Loading up and setting off.

It takes a couple of trips across the street to bring everything you need over. Your day packs are the most important, and the bag of guns. You bring some other items that you'd not bothered to think about bringing when you were considering travelling on foot, like a nearly full propane tank that was connected to your Dad's grill in the back yard, a box of his most useful tools, and additional small duffel bag of clothes that should give each of you more options when trying to handle the rapidly cooling climate.

You flatten the rear seats, stowing the gear as best you can. There's a bit of extra space, but you remember your brother's words of warning from when you were preparing to go on a camping trip some years ago: "Never fill all of your space. It will always mean you bring too much."

You stash the loaded carbine and its spare magazine along the side of the central console, within easy reach of either front seat, and put the sawn-off shotgun in a plastic compartment lining the passenger-side door. You each have a pistol on your person, so your readiness for trouble could only be improved by having actual experience of combat.

With the car loaded up, you look over at Todd, who seems oddly excited to get moving.

You toss the keys to him, and motion for him to get into the driver's seat. After then unlocking the garage door and sending it folding up to the ceiling, you climb in at the passenger side. Spreading the map across the generous dash, you start identifying your route out as Todd eases the car into Drive and starts to roll forwards.