Containment Failure: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #2
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"Dylan Kane leaves James Bond in his dust!"
★★★★★ FROM AWARD WINNING USA TODAY & MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR J. ROBERT KENNEDY ★★★★★
THE BLACK DEATH KILLED ALMOST HALF OF EUROPE'S POPULATION. THIS TIME IT WILL BE BILLIONS.
New Orleans has been quarantined, an unknown virus sweeping the city, killing one hundred percent of those infected. The Centers for Disease Control, desperate to find a cure, is approached by BioDyne Pharma who reveal a former employee has turned a cutting edge medical treatment capable of targeting specific genetic sequences into a weapon, and released it.
CIA Special Agent Dylan Kane has been given one guideline from his boss: consider yourself unleashed, leaving Kane and New Orleans Police Detective Isabelle Laprise battling to stay alive as an insidious disease and terrified mobs spread through the city while they desperately seek those behind the greatest crime ever perpetrated.
The stakes have never been higher as Kane battles to save not only his friends and the country he loves, but all of mankind.
In Containment Failure award winning USA Today and million copy bestselling author J. Robert Kennedy delivers a terrifying tale of what could happen when science goes mad, with enough sorrow, heartbreak, laughs, and passion to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the chilling conclusion. If you enjoy Bond, Bourne, and Hunt, then you'll love Dylan Kane.
Get your copy today, and join the fight to save mankind from its most terrifying creation...
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE DYLAN KANE SERIES
★★★★★ "The action sequences are particularly well-written and exciting, without being overblown."
★★★★★ "I love how the author explains what's needed but doesn't just ramble on in narrative."
★★★★★ "The events in this adventure are so real and so heart pounding you can't put it down. Mr. Kennedy is by far my favorite writer."
★★★★★ "Don't mess with Kane, he takes no prisoners, especially when you target his friends."
★★★★★ "This is one of the best stories I have ever read. The action and plot is believable and exciting and of course the climax is nail biting stuff. This author sure knows his stuff - if not, he does a great job of convincing his reader that he does!"
★★★★★ "Fast paced international spy thriller with good old American values among its main characters. I'd like to think we really do have agents like Kane."
J. Robert Kennedy
With millions of books sold, award-winning and USA Today bestselling author J. Robert Kennedy has been ranked by Amazon as the #1 Bestselling Action Adventure novelist based upon combined sales. He is a full-time writer and the author of over seventy international bestsellers including the smash hit James Acton Thrillers.
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Related to Containment Failure
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Death to America: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #4 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rogue Operator: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Containment Failure: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #2 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cold Warriors: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #3 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5State Sanctioned: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #8 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Red Eagle: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #10 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black Widow: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #5 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Extraordinary Rendition: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #9 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Agenda: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #6 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Retribution: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #7 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Mole: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #13 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Messenger: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #11 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Defector: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #12 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Arsenal: Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers, #14 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Containment Failure - J. Robert Kennedy
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
The Novel
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Acknowledgments
Don't Miss Out!
Thank You!
About the Author
Also by the Author
For Gary and Daryl.
Friends gone, but not forgotten.
The idea of infection began to be taken far more seriously than it ever had before. Hospitals transformed themselves in response to the new plague - sometimes for the better, but often for the worse, as when, in fear, they cast their ulcerated patients out into the streets.
Peter Lewis Allen
There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
Mahatma Gandhi
PREFACE
The Black Death was the most devastating plague in recorded history. At its peak during 1348-1350, it reduced Europe’s population by anywhere from 30 to 60 percent. Europe took 150 years to recover its lost, and centuries to recover from the religious, political, and social chaos that resulted.
Imagine where America would be tomorrow if today, one hundred fifty million of its citizens were to die, along with half the populations of its trading partners.
The science described in what follows has been simplified for dramatic purposes, however the concepts described are real and are cutting-edge techniques that will be available in the near future. What is described can happen, what motivates it has happened. The horror that unfolds might very well be a scenario that if not we, then our children, will soon face.
To dismiss the possibility is to ignore history.
Description: Chapter Header1 |
Inside the Quarantine Zone
Outbreak Day #11
Kyle Patrick motioned for everyone to get down as a troop transport rolled by, its rear filled with people just like him, desperate to escape the plague ravaging this once-proud city. He looked back and gave his parents a slight smile. He could tell his mother was tired. They had been dodging patrols and overhead drones for hours as they made their way through the deserted streets from his parents’ house to the border of the quarantine.
