"So where were we?" Mac said as they walked back into the NCIS briefing
room where they were holding their meeting.
"You'd just inquired what Mr Webb and Mr Kershaw wanted to do about the situation ma'am." Gunny supplied.
"Thank you Gunny." Mac and Harm retook their seats.
"Mac, we'd like to put you in protective custody until we can locate Commander Powell."
"Is that really necessary?" AJ asked.
"Powell is very highly trained. He was a black belt in four martial arts by the time he was fifteen, he can speak six languages fluently. He's good at blending in and as I'm sure the fire marshal will tell you, there will be no reason for the fire starting. He's good at making bombs that vanish completely. I'm not sure why he even stayed close enough to start the fire to be seen." Kershaw added. "If he wants Colonel Mackenzie dead, she'll be dead before she knows it."
"If this guy is such a danger why do you still keep him around?"
"He's good at what he does. If he just disappears without orders, we'd have people like Mac and Harm investigating and I'm sure NCIS would have a problem with one of their operatives disappearing off the face of the planet." Webb supplied. "Mac, protective custody is the best option."
Mac looked at Harm, she knew he didn't like the idea she glanced at the Admiral who gave her a supportive smile.
"I won't do protective custody, but I am willing to disappear for a while. I'll need at least five thousand dollars in cash, some id and passport. I won't tell anyone where I'm going; it'll be safer that way. I'll just vanish."
"How will we get in touch with you when we find Powell?" Kershaw asked.
"Post a pre-arranged message on the Martin Baker appreciation society bulletin board." Mac suggested.
"Who's Martin Baker? And why does he have an appreciation society?" Webb asked.
"Martin Baker make the ejection seats for the Tomcats." Harm supplied. "It's a good idea, not many people know about it, except pilots and people who maintain the tomcats. Unless Powell is a pilot too, I'd doubt he'd know about it."
"And I want to take Gunny with me."
"Mac, if anyone goes with you, it should be me." Harm said.
"Harm, it would raise too many questions if we both disappear. I trust Gunny and so do you, he'll watch over me. Admiral, you can tell everyone at JAG the Marine's need us for something classified, Harm if you say you don't know anything it will just confirm the story."
"Cash, id and passports, we can handle with in the next few hours. Don't take anything that will identify you outright. You should be able to keep the ring." Webb said.
"Thank you." Mac's hand automatically went to her engagement ring.
"We'll arrange luggage for you as well. What climate do you want us to pack for?" Webb questioned, Mac realised what he was trying to do.
"Pack us one bag each one with clothes for hot temperatures, one with clothes for cold temperatures. Don't think about planting tracers in the bags, we'll ditch them." Mac said. "Gunny, you okay with this?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Mac, we'll find him as soon as possible."
"I hope so, because I have a wedding to plan." She smiled at Harm.
~
"Harm, just remember I love you okay and I'll be back as soon as I can." Mac said.
"I love you too Sarah." Mac slipped a piece of paper into his hand and pulled him into a hug.
"Don't show anyone that paper." She whispered into his ear. "The top one is a an e-mail address Webb set up for me the bottom one is one he set up for you. The password is the date we met for the first time. Just don't check it anywhere traceable, use an internet café."
"I'm going to miss you." He whispered.
"I'm going to miss you too. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone." Mac wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Ma'am, the car is here." Gunny said.
"I'll be there in a minute Gunny."
"Yes ma'am." Gunny left them to it. Harm gave Mac a last kiss and swiped his eye.
"I guess you're not the only one who cries at goodbyes anymore."
"It's not goodbye, it's I'll see you soon. If you need me e-mail me. I'll try to check it every couple of days."
"You'd better go before I can't let you go."
"I'll be back." Mac headed to the door not daring to look back.
"Are you okay Harm?" AJ asked as he went over to him.
"No, but I guess I'll have to be. Can you apologise to Meredith for me, we obviously won't be able to make dinner tomorrow?"
"Don't worry about that. Come on I'll drive you home."
"Thank you sir."
~
"Are you okay ma'am?" Gunny asked as they drove away from NCIS.
"No, but thanks for asking." Mac said as wiped her eyes.
"Where too?" The driver asked.
"The nearest train station please." Mac said.
~
"So we're catching a train?" Gunny asked as they got out of the car.
"No. We're catching a bus, then a taxi and then another bus, then we're going to check into a motel for the night and then we're going somewhere I'm not going to tell you about until the morning."
"Yes ma'am."
"You'd better make that Serena, Giorgio." Mac said as she carried her bags to the bus stop.
