Slowly she opened her eyes. Everything was blurry so she blinked a few times. Little by little the room came into focus.
She attempted to bring her hand up to her face but found that her arms were tied to the side of the bed. She tugged on the bonds with as much strength she could muster up, but was unsuccessful in freeing herself.
Her stomach throbbed with an annoying ache of pain. "Dammit," she swore aloud, angry that she couldn't touch her wound in order to stem the pain.
"Good morning," a man said as he walked into the room.
Shalimar looked at him. He wore a long, white lab coat that was unbuttoned and he carried a steel clipboard. "Where am I?" she asked him.
He stood by the side of her bed, writing something down on the paper that was on the clipboard. "You were shot last night, at the carnival. You're very lucky. The bullet missed your vital organs. You've got a broken rib and lost a lot of blood. You'll be sore for a while." He stopped writing and put the pen away in his pocket.
"Why am I tied up?"
He pulled a stool over and sat down. "You were a little combative when you were brought in. It's for your own protection."
"Well, I'm not 'combative' anymore so untie me."
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
Shalimar glared at him, "Why not?"
"I don't have the authority to untie you," he said.
"Authority? What the hell kind of place is this that you need to have the 'authority' to untie someone?" Shalimar flinched and shut her eyes as her stomach burned with pain.
The doctor got up and reached into his pocket where he had a small vial and needle. He filled the needle and then inserted it into her I.V. bag. "That should help you with the pain. I'll be back later to check on you."
Shalimar watched him as he left the room. The medication he put in her I.V. immediately began to work it's way through her body. He eyelids got heavier and heavier and then she fell asleep.
The doctor walked out into the hallway. Just as he did so, his cell phone began to ring.
After letting it ring a couple of times he picked it up. "Hello?"
"Any problems?"
"No," he said to the man on the other end of the phone.
"Does she know where she is?"
"She thinks she's in the hospital. She doesn't appear to suspect otherwise. I'm keeping her pretty doped up."
"Don't give her too much. I don't want her to be completely useless."
"You worry too much," the doctor chuckled.
"Excuse me. There is nothing funny about this matter," the man said sternly.
"Hey, remember who called you about this little treasure," the doctor reminded him.
"Yes, Doctor Rainer, I'm fully aware of that. I'm merely looking out for my precious cargo is all."
"I wouldn't go calling her yours just yet. Until I have the four million dollars deposited into my account she's still mine."
"You'll have the money at midnight."
"Then you'll have the girl in the morning just as we had talked about."
"I'll see you in the morning then," the man said before he hung up.
The doctor hung up the phone and looked at Shalimar's medical chart. "Sorry sweetheart, you were in the wrong place at the wrong time...twice."