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Tolifson said, “Tornadoes. I think the switch’s at the fire station. You want to let it rip?”

She blinked. “Well, we hardly want to dothatnow, do we? Send people into their basements when they’re facing a flood? Get all town vehicles with loudspeakers. I need the announcement to say, ‘Everybody has to get to the college immediately. And tune in to the local station and any online newspapers for details.’ ”

McGuire asked, “Uhm, what would those details be? I mean, exactly?”

“The orders—and say that, quote ‘orders’—are to evacuate to the college and bring only cell phones, chargers, computer if they want, one change of clothes, medicines. That’s it. Absolutely no weapons.”

Tolifson scoffed. “No guns? This is rural California. That’s going to be tough.”

“The order,” she said firmly, “is—”

“No weapons. Got it. What about food?”

“You really want people debating whether to bring tomato or beef barley soup?”

His face burning, Tolifson said, “No food.”

“And get a copy of the evac order to the big mobile service providers so they can send it out on the text alert system.”

“ ‘Copy of the order’?” he asked. “There’s something I should get official, from the state?”

“No. You don’t need legal language.”

Looking at the waterfall, smooth, fast, glistening, Debi said, “All my days, never seen anything like this.”

DRB said, “Last time the Never Summer was this high was in nineteen thirty-eight. But back then the levee was a foot higher and two wider. Nobody’s done anything about the erosion since then.”

Damn. The woman sure did her homework, no arguing with that.

A glance his way. “So, that evacuation?”

“The thing is, don’t some authorities need to declare an emergency before issuing an order?”

“Exactly right. Under Government Code Section 8630.”

Silence.

“Well…”

“Oh, that’syou, Mayor. You’re the authority. And in the announcement, make sure to add that under the code anyone who violates the mandatory evacuation order can be fined up to one thousand dollars and imprisoned for six months.” As she scanned the levee once more she added, “Be sure to add the prison part. It gets people’s attention as good as burial alive.”

5.

Colter Shaw urged the Winnebago up to eighty.

Windy, yes.

Hydroplane risk, yes.

But this was a straightaway, and he was largely in control.

His mindset presently was similar to that during motocross racing. Those who won stood right on the edge between control and what was called the “yard sale”—where the rider and pieces of the bike lay everywhere.

That speed was for the thrill. Whereas the reason for his speed now was because lives depended on it.

Shaw occasionally wished for a helicopter. But that seemed impractical.

Never squander your resources on efforts that have minimal benefit.