Mac sat back in her seat completely lost for words.
"How did it get to the opera?" Lynn asked.
The Admiral shook his head, "Someone in my office must have brought it."
Harm shook his head, and said softly, "We don't know that for certain. Any number of people could have seen that file."
"No, I received this file yesterday," the Admiral said, "After I had read it, my yeoman filed it in a secure file room. Only someone who knew what it was and knew the code to the file room could have taken it."
"How would they know what was in the file?" Mac asked.
"Every file that comes into this office is marked 'secret', 'classified', and carries its security level," the Admiral explained, "The person who took it would have to work in my office because the file would only have been opened here. It's marked 'classified level 2'."
"What's contained in that file, sir?" Harm asked.
"I can't reveal that," the Admiral said, "Level two clearance. I'm the only one who would have read it, assuming that all procedures were followed."
Harm and Mac glanced at each other. "That makes you a suspect, sir," Mac said carefully.
The Admiral nodded sourly. "I know that, colonel," he said, "Which is why I want you and Commander Rabb to investigate this, if the Commander is cleared for duty."
Harm shot an uncertain look at Mac, and then said, "Sir, espionage is covered by NCIS and the CIA. The Colonel and I don't have much training in this area."
"Well, you're going to handle this one," the Admiral said, "I want to keep this 'in house.' I don't the embarrassment, and it would take NCIS too long, and the CIA, well you know how they operate."
Mac had to admit that she didn't want the CIA to handle this case, but, still, she wasn't sure that she and Harm should be handling the investigation. Upon seeing their questioning looks the Admiral continued, "We'll call Admiral Chegwidden and clear it with him." The Admiral checked his watch and said, "We might still catch him at the office."
Lynn pulled out her cell phone and handed it to Mac so that she could dial the number. Once she had done so, she passed the phone to Admiral Grant, who was put through to Admiral Chegwidden. Their conversation was brief:
"Admiral Chegwidden."
"Admiral, this is Admiral Grant. I'm calling to clear an assignment for your officers."
"That depends on the assignment," Admiral Chegwidden said.
Admiral Grant nodded, "AJ, I would be the same with my people. Look, we've got an intelligence leak, and I want your people to investigate."
Admiral Chegwidden blew out a breath before replying, "What kind of leak?"
"It looks like someone in my office has been leaking classified materials. We don't know much yet, but I'll keep you posted," Admiral Grant tried to reassure him.
"Look, Ethan," AJ said, "Those two are my best officers, and I don't want to lose them. I'll approve the assignment, as long as you do your best to return them in one piece."
"I will, AJ," Admiral Grant replied, "Thanks."
"You're welcome. May I speak to one of them?"
"Of course." Admiral Grant handed the phone to Mac.
Mac accepted the receiver carefully. "Admiral?"
"Colonel, didn't I tell you to keep it simple?" the Admiral said in a commanding tone.
"I apologize, sir," she said, "We just ran into this one."
"Seems to happen a lot with you two," the Admiral said, and as Mac began to protest he continued, "Just be careful."
"We will, sir."
"Carry on, Colonel."
"Yes, sir," Mac said, and she closed the phone and handed it back to Lynn.
"So, there you have it," Admiral Grant said, "You two will handle this case."
"Aye, sir," Harm said, and Mac nodded.
"Miss O'Connor," the Admiral added. Harm and Mac both forgotten that Lynn was there in the limo with them. She had been sitting silently watching the conversation.
"Yes, Admiral?" she replied.
I want you to help the Commander and the Colonel."
Lynn nodded, but Harm said, "Sir, it might be better for Miss O'Connor get out of this."
"Miss O'Connor is very well connected here and I don't want to involve my people in the investigation because, as much as I hate to admit it, one of them is probably the leak," the Admiral said sharply.
"Aye, sir," Harm. They arrived at Queen's hospital a minute later and Lynn stepped out and held the door Mac and Harm. The Admiral, however, kept his seat.
"I want to see you all in this office at 0730 tomorrow and well start cracking this then, understood?"
"Yes, sir."
The Admiral slammed the door shut, and they heard him bellow to the driver.