He peered up, searching for a drone or helicopter. Seeing none, he moved from around the concrete barrier and inched forward, watching for any additional patrols. Clear, he darted across the road and into an alley, double-checking for any more troops, then beckoned the others forward.
His father helped his mother across the road, followed by two more families they had found, both with little children, all equally scared. None of them were displaying symptoms, and none of them wanted that to change. They weren’t infected, but they might eventually catch it if they stayed within the city limits. When the President had ordered the total containment of the city, they had been shocked, and as the footage continued to play out on television showing tens of thousands of troops surrounding the city, of the airport shutting down and all outbound flights still in the air forced to return, train and boat traffic stopped, freeways blocked and people forced back inside the city limits at gunpoint by soldiers in hazmat suits, they knew they had to escape, and their time was running out.
Within hours, the cordon would be complete, and there’d be no means of escape. It had been a family conference like no other. His mother had wanted to stay put and take their chances. Kyle knew she was as scared as they were, but he figured she didn’t feel she could make the journey. Fortunately, they lived on the outskirts, so the edge of the quarantine zone wasn’t that far, and he and his dad had convinced her she could make it. She had proven a trooper, but the exhausted look as his parents cleared the street had him concerned.
You guys rest. I’m going to scout ahead.
He pulled out his cellphone and brought up a map of their GPS location. According to this, in less than a quarter-mile, we’ll hit farmland. We just need to get there, and we’re out of the quarantine zone.
He put a hand on his mother’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. I’ll be back in half an hour. You guys keep out of sight and rest.
Kyle turned and sprinted down the alleyway, coming to a halt at the end and quickly scanning the area. Clear. He darted across the street, past several more houses, over a fence, through a ditch, then as he crested the top of the depression and pushed through some tall grass along its edge, he emerged into pristine farmland.
And nearly cried in happiness. Carefully surveying the area, he saw no one, civilian or military. Overhead, a drone circled and he scurried back to the ditch, rolling down the side and into the cold mud and water at the bottom. He flipped over on his back, staring up to see if he could spot the drone, but it was out of sight. He pushed to his knees, then a crouch, and spotted it leaving to the west.
Climbing up the other side of the ditch, he pulled a pair of cutters from his backpack and cut a hole in the fence so it wouldn’t slow them up when making their escape. He took a swig of water from a bottle, then making sure the coast was clear, quickly returned to where he had left the others.
And they weren’t there.
Mom! Dad!
he called in a hoarse whisper.
Nothing.
The gnashing of gears and roar of an accelerating engine had him diving for cover. There was a mandatory stay-at-home order for all non-essential personnel, and he and his parents were definitely non-essential. He didn’t know about the others. He didn’t care. He just needed to get his folks to the other side of the quarantine zone, then to their family in Lafitte who would hide them. A call had already been placed and his uncle would be waiting for them not five miles from here.
Another transport went by, the rear loaded with more people, though from his vantage point, he couldn’t tell if any of them were his parents.
He was getting worried.
He scanned the ground for any evidence of a scuffle but could see nothing.
If you had to, where would you hide?
He spotted a side door to the building he was hugging and approached. He tapped three times, gingerly.
Nothing.
It’s me, Kyle!
he said, only as loud as he thought he needed to be heard through the door.
The knob turned and the door opened an inch, then pushed open all the way as he was hauled inside. At first, he was shocked, though as soon as the door closed, a light flicked on and he was surrounded by his parents and the two other families.
They were all eating food from what appeared to be a storeroom, filling up on water, and taking advantage of a toilet in the back, the wife of one of the men just emerging, flinching slightly at the sight of him. He checked himself, realizing he must look a mess from the ditch.
Oh, thank God!
His mother rushed forward and hugged him. We were so worried!
What is this place?
His father held up a bottle of water. Mom and pop store. I tried the door and it was unlocked. We called but there doesn’t seem to be anybody home.
They probably buggered out of here when the trouble first hit since they’re so close to the edge of the zone,
said one of the men named Dan, his wife Sophie the one who had just left the bathroom.
I found a way through. It’s pretty easy and it seems clear. We should go now before that changes.
Kyle gripped the doorknob. Is everybody ready?
Nods from everyone and a weak smile from his mother.
I’m going to check to make sure it’s clear, then I’ll give you the signal. Go to the left, to the end of the alley. Hold up there so we can make sure the coast is clear.
He pushed the door open an inch and listened. Nothing. He exited quickly, closing the door behind him, then darted to the alley to make sure their rear was covered, then confirming it was clear, returned to the door and knocked. The door opened and they all filed out as he sprinted ahead to the other end of the alley. Finding it clear, he raced to the other side of the road, took cover, then, holding his breath, listened. He couldn’t hear anything over the hammering of his own heart. He struggled to calm himself as he checked again.
