26 C26

Hannah watched as Olivia came out of the house carrying a bag and two stuffed animals. Jumping out, she let Olivia jump in the back seat of the truck and let Hannah close the door, before hopping in and slamming her door. Emily punched the gas and the truck sped away from Olivia's house.

"Here," Olivia said, handing a white bunny to Lexie. "This may help keep you calm." Hannah glanced into the back seat to see Lexie holding the bunny tightly. She didn't look scared, but Hannah could tell that she was.

"Where to, Hannah?" Emily asked.

"Dad's tracker shows him up near Alva," Hannah said, switching windows on the computer in front of her. "Let's head that way and hook up with him."

"Alrighty." Emily said, "Pull the sat phone out and call your dad and let him know we're on our way. Hannah picked up the phone and called her father. Hannah put the call on speaker.

"Yeah," John's voice floated out of the speaker. "Make a right here and pull off, I think they're coming this way."

"We're on our way in your direction," Emily said. "We need to have a talk when we get there. I'm sure that the girls will need changed as well."

"Alright," John's voice carried through the phone."We will need to work out a plan. What instruments survived the drive out of the garage?"

"The anemometer did, we put the antenna on after we got out of the garage, all the equipment in the truck appears to be functional, we still have ThreatNet as well." Hannah said.

"Alright," John said. "I'll see you guys in a bit. Love you all and be careful."

"We Will." Emily said, trying to find a way to get on the freeway. "Love you too" There was silence in the truck as they travelled for a few miles.

"Where is my mom?" Olivia asked suddenly.

"She's at the hospital," Emily said, looking in the mirror on the windshield. Past the mirror, she could see the towers starting to go up to the west.

"Can I call her?" she asked.

"I don't think the phones are working yet," Emily said, hoping that the child would not question the statement and drop the subject for now. Tina knew the numbers for the sat phones. She'd get a message through if she could.

"Can we try in a bit?" Olivia asked, her voice slightly above a whisper and barely audible over the road noise.

"Yes, we can." Emily said, not taking her eyes of the road. She spotted a sign for a gas station up the road. "Anyone need a diaper change?" It did seem like a logical question after all; Hannah had been wearing the same diaper since around ten when they had arrived at the National Weather Center.

"I do," Hannah said, reaching back between the seats to grab the backpack that carried supplies in it. "I don't think that you two have been in yours long enough to need a change..." This would be where Hannah wished she had opted for a dress, but who knew what she would be doing before the day was out. Emily guided the truck off the road and into the parking lot of the gas station. "I'll be quick." The truck stopped at a pump and Hannah jumped out, bag in her hand and ran for the store. Running back to the back and into the bathroom, she went into the handicapped stall and removed her boots, followed by her jeans. Quickly and throughly wiping, she grabbed a dry diaper and a booster out of the bag. She had only used a booster pad once but this seemed like a good time to use one again. Quickly and expertly she diapered her self and put her pants back on. She didn't bother with the boots, and ran back out to the truck.

"That was a cute waddle..." Olivia said, a giggle escaping her mouth.

"Behave, or you'll be waddling as well." Emily said. Hannah smiled at Olivia

"I did grab the box of boosters..." Hannah said, before buckling her seat belt.

"I could tell..." Emily said, a chuckle escaping her mouth. "You're good for a while then?"

"Probably the next hour or so..." Hannah said, glancing at the monitors and getting the latest updates from the birds circling high above. "Dad's moved down near Cleo Springs. Take 412 to the West and we'll be there."

"Call your dad and let him know." Emily said, dropping the truck in gear and spinning the tires as she left the gas station.

"Yeah." John's voice floated from the speaker.

"We're leaving Guthrie, heading toward 412." Hannah said, "ETA to Cleo Springs is an hour and a half."

"Hour and fifteen..." Emily said. "Once we get off of I-35, I can actually move."

"Alright. We'll head toward Enid and meet you roughly in the middle." John said.

"Sounds good. Pick a gas station in case I need to change Lexie or Olivia." Emily said.

"Will do." John said. "Be careful and I love you guys."

"You be careful as well," Emily said. "We love you too."