A/N: I'M SO SORRY! Let me begin with that. I would have updated like two days ago but then real life got in the way and this is my first time actually on the stinking computer in the last three days so – now I update.
Major thanks to you guys that reviewed: MiDushiNoSushi, Syrae, Kelly, starryeyes10, JamieAKAaclassyone, BrittanyLS, alix33, JulieM, southernqt, Toplesslemon, Reni-Maniac, Kyrapura, prinnie, disneygirl1962, Radiorox, Mackenise Jackson, marineJAG, tizy, Ella, vhosek malacath, FoxyWombat, Upfire, Alex, froggy0319, TV Angel 711, Pissed Off Poet 1, fic chic, dansingwolf, Samantha, musiclover, Abigaile, Laura, Lani, Bookworm0485, Eggy Weg, Brontesgirl, starryeyes10, jaggurl, Major Jagfan, Strawberry Kittens, and Shalimar 2! If I left anyone out, please let me know.
Tracking Teams
0542
Rabb and Mackenzie Household
Harm's POV
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
I roll over in the bed, managing to squash myself between Mac's and my pillow, faintly muffling the sound. Slumber weighs heavily on my unopened eyelids. I shift a little farther into the bed, sheets and covers and pillows drowning me.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Harm," Mac mutters sleepily from beside me. "Shut the damned thing off."
Reluctantly I rolled over to the other side and slapped the alarm button. I rose groggily, rubbing my eyes on my t-shirt sleeve. The world seems to spin for a moment as my eyes adjust to the crack of morning light seeping in through our semi-open curtain. I struggle into a pair of jeans as Mac rolls over into the middle of the bed now that I'm gone, stretching almost catlike across the mattress.
"Hey," I whispered softly, crossing near the bed to pick up my keys and wallet off my bedside table. "I'll see you in a few, okay?"
"Kay," Mac yawned, her eyes remaining closed.
"Call me if you need me," I said, grabbing my jacket out of our closet. By now, this dialogue was traditional, performed every time I went away. We were both very much accustomed to it. "I'll have my cell with me at all times."
"Kay," she murmured.
"Love you."
"Kay."
I grinned. Mac at six in the morning was not really one with words. I opened the door to our room softly and exited even more silently. Hunter was known infamously for his insomnia, and we'd gotten him down last night with barely more than a peep, and this was considered an enormous feat.
I crept in through Hunter's open door, sunlight slowly filtering into his room through his open-blind window. I knelt down beside his bed, he was unmoving in the early morning stillness. Not wanting to awake him, I didn't touch him, instead whispered a barely audible good-bye. His face looked completely at peace in the morning light, kind of like Mac when she was watching a movie or reading a book she really liked. Totally in their own world.
I guess I look that way flying, I've never really thought about it – though I don't suppose I'd know, considering I can't see myself. But I get that really quick-spreading sort of elation, this sort of ultimate high, and I'm completely zoned. It feels real nice, sort of tingly – well, you know what I mean.
I turned off the burglar alarm and gently pulled my Corvette out of the garage, balancing my cell phone on my shoulder as I punched in Webb's number when I stopped at a red light. I paused a little as the ringing echoed in my ears, my fingers drumming gently on the steering wheel, and then –
"Webb."
"Hey," I greeted kind of strained. The light turned green. "I just left."
"We could probably be in Redgate in a coupe of hours if we left now," Clay reasoned. "But we should probably stop by the office first, check in to see if there are any messages for either of us, then hit the road before the morning traffic starts to set in."
His words have this sort of artificial effect on my sleep-deprived state. "Hey, Clay?"
"Yeah?"
"Where are you?"
"Just driving," Clay's voice sounds weary, fatigued. I guess I sound like that too.
"You get a good night's sleep?" I asked, as I pulled my Corvette around a turn.
"Why are you asking me this?"
For a minute, his question plays in my mind. And then – "Because I don't think anyone does."
"I'm fine, Harm."
"Keep telling yourself that, maybe it'll be true," I reasoned with depth far beyond any I could have imagined myself possessing. I closed my eyes for a moment. I'd left the house without coffee, and now my caffeine-deprived body was craving the forgotten elixir of life.
