Tsunami Connection

by Michael James Gallagher

  "I always have your best interests at heart. You seem more at ease now. That's more like it. Now please, put that mischievous bird back in his habitat. We must talk before Sam arrives."

  "I had an eerie premonition today while I visited Zak. I remembered an old anti-war film that I saw in California. I had a strange feeling of sexual arousal when I held his hand and I suddenly remembered a scene in the film."

  "What was the name of the film?"

  "Just a minute. It's on the tip of my tongue. I know, 'Johnny Got His Gun'. I can't remember the name of the director."

  "It was about an explosion victim during the first war. The detonation blew his frontal lobe off completely, but he was still alive. Is that it?"

  "You saw it then."

  "I certainly did. It was very popular in the 70s."

  "Do you remember the scene with the nurse near the end of the film?"

  "Sorry, I can't really remember it. No. Wait. It's coming back to me now. Wasn't the nurse in love with him?"

  "Yes, she was. All the doctors thought he was brain dead, but she knew he wasn't and then he started to use Morse code to communicate with her when she came into the room. She recognized the code and reported it to the doctors."

  "What does all this have to do with you?"

  "Today, I tried to arouse him by touching him under the blanket. He became aroused a little. It wasn't full and hard, but it changed. It got harder and his testicles seemed to roll over a little."

  "He is one lucky man. I don't really know what to say."

  "After I did it, I thought of the tragic end of the film. I can't get that image out of my mind."

  "When did you become so sensitive, my love, my Yakiri?"

  "A waste of all that training, isn't it?"

  "I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you. Your days in the field are over."

  "Is it because I showed you my soft side?"

  "No, my love. It's the product of a quarter of a century of work. You'll be offered the job of running the Mossad."

  "I am no functionary and I need either the adrenalin of the field or a normal life. Right now, I think I am gravitating toward a normal existence without any adrenalin. It will help me forget."

  "Tomorrow we have an appointment with the Prime Minister. He has all but agreed. You are my life's work, child. Tomorrow you'll achieve what I never could."

  "You never told me this was so important to you. I knew you had plans for me, but I never imagined you were plotting a coup of sorts in the Mossad. Do you understand that you sacrificed my team to your plans for my ambition?"

  "I made it to the shared top of the HaMossad, but I was always prevented from making the next step up the ladder. I never wanted that problem with the team. How did you find out about it?"

  "Shafiq, in Buenos Aires. He talked before he died and he had information on his computer that sealed his fate. Your trust was misplaced. But forget that for now. All these years you were grooming me?"

  "You might say that."

  "And Sam was plotting for Zak."

  "You've always known that I was a very competitive person."

  "You must not let on that you know about Shafiq's errors to Sam."

  "I am afraid I've already told him. Your days are numbered here at Mossad. It was too much. My whole team perished because of your plotting."

  "Did Shafiq tell you what I ordered and he agreed to perform?"

  "Yes, I understand that the RPG was supposed to be faulty, but Shafiq was either compromised by MacAuley, or the secret service of the new Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt. We'll never know which of the two caused the problem unless we can catch MacAuley again."

  "I doubt we can get anywhere with him, even if we get him again, unless he has something to gain. He is too hardened to give in. He'll die first."

  Kefira shook her head. She thought of the secrets she kept for Sam and now, ironically, Yochana was asking Kefira to keep secrets from Sam. Lack of transparency bred future problems, she thought.

  All of the killing in Buenos Aires had resulted from Yochana's well-meaning, but misguided schemes. Kefira was relieved that she had already talked to Sam. 'No more secrets' was her motto now.

  The door bell sounded, interrupting their tête-a-tête. Kefira got up from her chair and coaxed the Kea parrot onto her hand. The bird side-stepped up her arm to her shoulder as Kefira walked towards the entrance to the bird's outdoor enclosure. She opened the person-sized entrance and walked into a large cage, a vegetation-filled mini-arboretum. Yochana's griping about the enclosure belied her deep affection for the bird. She had kept up and evolved the rooftop area's vegetation and structures over the years.

