Mitch attempted to rise again, and then thought better of it. He could hear John speaking and raised the phone to his ear.
“I can hear the ambulance coming,” John said. “That will be for you Mitch, so just stay put and let them do their job.” As he finished talking Mitch saw two men in white uniforms and a large blond woman enter the room.
“Is that them?” John asked.
“I don’t know, they’re speaking German,” Mitch answered.
The woman took the phone out of his hand and spoke in English. “Hello John, it’s Eva here. We’re with Mitchell now. I’ll call you from the hospital.”
“Thank you Eva, I’m very grateful.”
“That’s no problem.” She hung up on Mitch’s phone and gave it back to him as the ambulance officers prepared a stretcher to lift him.
“Hello Mitchell, I’m Eva Fuchs, your legal attaché here in Berlin.” She leaned over him. “Do you remember who did this to you?”
“I don’t even know what I’m doing here.” He closed his eyes as a wave of nausea passed over him.
An ambulance officer raised Mitch’s head and waited. He said something in German and Eva translated.
“He said let him know when you are ready and they will move you onto the stretcher. Are you going to throw up?”
Mitch opened his eyes and waited a few seconds.
“It’s passed,” he said.
The ambulance officer shone a light in Mitch’s eyes and studied his pupils. He said something in German and then they pushed Mitch on one side to put the stretcher under him.
Mitch woke in the hospital. He looked around at the sterile white room with a window that looked out onto another building. On the side of the bed was a table where his phone and hotel room key sat. Eva rose from a chair on the other side of the bed.
“You’re okay,” Eva told him. “Do you know who I am?”
“Eva,” he said. “You shouldn’t have stayed, I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.” He began to get up.
“It’s my gym night but I’ll catch up. Now stay put,” she instructed.
“I’m fine, really,” Mitch assured her.
“The doctor will tell us that. Wait and I will get him.”
Mitch watched her walk to the door. She was an Amazon, easily six-foot-three or more, wide, solid but not fat and with short blond hair about an inch in length. She must bench press, he thought, looking at the size of her shoulders and arms. She had a presence, he decided, watching her confident stride.
Mitch touched the back of his head and felt an enormous bump and tender spot. He thought about what had happened. He remembered more now; Julian Schmid standing with his arms raised and then he remembered turning slightly to see Benjamin Hoefer about to strike. That doesn’t make sense. Why when I’m there to protect Benjamin, would he strike me down? Unless he’s working with Julian on something or is too scared to have the mission interrupted. But what are they threatening him with?
A bespectacled doctor in his late fifties entered with Eva and greeted Mitch in English.
“If you feel you are able to leave, then I will sign you out, Mitchell,” the doctor said. “However, there are some symptoms you need to be aware of.” The doctor moved to get his chart.
“That’s all right, thanks Doctor, I’ve had concussions before,” Mitch said.
The doctor ignored him. “Regardless, Eva will keep her eye on you. You may find yourself not able to think clearly or concentrate; have symptoms of nausea and vomiting; be a little short-tempered and unable to sleep; and you need to be careful because your balance might be off. Understand?”
“Yes,” Mitch answered as the doctor shone a light in his eyes.
“Do as Eva says now for at least the next forty-eight hours. I’ll discharge you and organize the paperwork if you want to finish getting dressed.”
“Thank you,” Mitch said. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, waited until he could see straight and stood up. He sat back down again.
“I’ll get your shoes,” Eva said.
“I’ll be right,” Mitch said.
“You heard the doctor, Mitchell, do as Eva says for the next forty-eight hours.” She gave him a smile.
“It’s going to be a long few days isn’t it?” Mitch frowned.
“Oh yes,” she teased.
“Eva, I appreciate you rescuing me but we have to move quickly. I’ll get you up to speed but Benjamin Hoefer has been taken out of the US under threat. He’s here, he’s frightened and he knocked me out rather than be freed from his captor.”
“What are they threatening him with?” Eva asked.
“I don’t know but it must be major and I’m worried that once they get what they want, Benjamin will be superfluous.”
Mitch rose, steadied himself, finished dressing and walked slowly out of the hospital room with Eva by his side.
“You can stay in my spare room tonight,” Eva said.
“No that’s okay, I can go back to the hotel,” Mitch said as they left the hospital and she hailed a taxi.
“I have to watch you, just for the night, so you are coming home with me. If you are fine in the morning, I’ll drop you back to the hotel to change before we begin work. I am all yours now for the next week if you need me.”
Mitch wasn’t sure whether to be worried or pleased.