Chapter 3/? Arrival
"Attention all passengers. We are approaching Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. Please fasten your seatbelts and stow all loose belongings, as well as folding up your trays. Thank you." I followed the directions and sat back, clutching the arm rests. I hate landings. After one bad experience that landed me in ICU for a month, I always get the jitters.
"Flight 5721 now landing at Gate 8."
"Bit late, aren't we?" I muttered at the intercom. "That flight already landed. 3 minutes and 41 seconds ago!"
After collecting my luggage, my one suitcase, I waited for the shuttle to the rent a car company for 42 minutes and 57 seconds. I'm sure the employees at Rent-A-Car felt like quitting after meeting me. A Marine who knows all marital arts and who has for a personality malice and steel will must have shocked them to their cores.
An hour and fifteen minutes later, I was on my way to Falls Church, VA, home of JAG HQ. By the time I had gotten anywhere remotely close to Falls Church, it was 2150 hours, so I checked into a motel for the night. I was asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow. I had forgotten to call Erin, and she let me know how she felt about it the next day on my cell phone while I was driving.
"Mommy! You forgot to call me last night!" Only Daughters can sound normal and still be able to whine at the same time.
"Erin, I talked to you earlier yesterday, Before I left. Didn't that count?"
"No, Mommy. You were supposed to call."
"I'm very sorry. The flight wore me out." At least I was telling the truth. "Do I have to call you tonight since we're talking right now?"
"Yes, Mommy. Every night staring today. Oh, I gotta go. We're going to da beach. Love you, buh-bye."
"Love you too, bye."
I was five miles from the JAG HQ, and luckily it was 0750. I pulled into a gas station and changed into my uniform while the guy filled up my tank. Then I headed to JAG HQ.
The officer at the gate waved me through with a "Have a nice day, Colonel Mackenzie!"
As I pulled into a guest spot, I noticed a vette pulling in beside me. A navy officer stepped out, resplendent in his dress whites and gold wings. Realizing that I had been staring, I hurried to get out of my car (unknowing it was the same as my sisters'). The officer looked over at me and gave me a grin that made me go weak at the knees.
"Mac! You're back! Everyone was so worried."
"Excuse me?" I was already embarrassed, to be caught staring and then spoken to as though we had known each other for years.
"Mac?" The officer's brow creased, and his grin disappeared. "I s everything okay?"
I looked him over, noticing his insignia. A commander. My equal, and so I could speak to him as I pleased.
"I don't know why you are acting as though we know each other, Commander, but I assure you, I do not know you." I stormed away, towards the building.
"Mac? What's gotten into you?" He caught up with me easily, his legs being much longer than mine. Not that I had noticed them or anything. Grabbing my arm, he stopped and turned me to face him.
I glared pointedly at his hand on my arm and then at him. He didn't get it.
"Commander, if you do not remove you hand from my arm in the next 21 seconds, your dress whites will become the same as the flight suits of the tomcat aviators. Dirt grey!" my voice had an edge of steel in it.
"Sorry, Mac." He removed his hand. We began walking towards the building. "The Admiral told me yesterday that he wanted to see you as soon as you came in."
"Listen to me very carefully, Commander." By this time we were in the elevator. "I am not Mac, nor do I know who you are talking about. I am on leave from the Nallelis Base in Nevada. I was called yesterday morning by a Commander Rabb Jr. to help find my sister."
"Damn! Mac's your sister?"
"If when you say Mac, you mean Sarah Mackenzie, then yes, she is my sister."
"That's what I meant. Look, sorry about before. I'm Commander Rabb. (A/N: like the guy in the vette would be anyone else) I'm the one who called you. Ummm."
"Shannon."
"Shannon, if you'll pretend to be Mac for a few minutes, I'll get the whole thing straightened out."
"Show me my office."
The elevator doors opened, and to those working in the bullpen, it appeared the Commander Rabb was walking Colonel Mackenzie to her office. Those in the bullpen hadn't known that Mac was missing. They were not privileged enough.