  Kefira always came back to see the bird, but in reality, the animal had become Yochana's. The young woman in Kefira always came out in this enclosure. She began humming a tune from her time in secondary school when she was first training for Mossad, but not yet in the full-time special school in the desert. It was an early song from the father of Israeli rock, Shalom Hanoch. The song was called 'Agadat Deshe' or 'Grass Legend'. She was lost in thought, watching her parrot become curious about a new addition to his home. Sam broke her reverie by singing the words to the song she was humming.

  "That was one of my favorites as well," he said, breaking the ice in the gentlest manner.

  "Hello, Sam. We are both grieving today. I am so sorry about what I have done to your son. I have no words," she said, tears streaming down her face.

  "You mean you haven't heard!"

  "Heard what?"

  "He woke up today. The floor nurse just called me. I can't stay for our meeting, Yochana," he said, turning to the older woman.

  The woman he faced was crying tears for his son, but Sam could have sworn he saw anger behind her tears.

  "Strange expression in your eyes, Yochana," he said turning back to Kefira.

  "Will you two get anything you need? We are going to the hospital. I was on the way here when I got the news."

  "Mazel tov," they all shouted, feigned only by Yochana, as they danced in a circle holding each other's shoulders.

  ZAK IN HOSPITAL

  April and May 2012

  The nine-minute drive from Melchette Street to Ichilov Hospital flashed by Kefira, Yochana, and Sam in six minutes. Sam used his blue flashing lights. He concentrated deeply and spoke little until he leaped from the car, lights flashing blue, leaving the driver's door open. The deafening sound of a large military transport helicopter landing on the roof signaled an arriving trauma and blocked out Sam's voice as he ran toward the hospital. Kefira looked up, her mind fled back to the Sinai, to her team scattered all over the sand, in pieces interspersed with chunks of super hot metal and the ever present smell of high octane fuel and burning flesh. Yochana took her arm and shook firmly.

  "Don't even think of going there in your head now. We only have a few minutes. You are my life's work, child. My whole life is about to go up in smoke," said Yochana, looking piercingly into Kefira's eyes, while holding her two arms tightly.

  "Those were always your plans," answered Kefira, shaking herself loose from the older woman's grip.

  "Stop. You must assert yourself and not let them take your rightful place from you, from us."

  "No. You listen to me now, old woman. What about Shafiq? I killed him in Buenos Aires, but not before his computer hard disk gave me the evidence I needed to convict him. Your plotting got my team killed," uttered Kefira through clenched teeth.

  "It was not like that. It was not my fault. Shafiq was a faithful agent for years in Egypt. He made an error in judgment. How could he have known that MacAuley was actually working for the Russians?"

  "The Russians. How do they fit into this mess? Forget it. You make me sick! Open your eyes! Zak is my man. He has been lying in bed, dying before my eyes, and you are still plotting my bureaucratic rise. They say timing is everything. Today your timing is way off. Now let go of me or I'll tell Sam about Shafiq. Let go! Now! I am going upstairs to see my m
an back from the dead. I want his children, not your Mossad, as my legacy."

  Yochana stood near the open door of Sam's car. She watched Kefira walk and then run toward Sam as he stood holding the hospital door, looking confusedly at her. Kefira arrived beside him, tears in her eyes.

  "You don't need to say anything. I don't know everything, but I began to piece things together in the last few weeks. Now it is Zak that matters."

  "I am so sorry I was taken in by that charade. I trusted her so deeply. She rescued me from the worst moment in my life. I couldn't imagine ill of her. I am heartbroken."

  "We all are. You're not alone. Let's go up the stairs, the elevators are so slow here," said Sam as they passed through the security at the entrance of the hospital. His face earned him a brisk salute from the young officer at the door.

  "I know it is you, Sir, but I must ask for your documents anyway. I must scan them."

