Compared to a female teacher who carried a gun to teach elementary school children, Nick and his friends bringing two handguns on a mountain vacation suddenly seemed reasonable.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief at having weapons, a heated argument broke out near the supermarket's front entrance, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
Nick exchanged a glance with Kurt and Martin. They all saw the same helpless, unsurprised expression on one another's faces.
"Let us through!"
"Are you crazy? It's dangerous out there."
"Shouldn't we talk this over some more?"
"No, we've already discussed it and made our decision. We're leaving, right now."
The commotion from the group at the entrance reached their side of the store. David, the painter, hurriedly got up, left his son Billy in the care of Amanda, the teacher, and rushed over to stand in front of the lawyer leading them, Brent Norton.
"Do you really need to be in such a hurry? Mr. Norton, did you forget to turn off the stove before you left home? Okay, jokes aside, I'm seriously warning you: it's dangerous outside right now."
Nick and Kurt supported Martin between them and stood beside a shelf to watch, maintaining a delicate distance from both sides-close enough to hear their conversation, but far enough to avoid getting caught in any conflict that might break out next.
"To be perfectly honest, I've seen plenty of people like you in court, lying through their teeth. Congratulations on winning some people over. But as everyone knows, the truth is often in the hands of a minority."
Brent Norton pointed aggressively at David's nose, then moved his finger until it stopped in the direction of Nick and his companions. "That young man already took people outside once. As far as I'm concerned, that's concrete evidence."