Cold Storage 2025

Skylab tank lands in Western Australia

In 1979, an oxygen tank from the decommissioned Skylab survives atmospheric reentry and lands in Western Australia. A farmer salvages the relic and builds a makeshift Skylab museum around it. The incident seeds a fascination that hints at later, unseen consequences.

Fungus outbreak and vault storage begins

In 2007, Dr. Hero Martins accompanies Pentagon bioterror operatives to a tank carrying an infectious fungus. A farmer's attempt to clean the tank liberates the mutated fungus, killing him and many nearby. Martins takes a sample before a patch on her boot corrodes the hazmat suit, infecting her and allowing the fungus to control her thoughts. The military incinerates the farm and moves the sample to an underground cold storage vault at the Atchison Storage Facility in Kansas.

Vault sealed; ground level leased to self-storage

In the years following, the vault is sealed to the public and the ground level is leased to a self-storage company. The facility remains quiet and isolated as the fungus inside continues to evolve unseen. The arrangement hides the growing threat from the outside world.

Ma Rooney seeks suicide; alarm triggers alerts

Present-day Ma Rooney enters her storage unit intending to take her life. Night guards Travis and Naomi hear a beeping alarm signaling a vault system malfunction caused by rising temperatures. A military officer contacts Robert, signaling that the fungus poses a real danger.

Robert travels to Kansas; meets Trini

Robert answers the call and travels to Kansas to help contain the outbreak. He is greeted by Trini, who drives him to retrieve a necessary device from her home. The team begins to prepare for a possible confrontation with the spreading fungus.

Infected rat king blocks vault entrance

Travis and Naomi reach the sealed vault as an infected rat king looms outside the door. The outside fungus rapidly expands, threatening to breach the storage facility. Inside, the tense countdown toward a wider outbreak begins.

Outside spread via cockroach and dead cat

An outside strain of the fungus infects a cockroach, which then infects Mike's dead cat. The revived cat dies by self-impalement, spreading remains and infecting Mike and a deer. The outbreak starts spilling out beyond the vault's walls.

Deer swells and Mike pursues; duo seek refuge

The deer swells and explodes as Mike pursues the humans, and Travis and Naomi hide inside a storage unit. The situation grows more dangerous as the fungus threatens more people. Tension rises as they wait for help.

Military involvement; Abigail redirects to Robert

The trio contact the military for help, but Abigail redirects them to Robert. Robert arrives and advises them to stay hidden and follow his plan. The mounting danger remains as the fungus edges closer to the humans.

Griffin's biker gang raid; Ma Rooney intervenes

Griffin arrives with a biker gang to steal televisions from storage units. Mike infects the gang, thwarting the theft; Griffin tries to escape but is saved by Ma Rooney’s intervention. The chaos brings the rescuers and the scientist together outside the facility.

Backpack nuke and plan to destroy facility

Robert gives the team a backpack nuke to place outside the vault door, intending to destroy the facility and eradicate the fungus. A tense march to the exterior unfolds, with infected eliminated along the way. The plan hinges on a successful detonation from within the facility's walls.

Griffin is killed during the chaos

Griffin tries to steal Robert's car keys and is killed by Trini during the confusion. Travis, Naomi, and Robert flee in Trini's car as the situation spirals. The blast's timing remains critical as the group fights to escape.

Bomb detonates; escape

The backpack bomb detonates, destroying the facility from within and halting the spread of the fungus. The trio escapes the collapsing scene in Trini's car. One infected is killed during the chaotic escape.