Part Twenty
Vicinity of Bethel
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS
0905 Local
Mac woke up to the soft murmur of voices. Opening her eyes she saw Harm and Perez sitting together. From the guilty looks they exchanged when they saw her watching, she guessed they had been discussing her. When she started to sit up, Harm scooted forward to give her a hand. She gave him a grateful smile. He smiled back, "How're you feeling?"
"Better," she answered truthfully. When they had finally stopped early this morning, she'd been dizzy with fatigue. Hurrying through the dark woods, tensely listening for sounds of pursuit, on top of the day she'd already had, had worn her to a frazzle. Eventually, she'd shut everything else out as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Now, at least, her headache was merely lurking and her shoulder was just a dull ache. Sensitive to any jarring - she could count on throbbing pain whenever they started moving again. It wouldn't be disabling but it would be draining. Mac shifted a little uncomfortably, she would be compromising their chances of escape.
Harm watched the expressions flit across Mac's face and glanced at Perez. Typically, she was a lot more guarded about her feelings. "Are you sure you're all right?" He winced a little at the look he got. 'Okay, Rabb, that was stupid - try again.' Pitching his voice in his most reassuring tone, he said, "We're going to get out of this, Mac." A slight flicker in her eyes told him what was bothering her, he continued firmly, "All of us." When she started to open her mouth, he arched an eyebrow. She subsided and he could see her reconsidering her next words. Finally, with a small smile, she asked, "Where's Singer?"
Harm grinned, "Taking a turn at watch so she can brood in peace."
Perez sat and watched the interplay between the two officers with amusement. They were so attuned to each other, he was hard-pressed to believe they weren't married. Although he really hadn't known them that long, he enjoyed their company. He felt a little closer to the Colonel; she shared his sense of the ridiculous (and laughed at his jokes) ... and she was a Marine. When he had mentioned this to Ellie, she chuckled and teasingly told him he was fixated on green. Since she was wearing green at the time, all discussion had soon ceased. He sighed a little, Ellie would be past worried and well into scared by now. When she discovered that no one would be able to answer her questions, she'd move right into thermonuclear mode. Flaming red hair and an Irish heritage equalled temper squared. He pitied the first person who tried to blow her off.
He finally looked up to see Rabb and MacKenzie watching him quietly. Mac spoke first, "Are you all right, Captain?"
"Just thinking about Ellie, ma'am."
"Worried about her?" Harm asked, he liked the petite Dr. Perez.
Perez grinned half-heartedly, "More worried about the base, sir. When my wife gets mad, she can make a tornado look like a spring breeze."
"Feisty, huh?" Harm said blandly, with a sideways glance at Mac.
"Opinionated," Mac rejoined, smiling sweetly.
"Irish," Perez said, smiling broadly now. When Mac asked how they had met, he launched into a tale of their courtship. He was a good storyteller and time passed quickly as he described the storming of the Army bastion (Ellen's father and three older brothers - all regular Army) to claim his bride. And told, with self-deprecating good humor, of his efforts at a romantic evening so he could surprise her with a marriage proposal. Before he'd been able to launch into his speech, she had turned to him and said, 'This is fun. Let's get married.' By the time he finished the story, it was his turn to watch again. He headed up the slope to relieve Singer.
Militia Camp
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS
0830 Local
Trask eyed the large man sitting in front of him. There were bruises on his arms and a slight cut on one cheek. It made him look even more sinister. The militia leader glanced involuntarily at the two armed men waiting at the door. He would never admit to fear, but he was grateful for the guards. Adopting a suitably menacing tone, he said, "Who are you? What were you doing out there?"
The man looked at him and then said in a voice that sounded like it came from the depths of the earth, "Tinker. I wanted to join your militia."
"How did you find out about us?" Trask was a cautious man and he didn't like coincidences.
"Asked."
"Where's your ID? You always walk around with nothing in your pockets?"
Tinker shrugged, "I had stuff before." He scowled a little, "Had a wallet, too."
Trask grunted sourly, some of his men would steal the backteeth off a goat. He plowed on. "Why were you running?"
The man looked perplexed, "I was being chased."
