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Ryan, Jako and the medical staff were standing by when the chopper arrived. Janie had not regained consciousness. The medics rushed her down to the hospital ward. The doctor met them at the double doors and instructed the nurse to take her straight in for surgery. Kat watched all this from her hospital bed. All of the excitement was causing her to have flashbacks about her own experience being shot.
The team gathered in command. Ryan assured them that there was absolutely nothing they could have done differently. Janie had followed her training, and she was getting the best possible care. Ryan asked Jake and Reese to join him in interrogating Cadiid, then suddenly thought better of it. It would be better not to broadcast their real identities, just in case Cadiid was able to get word to the outside. Ryan would do the interview alone.
Jake requested that he be allowed to go check on Kat. Ryan gave him the okay. She was still awake when he entered the room.
“How is she?” Kat asked the second she saw him.
“She’s still in surgery. I don’t know much else,” he said sitting down. “How are you feeling? Ryan said you enjoyed being a part of the operation, in a sense.”
“Yes, it felt so familiar to me for some reason.”
“Have you been able to remember anything else?”
“Just flashes here and there,” she paused for a moment. “I’m really glad you made it back safely.”
“So am I,” he smiled. “Can I interest you in a game of chess?”
“You certainly can.” She laughed, swinging her bedside table into position. “But what I would really like to do is get out of this room. I can’t even remember the last time I took a breath of fresh air.”
“You know what...I’ll be right back.” He returned a few minutes later with a wheelchair.
“Are you serious?” She asked as Jake lifted her from the chair and into the chair.
“I just got the okay from the doctor.” The nurse adjusted her IV and Jake wheeled her through the house and into the courtyard. Kat closed her eyes and took a deep breath, smiling to herself. She felt more at peace now than she had in months. She wished she could sit out here all day.
“We have a formal garden too. Are you up for a short ride?”
“Absolutely!”
Ryan and Jako were waiting for Janie to come out of surgery. They were told that it had been touch and go, but they should be able to visit her in a few hours. It wasn’t long before the entire team had filtered into the waiting room. Jake made sure that Kat was still feeling up to it. She assured him that she wanted to be there when Janie came out and promised to tell him if she started to get tired.