The lyrics to "Desperado" are the intellectual property of others.
Chapter 5

25 March 2003

Rabb Farm Loudin County, Virginia

The driveway area between the house and the barn is filled with various cars, trucks, and SUV's, giving the peaceful farm the air of a college tailgating party. Car trunks are open, revealing sleeping bags, backpacks, and coolers of food.

Mac and Sarah Rabb survey this spectacle and the nine men who seem to vie for the title of the rowdiest member of the group.

Mac: How much food is necessary for ten men and twenty-four hours?

Admiral: Colonel, how much food is not the point; how much beer is very much the point.

Mac: Do you think you should be discharging firearms while drunk?

Admiral: We won't be. The paintball begins tomorrow; the beer is for tonight.

Mac: All of it, sir?

Admiral: We're giving the Commander quite the "Hail and Farewell".

Mac: Oh, I understand the "Farewell", but what's the "Hail"?

Admiral: Colonel, Commander Rabb, is about to "hail" a conquest that every man here has, at the least, entertained as a fleeting thought.

Mac: Admiral, red light!

Admiral chuckles.

Harm: I'm sorry, Admiral, I can't imagine what's keeping Frank.

Admiral: He's a civilian, Rabb. Maybe he didn't understand my instructions for 1800 sharp. I'll start giving the preliminaries on how this adventure is going to proceed. EVERYBODY, can I have your attention, please? Welcome to the Great Premarital Camping Extravaganza. We have enough bachelors in the crowd that, if all goes well, we could make this an annual event. By way of some basic rules, I have obtained permission from several landowners on this road to use their land. You must stay on the east side of this county road. We are to be respectful of freshly plowed and planted fields, but we may use the stone rows to cross the fields. Generally speaking, we should stay in the woods surrounding the fields. Webb and I are the two team captains. Sergei, Harm, Gunny, and Frank are on Webb's team. Gunny, Alex, Tiner, Bud, and Turner are with me.

A car slowly pulls into the driveway.

Harm: Here comes Frank.

Trish drives the car and brings it to a stop. Frank gets out, and Harm stifles a laugh. Frank is dressed as if he has stepped out of the pages of L.L. Bean's Hunting and Fishing catalog. Every item of clothing appears to be stiff from the factory sizing.

Harm: Frank, did you get some new duds for the trip?

Frank: Well, you know, Harm, I just didn't own anything for camping, so I just ordered some things that looked neat. This vest came with a compass, a Swiss army knife with twenty blades, a GPS, you name, and it has it. Some of the stuff is even hidden in secret pockets.

Harm: Well, keep that to yourself, the Admiral may confiscate it.

Frank: Oh, mum's the word.

Admiral: Frank, glad you could join us. Harm can brief you on what I've covered thus far. This is our schedule. We will leave here in about ten minutes. If you can't carry it, don't bring it. We're walking out of here. We will set up camp, cook our meal, and sack out. Tomorrow we begin the game. I have paintball guns and ammo for each of you. We will not be playing by standard paint ball game rules in that you may be shot more than once. Each of you will carry three bandanas. When you are hit, you must give up a bandana to the opponent who shot you. Once you are out of flags, you are dead and must become a POW in the opponents' POW camp. Each team will get a cooler. That cooler is your team's flag. You can hide it or carry it with you, but if it is captured, the game is over. If neither flag is captured, the game will be decided on the number of bandanas each team has captured.

The paintball guns come with facemasks. You must wear your facemasks at all times during the game. These paint balls cannot hurt you, but they could put out an eye if you were hit in the eye.

Each team will receive one GPS. I'll write down the coordinates of the boundaries that we must stay within. In addition to the GPS, I will give each team an emergency flare gun. Webb, your team will have yellow; my team has blue. If you have an emergency that involves calling back members of your own team, you fire the flare that is the color of your team. If you have an emergency that demands all of us, fire the red flare that I'll give you. Once we go to bed tonight, your team may leave the camp area at any time after 0300. The game is called at 1800 tomorrow, win, lose, or draw. Cell phones must be left at the camp area. You may not use cell phones or radios to communicate with each other.

