A/N: My goodness - thank you, everyone, for the warm welcome back. I had no idea anyone would be paying attention after so much time had passed. :-D

Here's the next installment - we're still in the introductory stages, so have patience - the cliffies will start soon enough. (keru.m -- love your stories, btw - haven't read them all yet but I'm working on it -- the fibonacci sequences are just a little Numb3rs thing - no bearing on the story.)

Chapter 2

Wednesday,

LAX

Los Angeles, CA

1605 Local

David rocked on his heels even as he scanned the crowd moving to and fro along the concourse. Don was quieter but just as alert. It was second-nature these days for the Federal agents as they waited at the Delta Airlines gate. Not surprisingly, the flight in from D.C. was late. Sinclair glanced over at Don, "Do we know anything about these two? How will we know who they are?"

"They should be easy to spot. According to the manifest, they're the only military on the flight. A Commander Rabb and a Lt. Colonel MacKenzie from Headquarters JAG is pretty much all Merrick told me. " Don shrugged, "I got the feeling that his biggest concern was that they don't somehow embarrass the Bureau - and him. He was very clear that they're my responsibility." Movement outside on the tarmac caught his attention and he sighed, "About time, the plane's here." Twenty minutes later, he watched the two JAG officers walk out of the gate. There was a momentary sensation of surprise that the Marine Colonel was a woman. That was followed by mild annoyance that Merrick hadn't bothered to tell him.

He watched for a moment longer as they stepped away from the stream of disembarking passengers. They were both good looking, a fact that others in the area were aware of, if the surreptitious glances were any indication. Either one could make a news director drool, leading Don to wonder if the 'help' from JAG was going to be strictly cosmetic. He dismissed the thought almost immediately, chastising himself for making assumptions.

David was apparently thinking along the same lines, "Man, do you think they can put two thoughts together? They look more like models than military officers."

Don slowly arched an eyebrow, "Agent Sinclair, what did the Academy tell you about taking things at face value?" His tone was just pompous enough to let David know he wasn't serious.

Sinclair tried to look properly crestfallen, "Never assume, always check the facts."

"Very good, Agent Sinclair," Don intoned and then smiled, "Let's go greet the poster children." He strode over to the officers.

Harm glanced up from his quiet conversation with Mac and focused on the two men moving towards them. His attention caused Mac to turn and also observe the approaching agents. He leaned unobtrusively towards her and commented, sotto voce, "Do you suppose there's a factory that turns them out? They all have that same look."

"Don't start," Mac muttered quietly. Harm could hear the suppressed amusement in her voice. He swallowed a grin and assumed a professional demeanor, inclining his head slightly as the two men stopped in front of them.

"Commander Rabb? Colonel MacKenzie?" When they nodded, Don continued with the introductions, "I'm Don Eppes with the FBI and this is Special Agent David Sinclair. We'll be working together on the McKlellan case." After shaking hands all around, the four started up the concourse. Don looked over at the JAG officers, "Do you have any bags?"

Harm shook his head, "Just our carry-ons."

Don nodded, "Okay, where are you staying?"

"The Executive Towers," Mac supplied.

"That works. It's not far from headquarters." Don glanced over at David, "We'll take you there so you can get checked in and then we can meet first thing in the morning and go over the case."

"Is there any reason why we can't look at the case file tonight?" Harm threw a quick look at Mac. They were both tired and the last thing he truly wanted to do was work but he couldn't help raising the issue. This guy needed to know right from the start that the FBI wasn't calling the shots. That and the agent's answer would also tell him just how cooperative the Bureau was planning to be.

Don raised an eyebrow at the tall Commander, "No." He glanced at his watch, "It's rush hour so it will be almost 6:00 before we reach the hotel. I thought you both might want to relax a little and maybe grab some dinner."

"What about a working dinner? That is, if neither of you have plans already?" Mac jumped in, hoping to head off a possible confrontation. She understood Harm's reasoning, but it had been a long day already and she just wasn't in the mood to deal with two alpha males posturing over territory.

Two men stared at each other a little longer before Don shrugged and looked over at David, "I haven't got any plans. You?"

Sinclair hesitated a moment and then shook his head, "It's nothing I can't reschedule."

"No, man, don't do that." Don looked at the JAG officers and then back at David, "It's not going to take two of us. We're not that far along in the investigation yet."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Look, we'll swing by headquarters, drop you off and pick up my notes on the case. That okay with everyone?" His eyes held a hint of a challenge as he gazed at Harm.

"That'll be fine. Thank you, Agent Eppes," Mac cut in while giving Harm a look.

The agent grinned at her, "Call me Don." The Colonel reminded him a bit of Terry - always quick to defuse an awkward situation.

"My friends call me Mac," she grinned back at him, grateful he was willing to compromise.

"Harm," Harm put in after getting a sideways look from Mac. He wasn't sure if he liked Eppes. To be fair, though, he realized it might have more to do with the man's affiliation with the FBI. So far, most of his dealings with the Bureau had left a sour taste in his mouth. It had started when they had tried to pin that Russian's murder on him. Granted, meeting with a known Russian gangster wasn't the brightest thing he'd ever done but he'd been desperate trying to track down information about his MIA father. Who knew a rogue KGB officer would show up, kill the man and disappear? Thank God Mac had been able to prove his innocence.

Seventy-five minutes later, David pulled into the parking garage for Bureau headquarters. On the drive over, they had chatted over inconsequential things - mostly because the Colonel had determinedly kept the conversation going by asking questions. Don now knew that Harm, like himself, was a native Californian and that both JAG officers had a family history of military service. They now knew that he'd played minor league ball and that his kid brother was a mathematics professor at CalSci. He hadn't said anything about Charlie being a genius. Such statements were worse than useless if the person had never dealt with someone at Charlie's intellectual level. Hell, Don had grown up with the guy and he was still amazed at what his brother could do. It just seemed like most people either assumed you were exaggerating or they jumped right to the classic TV nerd with the taped glasses, squeaky voice and pocket protector. Don had lately found that he was heartily sick of the wisecracks and so-called witticisms at his brother's expense.

Although he hadn't let on, he'd been surprised to find that Commander Rabb was still an active pilot. Somehow, jet jock and lawyer dweeb didn't seem to go together. Did he shoot enemies down or just threaten to sue them into submission? The other surprise had been finding out that the Colonel and Commander were engaged. Seeing that it was Rabb who offered the information, Don assumed the man was staking his claim just in case Don was having ideas about Mac. The Colonel had looked exasperated but Eppes understood completely. He had no doubt that he'd probably react the same way. He wasn't going to say anything but David jumped right in, "Aren't there regulations about that?"

The two JAG officers glanced at each other. "There are regs against married couples in the same chain of command," Harm answered. "Eventually, one of us will have to transfer."

"Normally, we wouldn't have been partnered on the same investigation either but that would be more a matter of rank. Most cases rarely require two field grade officers," Mac added when it looked like Harm wasn't going to say anything else. She couldn't believe he'd blurted out that they were engaged but she wasn't going to make a fool out of him and contradict it. Technically, it was still true. She hadn't given him back his ring even though she knew it would be for the best if she ended it right now. Mac knew it was cowardly of her, but she just hadn't been able to gather the strength to break his heart and her own. Obviously, they were going to have to sit down and talk. Somehow she had to make him see that he needed to move on without her.

It wasn't all that likely that they'd be able to talk tonight. Mac hadn't expected Harm to have such a difficult time dealing with the FBI. When she thought about it, however, she realized that his dealings with Special Agent Novak were always tinged with animosity. To be fair, she had thought that it had had more to do with Novak having been slightly antagonistic towards the two of them since the murder trial.

"But you're partnered on this investigation?" Don interrupted her thoughts as they got out of the SUV.

Again, the two JAG officers exchanged looks. Harm shrugged, it really didn't matter if the agents knew why they'd been assigned. "We were specifically requested by the SecNav." He glanced at the look on David's face and clarified, "The Secretary of the Navy."

Don eyed them appraisingly as they entered the elevator that would take them to the main floor of the office. His concerns might be justified. "Senator Coughlin have anything to do with this?"

Mac hesitated slightly. No matter how they phrased this, it was going to sound insulting. "I believe he asked for a second set of eyes to look into the case against his grandson."

David immediately bristled, "Meaning he thinks we're either biased or inept?"

"Meaning," Harm retorted, his expression hard, "that he's aware that the petty officer's father will probably bring a tremendous amount of political pressure to bear. He's also aware that his own political enemies might attempt to interfere. He wants independent corroboration of the case against his grandson."

David's reply was forestalled by a quiet gesture from his partner. Don really wasn't as concerned about the 'why' of the military investigation as he was about how it would be conducted. If Senator Coughlin was holding their leashes, he'd have to consider carefully how much access he could give without jeopardizing the case, "Who do you report to?"

"The Navy JAG, General Cresswell," Mac was relieved to see that Eppes seemed neither surprised nor offended. He had every right to be leery but Mac figured he'd come around once they got to know each other. Of course, he could just be playing it close to the vest but she was beginning to believe that they'd run across another man whose primary concern would be the truth and not political expediency. The conversation ceased for a moment as the elevator stopped at the lobby of the main floor. It took a few minutes for she and Harm to be issued visitor passes and then they were following Don across the office. Agent Sinclair had excused himself as soon as they cleared the security gate.

Don looked across the room to see that Merrick's office was dark. Megan and Colby were nowhere to be seen either. He glanced over his shoulder at the JAG officers, "I'll introduce you to SAC Merrick and the rest of my squad in the morning. It looks like everyone's gone for the day." He turned back to resume the trek to his desk and was slightly startled to see a familiar figure sitting in his chair. "Charlie?"

Charlie spun around in the chair and smiled, "Hey Don." He hesitated when he saw his brother wasn't alone.

"Charlie, this is Commander Harmon Rabb and Lt. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie. They're with the Judge Advocate General's office in D.C." He looked back at the officers, "Harm, Mac, this is my brother, Dr. Charles Eppes. He's a part-time consultant for the Bureau." After greetings were exchanged, Don looked back at Charlie, "I didn't know you'd be in today, what's up?"

Charlie smiled again, "I just finished helping Agent Guerrero with that fraud case. Some of the algorithms needed tweaking. Since I was here, I thought maybe we could grab some dinner?" His smile faltered a little as he glanced at JAGs, "Unless, of course, you're still working... "

Don frowned slightly, "Geez, Charlie." He ran a hand through his hair, "I'm sorry." Damn, they were finally getting on the same page in their somewhat rocky relationship. It had been tough working out issues that had hounded them since childhood but he was now at a point where he would have preferred sharing a meal with his brother to discussing a case with colleagues.

"We were about to have a working dinner, why don't you join us?" Mac interrupted. It was bad enough that she wasn't going to be able to relax anytime soon because Harm had a bug in his ear about working with the FBI; they didn't need ruin Agent Eppes' evening as well. She blinked when all three men looked at her, "What?"

Don shifted somewhat uncomfortably, shooting his brother an apologetic glance, "This is a politically sensitive case and there's no reason for Charlie to consult."

At the same time, Charlie was shaking his head, "I appreciate the invitation but I wouldn't want to get Don in trouble."

Realizing that Mac had just about reached the limits of her patience with him, Harm only offered a token argument, "Mac, you know information on an ongoing investigation is privileged. General Cresswell would have a fit." He swallowed a sigh when she folded her arms and gave the three men a look that clearly said that she thought they were being particularly dense.

Although she had no idea how math could help with a murder investigation, Mac was willing to argue the point. "How do you know he can't assist on this case? Shouldn't we discuss it with him first?" She glanced at Charlie, still somewhat amazed at how young he was. When Don had mentioned his 'kid brother' taught applied mathematics at CalSci, Mac had automatically assumed that Charlie was only a year or so younger. This guy looked more like a college student than a college professor. "I think Dr. Eppes would be the best judge of whether or not he could help and he can't do that without getting the basics. I don't see the harm in going over it with him." She directed her last question to Charlie, "Would you mind joining us for dinner while you evaluate the case?"

Charlie's eyebrows went up and he shook his head with the beginnings of a small grin. Mac looked at Harm and Don, "Then that's settled. For the record, I've asked for Dr. Eppes' opinion. Now, where are we going to eat? I'm starving."

Don shifted, momentarily taken aback at the abrupt change of subject, "Uhh, well... what kind of food do you like?"

"Preferably something that's already dead, but that's not a deal-breaker," Harm said blandly, earning a mock glare from his Marine.

Don smiled. He was beginning to warm up to these two, "There's a little surf 'n turf restaurant a couple of blocks from here. Food's good and it's got booths in the back for privacy."

"Sounds good to me," Mac looked over at Harm who nodded, too. "Let's go."

Wednesday,

Henry B's

Los Angeles, CA

1825 Local

After watching the waitress leave with their orders, Don looked from Harm to Mac, "We don't have too much to go on just yet. Akil Fawwaz, a student at UCLA, was found beaten to death in a flea-bag hotel in Compton." His tone turned dry, "Surprisingly, the room was rented to a John Smith and other than confirming it wasn't Fawwaz, the desk clerk can't seem to remember what he looks like. We don't know if the victim was meeting someone or if someone took him there with the intent to kill him." He was recapping the case for Charlie as well as himself. Sometimes laying it out step by step for someone else helped him see things he might have missed.

"Were any of the other rooms nearby occupied at the time? Somebody should have heard something." Mac sipped her water and eyed the bread basket sitting on the other side of Harm. She hadn't been kidding when she said she was starving. The snacks served on the plane hardly made a dent.

Don rubbed the back of his neck, "The police canvassed the hotel and the surrounding neighborhood. Nobody saw or heard anything - fairly typical, considering the area. It's safer to mind your own business."

Harm handed a roll to Mac and looked over at Don, "How did the cops catch McKlellan?"

"They got a call about a dead body at the Guilford. They found Fawwaz, searched the area and picked up McKlellan a couple of blocks away."

"That's odd," Charlie commented.

"More like stupid," Harm grabbed a roll for himself and silently offered another one to Mac before passing the basket to Don.

"Well yes, that too, but that's not what I meant," Charlie smiled slightly as he tilted his head to the side. "Don just said that people don't get involved down there yet someone called soon after the murder occurred." He looked at Don, "What happened exactly?"

Don frowned, this was part of what was bothering him, "The cops got the call about a body but the caller just named the hotel, he didn't give a room number. They had to go floor by floor to find Fawwaz. The room was locked up tight and paid for for the next three days. Someone didn't want this kid found right away."

"And someone else did," Mac said dryly. "Why were the police looking at McKlellan?"

"Call it profiling," Don shrugged. "The Petty Officer didn't exactly fit into the Compton area."

"But if he was the murderer, what was he doing hanging around? That's not too bright," Harm scowled, "and according to his files, McKlellan's hardly an idiot. This sounds like a set-up."

"Maybe, except that McKlellan had blood spatter on his clothes, his knuckles were a mess and he had a .32 in an ankle holster. Aside from threatening us with his family's influence, he wouldn't say word one." Don countered.

"Why was he in Compton?" Mac asked. She'd finished off her second roll and was trying not to think about a third. Surely the waitress would be back soon with their salads. It was a weeknight and the restaurant wasn't particularly crowded.

"He wouldn't answer that question either." Don had a hard time keeping the frustration out of his voice. Except for the steady stream of invective about their careers, the Petty Officer had lawyered up almost immediately. The shifty-eyed little bastard in the Armani suit who had shown up to spring McKlellan, had also made sure his client didn't say another word. He leaned back a little and closed the file folder. Their waitress was approaching with a tray of salads.

Charlie glanced at his brother while the salads were distributed. Once the waitress had left, he cleared his throat softly, "You don't think McKlellan's the murderer, do you?"

Don shot Charlie an exasperated look, "I think McKlellan's in whatever this is right up to his eyeballs. As for murder, who knows? Something's going on with him, I can feel it."

"Any idea why Fawwaz was the target?" Mac asked while digging industriously into her salad.

"LAPD was thinking it was a hate crime which is why we're involved," Don glanced over at Harm, "You know McKlellan's got a record of abuse with Muslims on the base."

