For the disclaimer see chapter 1.
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Bethesda, MD
December,6,2003 14:00
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Bethesda, MD
December 6, 2003, 14:00
Mac and the men who followed her had seen battle in places as diverse as Vietnam, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan; not to mention the Paraguayan misadventure that helped create this nightmare. However, this room that was not much larger than her office, could be the most important battlefield of Sarah Mackenzie's life. Perhaps even the most dangerous.
In her time as a JAG, she had conducted hundreds of interviews and interrogations; varying from the drunken sailor to alleged terrorists. Nevertheless, the coming questions and answers would force her to do what scared her more than flying with Harm. Confronting her past, and worse, the price her sailor had paid and may yet pay for those mistakes. This time, there was no assignment in the Indian ocean to run to, no more lack of words to hide behind. His letter and the faith he had placed in her had made his feelings crystal clear. So, she asked the question on everyone's mind. "What the hell aren't you telling us?"
Harrison Kershaw had not survived the turf wars of Washington DC and the CIA by shrinking away from a fight. He was grateful for the help the Colonel and Commander had given the agency, and he admired their loyalty to the country and each other. However, Harrison lived by the first rule of survival in the DC jungle: cover your ass. If that meant stonewalling the Colonel, so be it.
"Colonel, as much as I appreciate your concern for your colleague, there are issues at hand here that do not concern you. Any further interference will result in criminal charges. Now, if you will…"
SLAM! Before the director or Webb could reach for the door, the director found himself pinned against it by a green-clad forearm to his throat. "Sarah, please…"
"Harm is always my concern, and you don't leave until I get answers. How painful that will be is up to you," Mac said with barely contained anger, ignoring Webb. Somewhere in her mind, Mac knew this was a dangerous, even stupid tactic that could render her promise to Mattie and Harm pointless if the wrong people found out. She was acting with emotion and that would help no one. She released the forearm from his throat but remained close enough to stop any attempt to leave. "Start talking."
"Or what, Colonel? You'll assault me again? Your career is over. We'll see how much help you are to Rabb from the brig."
"You won't do a damn thing," came Mac's reply.
"And why not?" Krenshaw replied with equal parts of anger, arrogance, and fear at her sudden calmness.
"Tell your guys to spellcheck. They misspelled both the SECNAV's and Harm's name, which means that your so-called order is unlawful and your attempt to move Harm is an attempt at kidnapping."
In his shock over her assault, the director who had long since allowed his field instincts to slip had failed to notice the removal of the document from his jacket. They had played their bluff and lost. "Do you want to tell her AJ, or shall I?"
AJ had known this day was coming, and he dreaded the pain and guilt he would find in the eyes of the woman who had been more of a daughter to him than his own child. He hoped she would understand he had acted on her behalf and in the best interest of his command. But given the shock and anger already in her eyes, he knew understanding, much less forgiveness, would be long coming, if at all.
For AJ it had been the best of the bad choices. He could have sent Harm with her as his instincts told him and his conscience now mocked. He could have chosen to ignore Harm's resignation while Harm did the inevitable and tried to rescue Mac. Neither man was willing to leave her survival to the moral ambiguity of the spooks.
Given the recent events, his command did not need another black eye. Especially not from its just barely acquitted problem child. The problem child needed to be disciplined for disrespect. So, when Kershaw came looking for pilots with combat experience and legal training to avoid any international incidents that may come from any missions he would give him, it killed two birds with one stone. He could ease his conscience over Mac and restore good order and discipline to his command. The speech he gave upon their return was the most embarrassing of his life, but his bruised ego and his deal with the devil won that day.
Mac's steely calm reply reminded AJ why she was one half of his best team. Great lawyers, no matter the situation, see the whole picture. Turning from the Admiral back to Webb with pure hate in her brown eyes and anger in the voice to match, she said: "YOU SET US UP!"
Before Webb could reply to the accusation, another voice spoke. "Mr. Kershaw, Mr. Webb, you are both under arrest for the attempted murder and kidnapping of Commander Harmon Rabb Jr."
A/N: I know it's been a while, my apologies. Health and chair issues slowed me down. Sorry for the cliffhanger. I needed to post something and get past this chapter. Thanks for reading.