Ten Minutes Later

Vienna's eyelids fluttered.

Then slowly-painfully-she opened her eyes, blinking under the soft light of the bedroom.

Alan leaned in.

"Vienna. You're awake. You're okay. Do you hear me?"

She blinked again. Her lips moved, dry and slow.

"A...Alan..."

Then she passed out again, gently, her body relaxing for the first time.

Alan's heart pounded.

"She closed her eyes again! What's wrong?"

Joel placed two fingers on her wrist and nodded.

"She's stable. Her body is shutting ...