The guards rolled their eyes in amusement. Trask glared at them and then looked back at Tink. "We found your car, it has government plates and military stickers on it."
Tink stared back, "Didn't drive. Hitchhiked."
Trask looked at him in disbelief, "You? Hitchhiked?"
Tink looked uncomfortable, "Told a man at a bar I needed a ride. He didn't say no."
Trask pounced, "What bar?"
Tink looked even more uncomfortable. "Don't know, can't read," he mumbled.
"What?"
"Can't read!" Tink said angrily.
Trask found himself leaning away and straightened up, feeling flustered. The two guards looked ready to shoot. "What were you doing at the storage building?"
The big man sat glowering at him, apparently still upset over the last question. At last, he said in a sullen tone, "Never saw a building. Just saw lights."
He stared at Tinker for a long time. Tinker stared impassively back. Finally, Trask gestured to the the men, "Take him back to the shed." As soon as the office door had shut, a side door opened and Captain Koslov walked in. Trask looked over at him, "What do you think?"
"Shoot him and be done with it." Koslov didn't like Trask much and was openly contemptuous of the militia. But he had his own agenda and he needed this paranoid lunatic and his toy soldiers for a little while longer. He was still angry over the escape of MacKenzie and the lieutenant. The two drivers had doggedly stuck to their story. They'd put the crates in and they'd taken the crates out. They never looked inside, they hadn't seen anybody and they never stopped along the way. Goddamned enlisted! He hadn't had time to really interrogate them. The supply runs were on a tight schedule and they had to be back on base before daybreak. He would have to do what he could to find the two officers with these intellectually-challenged hillbillies.
Trask eyed the Navy captain. The arrogant, condescending man grated on his nerves. Damn smug Yankee - northerners always assumed southerners were stupid, primitive rednecks still fighting the Civil War. He'd been downright tickled to discover those two women had escaped from Koslov's men and not his. He managed to get off a few pointed barbs and had the satisfaction of seeing the Captain practically apoplectic with rage. He preened to himself that he would never treat his men that way. Tweaking Koslov was becoming a favorite pastime. Putting on a thoughtful air, he said, "Obviously, there's not a lot going on upstairs; but with my personal attention, we can make a soldier out of him."
Irritated, Koslov just snorted. Tinker wasn't the only stupid one. He returned to what he considered the more important problem, "Where have your men searched?"
Vicinity of Bethel
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS
0700 Local
"Chegwidden."
Tyler gulped, how do you talk to an Admiral? "Umm, sir? This is Ensign Tyler... "
"I'm aware of that, Ensign. Why are you calling?" AJ smiled to himself, the ensign sounded very young.
"Oh... uh, yes sir," Tyler kicked himself mentally, "Sir, I didn't mean to bother you... well, I did... I mean, I didn't know what to do and I don't have anyone to talk to and then I remembered I had Cmdr. Rabb's cellphone so I just hit speed-dial. I got Colonel MacKenzie first, but then I got you and... well... I was hoping you could help... Sir."
AJ sat for a moment, bemused. Did all ensigns sound like a young Bud Roberts? Then he sobered, what was the ensign doing with Rabb's cellphone? "Tyler? Start at the beginning."
"Yes sir," Tyler took a deep breath and then hesitated, "Errr, sir? Do you mean the very beginning when I met Colonel MacKenzie or the beginning when Capt. Perez told me and Cpl. Bell to follow the trucks because the Colonel and Lieutenant were on board?"
Chegwidden straightened suddenly, "The Colonel and the Lieutenant were on board what trucks?"
"The trucks that were moving the stolen supplies, sir. The Colonel and the Commander thought they were going to a militia group."
"What militia group?"
There was a slight pause, then Tyler said faintly, "I don't really know, sir. I guess the one I'm hiding from."
AJ held on to his patience with both hands and said carefully, "Where are you, Ensign?"
There was a longer pause and then, even more faintly, "In a tree, sir." Tyler rested his head against the trunk, this was not going well.
AJ stared at the phone and then rubbed his eyes. He started to ask why and then stopped. He refused to play 'Who's on First?' with a kid who probably never heard of Abbott and Costello. Instead, he said, "Where's the tree?"
