Disclaimer:
As much as I wish it were true, Webb and the others aren't mine, but if David Bellisario and the nice people at CBS are willing to make a deal….Author's Notes:
This one goes directly after Bad Week, and is set in the fifth season right before "Boomerang". I also make reference to the smile in "Embassy". Someone else wrote it was his best smile, and I agree. I don't do a lot of episode-related stuff, but this one called to me. It gives a chance to take a guess at what kind of assignment Webb was on when Bud and Harm saw him in Australia, and I also explained the language thing. Here's hoping this works. Once again, Major Kansas McWilliams is mine. Cogan is also mine. As are all the bimbos that Clayton meets.Just an Assignment
By Gayle F. Cox-Moffet
Clayton Webb was buried in a mound of paperwork when he heard his office door open. "Whoever you are, leave."
"Wish I could, but I have an assignment for you."
Webb glanced up and sighed. "What is it Cogan?"
"You're going to Spain for a couple of weeks."
"Only a couple of weeks, or is that the hopeful estimate?"
Cogan sat in front of Webb's desk and fixed him with a look. "What's the deal, Webb, got a hot date?"
"As a matter of fact, I'm supposed to go to the theater with Kansas tonight."
"The Major from the JAG offices?"
"Yes."
"The one who gave you the black eye?"
Clayton sighed and touched the greenish-yellow bruise that had slowly faded over the last two weeks from a very large purple spot over his right eye. "Yes, Cogan, the one that gave me the black eye."
"You're a masochist, Webb."
"I'm a man who wants to see a play with an intelligent woman."
"To bad you won't get the chance. You go to Spain in two hours."
Webb took the file and read the mission inside. "I would have appreciated some notice."
"Sorry, but this is top secret. We couldn't risk word of it getting out."
"Can I at least call and let her know I can't make it?"
"Top secret, Webb, that means no outside contact."
He sighed and nodded. "Fine." //God, sometimes I hate this job.//
*
Kansas checked her watch for the third time and fought down the urge to yell some very bad words. //He's a half-hour late.// Sighing, she walked over to the young woman behind the ticket counter and smiled. "Do you have some paper and a pen I could borrow?"
The girl handed it over with a sympathetic smile. "Get stood up?"
She ignored the girl, except for a quick "I'm a Major, it's none of your business" look, that silenced the woman. Scribbling a note, she handed the paper back. "If a man comes in looking for Kansas McWilliams, please give him that note."
"I'll be sure he gets it, Miss."
"Thank you." Kansas turned and walked towards the doors of the theater.
The young woman watched Kansas leave. "What kind of name is Kansas?"
The Major called over her shoulder. "It's a name you better shut up about."
*
Clayton stepped off the plane and was immediately assaulted by heat. //Good thing I brought sunscreen.// He slipped on his sunglasses and walked across the Tarmac.
Dressed in khaki shorts, a light blue polo, and leather sandals, he looked every inch the guppy tourist, down to the large, thirty-five-millimeter camera around his neck. Stepping into the terminal, he breathed a sigh of relief at the air conditioning and walked to the ticket counter.
"Excuse me, I'm Lawerence Keller, and I was told to expect a message at this desk."
"Just a moment, sir." The ticket agent checked beneath the counter and pulled a plain, business-sized envelope from its slot. "Here you are."
Clayton nodded his thanks and went to the opposite wall before opening the envelope.
Keller-
Look for a man in a neon orange and pink Hawaiian shirt.
He's your contact.
Ask if he's the car service you ordered.
You know what to do with this letter.
He glanced around and spotted the shirt. God, it was hideous, orange and pink running together in a blinding pattern. On his way to this man, Clayton dropped the letter into the inner part of his carry-on bag. There was sure to be a paper-shredder in the car.
"Excuse me, sir, are you the man from the car service I ordered?"
The other man barely made note of the question. "Lawerence Keller?"
"I'm him."
A quick nod. "Please, come with me."
They walked out of the terminal, stopping only for Webb's luggage, and in a few minutes were sliding into the backseat of a waiting limo. The other man spoke first. "I'm Alex Menkey. I'll be your only contact outside of the people we're going to send you to blend with."
Clayton nodded. "You'll come to me?"
