Chasing Tomorrow Read online

  He nodded, then said, “We have to move.” He motioned the medic over. “Time to get her ready to transport.”

  The medic retrieved a collapsible gurney from his backpack and opened it up. As Zach lifted Arianna onto the portable stretcher, she let out a slight whimper. The morphine helped but did not totally ease her pain.

  Zach was shocked at how light she was. She’d lost a great deal of weight. It would make carrying her easier, but he hated to think about the hell she’d been through which had caused her to be in this emaciated condition.

  “Stay close,” Zach said to the medic, as he and Juan carried her out of the cave. “If the morphine wears off before we hit the LZ, she’s going to be in world of pain. Be ready to administer more morphine.”

  “Roger that, sir.” He patted his vest. “Got just what she needs.”

  The group started the rocky descent to the landing site. The three British aid workers were ambulatory, but in a weakened condition, so members of the SAS team assisted them down the mountain. When they came to a steep incline, it was a struggle to lower Arianna without dropping her, but they managed.

  Their descent was taking a lot longer than Zach liked. He feared they wouldn’t be able to safely extract before the Taliban had time to form up and re-engage. Finally, they arrived at the HLS where two of their Peshmerga fighters stood guarding the area.

  When they set Arianna down, she let out a long, low moan.

  “How’s the pain?” Zach asked.

  “Bad,” she whispered, “and…it’s…hard to…breathe lying…down.”

  Zach motioned for the medic. “She needs more pain meds,” he said to the medic when he arrived.

  The medic plunged another shot of morphine into her thigh.

  “We might be here awhile.” He looked at the medic, and said, “Let me have your backpack.”

  The medic looked at him with a confused look on his face, but handed Zach the backpack. He slid it behind Arianna’s shoulders, elevating her a bit to help with the breathing.

  “Any better?” he asked.

  She nodded and squeezed his hand.

  He stepped away to contact the command center. “Black Beauty to base. Black Beauty to base. Do you copy? Over.”

  There was no reply. He was about to transmit again, when over the radio he heard, “Base to Beauty. We copy. Over.”

  “Roger that. We are ready for extract. Over.”

  “Copy that, Beauty. We have helos your pos in fifteen mikes.”

  “Roger, Base. Do you have eyes on? Any traffic our way? Over.”

  “Negative, Beauty.”

  Zach turned to the team and relayed the message of the choppers arrival in fifteen minutes. “Stay frosty. We still have Taliban in the area. They’ve probably heard the gunfire by now and are searching for us.”

  With the women in the center, the men formed a three-sixty degree circle around them, providing surveillance in all directions, preparing for an attack on all fronts. Zach took a knee in a position next to Tony. “She’s in bad shape,” he said, motioning back over his shoulder toward Arianna. “I don’t think I want to know what happened to her up here.”

  “Understood, but she’s safe now,” Tony said. “Whatever happened is in the rearview mirror.”

  “Physically maybe, but she’s gonna have a lot of mental trauma to deal with.”

  Tony shifted to the other knee and adjusted his night-vision goggles. “She’s tough. She’ll have some downtime, but then she’ll bounce back. Takes a lot to keep that girl down. She’s a trooper, so don’t sweat it, man.”

  Zach felt a hand on his shoulder drawing his attention to something moving down below. First one, then several Taliban could be seen climbing up the hill. The word of approaching bogies passed silently among the men. Several soldiers lay across the women in the center to protect them with their body armor, while the rest of the team moved from the rear to the front assault position.

  Zach’s earbud squawked to life. “Beauty this is Base. Several bogies moving your pos. Estimate approximately twenty. Do you copy? Over.”

  “Shit,” Zach whispered, realizing they’d have a tough time holding off that many fighters especially if they outflanked them. “Copy that, base. We need back up. How far out are those choppers? Over.”

  He never heard the answer as the team opened up on the approaching, well-armed fighters. They seemed to be coming out of everywhere. Rossi took a hit and was down. Zach moved over beside him to check his status. Blood seeped through the sleeve of his shirt.

  “How bad is it, man? Can you fight?” Zach asked.

  The medic hustled up beside him and wrapped a compression dressing around the bleeding arm to stem the flow of blood. “Don’t worry about me, mate,” Rossi said, picking up his rifle. “I got this.”

  It looked like every Taliban fighter in the area had shown up. The flat surface of the LZ was perfect for a helo landing, but provided little cover for the men.

  “On my mark, lay down a wall of fire,” Zach yelled at Tony and Juan, “and the rest of you pull these women back behind those rocks over there.”

  The team blanketed the area with a hail of bullets as the women were moved. As soon as they were under cover, Zach and rest of the men joined them behind the rocks.

