Part Seven

Memphis NAS
2155 Local

Harm sat propped against the wall in the hallway, sourly regarding the EMT who was fussing around him. They had fitted him with an oxygen tube and he had to admit it helped but the rest of the effects would just take time to dissipate. He now had two small burn marks on his abdomen to remind him of the stun gun attack. He was really beginning to hate those little devices.

Harm looked around to try and locate Perez and spotted him down the hallway talking to Lt. Singer. At least she was okay, no one had gone after her... yet. He kept watch hoping to get the captain's attention. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Perez since the attack. Harm smiled dryly to himself, he hadn't actually been able to string a coherent sentence together until a few minutes ago. Finally the captain turned away and started back up the corridor. Harm raised a hand to get his attention, it was an effort.

Perez knelt down beside him, "How're you feeling, Commander?"

"Like a piece of toast," Harm said. Perez grinned at him. Harm nodded towards his room where MPs were busily taking pictures and scribbling notes, "Mac's briefcase?"

Perez grimaced, "Empty, sir. I didn't see anything in the guy's hand, he must have had the papers shoved up under his shirt." He raised his eyebrows in surprise when Harm smiled.

"Tell your people to look in the mattress, Captain."

Perez went himself and returned a few minutes later holding several thick file folders. "The Colonel's files?" Harm nodded. "Then what did the intruder take?"

"The depositions of a group of drunken sailors in Norfolk who barricaded themselves in a bar and declared their intention of seceding from the Union. The leader is claiming genetic imperative: His great-great-granddaddy had seceded, he couldn't help himself. I've been negotiating with the DA." Harm looked at Perez and grinned, "I switched the folders when I got to my room. Then I slit the mattress and stuffed Mac's files inside, it only took a minute. Paranoia can be a wonderful thing."

The Captain laughed and shook his head, "I probably ought to arrest you for destruction of government property." He looked over as the EMTs approached with a stretcher.

"We're ready to take Commander Rabb to the hospital, Captain."

Harm was shaking his head, "Oh no, you're not."

Perez folded his arms and looked at Harm, "Okay sir," he said equably, "I'll give you a thirty second lead to make your escape." At Harm's dirty look, he leaned down, "Let them take you, Commander, you're too damn big for me to carry."

"Fine," Harm groused, "Just have them take me to Colonel MacKenzie's room."

Perez looked at him in surprise, "Why? So you can do your impression of a speed bump? We drag you in like this and you'll scare the daylights out of her."

"For godsakes Perez, this isn't permanent. I'll be fine in a couple of hours. Mac's probably asleep, you just have to get me into a chair. By the time she wakes up, I should be back to normal. I won't have to worry her at all." Harm adopted a reasonable tone.

"Except that if you don't tell her about this, I will." Perez glared in exasperation at the rebellious look on Rabb's face. "She's a Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corps! Why the hell would you treat her like some fragile, airheaded female? That's condescending... and stupid, sir."

Harm opened his mouth to protest and then shut it again. Finally, he said, "She's gonna be mad as hell about this."

"Better at them than at you, Commander," Perez said, signaling the EMTs to get Rabb on the stretcher.

Base Hospital
Tyler's room
2210 Local

Tyler opened his eyes when the door to his room swung open. He'd been dozing off and on for the last hour. It'd been a bit of shock when he woke up the first time to find an MP stationed in his room. For one confused moment, he thought they were arresting him for letting the car blow up. He looked over and smiled when he saw Col. MacKenzie being wheeled in by another MP. "Hey, Colonel." He waved a bandaged hand towards the MP in the corner, "Look, I've got one too." He was feeling a little giddy from the pain medication. He tilted his head to the side and said in a conspiratorial tone, "Do you think I can take him home? I'll bet he can beat the hell out of Jitter Koutz."

"He probably could," Mac agreed with a smile. She glanced over her shoulder and mouthed a quick thank-you to the corporal who had wheeled her over. She hadn't been able to rest for very long worrying about the young ensign and it had taken her half an hour to talk the corporal into helping her see him. Then he had only agreed when she promised to keep the visit to ten minutes. Mac looked back at Tyler, "Would you mind if I called you by your first name?"

Tyler started to look a little uncomfortable. Mac hurriedly said, "If you'd rather not, I understand."

"Oh no, it's not that, ma'am," Tyler said. He glanced at the MPs and lowered his voice, "My first name is Thaddeus." He looked a little forlorn and then brightened, "You could call me Pick, ma'am."

"Pick?"

"Yes'm. My big brother used to say I looked like a toothpick with ears when we were growing up. It kinda stuck." He looked at her expectantly.

