Ellie Colson has analyzed the data and sees what should be obvious to all of her colleagues - this is no ordinary flu. The rate of infection is scary high and the survival rate is negligible which means this new virus is like nothing we have ever seen before. Her bosses believe the disease will burn itself out quickly because so few survive the infection but Ellie is not convinced. She decides to commit career suicide, and possibly real suicide as well, by walking out on her job and boarding a plane to New York City.  She wants to warn her ex-fiancé, Chip, and get him to a safe place before it is too late but it is a race against the clock that she is not likely to win.

So begins this short novella which leads up to the first of the two apocalyptic events that form the backbone of the Breakers series. Edward W. Robertson provides some context for the rest of the series as Ellie's insights into the disease offer up a perspective unseen in the rest of the books where the outbreak comes a complete surprise. Ellie sees it coming and does everything she can to rescue Chip from certain death. Since Chip is an EMT in New York City his exposure to the disease is inevitable and Ellie risks her own life to get to him, and his daughter Dee, before it is too late.

This is a short story that teases the bigger picture and provides just enough of a taste to whet your appetite for what is to come in the main series, which is currently 8 books long. Ray Chase narrates the audiobook and does an excellent job of it.