  “I’m out of ammo,” Tony yelled.

  Juan tossed him a clip. “Running low, too. Where are the fucking helos? We’re about to get our butts kicked.”

  The Taliban fighters had the rescue party pinned down and were advancing on them. At any moment, it looked like the rescue team would be overrun, when the beautiful sound of two Apache helicopters could be heard. Riding shotgun and providing flank support for the Blackhawk rescue choppers, the Apaches lit the area up with a blaze of firepower. After saturating the land below the LZ with bullets for about two minutes, the enemy was contained for the moment.

  “Move out,” Zach yelled, when the two Blackhawks set down. Peshmerga fighters exited the chopper and formed a perimeter around the choppers while the rescue team jumped aboard. Zach and Juan picked up Arianna and rushed her to the first chopper.

  All of a sudden Arianna hit the ground with a thud as Zach dropped his end of the gurney. He’d been cut down by sniper’s bullets. Two Peshmerga fighters rushed over to help lift Arianna into the helicopter while Tony and Juan ran over to see if Zach was okay.

  Arianna tried to get off the stretcher and go to Zach, but the medical team held her down. “Miss, we gotta go. They got him.”

  “No, please, I have to know if he’s all right. Zach,” she yelled, and watched as he was scooped up by Tony and Juan and carried to the second chopper which held the rest of the rescue team. Once inside, the Black Hawk lifted off.

  On Zach’s helo, the medics immediately began to work on him as Tony and Juan looked on, worried looks plastered on their faces. Blood was everywhere, and most of the injury seemed to be to his leg or lower back…the men couldn’t really tell. All they knew is it looked like a significant injury. A second medical team worked on Rossi. His wound looked to be bad, but not as bad as Zach’s.

  The rest of the team sat stoically on the side. The rescue had been a success, but no one spoke. No high fives were exchanged. No hoorahs uttered. Success had come at a cost.

  ARIANNA FELT the chopper lift off. Her long horrible nightmare was over, or was it? Zach had been injured in the rescue. How badly, she didn’t know, and she feared the worst. She was riddled with anxiety and her vitals were through the roof.

  “Try to relax, miss,” the young doctor aboard said. “You’re safe, now. You’re going home.”

  She rolled her head from side to side. “I need to know. I need to know if he’s all right.” Arianna wheezed as she fought for breath. “Zach Acevedo…on the other helicopter…tell me.”

  “Miss. Miss. Please. Lie down.” The medical team once again eased her back onto the gurney. An oxygen tube was inserted in her nose, allowing her to get the first full breath of air in over two weeks of captiv
ity. Someone inserted an IV in her arm, and she felt herself growing sleepy. She was not only receiving pain medication, but also some form of sedation.

  In order to check for injuries, a medic began to cut away the Muslim gown she had been forced to wear. She was happy to shed the hated garment, but even in this drowsy condition, was embarrassed by the filthy state of her own clothes and the dirtiness of her body.

  The female nurse, sensing her unease, said, “Just lay back and relax. We take care of fighters all the time who’ve been in the field for days…weeks. We’ve seen it all. We’re going to get you all cleaned up and pretty again.”

  Her kindness brought a fresh wave of tears to Arianna’s eyes. After enduring such barbaric treatment, the compassion shown to her, overwhelmed her emotions. Everything over-whelmed her at the moment.

  The medical team checked her arms, legs, and torso for any wounds while the nurse wiped away some of the dirt with sterile cloths.

  “Where are you taking me?” Arianna asked.

  “Where you’ll get the best care the Army has to offer,” the medic answered. “An American hospital near Ramstein Air Base in Germany.” He placed his stethoscope on her chest. “Breath in and out for me,” he said.

  “It hurts to breathe deeply. My ribs…”

  “Just do the best you can,” he said as he listened with this stethoscope. “Again,” he repeated moving the scope around.

  “I need to go find Zach,” she said, through slurred speech, the effects of the anesthetic working quickly on her frail body.

  “Mmh, sorry, miss. I don’t think so. My guess is you’re going to be in the hospital awhile.” The medic wrapped his scope around his neck. “From the sound of your lungs, and given the elevation in your temperature, I suspect you not only have cracked ribs, but pneumonia as well. Probably an infection, too.”

  Arianna grimaced. She didn’t doubt it. She’d not only been in pain, but had chills and little to no strength the last few days.

  “But you’re a lucky lady,” the medical assistant continued. “I think it’s a good thing they got you out of there when they did.”

  She didn’t have to ask what that meant. She knew, but she didn’t feel lucky. She felt her rescue had come at an extremely high cost. If Zach were mortally wounded, she might as well be dead, too.

  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 strippe
d 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.”