“If you move her in this condition, she could get worse or die,” said Natasha urgently. “You need to raise her core temperature right away.”
“What do I do?” Bennett asked.
“Do you still have your backpacks?” asked Natasha.
“Erin’s is gone. But I’ve still got mine.”
“Open it. Tell me what’s in there.”
“Why? What are you talking about?”
“It’s either archeological gear or medical supplies,” Natasha said. “I don’t remember which of you had which.”
Bennett set down the radio and scrambled to find the pack. He dragged it over to Erin’s side and quickly rifled through its contents. “Okay, got it,” he told Natasha. “I see several blankets and a large first-aid kit.”
“Okay, good. Put the blankets over her,” Natasha instructed. “Then dig to the bottom of the pack.”
“What am I looking for?”
“A tan pouch, about the size of a small transistor radio.”
“Yeah, I see it.”
“Unzip it. It’s an IV warmer. Put a bag of fluid in there and turn it on.”
Natasha waited until Bennett’s voice came back over the radio.
“Okay, done. Now what?”
“There’s an LED reading on the top. Do you see it?”
“Yes.”
“What’s it say?”
“101.”
“Good,” said Natasha. “When it hits 104, give her the IV. It’ll bring up her core temperature. Do you see a long, narrow, black-canvas bag right there?”
“Yes.”
“Open it. There’s a special thermometer for taking core temperature readings.”
“I see it. Now what?”
Natasha quickly explained how to use it. “What kind of reading are you getting?”
“She’s at 92.1,” Bennett said.
“Do you have a flashlight handy?”
“Yes.”
“Check her pupils.”
“They’re constricted.”
“But are they reacting to the light?”
“A little, yes.”
“How’s her pulse?”
“Weak, but she’s hanging in there.”
“Okay, check the IV warmer.”
“105.”
“Perfect. Give it to her now.”
With Erin’s blood vessels so constricted, Bennett had trouble finding a good vein. When he finally did and breathed a sigh of relief, Erin suddenly went into convulsions.
“Oh no! Erin!” Bennett shouted.
“What’s happening?” came Natasha’s voice over the radio.
Bennett couldn’t answer. He was terrified. Erin’s back arched. She shook violently. Then as quickly as she began, she stopped.
“She was convulsing,” Bennett reported, “but now she’s stopped.”
Immediately Erin’s body started shaking again.
“Now she’s convulsing again! What do I do?”
“Don’t worry,” Natasha said. “Her body is reacting to the temperature change. Just keep her stable and make sure the IV doesn’t come loose.”
Bennett did as Natasha instructed, praying aloud the whole time, asking Jesus to heal and comfort the woman he loved so much. He didn’t care what Natasha thought. He didn’t even realize the radio was still on. He just couldn’t bear the thought of living without Erin, the woman who had saved his life again and again.
“Jon, do you see another canvas case in there?”
“I do.”
“That’s a special ventilator,” said Natasha. “It pumps in heated air. There should be a twelve-volt battery pack in there.”
“Yeah, it’s right here.”
“Good. Hook it up, turn it on, and get it on her right away.”
It seemed to work. After eight or ten minutes, the convulsions subsided, and Bennett began to relax. Erin’s temperature was up to 96.4. Her pulse was stronger. And after a few more minutes, her eyes began to flut-ter open.
“Jon?” she asked, her voice weak and groggy.
“I’m right here, sweetheart,” he replied, putting his hand on her forehead.
She mumbled something else, but it was barely a whisper.
“Just rest, Erin,” he told her. “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be all right.”
But again she tried to speak.
“What’s that?” he asked. “What did you say?”
“Did we get it?” she asked, barely audible.
Bennett was stunned at the question. “What, the scroll?”
Erin couldn’t seem to nod. She barely had enough energy to speak. But she blinked hard, as if she was trying to say yes.
Bennett shook his head, amazed at her focus, even now, with all that she had just been through. “I’m afraid that’s going to have to wait, Erin. We need to get you out of here and find a hospital.”
“No,” she whispered back emphatically. “You… go… ”
A moment later, however, she had slipped back into unconsciousness.
Bennett radioed Natasha, his voice thick with emotion. “She just blacked out.”
“That’s ‘after drop,’” Natasha explained. “It’s normal. It’s part of the process. She’s going to be out for a while, but she’ll be fine. I promise.”
Bennett took a deep breath and tried to believe that. He rechecked Erin’s temperature every five minutes, and sure enough, it slowly began to rise, as did her pulse.
He thought about what Erin had said. It was a crazy thought. He couldn’t bear the idea of leaving her here all by herself, even for a little while. Who knew what lay ahead? But then again, given all that they had been through already, how could they give up now?
45
Viggo Mariano and his men sped up Highway 90.
Unless they hit traffic or police roadblocks, neither of which he expected, they would be in Tiberias in the next ten to fifteen minutes. Mariano pulled out a satellite phone and hit speed-dial.
Abdullah Farouk’s voice came on the line. “Where are you?” he demanded.
“We’re almost there,” Mariano assured him. “How about you?”
“I’m safe in Amman. The rest of the team is in position in the north. They just called. You were right. The U.N. vans worked like a charm. The hills are swarming with blue helmets. They blend right in. No one has even asked for ID. Perhaps I should have gone with them.”
“No,” said Mariano. “You need to stick with the plan and keep out of sight. What about the communications equipment I sent them?”
“They got it, and they’re sweeping every frequency, as you requested,” said Farouk. “They’ve found nothing yet, but they promised to call the moment they do.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Farouk,” Mariano said. “These guys are very good. If Bennett and his wife and the Barak girl are up there, they’ll find them and neutralize them. On that you have my word.”
Erin wasn’t the only one battling hypothermia.
It was pure adrenaline — and the grace of God — that had kept Bennett from slipping into shock as well. But he couldn’t just sit there. Shivering and soaked to the bone, he checked on Erin again. She was out — cold, as it were.
He picked up the radio and pressed send. “Angel One to Base Camp, do you copy? Over.”
An instant later, Natasha came on the line. “Base Camp to Angel One. How’s she doing?”
“She seems to have stabilized.”
“Should I come back up there to get you guys?”
Bennett hesitated, but only for a moment. He knew the stakes, and he knew time was running out. But he also knew that if the scroll was still here, it wouldn’t be for long.
“No, not yet,” he replied.