn sighs.
Shawn: Kyle and the others are going to initiate a rescue tonight. He took Caleb, Sarah, Chris, Rocky, Margaret, Alicia, Peter, John and Anna with him.
James: He's doing that tonight?
Shawn: Yeah...
James: Okay, then why didn't he ask you, me, Cassandra, Kayla, Abigail or Rachel to go?
Shawn: Because Kyle asked me to do something else.
James: And what would that be?
A moment of silence.
Shawn: The kid. Hunter.
James: What are you talking about Hunter? What about-
Shawn presents his rifle as James realizes in horror what Shawn is saying.
Shawn: The boy ain't going home and he ain't staying with us.
James: Wait, but Kyle said he wasn't going to-
Shawn: Well, you thought wrong, James.
James: Hey, fuck that. Kyle didn't say shit!
Shawn: Because you'd react like this, man. The decision's been made, so deal with it.
James glares at Shawn.
James: Fuck you, Shawn.
Shawn grabs James and bashes him against the wall, grabbing his collar.
Shawn: Fuck me?! Fuck you, dude! Kyle sent me to take care of something and I will fucking do it, through you if I have to.
Shawn leans in.
Shawn: Wake the fuck up, shit-sniffer and realize this is a fucking apocalypse.
James: Fuck that. I'm not going to let kill a kid!
Shawn grabs James and presses him against the wall.
Shawn: Fuck that? This fucking kid shot at our people and is the son of Wes! He's too fucking dangerous to let him lose!
James: He's just a fucking kid, Shawn!
Shawn: You know good and well how this has to end. Either you help me or I'll get someone else to do it for me.
James: Alright, dude! Fucking get off me!
James pushes Shawn off him, before the two brothers glare at each other.
James: What the fuck do you need from me?
The two brothers then walk to the backyard shed, where James hands Shawn two shovels.
Shawn: We got tape?
James rolls his eyes, before looking in the shed for some tape. Meanwhile, at the raider base, a infected walks along until in front of the ship when an arrow hits it in the head, knocking it down to the ground. Kyle crouches and pulls it into the forest as Sarah and the others gather around.
Anna: Ugh. I guess we're really doing this.
Kyle: Only the team blending in with the infected need to cover themselves.
Caleb: Which is the six of us.
Caleb points to himself, Kyle, Sarah, Peter, Chris and John.
Kyle: Hey, I gave you the option to stay home.
Caleb: And guard with fucking Bryan and Connor? No thanks.
Sarah sighs.
Sarah: Hey, Kyle. Can I talk to you for a minute?
Kyle: Yeah...
Kyle turns to the others.
Kyle: Hold tight.
Kyle and Sarah walk some few feet away from the others.
Kyle: The infected. They'll be here in a little while. It wasn't easy getting them out of that quarry. We'll join them as they pass through the trees. The noise from their boat will draw them towards that boat.
Sarah: Then we can get on board and save everyone.
The two see a infected hobble in front of you.
Sarah: I was thinking....
Kyle: Yeah?
Sarah: Why didn't you ask Shawn to come with us? Or James? Or Cassandra? Or Rachel? Or Abigail?
Kyle thinks for a moment, trying to think of answer.
Kyle: They....are protecting Berrington.
Sarah: Hmm....from these raiders....or from Hunter, who's a fifteen year old boy.
Kyle: Sarah, what are you-
Sarah: I'm not dumb, Kyle. I know when something else is happening behind my back when I see it.
Sarah turns to Kyle.
Sarah: Can you really live with this? Ordering the assassination of a fifteen-year-old boy.
Kyle: Do you even know who that fifteen-year-old boy is? Huh? He's Wes's son. He's too much of a liability.
Sarah: He's been with us for days and yet, not once, has he tried to kill any of us or escape. He likes it with us.... Rachel....she talks to him. Abigail, too. That's their friend, which is hard to come by these days. What do we tell them?
Kyle shakes his head.