TBC
"You'd just inquired what Mr Webb and Mr Kershaw wanted to do about the situation ma'am." Gunny supplied.
"Thank you Gunny." Mac and Harm retook their seats.
"Mac, we'd like to put you in protective custody until we can locate Commander Powell."
"Is that really necessary?" AJ asked.
"Powell is very highly trained. He was a black belt in four martial arts by the time he was fifteen, he can speak six languages fluently. He's good at blending in and as I'm sure the fire marshal will tell you, there will be no reason for the fire starting. He's good at making bombs that vanish completely. I'm not sure why he even stayed close enough to start the fire to be seen." Kershaw added. "If he wants Colonel Mackenzie dead, she'll be dead before she knows it."
"If this guy is such a danger why do you still keep him around?"
"He's good at what he does. If he just disappears without orders, we'd have people like Mac and Harm investigating and I'm sure NCIS would have a problem with one of their operatives disappearing off the face of the planet." Webb supplied. "Mac, protective custody is the best option."
Mac looked at Harm, she knew he didn't like the idea she glanced at the Admiral who gave her a supportive smile.
"I won't do protective custody, but I am willing to disappear for a while. I'll need at least five thousand dollars in cash, some id and passport. I won't tell anyone where I'm going; it'll be safer that way. I'll just vanish."
"How will we get in touch with you when we find Powell?" Kershaw asked.
"Post a pre-arranged message on the Martin Baker appreciation society bulletin board." Mac suggested.
"Who's Martin Baker? And why does he have an appreciation society?" Webb asked.
"Martin Baker make the ejection seats for the Tomcats." Harm supplied. "It's a good idea, not many people know about it, except pilots and people who maintain the tomcats. Unless Powell is a pilot too, I'd doubt he'd know about it."
"And I want to take Gunny with me."
"Mac, if anyone goes with you, it should be me." Harm said.
"Harm, it would raise too many questions if we both disappear. I trust Gunny and so do you, he'll watch over me. Admiral, you can tell everyone at JAG the Marine's need us for something classified, Harm if you say you don't know anything it will just confirm the story."
"Cash, id and passports, we can handle with in the next few hours. Don't take anything that will identify you outright. You should be able to keep the ring." Webb said.
"Thank you." Mac's hand automatically went to her engagement ring.
"We'll arrange luggage for you as well. What climate do you want us to pack for?" Webb questioned, Mac realised what he was trying to do.
"Pack us one bag each one with clothes for hot temperatures, one with clothes for cold temperatures. Don't think about planting tracers in the bags, we'll ditch them." Mac said. "Gunny, you okay with this?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Mac, we'll find him as soon as possible."
"I hope so, because I have a wedding to plan." She smiled at Harm.
~
"Harm, just remember I love you okay and I'll be back as soon as I can." Mac said.
"I love you too Sarah." Mac slipped a piece of paper into his hand and pulled him into a hug.
"Don't show anyone that paper." She whispered into his ear. "The top one is a an e-mail address Webb set up for me the bottom one is one he set up for you. The password is the date we met for the first time. Just don't check it anywhere traceable, use an internet café."
"I'm going to miss you." He whispered.
"I'm going to miss you too. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone." Mac wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Ma'am, the car is here." Gunny said.
"I'll be there in a minute Gunny."
"Yes ma'am." Gunny left them to it. Harm gave Mac a last kiss and swiped his eye.
"I guess you're not the only one who cries at goodbyes anymore."
"It's not goodbye, it's I'll see you soon. If you need me e-mail me. I'll try to check it every couple of days."
"You'd better go before I can't let you go."
"I'll be back." Mac headed to the door not daring to look back.
"Are you okay Harm?" AJ asked as he went over to him.
"No, but I guess I'll have to be. Can you apologise to Meredith for me, we obviously won't be able to make dinner tomorrow?"
"Don't worry about that. Come on I'll drive you home."
"Thank you sir."
~
"Are you okay ma'am?" Gunny asked as they drove away from NCIS.
"No, but thanks for asking." Mac said as wiped her eyes.
"Where too?" The driver asked.
"The nearest train station please." Mac said.
~
"So we're catching a train?" Gunny asked as they got out of the car.
"No. We're catching a bus, then a taxi and then another bus, then we're going to check into a motel for the night and then we're going somewhere I'm not going to tell you about until the morning."
"Yes ma'am."
"You'd better make that Serena, Giorgio." Mac said as she carried her bags to the bus stop.
TBC