Derek Stillwater, bioterrorism expert for the Department of Homeland Security, already has his bags packed for vacation when he gets the call: "Sarin gas attack on a detroit restaurant. Fifty-two dead." The killer calls himself the Serpent and demands three million dollars. If he is not paid on time, more people will die. Special Agent Jill Church is assigned to keep tabs on Stillwater. While the FBI brass are playing politics with the press, Stillwater and Church discover a disturbing link to a cult responsible for the sarin attacks on a Japanese subway. Furious at Stillwater's unorthodox methods, the FBI demands his immediate arrest. Now suspended from the case, Church knows that...

What would happen if terrorists got their hands on a virus — a terrifying mix of Ebola, hepatitis, and bubonic plague — with the potential to wipe out humanity? This is the crisis that Derek Stillwater faces as troubleshooter for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A specialist in biological and chemical weapons, he's in a breathtaking race to find the terrorist thieves and destroy Chimera M13. There's little evidence, except for the recording of a familiar voice that reminds him of an army buddy who's dead. Questioning his sanity and failing to keep his panic attacks at bay, Stillwater has no choice but to follow his instincts while scientists work on a vaccine in Washington, D.C. He...

An anthology of stories These all-new short stories of movies, music, murder, and mayhem by today's brightest talents will take you from vaudeville to Vegas, and make it chillingly clear that in the world of entertainment, if you want to make it, you may have to step on some people-or over their dead bodies… Includes first-run stories from € Carolyn Wheat € John Lutz € Elaine Viets € Parnell Hall € Stuart M Kaminsky € Edward D Hoch € Annette Meyers € Angela Zeman € David Bart € Bob Shayne € Mark Terry € Gary Phillips € Suzanne Shaphren € Libby Fischer Hellman € Charles Ardai € Gregg Andrew Hurwitz € Steve Hockensmith € Shelley Freydont € Robert Lopresti € Mat Coward