"Well, what the fuck now, man?" Chad demanded, not being rude about it, but still being a tad bit edgy, as he maintained his fixated stare on the road ahead, making sure the bus didn't careen out of control, or have some other disaster fall upon them.

The bus rumbled on down through the seemingly endless suburbs, the crazed people were everywhere, and the seven teens would rarely go for more then a few thankful moments without seeing one.

Chad didn't look back to receive the answer to his question: he just drove on, almost completely oblivious to anything else.

Nick, looked at best friend, glad he was concentrating so much on driving, "I'm working on it. Just get us out of the city and the surrounding area."

Molly's rescue had worked. Not perfectly, but the group was willing to bite the bullet on the inconveniences, and accept whatever they could get. Right now, that was seven teens in an aging, rickety school bus, luckily well-armed, and somewhat ready. Nick considered them all inconceivably lucky.

"Don't you fucking worry about that, man. We're gettin' the fuck outta here," Chad said, eying the road nervously.

Nick nodded, and looked around to see how the rest of the group was doing.

Ashley and Tracy occupied the seat behind the driver's seat, Nick and Ali were across the aisle opposite the two girls, and Mike and Molly, who were doing a fair amount of cuddling, were in the seat behind Nick and Ali.

Nick, who had the aisle seat, checked around again.

He sighed inwardly, and decided to ask that now relatively often used question, "Is everyone okay?" he asked, knowing how stupid of a question it was. Where any of them really okay? More than likely not, but still, Nick had to keep them talking.

"We're good," Mike reported, as he held a silent Molly tighter to him.

"I guess I'm alright." Tracy said, smiling weakly.

"Yeah.", Ashley muttered.

Nick look to Ali, was was as far away from him as she could get. She just nodded once, eyes staring down at the floor.

"Hey man, seven white kids on a fuckin' school bus armed with an assload of guns, with countless of those fuckin' psychopaths runnin' around trying to kill us. I'd say that even though that is odd and generally fuckin' creepy, and should never ever actually fuckin' happen, I'm pretty much okay," Chad said, giving a small, sarcastic laugh, not taking his eyes off the road for a single moment.

Nick nodded once, smiling. He couldn't have asked for anyone better then Chad to have in this situation. At least Chad would always be good for a laugh.

"Right," Nick started, "We need to figure out what to do next. Any suggestions?"

"I'm the driver not the thinker. You gotta do my fuckin' thinkin' for me, man," Chad muttered, as he steered the bus down yet another street infested with these violent people. None of them even close to capable of catching the large vehicle.

"Well I dunno," Tracy spoke up, "I'd say we need to go somewhere safe."

"Good plan. Like where?" Chad said sharply, thinking of where exactly they could possibly go that was even slightly safe.

"Chad, chill." Mike said, looking up. He turned to Nick, "Got any ideas?"

Nick nodded, "Maybe... Does anyone know anyone who lives outside the city? In the outside suburbs?... Anyone?"

The entire group thought for a moment before Ashley suddenly realized that she did. Shee took a breath, and paused for a moment, then nodded, "Yeah. My aunt and uncle live outside the city. It's like a thirty minute drive away." she said, excitement seeping into her voice. Maybe they all could get to somewhere safe.

"Where?" Nick said, shortly and curtly.

Ashley gave very specific directions, which Nick and Chad listened to very closely. Quite obviously Ashley would be navigating from this point on.

"So, what now?" Mike asked, still clutching on to Molly, who appeared to be sleeping. Just how she manged that was anyone's guess.

"We get there, see if it's bad. If it's not, we clear the house, and we stay low for as long as we can. At least it'll buy us some time." Nick said, planning it out, almost as he went, "We also need to get to a T.V.; see if anything's changed."

"Mate, I don't think much has changed," Chad stated, as he eyed a helicopter that was off in the distance. It was very likely a news chopper, covering more of this disaster.

"Ya never know," Tracy answered, shrugging.

"Alright, Ashley, Chad, you guys are now driver and navigator. Chad, don't box us in; don't get this thing trapped, and stick to larger main roads. Do not, in any way, go in the direction of the city," Nick said, thinking aloud.