It appeared clear.
He held up two fingers then motioned for them to join him. This was the signal for his parents. They rushed across.
Go to the end of this street. You’ll see a fence. Just stay out of sight until we join you.
He looked at his mom. Take your time. I have to wait for the others so there’s no rush.
His parents continued on at a less hurried pace, and he checked to see if everything was still clear. As he poked his head out, he saw someone in the window of a house across the street pointing to the right. Kyle checked but didn’t see anything, then leaned out a little farther and gasped. There was a Humvee two blocks down, parked at an intersection, four soldiers in hazmat suits focused on something.
He gave the thumbs-up to the person in the house who quickly disappeared behind their curtain. He peeked back at the Humvee and the team. They still weren’t looking this way.
He indicated for both families to come, rapidly beckoning for them to hurry. Dan and Sophie, carrying their kids, emerged from the alleyway and rushed across the road as the second family, Frank and Christa, followed suit with their one child in Frank’s arms.
Kyle kept urging them on as he watched the soldiers. One turned, his arm extending behind him, indicating Kyle’s direction. As all four soldiers turned, Frank cleared the road and Kyle ducked out of sight.
Keep going, all the way to the fence!
he ordered, and without checking to see if they had been spotted, he raced after them, quickly overtaking them. He reached the last house and joined his parents, who appeared to have just arrived. A quick glance showed everything still clear with no signs of pursuit. He darted across the final road, pushed through the opening he had cut in the fence, then waved for the others to join him.
His parents came first. His dad pushed through the fence, then they both helped his mother. Kyle pointed ahead. Down into the ditch, then up the other side. Through some grass and there’s a farmer’s field. We’ll join you there.
His dad gripped his shoulder. I’m proud of you, son.
Kyle choked up but managed a smile. Go!
His dad squeezed his shoulder again, then helped his mother toward the ditch. Kyle checked if everything was clear, then waved for the other families to come. In less than a minute, they were all through the fence and heading for the ditch. Kyle dove into the mud and saw his parents just clearing the other side. He helped the others down then scrambled up the edge. He took the baby Dan was carrying and placed him on the grass. He reached down and pulled Dan up, who then took care of Sophie and their second child. Kyle helped Frank and Christa with theirs, and when they were all successfully out of the ditch, they pushed through the grass to the field and freedom.
He pointed to the other side of the field. We just need to get there, across one road, then we can make our way through the fields, keeping out of sight until the next road. We can call my Uncle Charlie to pick us up there.
A noise above them caused Kyle’s head to pivot up. Shit!
It was a drone, approaching from the south. Kyle searched for cover and saw a hedgerow just ahead. Hide in the hedge!
He grabbed the other arm of his mother and helped his dad nearly carry her the fifty feet to the tall, thick hedge that likely functioned as a windbreak for the farm. They reached it and he pressed his body into the thick cedar, his arms and legs getting scratched up badly.
The hedge shook as the others did the same, then they all remained quiet as the drone passed overhead. As its engine slowly faded, he breathed a sigh of relief when a thumping sound in the distance rapidly got louder.
Dan pointed. It’s a helicopter!
Stay hidden. Maybe they can’t see us!
yelled Frank.
A military chopper roared overhead, then banked to face the hedge. It was obvious it knew exactly where they were. Kyle stepped back slightly and glanced at his father. It was clear the situation was helpless.
They won’t shoot us, will they?
His father shook his head. I don’t know.
We’re Americans. They’re Americans. They wouldn’t, would they?
His father appeared uncertain. I would hope not.
There’s an opening here,
said his mother, matter-of-factly. Kyle and his father joined her, noting the two-foot gap.
There’s one down here too!
called Dan. There’s no way they’ll shoot us. We’re citizens. Let’s just―
He was cut off by a loudspeaker on the helicopter.
This is Colonel Jackson of the Louisiana National Guard. You are in violation of a Federally mandated quarantine. You are ordered to turn around and return to your homes. If you do not turn around, we will be forced to open fire. Lethal force has been authorized.
Lethal force?
repeated Frank. They’re going to kill us!
The most terrifying noise Kyle had ever heard erupted from the front of the helicopter, fire breathing from the guns mounted on it. They all ducked, and it took a few moments for Kyle to realize what was happening. He tentatively looked and saw the ground tearing apart. It’s just a warning shot! They’re not shooting at us!
To hell with this!
