Not a cloud in the blue

Atlanta sky, Jeffrey Ross

made his morning visit to

the Dunwoody Starbucks,

expecting this day to be like

any other. It wouldn't.

Samarra Russell left her

meeting at Emory Medical

Center after receiving the

strange call and wondered

if it had anything to do with

her immunology research at

CDC. It was a secret, or was

supposed to be.

Going home as instructed,

Samarra opened the box of Valentine candy on

the kitchen counter and

collapsed. Before losing

her balance, Samarra

recognized the small finger,

severed and still wearing

the tiny ring she gave him

for his 7th birthday. Her

precious son.

She opened the note after

regaining limited senses

and read. If she didn't want

to receive young Thomas

Russell's head in a box, she

would do as instructed.,br. And she did.