#anywhere

Frank nods. "Ok. Two of you get in the Rig." He takes over for Dagmar. "Let me handle the Po-Po. I've done this before." His tone is weary, grim, and regretful.

"But..." A nod at her hands pressed against the injured driver's side.

(Head)

Frank nods and kneels, putting his even larger hands on the bandage. "I have him. Go on."

Dagmar nods, pulling away.

"Remember; Vali, if pressed you're a relief driver, have a form of ID ready. Dagmar, you're my daughter and I didn't have anyone to leave you with." He reminds them of the pre-planned cover story.

Vali looks over Dagmar and Frank's work on the bandages, and he nods at the instruction

"Good thing we got the same last name, huh?"

He gives her a smile under his beard. "Yes."

Vali says 'Come on, Dagmar"

She nods and follows.

The ambulance arrives almost at the same time with the police care and the paramedics do their job.

While Dagmar and Vali wait in the rig, Vali adopts a look of shocked concern.

And one police officer goees to Frank right away, "Sir, did you witness this?"

The female officer , apparently the junior of the two, approaches the rig.

"I did, sir. I slowed and pulled off, marked the accident with my cones and flares, and provided first aid."

Dag is scrubbing her hands off with a towel.

"Okay, in that case, can you describe to me how it went down ? You look like a guy whose seen more than a few of things happen on the road so you probably know the drill, it sucks and you can get jaded, but I gotta go through it and I got to ask you to go through it with me" The senior officer seems sympathetic. He asks questions about what Frank saw, clues to the state of each driver, and more technical matters of what angle the first vehicle hit the other etc.

"Everyone okay in here?" The female officer says.

Frank provides full, honest answers.

"...yeah...." Sam chimes.

Vali responds, "Sure a lot better in here than out there, ma'am" His accent is thick. "My boss's daughter here,": He jerks his head towards Frank, "Takes after the old man. Don't faze none. Me? I reckon I need to shut up and stay out of the way of you good folk while you work."

Indeed, Vali seems the very soul of folksy fellow new to the trade, southern as all get out.

A grunt of agreement.

The woman smiles at Vali's self depreciation , then nods to Sam, "Atta Girl, women who don't faze end up doing things that matter"

The Senior officer is tired, but it is clear he does give a damn, and Frank knows just how to answer to make it easy on him and useful. It passes quickly "Okay, Mister. Sounds like a quick call and quick thinking might have kept this from turning into a pile up. I've got what I need from you, and it looks like the paramedics are about to head off. "

Her mouth tugs to the side in a grim half-smile and she shrugs.

Indeed one of the paramedics tells them "Whoever did that bandaging saved his ass." Before leaping the ambulance heads off.

"Thank you, officer." Frank has stripped off his gloves and disposed of them; he will make sure the others do as well. He walks back to the Rig and waits for the officials to clear the site, and for a chance to pull into traffic. While he waits..... "Everyone ok here?" quietly.

"Will he make it?"

The female officer joins her partner and they share some notes.

"I'm fine," Vali says "I think under other circumstances, the lady officer would have asked my number. Some women just love folksy and humble" His accent has returnedd to it's 'true' state

"Hmph." Eyebrow at Vali's claim.

Vali says "You'd be surprised what Eiluned mentoring can teach you. How about you, Frank?" He asks "Went smooth it looked like"

"I don't think he wants to date, though."

"Will the guy make it?"

Vali looks at Frank, then at Dagmar, then at Frank

"I don't know, Dagmar." He puts the Rig in gear and eases out.

A frown and furrowed brow. "kay."

"if it helps, I didn't get a flash of death from either of them. I can say that much"

Frank nods, climbing the gears. "Good enough for me."

And they ride on. Slowed down a bit, but the even, graphfic as it was, still woke them up for sure.

Dag stays quiet.

After an hour or so, Frank signals he's pulling into a rest stop.

He parks in the big lot, sets the brake, and sighs as he pushes the ball cap back further on his head. "I think we need to stretch our legs."

"How far until Roanoak?"

Vali agrees with frank "A stretch seems good."

"Another four hours, depending on traffic. We can get something to eat, too. Dagmar, you like burgers?"

"Yeah!"

"Ok. The diner here does pretty good."