The Highway Held a Second Fire

“Stop.” The driver blinked. “What?” “Stop and back up. Now.” Metal screamed overhead. Portable barricades dropped into place at the on-ramp. Two drones came hard from the rooftops, their search lights and tiny speakers turning on at once. “Road closed. Turn around. Road closed. Turn around.” “They’re creating a jam,” Kelly said, gripping the seat. “Why do they want all these cars stuck here?” “Because one scared driver opens a door and the whole line starts moving wrong,” Elias said. “Then they call it unrest. Rioting. Looting. They shut down the road and rewrite the story.” The van driver hit the brakes hard. “So what do we do?” Elias was already out the door. “Go under the bridge.” “Are you insane?”