ABOUT US 2: Surprise, Surprise 9/14
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Adventure, Romance H/M
Disclaimers: JAG doesn't belong to me. It belongs to DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
Author's Note: A new character is introduced. You'll see more of her in AU 3.
*From Part 8*
"There's only two of them!" Don exclaimed triumphantly as the implications of Mac's question hit him full force. "420 is only made up of Callahan and Jay. They just used
Jay to turn the whole damn country against Clay, driving attention away from the real purpose of their plan. Now they can get what they really want. Those men that had Lt. Hawks most likely did it for money, not because they knew of what was happening. Jay and Callahan; they don't care about the ship. They don't even care about their own lives. They only want revenge from the people that hurt them..."
"The CIA" they all whispered simultaneously as understanding finally flooded their minds. All Jay and Callahan wanted was for someone to pay for what they'd been through. Callahan and his jealousy of Neville Webb years ago had planted the hatred in his heart, guiding his actions and his thoughts. The innocent child he had kidnapped had grown into a man full of the hate and vengeance that Callahan, his "father", harbored in his own heart.
*Part 9*
AFGHANISTAN
ABANDONED WAREHOUSE
SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2002
SAME TIME
"Harm, wake up" Webb nudged Harm as he attempted to wake him up. The systems were scheduled to go down for maintenance in 8 minutes exactly. They had to get through to Don to let him know what they'd heard.
"Hmmm" Harm murmured sleepily, the drugs he'd been forced to take with his latest meal taking a toll on his body.
"Harm, it's almost time" Clay spoke in a hushed voice. He had explained his plan to Harm a couple of hours before, and Harm had made him promise he would wake him up when the time came.
"Okay, I'm awake. Oh man, what the heck are they..."
"Shhh...it's time"
Harm looked on as Webb turned on the device and quickly spoke the message into the tiny object. Now all they had to do was hope Don received the message and understood where they were located. Clay wasn't a spook for nothing, and he had been careful to take notice of their location when he had managed to listen in to one of Jay's conversations with Callahan.
"I'm sorry, Clay" Harm whispered and Clay's head jerked to back to look at his friend.
"What in hell are you sorry for?"
"I'm sorry about your brother"
"Oh, that" Clay said and snorted "Who cares anyway. It's not like I knew of him before or anything"
"What did he say when you told him the truth about your parents?" Harm asked.
Clay looked away. "I haven't told him"
"What? Why?"
"Harm, if I tell him Callahan kidnapped him out of hate for my...our father, well, I don't now how he'll react. He's unstable enough as it is."
Harm nodded, choosing his words carefully. "Have you wondered, since you've been here, what it would've been like if you knew about your brother before? I mean, what would you have done?"
Clay stared at his hands for a long while, silence enveloping them both, as Clay searched his brain for an answer. He didn't have to answer that, but if there was something he had promised himself the past couple of weeks, it was that he would try to let his human side show a little more. The world wasn't at fault for his chosen profession. He had no right to alienate those who tried to help him the way he had done all his life. Harm, Mac, even the Admiral, they had all been as close to friends to him as he'd ever had. He sure was no Mother Theresa, but he knew there had to be something he could give. Something good inside him he could offer to those who knew him enough and still stood by him. This was an opportunity to start living his promise. To let Harm in a little on his convoluted existence.
"I don't know" he whispered, shaking his head "I guess I would've wanted to find him"
"I think you would've too" Harm answered. He didn't know how to get at what he really wanted to say, but knew he had to try. Harm owed Sergei's life to Clay. If it weren't for him, well, Harm would've probably resigned his commission and would be doing God knows what in God knows where. There was a hidden passion, an invisible force that drove Clayton Webb, and the more Harm learned about him, the more he realized Clay and him were not that different at all.
"Clay, you think there would've been a way for me to know Jay wasn't you?" Harm asked guardedly. Clay was CIA, but his social side still played a role on his deductive reasoning. Clay knew where Harm was coming from.
"You mean you should've known? Or you could've known?"
"Clay..."
"Harm, I know what you mean. If you knew me a little better you could've been able to tell that he combs his hair differently. He pronounces a few words differently..."
"And he smiles a heck of a lot more than you do" Harm interrupted him and chuckled at Clay's look of realization.
"Harm..."
"Listen, Clay" Harm said as he held up his hand to silence him "I'm not telling you we have to become inseparable now, but it wouldn't hurt if we could be friends, and I don't have so many of those I can afford to throw one away"
"And I'm guessing this change in attitude in the big bad Navy pilot/lawyer came about since he realized he was in love with his partner?" Clay said and smiled. Harm quickly picked up on his meaning and chuckled. Mac had sure changed his perspective on life, and right at that moment he would give anything for her arms to be around him. For her scent to fill the air around him, for her voice to fill his ears, for her touch to fill his need of her.
