The exciting all-new prequel to Flashback and Dinosaur Apocalypse...

She slowed, peering through the rain and water running down the glass, noticing something strange amongst the gas pumps - some kind of jib, poking between them like a knife. It was funny, because she hadn’t noticed it earlier - like a black pennant pinned to space itself - its single light showing red, blinking, before lightning flashed and it turned - it, the animal, the thing in the rain - as others just like it turned also, skewing their heads like Egyptian dancers, seeming to focus on her.

“Aaahhh...! she blurted, backing away - it wasn’t a scream and it wasn’t quite speech - backing into Coup (who’d come to check on her), nearly knocking him over. “There’s something out there - !” She gripped his shoulders in icy desperation.

“An entire pack of somethings. Like - like featherless emus, with fucking alligator heads. Just look."

He squeezed her shoulders and gently moved her aside, peering out the window, peering into the rain. “I don’t see anything,” he said, even as the others joined them, crowding around the glass. “Just a bunch of gas pumps...and some vehicles.” He stiffened suddenly. “Wait. There is something. Lights - ”

“That’s them! That’s their eyes,” said Tess - as Ashley stepped forward to calm her. “They, like, glow or something. Like that borealis in the sky. They’re right there, Coup!”

“No...” he said, in a kind of drawl, “No, these are flashing. Some of them are headlights - I’m sure of it. There, behind the electrical pylons - coming closer. Look.”

She looked, no longer seeing the - well, let’s have out with it, she thought, the dinosaurs, and saw instead a line of what indeed appeared to be headlamps - preceded by flashing blue lights - winding along a road she hadn’t even known was there, coming toward them through the rain.

“Might be the cavalry,” said Elliott, sounding excited - a notion that was quickly dashed when the modest number of vehicles became clear: two police motorcycles followed by a black limousine and a sport-utility vehicle, also black - followed by one more cycle. “I’ll be goddamned,” said Rory. “But that’s a motorcade. Like the kind you see in the local parade.”

“Regular Apocalypse Day Cavalcade,” said Coup.“

Jesus, the President,” blurted Carson. “He was golfing at Rancho Loreto - did you know that? It was all over the news today. I mean, just before - ”

“No way,” said the tank commander - Bo. “It’s too small, for one.” He wiped the glass, which was beginning to fog. “The Presidential motorcade numbers, I don’t know, like, forty vehicles, at least, most of them specialty rigs. Look, there’s not even a decoy.”

“Maybe it’s been disappeared,” said Ashley.

“Yeah, like those drivers on State Route 87,” said Elliott.

And then the vehicles were there, they were pulling up under the huge pump canopy, and the flags on the limo’s fenders proceeded to droop - but not before it had become obvious what they were: the flag of the United States of America and the Presidential Seal - at which Rory could only shake his head, saying, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“But there’s more,” said Tess, yanking away from Ashley, locking eyes with everyone who was close. “Because it looks like they’re going to fuel up. And whether you believe me or not - I’m telling you: there’s something out there. Several somethings, as I said.”

“Jesus, we’ve got to warn them,” said Elliott, even as Coup shoved against the door - and found it to be jammed."