Altered Skin

This is the story of Craig Evans, an American expat living in Karachi, Pakistan. Craig is married to Insiya Zia, a Pakistani doctor. During a routine hospital round, contracts a virus called the MN-2. A devastating pathogen, the virus causes uncontrollable outbursts of violent rage. With no cure in sight, the doctors have no choice but put Insiya in a state of induced coma. Meanwhile, the virus continues to spread through the country. People infected by it are referred to as ‘carriers’. The only relief is a drug called Sedare. It is manufactured by Ingenec – a local pharmaceutical company – and sold as an adhesive patch. It is so ubiquitous that in the market it is simply called the ‘patch’. However, it’s not a cure. All it does is calm the symptoms for a few hours. The patch is also useless in advanced stages of the disease. As Insiya’s condition continues to deteriorate, it appears Craig has accepted her impending death. But when the dead body of an investigative reporter turns up …