DAKOTA MAE, GET BACK INSIDE!

The skies were clear as Dakota studied the wiring on Lily's drone outside the gas station and diner combination. She'd been looking at all their equipment with Lily, who was showing off all the home-built stuff proudly.

"If you sauder these two wires together," Dakota said, pointing at them with a pair of tweezers, "you'd get more power in the engine. Go twice as fast, probably. Be able to keep up with the big storms."

"Think so?" Lily asked, leaning in closer. Then she studied Dakota.

She wasn't the only one. Tyler was watching from inside his truck, soaking up the air conditioning. His eyes were glued to Dakota, taking in her appearance. Her long, dark hair was pulled back in two braids today, and instead of coveralls, she opted for grease-stained overalls and a thick black sports bra underneath to beat the humidity. On her feet were a sturdy pair of work boots so that she didn't step on any debris should they catch a storm.

Tyler thought she was beautiful — young-looking, but still beautiful. He knew her name and he knew she was a mechanic, and yet she'd been on his mind all night.

"Dude, you're starin'," Boone spoke up, coincidently pointing the camera at him and recording. "You got a little crush, Wrangler?"

"Shut the hell up, Boone," he said, rolling his eyes. Then he looked back at Dakota, who had the tweezers in her mouth now as she adjusted something inside the drone. Lily was smiling, so he figured the girl wasn't hurting anything. "She's just different. Makes me wonder what she's doing here. With Kate, it's obvious. What's Storm PAR need with a mechanic when they've got PhD engineers from all over?"

"Sure. That's why you're starin'," Boone said, smirking. "And I definitely won't be showing this footage of you stalking her at your weddin'."

"Okay, now really, fuck off," he said before getting out of the truck, taking his hat and sunglasses with him.

"Thanks again, Dakota," Lily said as Dakota finished up, securing the back of the drone.

"No, thanks for letting me see it. This is the coolest drone I've ever seen," she said with a smile. Truthfully, Dakota hadn't kept up with modern technology methods since the tornado five years ago. She left behind physics and engineering all together, staying with simple things like boats and cars. Things that didn't make a difference in the world. "Good luck chasing, today."

Ben looked up at the clear sky. "Doesn't seem to be any action."

Dakota looked off at Kate, who'd left the diner and was now standing alone and looking up at the clouds. She just smiled and hit the side of the caravan. "We'll see."

Then she went to join her friend.

"Did Javi say when we're heading out?" she asked her once she reached her side.

Kate hummed and shook her head. "No. Soon though. He's talking to that Riggs investor about the data or something. Don't know why he didn't invite you to the meeting. You're the data master."

"Well, you know me. Can't keep the data from me for long," she shrugged. "So, what do you see?"

But it was Tyler who answered, joining them as well. "Well, nothing's coming out of that one."

"That one?" Kate asked. "No, no. No, it's clearly moving into a stable environment."

"Yeah. No low level cape, not enough shear to keep it interesting," Tyler added.

"Yeah, that's gonna die out."

"Not enough moisture to grow," he said before looking at her. "Where'd you say you learned how to track storms again?"

"I didn't," she smirked. "You're lucky you even got Kota's name."

"He didn't get it. Lily did," she said, crossing her arms. Then she nodded to Tyler's head. "Not worried about that silly hat blowing away?"

"Now I know they've got ranches in California. This ain't the first one you've seen, surely."

"Never seen one so stupidly big," she teased.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "You know, we're gonna be stuck here all day, waiting for nothing to happen. How about we try to get along? All of us?"

Kate and Dakota shared a look, and Dakota noticed the sparkle in Kate's eyes, who was getting an idea. So, she let her take the reins. "Hey, you're right. Tell you what. I - I'll get us a couple of drinks. What would you like?"

"Really?" he asked, a bit skeptical.

Dakota nodded. "Really."

"Wouldn't mind and iced tea," he said. "Thank you."

"Coming up," Kate said, turning to leave.

"I'll help her carry them," Dakota said, hiding her smile.

Then of course, Kate couldn't be inconspicuous. She started jogging toward Javi, who was leaving the diner with Scott and who Dakota assumed was Riggs, which tipped Tyler off.

"We've gotta go," she said, pulling Javi to the side.

"Alright. Um, we're almost done here," he said with a frown.

"Now. We've got something big," she insisted.

"Trust her, Javi," she said before hearing the drone take off. "Shit! Hurry up!"

Getting the memo, Javi called out to everyone. "Let's go, guys! Let's go!" he yelled as they rushed to the trucks.

But Tyler was faster, pulling out of the parking lot, honking mockingly as he did so. Dakota grumbled under her breath as she got in the back seat.

"Damn. Tyler's on it," Kate said, upset her trick didn't work.

All of them took off, soon catching up to Tyler's crew. The sky was still clear, but it wouldn't be long before they hit the storm that was brewing. Once they passed the caravan, Kate could see in front of them a little better.

"What do you see?" Javi asked.

"Okay, it already has a nice structure. Moisture levels are just right, and lots of cape," she explained.

Dakota smiled, seeing a bit of the old Kate return. "What's else are you seeing?"

"Flow is clean. Pulling tons of warm moist air from the south."

As Kate kept talking, Dakota was just in awe. She was convinced no one would ever be as passionate, as knowing about storms as her friend was. This was the passion that had been missing since the day Jeb, Addy, and Praveen died. But maybe this week back in Oklahoma would be good for Kate. It would be good for all of them.

Soon, a thin funnel made its way down. And Javi shouted in excitement. "Come on, come on, come on. Yes! Yeah, baby!"

"Hold on," Dakota said, leaning between the two seats as she narrowed her eyes to get a better look. "Is that what I think it is?"

All of them watched in wonder as a second funnel made its way down. It was twin tornados, something Dakota had never seen in real life.

"That's the Fujiwhara effect!" she said excitedly, making Kate laugh along with her. "Go faster. Go faster!"

"You ready?" Kate asked as Javi and Dakota cheered.

"Let's get our data," he said, hoping they'd actually accomplish it this time. Kate didn't seem near as skittish today. So, he held out his hand, and Kate grinned, doing their little tornado handshake.

When they began passing Tyler's truck, Dakota couldn't help but lean her body out the window much like Addy liked to do. She hollered at him as they passed, making Tyler smirk and shake his head at her excitement. Then she pulled out her phone and focused back on the twin tornados, taking a video of them while still hanging out.

"Come on, Javi," Kate said. "And Dakota Mae, get back inside!"

Dakota rolled her eyes playfully but did so just as Tyler passed them, leaving her window rolled down.

"Alright, let's stop playing games. Let's cut these guys off," Javi said, speeding up. He came around Tyler's side and passed them again.

When Tyler looked at them, Dakota put up her middle middle finger and did the stupid little tornado motion he'd done the day before. And behind them, their trucks passed the caravan, meaning they were in the lead.

"There you go, Owens," Javi laughed. "Alright, which one's gone stay? Which one's it gonna be, Kate?"

"Okay, I'm on it," she said, looking at her computer. "Let's go for the right. Uh, there should be a road coming up."

"Alright, right, guys. Right," Javi said over the radio.

But then as they approached the split, Kate saw something that no one else really did. "Go left! Take a left!" she shouted quickly, startling Javi who almost went up on two wheels doing so.

Scott called in over the radio, following them. "Javi, you sure? The right one's got better numbers."

Rather than answer, Javi kept driving. Dakota crawled to the other side of the truck, watching as Tyler's truck drove right in the path of the other tornado. He got parked, and she didn't know how he expected his truck to not get blown away should the tornado not die out — it made her all the more curious about the truck of his.

But just as Kate predicted, the right tornado died out before even reaching Tyler's truck. It made her snicker, knowing it'd make for a very boring YouTube clip.