Kyle: The truth.
Sarah looks at Kyle, horrified.
Kyle: Honestly, Sarah, I said it at the meeting. We don't have to like killing. We just have to accept.
Sarah: Accept that you're making your best friend kill a kid? Rachel hasn't had a real friend since....since Abigail...who you remember was a Reaper? Or Moses, who was a Ravager? They changed. Why is this any different?
Kyle: Because we don't know who to trust anymore, Sarah. We just don't.....
Sarah: We trusted Rachel. If I remember, she was cargo to us. Nothing but a payment, but we saved her. So why can't we do the same for Hunter?
Kyle: Nothing is ever easy anymore, Sarah. It's just not.
Kyle looks over to see the infected coming.
Kyle: They're close. Let's get ready.
Back in Berrington, in her little shed behind Kyle and Sarah's house, Rachel and Hunter continue listening to music on his Walkman.
Hunter: Michael Jackson. Also known as the king of Pop. Greatest man that ever lived. Had a bad habit of touching little boys, though.
Rachel: Ew, really?!
Hunter: Really. He actually died the year all this shit started. 2009, pre-apocalypse.
Rachel: What from?
Hunter: Some kind of disease.
Rachel scoffs.
Rachel: That's funny. You know when I first met Kyle, Shawn and Caleb, I called them creeps that like to touch little girls for fun.
Hunter: Damn. Well, knowing them, they definitely don't fit the type.
Rachel laughs.
Rachel: Oh, damn....Hey, I left my artbook in the house. I'll be right back okay.
Hunter: Alright. I'll be here.
Rachel leaves the house and smiles walking until she hears two familiar voices arguing.
James: Fuck that! I ain't fucking digging, Shawn!
Shawn: Goddammit, James!
James: Goddammit, James, my ass, motherfucker! I'm not digging his fucking grave!
Shawn: Dude, I need your help.
James: I don't give a shit, Shawn! I'm not fucking digging! You fucking hear me?! I'm not digging. Fuck you, dude! I did my shit! This is the line, Shawn! You want to do more, then you're have to fucking do it without me! I don't give a fuck, alright?!
James walks off, before Shawn stares at him, contemplating.
Shawn: Goddammit....
Rachel gives a questioning look. Shawn enters Kayla's house as she looks up from leaning on the couch.
Kayla: Shawn?
Kayla stands up and walks over to see Shawn loading up his riffle with bullets.
Kayla: Why are you loading up bullets?
Shawn: Look, Kayla, I'm going to be out for a little while.
Kayla: You joining the others in the attack?
Shawn: Yeah....something like that.
Kayla: Okay.....
Shawn then walks over to the Burton house and then enters, looking for James.
Shawn: James? James? Fuck....
Abigail walks into the living room.
Abigail: Shawn?
Shawn turns to Abigail.
Shawn: Shit....
Abigail: Shawn?
Shawn walks past Abigail, but then stops, before turning to Abigail.
Abigail: Where's James?
Shawn: He's okay, but I need something.
Shawn and Abigail drive over the mountain side of the quarry. Shawn then unloads two shovels.
Abigail: Uh...what the hell is going on?
Shawn: Just come on. I need your help.
Abigail: What the fuck do we need duct tape for, Shawn?
Back in Berrington, Rachel returns to the shed to find Hunter, relaxing and listening to music.
Rachel: Hey...
Hunter: Hey....is everything okay? Find your artbook?
Rachel: Uh....yeah...yeah...
Rachel presents her artbook, but is lost in thought.
Hunter: What?
Rachel: Nothing....
Rachel sits down next to Hunter, before James knocks on the door.
James: Hey, Hunter.
Hunter: Hey, man...
James: Hey, I know it's late, but you want to do a late run with me?
Hunter: Dude, it's 10:00 at night. All the good animals are probably sleeping by now.
James: Right of course.....
James twists his lips, trying to think of something else to save Hunter.