"Attention all passengers. We are approaching Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. Please fasten your seatbelts and stow all loose belongings, as well as folding up your trays. Thank you." I followed the directions and sat back, clutching the arm rests. I hate landings. After one bad experience that landed me in ICU for a month, I always get the jitters.
"Flight 5721 now landing at Gate 8."
"Bit late, aren't we?" I muttered at the intercom. "That flight already landed. 3 minutes and 41 seconds ago!"
After collecting my luggage, my one suitcase, I waited for the shuttle to the rent a car company for 42 minutes and 57 seconds. I'm sure the employees at Rent-A-Car felt like quitting after meeting me. A Marine who knows all marital arts and who has for a personality malice and steel will must have shocked them to their cores.
An hour and fifteen minutes later, I was on my way to Falls Church, VA, home of JAG HQ. By the time I had gotten anywhere remotely close to Falls Church, it was 2150 hours, so I checked into a motel for the night. I was asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow. I had forgotten to call Erin, and she let me know how she felt about it the next day on my cell phone while I was driving.
"Mommy! You forgot to call me last night!" Only Daughters can sound normal and still be able to whine at the same time.
"Erin, I talked to you earlier yesterday, Before I left. Didn't that count?"
"No, Mommy. You were supposed to call."
"I'm very sorry. The flight wore me out." At least I was telling the truth. "Do I have to call you tonight since we're talking right now?"
"Yes, Mommy. Every night staring today. Oh, I gotta go. We're going to da beach. Love you, buh-bye."
"Love you too, bye."
I was five miles from the JAG HQ, and luckily it was 0750. I pulled into a gas station and changed into my uniform while the guy filled up my tank. Then I headed to JAG HQ.
The officer at the gate waved me through with a "Have a nice day, Colonel Mackenzie!"
As I pulled into a guest spot, I noticed a vette pulling in beside me. A navy officer stepped out, resplendent in his dress whites and gold wings. Realizing that I had been staring, I hurried to get out of my car (unknowing it was the same as my sisters'). The officer looked over at me and gave me a grin that made me go weak at the knees.
"Mac! You're back! Everyone was so worried."
"Excuse me?" I was already embarrassed, to be caught staring and then spoken to as though we had known each other for years.
"Mac?" The officer's brow creased, and his grin disappeared. "I s everything okay?"
I looked him over, noticing his insignia. A commander. My equal, and so I could speak to him as I pleased.
"I don't know why you are acting as though we know each other, Commander, but I assure you, I do not know you." I stormed away, towards the building.
"Mac? What's gotten into you?" He caught up with me easily, his legs being much longer than mine. Not that I had noticed them or anything. Grabbing my arm, he stopped and turned me to face him.
I glared pointedly at his hand on my arm and then at him. He didn't get it.
"Commander, if you do not remove you hand from my arm in the next 21 seconds, your dress whites will become the same as the flight suits of the tomcat aviators. Dirt grey!" my voice had an edge of steel in it.
"Sorry, Mac." He removed his hand. We began walking towards the building. "The Admiral told me yesterday that he wanted to see you as soon as you came in."
"Listen to me very carefully, Commander." By this time we were in the elevator. "I am not Mac, nor do I know who you are talking about. I am on leave from the Nallelis Base in Nevada. I was called yesterday morning by a Commander Rabb Jr. to help find my sister."
"Damn! Mac's your sister?"
"If when you say Mac, you mean Sarah Mackenzie, then yes, she is my sister."
"That's what I meant. Look, sorry about before. I'm Commander Rabb. (A/N: like the guy in the vette would be anyone else) I'm the one who called you. Ummm."
"Shannon."
"Shannon, if you'll pretend to be Mac for a few minutes, I'll get the whole thing straightened out."
"Show me my office."
The elevator doors opened, and to those working in the bullpen, it appeared the Commander Rabb was walking Colonel Mackenzie to her office. Those in the bullpen hadn't known that Mac was missing. They were not privileged enough.