Ladies, (motioning to Mac, Sarah, and Trish) say good-bye and meet us here at about 1900 tomorrow.

Sarah walks over and hugs Harm and Sergei. Trish whispers something in Frank's ear and hugs Harm. The group begins to gather their gear and head for the woods behind the barn. Mac and Harm linger behind.

Mac: Wish I were going.

Harm: Me too. It's been a long time since survival school. Besides, it may get cold tonight; I could use you in my sleeping bag.

Mac: We could play this game on Saturday night.

Harm: Not a chance. Although, it may be a foreshadowing of our lives in Iraq!

Harm kisses her quickly.

Harm: I'll see you soon.

Mac: You can count on it.

The ten men begin their hike into the Virginia woods, unaware that they are being watched closely through field glasses.
2400 ZULU

Loudin County, Virgina woods about two miles from Rabb's farm.

Admiral: I think we'll make camp here. Gunny, get a fire going so we can heat up that chili. Who's got the shovel?

Tiner: I do.

Admiral: Well, I'm going to take it over there into the woods. Let's designate that area as the "shovel" area. It's down wind from us.

Frank slips next to Harm and whispers: What's the shovel area? Are we digging foxholes?

Harm whispers: Frank, the shovel is to dig a hole to go to the bathroom.

Frank: Can't you just pee behind a tree?

Harm: Yes, you can, but I'm not talking about peeing.

Frank: OH, OH!

Alex: Gentlemen, it's time to bring out this evening's beverages. I believe that each of us was to bring a representative beverage to share. I, of course, brought good Russian vodka.

Webb: I brought a case of imported German lager.

Tiner: I forgot so I just swung by the gas station and picked up a six pack of Bud.

Gunny: I have Corona.

Sturgis: I brought a microbrew.

Bud: I brought a case of water. I figured we might need it for coffee and other things.

Sergei: I brought good, American Miller Lite, less filling, tastes great.

Frank: I brought a bottle of Chivas Regal.

Harm: Guys, I didn't know about bringing something.

Admiral (rejoining the group): I brought some Heineken.

Let's get our mess stuff out and go to work on the chili that's in that blue cooler. Bud, there's a smaller container with vegetarian chili for the Commander. Let's get going on the chow.

The men quickly heat the chili and settle in around the fire. The various types of beer are opened first and consumed with the meal.

Webb: Admiral, can we have a half-hour or so to separate and strategize with our team members before we're all so drunk we can't stand?

Admiral: That's an excellent idea, Webb.

The group breaks into two groups and quietly makes plans for the next day's activity. Soon Webb's group breaks up and returns to the fire area.

Admiral: I forgot to tell you, inside your cooler, which is your flag, is a first aid kit in case you get any minor injuries.

Frank: My new vest comes with its own first aid kit too. You should see all the things

Harm: Frank, did I hear you say you brought some whiskey?

Frank: Yes, did you want some?

Harm: I don't, but someone else might.

Webb exchanges a knowing glance with Harm.

Soon the group falls into a reverie, staring at the fire.

Sturgis: Well, I suppose since this event is substituting for the traditional bachelor party, I ought to propose a toast, at the least. To Harmon Rabb, Jr., I never thought I'd see him be so smart.

Harm: I've bested you in court enough times; you've seen me smart.

Sturgis: Not with women, I haven't.

The entire group laughs.

Bud: To Commander Rabb, my mentor. May your marriage be as filled with joy as mine has.

Harm: Thank you, Bud. You can be my mentor as I learn to be a husband.

Admiral: To Commander Rabb, may your marriage last a whole lot longer than mine did!

The group laughs more.

Tiner: To Commander Rabb, may this be the first in a series of JAG weddings.