"Unless there's a serious emergency where your last resort is to contact me."
Clayton nodded again. That part was nothing new. He received the same warning of 'last resort' on every assignment he took.
"Is there anything you need before your assignment begins?" Alex asked.
His answer came with no hesitation. "I need to get a note to Kansas."
A raised eyebrow. "To Kansas?"
"Yes."
"Where in Kansas?"
For a moment, Webb looked confused. Then he got it. "No, not to Kansas the state, Kansas McWilliams-Major Kansas McWilliams. She's a lawyer for the JAG offices in Falls Church."
"Why do you need to get in touch with a JAG lawyer?" Alex did not sound pleased.
Clayton ignored the tone. "We had a theater date last night, and I'd like to get a note to her apologizing for my absence."
"Hold on, is this the same Major that gave you the shiner you're still showing the ends of?"
That made Webb wince inwardly. Damn. Did everyone know about his first encounter with McWilliams? He threw the thought off. "Yes, she hit me, but we still had a theater date, and I'd like to let her know it wasn't my choice to break it."
"How do we do that without giving away what you're doing?"
Clayton just smiled.
*
Kansas closed her briefcase and after bidding the defense goodbye, she walked out of the courtroom. She was halfway down the hall when she heard someone call her name. Turning, she found a reporter running after her. "I have no comment on the case, Sir."
He caught up and waved her off. "It's not about the case. I heard a rumor that I'm trying to substantiate."
She cocked an eyebrow. "What kind of rumor?"
"It's going around the JAG offices that you are involved with a CIA agent. Is that true?"
"Sir, where do you get your information?"
"I hear things."
"Next time, try asking instead of holding a stethoscope to the wall. Your hearing will be better."
"Is that a no to the relationship?" He watched her carefully.
//After standing me up last night you better believe it.// "That's a no, Sir. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a conference to get to." She quickened her pace and left the reporter in the dust.
*
Admiral Chegwidden glanced up as Major McWilliams skitted into the meeting late. "Something good had better been holding you up, Major."
She slipped into her seat. "I apologize, Sir, a reporter tried to get a few words with me."
"What did you tell him?"
"No comment."
AJ saw her try to busy her hands with a legal pad and decided to call her bluff in private. Right now, he had cases to review. "Corporal Elley?"
"Pleading out, Sir." Bud spoke up. "The opposing council has agreed for a reduced charge."
The Admiral nodded. "Very good. Lieutenant Reiner?"
"Prosecution's being a pit bull, Sir, but I have no worries." Harm spoke up.
Mac smiled at him. "Prosecution offered a lesser charge."
"No way, Mac, that offer can be shoved-"
"Okay, so the Reiner case is still being worked on. Moving on, the indecent exposure/sexual harassment suit against Ensign Monroe, is going how, Major?"
Kansas glanced up from her legal pad. "Excuse me, Sir?"
"Your case with Monroe?" He glanced over his reading glasses at her. "Are you alright, Major?"
She nodded. "Fine, Sir, just ready to close the case. I'm working a deal with the defense now. We seem to be getting nearer to an agreement."
"Good. Captain Tyler?"
"Acquitted this afternoon, Sir."
"Excellent. Corporal Justins?"
"We start preliminary hearings tomorrow, Sir."
AJ closed the file. "Very good. Meeting dismissed. Major McWilliams, if you could stay an extra minute."
//Busted.// "Yes, Sir." She stayed in her seat as the rest of the lawyers filed out. "Is there a problem, Admiral?"
He glanced at her. "You tell me, Major. Distraction seems to be your strong suit today."
Kansas was silent a moment. "I apologize, Sir. My night went horribly, and I'm trying to make it stay away from my work." She gave a rueful smile. "I guess that's not working."
"It never does, Major. Care to talk about it?"
"The long and the short of it, Sir, is that I was stood up at the theater last night."
AJ raised his eyebrows and weighed his next question carefully. "Webb?"
"Excuse me, Sir?"
"Was your date with Clayton Webb?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Then maybe you should go check your desk for messages. That man has never missed a date without a damn good excuse."
Kansas stood. "Yes, Sir."
"Dismissed."
"Aye, aye, Sir."
