Falls Church Virginia
A.J. placed the telephone back in its cradle and rubbed his temples. He flinched as he heard the knock on his office door. "Enter," he called with out his usual vigor. Bud Roberts came in and stood at attention.
"May I have a word with the Admiral, sir?"
A.J. let out a long breath and sat back in his leather chair. "I was just about to call you, Mr. Roberts. I just had the most interesting conversation with a Mrs. Gale, of the CIA Gales, and she informed me that her daughter, Katherine, and Rabb were married last week. Needless to say that took me by surprise, but what toped the cake is when she informed me that a lieutenant from JAG, matching your description, performed the ceremony." A.J. stood and walked around the desk until he faced Bud. "Tell me Mr. Roberts, don't you have enough to do with out getting involved in Rabb's nefarious schemes?"
Bud's hands were beginning to sweat. "I can explain, sir."
"I'll just bet you can." A.J. said with a smile. Indicated that Bud sit then sank down in a leather seat opposite him. When he was comfortable he motioned for Bud to continue. This had to be good.
Jungle in Paraguay
More was said with the kiss than the words that preceded it. When Harm and Mac parted neither spoke for several seconds. "Do this mean you won't be pressing charges?" Mac asked.
"Charges?" Harm asked confused.
"Striking a fellow officer is punishable by courts martial last time I checked. Unless, you have something else in mind?"
"Well, I don't think that.." Harm's words were interrupted by the sound of gunfire. He threw Mac to the ground and shielded her with his body. "I think they found us."
Mac looked around them. There was little movement and there was a deadly silence. "I don't think they have us pinpointed, yet. That shot wasn't anywhere near us." She stopped and listened as she heard a man's voice yell in Farsi. "He's calling for his friends, Harm. We've got to get out of here fast."
Harm looked around for an escape route. The only real advantage they had going for them was the thick under growth. He heard the sound of water running off to the east. "Stay down and follow me." He whispered then crawled off in the direction of the water.
It took fifty-seven minutes to crawl a few hundred meters, but soon they were at the waters edge. Harm crawled in first and sank in the muddy water up to his chin. Mac started to follow, but stopped and looked nervously up and down the banks. "What is it?" Harm asked.
"You know they have caimans down here, don't you?"
"Caimans?" Harm repeated.
"You know, reptiles with lots of teeth and bad attitudes."
"Hmmmm. Well, you can take your chances in here or stay out there and wait for Saddiq." He said as her scanned the water around him cautiously.
Mac heard another gunshot report behind her and promptly slid into the water. "Point taken."
Asuncion, Paraguay American Consulate
Gunnery Sergeant Victor Galindez stared at the pencil necked man who occupied the desk before him. Were it not for said desk he would have reached over and promptly removed the man's useless head from his shoulders. He was dog-tired after driving through Hell and several check points without his papers to get Webb to the hospital here in Asuncion. Webb now lay near death now, clinging only by a hairs-breadth. After leaving him in the doctor's hands he reported here trying to enlist help to go back out after the Colonel and Commander. "What do you mean that you have been ordered to stay out of this? Those are American citizens, American military officer's no less."
"I'm sorry Sergeant. Webb was working freelance. This is a dangerous place and we don't have the resources to send into such a volatile environment. We'd end up taking more casualties than we saved. Washington issued these orders, I'm sorry." The bureaucrat sank back in his chair as far from Gunny as possible.
"Fine then, call I make a call to the states?"
"To where?"
"The CIA."
"Not possible. You'd never even get anyone to talk to you."
"All right, then the Navy Judge Advocate General."
The bureaucrat seemed dubious for a moment then gave in. He picked up the telephone then dialed an international number. "Do you have the DSN?" Gunny gave it to him. The man finished dialing and handed the telephone to Gunny and left the office.
Navy Judge Advocate General Falls Church Virginia
A.J. searched his desk again for aspirin. Even when Rabb wasn't here he could stir up a hornets nest and A.J. was convinced that one day he would have an ulcer thanks to him. The intercom buzzed. "Yes, Tiner?"
"Gunny Valindez is on the line for you, Sir."
A.J. grabbed the phone quickly.
"Hello, Gunny."
"Hello, sir." The reply came back tinny, the reception was not very good.
"What's the situation down there, son?"
"Not good, sir. Mr Webb is in real bad shape and may not make it through the night." There was a pause. "Sir, I am trying to get some people assembled to go back out after the Colonel and Commander, but I'm meeting a brick wall down here. No one wants to help."
"I understand it's a serious situation and one I can go into over the phone. I've been trying to rally some folks here. I've been ordered to stay out of there or I would be there already. However Mac and Harm have made some friends and I am trying to get something together."
"That's good, sir. I'm heading back out as soon as I can gather some supplies and hire a few guns. Sir, Mr Webb asked me to get in touch with some one for him he thought could help. I can't get through though, these guys wont let me call Langley."
