Jehovah

Chapter Five

Josie could hear machines working around her, but her eyes felt heavy. She managed to pry them open and found herself in a hospital room. Josie then tried to move her head but was stopped by the oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth. She slowly panned her eyes around and found herself hooked up to an IV plus a blood pressure and pulse machines. Her eyes kept moving around the room until they rested on Connor. He was apparently asleep as he leaned back in the chair with his ball cap pulled over his eyes and his head hanging to one side. Josie did not understand how he could sleep that way, but she felt better that he was there with her. It looked like he had not shaved in several days from the growth on his face. She reached out and nudged the foot that was propped up on the edge of the bed until he stirred and pushed the hat back. Connor quickly leaned forward with a tired smile on his face and helped lift away the oxygen mask.

"Hey there, gorgeous. How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," Josie said in a whisper because her throat was dry. "Why does my throat hurt?"

"They had to intubate you when you stopped breathing. Do you remember any of it?"

"Not really. I could hear you talking to me, but I don't remember what you said. What happened?"

"You went into cardiac arrest, and they had to shock you twice to get your heart started again," Connor said with concern as he brushed the hair away from her face. "I'm going to go get your doctor."

Josie nodded and waited quietly until a tall Israeli man came back in with Connor.

"Dr. McDowell, I am Dr. Mehmet Faisal. You are in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. How are you feeling?"

"Awful," Josie said softly with a weak smile before shifting her eyes toward the door. She was asking herself where the team was when the doctor continued to speak.

"Well, you sustained a slight concussion and some bruising from your fall in the well. You also have a case of arsine poisoning, which caused cardiac arrest, and have been unconscious for several days," the doctor said as he checked her vitals. He noticed she kept looking toward the door in spite of the constriction of the tubes.

"Don't worry. They are all waiting outside. You haven't been alone the entire time you've been here," the doctor said as he finished with a look in Connor's direction as he finished his examination.

"Gentlemen, I believe someone in here wants to say hello."

Josie smiled sleepily as the team crowded into her room. With everyone in there, the room felt cramped, but Josie was happy to see that they were all safe. She smiled at each one as Connor moved to the back of the room to let everyone else see her. Josie did notice some relief in his stance as she greeted the team with a little enthusiasm.

"I'll give you all few minutes, but I must stress that she needs some rest."

The doctor left the room as everyone on the team started talking to her at once, expressing their relief that she was okay before everyone calmed down to explain what had happened. Josie was surprised to find that she had been unconscious for four whole days since being airlifted from Bethlehem. The arsine poisoning had attacked her neurological system causing seizures, but tests showed no lasting damage, and she would be back at one hundred percent in a few days since her exposure had been so limited. Josie was amazed considering she did not remember anything after getting thrown into the Humvee. Michael apologized for 'hurling her like a frisbee,' which made the whole team laugh.

"What about my bag?"

"It's being kept at Mossad headquarters in a secure vault until you can examine it," Michael said from his spot holding the hand that did not have tubes in it.