On August 7, 1994, J. F. Foreman arrives at his business, Expedited Medical Transport, in an East New Orleans industrial park. His secretary, Alice, buzzes him in; Foreman notes the shotgun kept beneath her desk for security. EMT provides discreet courier services for high-value assets, employing ex-military and ex-police personnel who are carefully vetted, weapons-trained, and forbidden to fraternize.

Foreman enters a conference room where six employees await. He briefs them on a job scheduled for August 9: The client herself—a 30-year-old Asian woman—will be the cargo, handcuffed to an attaché case. After arriving at the airport, she will ride in the transport van’s armored safety chamber to a destination within three hours’ drive.

Arnold Carson, whom Foreman considers his second-in-command, will be given the precise delivery location on the day of the operation. After the briefing, Foreman asks Proctor, his most recent hire, to remain. Proctor is a quiet, “inscrutable” ex-military man who keeps to himself. Because another employee, Rodriguez, is hospitalized with diverticulitis, Foreman reassigns Proctor from the escort car to the main transport van. He tells Proctor that this high-value job represents an opportunity for a substantial bonus and schedules a separate briefing for the following afternoon.

On the afternoon of August 8, Foreman reviews security footage from cameras hidden throughout the office and at some employees’ residences. He discovers two team members—the shotgunner and payload master—violating his strict no-fraternization rule by meeting socially outside work. The breach raises fears about a possible inside job targeting the upcoming transport, which is crucial for securing future business with wealthy clients.

When Proctor arrives for his briefing, Foreman takes him into the garage and shows him the armored medical transport vans with bulletproof windows, heavy shielding, hidden weapon ports, and an interior safety chamber. He assigns Proctor to the rear lookout position with its strategic field of fire.

Foreman then confides in Proctor, saying that he has “unreliable intelligence” suggesting that the shotgunner and payload master may attempt to hijack the delivery. He tasks Proctor with monitoring them. If the men move against the mission, Proctor must “neutralize” them, retrieve the delivery location from driver Arnold Carson’s pocket if necessary, and complete the transport alone. Foreman explains that he has no choice but to trust Proctor because he is new and occupies a tactically advantageous position. Proctor’s “clipped,” professional acknowledgment slightly eases Foreman’s anxiety.

Around midday on August 9, Proctor prepares to leave his suburban New Orleans home for the scheduled job. He observes his neighborhood: a young mother with a stroller, a neighbor working on a pickup truck, and a utility worker climbing an electrical pole down the street. As he readies himself, Proctor notices that the utility worker has moved closer, now only a few houses away.

About to depart, Proctor realizes that he forgot his sidearm. He returns to retrieve his shoulder holster and pistol. Stepping back into his open garage while adjusting the holster, he is confronted by the man disguised as a utility worker, who asks about electrical problems. While Proctor is distracted, the man attacks with a high-voltage cattle prod. Proctor strikes his head on a tool cabinet as he falls. The attacker cuffs his hands behind his back, places a hood over his head, and injects a substance into his neck. Proctor loses consciousness.

Proctor awakens in complete darkness and silence. He discovers that he is in a padded cell. His hands are now bound in front with zip ties, and his ankles are shackled and chained to a wall. His clothing has been changed to sweatpants and a hospital gown. His head throbs from striking the cabinet, but he has no other injuries. Based on his hunger and lack of strong need to urinate, he estimates only a few hours have passed.

Proctor reflects on his failure: The attack employed a professional-grade cattle prod, an authentic uniform, and careful timing. He initially assumes that his abduction relates to Foreman’s transport mission but reconsiders—Foreman’s men would not need “elaborate disguise[s].” Unable to determine the motive, Proctor settles against the padded wall and falls asleep.

A sound awakens Proctor. A voice speaks from the darkness—his captor. Bright overhead lights flood the cell, revealing a tall, fit man in his early thirties wearing a black jumpsuit and holding an ultraviolet flashlight. The man sits in a director’s chair, remaining out of reach.

The captor explains that the cell is escape-proof and lays out strict rules: Proctor must not injure himself and must eat all food provided. Violations will result in “harsh” punishment. He adds that Proctor’s ankle chain will release from the wall when he leaves, allowing limited movement. Food will come through a slot in the door. Proctor observes the man’s flat affect and emotionless delivery.

As the captor prepares to leave, Proctor asks whether the transport operation was successful and mentions the attaché case. The man reacts with genuine confusion, clearly knowing nothing about EMT or the mission. After the captor departs and food is delivered, Proctor reconsiders his situation. Given the abduction’s apparent disconnect from Foreman’s job, combined with his captor’s strange behavior, Proctor concludes that his captor has some sort of mental illness.