"Wake up Sleeping Beauty, time to rise and shine." Eyal gently rubbing her leg, "We have better transportation waiting. Come on Annie wake up."
Annie came to half her senses immediately, eyes wide open to see a fuzzy Eyal standing at the back of the cart. "Where are we?" She was having a tough time focusing and with a throbbing headache.
"Israel. Need some information from you."
Annie seeing another face beside Eyal, that of a young lad maybe ten or twelve years old. "Who is that?"
"This is Rani and his brother Eri is going to help us. We need to know where you left your car. They are going to take us there."
"Avnei Eitan. Parked near a cafe in center of the settlement." Annie responded wondering how they were going to get there or better still, where were they?"
Another boy, older with signs of a stubble growth on his face, maybe seventeen or so came into view. Eyal turned to him, "Avnei Eitan, how far are we?" Eyal speaking in Hebrew.
"Fifteen to twenty minutes, on the other side of Nov." The older boy answered, "Do you need help with your wife?"
'I'm a wife now.' Annie thought, well she was wearing wedding rings and it does keep down the inquiries. Wonder how he explained the batter wife thing. Knowing Eyal it would be very believable and quite plausible for this area. He now speaking to Annie in Hebrew. "Come dear, let me help you out."
As Annie slipped off the cart yet another man, much older - an elderly gentleman standing nearby holding a strange looking farm tool in his hand. He had a kindly smile, remained Annie of her grandfather. Dog was standing close to the younger boy, Rani and wagging his tail. Eyal supporting Annie as he walked her to an old farm truck and helped her in the cab, sliding her to the center and he climbed in. Eri, the teenager got in the driver's side and started the engine.
Still speaking in Hebrew, Eyal started his explanation of current events. "Donkey and Dog have a new home, the gentleman needs Donkey to help with is vast garden and Dog has taken up with Rani. Every boy needs a dog as a friend. We have the kindness of Eri here for a ride to our car."
The ride traveling south pass the settlement of Nov and on to Avnei Eitan and the waiting Jaguar. Annie resting against Eyal side with his arm around her and listening to them chat about many things. Once arriving in Avnei Eitan, Annie pointed out the little cafe and there was the car, untouched. Eyal thanking Eri for the ride, help Annie to stand, leaning her on the Jaguar Eyal waved the boy on.
"I'm assume you don't have your keys."
"Sorry."
"Keep watch, no need for anyone see me picking a lock." Eyal quickly bent down and grumble a few Hebrew curse words. He hated Jaguars, they were so hard to steal, even with a master like Eyal. It took a little longer than he would like but the door clicked and they were in. Next obstacle to hot wire the car, this also wouldn't be easy, not only for a six-foot two man to crawl under the dash with his long legs deposited in the most abnormal position he went to work. He must be improving in his thieving skills because the Jaguar quickly came roaring to life.
"Haven't ask before but you do have a home base to work from."
"A hotel in Rosh Pina and my luggage is there. I'm registered under the name of Liza Kingman." Annie couldn't wait for what she knew would be coming next and she was right. A few more Hebrew choice words.
"Well just great. Mossad has no idea CIA was treading in on their mission and once all the facial recognition are scrutinize shit will hit the fan. Why in the hell can CIA and Mossad work together and not against each other. Both agencies have the mentally of a five year old. Oh hell." Another thought cross Eyal mind and it wasn't good. "Please tell me you still have your fake passport."
"Think you blow it up with Mujahid." Annie's words were a bit more slurred and Eyal caught it instantly, her condition is deteriorating and needs medical attention but also protection. Hell protection from his own agency.
"Okay, yeah okay we can work with this. It is even more essential to get your luggage and check out of the hotel. Leave a cold trail and you need medical attention. I know a doctor, we were in medical school together and next a place for you to hide." Eyal verbalizing his plans and that made Annie contented, he was watching over her like a sentinel, protecting and caring for her needs.