Admiral: Tiner, this is supposed to be a toast, not a curse.

Tiner: Why do you guys always talk as if marriage is such a curse? I know the Admiral's dying to close the deal with Meredith. Commander Turner tries to visit Capital Hill every chance he gets to sweet-talk a certain Congresswoman. Gunny, well, Gunny keeps fighting them off with a stick. Frank, you're married. Sergei: I'll be honest, buddy. After that Lt. Singer, may God rest her soul, deal, you need to work on your tastes a little.

Sergei: I'm engaged.

Alex: Really? To an American?

Sergei: No, she's a flight attendant, a Russian.

Alex: With Russian women, better a flight attendant than a weight lifter!

Tiner: As I was saying, Mr. Webb, does the State Department or whoever you really work for, let you get married?

Webb: It's less complicated if you don't.

Alex: Whom do you work for?

Webb: It's classified.

Alex: Oh, CIA.

Gunny: Okay, enough of this. It's my turn for a toast. To Commander Rabb, a Navy man who saw the light, shining in the eyes of a beautiful Marine.

Group: OOH RAH!

Sergei: To my brother, may you give me many nephews and nieces.

The group laughs.

Webb: To Commander Rabb, may our partnerships continue our past successes.

Harm: Otherwise, buy stock in United Mortuaries.

Bud: That's not funny, sir.

Harm: Bud, we're out of the office, call me something other than sir.

Bud: Okay, Commander.

Frank: To Harm, I met him when he was a boy; now he's the man I never could be.

Harm: We're just different, Frank.

Alex: Nastrovia, Harm.

Group: Nastrovia.

Sturgis returns to the group carrying the shovel.

Sturgis: Okay, who didn't use the shovel?

Bud: What? Somebody didn't use the shovel?

Sturgis: No, and I stepped in it.

The group begins to laugh hysterically.

Admiral: Okay, gentlemen, I must insist that we use the shovel. It is an American custom.

Sergei and Alex: In some Russian villages, it's an every day occurrence.

Sturgis walks away from the group and scrapes his boot on a rock.

Sturgis: Don't anyone use this rock for a seat.

Sturgis walks back to the group.

Sturgis: I thought of a song that represents Harm's marathon course to find a wife. Do you guys think we're drunk enough to sing it yet?

Harm: I don't know about that, but I'm not drunk enough to hear you sing.

Sturgis begins: "Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? You've been out ridin' fences for so long now. Oh, you're a hard one. I know that you've got your reasons These things that are pleasin' you Can hurt you somehow.

Group: Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy. She'll beat you if she's able You know the queen of hearts is your best bet.

Now it seems to me, some fine things Have been laid upon your table But you only want the ones that you can't get.

Desperado, oh you ain't getting' no younger. Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home. ` And freedom, oh, freedom well, that just some people talkin'. Your prison is walking through this world all alone.

Don't your feet get cold in the wintertime? The sky won't snow and sun won't shine It's hard to tell the nighttime from the day. You're losin' all your highs and lows Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away.

Desperado, why don't you come to you senses? Come down from your fences, open the gate It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you You better let somebody love you, before it's too late.

Group: It seems you've let somebody love you, before it's too late.

Harm: Why didn't you guys bring me out here, fill me full of beer, and sing that to me about five years ago? I could be so much farther along. I could have a good start on those nephews and nieces Sergei wants.

Admiral: You still had fences to ride, Harm. Nobody could have told you then, no matter how many of us saw it.

Harm: Saw what?

Bud: You're kidding, right sir?

Harm: What? What did everyone see that I was too obtuse to see?

Alex: Harm, the woman followed you all over the world.

Bud: Yeah, in Australia you kept trying to see over her magazine to see if she was topless or not. What was that? Professional uniform courtesy?

Harm: You were the one who got in trouble for looking at bare breasts, Bud.

Sergei: Mac was topless? Wow!

