In the days after the President visited us, Connor seemed to take a turn for the worse. Each day his breathing grew more labored as if his lungs were starting to fail. Johann began frantically running tests, bracing for the worst. It was possible that his lung injuries has become infected.
“Johann,” I told him one day as we were pouring through readouts for any sign of changes, “Please don't burden yourself with guilt. It isn't your fault if he got an infection.”
“But it is.” he said without looking up, “I have always been a consummate professional and in my decades as a surgeon, I have not once missed something like this. I am truly at a loss. I can't find anything.”
“I know,” I said, taking a short break to grab us coffee from the pot we had been cycling for two days. “I just don't understand. Nothing has really changed, the medics are both passed out from exhaustion trying to help figure out the CT scans.”
“What was that?” He said looking up.
“The medics are exhausted,” I replied confused.
“That's it,” he said excitedly, “Go grab Somber and the medics!”
“What? Why?” I said confounded.
“You've figured it out,” He said like a child who was looking through the window of a toy store. “Go get them, hurry.”
“Oooook” I said, maybe he was started to become delusional due to the lack of sleep.
“Hey,” I said gently shaking Coffey, who was now openly dating the other medic, Maddow. “Dr. Brier needs you two, it's urgent. I'm going to grab the Lt. Col., ok?”
“Yes ma'am,” Maddow said, getting up on the other side of the pull out mattress they had been sharing.
“You two are so cute,” I said grinning, giving them a hard time.
They had shared a mutual attraction ever since they had met the first day here. It only made sense that they would eventually become an item. They both embarrassed easily, so teasing them had become something of a game the residents used to amuse themselves. When I arrived at the bed and breakfast, Sombers was no where to be found, but his men said he hadn't been in the field. Confused I started walking toward the general store, hoping to find him there.
“Hey,” I said when I spotted him have lunch with Jeanine on her porch, “What are you kids up to?”
“Well, the Lt Col was just telling me that Commandant Rigalio has recommended him for a promotion.” She said, and hurried inside suspiciously.
“Oh yeah?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “When did you talk to him?”
“Actually ma'am,” He replied, calling my bluff, “He called last night. He asked me to relay a message to you even.”
“Oh, you were being serious?” I said laughing, I was pretty tired myself. “What did he say?”
“Well, they've decided to let us connect to family members within the next week, all my men, the townsfolk, and yourself included.”
“How do they know who we want to talk to?”
“Well, I guess they weren't lying when the President said that the entirety of our government is at our disposal.”
“Even the long distance companies, I guess.” I said making a dated reference.
“Did you need an escort to town to buy a calling card?” He asked continuing my bad joke.
“No, sorry.” I said, “I almost forgot why I had come. Dr. Brier needs you for something, it seems important.”
“Well then,” he said after thanking Jeanine for lunch, “Let's not keep him waiting.”
“So why were you at Jeanine's?” I asked on the walk back. “Are you two the next Coffey and Maddow?”
“Jeanine is a lovely lady,” he said, “But I had come over to inform her that her daughter had made a request to have her youngest grandchild stay with her for a while.”
“JoAnne?” I asked
“Yes Ma'am.” he told me, “The mother made a request through the transit authority to send her up here and our Intel services picked it up. She'll be here within the week.”
“Johann is going to be thrilled,” I said happily.
“Jeanine thought so also.” He replied, “Did he say what was so prudent?”
“No, we were pouring over Connor's test results and he had some kind of an epiphany.”
“I certainly hope he's correct.” Somber said. “Can I tell you something that stays between the two of us?”
“Sure,” I said, this day kept getting weirder.
“Well, before my teams were routed here,” He said “Commandant Rigalio and I were attempting to set up a sort of clandestine partnership with the local resistance fighters.”
“My god,” I said shocked, “It is true then. The military really is allowing people to sneak off base to fight?”
“Well it's unsanctioned of course,” he explained, “The troops involved are all fully aware that if captured, they have not been given leave. But yes, we've been working on training and arming local militias.”
“Why?” I asked, “Why not just recruit them?”
“Well ma'am,” he said, “as you are aware, there is a certain amount of contention between the council of the joint chiefs at this time. The chairman would certainly not approve, however it allows our marines an unprecedented opportunity to fight in Asia. We would have seen them all pulled out if not for the Resistance.”
“I still can't believe that Connor's message has actually taken a concrete form.” I said in awe.
“Good Afternoon, Sir!” the medics said, saluting in unison as we walked through the door.
“At ease,” he said taking a seat across from Johann who was still buried in paperwork. “Doctor, you called for me?”
“Oh yes,” He said happily, “yes, I did indeed. I need a very large favor Lt. Col.”
“And what might that be?”
