World Up In Smoke

On a routine overnight trip to a neighboring city Professor Elaine Lacy Zeiss is trapped away from home. In addition to interstate wildfires that rage out of control, the president declares a national emergency and closes all airports. Thousands are stranded, all trying to find transportation that will take them home. Elaine's with its full tank of gas is trapped in the hotel garage. Communications are jammed, public order is breaking down, and a man pulls her off the last train out of Chicago. He claims her family has sought refuge in another state. It is his mission to take her to join them.

What should she do? Why should she trust this man, but what choice has she? What she doesn't know is that home is no longer where she left it, and possibly her life has changed forever.

Now, what can an author do to get the professor out of this wretched mess in one piece? If so, then what? Chapter One is present in its entirety. Each additional chapter will be summarized.