LANDSTUHL REGIONAL HOSPITAL, GERMANY

The Blackhawks flew safely out of the cave area and made a stop at an airbase in Iraq, where Arianna was transferred to a C-17 and medevacked to a hospital in Germany. She had scanned her surroundings as they moved her from the helicopter to the plane but strapped to a gurney, she was unable to see any sign of Zach.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the ER staff began running tests to determine the extent of her injuries. A chest x-ray and a CT scan confirmed she had cracked ribs, and her condition was complicated by the presence of pneumonia and severe dehydration. Other tests revealed the presence of a kidney infection. Evaluations completed, she was taken to a private room in the hospital where nurses took over her care.

“Come on, hon,” her charge nurse said as soon as she arrived in the room. “Let’s get you out of these clothes and into a clean gown. But first, we’re gonna get you washed up.” She unhooked Arianna’s IV and oxygen, then helped her into a wheel chair. “Can you breathe okay, sweetie?”

Arianna nodded. “I’m okay as long as I’m sitting up.”

She looked over at the bedside table and spied a phone. For hours now, she had pleaded with everyone she’d come across in her journey, to and within the hospital, for help in making a call. She was desperate to find out what had happened to Zach. In fact, she’d fought so much to get up and get to a phone, they’d had to restrain her several times.

“Nurse, can you help me?” she asked. “I need to make a phone call.”

“Sure, hon, but don’t you want to get cleaned up first? I think you’ll feel better.”

“No, you don’t understand. My boyfriend. He was part of the team that rescued me. He was wounded. I need to find out if he’s okay.”

The nurse grimaced. “Oh, dear, I see.” She wheeled her over to the phone. “We have an American operator working our phones. She’ll help you place your call. It’s complicated sometimes.”

Arianna sat there thinking, struggling to clear her foggy mind in order to figure out who to call. Probably no need to call Zach’s phone. If he could talk, he would have already called her. She didn’t know Tony or Juan’s numbers so that was out. The only sure contact was Lisa. Even if she hadn’t heard anything, she could put Arianna in touch with Carlos, who would surely have an update.

She picked up the phone and hesitated a moment. Did she really want to know what had happened to Zach? Of course, she did, but what if he hadn’t made it? Was she prepared to receive that bad news? She let out a ragged sigh. Yes, I have to know one way or the other. With the assistance of the overseas operator, she placed a call to Lisa.

“Arianna? Oh, my God,” Lisa squealed when she heard Arianna’s voice. “Oh, my God. Where are you? Are you okay? Are you free?”

“Yes. Yes,” Arianna said. “Now listen. Have you heard from Zach or Tony?”

“No, nothing. They’ve been gone ever since you were kidnapped. I haven’t heard a word from them. I thought they went to rescue you. You mean you haven’t seen them?”

“Yes, I have, but we were under attack as we were being evacuated. Zach was shot.”

There was an audible gasp on the other end of the phone. “Oh, no…and Tony. Is he all right?”

“Yes, he’s fine as far as I know, but I have no idea if Zach’s even alive.” A lump formed in her throat as she spoke these words. There was a long pause while she fought to maintain her composure. “I can’t believe neither Tony nor Juan have contacted me. Lisa, I think something terrible has happened.”

“Now. Now. Don’t jump to conclusions. I’m sure there’s a good reason we haven’t heard anything. I’ll try calling Tony. If I can’t get him, I’ll track down Carlos. I’ll call you back as soon as I get some answers from one of these guys. Where are you? How do I reach you?”

“I’m at Landstuhl Hospital in Germany.”

“Hospital? Are you all right? Are you in the hospital or just there to see someone?”

“In it. I wish it was just a visit, but I have cracked ribs and pneumonia. Not to worry though. They’re taking good care of me. I should be out of here in a few days. Now, listen. Make those calls, and call me right back. I’m in room…” She looked at the nurse who pointed to the room number on a sign above her bed. “I’m in room four thirty-eight. Call me back as soon as you know something. Please hurry. I need to know if Zach’s okay.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I know something, and, Ari, thank God you’re safe. I can’t wait to see you.”

They hung up, and Arianna sat there with the phone in her lap, not wanting to let it go. The nurse released the locks on Arianna’s wheelchair, then gently took the phone out of her hand. “This will be here when you get back, hon. If it’s bad news, it will find you soon enough.” She began wheeling Arianna down the hall. “This is a military hospital. We sure do get our share of bad news. Just keep the faith and pray, sweetie.”

When they arrived at the bathing facility, the nurse assisted Arianna in removing all her clothing and steadied her as she lowered herself into a large Jacuzzi-like tub. All but the arm with her IV port sank into the warm, swirling water, soothing her battered body.

The nurse wet Arianna’s hair with a hand-held sprayer, added some shampoo, and began massaging her scalp. Round and round. Side to side. Up and down, the nurse’s gentle hands moved, lulling Arianna into a complete state of bliss. She’d never gone more than a day in her life without bathing, but because of her captivity, it had been weeks since she’d had a bath. The filth of her body was all part of the demoralizing experience she’d been thrust into. There were times, because she was forced to live in such a deplorable condition, she felt she’d been stripped of her humanity. Being rid of a month’s worth of dirt and stench was like a tonic to her soul. She finally felt human again.

“Okay, hon,” the nurse said, as she rinsed the shampoo out of Arianna’s hair, “we need to get you back to your room.”