"What's the name, Gunny? I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, sir." There was a pause while Gunny dug in his pocket for the card with the name. He gave it to the Admiral.
"Got it. Listen, get some rest and wait for me to get back in touch with you. I know you're worried, son, but I don't want you charging into that jungle until I can round up reinforcements."
"Aye, sir." The line went dead.
A.J. sat back in his chair breathed deep. He had never dreamed that things would go wrong so fast when Webb had asked for Mac's help, but then Webb hadn't been exactly honest with them either. He promised himself that if his people came back from this alive he never again lend them to the CIA. "Tiner!"
PO1 Tiner stuck his head in the door. "Get me Langley on the phone. I want to speak to Katherine Gale."
Jungle in Paraguay
"What's the plan?" Mac asked as she flicked a piece of Mud off Harm's chin. They had waded down steam for a couple of miles fighting the current and fearing that they would either be eaten by a caiman or found and shot by Saddiq's men. A third and more terrifying scenarios had came to Mac's mind; that they would be shot and wounded by Saddiq's men then found by a caiman. She didn't share that with Harm.
Harm constantly scanned the riverbank since she had mentioned the wildlife. Only now that they were up on a sheltered bank did he relax. "Well, we need to get to Asuncion. I don't think anyplace else will be safe; Saddiq probably has people everywhere looking for us."
Mac accepted his plan. It wasn't altogether that straight forward with lots of room for disaster, but they had been through so much and she was convinced they would make it out again. She always felt safe with Harm; well at least on the ground. "SO you never told me how you convinced the Admiral to let you come down here. I would have thought that everything he would have wanted to keep you close to JAG."
"I didn't." Harm took her hand in his. He had been doing it more and more finding the warmth of her skin on his a comfort.
It took a moment for Mac to digest the words. If he didn't convince the Admiral to let him come to after her the he was either UA or he had resigned. She didn't think he would go UA it just didn't fit his code of honor, which left the other option. She looked at him "You resigned? Harm what about your future, your retirement?"
Harm reached over and moved a strand of hair out of her eyes. "It wasn't much of a choice. I didn't see much of a future without you in it." Mac wiped a tear from her eye. "Wow, flyboy, just when I think I have you figured out. Harm smiled. "Always keep them guessing." He scooted closer to her and put his arms around her. "I love you, Marine." He said as he leaned over to kiss her. -
A.J. placed the telephone back in its cradle and rubbed his temples. He flinched as he heard the knock on his office door. "Enter," he called with out his usual vigor. Bud Roberts came in and stood at attention.
"May I have a word with the Admiral, sir?"
A.J. let out a long breath and sat back in his leather chair. "I was just about to call you, Mr. Roberts. I just had the most interesting conversation with a Mrs. Gale, of the CIA Gales, and she informed me that her daughter, Katherine, and Rabb were married last week. Needless to say that took me by surprise, but what toped the cake is when she informed me that a lieutenant from JAG, matching your description, performed the ceremony." A.J. stood and walked around the desk until he faced Bud. "Tell me Mr. Roberts, don't you have enough to do with out getting involved in Rabb's nefarious schemes?"
Bud's hands were beginning to sweat. "I can explain, sir."
"I'll just bet you can." A.J. said with a smile. Indicated that Bud sit then sank down in a leather seat opposite him. When he was comfortable he motioned for Bud to continue. This had to be good.
Jungle in Paraguay
More was said with the kiss than the words that preceded it. When Harm and Mac parted neither spoke for several seconds. "Do this mean you won't be pressing charges?" Mac asked.
"Charges?" Harm asked confused.
"Striking a fellow officer is punishable by courts martial last time I checked. Unless, you have something else in mind?"
"Well, I don't think that.." Harm's words were interrupted by the sound of gunfire. He threw Mac to the ground and shielded her with his body. "I think they found us."
Mac looked around them. There was little movement and there was a deadly silence. "I don't think they have us pinpointed, yet. That shot wasn't anywhere near us." She stopped and listened as she heard a man's voice yell in Farsi. "He's calling for his friends, Harm. We've got to get out of here fast."
Harm looked around for an escape route. The only real advantage they had going for them was the thick under growth. He heard the sound of water running off to the east. "Stay down and follow me." He whispered then crawled off in the direction of the water.
It took fifty-seven minutes to crawl a few hundred meters, but soon they were at the waters edge. Harm crawled in first and sank in the muddy water up to his chin. Mac started to follow, but stopped and looked nervously up and down the banks. "What is it?" Harm asked.
"You know they have caimans down here, don't you?"
"Caimans?" Harm repeated.
"You know, reptiles with lots of teeth and bad attitudes."
"Hmmmm. Well, you can take your chances in here or stay out there and wait for Saddiq." He said as her scanned the water around him cautiously.
Mac heard another gunshot report behind her and promptly slid into the water. "Point taken."
Asuncion, Paraguay American Consulate
Gunnery Sergeant Victor Galindez stared at the pencil necked man who occupied the desk before him. Were it not for said desk he would have reached over and promptly removed the man's useless head from his shoulders. He was dog-tired after driving through Hell and several check points without his papers to get Webb to the hospital here in Asuncion. Webb now lay near death now, clinging only by a hairs-breadth. After leaving him in the doctor's hands he reported here trying to enlist help to go back out after the Colonel and Commander. "What do you mean that you have been ordered to stay out of this? Those are American citizens, American military officer's no less."
"I'm sorry Sergeant. Webb was working freelance. This is a dangerous place and we don't have the resources to send into such a volatile environment. We'd end up taking more casualties than we saved. Washington issued these orders, I'm sorry." The bureaucrat sank back in his chair as far from Gunny as possible.
"Fine then, call I make a call to the states?"
"To where?"
"The CIA."
"Not possible. You'd never even get anyone to talk to you."
"All right, then the Navy Judge Advocate General."
The bureaucrat seemed dubious for a moment then gave in. He picked up the telephone then dialed an international number. "Do you have the DSN?" Gunny gave it to him. The man finished dialing and handed the telephone to Gunny and left the office.
Navy Judge Advocate General Falls Church Virginia
A.J. searched his desk again for aspirin. Even when Rabb wasn't here he could stir up a hornets nest and A.J. was convinced that one day he would have an ulcer thanks to him. The intercom buzzed. "Yes, Tiner?"
"Gunny Valindez is on the line for you, Sir."
A.J. grabbed the phone quickly.
"Hello, Gunny."
"Hello, sir." The reply came back tinny, the reception was not very good.
"What's the situation down there, son?"
"Not good, sir. Mr Webb is in real bad shape and may not make it through the night." There was a pause. "Sir, I am trying to get some people assembled to go back out after the Colonel and Commander, but I'm meeting a brick wall down here. No one wants to help."
"I understand it's a serious situation and one I can go into over the phone. I've been trying to rally some folks here. I've been ordered to stay out of there or I would be there already. However Mac and Harm have made some friends and I am trying to get something together."
"That's good, sir. I'm heading back out as soon as I can gather some supplies and hire a few guns. Sir, Mr Webb asked me to get in touch with some one for him he thought could help. I can't get through though, these guys wont let me call Langley."
"What's the name, Gunny? I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, sir." There was a pause while Gunny dug in his pocket for the card with the name. He gave it to the Admiral.
"Got it. Listen, get some rest and wait for me to get back in touch with you. I know you're worried, son, but I don't want you charging into that jungle until I can round up reinforcements."
"Aye, sir." The line went dead.
A.J. sat back in his chair breathed deep. He had never dreamed that things would go wrong so fast when Webb had asked for Mac's help, but then Webb hadn't been exactly honest with them either. He promised himself that if his people came back from this alive he never again lend them to the CIA. "Tiner!"
PO1 Tiner stuck his head in the door. "Get me Langley on the phone. I want to speak to Katherine Gale."
Jungle in Paraguay
"What's the plan?" Mac asked as she flicked a piece of Mud off Harm's chin. They had waded down steam for a couple of miles fighting the current and fearing that they would either be eaten by a caiman or found and shot by Saddiq's men. A third and more terrifying scenarios had came to Mac's mind; that they would be shot and wounded by Saddiq's men then found by a caiman. She didn't share that with Harm.
Harm constantly scanned the riverbank since she had mentioned the wildlife. Only now that they were up on a sheltered bank did he relax. "Well, we need to get to Asuncion. I don't think anyplace else will be safe; Saddiq probably has people everywhere looking for us."
Mac accepted his plan. It wasn't altogether that straight forward with lots of room for disaster, but they had been through so much and she was convinced they would make it out again. She always felt safe with Harm; well at least on the ground. "SO you never told me how you convinced the Admiral to let you come down here. I would have thought that everything he would have wanted to keep you close to JAG."
"I didn't." Harm took her hand in his. He had been doing it more and more finding the warmth of her skin on his a comfort.
It took a moment for Mac to digest the words. If he didn't convince the Admiral to let him come to after her the he was either UA or he had resigned. She didn't think he would go UA it just didn't fit his code of honor, which left the other option. She looked at him "You resigned? Harm what about your future, your retirement?"
Harm reached over and moved a strand of hair out of her eyes. "It wasn't much of a choice. I didn't see much of a future without you in it." Mac wiped a tear from her eye. "Wow, flyboy, just when I think I have you figured out. Harm smiled. "Always keep them guessing." He scooted closer to her and put his arms around her. "I love you, Marine." He said as he leaned over to kiss her. -
