[ Lucky for him, Jo is quite good at taking care of herself and catching things on the fly. She never even noticed the consideration of needing to help her; just carrying her own in this part of her rescue from god knows where but some new shade of hell's armpit that sprouted out in the Horizon and kidnapped her from her bed instead of putting her in the Roadhouse.

When he looks at her, what she catches isn't so much the honesty as it is the fear, and under it, how fucking young the kid is. Not like an actually kid-kid, but young. Younger than her. If he's twenty, it's only barely. Why is he here, and why does he seem that afraid, are also good questions, but not as important as other things. ]

That not keeping him from existing back there.

What is it, and how do we stop it?

[ Rationally, simply, ordered.
The most important things. ]