AN: Dialogue in ( ) is in Russian.
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"Where are Mercedes and Harmon Rabb?"

The question hung in the air as Harm and CD both held their breath, waiting
to see what Mac and Webb would do. Minutes passed without a sound. The Marine
and the CIA agent held true to their training, and neither said a word.

Then out of nowhere, a loud CRACK echoed through the woods as Mac fell
backwards from the blow. Immediately she was hauled forward again by the pair of
soldiers standing behind her.

Back in the trees, CD felt Harm flinch at the blow, and put a restraining
hand on his shoulder. This was going to be ugly.

For his part, Webb could neither say nor do anything, to his eternal
frustration. He was worried about Mac, but had faith in her as a Marine.
Whatever Tikhomirov chose to dish out, she could take. Rabb... Harm was another
matter. He just hoped that if the man was watching this, he'd have the sense to
stay hidden, or, alternately, that Mercedes would make damn sure he did.

Though the blow was hard, Mac recovered enough to fling a particularly
insulting comment at the General in his own language. The man showed little
reaction, instead turning to Clay. "Where are Mercedes and Harmon Rabb?" he
repeated.

Webb's mind raced. He might be able to throw Tikhomirov off their track,
but not if he just told him what he wanted, not at this point. Crap... this
was going to hurt. But it was worth it if Mercedes... if Harm and Mercedes got
away.

So he said nothing, receiving a strong punch to his stomach in return that
left him gasping. In the meantime, Tikhomirov returned his attention to Mac.


****


"Goddammit, you sonofabitch, leave her alone," Harm ground out, even as
Mercedes tightened her grip on his shoulder and watched him with a wary eye.
He didn't notice; he was quickly being consumed by a slow, burning rage building
in the pit of his stomach.


****


The General had returned to stand in front of Mac, and repeated his
question in the same low, even tone. But this time, after she failed to respond,
he took a step back and looked her over appraisingly. "(Bring her to her feet,)"
he ordered the two men guarding her, and they roughly dragged her up to stand.
Tikhomirov continued to look her over, an appraising gleam in his eyes. Finally,
he stopped, and looked over at a group of soldiers to the left.

"(Sergeant Medeyev,)" he began.

"(Sir!)"

"(I notice you and several of your men have been watching this woman. Does
she appeal to you?)"

"(Sir?)"

"(Answer me honestly, Sergeant. Is she attractive to you?)"

"(Well, Sir...,)" The sergeant was clearly confused and more than a little
wary of his superior. "(She...she does have a nice body, sir.)"

Tikhomirov nodded thoughtfully, pausing a bit before replying. "(Very
well.)" He made a show of looking at his watch. "(We have plenty of time. Why
don't you and your men take her back into the house and enjoy yourselves a
bit.)"

To say all hell broke loose would be a grand understatement. The soldiers
and their sergeant immediately grabbed Mac and began hauling her toward the
house, despite her struggling and fighting them like a pissed-off bobcat.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!!" Webb bellowed, getting to his feet despite the guards
behind him. Before he could get another word out, though, a rifle butt was
slammed forcefully into his stomach.

Out in the pines, a separate battle was going on. At Harm's request,
Mercedes had been unthinkingly translating word for word the discussion between
Tikhomirov and Medeyev. Only as the words were leaving her mouth did she realize
her mistake. Harm had slipped her grasp and made two charging steps when CD
tackled him, throwing every last ounce of her body weight into the move.
"Gottverdammt! Harm, stop!" She hissed even as they fell.

Harm quickly spun, trying to pry Mercedes loose. "Goddamn you, let me go!"
he raged. "I've got to--"

"What, get yourself killed in front of her and have them rape her anyway?!
Think, damn you!"

"I can't stand by and do nothing!" The pair wrestled, Harm trying to get
loose, Mercedes hanging on with everything she had.




Back at the house, Webb had recovered enough to raise his head… and see
the soldiers nearly at the door of the house. "STOP!! PLEASE!!" he yelled,
forgetting to use Russian in his anguish. "She doesn't know!! They're gone!!
(Please!!)"

"(STOP!)" Tikhomirov's sharp order echoed through the air, freezing both
the group of soldiers and the fighting cousins were they were. "Tell me," he
ordered implacably, fixing Webb with a penetrating glare, "or I let them
proceed."

"They left some time ago. I told her they were going to talk, but Rabb
and I decided we should split up. They found another car and took off."

"Where were they going?"

"East. We were going to meet up again in Volgograd."

Tikhomirov stepped back, assessing what Webb had told him. "Volgograd?"
Webb nodded, praying.

The General turned to the group of soldiers that held a still-struggling
Mac. "(Sergeant, I fear your pleasure must wait for a later time. Put the
prisoners in one of the trucks. We are going to Volgograd.)"


TBC.....