*
"Are you sure this is how you want it done?" Menkey was giving Clayton a strange look from across the room.
"This is perfect. Trust me." Webb finished the note and hit the send button on the e-mail screen. He gave a nod of silent thanks that he had convinced Menkey not to peek at the screen as he typed. "It's untraceable, and gives no hint to my location, just as we promised."
Menkey nodded. "Fine, now let's get down to business." He pulled some files from his bag and handed them over to Clayton.
"You will be in the company of many beautiful women over the course of the next couple of weeks, and I can assure you all of them can do worse than black your eye."
"Let's just drop the eye discussion, okay?" Clayton was ticked bordering on very cranky, and this stick-up-his-butt agent wasn't helping any.
"Sorry. As I was saying, you'll be in the company of many beautiful women, who speak many different languages. Which languages do you speak?"
"Which do you need?"
Alex looked at the other man. "Don't get smart on me."
"I'm not; I'm being totally serious. I'm a linguist, and I speak most of the major languages out there."
"Spanish?"
"Yes."
"German, Chinese, French?"
"Yes. Yes. Yes."
"Portuguese, Vietnamese, Korean?"
"Yes on all three."
"Swiss?"
"There's no such language and we both know it." Clayton sighed and opened the file. "Can we get back to the assignment?"
"Beautiful women, large amounts of narcotics, and the chance to take a large chunk out of the espionage cake here and in Australia."
"I'm going to Australia?"
"It seems all the overseas spies hold a sort of 'convention' in Sydney every year. You get to infiltrate it."
"Geez, and I thought I was just going to get a tan."
*
After speaking to the Admiral, Kansas went to her office and was only mildly surprised to find Gunnery Sergeant Galindez setting a vase of flowers on her desk.
"Gunny, I told you last time, you're just not my type."
He gave her a quick smile and retorted. "I can't take the credit again, Ma'am, but I would if I could." With a quick salute, he exited her office.
Kansas stepped forward and was surprised to find the vase to be a pot and the flowers to be sunflowers. She pulled the card from the middle of the small bunch.
Kansas-
Check your e-mail.
She gave the card the once over, and then obliged.
To: Sunflower.Marine
From: (No Address)
Subject: I have a good reason.
Kansas-
I apologize for missing our date last night, I was looking forward very much to seeing the show. I love operas from Madrid. Unfortunately, our schedules seem to have one common thread, unpredictability. I was ordered to stay after by my superiors and did not have time to inform you.
Please, whether you choose to speak to me again or not, take care of the flowers. They seem to suit you. Maybe it's the name. The state of Kansas has gorgeous sunflowers.
Yours Truly,
Clayton Webb
***
She was confused for a minute. "Operas from Madrid?"
"I don't think there are operas from Madrid, Ma'am." Harriet Simms was walking by Kansas' door when she heard the comment.
"Lieutenant, come here a minute."
Harriet obliged and looked at the e-mail on her superior's computer screen. "You had a date with Mr. Webb?"
"Yes, I did. Except he didn't show up, then I got those flowers," Kansas gestured to the sunflowers on her desk. "And now I have this e-mail, and Clayton is confused. The opera last night was from Italy."
The Lieutenant bit her bottom lip in thought. "Maybe it's a hint as to why he couldn't make it."
"Maybe the Madrid reference is a clue. God, this is a regular Nancy Drew mystery." Kansas grinned ruefully. "Could he be in Spain?"
Harriet hid a laugh. "To bad we can't ask our CIA connection."
For a minute, there was silence, and then Kansas laughed. "Yeah, it is to bad. You think he's in Spain?"
Lieutenant Simms let her laughter die down. "It seems like the reasonable spot, Ma'am."
"Then he's probably there. Thanks, Harriet."
"My pleasure, Ma'am." Harriet exited the office.
//But what the heck is he doing in Spain?// Kansas shook her head and started searching through her files.
*
There she was, tall, thin, leggy, and dark brown hair pulled into a simple ponytail. That woman was Clayton's first obstacle to get over. He walked over casually, smoothing the front of his three-piece suit, and he slid into the seat across from her easily.
"Buy you a drink, Miss?"
She glanced up, nodding over the good-looking man with dark brown hair and blue eyes and pretended to think it over. "Hope you can afford it."
