Paula began to regain consciousness slowly, her head throbbing. Her vision became blurry, and she had trouble thinking due to the pounding in her temples. She opened her eyes and blinked, bringing the room's dim light gradually into focus.
Even though she was in a new location, she knew she had not been relocated too far by the barely perceptible sound of the hotel's air conditioning system and the light aroma of cleaning supplies.
When she realized her hands were tied to a chair's arms, a wave of panic shot through her. She tried to pull on the restraints, but they were painful and dug into her wrists. Breathing heavily, she took in her surroundings.
Three men were in the room, talking among themselves. They didn't seem to notice her at first.
