Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey.
The top floor of Pfizer's global R&D headquarters was once the most enviable office space on the entire East Coast.
It boasted a prime view overlooking Forest Park, an independent climate control system that maintained constant temperature and humidity, and a top-security conference room shielded from eavesdropping.
But now, it had become a sauna.
Although the backup generators were running, their paltry output was only enough to barely maintain the lights and a few core servers.
As for the power-hungry central air conditioning system, it had long since become a useless decoration.
Inside the conference room, the air was thick and stale.
The sealed, soundproof walls and bulletproof glass blocked any prying eyes from the outside, but they also trapped all the heat within.
George Vance ripped off his tie and undid the top three buttons of his shirt.
Even so, sweat still trickled down from his forehead and into his eyes, making them sting.
