Seeing the explosion, a navy patrol boat arrived to investigate, but found no trace of life. Powerful searchlights were turned on the area, but again they found nothing. "Point at the rocks by the shore," ordered an officer. Sure enough, a man was waving wildly from the rocks. A rubber boat was dispatched, and with much difficulty, it approached the sharp and slippery boulders, battered by huge waves. To their surprise, they came across the body of a man in his thirties, with long hair, tangled in the dark seaweed. He was dead.
"Here! Here!" a voice called out from somewhere to the right. Obviously there was someone else out there, someone who was still alive.
When the rubber boat came closer, a young man in his twenties asked, "Is there a doctor aboard?"
"Sorry, we have no doctor."
The young man cried out in desperation,
"I have a man here who is severely injured." "We'll take him to a hospital in Crete."
"No, no! He is not going to make it that far!" He paused. "Can somebody help me carry him up there?" The man pointed to the monastery above.
"You must be joking?! That's impossible!" was the reply.
"We have to! I will need a flashlight."
Finally, the sailors on the patrol boat gave in. The officer sent a stretcher and two men to the shore, with a case of medical firstaid supplies. It took Adoni and the two sailors more than two hours to carry the comatose Nikolas up the hill to the monastery, which had been the source of the light they had seen. After repeated desperate knocking at the thick old wooden door, a voice finally answered:
"For the love of God, who is it at this hour?"
"An emergency. Please open the door!"
"We are in the middle of an all-night vigil. Did you come for that?"
"Yes," replied Adoni desperately.
The old door finally squeaked open and they were greeted by a novice nun. "Oh Ever Holy Virgin! Oh my God! What is this?" she asked in a terrified voice.
"I'm sorry, there has been an accident,"
Adoni said. "Do you have a bed we can lay him on? Can someone give him first aid until help arrives?"
"Yes, of course, but I must notify the
Abbess. She can help. She used to be a nurse."
"Oh that's good. Please do hurry. Here is a first-aid kit. Now I must go ... We must leave."
"Please stay. Let me get the Abbess," said the excited novice.
"No. Sorry, we must go. Good-bye." If Captain Nikolas's Anna was there, Adoni didn't want to face her now.