"How did it get to the opera?" Lynn asked.
The Admiral shook his head, "Someone in my office must have brought it."
Harm shook his head, and said softly, "We don't know that for certain. Any number of people could have seen that file."
"No, I received this file yesterday," the Admiral said, "After I had read it, my yeoman filed it in a secure file room. Only someone who knew what it was and knew the code to the file room could have taken it."
"How would they know what was in the file?" Mac asked.
"Every file that comes into this office is marked 'secret', 'classified', and carries its security level," the Admiral explained, "The person who took it would have to work in my office because the file would only have been opened here. It's marked 'classified level 2'."
"What's contained in that file, sir?" Harm asked.
"I can't reveal that," the Admiral said, "Level two clearance. I'm the only one who would have read it, assuming that all procedures were followed."
Harm and Mac glanced at each other. "That makes you a suspect, sir," Mac said carefully.
The Admiral nodded sourly. "I know that, colonel," he said, "Which is why I want you and Commander Rabb to investigate this, if the Commander is cleared for duty."
Harm shot an uncertain look at Mac, and then said, "Sir, espionage is covered by NCIS and the CIA. The Colonel and I don't have much training in this area."
"Well, you're going to handle this one," the Admiral said, "I want to keep this 'in house.' I don't the embarrassment, and it would take NCIS too long, and the CIA, well you know how they operate."
Mac had to admit that she didn't want the CIA to handle this case, but, still, she wasn't sure that she and Harm should be handling the investigation. Upon seeing their questioning looks the Admiral continued, "We'll call Admiral Chegwidden and clear it with him." The Admiral checked his watch and said, "We might still catch him at the office."
Lynn pulled out her cell phone and handed it to Mac so that she could dial the number. Once she had done so, she passed the phone to Admiral Grant, who was put through to Admiral Chegwidden. Their conversation was brief:
"Admiral Chegwidden."
"Admiral, this is Admiral Grant. I'm calling to clear an assignment for your officers."
"That depends on the assignment," Admiral Chegwidden said.
Admiral Grant nodded, "AJ, I would be the same with my people. Look, we've got an intelligence leak, and I want your people to investigate."
Admiral Chegwidden blew out a breath before replying, "What kind of leak?"
"It looks like someone in my office has been leaking classified materials. We don't know much yet, but I'll keep you posted," Admiral Grant tried to reassure him.
"Look, Ethan," AJ said, "Those two are my best officers, and I don't want to lose them. I'll approve the assignment, as long as you do your best to return them in one piece."
"I will, AJ," Admiral Grant replied, "Thanks."
"You're welcome. May I speak to one of them?"
"Of course." Admiral Grant handed the phone to Mac.
Mac accepted the receiver carefully. "Admiral?"
"Colonel, didn't I tell you to keep it simple?" the Admiral said in a commanding tone.
"I apologize, sir," she said, "We just ran into this one."
"Seems to happen a lot with you two," the Admiral said, and as Mac began to protest he continued, "Just be careful."
"We will, sir."
"Carry on, Colonel."
"Yes, sir," Mac said, and she closed the phone and handed it back to Lynn.
"So, there you have it," Admiral Grant said, "You two will handle this case."
"Aye, sir," Harm said, and Mac nodded.
"Miss O'Connor," the Admiral added. Harm and Mac both forgotten that Lynn was there in the limo with them. She had been sitting silently watching the conversation.
"Yes, Admiral?" she replied.
I want you to help the Commander and the Colonel."
Lynn nodded, but Harm said, "Sir, it might be better for Miss O'Connor get out of this."
"Miss O'Connor is very well connected here and I don't want to involve my people in the investigation because, as much as I hate to admit it, one of them is probably the leak," the Admiral said sharply.
"Aye, sir," Harm. They arrived at Queen's hospital a minute later and Lynn stepped out and held the door Mac and Harm. The Admiral, however, kept his seat.
"I want to see you all in this office at 0730 tomorrow and well start cracking this then, understood?"
"Yes, sir."
The Admiral slammed the door shut, and they heard him bellow to the driver.