He smiled back, his good smile. The Bond smile, as Colonel Mackenzie called it. "For you, it should be no problem." Clayton then pulled a thick group of bills from his inner jacket pocket and waved over the waiter. "I'll have a seltzer with a squirt of lime, and the lady-"
"White wine, please."
The waiter nodded, accepted the tip pressed into his hand, and went to get the order.
Clayton turned back to the woman, his face now all business. "As long as we're getting the drinks let's get down to business."
Her face went into a similar business mask. "What do you want?"
"My name is Lawerence Keller, and I know some very influential people who know about your people."
"Which people?"
"The people that can help me get more of this." Clayton slid a small bag full of white powder discreetly across the table. It was near perfect cocaine. Thank goodness the CIA knew how to cook the stuff.
She slid it under her hand and then into her purse. "I'll have to check." In another moment, she stood and left.
Clayton sighed as she walked out and leaned his head back. He hated giving drugs to drug dealers. It was completely counterproductive.
//How do you sleep at night?//
Bud Roberts question echoed through his head for the millionth time since he had asked it last year on that carrier. To be truthful, he didn't know, but he knew he needed to talk to someone.
Reaching into the opposite pocket from where the cocaine had lain, he pulled out his cell phone. He had to call in a few favors.
*
Kansas walked into her apartment, her coat and briefcase ended up in the living room recliner. She went back to her bedroom and threw her uniform into the hamper as she changed into a pair of jeans and a dark green sweater.
Walking back into the main room, she poured herself a soda and lay down on the sofa. Halfway through making sense of her jumbled thoughts of cases and a certain CIA agent, her phone rang.
"McWilliams."
"Kansas McWilliams?"
"Yes. Who's this?" She sat up.
"My name is Alex Menkey. I'm an-associate-of Webb's."
"Define associate."
"I'd rather not." He coughed on the other end of the phone. "He's demanding to talk to you."
Kansas pressed the phone closer to her ear. "So put him on."
"Are you on a hardwire phone?"
//God these CIA people are so paranoid-of course, that's what they're paid for.// "Yes, there's a cord on my phone."
"Good. Hold on a minute." There was silence, and then a muffled discussion.
Finally, "Kansas?"
"Clayton? Where are you?"
"Did you get my e-mail?" There was a note of hint in his voice.
//Yup, he's in Spain.// "Yes, and the flowers. They're beautiful. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Clayton paused. "Do you ever have trouble sleeping?"
Thrown off by the abrupt subject change, Kansas was a little lost. "Excuse me?"
"Do you ever have nights where you lay awake wondering if you picked the right job?"
"Clayton, what happened?" She was immediately on alert. This was not the voice of Clayton Webb. It was soft, tired, and it held doubt. She had known Webb for almost a month and had never heard him with doubt in his voice.
"It was a long day."
"Define long."
A sigh. "I wish I could, but it's top secret."
"That sucks."
Clayton laughed over the phone. Kansas was the only person over the age of twenty that he knew who used the word 'suck' like most people used some much stronger words. "Yes, it really does."
There was noise behind him. "Kansas, I'm getting ordered off."
"I didn't know the CIA took orders." If nothing else, she could leave him smiling.
"Well, this is special circumstances. I'll come by the offices the day I get back. Goodbye, Kansas."
"Bye, Clayton." Kansas hung up the phone and stared at it a minute. She knew he wanted, or more so, needed to get into a pretty deep conversation, and she cursed the people he was working with for not letting him talk like he needed.
//I guess I'll get the whole story when he gets back.//
*
The phone rang as Clayton got into his hotel room a week later. He hurried over and yanked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Keller? It's Menkey."
Sighing in exhaustion, Clayton fell on the bed. A phone call from his contact could only mean more work. "What is it?"
"Don't get so excited."
"I'm tired, hot, and I'd like to get back home sometime soon. I've also been working my ass off by giving dealers drugs to play with. Pardon me if I don't sound thrilled."
"You need to jump a plane to Australia in three hours. We'll get a message to your flavor of the month."
"I'll get on the plane, but don't refer to Kansas like that, I'll let her black your eye worse than mine."
"You've got three hours." Menkey did not sound pleased.