Reaching the hotel, Eyal parked the car, "What's the room number."
Annie had a difficult time trying to remember. "215 I think, on the second flood near the back."
"Wait here." Leaving the Jaguar running and thankful Annie had topped of the gas tank, found his way to the back entrance. Up the service stairs and finding her room but it didn't have the type of lock he could pick, he need a swap-card. At the end of the hall was the maid's closet and hopefully a service cart with a master card someplace. Inside the closet which was more like a small room and five sets of lockers. Check the lockers he found in the pocket of an apron what he needed. Taking the master swap-card he made short order of entering Annie's room.
Opening her travel bag he started collect up the items she had casted about and packing. Also packing the hotel courtesy shampoo and hair conditioner, he was ready to check out. Dialing the automated checkout number and following instructions, Liza Kingman had checkout and vanished. Closing the hotel room door and hearing the lock click, leaving the roll around luggage he quickly returned the master card to the pocket from which he had lifted it. All clear and no one had seen him, he grabbed the case and headed back to Annie waiting in the Jaguar.
On the road traveling south, his next call was to a buddy, "This is Eyal and I need a huge favor. Call me back when you get this message."
Disconnecting, Eyal looked over at Annie to find she was sleep again. If as he thought she has a concussion sleep and rest was the best. Just make sure he could wake her very hour. The drive to Tel Aviv was two hours long, only stopping to check on Annie and she still knew her name, her real one.
Just as they were on the outskirts of Tel Aviv Eyal's phone buzzed. It was Jaria Malcolm his old friend from med school and they still remained good friends. He patching up Eyal on many occasions without reporting and assuming this was such the case again.
"Yes of course. Bring her to the back, you know where and I be waiting." Jaria answered after Eyal had explained the symptoms to his friend. Again waking Annie but she is sliding fast, unable to control her leg movement with a real balancing problem. He could tell she had blurry vision as she couldn't reach for his arm and her speech was incoherent. He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the entrance where Dr. Malcolm opened the door for them. Selah, Jaria's trusted nurse for many years also waiting for their patient. They hurried Annie into X-Ray and pushed Eyal to bide his time in the hall.
Finding a chair, he sat down to wait and oh what agonizing wait it would be. Rethinking all the events and if he could have done anything different. He wasn't blaming himself, just a self-evaluation, a debriefing of sort, going over each detail of their escape to see it something could have been done better. Leaning his head back touching the wall he prayed.
Jaria Malcolm tapping Eyal on the arm. Eyal standing to hear the report. "She is dehydrated and have started a saline drip. I wrapped her wrists as they were rather raw and she has a relatively good size lump on her hear and a concussion. Also X-Ray showed a small laceration on her spleen which at this time I would not recommend any treatment and let it heal on its own. I am surprised she managed to stay on her feet this long after seeing the beating she has taken. I given her something for pain and here is more, you know the drill, keep her calm and comfortable. If this was normal circumstances I would place her in a hospital for a day or two but with your background you can take her home. I'll give you several bags of saline and change her wrists bandages daily. Selah is getting your supplies together and no need for me to tell you how to nurse the patient. She'll probably get better care from you than in a hospital anyway.
"Thank you Jaria, I do owe you."
"I've quit counting. Take care my friend."
Eyal was surprise to find the Jaguar still parked, an expensive car as the Jaguar left idling in a dark obscured back alley would sure have been gone. Maybe thanks to the door locking system he hated but now it was a bit quicker to get the door open. Loading in the drip rig in the back and taking the two bags of supplies Selah had assemble. Being a good nurse she gave him instructions.
Hold up a tube of antibiotic ointment , "Use this on her wrist to keep the infection down and help reduce the amount of scaring. Here is the pain medication, one every four hours as needed and six bags of saline until she can drink enough on her own. Go lightly with the food intake as she could start with nausea and vomiting. Don't let her sleep more than two hours without trying to get some reaction from her and call if her condition worsen."