  "I wouldn't have it any other way, Corporal."

  Kefira handed over her documents next. The young Corporal had heard the rumor mill after the success of the Syrian incursion by some special forces. Everyone knew, without knowing, that a woman had led one of the groups and that that same woman was in love with the other group's leader. Here she was, coming to visit again. The expression in his eyes showed that he had derived a conclusion, and a look of admiration and respect filled his nod. Kefira had become used to this nod now. At first, she had feared for her cover, then she became pleased. She and her team, along with Zak's group had, after all, prevented a possible genocide.

  Kefira and Sam approached the room with some trepidation. Would he be all there or would there be permanent damage? They looked at each other and each took a deep breath. The door swung inward. First, they both heard his voice, strong and commanding. He was talking to the nurse in charge, asking how long he had to stay in the hospital. From behind the curtain, they looked at each other and sighed with relief.

  "Yakiri, Ahuvi," blurted Kefira as she burst into the conversation between the nurse and Zak.

  Zak turned to Kefira and looked puzzled. His brow tightened and a deep frown filled his face. He did not respond to Kefira and he looked emptily at Sam, his adoptive parent.

  "I am terribly sorry. Do I know you people?"

  Kefira wiped the tears from her eyes, looked at Sam, and then back at Zak. The nurse, who had consoled Kefira through these weeks of hell, came around the bed, took Kefira in her arms, and whispered in her ear. "Sometimes it takes a while to get everything back. He has been in a coma for some time now. Don't be discouraged. It is very positive that he is so physically well."

  "Please forgive me, nurse. Please leave us," said Sam to the nurse.

  "Should I leave as well?" asked Kefira.

  "No, you may be privy to this information."

  The nurse took her leave. It was a military affair and she knew her place. Despite years of experience with cases of amnesia after battlefield trauma, Sam was startled. He looked at his son and decided to take the role of commander, instead of father, perhaps shielding himself from the emotional shock of losing his son a second time in as many weeks. He reached into his pocket and drew out a light blue box, the color of the blue in the Israeli flag. He saluted stiffly.

  "I am instructed by the Prime Minister of our great country to secretly offer you the highest Israeli Military decoration, The Medal of Valor."

  Sam opened the box and removed the orange strap and silver medal. He gestured to Zak as he reached to Zak's chest and held the medal in place.

  "This is for valor above and beyond the call of duty. As you know, your role in this mission is top secret. You may never wear this award, but rest assured that the people who count know about it," said Sam, as he removed the medal and placed it again in the blue box. He stepped back formally, saluting stiffly.

  Out of habit, and happy to have a ritual to contain her disappointment, Kefira saluted as well. They both looked at Zak.

  "This is all too much for me. Why am I receiving a secret award? What have I done? For that matter, who am I? I remember my name, but my past is a mystery to me. Thank you for the medal. I am proud to have accomplished something so important and I hope I will soon remember what I have done. Now please, leave me in peace. My head hurts in a way I have never before experienced. He turned over, reacting as if he had already forgotten about their conversation. He was snoring as they left the room.

  Outside the door, Yochana stood waiting for them. The nurse had paged his recently assigned specialist, Doctor Mordicai. He was stepping out of the elevator thirty meters away. He looked left, then right and walked toward Sam, Kefira and Yochana. He had recognized Sam from an earlier consultation about Zak. The nurse busied herself with opening the door of a consultation room and the doctor gestured to the three of them to enter.

  "I am Doctor Mordicai. Do you remember me? We met briefly about two weeks ago."

  "Yes, of course. Please excuse me for not standing. I am a bit in shock. When we met last time, I did not inform you that that young man is my son, rather my stepson. I saw no reason at the time," said Sam.

  "May I ask your relationship to the patient," said Doctor Mordicai to Kefira.

  "My relationship to him is classified," said Kefira, as she produced her credentials and showed them to him.

  "I am afraid I will have to ask you to leave while I speak to the only family member present."

