Academy Island

Assets

My eyes narrowed at the group, then snapped back to Mr. Blackbourne.

There was no wavering from him, nothing revealed other than the short apology and request for my return. I got the impression he had the patience to sit here all day until I was convinced. I glanced at the wolf man. He didn't look sorry, he just looked...grumpy. And like his shoulder was bothering him by the way he was holding it stiffly. My eyes drifted over the strap of his black tank top and down the muscles of his arm until I spotted the dark swell of bruise staining his arm, hard to tell it was there with how tanned he was. My own injuries covering my feet weren't doing anything for my attitude either. I shifted slightly, letting one knee down to get some relief. He probably just wanted to go back to his hut and rest after traveling most of the night and instead was out here following me. I sighed and shook my head, trying to hold on to my resolve to go at it on my own.

"No. I accept your apology, but I'm just a drain on your resources. Let me go."

There was a murmur of opposition and Mr. Blackbourne cut his hand through the air, silencing them all. He was absolutely the leader then. North rubbed at the back of his head angrily, his mouth tight. He was definitely refraining from yelling at me. Mr. Blackbourne looked deep in thought, and that's when the dam of his scowl broke loose. North threw his hands up in the air and gestured at me, exasperated.

"That's bullshit. Do you have any idea how vulnerable you are out here alone? Who cares if you use our stuff, it doesn't matter!"

"North. Let me handle this."

"Fuck that! She's obviously alone and needs us. If she insists on wandering around, I'm following her until she's sick to death of me, just as long as she comes back to camp."

The rest raised their hands, offers to go along with him on his quest to make sure I returned. I rubbed at my face, frustrated with the lot of them. They were being so stubborn. Why did they care what happened to me? I was nothing but trouble for them, not worth their time. They had to have some ulterior motive, nobody would just offer help to a complete stranger to such an extent as these guys were going. It all seemed so...suspicious.

"You..." I pointed a finger at Mr. Blackbourne, "haven't told me why I should trust you at all. I have nothing to offer you, and yet you want to help me. Why?"

Several of the guys lifted their hands up, all of them arguing that I'd already been helpful. My face hardened. They'd saved, bathed, dressed, and fed me, offered a bed and protection from the elements and predators. I knew I'd given nothing of real value in return. Mr. Blackbourne had to silence everyone again before he could speak.

"You do have something to offer. Every set of hands is needed. The question is, are you willing to pull with us, or are you going to go against us?"

There was a challenge in his tone. My brow crinkled. Against them? Why would going off on my own be going against them? I was trying desperately not to be naive, even though I had no experience with men, or people in general. Mother had warned me time and time again, stay away from them, they would rape, kidnap, or murder me. I hadn't really believed people were all that bad before everything that had happened to me recently had happened, but still. It was hard, hard to trust when I didn't know what to expect, especially when they all were so much stronger than I and could overpower me easily.

Loud rustling in the jungle behind everyone caught everybody's attention. A half dressed Punky stumbled out into our tense clearing, his foot caught on a vine and Silas close behind. He cursed at it and yanked free, almost falling. He threw his hands up in the air when he caught sight of the group sitting in the dirt at my feet. Silas' eyes were quietly dark on mine despite his brighter eyed companion's ranting at us all.

"Oy. There you all are. What the hell are you all doing running off and then dirtying yourselves on the ground? And you..." He put his hand on his hip and pointed a fist at me, "what do you think you're doing out here, making me worry and shit this early in the morning? "

I frowned at his frown and rubbed at my temples. Gabriel had been nice to me, even if it had been in a bossy way. Most of them had welcomed me when they had brought me into their camp, sharing their food and doing what they could for me. They'd been really nice despite my first impression of gun crazy maniacs, bent on shooting everything that moved on the island.

Well, they were gun crazy. It just wasn't as dangerous as I'd thought at first. Maybe.

It was all one sided from my perspective though. I didn't feel comfortable with that. I looked at each face, finally settling on Gabriel's folded arms. My voice sounded tired and brittle, even to me.

"I have no assets. You can't expect me to believe I have any worth to you lot."

Gabriel startled as if shocked and was already shaking his head decidedly when Luke piped up, still standing where I'd told him to stay put, his face distressed. "Yes you do, you promised to show me where the mango's were. Isn't that worth something Mr. Blackbourne? At least to start with?"

Mr. Blackbourne's eyebrows raised in surprise and he looked my way, then nodded. I sighed and sat my butt down on the gravel, keeping my new found staff in front of me just in case. I ran my free hand over my hair, pulling it back to think. To camp with them or camp alone. I was used to being by myself, father had almost never been home, and mother and Marie, unless they wanted something, had rarely talked to me. That had been in a different environment though, everything I needed had been provided, with the only outdoors experiences my long walks through the Illinois woods, a world away from here, where everything was unfamiliar. I wondered if I could handle it, having my face noticed by so many all the time, being visible. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad, at least for a little bit. I had promised Luke I would show him where he could find the fruit. Disappointing him when I'd promised would be a cruel and dishonest thing to do.

I sighed bitterly and let my hand drop to rest on my knee. I was trapped, but if I wasn't relying on this excuse and being honest with myself, I didn't want to be alone out here. Not really. I straightened my shoulders, readying to do my best to pull chin to chin with them, and if I couldn't manage to, I could always take it upon myself to leave quietly later. I talked to all of them, but looked at mostly at North. The set of his jaw was getting more and more strained, like he was getting dangerously close to blowing his top.

"Fine. I'll give it a try. But I've been shot at enough for a lifetime, salt or no, just so you all know."

I looked purposefully at all of them for an answer and startled when the doctors voice spoke up behind me.

"Well I'm on board even if you all aren't."

I twisted to glare, upset with myself for not noticing his approach. He crouched right behind, chewing on something and waving nonchalantly as if it was the most natural thing that he'd gotten the drop on me. He smiled at my expression and shrugged.

"Couldn't let my new patient run off when I'd only half treated her. Think of the malpractice suite. All the ginger and pepper I'd managed to sack away over all this time, gone in a single sweep. I'd be ruined!"

He threw his hands up in mock exasperation. I held my scowl as long as I could, unable to keep the quiver of a smile from appearing. He grinned and put his hand out readily, letting me be the one to reach out to touch him. There was a murmur of agreement from the men, a grunt that could have been taken either way from North, and a nod from Mr. Blackbourne. I dipped my head in agreement and took the offered hand and the tug to help raise me to my feet.

I was in. At least for now.