The Blackout List

“It did. It told everyone to limit time outdoors.” She laughed without humor. “As if a suggestion is enough to survive weather like this.” Then the door opened and a firefighter stepped in with a folded stretcher across his shoulders. Marcus Holt looked like he had been dragged through an oven and not entirely convinced he was done being dragged. “Three cars caught fire under North Third Bridge,” he said. “Not from a crash. Parked cars. Just burning. Highway’s buckling too, like the road’s blistering up.” “The hospital’s blistering too,” Erin shot back. Marcus looked at Lin. “Who’s he?” “Former climate office,” Lin said. Marcus went quiet for a beat, the kind of quiet that meant a decision had already been made: either you help, or you become