19
Jake awoke to a dull throbbing in his head. His eyes opened, and he found himself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling, smooth and painted a pale tan color. He shifted, thinking he could put his hands down on the bed where he lay — yes, that was definitely a bed — and push himself up to a sitting position.
Unfortunately, the restraints that kept him strapped to the bed had a different idea.
What the — ?
“I’m sorry about those,” came an unfamiliar female voice. Jake turned his head and saw a woman in her early forties standing a foot or so away. She wore a white lab coat and had dark blonde hair cut into a smooth bob. “But because of your particular talent, we thought it best to keep you restrained for a bit.”
“Who the hell are you?” he asked. His voice came out as a scratchy growl,