"Mississippi, sir."
"Where in Mississippi, Ensign?" He wasn't sure how much more he could take.
"Ummm, I'm not sure, sir. Tink was driving, I was busy watching the trucks. After we left the main highway, I didn't have time to watch for signs. It took us almost two hours from the base," he added helpfully.
"I see," he knew he would regret this, "Who's Tink?"
"Oh, uhh, Corporal Bell, sir. Tink... Tinker's just a nickname." Tyler was silent for a moment, "He let that militia catch him so they wouldn't find me, sir."
"Sounds like a good man, Ensign," AJ said quietly, '... oh god, Tinker Bell?'. "We'll make sure we get him back." He continued a little more brusquely, "Where is Commander Rabb?"
"I don't know, sir," Tyler said miserably. He was feeling more and more like an idiot.
AJ rubbed the back of his neck. "Let me rephrase that, Ensign. Where was last place you knew Commander Rabb to be?"
Tyler brightened a little, "In the maintenance shed at the motorpool, sir, with Capt. Perez. They thought the stolen supplies were being hidden there and they went to check it out. Bell and I were waiting outside as backup. It sounded like everything was going pretty well, they had evidence on tape and they were getting ready to leave. Then the Captain called and told us to follow the trucks and not lose them - the Colonel and Lieutenant were on board. He was out of breath and he sounded a little frantic, sir. He called again about five minutes later to tell us to go out Gate 6, the convoy was going out Gate 4. That was last we heard, so we caught up with the trucks and stayed with them."
"All right, Ensign," AJ said, "How's the battery on the cell phone?"
"Uhhh, still looks strong sir." Tyler replied.
"Good," AJ instructed, "Turn it off and then turn it back on in an hour." He looked at his watch, "That will be 0840 your time. Stay put for now, Tyler." He hung up and then punched the intercom, "Tiner? Find Cmdr. Turner and Gunny Walters and have them report to my office, lay on a flight to Memphis ASAP, cancel my appointments and get the JAG office at the Memphis NAS on the phone."
Vicinity of Bethel
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS
0905 Local
Mac woke up to the soft murmur of voices. Opening her eyes she saw Harm and Perez sitting together. From the guilty looks they exchanged when they saw her watching, she guessed they had been discussing her. When she started to sit up, Harm scooted forward to give her a hand. She gave him a grateful smile. He smiled back, "How're you feeling?"
"Better," she answered truthfully. When they had finally stopped early this morning, she'd been dizzy with fatigue. Hurrying through the dark woods, tensely listening for sounds of pursuit, on top of the day she'd already had, had worn her to a frazzle. Eventually, she'd shut everything else out as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Now, at least, her headache was merely lurking and her shoulder was just a dull ache. Sensitive to any jarring - she could count on throbbing pain whenever they started moving again. It wouldn't be disabling but it would be draining. Mac shifted a little uncomfortably, she would be compromising their chances of escape.
Harm watched the expressions flit across Mac's face and glanced at Perez. Typically, she was a lot more guarded about her feelings. "Are you sure you're all right?" He winced a little at the look he got. 'Okay, Rabb, that was stupid - try again.' Pitching his voice in his most reassuring tone, he said, "We're going to get out of this, Mac." A slight flicker in her eyes told him what was bothering her, he continued firmly, "All of us." When she started to open her mouth, he arched an eyebrow. She subsided and he could see her reconsidering her next words. Finally, with a small smile, she asked, "Where's Singer?"
Harm grinned, "Taking a turn at watch so she can brood in peace."
Perez sat and watched the interplay between the two officers with amusement. They were so attuned to each other, he was hard-pressed to believe they weren't married. Although he really hadn't known them that long, he enjoyed their company. He felt a little closer to the Colonel; she shared his sense of the ridiculous (and laughed at his jokes) ... and she was a Marine. When he had mentioned this to Ellie, she chuckled and teasingly told him he was fixated on green. Since she was wearing green at the time, all discussion had soon ceased. He sighed a little, Ellie would be past worried and well into scared by now. When she discovered that no one would be able to answer her questions, she'd move right into thermonuclear mode. Flaming red hair and an Irish heritage equalled temper squared. He pitied the first person who tried to blow her off.
