The Blackout List

Don’t trust the administrator. There’s cooling water in the basement. Someone is coming for it. She looked up and saw the hospital administrator and the operations chief arguing behind a glass wall, their faces tense and private in the way people look when they are dividing up what remains of a sinking ship. Marcus followed her gaze and said quietly, “I’m going to the power room.” “I’m coming,” Lin said. Marcus gave him a look. “Have you ever been in a fire?” “I’ve been in worse meetings.” Marcus almost smiled, but didn’t. They moved through the suddenly unsteady emergency department toward the stairwell. The handrail was hot to the touch, as if it had been ironed by the sun.