"I'm packing." Clayton put down the phone and got up slowly, working tense muscles in a long stretch before heading to the dresser to pull his clothes from the closet.
Two hours later, he was packed and at the airport, waiting for his flight number. A beautiful woman with long blond hair and dark brown eyes sat next to him.
"Lawerence Keller?"
It was one of the dealer contacts he had made in the last week. "Yes."
"I thought so. Do you have more stuff?" She watched him carefully.
"Not with me." His stomach twisted at the thought of giving more drugs to these people.
"When can I get some?"
"When I get to Australia." Clayton saw her eyes widen a little. She hadn't known he knew what was in Australia. That was part of the plan. Let them know you knew the details. It made them nervous and interested at the same time.
"You're going to Australia?"
"Yes."
"I'll get it there then."
Clayton's stomach twisted again. He tried to see another side of the issue. //In a week I will be back home. I can find someone to talk to. These people will be in prison. They'll be in prison, and they won't get a chance to sell what I'm going to give them.//
The intercom sounded, announcing the flight, and Clayton and the woman both stood to board. He fell back, pretending to check over his luggage and pulled his cell phone from his pocket.
"Menkey, it's Keller. When the hell am I getting out of here?" He sighed again and felt sick. "Only one more week, right?….Goodbye." Hanging up, he headed for the boarding area. One more week.
*
"Major, you have a phone call on line three."
Kansas reached for the phone. "Thanks, Ensign. Hello?"
"Kansas, it's Harm."
"Are you still in Australia?"
"Yeah, and you won't believe who Bud and I saw."
"The Kangaroo from the Bugs Bunny cartoons?"
He chuckled. "No, it was Webb."
She leaned into the phone. "Clayton? You saw him?"
"Yes." Harm waited for the reaction, half-apprehensively.
"How does he look?" Her voice was easy.
Harm raised an eyebrow at the phone. She was tense under the soft voice. "He looks okay. We've only seen him from a ways away, but he looks kind of tired."
//Do you ever have trouble sleeping?//
Part of Kansas' conversation with Clayton from almost a week ago popped into her head. "Like he hasn't been sleeping a lot?"
"Yes. Why?"
"No reason." No one knew of her conversation, Kansas knew better than to mention it. "Do you know why he's there?"
"Nope, and we're to busy to go and find out."
"I figured as much." Kansas saw Tiner gesturing to her frantically. "Harm, Tiner needs me. I'll see you when you get back."
"Okay, I'll keep you posted." The phone disconnected.
Kansas replaced her receiver and looked up. "What do you need, Tiner?"
"The Admiral needs to discuss the Monroe case with you. I think I heard him yell 'no deal even if the Navy Seals grow flippers.'" Tiner looked a little frightened.
"Just what I need." Kansas grabbed the files from her desk. "Lead the way, Tiner. I'll see if I can save us all from a chew-out."
"We'd appreciate it, Ma'am."
*
//What the *hell* is Rabb doing in Australia? Is Kansas with him? What if she saw me with all those women? How the hell did I get on this train of thought?//
Clayton downed the last of his lime water and signaled the bartender for another round. His thoughts had been whirling ever since he had seen Rabb and Bud Roberts below him on the boardwalk. Thank goodness all those years of training had taught him to keep surprise from showing on his face. Heck, he hadn't even broken stride with the woman he was walking with.
He sipped his fresh drink, letting his mind wander again. Kansas couldn't be in Australia; she would have been with Rabb. Unless she was working the opposite side of the case with Mac.
Shaking his head, Clayton dropped money on the bar for the water and left. He only had a couple of more days here and then he could be home, making another theater date with Kansas. Maybe he could even get the courage to talk to her more in depth of the conversation they had had on the phone.
"Just a couple more days, and I'm home." Clayton kept muttering it to himself as he headed back to the hotel.
*
He sauntered in as if he owned the place, his hair and suit impeccable. Maneuvering through the bullpen, he approached the door a little slowly and knocked.
"Come in."
Kansas was reclining on her newly bought office couch when Clayton walked in. She glanced up, back down at the file, and then pulled a double-take. "Clayton?"
"Hello." He leaned against the doorjamb with the air of someone slightly uncomfortable.