"No shit, man," Chad agreed, eyes locked on the road, which was surprisingly clear at this particular point.

"So, what happens after that? After we get to her reletive's house, I mean..." Tracy trailed off.

Nick shook his head, "I don't know. We'll have to wing it."

"Oh." Tracy replied, not sure what else to say. In fact, none of the people on this bus knew exactly what to say. What could be said at a time like this?

"Chad, how we doing on fuel?", Nick asked, remembering.

"Uh, the needle thing isn't quite at the half point, so, a bit more then a half tank, maybe.", Chad reported, quickly glancing at the fuel gauge, before averting his eyes back to the road.

"How you doing with the driving?", Nick asked.

"It's all good, man.", Chad replied, grinning slightly, "I haven't forgotten how to drive one of these yet."

Nick returned the smile, remembering that night. What fun it was.

"Did I miss something?" Ashley spoke up.

Chad laughed a bit, "I'm gonna tell her, dude. I mean, why not?", Chad settled into storytelling mode, as he drove the bus onward, "One night, me 'n Nick snuck into the school bus compound, and jacked one of these motherfuckers. We joyrided for a few hours in it," Chad smiled, "I did the driving, because Nick wasn't even in Driver's Ed yet."

"You stole, a bus?" Tracy asked, not believing what she was hearing. Mike just laughed, but not loud enough to wake Molly.

"Fuckin' A, we did," Chad confirmed, smiling ear to ear.

"Well, how did you get the keys? Or even inside the compound at all?" Ashley chimed in, curious now.

"That was a long night, and we had lots and lots of time," Chad replied, "Anyway, we drove around for a while, and then returned the fuckin' thing."

"How come we never heard about that?", Mike asked, controlling his laughter.

"Oh, the school figured out that we jacked one of their buses, but they kept it quiet. Too embarrassing for them, I would guess," Nick said, giving a small smile, "Anyway, that's the story of how Chad can drive a bus."

"Even after just one night, he became a professional, or something?" Tracy asked, eyes darting from Nick to Chad.

"Not a professional, I just know enough. I'm learning more each minute I'm driving this motherfucker. But it's kinda like riding a bike. You don't really forget.", Chad said.

"Oh, I hope you don't forget." Tracy said, also giving a smile.

"It's all good." Chad muttered.

"Isn't that some kind of federal crime?" Mike asked, "To steal a bus?"

"I'd fuckin' imagine so," Chad replied, letting out a laugh, "Oh, well."

Nick smiled. If the circumstances were any different, they might've been having a good time. He turned, and looked at Ali, who had remained silent through most of this trip. This was the first time Nick really had the chance to look at her, being to preoccupied with everything else. She was beautiful, to say the absolute least. Her red hair, cropped short like Ashley's and Tracy's, was still gorgeous. And Nick finally realized how small she really was. She was at least an inch under five feet, but was well built, and had all the right proportions. She was just really, really small.

"Ali, are you okay?". Nick asked, concerned.

She looked up at him with emerald eyes that shone quite brightly, "I'm alright," she said softly, very softly, not quite making eye contact.

"Alright...We're gonna be okay, just so y'know," Nick said, trying to make the tiny girl feel just the slightest bit better, but knowing it more than likely had no effect.

"I know," she said quietly. Nick couldn't tell if she really believed what he said, or was just trying to make him feel better.

Nick and Ali then locked eyes for a moment, and Nick felt as though he was being stared down, and he was losing. He broke eye contact first, and turned to Chad, who was driving on, as Ashley, who had moved, and was standing next to him, gave him constant directions to her aunt and uncle's.

Nick looked at Tracy, who had joined Chad and Ashley in some conversation, then he looked back at Mike and Molly. Molly was still asleep, and Mike stared to his left, and out the window. He had a look of a deep thinker right now.

Then Nick turned his gaze to Ali, who was also staring out the window as well.

Nick sighed to himself, as Chad laughed at something Tracy said.

Maybe they'd make it out of this thing.

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I know, I know, it's been a while. School has started up, and Im also thinking about a half dozen other things I'm trying to write. Anyway, I have a LOT of ideas for this story, and am trying to continue work on it.
Thanks all for your patience and support.