July, 2021. A crew of 7 astronauts who have been in space for an interplanetary project are en route back to Earth. They have lost contact with Mission Control for months and have come home to realize that life as they knew it has changed. Panic in Year 2020 takes place nine months prior to Atlas II's homecoming. It all started with the storm. An unprecedented freak storm that kept most of the nation on alert. This is about an ensemble group from Livingston County and what transpires soon after storm of the century ends. Those who are susceptible to its unknown effects undergo a transformation while they go into a deep sleep. Upon their awakening they are confronted and driven by a ravenous and uncontrollable hunger. Meanwhile, the survivors must learn to adapt to a new reality and fight for existence.