When Jason drove through on the highway, there were cars parked everywhere, but all of them had been abandoned. I didn't see a soul. Another military vehicle passed going in the opposite direction, but that was it. The carnival rides, still standing at the fairgrounds, were darkly motionless. The diner was closed; the supermarket was closed; the post office had a notice posted on its door, but I couldn't see what it said. Some of the shops still had their "open" signs up, but they were obviously totally empty. Only the pharmacy's lights were on, and some kind of electronic steel door had been put up at its entrance.

One of the men raised his rifle as we approached the Burger Shack.

"Sergeant, we got something."

"I see it." Jason slowed. "Good eyes, Corporal!"

Shawn gestured at me and Bryce. "Let's just get these two to the center," he said to Jason. "We don't have enough room. Let's skip this one."

Jason shook his head. "We won't need room."

He pulled into the Burger Shack drive-through lane. An empty car was parked at the order kiosk.

Even after being locked inside a coffin and then a U-Haul, I was feeling constricted in the handcuffs. I worried if something happened I wouldn't be able to move or defend myself. I glanced at Bryce, but he shook his head and shrugged helplessly.

One of the men pointed his gun through the window at the parked car. "Right there."

I couldn't tell what they were looking at. Then I noticed that the car was moving, very slightly.

It was rocking back and forth.

"Jesus Christ," another of the rangers whispered, disgusted. "They're in there all right."

Two of the men stayed to guard me and Bryce while the rest got out of the vehicle. Jason, Shawn, and another ranger, the corporal, approached the car. I wasn't sure what I was about to see, but something told me I'd regret watching it.

The corporal positioned himself at one side of the car, and Jason the other.

Jason gave a silent count. Then they whipped open one door each.

Someone screamed.

Jason dragged a girl from the car by her ankle, and the corporal dragged out another person, a guy, by the collar.

"Wait! Wait!" the guy shouted, covering his head with his arms. "We were just sleeping!"

I recognized him. I'd gone to high school with him. He was a couple of years ahead of me. His name was Patrick something. He'd been in the band, he played something like the trombone, and now he stocked shelves at the supermarket. He was wearing a green t-shirt and his pants were unbuttoned.

Jason scoffed. "Like hell you were sleeping."