“How intimate is your knowledge of our current naval hospitals?”
“As I understand, the are some of the most advanced facilities in the world,” he replied.
“Excellent,” Johann said as he handed him a piece of paper with something scribbled on it. “That machine, I saw it in a medical journal last year. It is a portable active brain imaging device.”
“And you need this in order to find out why the General's body seems to be failing him?” he asked
“Yes, yes.” he said pausing, “How did you know?”
“Doctor, I’m briefed on a daily basis.”
“Ah yes, my apologies,” He said, “I seem to be suffering from a profound lack of sleep.”
“You're doing a fine job, regardless.” He said trying to decipher what Johann had written. “is this the actual name of it?”
“Yes,” he said laughing “as far as I am aware anyways.”
“I can't believe that's a real world. These medical terms are beyond me.”
“Can you secure one for us, sir?” Maddow asked eagerly.
“If I can manage to pronounce it, I'm sure.” he said. “Please excuse me, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you so very much Lt. Col.” Johann said, frantically shaking his hand.
“Anytime, doctor.” he said and left.
“So that's what you wanted?” I asked, unsure exactly what “it” was.
“Yes, you're the one who figured it out.”
“How did I manage to do that?” I asked quizzically.
“You said they were exhausting themselves going through the brain scans and it hit me,” he explained. “what we needed were not just stationary images, but an active view of his brain function.”
“The doctor thinks he's losing function because he is stressing his nervous system, trying to force it to act!” Coffey blurted.
“Wait, are you telling me that he's trying to wake himself up?” I asked, so shocked I had to take a seat where Sombers had just left.
“Yes, darling,” Johann said softly, “I believe that he is fighting to break out of this shell his body has become. if we can map the acti
vity we may be able to kick start the process with certain types of therapy.”
“I can't believe this,” I said, my hands covering my nose and mouth as if praying. “Are you certain he'll come to eventually?”
“Coffey, Maddow please excuse us.” Johann said kindly.
“Yes, sir,” they said, leaving the room promptly.
“Liz, dear,” he said sitting down in a closer chair, taking my hand. “Nothing is ever certain with catastrophic injuries like he has suffered. However, you know him better than anyone on earth, and I truly believe that the man you have taught us so much about is fighting to get out.”
“Oh, Johann” I said hugging him. “I never thought I’d be able to look into his eyes again. I was so sure I had lost him forever. What if he comes back to me and only wants to keep fighting? I can't bear to lose him again.”
“Well that is a decision that you will have to make when the time comes,” He said comforting me as if he were my own father. “Just keep in mind that he may not be the same as when you saw him last, for better or worse.”
“I know,” I said my mind becoming numb, it was too much to process. “He might be blind, deaf or even worse.”
“Those are all certainly possible,” he said, “but what I mean is that you may find that he did not wake up at all, it's possible that he has been fully conscious and trapped in his own personal hell for the last few months with no relief from his pain, loneliness, or agony.”
“Surely, he wouldn't be angry with me.”
“No, darling probably not,” he went on, “but I have encountered patients who awoke to find themselves in a changed world, after being driven to the edge of their mental faculties trying to shatter the wall in front of them.”
“Well, Johann,” I said “If that day ever comes then we're going to have to be there for Connor, at his side fighting through it just like he would do for us.”
“Exactly, but let's hope no one gets shot this time.” He said trying to make me smile. “I don't want to fill you with false expectations, but I think you have a right to prepare yourself.”
Sombers soon came back to inform us that he had been able to get the device Johann requested, but it would take a few days.
The next day I was summoned to the command center where my phone call awaited. I was nervous, my heart beating a million miles a second, like a prisoner who placed all their faith in that solitary call to the outside world.
“Hello?” I said, holding my breath until I received an answer.
“Lizzy, it's mom.” The voice on the other end answered.
“Mom?” I said stammering, “Mom are you ok? Is dad ok?”
“Baby, everyone is fine.” She said in the Brooklyn accent I had loved so much as a child. It was an accent full of attitude and determination. “Dad and I are safe. In fact New York is one of the safest places on the planet right now.”
“I'm so glad to hear that.” I said at a loss for words.
“Baby, I need to ask you somethings,” She said cautiously. “And you know you can tell me anything, right?”
“Right mom,” I said as Sombers nodded, he had explained that he had to record all the calls for security reasons. “But you don't need to ask me.”
“I had a feeling it was him,” She said, we had such a close bond that she hadn't needed to ask if Connor was the General. “I'm so proud of you baby girl. Your daddy and I both are.”
“Thank you mom,” I said, “I was afraid you wouldn't understand if I ever told you.”
“Oh honey,” She said, “Your daddy knew as soon as he heard. He knew it was You and Connor who saved all them people.”