Mac eyed him for a moment and then said, "How are you, Pick?"

"Fine, jus' fine ma'am," Tyler leaned back and looked at her for a moment, "Beggin' your pardon, but you look like someone pulled you through a keyhole, Colonel ma'am."

Mac smiled, "Good thing, because I feel like someone pulled me through a keyhole. I wanted to thank you, Ensign, for what you did today. You saved my life."

"Had to, you're nice." He gestured her closer. Mac carefully leaned in a little. Tyler said in a loud whisper, "I'd have left the Lieutenant on her own." He thought for a bit and then added in a conversational tone, "But she probably would have scared that little, bitty grenade right back under the car."

"I think you need to rest a little more, Pick," Mac said with a small grin of amusement. "I'll see you in the morning." She looked over at the corporal to let him know she was ready.

"Okay Colonel," Tyler agreed happily.

"Good night, Ensign." The corporal turned Mac around and returned to her room. He helped her into bed and she was just leaning back against the pillows when the door opened. Her eyes widened in shock as she watched Perez wheel Harm into the room. She reacted automatically, swinging out of bed and moving towards them, ignoring the aches and pains. She froze the approaching corporal with a look and then glared at Perez and Harm, "What the hell happened?" The two men began talking over each other.

"There was someone in Rabb's quarters... "
"Mac, I'm fine. Really... "

"He was after your files... "
"It was just a stun gun... "

"He didn't get them... "
"I've had papercuts that felt worse... "

"Shouldn't you be resting?"
"What are you doing out of bed?!"

Mac abruptly leaned against the side of the bed, the sudden move had been a mistake. Her head was pounding with a vengeance. Perez hurried to her while the corporal closed in from the side. Together, they got her back in bed while Harm looked on anxiously. Mac closed her eyes, the headache was making her nauseous. Perez watched her with concern and looked at the corporal, "Go find a nurse, Wallace." He glanced behind to see Harm struggling to get out of the wheelchair. Muttering under his breath, he took a long stride back and pushed Harm down in the chair. "Stop it, Commander," he hissed. "Unless you think collapsing on the floor is going to help."

"Dammit, move me closer to the bed," Harm said in a low, irritated tone. He looked over Perez's shoulder with a sudden expression of alarm, "Mac... ?"

The captain turned to find a pale and sweating Mac trying to get to the side of the bed. "Sick." was all she said. He grabbed for a wastebasket just as the corporal returned with the floor nurse. She took in the situation at a glance and moved quickly to the side of the bed, sliding an arm under Mac's shoulders. She looked at Perez, "Hold her head, young man." As Mac started to retch, she murmured sympathetically. Mac kept her arms wrapped tightly around her sides as she continued to heave. Perez winced to himself, that must hurt like hell with sore ribs. It was over quickly, Mac sagged against her two supporters. The nurse looked at the corporal and said, "Get some water, please." Then, with efficiency born of long practice, she got Mac resettled in bed.

Picking up her chart, the nurse peered over her glasses at the three men, "Go away." She waited until they retreated to a far corner, then turned back to Mac and said quietly, "You refused your last pain medication."

Mac gave a slight nod and answered softly, "I'm a recovering alcoholic. I'm not going down that road."

The nurse sighed, "Honey, the doctors are a lot more careful these days. That's not going to happen."

Mac carefully shook her head, the expression on her face told the nurse she wasn't changing her mind.

"And there's no point in giving you the painkiller prescription?" The nurse made a notation on the chart, "Suit yourself, any objections to ibuprofen? ... Good, I'll bring some to you now." She turned and strode out of the room.

Harm and Perez didn't waste any time returning to her bedside. "Mac?" Harm said, "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said tiredly. Mac looked over at Perez, "Sorry about that, Captain."

"No problem, Colonel," Perez smiled, "I'm just glad you missed my shoes." He looked at the two JAG officers, "I think we should call it a night, you both ought to be resting." He held up a hand when Harm started to speak, "I'll arrange for a cot, Commander, and see if I can finagle some scrubs for you to change into." He glanced at his watch, "Wallace came on duty about... "

"Eighty-seven minutes ago." Mac supplied, her eyes closed as she settled back into the pillows.

"Uh... yeah," Perez said looking startled. He glanced at Harm who shrugged his shoulders. "So his relief should be here in about half an hour. We're doing two hours shifts. I think we can get everything set up before Shapiro comes on duty." He broke off when the floor nurse came back in with a pill cup. He waited until Mac had swallowed the medication and then followed the nurse out. Twenty minutes later, it was all arranged. Perez took one last look around the room and turned out the light.