"Verbal," Harm retorted, unable to keep the sharp tone out of his voice. "It's a pretty big jump to physical. How do we know he wasn't lured to Compton so he could get pinned with this murder?"

"Are you investigating or defending this guy?" Don glared at the Navy Commander.

"Investigating," Mac said firmly. "Do you know why the Petty Officer was still in Compton when the police showed up?"

Don swallowed his irritation as he turned his attention to Mac. He even managed a small grin, "He didn't have a choice. Someone had ripped off his tires and tagged the side of his car with the word 'Honky'. Apparently he was sitting in what was left, waiting for a tow truck. That's part of the reason the cops pulled him out after they stopped to talk to him. He was mad as hell and started swearing at them."

Mac rolled her eyes, "Not the brightest thing to do with the LAPD."

"No," Don agreed. "When they saw the blood on his clothes and found the gun, they arrested him for the murder and eventually called us."

Harm's eyebrows rose, "That's the case against him? He was in the area with a gun and had blood on him? Fawwaz was beaten, not shot. Good grief, a first-year law student could get him off. Did anyone bother to check to see if the blood belonged to the victim?"

"We're waiting on the DNA analysis," Don ground out slowly, aware that his temper was trying to get the better of him.

"Harm," Mac said at the same time. She gave him a troubled look, knowing he was reliving the Singer debacle.

"Does anyone know how Fawwaz wound up in a hotel room in Compton?" Charlie asked, looking from Harm to his brother. Somehow he didn't think it was just this case that was making the Commander so defensive.

"No," Don stabbed at a piece of tomato. "That's another part of this case that doesn't make sense. What was either of them doing in Compton? Fawwaz is - was a student studying architecture at UCLA. We know his family is well-to-do and he had a privileged upbringing. So does McKlellan, for that matter. These guys would hang out at a Starbuck's, not one of the worse areas in Compton. It's damn dangerous. I'd think twice before going there unarmed, too."

"There has to be a link somewhere," Mac frowned, partly from the inconsistencies of the case and partly from the tension escalating between the two men. "Drugs? We know McKlellan's been busted at least once before for possession while he was in college."

Harm turned and looked at her, "It was recreational and he beat the conviction. I don't think he'd take a chance moving drugs. It's high-risk and he doesn't really need the money. He and his sister will inherit everything." He shifted his attention to Don, "What about Fawwaz?"

Don shook his head, "We don't know yet. He doesn't have a police record but we haven't had a chance to interview the people that knew him. His student records should be available in the morning." He looked over at Charlie, "Maybe you can take a look and see if anything odd pops out."

Charlie nodded, "If it's in the morning. I've got classes in the afternoon and then I have to be in my office for a couple of hours to answer student inquiries."

"We should go to Ventura tomorrow to talk with McKlellan's CO and co-workers. I'd like to have a clearer picture of the Petty Officer before we talk to him," Harm looked at Mac and then at Don, "We'll need transportation to the base so we can requisition a car."

"Why don't we split up?" Mac asked. She got the raised eyebrow expressions she was halfway expecting. Their investigation would be at standstill if Harm didn't get over this problem with the Feds and forcing him to work with Eppes seemed like the fastest solution. God knew it would take longer if she had to do the arguing. Besides, the more she had learned about Don Eppes, the more traits of Harm she could see. Either they would make a killer team or they would simply kill each other. Mac was willing to gamble on their professionalism to keep the latter from happening. She looked over at Charlie, "How about if I go with you tomorrow and Don can go with Harm?"

Don started to protest and then thought better of it. He still wasn't sure about the JAG officers' agenda. This would be an ideal way to keep an eye on them and a good opportunity to get past this head-butting he and the Commander seemed to having. He nodded, "Sounds like a good idea."

Harm saw Eppes raise an eyebrow at him as he opened his mouth to argue. The challenge was unmistakable and Harm responded the only way he could. He smiled sweetly at Mac, "Works for me."

"Great," Mac smiled in return and then her eyes lit up as she looked past him.

Harm glanced over his shoulder and saw the waitress approaching with a tray loaded with food. He turned back to the table with a grin, "Clear the decks, we've got incoming."

... 8, 13, 21, 34, 55...