Our people. Only what he really meant was my and Charlie’s people. Not that my parents didn’t care very much for Tuck; I knew my mom had written to him religiously even when he was locked up, though he rarely wrote her back. But old friends—even loyal ones—weren’t the same and it suddenly struck me what a kindness he was really doing. He was taking me and Charlie home, but where did that leave him? He had an uncle in LA, but he’d left his house and gone to my family for help when he really needed it. And should I even wonder about Tuck’s future plans anyway? He was doing me a kindness, but he’d also betrayed my trust, and put me at risk. And himself. And he was so damn reactive and…ornery. God, he spun my mind around and right now, there were too many other things spinning my mind as well.

“…you gotta do what you gotta do,” Leonard was saying when I tuned back in. “What I can tell you is all those minivan moms in their fancy electronic vehicles are shit out of luck.” Then he let out a guffaw.

The loud noise made me cringe, and a chill moved over my skin. I glanced at Charlie, but he rolled his eyes and brought his finger to his ear and made a gesture that clearly stated he thought Leonard was less than stable. I gave Charlie a weak smile and looked out the window.

Tuck and Leonard chatted as we drove past farms and exits for what looked like small towns. Several times, Leonard had to pull into a field or section of brush as abandoned cars blocked both lanes of the road we were traveling. And we also saw a few cars heading in the opposite direction, the drivers slowing and peering at us with wide eyes as they moved past.

It seemed obvious that they were out looking for answers, or maybe supplies, lucky like Leonard that they had never upgraded their old vehicle to something more modern with all the newfangled bells and whistles that had promptly gone kaput right when people really needed them.

God, I sounded like my mom. Those were words she would have used. And with the thought, a swell of grief expanded my lungs and made it difficult to breathe. Was she okay? Were she and my dad safe? Did they have enough food? Calm down, Em. They’re all the way in California. They’re fine. But they were probably worried sick about me. Distraught with no way to get answers because there was no power where I was.