He finally looked up to see Rabb and MacKenzie watching him quietly. Mac spoke first, "Are you all right, Captain?"
"Just thinking about Ellie, ma'am."
"Worried about her?" Harm asked, he liked the petite Dr. Perez.
Perez grinned half-heartedly, "More worried about the base, sir. When my wife gets mad, she can make a tornado look like a spring breeze."
"Feisty, huh?" Harm said blandly, with a sideways glance at Mac.
"Opinionated," Mac rejoined, smiling sweetly.
"Irish," Perez said, smiling broadly now. When Mac asked how they had met, he launched into a tale of their courtship. He was a good storyteller and time passed quickly as he described the storming of the Army bastion (Ellen's father and three older brothers - all regular Army) to claim his bride. And told, with self-deprecating good humor, of his efforts at a romantic evening so he could surprise her with a marriage proposal. Before he'd been able to launch into his speech, she had turned to him and said, 'This is fun. Let's get married.' By the time he finished the story, it was his turn to watch again. He headed up the slope to relieve Singer.
Militia Camp
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS
0830 Local
Trask eyed the large man sitting in front of him. There were bruises on his arms and a slight cut on one cheek. It made him look even more sinister. The militia leader glanced involuntarily at the two armed men waiting at the door. He would never admit to fear, but he was grateful for the guards. Adopting a suitably menacing tone, he said, "Who are you? What were you doing out there?"
The man looked at him and then said in a voice that sounded like it came from the depths of the earth, "Tinker. I wanted to join your militia."
"How did you find out about us?" Trask was a cautious man and he didn't like coincidences.
"Asked."
"Where's your ID? You always walk around with nothing in your pockets?"
Tinker shrugged, "I had stuff before." He scowled a little, "Had a wallet, too."
Trask grunted sourly, some of his men would steal the backteeth off a goat. He plowed on. "Why were you running?"
The man looked perplexed, "I was being chased."
The guards rolled their eyes in amusement. Trask glared at them and then looked back at Tink. "We found your car, it has government plates and military stickers on it."
Tink stared back, "Didn't drive. Hitchhiked."
Trask looked at him in disbelief, "You? Hitchhiked?"
Tink looked uncomfortable, "Told a man at a bar I needed a ride. He didn't say no."
Trask pounced, "What bar?"
Tink looked even more uncomfortable. "Don't know, can't read," he mumbled.
"What?"
"Can't read!" Tink said angrily.
Trask found himself leaning away and straightened up, feeling flustered. The two guards looked ready to shoot. "What were you doing at the storage building?"
The big man sat glowering at him, apparently still upset over the last question. At last, he said in a sullen tone, "Never saw a building. Just saw lights."
He stared at Tinker for a long time. Tinker stared impassively back. Finally, Trask gestured to the the men, "Take him back to the shed." As soon as the office door had shut, a side door opened and Captain Koslov walked in. Trask looked over at him, "What do you think?"
"Shoot him and be done with it." Koslov didn't like Trask much and was openly contemptuous of the militia. But he had his own agenda and he needed this paranoid lunatic and his toy soldiers for a little while longer. He was still angry over the escape of MacKenzie and the lieutenant. The two drivers had doggedly stuck to their story. They'd put the crates in and they'd taken the crates out. They never looked inside, they hadn't seen anybody and they never stopped along the way. Goddamned enlisted! He hadn't had time to really interrogate them. The supply runs were on a tight schedule and they had to be back on base before daybreak. He would have to do what he could to find the two officers with these intellectually-challenged hillbillies.
Trask eyed the Navy captain. The arrogant, condescending man grated on his nerves. Damn smug Yankee - northerners always assumed southerners were stupid, primitive rednecks still fighting the Civil War. He'd been downright tickled to discover those two women had escaped from Koslov's men and not his. He managed to get off a few pointed barbs and had the satisfaction of seeing the Captain practically apoplectic with rage. He preened to himself that he would never treat his men that way. Tweaking Koslov was becoming a favorite pastime. Putting on a thoughtful air, he said, "Obviously, there's not a lot going on upstairs; but with my personal attention, we can make a soldier out of him."