"Good advice, now let's get our patient in the car." Eyal being exceedingly gracious with Selah, she has also given him the detail instruction the many times he needed Dr. Malcolm's mid-night surgical magic.
Annie resting beside Eyal as he drove through the street of Tel Aviv, even though it was late at night the street were a hum of activity and Annie being somewhat quiet just stared out the window at the traffic. Closing her eyes at intervals from harsh glare and soon she started to hum, a tune Eyal didn't know. Reaching his apartment and parking near the back, he could finally turn the car off and worry about it the follow day. Enough time had elapse for the pain medication to take effect along with her inability to think clearly or concentrate would make for strange behavior. In other words, she was high as a kite and feeling no pain.
So now Eyal was helping Annie to his apartment and she started to attract more attention than he was comfortable with. His neighbors had always seem to love his coming and goings and he was many times the headline for their gossip. Annie on a high from the pain medication and acting like she was drunk didn't help matters as he noticed Mrs. Meisel peeking out her third floor window.
An orange tabby cat stared at them from atop of a trash bin in the alley, flashing its sharp green eyes and tilted its head to inspect them with a slow flick of his tail.
"Awwww! What a cute kitty cat! Been left out in the rain to long, he is all rusty. Bet his name is Jake, here Jake! Here Kitty!"
"Hush Annie, be quiet! Heavens one would have thought that you would understand the significance of stealth." Eyal hissed at Annie as she smiled and keep with her senseless foolish rant as if she had never been interrupted.
Annie bowing down as the cat had jumped off the bin and now standing in the middle of the alley. "I always wanted a cat. He looks like the cat from outer space. Yeah the align cat Jake. Did you see that movie? One smart cat that Jake was." Annie now pulling on Eyal's arm, "Can I keep him? Please...Please." She begged, turning her brown eyes to him and the full power of her beautiful smile. She knew how to push his buttons even being drugged.
Oh damn, now she was using her puppy dog face on him and she just looked so adorable and he was weakening. What harm would it be... no, too much was at risk for some stupid alley cat.
"No Annie, now let's move it!" Eyal snarled at her as he tried to drag her while she crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground. This wasn't going to be easy. "Have a dozen red roses waiting for you if you don't put up a fight."
"Everything is coming up roses." She sang out at the top of her lungs.
"You'll be pushing up daisy if you don't pipe down." Eyal with a touch of gentle force if there is such a thing dragging her toward the door. They were halfway there and Eyal actually thought that they could reach his apartment without any further hassle. Wrong.
Breaking out in song, "Sweet kitty, warm kitty. Little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr and purr." Eyal's companion was belting out and much to the amusement of a group of teenagers. Eyal shot them a look, that dreadful look that made them scatter.
"Hey Eyal what's wrong with you? You are no fun." Annie asked relatively innocently and earned a scornful glare from him.
They were now inside the apartment building and on the way to the back elevator when Annie started singing again.
"Walk down that lonesome road all by yourself...Don't turn your head back over your shoulder... And only stop to rest yourself when the silver moon... is shining high above the trees..." She managed to keep her voice in perfect pitch even when totally drugged.
Eyal picked Annie up in his arms and managed to get the still singing woman into his apartment and on the sofa. "If I had stopped to listen once or twice... If I had closed my mouth and opened my eyes... If I had cooled my head and warmed my heart...I'd not be on the road tonight."
With all the trouble he had getting Annie into his apartment he had to smile, what she was singing was so true for both of them. He kissing her on the top of her head, "Can't you behave until I get the rest of the stuff out of the car."
Annie putting her index finger to her lips, making a hushing motion, "Do you want to know a deep dark secret?" She asked in a loud whisper.
Well might as well play along and Eyal nodded, a little intrigued.
"It is brown sugar." She said brightly smiling.
"What about brown sugar?" Eyal asked and hoping for the best.