  "Do you know who I am, Doctor?" said Sam.

  "Not exactly, though I can guess. Perhaps I should explain. I am not Sabra. I come from the States. I am here on an exchange program because of my specialty in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the battlefield. I worked extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq. I am sorry if I have broken some code of conduct here."

  "It is a surprise to me that a Jew not born in Israel can have access to people who might give away military secrets inadvertently," replied Sam.

  "If it's any consolation, I am the best, and your soldiers are getting the best possible treatment. As well, I was a Special Forces, Navy Seal medic. I have the clearance for this."

  "I will look into this. This woman is under my authority and she will stay," said Sam, opening up his credentials as he spoke. Sam continued, "It seems to be a precedent to me. Nevertheless, what is wrong with my son?"

  "He most likely has post traumatic amnesia."

  "Is it permanent?"

  "It can be, but people often come out of it in a few weeks. His mind is protecting him from what he experienced. I need to study his case. My knowledge of his injuries is only circumstantial. I won't go into details now, but I can if we schedule a consultation. I saw him two hours ago. He seems strong and alert. It is possible he will learn to accept his reality and his past will return to him. I can't really tell you for certain."

  Both Sam and Kefira asked about treatment methods at the same time. A brief smile passed on her face as she looked at Sam. He felt somewhat relieved as well.

  "He seems in good health, other than the mental trauma. I would like someone he used to be familiar with to take him back to his place of work, for starters. He can be an outpatient as soon as we check all of his vitals. He may be ready to leave in, let's say, two or three days, that is, if he does not have any other problems. You understand he must be supervised twenty-four hours a day?"

  "I will take care of the supervision. I am his lover," said Kefira, tears welling up in her eyes.

  "If it's any help, most of these cases settle in about two weeks, definitively. It really is hell to lose the person twice in such a short time; buck up, and put that energy into fighting for him. Well, if there are no further questions, I must get to my newly-arrived patients. No rest for the wicked."

  "Thank you very much, Doctor Mordicai," said both Sam and Kefira.

  "My pleasure. Here is my card. It has my personal numbers on it. Please feel free to call me, day or night."

  "That is very kind of you."

  "The pleasure is all mine. Obviously, this Zak of yours is a very
special person."

  "I must check on your clearances, Doctor, but you must know that he is very special and he was privy to highly sensitive information. If you pass the grade, I will be back to inform you of what you need to know," said Sam.

  "Give me back the card. I have a connection at Israeli Military Special Forces. Colonel Hebron. I'll write his number on the back of my card. It might save you some time."

  "In the meantime, I will up the security here a bit. We will have someone inside the room and someone on the door as well," said Sam as they shook hands.

  The doctor nodded to Kefira and extended his hand to her. "He'll come back to you. I can feel it," added the doctor.

  "You can't imagine how I feel. His group was my point team. I sent him in and watched from a safe distance."

  'I have a good feeling about this case. He is very clear minded. Something he does in the next few weeks will jar him back to his past. We will make a program of experiences that are sure to get him back for you. For a civilian, the prognosis would be weak, but we can depend on his training to help us. Tomorrow morning at 9:00, at my office on the second floor."

  Sam had been using the landline to communicate with Israeli Military and he came back with a smile on his face.

  "Doctor, you are just what the doctor ordered, if you will pardon the turn of phrase," said Sam.

  The doctor's beeper signaled and he took it from his hip. The intercom called Doctor Mordicai to go to trauma. It was an urgent message.

  "I knew when I heard that bird coming down on the roof I'd be busy tonight. Tomorrow morning, 9:00 sharp."

  Sam looked at Kefira. Her eyes were shiny, but no longer flooded. They walked down the hallway. She linked arms with him and he raised an eyebrow as he looked at his daughter-in-law to be.

  "You know, he never listened. Maybe he was right about you, though. I wanted him to be all work and no play. Do you remember that demo you did?"