James: Well, I have a project that could really use another brain on this and Hunter, you've got a brain....You wanna help?
Hunter: Nah, man. I'm cool. I just want to hang out with Rachel if that's cool.
James nods.
James: Okay....
James returns to his house to find Cassandra on the couch, before sitting next to her with a blank look on his face.
Cassandra: James....baby? What is it?
James turns his head to Cassandra.
Cassandra: James?
James: Kyle wants Hunter dead....he's ordered my brother to make the hit.
Cassandra looks blankly at the wall for a minute, before sighing.
Cassandra: Fuck....
James: Yeah....I don't know what to do.
Cassandra: What do you think you should do?
James: We shouldn't kill him. That's what I think.
Cassandra: We've been in positions before over and over and over again where we have to let people who have wronged us.....who have killed people who've cared about.....he's just a kid, though.
James: Yeah.....
Cassandra: Well, I know you....I know you have a clear conscious.
James: Clear conscious isn't enough...not for this world.....
Cassandra: Yeah....
Cassandra stands up.
James: I'm not getting involved in what Kyle has assigned you to do.....and I won't tell you what to do....but I know you and what you should do.
Cassandra walks out of the room, before James looks down at the floor and sighs. Back at the raiders boat, Kyle and Sarah return to the others.
Kyle: The infected are getting close.
Everyone nods at the two.
Kyle: Alright, let's go over the plan again. Sarah, Peter, you're with us. Caleb, Chris and John, you three go the bomb. Rocky, Margaret, you two stay out here and provide sniper support. Alicia, Anna. Take care of the supplies.
Everyone nods.
Anna: When you get in there, find the boiler. There'll be a door on the bottom with ash and shit. Put it in there.
John nods. Everyone looks at each other, not knowing what to say.
Kyle: See you all on the other side.
Everyone nods as they split off.
Sarah: I'll cut it open.
Alicia gives Kyle a sad look until she walks up to him.
Kyle: What is it, Alicia?
Alicia: Just, um, if you guys see Melanie out there, tell her....tell her I forgive her. Please.
Kyle: I don't know if she'll listen to me, Alicia, but....I will if I see her.
Alicia nods.
Alicia: Thanks.
Alicia walks away, before Kyle sighs. Margaret is over at a tree and looks out at the boat.
Margaret: It's really happening, isn't it?
Rocky walks up next to Margaret.
Rocky: It really is.
Margaret looks down.
Margaret: Other people's lives are depending on us.
Margaret sighs.
Margaret: What if something happens to you, Rocky? What if...what if I can't...I don't know...I guess I'm just....I can't go through losing anyone again....the last time I rescued hostages was when we were in Vegas....Marcus and I...
Rocky walks up to Margaret and places his hands on her shoulders.
Rocky: Margaret....you are one of the strongest, smartest and sexiest woman I know....I mean, there are other sexy women, but you are the definitely the sexiest.
Margaret: Is this supposed to boost my confidence cause so far it's not.
Rocky: What I'm saying is you will get us through this. We will get through this. I believe in you and you should too...but if you don't believe in yourself...believe in me until you do believe in yourself, okay?
Margaret sighs as she looks down then over at the boat, nervously. Rocky gives Margaret a worried look then places his pointer finger and thumb under her chin and pulled her face to look at him. Margaret looks Rocky in the eye until he leans in and kisses Margaret, who kisses him back and she places her right hand behind his neck and runs her fingers through his tied hair while he had his left arm around her waist. Once the two break the kiss, Margaret looks at Rocky and smirks.
Margaret: Well....I feel a little hot right now. I definitely don't feel as focused now or less.
Rocky smirks at this as the two of them lean their foreheads against each others. Sarah stands a few feet away, leaning against a tree until she accidentally slips, causing her to be noticed.
Sarah: Oh....uh..sorry....I didn't mean to cock-block.
Rocky: What?
Margaret: Seriously, Sarah?
Sarah: I mean I totally just cock-blocked you.
