These characters belong to someone else. This rewritten scene answers some questions about the whole Paraguay debacle that I never quite understood. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Stupid fool! The Admiral slammed the file down on his desk. He turned then and crossed his arms over his chest. He knew from the outset that Webb's little vacation trip to Paraguay was beyond dangerous. Webb's idea of mission planning was the barest of sketch on the back of dinner napkin; but the Sec Nav had interfered and Admiral Chedwiggen had no choice but to approve Colonel Mackenzie's assignment.

And now Webb and Mackenzie were overdue at check in. Chedwiggen had hoped it was road conditions or technical difficulties in a country so remote and difficult to travel in the locals had trouble. But all indications were that they were dead or worse…in the hands of the enemy. When he'd been advised about the missed check in, they were already 12 hours over due. He'd been up half the night sitting in a stuffy board room in the E-ring at the Pentagon trying to get someone to do something to retrieve his Colonel, but the CIA was acting disinterested and the Sec Nav had bigger problems at the moment.

AJ slouched in his leather chair. He leaned back and rubbed his hand across his eyes. He'd been on the phone nearly non-stop since coming back from the Pentagon trying to sort rumours from innuendo and grasp at the straw of a single piece of useful intel. He hadn't spent 30 years in the Navy without a few contacts in high and low places, but he couldn't begin to sort this out not from this distance. He'd finally gotten the Sec Nav's attention when he threatened to go down and sort the damn thing out himself. Maybe the liaison officer in country would listen to a two star if he was pounding on his desk.

At that, the Sec Nav had signed an order indicating that travel orders for JAG personnel required his written approval until further notice. It was a pointed reminder of how little the two trusted one another. Chedwiggen had played his final hand and been trumped by his superior. He could disobey of course.; but he was getting the impression from the responses to his phone calls that the CIA's disinterest wasn't because they had other things to do; but because they were certain that Webb and Mac with him were dead or captured. Chedwiggen wasn't going to toss his career just to bring her home in a bag. There had to be another way.

The intercom buzzed on his desk. "Commander Rabb to see you Admiral".

Chedwiggen sat up.

"Send him in Tiner." A moment later the office door opened and Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. stepped through the hatch and came to attention. "At ease Commander"

"Sir; I was wondering if you have had any word on Colonel Mackenzie."

"No Rabb and I didn't expect to be on the contact list for this mission."

Rabb nodded. "Sir, I have had word through the grape vine that perhaps they've run into a problem. Sir if you haven't had word. I would like permission to go to Paraguay and"

"And what Rabb. Get into more trouble than I can dig you out of? I don't think so. Permission denied."

"Sir, I respectfully request leave. I have 30 days accumulated leave and "

"Unacceptable Rabb."

"Sir," Rabb cleared his throat. "I have a request here to begin terminal leave effective immediately." Rabb lifted a single piece of paper out the file folder he'd brought with him.

Chedwiggen looked at the Commander and drew in a noisy breath. He walked around his desk and stood toe to toe with the commander. You will not make that request in this office. "Do you hear me? This is a lost cause if I ever heard of one and you will not go Don Quixote on me and expect some happy result. I have spent the night at the Pentagon and most of the morning on the phone. And there is no sound reason for you to throw away your career to go play hero in South America. There are others dealing with this situation and they don't need you to go down and turn a mission gone bad into an international incident." Chedwiggen lowered his voice threateningly. "Do you understand me Rabb."

The Commander was shaken. "Yes sir, but"

"But what?" Chedwiggen backed off a step and sat on the corner of his desk.

"Sir do you really think this is a lost cause?"

"I don't know for sure yet Commander; but the intel I'm getting indicates that Webb and the Colonel are 24 hours past check in which means to their directors in country that they are lost, dead or captured."

Rabb's face paled. Chedwiggen walked around to the other side of his desk and sat in the chair.

"Have a seat Commander."

Rabb sat heavily in the leather chair opposite his commanding officer's desk. "I don't like what I'm hearing, but so far it's all rumours. There are no bodies and the operatives in country and Webb's controller don't have any proof yet that there is a problem. They could just be lost."

"If the Colonel is alive, Sir, they aren't lost."

"Look Commander; I share your concern, but I think you need to let this go. The rescue mission you're proposing comes with enormous risk."

Rabb hung his head for a full minute then stood. "Thank you for taking me into your confidence Sir."

The Admiral stood back from his desk and nodded . "Dismissed."

When the door closed, Chedwiggen dropped into his chair. It was a few moments before his attention shifted to the file open on his desk. A single sheet of paper stood out from the rest. It was Rabb's request for terminal leave. Chedwiggen swore under his breath and snatched the document off his desk like it was radioactive. If Rabb went after her, he'd have no choice but to process the damn request. If he ignored it, Rabb would have to be reported AWOL and prosecuted. He wondered which result Rabb would prefer, the loss of his commission or an indeterminate stay in the brig.

"Good Luck Commander." Admiral Chedwiggen said to the empty room. He picked up a pen and signed his name in the space provided.