Harm: NO. She just looked like she might be and that creep Bugme was sitting there with this stupid grin on his face. I was just trying to protect the honor of a colleague.

Webb: Sorry, Harm. I worked too many cases with the two of you. There have been too many looks, too many "working dinners".

Bud: Yeah, and every time you get a bump on the head, the first thing you think about or talk about or imagine you see is Colonel MacKenzie.

Alex: So, you two never, you know?

Harm: No, and we still haven't.

Group, except Sturgis and Bud: WHAT?

Harm: So, fellas, you have to get me back in once piece for Saturday night because that' s the big night.

Webb: Harm, you and I are going to need to have private conversation.

Harm: Well, I'm too tired for it now. I'm hitting the rack after I take a trip into the woods to christen a pine tree.

Gunny: You know, we could have some fun and make some money at the same time. Commander, how much do you think it'd be worth to the Colonel to get you there for Saturday night?

Sturgis: Oh, do you really think he's that necessary? One of us could surely fill in.

Harm: Ha, Ha!

The members of the group begin to roll out their sleeping bags and arrange them around the fire.

Frank: Hey, we really didn't touch either the vodka or the whiskey.

Admiral: Frank, put a bottle in each of the coolers. They'll be good disinfectants if someone gets a cut tomorrow.

Bud: Commander Turner, where's the shovel?

Harm: It's over here by Sturgis' rock. I'll dig the hole for you, Bud.

Bud: You're a pal, Harm.

Admiral: My team needs to do a fast sleep.

Webb: My team needs to be not hung over tomorrow.

The group falls asleep around the fire.

Crawling under a group of pine trees about two hundred yards from the camp, two men clad in black silently arrange pine needles to make a nest to catch a few hours of sleep. A third takes the first watch of the night.

0830 ZULU

Admiral shakes Bud.

Admiral: Time to move out, Bud.

Bud: Oh, my head. What time is it?

Admiral: 0330. We're a half-hour later than what we could have been.

Bud: Breakfast, sir?

Admiral: I have MRE's. We will take some coffee, set up another camp and make coffee. Help me get Tiner, Turner, and Alex up.

Admiral Chegwidden and Bud quietly wake the other members of their teams. The team members pull on their boots, grab their face masks and paintball guns, and shrug themselves into jackets. One by one, they disappear into the trees, then return to pick up backpacks which were packed the night before with supplies needed for the day. Bud leads the way out of the camp as they silently leave the other five men sleeping soundly. Admiral and Sturgis carry the "flag", a fully filled blue igloo cooler.

Under the trees, the second watch wakes the two others.

He speaks: Should we follow them?

Another man: No, the one we want isn't with them. Keep watching. Wake us when they get ready to move.

0930 ZULU

Gunny wakes as the birds begin to chirp their pre-dawn song. He glances at his watch and then turns to speak to Tiner. Realizing that the other team has left the camp, he speaks.

Gunny: Commander Rabb, the Blue Team has flown the coop.

Harm: What, Gunny?

Gunny: They've left. The admiral's team is gone.

Harm: What time is it? It's still dark.

Gunny: It's 0430, sir.

Harm: That means we're sitting ducks out here. (raises his voice) Webb, Sergei, Frank, it's time to get up.

Sergei mumbles something in Russian.

Harm: You're in America, little brother, and the game has begun. Get your tail out of that sleeping bag.

Webb: Who's cooking breakfast?

Harm: Let's eat on the fly, Webb.

Webb: No, the other team is gone. We may as well eat a decent breakfast. They'll have to stop to eat.

Harm: Okay, I guess I'm the chief cook. I brought a pancake mix that you only have to add water to. Stoke up that fire, Gunny. I'll get the skillet.

Harm walks over to the woods and disappears for a few minutes. He returns, grabs a bottle of water and washes his hands. He reaches into his backpack, pulls out a plastic mixing bowl, opens a package of pancake mix and pours it in the bowl. He studies the front of the box, looks at a bottle of water, does a quick mental calculation, and pours two-thirds of the water into the bowl. He mixes it with a spoon. He takes the iron skillet, sprays it with cooking spray (out of his backpack), and sets it on some rocks in the fire. He pours in some batter and watches it closely. Within a short time, he has cooked a large stack of pancakes.

Sergei: Harm, these are the best pancakes I've ever had.

Harm: Food always tastes better outside.

Frank: I don't know when or where you learned to cook, but you are good, Harm.

Harm: Thanks, Frank.

Webb: Okay. Here's the plan. We'll put out this fire and tidy up the camp a little. Then we're going to pack out of here. Who can track?

Gunny: I can. I grew up hunting and fishing in New Mexico.

Harm: The Admiral is pretty sly. You'd better check initially for a diversionary set of tracks.

Gunny: I'll scout around and see what I can find while you guys get ready.

Webb pulls out his cellphone and begins to dial.

Harm: What are you doing, Webb?

Webb: Checking my messages.

Harm: Are you leaving that phone here? We're supposed to leave phones here when we leave.

Webb: Yeah, right, Rabb.

Harm: I can't believe you'd cheat! This is a game among gentlemen.

Webb: If it makes you feel better, I'll leave this phone here.

Harm: Well, I want to win honestly, not with trickery.

Webb: Just like the courtroom, right?

Harm: That's my job.

Within a few minutes, the group has readied itself for departure.

Gunny: Commander, you were right. The Admiral has left three preliminary trails. The problem is that each of them leads off into the woods and will have to be followed. I think we should separate into three groups. Mr. Webb, you take Sergei and the flag. I'll go on alone.

Sergei picks up the red cooler. He and Webb begin taking a trail.

Harm: I'll take Frank.

Gunny: Meet back here in ten minutes.

The group disperses.

Harm and Frank begin walking down one of the paths. Harm puts his facemask on while Frank fiddles with his survival vest.

Harm: What are you doing?

Frank: I'm counting pockets. There's a knife in a hidden pocket that I can't find. What good is the knife if it's hidden so well that I can't find the pocket!

They begin walking up a rise, Frank in the lead, when he hears Harm ask something, and begins to turn. As Frank is turning, whiz, a paintball flies past Harm's ear and splats on Frank's face.

Frank: AHHH! My eye, my eye. I've been hit.

Harm: Move your hand, Frank, let me see.

Frank: It's bleeding, Harm. I see the red.

Harm grabs one of his bandanas and wipes the paint away. The paintball has hit Frank on his cheekbone, just below his left eye. Harm pulls out a water bottle and throws water in Frank's face to wash the paint out of his eye.

Harm: Frank, you got hit just below the eye, but not in your eye. Can you open your eye?

Frank: Oh, it hurts. I can't open it.

Harm: Give yourself a minute. Come under this tree where it's dark. Now try to open it.

Frank opens his eye into a squint.

Harm: Frank, can you see?

Frank: Yes, the eye just feels better closed.

Harm: Do you want me to take you back?

Frank: No, I want to play. Can you bandage the eye for me?

Harm: Let me see if this first-aid kit has anything in it.

Harm pulls out gauze and adhesive tape and rips the tape with his teeth. He bandages Frank's eye.

Harm: Do you want me to go back and get Webb's cellphone and call Mom?

Frank: No, I want to play.

They hear Bud's voice.

Bud: Throw down a flag. I know I hit someone.

Harm motions for Frank to answer.

Frank: Okay, I'll leave one here. You have to give me ten minutes to leave the area.

He and Harm quickly duck down into a thick grove of pine trees. Harm leaves Frank there and runs through the woods breaking sticks and branches on his way. Frank begins to wonder if Harm has left him when, from nowhere, Harm reappears.

Frank: I thought you'd left me.

Harm: No. I created a diversion, then doubled back. I want to see who comes after the flag. Keep perfectly quiet and still.