Rocky: No.
Sarah: I definitely cock-blocked you.
Margaret: Fuck no, Sarah. Don't ever say that again.
Rocky: Please, don't say the word "cock".
Sarah: You say "cock".
Rocky: I do not say "cock". Fuck, I just said "cock".
Sarah: Okay. I'm just gonna look in another direction. Now...just...
Margaret: Yeah, yeah, you do that, Sarah.
Sarah then walks over to cut the infected open as Kyle, Sarah, Caleb, Chris, Peter and John dress themselves in raincoats.
Peter: Ugh, are we seriously going to do this?
Sarah kneels down to the infected.
Sarah: Yep.
John: You sure there's no other way to get on the boat.
Chris: Not unless it involves walking right up to the front of the boat to get shot.
Sarah pulls out some infected guts.
John: Oh, God....
Peter: Fuck..
Everyone kneels down.
Kyle: It'll help us blend in with the infected.
Kyle kneels down next to Sarah and everyone begin to cover themselves with the guts.
Peter: There. I think I'm ready.
Sarah looks over to see that his raincoat was covered but not his hoodie part.
Sarah: No you're not, Peter.
Kyle smears some more guts and smears some on Peter's hood.
Kyle: There.
Peter: Ugh....Thank god I can throw this fucking raincoat.
Kyle smirks.
John: Y'all ready?
John, Caleb, Chris, Kyle, Sarah and Peter stand up.
Kyle: Let's do it.
Then the six of them walk over to the side of the pathway where there were tons of infected walking along.
Kyle: Okay. Follow my lead.
The six run out to the herd.
Sarah: Here we go.
The six walking among the infected as they walk very slowly.
Gorman: Infected! A lot of them!
On the dock of the boat, Wes, Melanie and Tobin look out into the crowd of infected.
Wes: God, I've never seen so many....
Tobin: Take em down! Take em all down!
A spotlight shines on some infected as Kyle and Sarah hide behind a couple of them as they get shot. Kyle and Sarah move to the side as the bodies fall as she looks over at Caleb, John, Peter and Chris.
Kyle: Stay behind the infected. Use them as shields.
The six continue on and hide behind infected until they make it to the pier. They are a few feet away until they hear Leanne shout.
Leanne: The supplies! They're on fire!
They look over to see the supplies on the raft on fire.
Georgette: Get rid of these fucking infected!
The six run up behind the boxes.
Orion: Goddammit! Go see what's going on!
Ross: I'm on it!
Ross jumps over in front of them and starts to run over to the pier.
Kyle: Now's our chance.
Kyle walks over to the edge and jumps down into the water.
Kyle: We can't risk leaving cover. We'll have to crawl along the side of the dock.
Sarah, Peter, Caleb, Chris and John get down into the water then the six crawl along the dock.
Caleb: The guts are coming off.
Kyle pulls up to the edge of the dock, facing towards the boat, when he sees Leanne running up and he ducks down back. Leanne comes up and starts to fire at some infected as Kyle looks over at the water.
Kyle: Follow me. This way.
Kyle dives down into the water and swims under the dock. The six of them follow him under the water, before the six of them climb the ladder. As they make it to the dock, the six of them remove their raincoats and throw them into the water. The six look over to see the spotlight coming towards the group and everyone goes lean against some boxes.
Kyle: Stay close and stay hidden.
The six wait for the light to move then go behind another set of boxes. The group does this a couple of times until they make it to the entrance.
John: Come on, let's hurry.
The six runs up to the entrance.
Chris: Infected incoming!
The six see some infected coming down the pier. Kyle activates his Zeus Corps machete, while Sarah, Chris and Caleb pull out their knives and the four of them take down the infected until Peter and John were able to get the door of the boat open. Finally the door opens as the four runs inside after Peter and John. On the hill top, Rocky and Margaret spot the six entering the boat.
Margaret: They're in.
Rocky: Let's pray, then.