Chapter 22 A Day Under The Sun

• Tony’s eyes fluttered open, and a sharp pain shot through his head, making him wince. The light was too bright, his vision blurred, and every sound seemed amplified. He groaned, trying to piece together where he was and what had happened. The last thing he remembered was a hazy conversation with Marissa, and then—nothing. Now, his body felt heavy, and his limbs were sluggish as if he’d been drugged.
• As his senses slowly returned, Tony realized he was in a sunlit room with thin white curtains billowing in the gentle breeze. He tried to sit up, but his head throbbed intensely, forcing him back down onto the pillow. He blinked a few times, squinting against the harsh light streaming through the window. A groan escaped his lips, half frustration, half agony.
• “Ah, finally awake, sleepyhead!” came Marissa’s cheerful voice, far too loud for Tony’s pounding head. He turned his head painfully toward the source of the voice.