"Whoo! Baby, let's go!" Javi exclaimed, just as satisfied by their failure. "That was amazing, Kate. How did you know that?"

"Well, did you see the wheat? Winds moved to the north, just what this storm needed," she explained.

Then everyone got to work. Soon, Scarecrow was in position, followed by Tin Man. Javi pulled in front of the tornado and stopped. This time, when they all got out, no one hesitated to pull the PAR out of the bed. Once it was powered up, the panels lit up.

Dakota peered at the device and then the oncoming tornado with a frown, watching the metal wobble.

"We're all set. Kate, Kota, come on!" Javi yelled as the two ran to the truck.

"It's not gonna hold!" Dakota yelled, unheard over the wind as she crouched down to try and secure the device to the ground.

Kate got in the truck and was the one to realize Dakota didn't follow. So, she hung out the window and yelled. "Dakota, it's turning fast. Get in the car!"

Suddenly, debris flew past Dakota, who looked back at the oncoming tornado. "Shit," she murmured, forgetting about the PAR. She didn't have time to crawl in the back seat with how close it was. "Drive, Javi!"

As he did so, she climbed in the bed of the truck, keeping low as he took off. She held onto the bars on the side of the truck with one hand and used her other to open the small window that opened up into the truck.

"Guys, a little faster, please!" she shouted as Javi drove backward. She'd have laughed about him being like Mater in Cars if this weren't so serious.

"You're insane, Kota!" Javi told her before glancing at Kate. "How we looking? Talk to me!"

"We lost your radar, Javi. You got eyes on the tornado?" Scott asked him.

Dakota looked over her shoulder with wide eyes. "Yeah, we got eyes."

The tornado was growing, taking out trees and power lines. Then she watched as an entire wooden barn was ripped into the air, disappearing. Part of the chicken coop slammed into the front of the truck, making Javi swerve before turning the car around, now driving the correct way.

"What was that?" Kate asked, holding onto the bar on the ceiling.

"I think I killed some chickens!"

"Oh, fuck me!" Dakota exclaimed when something smashed into her face. So, she ducked down low and covered her head as Javi went off into a ditch, narrowly missing the tornado that blew past them.

Thankfully, the front of the truck was the only part caught in the storm. The wind threw Dakota around but didn't pick her up. However, the equipment on top of the truck was ripped away. Dakota kept her eyes shut, doing her best to not think of the last time she was in this situation.

And then all too soon, it was over, silence falling over them.

"Kota?" Kate asked, quickly sticking her head out the window to look at her friend. "Are you okay?"

Dakota popped up with a smile on her face, blood dripping down the side of her face. A piece of wood had nicked her eyebrow and would no doubt leave a scar. "All good!"

Kate shook her head, unable to believe she was smiling after all that. "You're insane."

"Thank god, it just grazed us," Javi breathed out.

"Yeah," both girls agreed.

Then a brown chicken landed on the hood of the truck, startling them. It made Dakota chuckle, unable to believe it survived all that just like they had.

"Javi. Javi, you hear me?" Scott asked over the radio.

"Yeah, I hear you."

"We've got two radars looking good. Third one was getting great data. We need to find it and download it all."

Dakota stuck her head through the small back window and called out. "Told you it wouldn't fucking hold up on the wind, Scott!"

Kate might've laughed if she wasn't looking at the Doppler, which indicated the tornado heading toward a town called Crystal Springs. "Javi, the tornado's heading to a small town."

"They already called it in," he told her. "There's nothing we can do now."

"But someone might need help," Dakota said while moving back into the truck. Kate found a rag on the ground and handed it to her so that she could clean the blood off her face.

"There's a GPS tracker on the radar. We need to find it before it dies," he explained.

"Javi, we've got to help!" Kate insisted.

Javi shared a look with her before giving in, never one to deny Kate. And it was a good thing they went, as the town was decimated. Lives were ruined and lost in the storm. Ambulances had arrived, and police were driving down the debris-covered streets, announcing that a curfew would be in place.

