James refrains from sighing--not at Jopson's answer, really, but at the situation, because of course nothing about this would make sense--by chewing on the inside of his cheek for a moment. Whatever the motives, ultimately what they do know is that things have recently gotten worse, and that trend may continue.

"You're very far from the rest of us, out here." He says it neutrally, not wanting it to sound judgemental; he does think it's a little strange that Jopson's chosen to live in Lakeside when the rest of them are in Milton, but he surely has his reasons.

Besides, whatever they might be, they aren't the point of James bringing this up. "If the situation escalates, are you prepared?" Again, it's not judgemental; he knows Jopson can take care of himself, but there's a limit to what one person can handle, no matter how capable they are. He's not sure if Jopson has friends out here, or what the situation is in Lakeside in general, and he can't help but be concerned.