Rodney, looking better with shorter hair and without the beard, and geared up for the mission, was having a video call with his sister outside of a shed. Probably for the last time, but he tried to look calm not to panic her, and was holding his cell phone very close to his face so she couldn't see his military outfit.
"I just want to be sure that you, Madison, and Caleb are safe."
"We are."
"Good." Rodney sighed. "Hum… I know I've been a horrible brother and uncle. I know it's probably too late for excuses... I'm sorry, Jeannie."
McKay didn't notice Colonel Ford arriving behind him. "Doctor McKay, we gotta go," he gently informed.
McKay placed the phone against his chest. "Okay. Give me a sec."
Ford bowed his head and came back to the shed. McKay stopped hiding the camera, but it was too late. Jeannie had seen Ford in tactical gear… and Rodney's, when he had hidden the camera…
"Meredith, why did I see a soldier talking to you? Where are you? And where are you going?" she inquired, suddenly very confused and worried after being caught off guard by his apology.
"Uh, I can't tell you. But I'll be fine, I promise! Have to go now. Love you."
"Love you, too. Wait–"
Too late. Jeannie tried to call back her brother, but she got the voicemail message. Her brother wasn't the kind to say I'm sorry and I love you very much. So, if he had said these sentences, and in the same conversation, it meant something. It meant that the situation was worse than what she thought. Jeannie was seated in the back of a light wheeled evacuation carrier with her family and their neighbors. All had been allowed to bring a suitcase or a duffle bag. Other military trucks were evacuating the residential area this morning. A major from the Canadian army arrived at the back of the truck where Jeannie was seated. Like his fellows, he was geared up. Unlike his fellows, he wasn't carrying any assault rifle. Just a gun. An armband around his right arm indicated he belonged to the medical staff. The name patch on his chest rig indicated "Maj. I. Exley."
"Need anything?" Exley asked with a reassuring smile. He glanced at Jeannie and the rest of the passengers. The civilians shook their head. They were physically fine. But extremely worried. Surprisingly, silent. Exley moved so the driver could see him in the left side mirror. The man raised a thumb to give the driver the signal to start the truck. The vehicle moved. Jeannie placed an arm around her twenty plus years old daughter and looked at the street, wondering if she would see her house again, and more importantly, her brother. She held tightly her cell phone, like she would pick it up within a second if Meredith called. A tear ran down her face. Why did they wait for a terrible event to start to reconnect?