Chase slowly opened his eyes after what felt like an eternity. He found himself gazing at Kellie, who sat beside him. "How long was I out?" he asked, his voice still groggy.
"You're awake. I'd say you were out for about five minutes," Kellie replied, understanding the confusion on his face. Five minutes might not have been much, but for Chase, it had felt like an eternity of pain. "What were you thinking, Chase? You knew that boy was armed, yet you walked up to him without any cover."
Before Chase could respond, a series of footsteps echoed behind them. Belinda and Cloris were leading a group of five people toward them. While Chase couldn't fully grasp the situation, he was certain that one of these newcomers had something to do with his sudden collapse.
*****
Meanwhile, back at the facility:
