Things were moving quickly, the puzzle pieces all laid out but not yet connected, the bigger picture still obscured beneath the flurry of details. ISIS, the Russians, Sabatino in the mix; what happened to a nice, quiet murder investigation? Callen hadn't bargained on this, the threat to the Allegiance, the layer upon layer of intrigue, but in a way he was grateful for it; it felt good to be a part of something, to know that what he was doing could make a difference, to get back in the fight. He'd been ordered to relax, but this felt better, somehow, kept his mind occupied in a way that sitting around at home never would have done.
They were deep in conversation with the XO and the Captain when Eric finally rang in. The communications officer on the other side of bridge spun around in his chair, and called out to them.
"Captain, they found the flight plan and we have an incoming transmission from NCIS." The Captain went to investigate the flight plan, and Sam, Callen, and the XO approached the screen where Eric was waiting for them with a woman Callen didn't recognize. He didn't mind having the XO in on the call; Rabb had so far proven himself to be a steady, practical sort of man, and his background in JAG made him far easier to work with than some of the officers Callen had butted heads with in the past. Most of them seemed to think NCIS agents were nothing but a nuisance, meddling in affairs that had nothing to do with them and upsetting the daily operations aboard ship, but not Rabb. He understood the work, and he respected it, and Callen counted himself grateful for small mercies.
As they approached Eric offered a relieved sort of smile. It had been hard for him, Callen knew, all alone in the office and struggling with the weight of the tasks that had been placed on his shoulders and his worry for Nell, but Hetty had come through, and gotten him all the help she could offer. Garcia was a godsend, and now it seemed another player had been introduced.
"Sam, Callen," Eric said, "this is Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie."
"Hello, gentlemen," the woman said. For a moment Callen just watched her; it was difficult to get a feel for a person through a video screen, and if she was going to be working with them he needed to know if he could trust her. Hetty trusted her, and maybe that should have been enough for him, but as the Marine liaison to the Secretary of State, Callen knew it was likely Mackenzie had her own agenda to pursue. And she was welcome to it, of course - as long as it didn't get in the way of his investigation. She had the credentials, but she certainly didn't look like any Colonel Callen had met before; she was beautiful, stop you in your tracks and make you turn around to get a second look beautiful, with an expensive suit and a thoughtful gaze that seemed to take in everything all at once. Some he got the sense that nothing got by Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie.
"Agents Hanna and Callen," Sam said, gesturing to himself and Callen in turn. At least he was mindful of the niceties.
Mackenzie smiled, a warm, pretty smile. No wedding ring, Callen thought, still watching her closely.
"Hetty speaks very highly of you both."
High praise indeed, Callen thought. He opened his mouth to speak, prepared to launch into the details of the investigation, but something gave him pause. Colonel Mackenzie was still looking at them intently, but it occurred to him quite suddenly that she wasn't paying attention to him or Sam at all. Her gaze was locked on Rabb, who in turn, Callen was surprised to see, was looking right back at her, hardly blinking. For the first time since he'd arrived aboard the Allegiance, it seemed to Callen that Rabb looked rattled, and he didn't like that, not one bit. If there was some sort of history between the two of them -
"It's good to see you, sailor," Colonel Mackenzie said softly.
Callen leaned back, arms crossed over his chest, trying to appear nonchalant while also trying to get a good look at the XO's face. There was something in her voice, something familiar, something knowing, something that made Callen think it was hardly the first time she'd addressed Rabb that way.
"Likewise, Marine," Rabb said, and there it was again, Callen thought, that tone that seemed to carry a world of memories behind it. "The girls?"
Children, Callen guessed. Or dogs. in LA, sometimes it was hard to tell the difference, the way people talked about their pets.
"With Bud and Harriet," she answered. It was strange, but the longer they stood looking at one another like that, the more Callen got the sense that Colonel Mackenzie and the XO had completely forgotten they had an audience. They must have known each other, that was clear now, but their acquaintance seemed a friendly one. Another small mercy.
"How are they?" Rabb asked. There was an eagerness to the question that seemed to imply more investment than just a man asking after an acquaintance's children; it seemed the answer mattered to him. It seemed like it mattered a lot.
On the screen Colonel Mackenzie laughed, once, softly. "They're fine, Harm," she said. Harm, she'd called him, hadn't used his rank but instead his given name. No one else aboard ship was allowed that level of familiarity with the XO, but it had come from her so naturally, Callen couldn't help but wonder-
"The Lieutenant Colonel and I worked together at JAG in DC for nine years," the XO explained. It was likely all the explanation they were going to get, but it was enough for Callen. Old friends, then, and good ones; another point in Colonel Mackenzie's favor.
"So, what do you got?" Sam asked. Apparently, Sam wasn't quite as invested in the back and forth between Mackenzie and the XO as Callen had been, but then this wasn't a social call, and he was right to bring them back on track.
"I spoke to the CIA," Mackenzie answered, "and they deny any knowledge of Sabatino's operation, as expected."
Yes, that was expected; whatever Sabatino was up to it was likely dirty, dangerous, and completely deniable.
