CHAPTER TWO

Brain was surprised people were taking the evacuation seriously. He'd read books about this, fictional of course, after his disasters class in college. He wanted to know what people thought would happen when certain things happened in the world. Whenever something happened that was big, but it was something familiar, people ran like the dickens. Whenever something happened that was big but completely unknown, people tended to ignore instruction. In most of the pieces he read with this sort of impending disaster, people stuck it out, or they went out to buy telescopes so they could see the action themselves.

But that was twenty years ago, back when he was getting his Master's degree and things were still simple. While some technology was still the same (his ice maker at his apartment still clogged in much the same way his parents' did, his computer still slowed right when he went to do something important, and internet news still came from the same sources just on updated browsers with semi-faster speeds), there were improvements in many areas, including in space exploration. Astronauts had finally made it to Mars, and there were satellites orbiting the little red planet as scientists decided whether or not to colonize it. The Moon received similar treatment, and Brain knew from Francine's parenting blog that the girls often watched feeds from both planets' satellites to see what space looked like from a perspective not available during his time.

Because of this better view, scientists discovered "close calls" were more common that we knew during his lifetime. Now that we could see more of our own orbit trail, scientists were able to note about three times as many large, possibly destructive, space rocks hurdling through the area. And Brain knew that now meant that possible collision warnings were heeded because they were no longer guessing—that asteroid was going to hit, and it was probably going to hit the exact second they suggested.

The only thing from his sci-fi books on asteroid collisions that wasn't a thing yet were missiles to blow it up, large ships to push it away, or laser beams that turned the asteroid to dust before it even left the Asteroid Belt. For now those were still science fiction.

But fact was staring Brain in the face. After picking up Buster, they navigated towards the highway only to found their path blocked with other cars. All of them were packed full of items—luggage, pillows, blankets, and one lady whose car swarmed with at least twenty cats. Buster wished aloud for a flying car, and despite Brain's hatred for his stupid suggestions, he wanted the same thing, not that flying cars would help when everyone was on the run.

"What does the GPS say we could do instead? We're heading east instead of west. That could help us," Brain suggested.

Buster picked up his smartphone and looked at his options. He smiled, "Turn right as soon as you can. We'll just use side streets for a while then hit up some state routes until we can hit the highway."

"Sounds good," Brain agreed, eying his chance and flooring it. "We should call Catherine too. Let her know we're coming for the girls."

"Do you think she'll give them to us?" Buster asked. Catherine and Francine were allies as well as sisters, and she hated them both about as much as Francine did. But Catherine had one advantage—she wasn't the one who married people she'd gone to school with, had a kid with them, then kicked them to the curb. That made her a little better than her sister, though she hadn't gone through the court appearances where Francine insisted they each have regular visitations rather than send a check every month.

Brain assured him they had nothing to lose, so Buster placed the call. Catherine picked up on the second ring:

"Why didn't you call me sooner? The girls are demanding we get you in Elwood City then drive to California. I'm doing it, kids and all. We're taking both cars," Catherine said quickly in an angry yet frazzled tone.

Buster chuckled, "We were on our way to get them actually. Where do you want to meet up? We're heading north and east now."

"We'll keep in touch online then," Catherine said firmly, hanging up. Soon they were using an app, and the pairs agreed to meet up in Pennsylvania before heading west, if they could. Traffic was terrible with so many people evacuating at once, and Brain wondered if they should just keep heading north. His passport was still at home, but so was everything else. In their hasty attempt to reunite with their daughters, then men had forgotten nearly everything.

Nearly everything, Brain thought again, smiling to himself. He did have everything he needed, just not his mail and a change of shoes. He'd recently packed an emergency kit in his car at the insistence of a colleague who had gotten a little too into apocalypse scenarios themselves. Brain had his passport, several days' worth of food (not if you include a tagalong named Buster Baxter), and a few changes of clothes, as well as a few flashlights, some batteries, and a few other items. He had enough.

But Buster didn't have a passport, and he had never gotten one in the first place. Brain forgot he wasn't a college guy. Francine got with him right out of high school in an attempt to make another ex jealous, Arthur Read. Things apparently went well enough that they got engaged, and then Francine dropped the bombshell that sent them straight to the courthouse—she was pregnant. Buster did all the right things, and they stayed together until Annie was two. Then Francine got bored, dumped him, and used her family's help to go back to school.

