He glances at the store office behind him and taps his leg. "Is it crowded around there? You got someone at the place I can talk to?"

"Moderately busy but not really crowded, and I can call the boss right now if you'd like, presuming the phones hold out."

She keys the number into her phone, ready to dial. "You looking to relocate?"

"That depends on what I'll find there and what kind of reception I'll get, hon. Since I've heard from people getting turned away by the Army and I haven't seen a cop yet this morning, it seems like I'm gonna have to rely on myself."

"The welcome is warm and the people are organized. We're looking for anyone capable and sensible, especially if they're tolerably competent with gun safety. We have a detailed plan for how we're fortifying, and we're ongoingly refining it. I literally just joined an hour ago, roped my bestie in as well, and things just keep getting better at Fort Bass."

She gives him a daring grin. "So, you in, or d'you wanna hear the boss say the same things over a rickety phone line first?"

"Second thing, no offense. I sort of know the guy if it's who I'm thinking of, I'll recognize his voice."

She hits dial, and says "None taken" while it rings.

The building supply guy has a quick chat, a rapid exchange of gossip, and a subtle probing of mutual acquaintances and shared history.

"...Arright fine, but my family's coming along and 'Fort Bass' had damn well better protect them, buddy. I want a guaranteed spot in whatever bunking situation you end up with."

"Deal."

"Great."

He hands the phone back to Sable. "Hey, come on, pallet jack's over here and time's wasting. Go back up the truck to the loading dock!"

Sable stows the phone, then jogs ahead while Bys hops back into the truck. She helps to guide her as she backs into place, then snaps the back of the truck open and starts loading things in smoothly and quickly.

He has a teenage guy and a woman about his age come out and help too! The nine year old watches, hugging his giant stuffed panda. Everyone listens for the ominous engine noises that Bys tentatively identifies as failed cylinder ignitions, and are slowly getting more common.

They rig up some improvised harnesses with cargo straps and boxes full of Styrofoam pellets and clothes. It looks unsafe, but probably safer than the extra passengers literally just standing in the back next to all the bricks and wood and stuff.

"Kid rides up front in the middle seat, belted into a proper seat. Let's roll. If it gives out on us I'll push if I have to."

The kid, Benjamin, wants to be with his parents but is argued into it because 'those seatbelts don't fit you'.

The trip up the highway again is a long one, with slow slow acceleration as Bys tries to feel for when the engine makes the worst noises of complaint. There's hardly any cars on the road now. They pass a strip mall that's getting a similar fortification treatment to Fort Bass, if much more haphazard and limited.

Both ramps to the 512 are completely clogged with stopped cars, this time. The number of working vehicles is precipitously dropping as they approach the 1 hour 30 minute mark.

"Ink and Salt," she mutters to herself. "Keep going up the seven to eighty-fourth," she says aloud to Bys.

"Uh... Right." She cracks her neck, then starts moving the truck forward again. "Okay, you know this area better than I do. Watch out for signs of trouble. People might be kind of panicky."

"You just went past a red light," comments Benjamin.

Sable giggles warmly and nods. "That we did, Benjamin. There are rare times when rules like traffic lights hurt more than they help, and in those times it's okay to ignore them. This is one of them. Good on you for pointing it out, though."

She nods at Bys and keeps her eyes on the surroundings, watching for trouble.

She drives, steadily, hands gripping the wheel tightly and using both lanes and a sidewalk to avoid stopped traffic - and people walking around - as best she can. They're coming up on 84...

This is approximately the time that there's a bright flash from somewhere off to the left, and a few moments later a very loud fzztCRACK.

The stoplights go dark.

"That was a transformer. The power grid is going."

She offers a hand to Benjamin to hold. "How're you holding up, kiddo?"

"I'm okay. You're taking us to the fort store, so everything will be okay."

There's the distant sound of another transformer failure. The grid goes all at once, it seems.

Bys turns left onto '84, trying to ignore the decidedly unhealthy noises the truck is making.

"Exactly and precisely. My friend Bys is doing a great job driving us, too, even though the truck is barely still going. We're gonna get there safe, whatever it takes."

She keeps her eyes on the surroundings. "Bys, we've got about a mile ahead, then we're turning on Alaska."

The truck finally breaks down right at the edge of the parking lot, unable to make the short ramp into the store, right next to a growing line of sandbags.

She jumps out and raps on the trailer wall. "We're here!"

Sable heads into the store, tapping a few people she passes who aren't already tasked to start unloading the truck. When she gets inside, she nods at the boss. "We're back, truck made it to the driveway, already got people unloading."

The place is considerably more crowded now. Especially with the grid failure, people are tricking in from the highway and the suburbs. They've appointed a few officers. Someone has made a big notice board.

Please give all perishable food to the Quartermaster for efficient use.

Stay out of the walkways!

Do not pick a Class immediately unless it's urgent. Take the time to read your options and learn more.

She takes a quick look through the lot, spots Teddy, and marches over to give him a hug.

"You made it. I'm glad to see you, Teddy."

His eyes widen when he notices her approaching and he tries, and fails, to fend off the hug.

"Well, uh, same, I guess... I swear I must be dreaming, or having a nightmare, though... I had to walk two miles."

"Oh no! Good on you for making it anyway, and I suppose you got a head start on getting used to the new transit method we'll all be stuck with at least."