As climate change continues to worsen, with most U.S. coastal cities now underwater, the government issues a mandate they call Operation HOMES, placing strict limits on all travel. Complying citizens, who agree to choose one permanent location after having the chance to relocate, are rewarded with sky miles, now the only way to legally travel via plane. Other than these awarded miles, one person's oil-dependent travel must remain under twenty miles per month. Anyone who does not register their location will be sent to the nearest federal penitentiary. When the president first announces this new policy, a young woman begins to feel lost and overwhelmed. Though she lives in California and has many friends there, her mother lives in Ohio. Her best friend Paloma knows her decision immediately: she will stay in Oakland. The young woman, however, even after calling her mother to discuss the situation, has no idea what she will do. After a few days of reflection, the woman finally feels sure of her decision. Even this law will not stop the inevitable progression of climate change, and staying in one place only provides a false sense of security. As she makes up her mind that she will not register a permanent location, she wonders whether her friends or family will support her decision.