"You miss her, don't you?"
"I love her Clay" A simple statement delivered with all the sincerity a friend would show another.
"I'm really happy for you both. You deserve it"
"Thanks, Spook" Clay smiled.
"You're welcome, Squid"
SAFE HOUSE
WASHINGTON D.C.
SATURDAY MARCH 16, 2002
Everything was clear now. There was no bomb aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. There was no such thing as threats on other military bases. All had been a set up by Callahan to drive the attention away from what he really wanted. He had to hand it to Callahan. That had been one hell of a plan. Turning America's attention towards terrorist threats to military forces overseas and have a CIA agent like Webb be the originator of the threats was a brilliant plan. But, once again, Callahan had underestimated Trent. He wasn't chosen to be DCI above Callahan for nothing. Now, it was time to watch Callahan pay for all the grief he had caused the Webb family. And Trent had no doubt that Callahan would pay in hell for taking the life away from Jay. The life he deserved with his parents and brother.
"Don" Charlie spoke and interrupted his thoughts. "We have a problem"
"What is it? Charlie?"
"Annika. She just nailed the son of a bitch down in Venezuela yesterday night. You should've been informed, but since Callahan's in charge for now we didn't know until a few minutes ago. She's looking for Clay and she's not very happy. I took the liberty of bringing her here straight from the airport. Who knows what Callahan might do to her if he gets his hands on her? He's never liked her."
Don sighed. He knew the time would come that he'd have to face Clay's ill-tempered partner and explain to her the news she'd seen on TV. Annika Vranch was probably the best field agent the CIA had, along with her partner, Clayton Webb.
"ETA?"
"10 minutes, Don" Charlie finished and shot an 'I'd hate to be you' look at Don.
Mac, Sturgis and the Admiral had watched and listened from the table where they sat. A woman in Clay's life?
"Uh, Don. Who's Annika?" AJ asked a little amused.
Don smiled. "Annika Marie Vranch. The only person that can put Clayton Webb in his place. His partner and his best friend" Mac smiled at the looks on the faces of AJ and Sturgis. They knew how it worked when partners became close to each other. The look on Don's face resembled immensely the look on AJ's face, and Mac instantly knew there had to be a very interesting story behind the Vranch/Webb partnership.
"So Clay has a woman partner? Wow" Mac whispered almost to herself.
"Yeah" Charlie said with a knowing _expression. "And he'll have on pissed off CIA agent on his tail if he doesn't get out of this one alive. I swear Annika will follow him to hell and beat the crap out of him" he finished and chuckled, Don joining him, and minutes later they were laughing their guts off when they heard the car engine turn off in front of the house.
Sighing, they both faced the door, waiting for her entrance. Mac could only watch in interest. She had to get the full story behind this one. After Clay got Harm almost killed, well, she needed some ammunition to get on his nerves.
"What the hell is going on here?" Annika roared as she opened the door forcefully, a look of indignation on her pretty features. Two strands of short red hair covered her eyes, and she brushed them away angrily with her small hands. She was tall, but not as tall as Mac. Probably 5'7''. Her dark green eyes were dancing around as she took in all the faces inside the room, clearly memorizing each of them for future reference. She wore black jeans and a long sleeve light green sweater that contrasted perfectly with her hair and eyes.
"What are you all looking at? Where's Clay?" The first question asked in a demanding tone, the second almost begging for the answer she hoped for. It couldn't be true.
"Don, you know there is no way Clay would do this unless he didn't have a choice. I'd kill him myself and he knows it"
"Annika, calm down please. Clay didn't do anything. Other than get himself kidnapped by his twin brother, that is"
"Kidnapped! Brother? TWIN! What are you..." her hands went to her face as she plummeted down to the couch near the door.
"Why wasn't I informed? Why didn't you..." her shock and desperation of not knowing Clay's fate coming through visibly.
"Annika, you were on assignment. There was no way to communicate with you and you know that. I'm just glad you got done with that sick bastard. How'd you get him?"
Annika smiled ruefully "I busted him with the computer files after I found out his passwords. Never thought it'd be that easy. They didn't even touch me when I escaped"
"How many down?"
"I killed nine of them. The rest are under custody until this mess with the CIA is cleared" Mac recognized the turmoil in the other woman's face. Killing was probably the one part of her job she hated the most, and while Mac's job description certainly didn't include killing, she had had to deal with it once or twice herself.
