Coming Soon:

THE FIRE FROM HEAVEN

FROM THE AKKADIAN MEDITATIONS

CHAPTER 5 - THE PATIENT

Tuesday, March 7, 1961

ST JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL

LEXINGTON, KY

 

The morning sun’s rays gently streamed through the hospital room’s venetian blinds, heralding a beautiful spring day, as they cast a soft glow upon the patient who lay sleeping in bed.

Outside of the room, the muted sounds of the hustle and bustle of a new day became louder, which made enough sound for the patient to slowly open his eyes and look around.

 

From his vantage point, he could see that one of his legs was in a cast and suspended. His midsection was also heavily bandaged, and he felt a sharp pain in his head. Upon lifting one arm to his forehead, he felt another heavy bandage around his head.

 

He tried to recall what brought him here but couldn’t. He had no memory and could not recall anything.

 

As the rising sun gradually brightened the square room, he could see two doors on the wall to his left. The first was solid and the second door had a framed glass pane near the top to allow others to see into his room.

 

He was in a medical facility, and he was a patient. As he lay in bed, he could through the glass pane that a man in uniform stood guard outside his room.

 

He was a prisoner.

 

The door to his hospital room opened abruptly, and a woman entered. She was of average height, slim and wore a uniform designating that she was an employee of the facility.

 

The nurse was pleased to see he was awake and said, “Good morning. I’m so glad to see that you’re finally awake. I’m nurse Anne Walker and I’ve been looking after you.”

 

“Where am I?”

 

“You are at Saint Joseph’s Hospital, in Lexington, Kentucky. You were in an accident and were brought here a month ago.”

 

“A month ago?”

 

“Yes. You’ve been in a coma until now. The doctor will be in shortly. Now this might sting. I just need to take another sample of your blood.”

 

The nurse inserted a hypodermic needle into his arm and drew his blood. All the while, he lay in silence, his mind wondering who he was, and what had happened to him.

 

The nurse finished taking his blood and as she was leaving his room said, “Doctor Andrews is on his way. Try to keep comfortable. You had quite a fall.”

 

“A fall?”

 

“Yes. A group of hikers found you and brought you in.”

 

Minutes later, the doctor arrived, checked the charts hanging at the end of the bed and then asked the patient, “How are you feeling sir?”

 

“I feel a sharp pain in my head and in my side. I can’t feel one of my legs at all.”

 

“You are extremely lucky given your extensive injuries. You have broken ribs, a broken leg, and sharp lacerations on your head. You’re lucky that the hikers found you when they did.”

 

“I’m grateful to them. Where was I found?”

 

“In the Mammoth Caves, not far from here, in a chamber that had been previously unexplored. The hikers were lost and happened upon your body amongst the rubble.”

 

“I see.”

 

“What can you remember from the incident?”

 

The patient tried in vain to recall anything, but he couldn’t and answered, “Absolutely nothing. I can’t remember anything from the incident.”

 

“Can you remember your name or where you’re from?”

 

He stared out the window at the rolling hills for what seemed like minutes, and to his frustration, found that he had no memory of who he was.

 

The patient answered sadly, “No. I can’t. I don’t even know who I am.”

 

The doctor had observed cases of severe concussion before, and they often resulted in memory loss which would eventually return.

 

Given that this patient had been in a coma for so long, the doctor wasn’t alarmed and said reassuringly, “You’ve just woken up from a coma. Memory loss is normal for severe cases of concussion like yours. The main thing is that you’re lucid, you’re healing remarkably well, and with the right treatment, you should be back on your feet in no time at all.”

 

The patient nodded and replied, “Thank you Doctor and thank you Nurse Walker for all your help.”

 

The doctor smiled and reached for a cord on the side of his bed, and placed a device in one of his hands, saying, “You’re welcome. Now, I’ll be running a few more tests. If there’s anything you need, just press this button and someone will be right in. Do you have any questions?”

 

The patient gestured to the guard standing outside the room and asked, “Doctor, who is the man standing outside the room?”

 

The doctor casually replied, “Oh that’s just an officer from the local precinct. It’s standard procedure when a patient is admitted without identification that we post a security detail outside. No need for concern. It’s for everyone’s protection.”

 

The doctor was lying.

