Powerless by Tim Washburn

hospital is now running on reserve power and we need to discharge as many patients as possible. The generator is not large enough to power the entire hospital.”
    â€œI thought there were concerns about his incision site closing off,” Zeke says.
    â€œWe’re going to watch him over the next two hours and then release him to your care. Everything should be just fine,” the nurse says as she turns to the door.
    â€œWhat’s up with the power?” Zeke asks.
    â€œDon’t know. The whole town is without power.”

C HAPTER 27
    TransJet Flight 62, approaching London Heathrow Airport
    Wednesday, September 29, 2:51 P.M .
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    C opilot Cheryl Wilson is rereading landing procedures while keeping a very close eye on the plane’s TCAS system. The Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System uses radar to locate the transponders of other aircraft in the area, provided the other plane has the same system installed. “I count six aircraft within range of TCAS.”
    Captain Steve Henderson wipes the sleeve of his shirt across his face. “Well, that’s just fucking great. Are we clear of them?”
    â€œYes. Let’s hope everyone follows the normal landing procedure. Take us down to twenty thousand.”
    â€œDescending to twenty thousand. How far are we from London?”
    â€œAbout seventy miles. Maintain a heading of one-eight-zero. Are we going to maintain the normal rate of descent or do you want to steepen it?”
    â€œLet’s go with normal descent and pray everyone else is doing the same.”
    Cheryl quickly calculates their distance from the airport and writes the numbers down on the margins of the map. “Take us down to eighteen.”
    â€œDescending to eighteen thousand.” He glances in Cheryl’s direction. “This could get dicey. I want your eyes on the sky around us in case there’s an aircraft out there with their transponder off.”
    She leans forward and scans the horizon before looking back to the TCAS system. “We’re clear for now, but I have some bad news. Heavy cloud cover at about twelve thousand.”
    â€œThe good news just keeps coming.”
    â€œYou’re doing fine, Steve. You should be nearing fifteen thousand.”
    Steve glances at the altimeter. “We’re at fifteen.”
    â€œGood. Maintain your descent.” Within a minute, the plane enters the heavy cloud cover and the cabin is shrouded in whiteness.
    The TCAS screen turns amber as an audible alarm announces, “Traffic . . . traffic.”
    â€œWhat the hell am I supposed to do?” Steve shouts. “Pull up, turn, or descend?”
    â€œPull up! Pull up! There’s a plane below us.”
    Steve pulls on the wheel and the nose of the large plane eases up.
    â€œThrottle up!”
    While pulling on the wheel, Steve jams the throttles forward as the warning continues—“Traffic, traffic.”
    Steve glances at the altitude indicator. “Where the hell is it?” The plane shudders and the light for engine four flashes red. “We’re hit! Shut four down now!”
    Cheryl scrambles to kill the number four engine by cutting off the fuel supply, then strains to look out the side window. “How bad is the damage?”
    The audible warning from the TCAS system goes silent, but a series of red lights on the instrument panel flashes repeatedly.
    â€œDon’t know.” Steve’s jaw is clenched as he struggles to maintain control. “She’s a wobbly bitch. I don’t know how much longer I can keep her in the air.”
    Cheryl puts a hand on his arm. “You’re doing good, Steve.”
    Steve works the throttles, trying to balance engine thrust. “We have to get out of this cloud cover.” He pushes the wheel forward and the nose of the plane tips forward.
    â€œEasy, Steve. Level off a little.”
    â€œFind me another airport. We’re not going to make