That's where Brain met her a few years later. He was in grad school by then, but he assisted in undergrad science classes and their labs. He met Francine in one, started having coffee with her, and then she surprised him by turning up the heat. He loved it. He'd had a few other girlfriends and found that side of life—romance, lust, and longing—was actually quite nice. And Francine felt so familiar. He proposed without hesitation, and he hoped things would be perfect, especially when she announced she was pregnant.

They married and moved into a small house, and things were great…until she met the guy she was with now. Brain was getting his PhD now and was already beginning to teach. The university was helping him along, but it was also keeping him from his family, from his wife. She proposed divorce, and he unwillingly went along.

Now he and Buster, who'd started talking when Brain first started seeing Francine, were traveling together to meet up with their daughters with nothing but the clothes on their back. Men! Brain could hear Francine scoff, laughing at their stupidity despite—probably—being out of the loop.

But their kids were their only concern. If it weren't for that undying devotion to their daughters, Francine probably would've left the completely, fought for FULL full custody, and kept her life hidden. Instead they were still allowed in, and they both had to admit that Catherine seemed pretty relieved to get their call.

After a few hours, they met up at a rest stop in Pennsylvania. While the girls went to the restroom with their aunt and cousins, Brain looked up quiet routes into Canada. As he did, he noticed they were allowing in evacuees as long as they went where they were told and stayed there. Brain wondered if the group would agree as Catherine and her barrage of females returned from the restrooms.

"Daddy, there was, like, NO toilet paper!" Annie spat, hugging her father again. She was thirteen and moody, but she had a love for her father that Brain saw in his own daughter, who nodded in agreement with her half-sister as she hugged his waist.

"Any plans, Dr. Powers?" Catherine asked with a hint of disgust. Brain knew then that she and Francine were in contact, and that Francine had ordered her sister to let him take control…as long as he proposed something rational.

"I thought about heading north on our way over. The traffic is easier since most people are heading due west," Brain said, passing his phone to her, "I found this article. As long as we do what they say, it'll be safe for us. We all go to the same spot, stay with each other. I think it's our best option to find proper lodging."

"What about California?!" Annie demanded with a pouty tone.

Buster shook his head, "It'll take a week to drive out there like this. It'd be easier to go to Canada like Brain says, and we won't have to sleep in our cars. The food will probably be better too."

"John?" Catherine called, turning to her husband, who was standing with their only son by their van, "What do you think? Does Canada work for you?"

"No passports needed?" John asked.

Brain shook his head, "It looks like we just need a driver's license, and we can't have any weapons or pets. I think it's a fair enough trade."

"Just make sure he doesn't have fleas or we'll be busted," Catherine said with too much force while gesturing to Buster. She blushed as she noticed her tone and looked down to their daughters, "You guys can ride with them if you want. Margie, get your booster seat. Annie, you get the bags."

The girls agreed to the switch, and Buster helped them as Catherine joined Brain and John at the hood of Brain's car. They wanted to do some final checks to make sure the vehicles could make it as far as they needed.

Catherine looked them over, "Francine is trusting us to keep them safe. She insisted I call you, but I told her to let you call first. I thought you'd at least pack, but I see that didn't actually happen. I know you're being good fathers, but you should try to be a little less impulsive in the future."

Brain used an old Dunkin Donuts napkin from his dash for John to swipe his dipswitch. They had plenty of oil, he nodded, looking up to Catherine, "I have an emergency kit in my car, actually. I even have my passport, some clothes, some food. It's Buster you should lecture, not me. I heard him packing like he was taking the whole apartment, but he only came out with that one bag," he pointed into the backseat, where a Spiderman duffle bag was there, a treat from Metropolis's Comic Con the year before.

Catherine crossed her arms and looked over Brain before her eyes fell on Buster, who was now helping the girls into the backseat of the car. Catherine nodded, "She fucked up when she decided you two weren't worthy. I doubt anyone will make her happy. Ever."

Brain grinned, "I know what you mean by that. This is a divorce trip?" he asked. Catherine nodded. She knew he'd know. Francine did the same to him, took him to Montana to study rocks there before breaking the news. Buster only got as far as Metropolis. Their one and only Comic Con together.

"Well, we can talk about it later when we get there. Are you all gassed up?" John asked. Brain looked to his dash and nodded. His tank was nearly full, and he was glad. It was a long way to Canada and he wanted as few stops as possible.