Sheffield had been looking into the woods when he heard people gasp. He turned around to see what they were staring at. Smiling, he said, "Right on time Colonel MacKenzie."
Glaring daggers at Sheffield, Mac approached him from the side of the house, while keeping her arms close to her body. Gritting through her teeth, she replied, "I told you I'd come. Now let the others go."
Thinking he had the upper hand, Sheffield smugly stated, "I don't think so Colonel. You see there is one slight problem with that. If I let them go there will be witnesses. I can't have that. Now can I?" Still drawing closer to him Sheffield saw in her eyes a look of steely determination that wasn't there the last time he saw her. He nervously glanced around while wiping the perspiration from his forehead but didn't see anyone advancing towards him.
Mac's eyes lit up when she saw him sweating. She changed her pace moving slower so as not to alert Sheffield, or the gunmen, to what she was up to, all the while explaining what she had been doing. "I've been helping someone to get information on you. Evidence to bring you to justice. I never had anything concrete on what you did to the Admiral and his wife and children…" Mac paused when she saw the triumphant gleam in his eyes, "Until today that is. You see, right from the very beginning, every conversation that you and I have had has been monitored. Just like today." Gesturing with her left hand, Mac informed him, "There are cameras hidden everywhere. Everything you spoke of here is being taped." Pouting like a little girl, she complained, "I'm just upset that I can't charge you for murder."
Seeing him smirking, Mac said, "Oh no, it's not because we don't have any evidence, or witnesses. It's because my uncle and my…" she paused here not sure what to call Deanna MacKenzie anymore. Oh they talked and Mac said she forgave her but didn't want anything to do with Deanna. As for her uncle, she never blamed him. He had wanted Deanna to tell Mac the truth from the very beginning. He had gone back to Leavenworth to serve out his time. "…mother never died. They had help faking their deaths. I, of course, was unaware of this. It was revealed to me when I…" Again she paused trying to think of what to say. Technically Mac was AWOL, but she hoped they would drop the offense. "…disappeared. I was very happy but also angry because I realized that you wouldn't be charged with murder." When Mac was about two feet from him, she said, while inconspicuously slipping her right hand behind her back grasping the gun. "There were so many times I wanted to tell the Admiral what you were up to, but I knew you'd try and kill someone else close to me."
"Like your dear old daddy, Chegwidden, don't you?!" Sheffield was in a rage by now. He could not believe his plans were falling apart. After all these years trying to make Chegwidden suffer for getting his brother killed.
Seeing the many shocked faces in her peripheral vision and then looking into the Admirals eyes over Sheffield shoulder, Mac informed Sheffield while pulling her gun on him, "You lost. It's over and I'm going to be sure that you rot in prison for the rest of your miserable life."
At the same time that Mac had pulled her gun Harm signaled the Captain to grab the gunmen. He jumped up knocking the closest one out with one punch while Sturgis and the Captain took out the other two. The rest of the guys helped the women out of their bindings. Tim ran over to help untie AJ from his only to find him already standing. Being the SeAL that he is AJ had managed to get them undone but it had taken him far too long to be of any help to Mac.
At the same time that was happening Sheffield had aimed his gun at Mac, telling AJ, "Say goodbye to your daughter Chegwidden!" then pulled the trigger. He wasn't going to leave not without hurting AJ one last time.
Mac fired her weapon the same time as Sheffield. Hitting him in the arm that was holding the gun. As a result Sheffield dropped his weapon. Sheffield's shot hit Mac in the chest. Being so close to him the impact from the bullet catapulted her back-wards slamming her into the ground bouncing her head off the wooden floor. Clay had come sneaking out from his hiding place firing his weapon at Sheffield hit him in between the eyes.
Harm was holding his breath as he watched the whole scene play out. It seemed to go in slow-motion for him. When everything started back up to the normal speed he ran over to Mac. Kneeling down next to her harm checked the place she was shot at and sighed in relief when he discovered the bullet-proof vest. Shaking her gentle by the shoulders to wake her up, Harm called to her, "Mac! Come on, Ninja-girl, you need to open your beautiful eyes for me." Not getting a response he checked her head to find a lump on the back of it.
As he was pleading for Mac to open her eyes AJ came over telling Harm, "The paramedics are here." He had seen them heading this way as he came to see how Mac was. "Harm, Mac will be just fine." At least he prayed she would be.
Harm's perplexed eyes flew to AJ's, "How did they get here so quickly?"
"That would be on account of me. I had them here before any of this started." Webb replied, as he crouched down behind Harm and away from AJ. He noticed the gleam in his eyes and it meant nothing but pain for Clay.
As the paramedics came over pushing the men out of their way, Webb told them, "Look, let's follow them to Bethesda. My mother will meet us there and she'll recount the whole story to you."
Inhaling deeply, AJ stood in front of him, and then exhaled slowly, as he said, "Fine, Webb, just answer three questions for me. One, is Mac really Sera, two, is your mother, Mrs. Peel and third, who the Hell is Mr. Steed?"
Tim Fawkes came over, "Well, your right about Porter being Mrs. Peel, AJ. As for who Mr. Steed is, well, that would be me." Then he with a solemn expression, Tim acknowledged what AJ already suspected, "And as for whether, or not, Sarah's your daughter. It's true." Pulling some papers out of his coat pocket handing them over, Tim explained, "Porter received the DNA proof months ago. She was able to get yours and Marcela's DNA, as well as Francesca's. Don't ask me how she did it? I don't know."
Everyone else had all gathered around as the paramedics placed Mac on the gurney. They happened to over hear the last part of the conversation and were shocked. Tiner was the only one to ask, "Is the Colonel really your daughter, Sir?"
AJ placed his arms around Marcela and Francesca pulling them into an embrace while watching the paramedics load Mac and the gurney inside the ambulance, "Yes, Tiner, it would seem so."
2130 HRS
Saturday
July 20, 2002
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Waiting room
AJ, Marcella, Francesca, Adel, Harm, Amanda, the Captain, Tim, Mrs. Webb, Clay, Bud, Harriet and Tiner, after he dropped his date off at her home, sat in the lobby waiting for any news on Mac. They all were feeling a little confused.
AJ was gazing out the huge window facing the parking lot thinking over everything that had just happened. 'I still can not believe Mac is really Sera. After all these years believing that she was dead. Would Sarah want anything to do with me, any of us after how we treated her?'
He turned to face the group, "Okay, Mrs. Webb, would you like to tell us what's been going on from your perspective and Harm and I will fill in what we know."
As she began speaking, AJ's mind wondered back to seven months ago when it all began...
TBC