After helping gather the more important things that survived — photo albums and clothes and anything salvageable — Javi, Kate, and Dakota headed toward the Storm PAR cars that had arrived.

"You were right back there. It's good that we came to help," Javi admitted.

"She's always right," Dakota reminded him.

"I wish we could do more," she sighed. "Javi, can the data from the PAR radar show us how the tornado died?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't know," Kate mumbled. "Maybe we could use it to prevent all this."

"There's the Kate I know," he grinned. Then Javi spotted Riggs with Scott and his grin fell. He dug out the truck keys. "Hey, look, um, here. Take the truck, alright? I'll go deal with locating the radar. You should rest. And Kota, maybe stop by one of the ambulances."

"Nah, it's almost done bleeding," she said, pulling the rag back to look at it. "There are people that need the medical supplies more than me."

"If you say so," he said, shaking his head before walking off.

The girls then headed to the truck, only to hear Tyler whistling, clearly looking for a dog that was hiding out. "Come on, buddy."

"That's nice he's here," Dakota said softly.

But then Kate scoffed and pointed to the camper. Dexter was selling t-shirts to some people, which she wasn't impressed by.

"It's not what it looks like—"

Dakota's attempted defense was cut off by Tyler wandering over. "It was a nice play on the left twin."

"Yeah, well, didn't help these people any," Kate said bitterly.

All three of them then overheard Scott introducing Riggs to the owner of a bar that'd been destroyed. He seemed to be offering him his card.

And clearly, Tyler wasn't impressed by Riggs' arrival. "Didn't know Storm PAR was in the business of helping."

"Well, from what I see, they're trying to make a difference," Kate mumbled.

"That's one way of putting it."

Dakota raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Tyler looked between the girls. "Do you even know who you're chasing for?"

"What are you talking about—"

Clearly upset, he came closer. "How much more these people gotta lose before y'all are done making a difference?"

Before Dakota could ask him to clarify, Kate beat her to it. "Sorry, says the guy setting up shop, selling t-shirts and mugs after a storm's hit."

Rather than retort angrily, Tyler smirked at the ground, knowing that Kate didn't know anything. Dakota sighed and shook her head. "Kate, they're—"

Yet again, she was interrupted, this time by Ben, who had a pen and paper in hand. "Tyler, do you have a minute for some questions?"

"Yeah, I got a dog to find. Talk to Kate. She seems to have all the answers," he said snarkily. Then he turned and left. "Hey, Boone!"

"Now's not a good time, Ben," Kate said, also storming off.

"Sorry, bud," Dakota shrugged before going off after Kate, who'd already reached the truck.

Lily rushed over, a few bags of chips in her hand. "Dakota, Kate, take some food."

"Oh, don't have any cash," Kate told her.

"Nah, it's free. That's why we're always selling those t-shirts," she explained, nodding behind her.

It was then that Kate actually saw what else Dexter and Dani had on their merch table. Food and coffee to hand out. And they were even giving shirts away to those that had nothing else clean to wear. It made Kate feel about two inches tall.

"Oh, well, save it in case you run low," Kate said, shaking her head.

"Okay, well at least take some water," Lily said, handing them both a bottle.

"Thanks."

"Hey," Dakota said, smiling tightly at Kate as Lily ran off to keep helping. "I'm gonna hang back. Keep helping. I've still got some adrenaline pumping in me. Better put it to good use."

"Are you sure? How will you get back?"

"I'll catch a ride. You just get back safe," she said.

Kate nodded before getting in the truck, driving off. Once her friend was out of sight, Dakota walked back to the house where Tyler was moving broken pieces of siding around, looking for the dog.

He just looked at her warily, wondering what she was doing back when Kate was gone and none of the other Storm PAR people were getting their hands dirty. But there she was, pulling her work gloves back out of her pocket to protect her hands.

"Alright, Cowboy, let's find a dog."