Frank grabbed his wife and bolted back toward the ditch with his child clutched in his arms.
I’ve got kids. I can’t risk it!
Dan pushed through the opening, one arm raised in the air, the other clutching his baby, his wife doing the same.
The voice roared through the speaker again. Return to your homes and you won’t be harmed.
There was a pause then the voice rose. Now!
Dan darted from the hole in the hedge, his wife following, and they raced after Frank and Christa, leaving only Kyle and his parents.
Let’s go under the chopper, then to that farmhouse on the right. We might get lucky. There’s no way they’ll shoot us!
Kyle’s dad agreed and they pushed through the opening, rushing under the chopper, his mother having found her wings, adrenaline allowing amazing things. They turned toward the farmhouse, pushing themselves as hard as they could toward the safety of the old but well-maintained building. The chopper banked behind them in pursuit.
They’re coming!
Halt immediately! You are in violation of a mandatory quarantine. We are authorized to use deadly force. I say again, halt immediately, or we will open fire.
They continued forward, then the terrifying roar of the guns belching behind them. Kyle ducked but didn’t stop running, instead helping his mother along as the ground in front of them was shredded. His father slowed, turning back to look at them.
Keep going!
he urged. They won’t shoot us!
The guns erupted again, this time ripping apart the field even closer to their position. Kyle wondered how close they might get before there was a risk of getting hit. The chopper was so close now that the wind from the blades thumping at the air was tossing the crops about, his hair whipping into his eyes, stinging his face.
You have five seconds to comply, otherwise lethal force is authorized.
The voice lowered, finally sounding human. Please stop. I have no choice but to fire. Don’t make me do it.
Kyle’s dad slowed, turning back to them, shaking his head. The farmhouse was tantalizingly close. If they could just make it there, there’s no way they’d be fired at. The chopper wouldn’t risk there being other innocent people inside.
And it was that thought that caused Kyle to almost stop in his tracks.
What are we doing?
A wave of nausea swept over him at their selfishness.
What if one of us is infected?
They could infect those in the farmhouse who had done nothing wrong. If they made it to his Uncle’s, they could infect them all.
This is wrong!
Dad! Stop!
he yelled just as what sounded like a whisper came from the speaker hovering behind them.
I’m sorry.
Kyle heard the chopper repositioning as he called again for his father to stop, but either he couldn’t hear him, or he wasn’t listening. From the corner of his eye Kyle saw two Army vehicles racing down the road. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing they were about to be captured. The first pulled into the lane leading to the farmhouse then rounded the property, coming to a halt less than fifty feet from his father, soldiers hopping from the rear, surrounding them, their hazmat suits rendering them anonymous, terrifying.
Kyle’s dad fell to his knees, his hands clasped on top of his head as his mother dropped beside him, exhausted. Kyle saw one of the troops wave off the chopper, then it banked away, the thumping of the blades rapidly fading into the distance.
Kyle dropped to his knees as two soldiers approached him. Conflicting emotions filled his heart, part of him disappointed they had been caught, the other relieved they had been, a growing part of his mind realizing what they were doing was wrong.
He just couldn’t believe this was happening in New Orleans.
Description: Chapter Header2 |
Saints vs. Raiders, Mercedes-Benz Superdome
New Orleans, Louisiana
Outbreak Day #1 – Zero Hour
"Hey, what the hell are you doing back here?"
The voice, raised, echoed through the narrow utility room housing feeds into the cooling system for this portion of the massive Superdome. Mike Milner didn’t flinch, but his heart did skip a beat as he continued rotating the wrench. He was so close to completing his task, so close to his payday, there was no way he would allow some rent-a-cop to ruin it.
Look at my binder over there.
He jerked his head toward a scuffed black binder sitting atop an electrical cabinet. Feet shuffled toward the binder as he twisted one last time, the connection sealed, his job almost done.
What’s this shit?
Apparently, my paperwork isn’t in order.
You need to come with me, buddy, until we get this sorted out.
No problem, officer.
Milner reached into his pocket, gripping the small Walther PPKE he had hidden there. As he turned, a smile plastered on his face to set the poor bastard at ease, his hand came up in his pocket, and he squeezed the trigger.
The report was loud in the confined space, but as fortune would have it, something had the gathered seventy-three thousand on their feet, screaming at the night air.
It went unnoticed to all.
All except the poor sonofabitch who had walked in on him, as he gripped his chest, surprise scrawled across his face as he slowly sank to his knees.
I’m really sorry about this,
said Milner. But you shouldn’t have been so good at your job.
