Chapter 12
Shortcut woke up to a group of blurry faces hovering around him. Their voices sounded large and booming, calling his name.
One by one, they came into focus: X was standing next to him and Brielle was sitting on the side of the bed with her hand on his. A doctor with spiky, black hair stood at the foot of the bed with his arms crossed.
“Mr. Aaronheart,” the doctor said, “do you recognize us?”
“Yeah,” Shortcut said. He tried to sit up, but then he felt a sting in his arm—an IV.
He looked down at his white hospital gown and brown hospital socks. A digital screen played the news on the back wall. An android nurse moved around the room, tidying up and filling the air with cleaning chemicals. His vitals beeped on a panel next to the bed.
Then he felt the grog lift, replaced by t
