0500 EDT
Austin's Apartment
Rosslyn, Virginia
The solid, warm pillow under her head shifted and Austin blinked waking rapidly
to find herself in the middle of her bed snuggled against Victor's body. She
raised her head slowly getting her arms underneath her to prop herself up and
watch him sleep.
The bruises had deepened and darkened over the intervening days and the side of
Victor's face looked like someone had splashed it with dark purple paint. The
marks on his chest and torso were just as bad and it made tears prick her eyes.
He must have been in pain and yet he refused to stop or acknowledge that fact.
He's stubborn, Austin thought to herself as she climbed from the bed.
She needed to get up and exercise a little before she got ready for work. She
walked into the living room and looked out a window yearning to go out for a
jog, knowing she wouldn't.
It would make Victor crazy and she didn't need the lecture.
Sighing she stepped to the treadmill in the corner of the room and flipped the
stereo on, pulling on the headphones before she stepped on the treadmill keying
in her workout losing herself in the rhythm of her steps and the music flooding
her head.
Victor stood by the bedroom door watching Austin feeling a fierce swell of
emotion build in his chest. She could have gone out jogging and he would lay
money on the fact that she had wanted to go jogging, but here she was using the
treadmill instead. She was taking his feelings into account.
"Hey...good morning. I'm sorry, I should have put the coffee on before I
got on this thing," Austin apologized as she slipped the headphones off
her ears and wiped her arm across her head to get rid of the sweat running down
her face.
"No problem Aus, you go shower...I'll handle the coffee."
"Might want to put some pants or something on first Vic. Harriet sometimes
comes over for coffee. I wouldn't want her falling in lust with your bod."
Victor flushed red to the roots of his hair at the very idea and disappeared
back into the bedroom to pull on a pair of lounging pants he'd left at Austin's
at one point or another.
"I love you in your boxers sweetie," Austin cooed when he emerged
again, kissing him on the corner of the mouth before she went into the
bathroom.
Sweetie?? Victor thought to himself looking after her before he shook
his head and headed into the kitchen setting to work making the coffee
remembering that Austin didn't like hers as strong as he liked his. Whistling
to himself, Victor opened the door to get the morning paper almost slamming it
shut when he saw Bud Roberts doing the same.
"Good morning Gunny," Bud said pleasantly.
"Good morning Sir," Victor answered grabbing the paper and going back
in quickly before Bud had a chance to register what he'd just said.
"Gunny?!?" Bud said in shock his jaw dropping as he realized
what he'd just seen. "Harriet...you aren't going to believe this!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
0730 EDT
Parking Lot
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia...
Glenn Pfeifer's hands shook as he crouched behind the clump of bushes waiting
for someone to arrive. He'd been here almost all night, barely managing to
sneak in past the Marine guards posted all around the place. He was hoping the
first in would be that Marine he and Todd had beaten. Someone had to pay for
what had been done to Todd and the Marine was as good as anyone.
"Shoulda brought a gun or something...anything..."
He heard a vehicle pull into the spot right in front of where he was hiding and
peeked around the edge of the bushes. It wasn't the Marine...it was
some old guy driving a huge SUV.
"Son...get out from behind those bushes before I call Security on
you," AJ growled planting his hands on his hips.
"Y-yes...sir..."
"What in the hell are you doing here and who the hell are you?"
"I'm just lost sir...that's all," Glenn lied knowing the older man
wasn't buying it. He was ready to run when he was thrown against the hood of
the vehicle.
"Can't stand liars son...I've seen your face. You're one of the ones who
beat my Gunnery Sergeant. Let's take a walk to my office and I'll give Mr. Webb
a call. I'm sure he's looking for you." AJ ordered marching the man into
JAG Ops keeping a tight hold on his shirt collar.
Glenn cowered in the chair the Admiral shoved him in almost trembling as he
wondered what was going to happen to him.
"Webb's on his way, said he's been looking for you all night long. He
didn't sound very happy."
Victor Galindez chose that moment to rap on his CO's open door. "Good
morning Sir."
"YOU!" Glenn exploded from his chair like a wild man rushing at
Victor with a pocket knife held in front of him.
Victor crouched down and swept the shorter man from his feet as soon as he was
close enough.
Glenn stumbled, but didn't go down just continued out into the bull pen
looking for someone he could use to get out of there. He grabbed the first
person he saw, a pretty woman with short brown hair kneeling down in front of
an open filing cabinet. "GET UP NOW!"
"Wha-? OW!!" Austin screamed as a hot line of pain ran down her arm.
She looked to see blood welling from a cut and her mouth dropped in shock.
"You're my ticket out of here...let's go. I'm betting the security guys
won't shoot you," Glenn pulled Austin to her feet and showed her the knife
dripping her blood. "Give me any trouble and I'll make sure you bleed more
than that."
"Let her go!" Victor bellowed looking like an enraged bull as he
stood in the doorway to the Admiral's office.
"Not a chance...she's going to help me get out of here."
"Like HELL..." Victor growled advancing a step only to stop when the
knife pressed into Austin's cheek blood welling up as the blade slipped into
her skin.
"Victor," Austin's voice trembled and she bit her lip, swallowing
reflexively to calm herself. The last thing she needed was to bleed anymore or
see Victor get hurt. "Calm down...just stay there."
"She's right Gunny...back off...Webb's on his way here and I just saw Rabb
coming in the building and got him on his cell phone. Keep his attention
on you so Rabb can sneak up on him," AJ said quietly from behind the door.
"He made her bleed Sir..." Victor hissed more furious than he had
ever been in his life.
"I know that Gunnery Sergeant...and if you rush him he's damned sure going
to make her bleed more."
"Let her go...it's me you want," Victor said keeping his ground
watching helplessly as the desperate man pulled Austin toward the elevators
with him.
"She'll do just-" Glenn never finished his sentence as his hand was
grabbed and twisted up behind his back making him drop the knife with a howl of
pain.
"Gunny, a little first aid here," Harm called when Austin turned to
look at him with wide, startled eyes.
"Thank you," Austin breathed while her field of vision narrowed
around her until everything went black.