What does Home mean?

Reunited.

Dad pulls up to the house and Brent's box truck appears as he shuts off the cloak.

Stepping out, Brent kneels with his rifle aimed in the direction they came from.

A single shot rings out and a speck falls out of the air about six seconds later.

It was a drone that had been chasing dad but, it couldn't keep up with the two overpowered vehicles.

I already know about the Hayabusa from Brent having told me before but, that box truck?

Those things are notoriously slow!

(Seriously, Brent...

What did you do to that box truck?)

(Aside from adding bus seats in the back, with seat belts and one-way glass?

I replaced the suspension with much softer springs and added a hydrogen boost system to the water carburetion intake duct. Then, I put 2.45 to 1 ring and pinion gears in the rear differential.)

So... yeah.

He tried to turn a box truck into a land speed record breaker... sort of.

It's top speed is still only 239mph, but that's freakishly fast for such a brick of a vehicle.

It does have a rear splitter, a collapsible aerofoil on the rear doors and a front splitter.

I guess it's stable enough with the right driver.

Anyway... enough geeking out over that..

The two cougars step out and Garmin rushes past me.

Yes, his name is the same as the GPS brand.

It turns out that his parents aren't all that creative but, at least it was someone's name before it became a brand.

I wipe my eye, smiling as they hug.

Brent carries the gear... and a sleeping Holly... inside, as the truck idles with the box cooling unit running.

When he brought it back from the traffickers, it was missing several parts, including the cover.

After a few trips between the unburned encampments, he had enough parts to just start working on it.

He comes back out, still carrying Holly.

"What's got her so tired?"

"How do you think I got the box truck out there?"

"What!? Let me have her." I say, wrapping her in my arms, only to have a furiously growling Holly bite my arm and leap back into her father's arms.

She grunts, then her head flops as she falls back asleep.

I laugh, less worried about her now...

"Why would you tell her to move such a heavy object so far?"

"Distance is irrelevant and she said that she could move it.

Darrel didn't seem bothered by her moving it, though she bit him when I asked him to take her home."

"So... just mass?"

"Yes."

"Okay... that can be bolstered by her getting older.

As long as she's alright, I guess I won't press the issue."

Brent heals my arm and hugs me.

"I'll be taking the rest of the slaves to Denver.

Your dad is half exhausted, as well." He says.

"Okay. I love you."

Brent smiles brightly.