**NIKOLAI VOLKOV:**
I blinked against the sunlight streaming into the room, trying to clear my head. My head hurt, and the explosion was still a blur in my mind. As I lay there, I slowly realized what was happening—I was alive, but I didn't know how I got here or what happened to the people I cared about.
The door creaked open, and Fiona walked in. She looked relieved but serious. "You're awake," she said, moving closer. "We're in Switzerland. You've been out for a while."
"Switzerland?" I said, confused. "What about Cassandra? Is she okay?"
"Yeah, she's fine. She's handling the media stuff. Everyone's talking about your connection to the mafia and drugs, so she's taking care of it. Plus, her family's having their own crisis."
"I need to see her!" I said, trying to sit up.
"Are you serious? You're still on medication. Your parents called, and I explained everything. Aton's cleared some things from the media, but there's something else." She handed me a glass of water.