Irritated, Koslov just snorted. Tinker wasn't the only stupid one. He returned to what he considered the more important problem, "Where have your men searched?"
Vicinity of Bethel
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS
0700 Local
"Chegwidden."
Tyler gulped, how do you talk to an Admiral? "Umm, sir? This is Ensign Tyler... "
"I'm aware of that, Ensign. Why are you calling?" AJ smiled to himself, the ensign sounded very young.
"Oh... uh, yes sir," Tyler kicked himself mentally, "Sir, I didn't mean to bother you... well, I did... I mean, I didn't know what to do and I don't have anyone to talk to and then I remembered I had Cmdr. Rabb's cellphone so I just hit speed-dial. I got Colonel MacKenzie first, but then I got you and... well... I was hoping you could help... Sir."
AJ sat for a moment, bemused. Did all ensigns sound like a young Bud Roberts? Then he sobered, what was the ensign doing with Rabb's cellphone? "Tyler? Start at the beginning."
"Yes sir," Tyler took a deep breath and then hesitated, "Errr, sir? Do you mean the very beginning when I met Colonel MacKenzie or the beginning when Capt. Perez told me and Cpl. Bell to follow the trucks because the Colonel and Lieutenant were on board?"
Chegwidden straightened suddenly, "The Colonel and the Lieutenant were on board what trucks?"
"The trucks that were moving the stolen supplies, sir. The Colonel and the Commander thought they were going to a militia group."
"What militia group?"
There was a slight pause, then Tyler said faintly, "I don't really know, sir. I guess the one I'm hiding from."
AJ held on to his patience with both hands and said carefully, "Where are you, Ensign?"
There was a longer pause and then, even more faintly, "In a tree, sir." Tyler rested his head against the trunk, this was not going well.
AJ stared at the phone and then rubbed his eyes. He started to ask why and then stopped. He refused to play 'Who's on First?' with a kid who probably never heard of Abbott and Costello. Instead, he said, "Where's the tree?"
"Mississippi, sir."
"Where in Mississippi, Ensign?" He wasn't sure how much more he could take.
"Ummm, I'm not sure, sir. Tink was driving, I was busy watching the trucks. After we left the main highway, I didn't have time to watch for signs. It took us almost two hours from the base," he added helpfully.
"I see," he knew he would regret this, "Who's Tink?"
"Oh, uhh, Corporal Bell, sir. Tink... Tinker's just a nickname." Tyler was silent for a moment, "He let that militia catch him so they wouldn't find me, sir."
"Sounds like a good man, Ensign," AJ said quietly, '... oh god, Tinker Bell?'. "We'll make sure we get him back." He continued a little more brusquely, "Where is Commander Rabb?"
"I don't know, sir," Tyler said miserably. He was feeling more and more like an idiot.
AJ rubbed the back of his neck. "Let me rephrase that, Ensign. Where was last place you knew Commander Rabb to be?"
Tyler brightened a little, "In the maintenance shed at the motorpool, sir, with Capt. Perez. They thought the stolen supplies were being hidden there and they went to check it out. Bell and I were waiting outside as backup. It sounded like everything was going pretty well, they had evidence on tape and they were getting ready to leave. Then the Captain called and told us to follow the trucks and not lose them - the Colonel and Lieutenant were on board. He was out of breath and he sounded a little frantic, sir. He called again about five minutes later to tell us to go out Gate 6, the convoy was going out Gate 4. That was last we heard, so we caught up with the trucks and stayed with them."
"All right, Ensign," AJ said, "How's the battery on the cell phone?"
"Uhhh, still looks strong sir." Tyler replied.
"Good," AJ instructed, "Turn it off and then turn it back on in an hour." He looked at his watch, "That will be 0840 your time. Stay put for now, Tyler." He hung up and then punched the intercom, "Tiner? Find Cmdr. Turner and Gunny Walters and have them report to my office, lay on a flight to Memphis ASAP, cancel my appointments and get the JAG office at the Memphis NAS on the phone."
