Two Secrets, One Truth

"Next thing she knew, a wall of glacial water hit Reagan like a ton of bricks, water forcing its way into her nose and mouth, clogging her airways. Attempting to open her eyes, they seemed to be glued shut as she coughed and sputtered, trying to expel the liquid. Spewing most of it, she took a breath as another wave hit her, drenching her thin hospital gown, releasing what kept her eyes closed.

Attempting to raise her hand to wipe her face, her lethargic brain struggled to make her muscles move until she realized her arms and legs were tied to something. Rolling her head to the side, she forced heavy-lidded eyes to open. Searching the blurry, nondescript room, she landed on an outline of a man shrouded in cigar smoke, its acrid odor singeing the inside of her soggy nose. Then?

A distant alarm began to trill . . ."