The Writer in Black

The Writer in Black

Sunday, August 17, 2014

"Plague Station" now available for sale

Plague Station:

Doctor Susan O'Bannon on Space Colony 42 attempts to find a cure for a new disease that's putting people into comas. But when people wake from the comas driven by rage and hunger, can she survive the onslaught, let alone find a cure?

A brief excerpt:
   O’Bannon woke to the sound of the comm buzzer.  She started to roll towards the bedside comm unit, then stopped.  She disengaged Steele’s arm from around her waist, then completed the roll.
   “O’Bannon,” she said, after punching the button.
   “Doctor, we need you to come into the infirmary,” the voice at the other end of the comm said.
   “We’ve lost the John Doe.”
   “That’s too bad,” O’Bannon said, “but not unexpected
given...“
   “No, doctor,” the voice said, “I mean, we can’t find him.  Nurse Tanaka is missing too.”
   “What?” The sound of a portable comm behind her intruded on O’Bannon’s awareness but she ignored it.
   “Tanaka called in that he was taking the Doe for an EHG but they never arrived.”
   “Have you called security?”
   “First thing.  We’re also making a search here.  The director would like you to come in in case we find them.  If isolation has been broken...”
   “Understood.  Okay, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
   She closed the connection and turned to see Steele already gathering up his clothes. “You heard?”
   “Yeah, and I’m afraid I’m about to repeat good new bad news joke,” Steele’s voice was absolutely serious.
   “Uh...“
   “I got a call too while you were on your phone.  Tanaka has been found.”
   “That’s the good news, I take it?”
   Steele sighed. “Yeah.  The bad news is that he was severely beaten and unconscious.  And there’s no sign of your missing John Doe.”
   O’Bannon’s head sagged forward and came to rest on her palms, “How truly good.”
   “Oh, it gets even better,” Steele’s voice was even grimmer. “There was considerable blood at the scene.  If Tanaka had your John Doe with him, then I’d say isolation has been well and truly breached.  My people are trying to keep the scene locked down but it may already be too late.”
   “Right.” O’Bannon pulled a shirt over her head. “Then I’d better get to the infirmary.  We’ll need everyone we’ve got.”
   “And I’ll have to get with traffic control.  Until we get this under control, we’ll have to lock down the colony.”
   O’Bannon nodded. “Quarantine.”

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