Mentally shaking herself she raised her head and defiantly spoke. "But we got 'em Don. They're all toast"
Don smiled. "I'm glad, great job Ms. Vranch"
"Thanks, now where in the hell is Clayton Webb, I swear when I get my hands on him he'll be sorry he ever went to Afghanistan without me. I told him to wait, damn it. How could you send him alone to..."
"Annika, Clay's handled many, many assignments on his own, as you have. It was just a recon mission, it wasn't supposed to be dangerous"
"Damn it!" Frustration was now the most overwhelming emotion and Annika could only lay back and close here eyes, willing her brain to get a hold of her actions. "I'm taking a shower now, and when I come back we'll figure out what to do to get Clay back here so I can kick his..." she announced boldly and stood up when she realized there were other people in the room she hadn't met yet. 'Geez, they probably think I'm a..."
"I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself. I'm Annika Vranch. CIA." She said politely to the military officers that now looked at her wide-eyed. Don proceeded to make the introductions and once they were all acquainted Annika resumed her journey towards the bathroom upstairs.
"Darn, Don, the witness protection houses are better looking than this dump you've got here" she teased as she ran her hand along the table next to the stairs.
"Very funny, Vranch" Don said and laughed. After Annika seemed to be out of earshot he directed his attention to his new friends who were still a little in shock at meeting the vivacious red head that apparently held a special place in Clay's life.
"So, I take it Clay and she are close?" Mac asked amusedly.
"Oh yeah. They've been partners for 7 years. Got off to a rocky start, but Clay learned his place quick enough. They're like my own children. Never thought relationships like these had any place in the CIA did ya?" Don said and smiled knowingly. Mac simply shrugged. She never thought relationships like these had any place in Clay's life, period.
"Well, it's a nice surprise" AJ said and smiled. "It shouldn't be too long now"
"No. I made sure all the documents and evidence were delivered securely to the Secretary of Defense. He and I are old friends. I don't see how this circus can go on much longer once the government knows the truth. I also have a special team on Callahan's tail. He thinks he's safe. Boy is he in for a surprise" Don finished and smiled inwardly, mentally rubbing his hands together in excitement. He couldn't wait to get his hands on Callahan.
TBC
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Adventure, Romance H/M
Disclaimers: JAG doesn't belong to me. It belongs to DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
Author's Note: A new character is introduced. You'll see more of her in AU 3.
*From Part 8*
"There's only two of them!" Don exclaimed triumphantly as the implications of Mac's question hit him full force. "420 is only made up of Callahan and Jay. They just used
Jay to turn the whole damn country against Clay, driving attention away from the real purpose of their plan. Now they can get what they really want. Those men that had Lt. Hawks most likely did it for money, not because they knew of what was happening. Jay and Callahan; they don't care about the ship. They don't even care about their own lives. They only want revenge from the people that hurt them..."
"The CIA" they all whispered simultaneously as understanding finally flooded their minds. All Jay and Callahan wanted was for someone to pay for what they'd been through. Callahan and his jealousy of Neville Webb years ago had planted the hatred in his heart, guiding his actions and his thoughts. The innocent child he had kidnapped had grown into a man full of the hate and vengeance that Callahan, his "father", harbored in his own heart.
*Part 9*
AFGHANISTAN
ABANDONED WAREHOUSE
SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2002
SAME TIME
"Harm, wake up" Webb nudged Harm as he attempted to wake him up. The systems were scheduled to go down for maintenance in 8 minutes exactly. They had to get through to Don to let him know what they'd heard.
"Hmmm" Harm murmured sleepily, the drugs he'd been forced to take with his latest meal taking a toll on his body.
"Harm, it's almost time" Clay spoke in a hushed voice. He had explained his plan to Harm a couple of hours before, and Harm had made him promise he would wake him up when the time came.
"Okay, I'm awake. Oh man, what the heck are they..."
"Shhh...it's time"
Harm looked on as Webb turned on the device and quickly spoke the message into the tiny object. Now all they had to do was hope Don received the message and understood where they were located. Clay wasn't a spook for nothing, and he had been careful to take notice of their location when he had managed to listen in to one of Jay's conversations with Callahan.
"I'm sorry, Clay" Harm whispered and Clay's head jerked to back to look at his friend.
"What in hell are you sorry for?"
"I'm sorry about your brother"
"Oh, that" Clay said and snorted "Who cares anyway. It's not like I knew of him before or anything"
"What did he say when you told him the truth about your parents?" Harm asked.