He turned around and spun the valve on the canister he had just hooked into the cooling system, opening it wide. Within minutes, the gas would be spread throughout the complex, and his job done. He had no clue what he had attached to the cooling system. That was above his pay grade. He’d been hired to do a job, and that’s what he was doing. In his trade, you didn’t ask questions, because answers got you killed.
So did curiosity.
He stuffed the body of the unfortunate guard behind the cooling unit and out of sight, leaving a small pool of blood on the floor. Removing a plastic bottle from his kit, he poured the contents out onto the bloodstain, turning the crimson puddle black, thickening it within moments. Now the blood could be mistaken for an oil stain, something that wouldn’t be unexpected in a utility closet.
Approaching the door, he fished his cellphone from his pocket and dialed the number to activate his diversion. Pressing Send, he counted to ten, then smiled as the commotion outside grew in intensity as his remote trigger fried a relay device at the Entergy New Orleans vault
just outside the stadium, recreating the Super Bowl blackout.
I guess they never did fix the problem!
He smiled to himself as he turned the knob, stepping out into the darkness, the only light now from the emergency system as the Superdome lost partial power. By the sounds of things, the game was delayed, and he could imagine the panic that must be setting in among some of the tens of thousands of fans in attendance. And if he knew the media, they’d be making a field day out of the situation, spreading the panic to the audience watching on television at homes and bars across the city.
But he didn’t really care. He was here for a payday. A big payday. This little job was netting him six figures. Half was already sitting in his Cayman account, less a significant cash withdrawal now hidden in his apartment. His contact would deposit the other half tonight after a meet. Then he’d be out of New Orleans and off to the Dominican until the money ran out, then back for another gig.
It was a great life.
He strolled past the staff rushing by, wondering if they’d get the power restored in time so the game could resume. He hoped so. After all, he had put a fin down on the Raiders to win.
He strolled by the guards, acknowledging them with a nod as he passed, his tool kit swinging as he whistled a tune inspired by the concern surrounding him.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
And I feel fine.
Description: Chapter Header3 |
New Orleans, Louisiana
Outbreak Day #10
Tammy frowned at the face staring back at her in the mirror. Gray, ashen, pale. Shit. And she felt like shit too. In fact, she felt worse than she could ever remember. The whites of her eyes were red from fatigue, the deep black circles under them aging her terribly, her sweat-covered brow highlighting her misery.
And she was due at work in forty minutes.
She splashed some water on her face, the effort exhausting, but willed her way through it. Missing work wasn’t an option. Her boss was looking for an excuse to fire her after she had spurned the creep’s advances, and in today’s economy, a job was a job, whether it was good or not. And with a six-year-old son and a deadbeat father, she needed every penny she could scrape together just to keep them fed with a roof over their head, even if it meant working at a coffee shop full-time and the Superdome whenever there was an event.
Maybe I’ll take Mom up on her offer and move in with her.
Her mother could use the help. She had just finished a successful battle with breast cancer, and had a double-mastectomy to prevent any further threat. Tammy thought it was giving up on life, as her mother was still fairly young and attractive. Tammy’s dad had died in Afghanistan ten years ago, and her mom had mourned long and hard.
It had been especially tough battling the cancer without him at her side. It had almost killed her, like it had grandma, but modern medicine and a will to see her grandson grow up had helped her through it, and now she was cancer-free.
Yet in the mirror, she reminded herself of how her mother looked on the bad days.
It’s not cancer, you idiot. Stop worrying!
She stumbled into the hallway, her son Jeffrey waiting at the door, and stuffed her feet in her shoes. Heading out, they hurried to the bus stop. The roar of the diesel engine behind her prompted her to raise her hand weakly, but not to turn and look, too exhausted to put the necessary effort into the muscles.
Thankfully, her neighbor Grace held the bus, urging her on with one foot through the doors, the other on the ground. It took every ounce of her strength to cover the distance, Jeffrey pulling her most of the way, but she finally did, dragging herself up the steps and onto the bus. As she reached for her bus pass, the world spun, then went black as she collapsed onto the floor, Jeffrey crying by her side.
Description: Chapter Header4 |
Isolation Ward, Interim Louisiana State University (LSU) Public Hospital
New Orleans, Louisiana
It was a thick, terrifying fog. Tammy could see nothing but gray, hear nothing but the void surrounding her. And she couldn’t move. Her heart slammed, the roar of her pulse filling her ears, drilling through the void, pushing her toward some new destination, a destination she didn’t know, a destination she feared as much as she did her current situation.
Murmurs.
And beeping