Cloud to Cloud

Episode 64: When a Plan Comes Together

Hannah silently stood with Evan, arms crossed, at the edge of the bricked path to the house.

Evan broke the silence. "We have our plan." Even though his hands itched to reach out to Hannah, he struggled to keep them in his pockets.

"Yeah." Hannah's response was little more than a mumble.

"I trust you." He rested a hand on Hannah's shoulder. "Almost as much as I trust Linc." He smiled, "And I think Linc has more faith in you than he ever did in me."

Hannah's eyes shimmered as she stared at Evan. "It's a good plan." She offered the words as a vow more than mere statement.

Evan peered around Hannah to the pair of monks who lingered in the doorway of his mother's small home.

"I suppose I trust them, too. Crazy as this all feels." Evan offered a nod to the men.

The duo returned curt bows before turning to re-enter the house.

With a sigh, Evan turned toward the van. A second thought struck him as he reached the door to the cab.

"Here." He fished a set of keys from his pocket.

He tossed them to Hannah. She caught the jumble of plastic between her palms.

"If things go completely sideways." Evan shrugged. "The Tesla still has a decent charge and there's a couple battery cans in Mom's shed. Fred used to stow them here for long trips. Otherwise, maybe you can Delphi magic something."

Hannah fumbled the keys in her fingers. "Right."

"That's plan Z." Evan smirked. "I always have an A through Y before that."

He tapped at his temple and climbed into the driver's seat of the van.

He again fought the urge to leap from the vehicle and claim Hannah in a farewell embrace. He slowly shook his head. It was a foolish thought. Worst-case scenario, he would have a ton of explaining to do at ITower come Monday morning.

"Right?" He started the van.

When he looked again, Hannah was no longer in the driveway.

"She's certainly not worried," Evan thought as he backed into the street.

As he drove, first the house, then the familiar neighborhood rolled into the distance behind. Evan tried to focus on the task at hand. Absently, he flicked on the radio.

"It's you and me, cowboy." Linc's familiar voice soothed Evan's thoughts.