Clay looked away. "I haven't told him"
"What? Why?"
"Harm, if I tell him Callahan kidnapped him out of hate for my...our father, well, I don't now how he'll react. He's unstable enough as it is."
Harm nodded, choosing his words carefully. "Have you wondered, since you've been here, what it would've been like if you knew about your brother before? I mean, what would you have done?"
Clay stared at his hands for a long while, silence enveloping them both, as Clay searched his brain for an answer. He didn't have to answer that, but if there was something he had promised himself the past couple of weeks, it was that he would try to let his human side show a little more. The world wasn't at fault for his chosen profession. He had no right to alienate those who tried to help him the way he had done all his life. Harm, Mac, even the Admiral, they had all been as close to friends to him as he'd ever had. He sure was no Mother Theresa, but he knew there had to be something he could give. Something good inside him he could offer to those who knew him enough and still stood by him. This was an opportunity to start living his promise. To let Harm in a little on his convoluted existence.
"I don't know" he whispered, shaking his head "I guess I would've wanted to find him"
"I think you would've too" Harm answered. He didn't know how to get at what he really wanted to say, but knew he had to try. Harm owed Sergei's life to Clay. If it weren't for him, well, Harm would've probably resigned his commission and would be doing God knows what in God knows where. There was a hidden passion, an invisible force that drove Clayton Webb, and the more Harm learned about him, the more he realized Clay and him were not that different at all.
"Clay, you think there would've been a way for me to know Jay wasn't you?" Harm asked guardedly. Clay was CIA, but his social side still played a role on his deductive reasoning. Clay knew where Harm was coming from.
"You mean you should've known? Or you could've known?"
"Clay..."
"Harm, I know what you mean. If you knew me a little better you could've been able to tell that he combs his hair differently. He pronounces a few words differently..."
"And he smiles a heck of a lot more than you do" Harm interrupted him and chuckled at Clay's look of realization.
"Harm..."
"Listen, Clay" Harm said as he held up his hand to silence him "I'm not telling you we have to become inseparable now, but it wouldn't hurt if we could be friends, and I don't have so many of those I can afford to throw one away"
"And I'm guessing this change in attitude in the big bad Navy pilot/lawyer came about since he realized he was in love with his partner?" Clay said and smiled. Harm quickly picked up on his meaning and chuckled. Mac had sure changed his perspective on life, and right at that moment he would give anything for her arms to be around him. For her scent to fill the air around him, for her voice to fill his ears, for her touch to fill his need of her.
"You miss her, don't you?"
"I love her Clay" A simple statement delivered with all the sincerity a friend would show another.
"I'm really happy for you both. You deserve it"
"Thanks, Spook" Clay smiled.
"You're welcome, Squid"
SAFE HOUSE
WASHINGTON D.C.
SATURDAY MARCH 16, 2002
Everything was clear now. There was no bomb aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. There was no such thing as threats on other military bases. All had been a set up by Callahan to drive the attention away from what he really wanted. He had to hand it to Callahan. That had been one hell of a plan. Turning America's attention towards terrorist threats to military forces overseas and have a CIA agent like Webb be the originator of the threats was a brilliant plan. But, once again, Callahan had underestimated Trent. He wasn't chosen to be DCI above Callahan for nothing. Now, it was time to watch Callahan pay for all the grief he had caused the Webb family. And Trent had no doubt that Callahan would pay in hell for taking the life away from Jay. The life he deserved with his parents and brother.
"Don" Charlie spoke and interrupted his thoughts. "We have a problem"
"What is it? Charlie?"
"Annika. She just nailed the son of a bitch down in Venezuela yesterday night. You should've been informed, but since Callahan's in charge for now we didn't know until a few minutes ago. She's looking for Clay and she's not very happy. I took the liberty of bringing her here straight from the airport. Who knows what Callahan might do to her if he gets his hands on her? He's never liked her."
Don sighed. He knew the time would come that he'd have to face Clay's ill-tempered partner and explain to her the news she'd seen on TV. Annika Vranch was probably the best field agent the CIA had, along with her partner, Clayton Webb.
"ETA?"
"10 minutes, Don" Charlie finished and shot an 'I'd hate to be you' look at Don.
Mac, Sturgis and the Admiral had watched and listened from the table where they sat. A woman in Clay's life?
"Uh, Don. Who's Annika?" AJ asked a little amused.