"You get a good sleep last night?" Clay asked.
I shrugged my shoulders, immediately after realizing he could not see my shrug. "S'alright."
"Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Yes," I said rather indignantly.
"How much?"
"'Bout an hour."
"You're running low, Harm."
Clay's voice fought to me. Yeah, I knew I should have gotten more sleep last night, but the way I saw it the outcome was unavoidable. Had I gone to bed even four or five hours earlier I wouldn't have been able to fall asleep anyway. Even Mac's steady breathing probably wouldn't have helped. At least I was somewhat productive with all my sleepless hours.
"Hey, Clay, suppose we catch Abbas," I said, easing myself back in my seat. "Think he'll get the chair?"
"For?"
"Escaping and all," I elaborated carefully.
I could hear the shrug in Webb's voice. "Not our call, Harm. We'll see what the state can do but until then – we've just got to focus on catching Abbas."
"Yeah," I repeated sort of numbly. "I know."
There was an almost pained silence on the other line and then – "I'll see you in a few minutes, Harm."
"Bye," was my quick response as I folded my cell phone and put it in my pocket. My eyes flew back to the road that stretched out long and winding in front of me, and I found myself wondering if there was only one way to ride a road. And I didn't mean general direction.
Later that day
Rabb and Mackenzie Household
Mac's POV
"You two doing okay?" I asked, ducking into Hunter's room briefly as Hunter, Jake, and the Roberts twins stretched out on the carpet, a minefield of Lego surrounding them. Sun filtered in through the open window, Hunter's rocket decorated curtains swaying gently in the wind.
Hunter nodded. "Yes, Mommy."
"You want anything?" I asked. "Cookies, carrots . . ."
Stupid question.
Hunter grinned. "Cookies, please."
Hallie and Harmon nodded in agreement. I looked over at Jake who sat quietly, his grey eyes matching my brown ones. "Do you want some cookies too, Jake?" He just stares at me. "Chocolate chip . . .?"
Jake nods. I sigh, walking back down the hallway. If I didn't know his parents so well, and how they could both at any given moment talk your ears off, I'd just completely give up on his verbal communication skills. He'll grow into it, I thought as I cut up a tube of Pillsbury Chocolate Chip cookies onto a tray. Hunter had gone through a silent spell too, but it had lasted barely two weeks.
Knock Knock.
I looked up to see Harriet rapping on my screen door, behind her two rather tall gangly boys. "Hey, can we come in?"
"It's unlocked!" I called as Harriet opened up the door. Jimmy rushed to meet me, and I promptly scooped him into my arms as I did so, leaning in a little to pop the cookies in the oven. "Why, hello, Saint Jimmy," I greeted the six year old seriously. "How was school?"
"First grade's fun," Jimmy replied smiling as I eased him down onto his own two feet. He looked around. "Where're Hallie and –?"
"That gang's in Hunter's room," I said, watching as Jimmy scampered off down the hall. I turned back to Harriet. "Wow, he's getting BIG, Harriet."
"Yeah, he is," Harriet muttered rather distractedly as she turned back out through the screen door. "AJ, leave the poor cat alone and get in here!" She turned back to me. "Boys," she said, shaking her head. "God, I hope your second's a girl."
I smiled. "Harm seems to think it's a boy."
Harriet's eyebrow shot up. "What does he know? It's not like it's –"
"Inside his stomach," I finished, nodding in agreement, having had the exact same conversation with Harm the night before. "I know."
"Well, I'll let you in on a little secret," Harriet grinned, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Bud thought both AJ and Jimmy were girls, in speaking of which –" Her voice rose considerably – "AJ Roberts, get your little butt in here!"
AJ appeared at the doorway, his back turned to us as he threw little pieces of bark for one of the stray cats to catch. He stood next to his mother, the same kind of good natured grin over taking his face. He looked almost all his mother, with the same honey blonde hair – though AJ's slightly more golden – and excited blue eyes. Jimmy looked more like his dad.
"AJ, you've grown since the last time I've seen you!" I exclaimed at the ten year old who promptly pushed back his hair with his hands like Harm used to do back in the old days.
"Aunt Mac, you saw me last week," he argued grinning.
"And I swear you've grown since," I said, tracing the top of his head up to my neck. "How tall are you?"
"Nearly five feet."
I shot Harriet an imploring look. "That's awfully tall for a ten year old."
Harriet shrugged. "What can I say? We've tried not feeding him, but he complains about child abuse." She ruffled AJ's hair fondly. "You just can't win with this kid."
AJ looked around. "Where are the others?"
"Hunter's room, if you want to join them," I said, motioning down the hallway.
"Um . . . no thanks," AJ said. He's at an age where playing with his little brother and friends is more torture than anything. He looked into the living room. "Mind if I watch TV?"
"Not at all," I said as AJ walked into the living room and slumped onto the couch. "Man, your kids are really growing, Harriet."
Harriet rolled her eyes as she took a seat at the kitchen table. "Don't remind me." I smiled. Harriet looked around the room and then into the living room through the opening in the wall. "So, is Harm around?"
"Uh, no, he's away – left today," I said, pouring some tea into a cup for me. I motioned to it. "Do you want some?"
"Sure," Harriet said as I reached for another cup. "Thanks."
"Anyways," I continued, "Harm's usually not at home this early in the day. Comes home around six maybe. Why?"
"Oh, Bud wanted to know what gel Harm uses in his hair," Harriet waved the comment off with a roll of her eyes. "He has that award ceremony coming up next week, and insists he wants to 'look good'." Harriet shrugged, "I told him he already looked good, but apparently that doesn't mean much coming from your wife any more."
I chuckled. "Anyway, Harm uses that New Wave stuff. That's the brand name."
"New Wave," Harriet repeated in a lower tone. "Okay, I'll remember that."
"Hey, you two," Vera knocked on the back door. I waved her in. Vera took the seat next to Harriet.
"You want some tea, Vera?" I asked as I handed Harriet her tea cup.
Vera shook her head. "No, thanks, I'm not really one for tea." She peered into the living room. "Where's Jake? We've got to get going."
"He's in Hunter's room with the rest of them," I said sitting down at the table with them. "Why? What's the rush?"
"No rush," Vera replied quickly, an attempted suppressed look of anxiety suddenly overtaking her features. "I just . . . uh, need to get home and check on something."
"Check on what?" I probe. Both Harriet's and my eyes suddenly become lasers burning holes in Vera's story.
Vera exhaled heavily. "If I can use your computer, I'll show you."
The three of us filtered into my home office. Vera took a seat at the swiveling office chair, digging in her pocket till she found her USB, then slipped it into the drive. It took a moment for a series of files to overtake the screen, each as long as the other. But Vera ignored all these and scrolled right to the end of the screen where it read 'Tracking System'. She clicked on this and immediately a dark green grid like thing appeared, the center of which there was a bleeping red triangle labeled 'Clay'.
It took a moment for the scene to register in my mind and then – "You're tracking Clay!" I exclaimed.
"Shh!" Vera pressed, her finger on her lips. "Keep it down, the kids are in the next room."
"You're tracking Clay!" I whisper-screamed.
Vera didn't respond, but instead opened another map which appeared behind the green grid. "That's weird," she whispered almost to herself. "It's like he's in the middle of nowhere."
"How?" My voice resonated. "I mean, how are you tracking him?"
A dull shade of pink managed to creep its way into Vera's cheeks. "I . . . uh . . ."
"You . . . uh . . ." Harriet prompted.
Vera pushed back a stubborn strand of hair. "I put a tracer in his wallet."
Amusement flashes across my face. "You what?"
"I put a tracer in his wallet," Vera repeated somewhat dumbly.
"How?" There's no stopping my voice as it keeps climbing louder.
"I – I put it in when he wasn't looking," Vera's eyes refused to meet mine.
"How long ago?" Harriet asked.
"A . . . a year." The moment she said it, Vera knew the admission would cost her something. I could see it in her eyes.
"You've been tracing him for a whole year?" The idea seemed to amuse Harriet more than anything else. She smiled, "And you say you don't have feelings for him."
"I don't," Vera fought back stubbornly. "He just goes away so much, I thought . . ."
"You thought you'd see where he was going," I mused aloud. How many times had I been caught out of the loop when Harm was traveling? But still, my mind fought back. Harm was my husband.
"I – I just wanted to know," Vera defended herself. "I was sick of not knowing."
And then something clicked in my brain, like the lightbulb above my head suddenly turned on. "Wait a minute, Clay's away?"
"Yeah," Vera replied, as casually as she could possibly sound. "He left this morning."
My eyes fly to Harriet's. "So did Harm."
Harriet's eyebrow shot up. "You think they're working a case together?"
"That can't be common," Vera argued. "The director sits behind a desk unless he has to travel to some meeting or the other. He doesn't actually work cases."
"Unlike Harm does," I said thoughtfully. "Except he's only in intelligence . . . he wouldn't be out on the field. We agreed he wasn't going out on the field."
"Just because Clay and Harm left on the same day doesn't mean they're working together," Harriet suggested meekly. "It could just be a coincidence."
Vera's eyes darkened considerably. "There's no such thing as coincidences within The Company."
"Vera," my voice is sort of soft. "Why did you trace Clay?"
"I told you," Vera turned away. "I wanted to know where he was."
"But why?" I persisted. In reality, I knew why. I just wanted to hear Vera say it.
"Because," was Vera's elaborating statement.
"Because . . .?" Harriet prodded.
"Because I don't know!" Vera whirled around. "I don't know why I put the tracer in Clay's wallet last year, I don't know why I insist on tracking him when he goes off, and I don't know why you're questioning me."
"Isn't it obvious?" Harriet's voice was light and soothing to Vera's agitated temper. "You lo –"
"I do nothing of the sort," Vera cut Harriet off effectively. "Clay and I are over, there is nothing left to salvage. I barely see him, he barely sees me. Believe me, there is nothing between us any more. The fact that he's out in the middle of nowhere should prove that, even if nothing else will."
Same Time
Middle of Nowhere
"What's that?" Harm asked from beside Clay as he drove wildly around the rough terrain.
"Portable locator," Clay said, tapping on the screen to access the blue print map.
"Who're you locating?"
Clay ignored the question as the screen loomed up in front of him. He heaved a relieved sigh. The little red triangle marked 'Vera' hovered over the Rabb household.
A/N: Again, I'm sorry. I was really trying to update last night, but I only got home around ten and then I wrote about three pages before I started to drift off so I figured I'd just pick up in the morning. I'll try and update TLWL today too. I'm just so lazy and I'm getting a terrible amount of homework (computer restrictions doesn't really help, either)
Syraë: thanks, but that's cool that your house is getting renovated. I'm just buried under a stressful amount of homework. My math teacher possesses an unimaginable amount of cruelty.
Eggy weg: thanks, Clay/Vera's fun to write, mostly 'cause there's no restrictions on it, Vera being original and everything.
Musiclover: Harm was consoling! Sorry, lol, I haven't updated in so long you probably don't remember what we were talking about, but Harm was comforting Mac after Webb's death. Mac seemed to think that her chances for a family began and ended with Webb, and Harm wanted her to know that he'd always be there for her, whenever she wanted to get something started. It was a very nice shipper moment.
Abigaile: thanks, and I'll have more soon.
Brontesgirl: thanks, more to come on the Clay/Vera scale! I just gotta collect my bearing before I update TLWL. I'm really lacking when it comes to updates on that story.
Kyrapura: Harriet has four kids. Lol, poor her . . . but they're sweet little people, so I can't see how she minds much. I'll try and get another chapter of TLWL out as soon as possible. Famous last words, I know.
Starryeyes10: thanks!
Alex: lol, yes, Radiorox is a brilliant writer, and RTM is great. How I write little kids well . . . well, my best friend's mother remarried some time ago and now my friend has a four year old little sister who's just the sweetest thing in the world, and I'm always over at their house so I guess I've just gotten used to her. She's very much like Jake, kind of quiet but it seems like she sees everything. And yes, Clay will be in deep when Vera finds out (can keep the women clueless, they're just too good for that).