She swung her legs to the floor and stood up. //What in the name of the USMC is he wearing?// It was a cream colored suit jacket and pants with white shoes, a taupe vest and a white, round collar shirt. All the other suits she had ever seen him in were darker and had pinstripes. This one was definitely making the top of her list just at first glance.
"You got a new suit."
He smiled, relaxing slightly. "You got a new couch."
"How are you sleeping?" She gestured him over.
He sat as she settled next to her. "I'm okay."
She just watched him and said nothing.
"I'm okay."
"And you're trying to convince who, exactly?"
"Do you want complete honesty?"
Kansas nodded. "Yes."
"Why? Honesty isn't the best policy, no matter what anyone tells you."
She barely flinched. "Sarcasm will get you nowhere with me, Clayton. I grew up around it, and I'm very good at it."
He leaned into the couch. It was very soft, and the mauve looked good in the office. "Complete honesty? I'm not sleeping, and when I am it's not comfortable."
"Why not?" Her voice had switched over to a tone she used when slipping slowly into an interrogation she was slightly wary about.
"Because every now and again I hate my job." Clayton looked to her. "Because some of the stuff I do is doing no good."
"We all feel like that."
"Even JAG lawyers?"
Kansas gave a wry smile. "Even JAG lawyers have to defend a few guilty soldiers."
"You don't lose any sleep over it?"
"I just remind myself that it's an assignment. It's an order." She gave another smile. "Of course, I'm also a Marine, I'm pretty used to orders."
Clayton leaned his head into the cushions and rubbed his temples. A serious headache was starting at the base of his skull. Probably from the lack of sleep mixed with jet lag.
Kansas saw the movement and touched his arm lightly. "You need to get home. You're exhausted."
He made no move to get up.
Kansas tapped his arm again. "Clayton?" She noticed that all movement had stopped on his temples and his arms were relaxing. He was asleep.
She stood and moved to her office door, making sure the door shut quietly behind her. Walking across the bullpen, she tapped Harriet's shoulder. "Harriet, do we have any blankets around?"
"Blankets, Ma'am?"
"Yes. I think I'm just going to let Clayton sleep on my couch for a couple of hours, he's completely exhausted."
Harriet hid her smile. "I'll see what I can dig up, Ma'am, if you'll wait a minute."
Kansas stayed put while Harriet ran off. Mac approached her from one side, Harm from the other. "Hey, you two. How was Australia?"
"Warm and interesting." Mac said.
"Not nearly as interesting as Clayton Webb reclining on your couch." Harm raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"He came to see me, and he's exhausted. The rest is none of your business. Thanks, Harriet." Kansas accepted the blanket Harriet had found and headed back to her office.
Harm looked at Mac. "What do you think?"
"I think it's none of our business." Mac turned to her office.
Harm followed close behind. "Since when is something around here not our business?" He ducked the file Mac tossed at his head.
*
Clayton awoke with his feet hanging off the bed. //My feet don't hang off my bed. Where am I?// His senses came in full force, and he jerked up.
Kansas was at her desk and barely moved when Clayton jerked up. "Sleep well?"
He just looked at her a minute. Did nothing faze her? Ever since he had met her, the only time she had actually shown surprise was the night at the Einstein statue when his arrival had made her slip while climbing the metal.
"How long was I asleep?"
She glanced at the clock above her door. "Four hours, and a little extra. Sorry I can't do the exact time trick like Mac."
"Four hours?"
"How did you sleep?" If he was going to keep asking questions, Kansas saw it only fair to repay the favor.
Clayton stood up and stretched. Looking down, he saw he was just in his socks. "I slept well. Where are my shoes?"
"They're under the coat rack." She stood and walked around the desk. "How long has it been since you got a good night's sleep?"
"Almost a year." He slipped the dress shoes on and straightened up. "I was on a carrier trying to find Rabb and Mackenzie and a stealth jet. Roberts was trying to convince me that the plan to leave one of them behind was wrong. I told him it wasn't, and he asked how I slept at night."
"What did you say?"
"I told him I slept on my right side. Something hit me when I said it though, and it keeps me awake some nights." Clayton looked at her. "But, hell, it's just an assignment. They're all just assignments."
Kansas put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "And sometimes assignments suck."