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>Storms, portal machines gone haywire, a populated city reduced to a disaster zone...
>...and now he was plotting bus routes.
>Amidst the panic, it was almost funny.
>The radio was still playing music.
>He wondered if this was what it was like when old Nero played the lyre as the city burned around him.
>The violin thrumming through his speakers abruptly changed into the shrill call of the emergency broadcast tones.
>He switched stations.
>He already knew what the emergency was.
>He's been navigating it for quite some time now.
>Piles of debris have been added to the list of obstacles that he's got to avoid.
>This roadway for the time being was devoid of traffic so occasionally he looked up.
>Once proud skyscrapers were doing great swiss cheese impressions.
>Not a single one avoided having some section of it carved out.
>Papers fluttered out of exposed cubicles, scattering like parade confetti.
>Coffee machines dutifully dispensed coffee pots that were left cracked on the pavement around them.
>Partially teleported doors, walls, and more scattered across the streets.
>A piece of glass hitting the sidewalk made him glance up at a pool table teetering on the edge of an office building window.
>The billowing breeze rocked the table back and forth over what bits of glass remained affixed to the broken window.
>He tried to take his eyes off of that and glanced at his sideview mirror.
>Sure enough, he still had a bus right on his bumper.
>He half-expected the driver to bail on him after a couple of blocks.
>He had also expected the driver to not believe his tale.
>''Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, I suppose,'' he muttered.
>He turned back to the road, and glanced at the two streets on the intersection.
>One look at the GPS told him he was only a block away from the depot.
>He started to compose himself.
>After all, he'd have a lot of talking to do once they got there.
>He had to convince them to let him use their buses to evacuate civilians to a far off lab that many didn't know about.
>A daunting task to say the least.
>''Here's hoping I have a high enough charisma stat.''
>They pulled into the bus depot.
>The chief pulled his car into a parking spot close to the building.
>The bus, meanwhile, circled around to one of the bus slots, opting to keep the engine running.
>The scientist sighed before exiting his car and walking into the building at a brisk pace.
>The pacing bus manager stops and stares at him as he enters.
>''Who are you?''
>''The man who knows what's happening.''
>The manager crosses his arms.
>''And we should listen to you, why?''
>''Because I know what's happening. Do you?''
>He gives a thoughtful gaze before uncrossing his arms and sighing.
>''No, I suppose I don't.''
>He goes over to a chair and slumps into it.
>''So, Mr. Important, how can I help you this fine day?'' He asks, the sarcasm oozing from his voice. ``I take it you want to flee the city like everyone else?''
>The chief shakes his head to the contrary; the manager nearly drops his jaw at this.
>''I need your busses. All of them.''
>''And why would I want to honor that request?''
>''So I take it you don't want to be evacuated to safety then?''
>He goes silent for a few seconds. ``Fair enough.''
>The manager slides the chair over so that he's in front of a computer screen.
>The scientist goes and stands nearby, peering over the manager's shoulder as he pulls up the bus list.
>''We only have a fraction of the full fleet here. Most of them haven't checked in since whatever's going on started.''
>''How many?''
>''Six. Seven with the one that followed you here.''
>''How many are out there?''
>''Three more.''
>''Can you call them back here?''
>The manager flips up a glass box covering a big red button and presses it without a moment's hesitation.
>Under it is a label that reads `Emergency Recall'.
>He looks up at the chief and dons a smug grin. ``Way ahead of you.''
>The manager tabs over to a new screen.
>On this screen is a map of the city, permeated with the routes of the buses that are currently out, as well as their locations.
>''Seems the farthest one is about ten minutes out,'' observes the chief.
>''That would be if there wasn't gridlock traffic, a raging storm, and a bunch of blue globs and debris everywhere,'' corrects the manager. ``You're looking at at least twice that time.''
>'This is why the portals would've been better,' the chief dares to think as he steps away from the computer.
>Five minutes pass without incident.
>One of the recalled busses pulls in.
>Seconds later an irate woman barges into the depot office and heads straight for the manager.
>''Why won't your driver take me to my stop?!''
>''Sorry, all regular bus lines are closed,'' the manager replies with practiced precision.
>''But I just bought the ticket! He has to go!''
>''We're not a regular bus line anymore.''
>''Why not?!''
>''Talk to that guy.''
>The chief barely has any time to raise his hands in defense before the woman is all over him.
>''Well?!''
>If her nails were claws she'd tear him apart on the spot.
>''I can explain everything, but you've got to calm down!'' the chief retorts, clearly not as used to angry customers as the manager.
>It takes all of the woman's restraint to cross her arms and instead tap her foot impatiently.
>The manager leans over towards the chief, raising an eyebrow. ``I'd like to hear that as well.''
>The smug grin is again plastered across his face.
>The chief sighs dejectedly and begins the explanation.
>He makes sure to purposely leave out the part about the two unknown somethings.
>No sense in adding even more panic.
>Fifteen minutes later he concludes his story.
>The manager pipes up first. ``So it's basically your fault is what I'm gathering.''
>''Yes it's completely my fault that the lab got struck by lightning,'' the chief retorts with a sneer.
>The woman is considerably more silent as the two men go back and forth for another minute.
>She finally manages to speak up once they pipe down. ''So, what now?''
>The chief adjusts his glasses. ``Once the last bus comes in, we take all of them to my lab, picking up as many stragglers as we can en route.''
>''Is it safe?''
>''As I explained earlier, the portals stopped appearing around my lab first, and my team already shut down the machine. It's the safest place I can think of.''
>Right as he finishes that sentence, the final bus rolls into the depot.
>''Last one's here,'' the manager says looking up from his monitor.
>''Good, then let's get moving.''
>The chief turns and walks for the door, lab coat billowing behind him.
>The other two exit and board the first bus as the chief briefs the other drivers on the situation.