As much as she hated to leave the heavenly bath, she was anxious to get back to the phone. The nurse helped her to dry off and to put on a fresh hospital gown. She whisked her back to the room and steadied her as she got into the hospital bed. Once settled, the nurse hooked her back up to an IV and oxygen. Almost instantly, whatever was in the IV caused her to be groggy. Pain free, but oh, so sleepy. She felt herself drifting off to sleep.

“Nurse,” Arianna said, through slurred speech, trying to stop her before she could leave the room, “I feel so sleepy. Can you please change whatever is in this IV? I need to stay awake. I’m expecting a call.”

“Sorry, hon. This is what the doctor ordered.” She checked the drip of the IV. “I’m afraid the medication they’re giving you causes drowsiness. You’d to be in terrible pain without it.”

“No, I have to stay awake.” A feeling of complete desolation washed over her. She may be in a safe place, but her long nightmare would never be over until she was back in Zach’s arms. Back into his living, breathing, healthy arms.

AS MUCH as she fought it, she was finally overtaken with sleep. Her exhausted, dehydrated, frail and injured body finally fell into a deep, drug-induced slumber. Hours later, she was startled awake by the jarring sound of a phone ringing.

She tried to rise up quickly and reach for the phone only to be greeted by a stabbing pain in her chest. She paused a second to let the pain pass, then eased her way to the phone. “Hello,” she answered, hoping it might be Zach’s voice on the other end of the line. But it was not. It was her mother calling.

“Mom.” She was instantly overtaken with grief at hearing her mother’s voice. She choked up and was unable to speak. What is wrong with me? I’m a blubbering idiot.

“Oh, Arianna, thank God, you’re safe,” Kathryn said, then she too broke down in tears. Only muffled sobs could be heard on the phone as both women struggled to collect themselves. “I’m sorry to be crying like a baby. I’m just so happy you’ve been rescued. I’ve barely slept a wink since the moment you went missing.”

Arianna grabbed some tissues, dried her eyes, and tried to compose herself. “I thought about you every day, Mom. I was so afraid I might never see you again. I prayed like I’ve never prayed before, and God brought me home, but, Mom, now I’m worried. Have you heard from Zach or anyone?”

“The only person I’ve heard from is Lisa who called to tell me you were safe and give me your contact information. She said Zach was wounded. Is he all right?”

Arianna swallowed hard. “I don’t know. There was gunfire all around us. I saw him fall and not get up. Several men rushed over and scooped him up. I tried to go to him, but they took him away on a different helicopter. I’ve not heard a thing. It’s been twenty-four hours, and I’m surprised neither Tony nor Juan have contacted me with an update on his condition. The fact that I’ve heard nothing is really upsetting.”

“I understand, but listen, Arianna. Just relax. According to Lisa, you have some healing to do yourself. I’m sure if anything serious was going on, someone would contact you.”

“No. No, that’s not true. It’s just the opposite. I think something serious is going on and that’s why they haven’t contacted me. If Zach could talk, he’d call me. If he had only a minor injury, he’d be here by now. I have to get out of here and go find him.”

“Now, wait, Arianna. Stay right where you are,” Kathryn said. “Just settle down and relax. You’re in no shape to go anywhere. Where would you go anyway?”

“I don’t know. Somewhere where people can help me locate Zach…people who could put me in touch with Tony or Juan. I can’t sit around here doing nothing.”

“No. No. No. Stay put. I’m coming over to be with you. I was contacted by someone from the government and offered a seat on a government plane so I should be there by late tonight your time. We’ll figure this out together, and I’ll fly back to the States with you when you’re released. But whatever you do, do not go anywhere. Do you hear me?”

There was a long silence on the phone.

“Arianna, are you still there?” Kathryn asked.

“Yes,” came the reply through muffled tears. “I’ll be right here waiting for news about Zach.”

“Very good,” her mother said, heaving a huge sigh of relief. “Rest now, and I’ll see you tonight. I love you.”

“Love you, too, Mom.” Arianna clicked the phone off and sat there in a stupor. The nurse from the night before came into her room and saw her sitting awkwardly on the side of the bed.

“Oh, here, hon. Let’s get you back under the covers.” The nurse took her arm and eased her back into the bed. “Your breakfast will be here soon. Are you hungry?”

Arianna rolled her head slowly side to side.

“Well, you need to eat so you can start getting your strength back and regain some of the weight you’ve lost.” She rearranged the pillow behind Arianna’s head. “I’m about to go off duty. Is there anything I can get you before I go?”

Answers. Information. Help me find out what’s happened to Zach. She pointed to the phone. “Can you hand me the phone, please? I need to make a call.”

The nurse raised her bed to a comfortable position and then moved the phone close to her. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Some man showed up on the floor around midnight asking about you.”

“What?” Arianna perked up. “What man?”

“Not sure. I was in your room, changing your IV bag when he appeared. You were sound asleep. He asked how you were doing. I told him what I could. He thanked me and left the floor.”

“Did he give you a name?”

The nurse checked Arianna’s IV one more time. “No name.”

“What did he look like?”

“Hmmm…. civilian clothes. Hispanic maybe. Dark hair. Brown eyes. Medium height.”

This couldn’t be Zach, Arianna thought. He’s wounded. Tony? Juan maybe. They’re all Hispanic. But why wouldn’t he wake her? Why wouldn’t he leave his name or come back and see her in the morning?

“All right then, hon,” the nurse said. “My shift is up. I’ll be back on duty tonight. I’ll be praying you get good news by then.”

As Arianna sat alone in her room, a feeling of dread seeped into every pore of her body. She suspected the unknown man was Tony or Juan, and the fact they hadn’t come in to see her, told her something was very wrong.