it was quiet, too quiet. The only thing you could hear was the sound of a car engine. It was pretty deserted here: no cars, no one at all, although that wasn't that surprising. While you were sitting in the back seat, the countryside flashed past the window.

— Of course... – Ray's first reaction to the radio turning on by itself. He snorted, immediately cutting off the announcer, who was monotonously saying something about staying calm, like obedient citizens, and not doing anything "impulsive".

— You may think you're smart because you're older, but you can't take away our chances of survival, buddy! – the teenager in the passenger seat was irritated, it was your brother Robbie. He obviously had some kind of dislike for Ray, who sent him a stern look, as if telling him to shut up. This was probably one of the main reasons for Robbie's dislike: Ray wasn't very good with children.

As for Ray himself, he remained silent, as always. He could have said that there could be no evacuation, considering that the US Army had reduced its numbers of soldiers in a few hours, and he was currently stuck with two of his friend's children.

Sitting in the backseat, you mentally reconstructed the timeline of events: first, your father telling you that he would leave you and your older brother with his friend so that he could go on vacation with his wife, then some strange electromagnetic impulses in the form of lightning from this... as your father asked him to call him "Mr. Ray". And then the worst part: some huge killing machine in the city, whose laser turns everyone into dust... brr, you cringed, experiencing it. In any case, now you seemed to be safe far from the city, right?

When you came to your senses, Ray quickly glanced from you to the road, making a stone face again. He didn't want to admit it, but in reality, he was worried about you and about that asshole Robbie.