The Penn Station, located in Pennsylvania Plaza in New York City, stands as a haunting relic of a once-thriving metropolis now crippled by the Green Poison pandemic.
Pre-Pandemic[]
Before the outbreak, Penn Station was one of the busiest railway stations in North America, serving as a critical artery for commuters, tourists, and travelers. Nestled beneath Madison Square Garden in the heart of Manhattan, it connected millions via Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, and New Jersey Transit. It's cavernous concourses and intricate network of tunnels buzzed with life, a symbol of New York's relentless energy.
The Green Poison Outbreak[]
When the Green Poison - a weaponized smallpox virus - swept through New York City during the Black Friday chaos, Penn Station became a focal point of the crisis. The station's dense crowds made it a perfect vector for the virus, which spread rapidly through the holiday rush. As panic gripped the city, Penn Station descended into chaos. Desperate civilians flooded the platforms, seeking escape, while first responders struggled to maintain order. The station's vast halls, once filled with the hum of daily life, echoed with screams and the crackle of emergency broadcasts.
The federal government, overwhelmed by the scale of the catastrophe, designated Penn Station as a critical evacuation and relief hub. The Joint Task Force (JTF) set up a makeshift command center within the station. Triage units and supply caches were established in the concourses, but the virus's lethality outpaced containment efforts. Within days, Penn Station became a graveyard, littered with abandoned belongings and the bodies of those who succumbed to the virus.
The Fall of Penn Station[]
As the JTF's resources dwindled and morale collapsed, Penn Station fell into disarray. The Rikers - a brutal gang of escaped inmates from Rikers Island - saw opportunity in the chaos. They overran the station, looting supplies and turning it's tunnels into a stronghold. The JTF, already stretched thin, abandoned Penn Station, leaving behind a skeleton crew that was quickly overwhelmed. The station's strategic value - it's central location, access to underground tunnels, and proximity to key Manhattan landmarks - made it a prized asset for any faction vying for control.
By the time the Division agents arrive in New York, Penn Station is a shadow of it's former self. It's grand architecture is scarred by gunfire, it's platforms cluttered with debris, and it's tunnels haunted by Rikers enforcers and scavengers. The air is thick with the stench of decay, and flickering emergency lights cast eerie shadows across the bloodstained tiles. Yet, beneath the ruin, Penn Station remains a linchpin in the fight to reclaim the city.