"The secret to my sister's spaghetti sauce, it is a pinch of brown sugar." She exclaimed gleefully, "Sneaked in and watch Danielle make the sauce without her seeing me just like the good spy I am."
"Yes you are a good spy."
"Something else, did you know there are four cars and eleven lamp posts on the back of a ten-dollar bill?"
He shaking his head, hanging the saline bag on a lamp next to the sofa and settled down beside her, it was going to be long night and his only hope she would fall to sleep soon. Now knowing Annie and pain killing drugs were incompatible and her on drugs had turned her into a hyper happy drunk he had come to find out. Well it was a disaster but a rather hilarious one, you know the kind, make-a-video-and-use-for-blackmail disaster but of course he wouldn't do such a thing.
"Did you know the first CD pressed in the US was Bruce Springstein's Born in the USA." Annie said circling a pointed finger in the air and singing again, "...Born in the U. S. A... I was born in the U.S.A..." The gleeful Annie snickering as Eyal rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Hey Eyal, did you also know bats always turn left when exiting a cave." She looking over at Eyal with glazed over eyes and he not sure how well she could focus. "And did you know Adolf Hitler's mother seriously considered having an abortion but was talked out of it by her doctor."
"Now that Neshema was a crying shame. The woman had forethought too bad she didn't go through with it." Eyal responding with a leer.
"Hush Eyal, I'll never tell you said that." Annie turn her head toward him, "Oh I know a good one. Did you know most cats are left pawed. Bet you didn't know that."
And so it continued the random facts, the childish giggles and songs for another hour or so until her words started slurring together and her head nodding. Soon she was asleep much to Eyal's delight. He quickly ran down to the Jaguar and collected all the items including Annie's suitcase and return to find Annie still asleep, thank heavens for the little favors.
Lifting her oh so gingerly and carried her to his bedroom. Laying her on the bed he went into the bathroom for warm damp wash cloth and returning, he carefully pulled off the two days old clothes she was wearing, washing away the dust from under her neck, arms and around her ankles. There around her neck was the sterling silver chain necklace with the coin of Sebaste, the gift he had given her at Christmas time in Washington. His fingers slowing moving the chain to wash her neck, he was amazed she was wearing it and touched with a twinge of joy. As he continued to lightly wash her his heart broke in tiny pieces looking at her bruised and battered body, next he found pajamas in her suitcase and carefully removed her bra and panties and slipped on the PJ's, being so gentle not to hurt her. He turned down the covers and place her on her side with a pillow next to her back for support. She move slightly, snuggle to get comfortable finding a third pillow and holding the pillow close to her she was sound to sleep peacefully. This beautiful woman should never endure such harsh treatment and for the second time in his life, not since his love for his wife had he felt emotions of deep feelings. Looking at her so quietly sleeping free of pain he had to struggle to push down those emotions, she was only a friend, a good and kind friend in need and she trusted him. A trust he would never break.
He picking up the last pillow and a blanket to make his bed on the sofa and pleased it was a wide seven foot one. Picking up her clothes from the floor something clicked as it fell out of her pocket. Almost stepping on it he found a wedding ring. Checking the pockets and there was the other ring, he had just about forgotten she was wearing the rings when they crossed into Israel but then vanished out of sight, maybe when he was in her hotel room gathering her belongings. Part of her cover and now that little dervish side of him took over. Taking her clothes and rings into the laundry room off the kitchen he placed her clothes in the hamper for later washing. Back to the stronger light over the stove he examined the rings and mused. Who in the hell picked out such kitschy flashy rings as these and with a closer look, fake. CIA couldn't even provide her with real diamonds, for shame, but then again Annie had a way of leaving her luggage behind. Yeah that little dervish side of Eyal would rib Annie about the rings but not until much later went she has recovered but for now he was happy to be home and Annie safely sleeping in the next room. Tomorrow he would need help with Annie as he had business to take care of.