“How did you know, mom?” I asked.
“Honey, don't you remember?” she explained, “When Connor's parents died and we came to town to help you guys with the funeral, your house was only a few blocks away from that store.”
“Oh my god,” I said recalling what had happened. “You're right, we went there to get food for the wake.”
“Yeah, and Connor gave such a beautiful speech about his folks.”
“He did,” I said remembering how he had stood before the couple hundred people who had attended, stoically trying to honor his parents on what had until that point been the hardest day of his life. “Oh god mom, what would I have done without you? I couldn't even get him to eat, he was so broken up.”
“That was more your daddy than me though, honey.” She said “I think the hardest part was when they had to go deal with the bank about his parent's business.”
“You're right,” I said, “Daddy really loved Connor, I was so happy I had finally found a guy he didn't want to strangle.”
“Sweetheart...” She said concerned.
“Yeah mom?”
“What do you mean, “he really loved him?” she asked. “Has something happened to Connor?”
“Oh god,” I sad covering the receiver, unsure if I could even tell her. She was becoming frantic, I could hear her calling my name over and over.
“Your parents have been cleared,” Sombers said, “In fact they're under protection.”
“Thank you.” I said, the god-damned tears welling up again. Was there no limit to how much I could cry?
“Lizzy, honey, please answer me.” My mom begged.
“Yes mom, something happened.”
“Oh no, oh god no. Are you safe?” She said sounding as if her heart was breaking.
“Mom, right now I am the safest person in the world, I promise you that.”
“Sweety, what happened to Connor,” she asked, but in a way that sounded like she didn’t really want to confront the truth. “We heard rumors he might have died, that's why there haven't been any more tapes...”
“He's not dead mom,” I said wondering how many times I’d have to tell this story. “But he's close. We lost him for a while after we were ambushed trying to flee Portland.”
“Honey what do you mean close?” I heard my dad in the background. “That doesn't make sense, how can you be close to dead?”
“Hi daddy, I miss you.” I said before continuing. “Johann said he's..”
“Who the hell is Johann?” My dad said, he was gruff but endearingly sweet.
“Johann is his doctor Daddy,” I said to him, they were on speakerphone. God how I hated that. “He's in what they call a locked in state.”
“Like a coma?” my mom asked, her accent skewing the words.
“Kind of mom,” I said trying to explain it. “but he has a high level of brain activity, his body just won't respond.”
“Come home Lizzy,” my dad said sounding more vulnerable than I had ever heard him. “Please just come home so we can know you're safe.”
“Daddy, you know I can't just leave him.” I said, “Would you just leave mom if she was sick?”
“No, baby of course not.” he said dejectedly. “Lizzy, he called me about a month before this all happened, did you know that?”
“No daddy,” I said confused, “What was he calling you for?” Usually, I called them and they asked to talk to him at some point.
“He asked-” My dad said, starting to choke up, I had only once seen him cry. I was a just a kid, only eleven and my mother had just miscarried at seven months. “He wanted to know if he had my approval to propose to you. He asked me for my permission, Lizzy.”
I said nothing, it felt like I had just been hit by a train. All at once I was reliving every moment of our struggle to survive while simultaneously imagining what our life could have been like, if not for the war.
“He never got around to it, did he?” my dad asked after a moment. “I'm sorry, Lizzy I just wanted you know. I told him yes, that he was already a part of this family and if he ever wanted out, that's when I was going to put my foot down.”
“I can't believe this,” I said still in complete shock. “Why did this have to happen to us?”
“We've neva been too religi
ous, sweetheart,” my mom said. “We always tried to teach you that whatever god is out there, well he's gonna judge you based on your actions, not which philosophy you subscribe too. Connor understood that. I think he knew that he had been given a chance to make a difference and took it, it doesn't mean he loved you any less.”
“He laid down his life to save me and the kid that was running with us,” I said unable to even continue my sentence, the pain had faded some, but now it was back and unbearable.
“And he did save you, Lizzy,” My dad said “In fact he probably saved all of us. You know after the tapes started playing, that's when people really started fighting back, they stopped being so god damn afraid and started giving these guys a reason to be more scared of us than we are of them.”
“Ms. Johnson,” Somber said, “I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to release the call.”
“I have to go. I love you mom, love you too daddy.” I said not wanting to put down the handset.
“We love you too, Lizzy.” My dad said. “Just don't forget that we're here anytime you need us.”
“And you can always come home, sweety.” My mom said, I could tell she was starting to cry.
“Goodbye,” I said as I set down the phone.
“Oh honey,” My dad said trying to get more in before we were cut off. “Read to him, it might help. It always did when your uncle was sick, even though he was asleep he would still smile.”
Chapter 22