The world outside was a white abyss. John threw the truck into gear, the tires spinning uselessly for a heart-stopping second before catching the frozen gravel. With Fiona in the back clutching the crate and Dr. Aris in the passenger seat barking directions into his phone, they roared out of the driveway. The roads weren't just slippery; they were sheets of black ice hidden under a deceptive layer of powder.