 

This was not standard procedure. When this patient had been brought in by the hikers, he was wearing a strange amulet around his neck which was confiscated by the police. He had no wallet, no driver’s license, and his clothes had no tags or markings on them. A test on a sample of his blood revealed no known human blood type. Further tests revealed that his lymphatic system showed signs of self-healing as if his body was repairing itself. He could have been lying on the ground for months, all they did at hospital was to simply accelerate the healing process. The doctors at the facility could not explain their observations or results from his tests, so out of an abundance of caution, the FBI were alerted, and they fingerprinted the patient while he was in a coma. Record searches revealed no known felonies and out of an abundance of caution, they recommended that a guard be posted until they could find a means of identifying who he was.

 

The patient upturned his hands to the doctor and showed them to him saying, “One more thing.

​

Why are there black stains on my fingertips?”

 

“It’s standard procedure in cases like this. We’re just trying to establish your identity.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Now, if there are no more questions, I’ll leave you. Remember, if you need anything, just press the buzzer and someone will be right in.”

 

The patient nodded and replied, “Very well, thank you.”

 

The doctor left the room and closed the door securely behind him. As he walked towards his office, he was greeted by a dark suited man who requested a private conversation. The doctor ushered the man into his office and closed the door.

 

The man in the suit showed the doctor his identification and said, “Doctor Andrews, I’m Agent Jackson from the CIA and I’m here to ask you some questions about the patient you are treating for concussion.”

 

“Oh yes, the John Doe in room 1B, curious case.”

 

“John Doe?”

 

“Yes. The patient can’t recall who he is or how he got to where he was found.”

 

“He is a person of interest to the Agency.”

 

“Is he wanted for some crime?”

 

“He is a person of interest. When will he be well enough to be released?”

 

“In a couple of weeks. Given his injuries, he’s healing remarkably well.”

 

“What are his injuries?”

 

“He has a fractured skull, three broken ribs, and a broken leg.”

 

“Where was he found?”

 

Doctor Andrews had already filed a police report and was curious as to why the agent was asking him about the same information he had already furnished to the local police and the FBI.

 

The doctor replied, “I’m sorry Agent Jackson, but I’ve already answered these questions. I submitted a police report and the FBI have fingerprinted him.”

 

“I’m aware of that. I’ve read the reports, thank you Doctor. Now, can you please answer the question.”

 

“Certainly. He was found nearly a month ago by some hikers in the Mammoth caves. He’s been in a coma until today. The hikers gave their contact details to the police.”

 

“When he’s recovered, he’s to be released into my custody. Do you understand?”

 

“Yes. I understand.”

 

The agent was writing notes in a small notebook he had removed from his jacket pocket when the conversation had begun.

 

“Anything else?”

 

“Yes. One more thing. He was wearing a strange necklace.”

 

“A strange necklace?”

 

“Yes. I attended to him when he was brought in.”

 

“What did it look like?”

 

“It was a chain with a large round amulet with a center crystal and an intricate pattern surrounding it. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

 

“Can you draw it for me?”

 

“Certainly.”

 

The Doctor drew what he had seen and handed his drawing to Agent Jackson who examined it closely.

 

The agent recognized what was unmistakenly an Agarthan amulet and asked, “Do you mind if I keep this drawing?”

 

“No, not at all.”

 

“Where is the necklace now?”

 

“I believe the police confiscated it.”

 

Of course, they did, thought Agent Jackson. Nothing more could be achieved from this meeting.

 

There was much work to do.

 

He reached in his pocket and handed the doctor his contact card, “Keep me updated if the patient’s condition changes and he starts to recall who he is.”

 

“Of course, Agent Jackson, But who is he?”

 

“I’m sorry doctor Andrews, but I can’t go into the details. Remember, he’s to be released only to my custody. If anyone objects, call my number.”

 

“Yes, I understand.”

 

Agent Jackson stood up, placed the drawing in his jacket pocket and said, “Thank you, Doctor Andrews. You’ve been very helpful.”

 

Agent Jackson departed the Doctor’s office. His serene demeanor betrayed his true emotions. Inwardly he was furious. The FBI, and specifically Hoover, had once again allowed critical information to be omitted from an official police report, he thought.

 

He walked across the hallway towards room 1B, nodded to the guard, and glanced through the windowpane in the door. He saw the bandaged patient lying in bed.

 

Asking the patient additional questions at this time would be counterproductive. He would return when the patient’s condition had changed. Hoover clearly had an agenda, he thought.

He needed to report his findings to his superior, Roscoe Hillenkoetter, and then it was time for Hoover to explain his actions.