BrittanyLS: lol, I know, don't you just hate it when you start to sympathize with a character you're sworn to hate? I'm not a Webbie, I will not pretend to be one – the animosity I felt towards Webb during the ninth season was incomparable. However, there's really no point in writing him as the villain in this story, I like Abbas so much better.
MiDushiNoSushi: yeah, there was really no point in making Clay a manipulator. He may have been a total ass in JAG, but that's just a waste of character considering what he could have been. He could have caused friction in the plot instead of ruining our little HM path, but never mind that, what's done is done. Harm and Mac are together – that's what's important. Lol, I'll just keep telling myself that. But yes, Clay and Vera are . . . um, what do you call it? Reminiscing of the past. That's it. If Jake were alive . . . what would happen?
Southernqt: Hmm . . . so are you right about Abbas-or-crony being The Dark Man? Well, you'll see . . . lol, I know I'm taunting, but I really will tell you . . . sooner or later.
JamieAKAaclassyone: yes, lol, I think we'd all love for it to be Jake back from the dead, however – considering he's six feet under on the other side of the world, I'm thinking our luck kind of ran out on that one . . .
Froggy0319: Yes, there will be some HM Hunter moments like that, not in this chapter cuz I kind of had to finish it in a hurry . . . but it will come. I promise you that.
Radiorox: lol, yes, we combine our supernatural evil forces and then we can really send 'em all running for their money.
Pissed Off Poet 1: lol, so sorry it took so long. I felt terrible for leaving the update this long, especially cuz I already had two pages typed. But I'll update faster for the next chapter.
Jaggurl: oh don't worry, Vera and Mac will figure it out – they're already half way there.
Prinnie: lol, yes, I'm just wicked with the updates . . . Dark Man – Abbas or not? You'll find out soon. I can tell you that much. Or well, maybe you won't find out for sure soon – but it'll become pretty clear.
Dansingwolf: me like Webb in JAG? Oh no no no no no. I cannot stress that point enough. I was never a Webbie, right after the ninth season I would very literally snarl every time he came on the screen. That was just wicked what DPB did to us shippers in Paraguay. Like, for example, when I first started writing fanfic – EL, my first story – I made Clay bad in the beginning and then I realized he's just too valuable a character to waste. It always seemed like JAG never used him properly, because he had potential. He really did. So I kind of figured I wasn't going to be another Webb-basher. I'm no Webbie – I cheered when Mac slapped him in Hail and Farewell Part II – but it seemed rather cliché to use him as the villain. Especially when he could have been heroic – if used properly.
Upfire: thanks! And sorry for the wait, I didn't think it would be long but it turned out to be.
Major Jagfan: Anal? . . . that's . . . um, interesting. Uh, I don't think Harm and Mac's kid will be named Anal, but again – interesting name. Now, as for why Harm hasn't told Mac yet – because he knew Mac would want to either come with him to catch Abbas or she wouldn't want him to go. Now, with the first one – that would mean putting Mac's life in jeopardy, which was something he couldn't do. And the second would mean standing back while the safety of his family was put at risk. As for not informing Bud and the Admiral . . . well, they'll all get into it soon. I just kind of wanted to start off slow.
Strawberry Kittens: lol, don't worry – Nick is hot as hell, mirror image of his older brother. And he enters soon, I'm just kind of . . . uh, perfecting the entrance. Oh yes, and as for why Clay and Vera broke up . . . well, they just sort of drifted. Clay believed Vera was still in love with Jake, and Vera didn't know what to think.
FoxyWombat: lol, you take chemistry? I took that last year and sucked out loud. Or well, okay, I didn't – I scored a 92 on my final, but I had to study unbelievably hard to get it, so I figured it wasn't worth it. I'm just not good at science. My little brain can't comprehend it. Ah, these review replies take me longer than writing the chapter . . .
TV Angel 711: awww, thanks! Glad you're liking it.