Alien Invasion (Book 1): Invasion by Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant Page B

everything. Nobody wants to be there right now, unless they literally have nowhere else to go.”  
    “We don’t have anywhere else to go.”  
    “Vail. LA. London.”  
    “Yes. Let’s fly to the London apartment. That makes just as much sense. Hell, Meyer, it’s probably about the same length as flight. We can make it on the plane that’s grounded!”  
    “Keep your voice down. The kids are asleep.”  
    “ You need to sleep, too, Meyer.”  
    “We can take shifts keeping an eye on the road. I’m not stopping at a hotel.”  
    “It’s not just about being physically able to sleep. We all need a break. If we just stop for a while, finish the night … ”  
    “The further west we get, the … fuck.”  
    The road had been making a gentle turn. Meyer paused, exhaled, and swore. The van moved to a courteous stop behind the rear of a car that, in the dark, appeared to be a light-blue Toyota electric.  
    “How has it been?” she said. “Traffic, overall?”  
    Meyer shook his head. They’d been driving along steadily when Piper had woken, but now the road looked like a parking lot: red lights as far as the eye could see in front of them, and nothing but white to the left.  
    “On and off. I keep thinking we’re free and clear, but then something happens. A few accidents with no clear cause, like people are just rushing, going manual to try and get past blocks, then running into each other. A few cars off the road, and everyone stops to rubberneck. This just looks like traffic. There’s a city ahead. One with more than two freeway exits. Maybe everyone wants McDonald’s.”
    “Can we go, Dad?”  
    Piper turned. Trevor met her eyes for a moment then flicked rapidly away, focusing all attention on his father.  
    “We’re going.”  
    “I meant to McDonald’s.”  
    “That was a joke, Trevor.”  
    “I’m hungry.”  
    “There’s a bunch of dry stuff and bars in the back.”  
    “I don’t really want kelp bars and soy burgers.”  
    “I didn’t pack soy burgers, Trevor.”  
    “Okay, I don’t want kelp bars.”  
    Lila was stirring in the back seat. “Are we talking about stopping to eat?”  
    “No,” said Meyer.  
    Piper shrugged. “Might not be a bad idea, Meyer.”  
    “No. We have to get to Colorado.”  
    Lila sat up. “Wait. You were serious about that?”  
    “There’s an exit right there,” Piper said. “Let’s take a break. This traffic isn’t going anywhere anyway.”  
    “We’re staying on the road. Don’t you remember what I said about outrunning the panic? Something like this happens, speed is the only advantage. We have a bathroom, food, water, even entertainment. We stay on the road until we’re there.”  
    “That’s like three days, Dad.” Lila shook her boyfriend. “Wake up, Raj. We’re driving all the damned way to Colorado.”  
    “Try Raj’s parents again,” said Meyer. “He’s not going anywhere.”  
    “So you’re just going to drop him off at a gas station and hope he isn’t attacked by bandits and rape gangs?”  
    “There are no rape gangs, Lila,” said Meyer.  
    “Not yet,” said Piper.  
    Trevor smirked. “Nobody’s going to rape Raj. Maybe we can use him to shoo rape gangs away.”  
    Raj rubbed his hands across his chest. “You’re wrong. Everyone wants a piece of this.”  
    “We’ll call his parents,” said Meyer.  
    “Because they’re out here, right, Dad? Not in New York or anything. They can just ride out and get him.”  
    “I offered him the Beetle.”  
    “Well, that didn’t work out, though, did it?”  
    Trevor made a face at his sister. “Oh, like you wouldn’t have thrown yourself in front of the wheels if Dad had pushed him into it and those people hadn’t come. You’re not letting Raj go anywhere.”  
    Raj was still rubbing his hands across his chest sexily. “Can you blame her?”  
    Piper looked at Meyer, then shot Lila and Raj a look. She understood; she’d