Typical, Callen thought, but before the Colonel could offer further explanation the Captain called for them, and he and Sam left Rabb and Mackenzie to catch up without an audience.
"It really is good to see you, Mac," Harm said gently. It'd been six months since the last time he'd seen her face, and she was a sight for sore eyes. He'd been too long at sea, with nothing but phone calls and emails to connect him to his life back home. He couldn't touch her, couldn't reach out and pull her into his arms, but at least he could see her, her gentle smile, the curve of her neck, the fall of dark hair he longed to run his fingers through. Six months, since the last time he'd touched his wife, held her close; too long, he thought. Too damn long.
"You look good," she said, stepping a little closer to the screen, as if she wished, like he did, that she could just step straight through it, and into his waiting arms. "Life at sea suits you."
Harm laughed. "Life at home suits me," he countered. And it did; the Allegiance was based out of Anacostia, and that meant that Harm was, finally, stationed back home. Mattie and Chloe and Bud and Harriet; everyone they loved was close by, and Mac had scored the posting of a lifetime working with the Secretary of State. They'd bounced around after London - he'd won the coin toss, and all these years later he was still trying not to be smug about it - but Mac had put up with it all, and never complained no matter how many times their family had to pack up and move. That was the deal, and Harm knew he would have done the same if fate had sent them to San Diego instead. Whatever it takes, that's what they told one another. So long as we're together. All of us.
"Two more years, sailor," she told him, eyes sparkling as she reminded him of their bargain. Two more years and his time with the Allegiance would be up, and he'd be taking his retirement at last. They fought about it, he remembered, when he was first offered the position of XO on the Allegiance. Mac had been handling things at home on her own for too long, and the Navy kept him away from her for months at a time, and the distance had begun to grate on them both. The twins were twelve years old, now and he'd missed more of their lives than he cared to think about. Two more years and they'd be fourteen, in high school, and he had promised Mac - and himself - that he'd be there for all of it. He'd teach them how to drive, put the fear of god into whatever foolish, pimply boys took them to prom, hold Mac's hand when their girls walked across the stage at their graduation. He'd be there for them, all the time, the way he'd always wanted to be. And when they finished school and set off for college, well, then he'd have Mac all to himself.
"Two more years," he agreed. "I promise."
She smiled. "Don't make a promise you can't keep."
It was his turn to grin; how many times, he wondered, had she said those words to him? Too many times to count, about too many different promises, but he had kept them, each and every one.
"I haven't yet," he told her softly.
Before she could respond Eric was back on screen, talking to her about something on his tablet, and so Harm just stood, silent and still, hungrily taking in the sight of his wife. Two more years, and he could look forward to waking up next to her every day for the rest of his life, could know that he would never again go months without holding her hand.
Two more years, so long as they could unravel this plot, and save his ship from disaster.
"Eric, there's been a change of plans," Callen said, standing tense and anxious by the screen again. Something about this felt off, felt wrong; we're missing something, he told himself. "Tell Kensi and Deeks when they get into Al Asad Air Base they will not be coming to the ship. We're gonna send them a location inside Iraq. They need to find Sabatino." Find him, and find out what the hell he's up to.
"Ok, but they're still about four hours out. I'll let them know."
Four hours; they had no other choice, Callen knew, but still he hated to lose the time.
"And i'm sending in a SEAL," Sam added. "His name is Wallace. He's gonna meet them and aid in the search."
"Copy that." And just like that, Eric was off. The Colonel lingered, though, and Callen listened intently, wondering if she had something, anything that might help them move the investigation along.
"And I had a thought," she said. "The agents on board will want the Russian handlers to continue to think that nothing is wrong."
"And so they'd be routinely checking in," the XO picked up the thread for her. Nine years he'd said they worked together in DC; it was a long time to work closely with someone, Callen knew. Sometimes Sam could read him with just a look, and it seemed that Rabb shared that same understanding with the Colonel.
"Well, if we could get Olivia to monitor the game she could tell us when the agent is online," Callen suggested. It made a certain amount of sense, and he was glad the Colonel had brought it up. So far she'd been nothing but helpful and kind, and he made a mental note to thank Hetty later for sending the Colonel to them.
"She's not gonna do that unless Yashnikov tells her to," Sam pointed out.
The Colonel smiled. "Well, I might be able to convince him to help us," she said. And Callen believed her; she looked like the sort of woman who could convince a man to do just about anything.
"Let us know," he said.
She agreed, and Sam thanked her, the call winding down, but it seemed the XO had something else to say. He stepped up a little closer to the monitor, and the Colonel's eyes fell on his face, and once again Callen got the sense they thought they were the only people in the room.
"Be careful out there, Mac," the XO said. His voice was softer than Callen had ever heard it; in that moment, he didn't look like the Executive Officer of one of the most important carriers in the United States Navy. He didn't look powerful, or commanding; he looked worried. He looked like a man staring at the most important thing in his world.
The Colonel smiled, and took another step closer to the screen, so that all Callen could see was her face.
"I love you, too," she said.
And then she was gone.
Callen turned slowly to the XO, who looked just a little bit sheepish.
"What?" he asked, as if he couldn't imagine why Callen was raising an eyebrow at him. "She's my wife."