Chapter 8

The constant beeping and hissing of machines fill the air, substituting for the almost lifeless quiet of the patients in the intensive care unit. The ICU is a large room demarcated into rows of two with five beds per row. The patients are separated from each other by a thin, translucent sheet of plexiglass. Most of the patients look relatively fine with little to no bodily injury, while the remaining few are covered in bandages with bruises peeking out. The tall blonde doctor moves around, checking vitals and monitoring recovery processes, although she seems distracted.

The clipboard above the bed shows that the patient, a middle-aged man suffers from a hernia and just underwent surgery a few hours ago. Meredith checks his vitals, and after ensuring that he is stable, she leans over him and runs her eyes across his sickly form. A wave of gratitude washes over her, and for once, she’s glad for her powerful hybr