Don smiled. "Annika Marie Vranch. The only person that can put Clayton Webb in his place. His partner and his best friend" Mac smiled at the looks on the faces of AJ and Sturgis. They knew how it worked when partners became close to each other. The look on Don's face resembled immensely the look on AJ's face, and Mac instantly knew there had to be a very interesting story behind the Vranch/Webb partnership.
"So Clay has a woman partner? Wow" Mac whispered almost to herself.
"Yeah" Charlie said with a knowing _expression. "And he'll have on pissed off CIA agent on his tail if he doesn't get out of this one alive. I swear Annika will follow him to hell and beat the crap out of him" he finished and chuckled, Don joining him, and minutes later they were laughing their guts off when they heard the car engine turn off in front of the house.
Sighing, they both faced the door, waiting for her entrance. Mac could only watch in interest. She had to get the full story behind this one. After Clay got Harm almost killed, well, she needed some ammunition to get on his nerves.
"What the hell is going on here?" Annika roared as she opened the door forcefully, a look of indignation on her pretty features. Two strands of short red hair covered her eyes, and she brushed them away angrily with her small hands. She was tall, but not as tall as Mac. Probably 5'7''. Her dark green eyes were dancing around as she took in all the faces inside the room, clearly memorizing each of them for future reference. She wore black jeans and a long sleeve light green sweater that contrasted perfectly with her hair and eyes.
"What are you all looking at? Where's Clay?" The first question asked in a demanding tone, the second almost begging for the answer she hoped for. It couldn't be true.
"Don, you know there is no way Clay would do this unless he didn't have a choice. I'd kill him myself and he knows it"
"Annika, calm down please. Clay didn't do anything. Other than get himself kidnapped by his twin brother, that is"
"Kidnapped! Brother? TWIN! What are you..." her hands went to her face as she plummeted down to the couch near the door.
"Why wasn't I informed? Why didn't you..." her shock and desperation of not knowing Clay's fate coming through visibly.
"Annika, you were on assignment. There was no way to communicate with you and you know that. I'm just glad you got done with that sick bastard. How'd you get him?"
Annika smiled ruefully "I busted him with the computer files after I found out his passwords. Never thought it'd be that easy. They didn't even touch me when I escaped"
"How many down?"
"I killed nine of them. The rest are under custody until this mess with the CIA is cleared" Mac recognized the turmoil in the other woman's face. Killing was probably the one part of her job she hated the most, and while Mac's job description certainly didn't include killing, she had had to deal with it once or twice herself.
Mentally shaking herself she raised her head and defiantly spoke. "But we got 'em Don. They're all toast"
Don smiled. "I'm glad, great job Ms. Vranch"
"Thanks, now where in the hell is Clayton Webb, I swear when I get my hands on him he'll be sorry he ever went to Afghanistan without me. I told him to wait, damn it. How could you send him alone to..."
"Annika, Clay's handled many, many assignments on his own, as you have. It was just a recon mission, it wasn't supposed to be dangerous"
"Damn it!" Frustration was now the most overwhelming emotion and Annika could only lay back and close here eyes, willing her brain to get a hold of her actions. "I'm taking a shower now, and when I come back we'll figure out what to do to get Clay back here so I can kick his..." she announced boldly and stood up when she realized there were other people in the room she hadn't met yet. 'Geez, they probably think I'm a..."
"I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself. I'm Annika Vranch. CIA." She said politely to the military officers that now looked at her wide-eyed. Don proceeded to make the introductions and once they were all acquainted Annika resumed her journey towards the bathroom upstairs.
"Darn, Don, the witness protection houses are better looking than this dump you've got here" she teased as she ran her hand along the table next to the stairs.
"Very funny, Vranch" Don said and laughed. After Annika seemed to be out of earshot he directed his attention to his new friends who were still a little in shock at meeting the vivacious red head that apparently held a special place in Clay's life.
"So, I take it Clay and she are close?" Mac asked amusedly.
"Oh yeah. They've been partners for 7 years. Got off to a rocky start, but Clay learned his place quick enough. They're like my own children. Never thought relationships like these had any place in the CIA did ya?" Don said and smiled knowingly. Mac simply shrugged. She never thought relationships like these had any place in Clay's life, period.
"Well, it's a nice surprise" AJ said and smiled. "It shouldn't be too long now"
"No. I made sure all the documents and evidence were delivered securely to the Secretary of Defense. He and I are old friends. I don't see how this circus can go on much longer once the government knows the truth. I also have a special team on Callahan's tail. He thinks he's safe. Boy is he in for a surprise" Don finished and smiled inwardly, mentally rubbing his hands together in excitement. He couldn't wait to get his hands on Callahan.
TBC