Thirteen-year-old Chase Masters—his name almost a description of who he is—is the main character of Storm Runners. A year of traveling with his father to weather disasters, where John gets work doing repairs, has trained Chase to respond coolly, logically, and skillfully to any emergency. Already wiser and more adept than most people years older than he, Chase uses his wits and the contents of his go bag to help him and his friends Nicole and Rashawn survive the worst of the hurricane. His skills, along with a basic sense of decency and caring for his companions, make Chase worthy of the hurricane’s challenge. Chase also appreciates the strengths of his two female cohorts and relies on their courage and determination as all three help each other get through the deadly storm. Chase believes, with his father, that fate sometimes chases a person down and that one should always be prepared for anything.

Chase’s father, John Masters, is a successful house builder who loses his wife and daughter to an auto accident, gets struck by lightning, and gives up his construction business to travel the US with his son in search of storms and the cleanup work they create.