Push Back: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller (The Disruption Series Book 2) by R.E. McDermott

we could send more people—”
    Kinsey shook his head. “Pinch points are not our friend, Cap. We’d have to worry about the bridge at Lake Charles, to say nothing of twenty-plus miles of the Atchafalaya Basin Causeway with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. And even if those places aren’t compromised, I can almost guarantee you someone is sitting on the Mississippi River bridge into Baton Rouge. We couldn’t send enough people to force a crossing in any of those places if someone is holding them, and if they decide to come after us, we likely couldn’t outrun them long enough to break contact either.” He nodded down at the Coast Guard boat. “But with that baby, we can outrun anyone on the water. We’ll lose the tow if we have to.”
    Kinsey continued. “Besides, I don’t want to leave YOU shorthanded. For sure those cons will be looking for some payback after the beat down we gave them last week. My family, my problem. Bollinger and I will be just fine.”
    “And my family was my problem, but y’all helped me get them on board. C’mon, Kinsey, at least take more of your own men. I know every one of them volunteered.”
    “They did, and I appreciate it,” Kinsey said, “but everyone except Bollinger has dependents aboard, and I’m not going to let them leave their own families in possible danger to save mine. It was different when we went after your family; they were close by and we didn’t fully appreciate how big a threat the escaped convicts were. Now we do, and we have to figure that into the equation.”
    Kinsey continued before Hughes could protest further. “Besides, as you may have noticed, our boat’s on the small side. I have to pick up my daughter and my sister-in-law’s family plus God knows who else.” He sighed. “My wife has extended family all over Baton Rouge, and knowing Connie, they probably all went to her house. Which brings up another question, Captain Noah. Are you okay with me bringing everyone I find back to your rapidly filling ark?”
    Hughes sighed. “How can I not be okay with it? We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you and your guys. It’s your ark as much as mine, so of course I’m okay with it. We’ll make it work somehow.” He hesitated. “I just hope … I just hope your trip is successful.”
    Kinsey cocked his head. “I hear a ‘but’ in there, Cap. If you have a concern, now is the time to voice it.”
    “Just thinking of the longer term. Everyone we take in has to pull their weight one way or another. We can’t very well turn away immediate family members, but—”
    “But we can’t take in everyone without thinking how they can contribute to the survival of the group. Believe me, I get it.” Kinsey grinned. “I figure having a small boat will be an advantage. I can be selective as to the passenger list.”
    Hughes nodded. “Good. We’re on the same page, then. Now, about equipment. You sure you have everything you need?”
    “Pretty much, but I’m still not sure about taking two sets of night-vision gear; you guys might need it. We can get by with one. I mainly figured to use it to run the canal in the dark if need be,” Kinsey said.
    “You might need it for more than that, and we’ll still have two sets here, and some of the rifles have NV scopes. We’ll be fine. And I wish you’d reconsider about taking one of the machine guns—”
    “We’ve been all over that, Cap. If things DO go tits up, I’m not handing one of our three machine guns to the bad guys. The other boat can shadow us until we get to the Intracoastal. By the time the cons figure out what’s up, we’ll be well away from them. I’ll try to contact you by VHF when we’re inbound, and you can send out the other boat to escort us in.”
    Hughes sighed. “All right, but I don’t like it.”
    “I’m not wild about it myself, but you know it makes the most sense.” Kinsey waited for Hughes’ reluctant nod, then continued. “Okay, Torres is in charge of my