Soon Bud and Sturgis walk into the clearing where Frank had dropped his bandana.

Bud: It looks like he went that way.

Sturgis: Do you think Frank was alone? Harm wouldn't leave him.

Bud: He may have been. Let's just follow this trail.

Sturgis: I'll stay here and see if they come back.

Bud: That'd be great but I'm a little concerned that I might slip on those rocks as the trail goes down to the creek.

Sturgis: Okay, Bud. Let's go.

Harm and Frank watch the two men as they leave. When they get about twenty- five yards away, Harm motions for Frank to stay put and sneaks out of his hiding place. He circles around the outcropping of rocks. Frank watches as Harm raises himself up on one arm, points and shoots two quick shots, hitting Bud once in the back and Sturgis in the six. Harm quickly points at Frank and disappears.

Frank: I got you both. Drop two flags.

Sturgis: Frank, did you mailorder yourself some instructions for this game or what?

Frank: I'll give you twenty minutes to get out of here.

Frank checks his watch and settles down to wait the prescribed twenty minutes. When the twenty minutes are up, he gets up, walks down the path that Bud and Sturgis had taken and picks up their flags.

He thinks that this game wasn't going to be so bad afterall. His cheek is throbbing, but he'd captured two flags already. He sits down to wait for Harm, figuring that he was detoured on his way back to their hiding place. Finally, one hour after the shots had been fired, Frank figures he ought to look for Harm. He climbs back up to the outcropping of rocks where Harm had hidden to take his shots. He looks in all directions to see which way Harm might have gone. He glances down, noticing that his boot had come untied and bent over to tie it. It was then that he notices the red drops on the rock. He sticks his finger in a drop and realizes that it is sticky. He remembers that the paint from the paintball that had hit him was not sticky like this. He smells the red liquid on his finger, trying to smell a paint smell. He realizes that the droplets weren't paint; they are blood. Harm's blood. He crouches down to see if he can see anything else and he notices two hidden paintballs that have slipped into a crevice between two boulders. Next to them is the bandana that Harm had used to wipe the paint off Frank's face.

Frank's heart begins to pound. His thoughts seem to follow the rhythm of his heartbeat. Harm's gone. Harm's hurt. Call Trish. Harm's hurt. Get help. Help Harm. As he slumps down against a rock to catch his breath and force himself to think, something catches his eye. Frank notices movement in the distant woods, across a ravine. It is a group moving. He thinks, "If it's the Admiral, I can signal him somehow and we can look for Harm." He raises his gun to fire but something stops him. "Wait, wait and watch" he thinks. The situation becomes surreal as he begins to sense that directions are being given to him. He looks around to see if another one of the guys has joined him, but he is alone.

"How many of them are there, Frank?"

Frank whirls around but finds no one.

Frank turns back to face the woods and begins to count, One, two. They are carrying something. Three.

"What are they carrying, Frank?"

Frank speaks audibly, "How do I know? Their cooler?"

"Frank, that's too big to be a cooler. Look again."

Frank: Oh, no, it's not a cooler. It's a body. It's Harm. I have to go. I have to help Harm.

"Frank, keep watching. Look at the men. Do you know them?"

Frank: NO, how would I know them? They took Harm. Oh my goodness. I don't know them and they took Harm. That means they aren't our guys. I have to get help.

"Keep watching."

Frank keeps watching and sees the two men that were carrying Harm lower the load. The three men with Harm sit down to rest. Frank watches for some sign of movement from Harm.

"Check your vest, Frank."

Frank: My vest? What about my vest?

"Field glasses, Frank."

Frank: Oh, oh yes.

Frank reaches into his pocket and pulls out his field glasses. They aren't a great magnification, but they help. He saw that Harm's hands and feet are tied together and he is being carried on a pole of some sort. He thinks that he had seen this before, on National Geographic, he thinks. They didn't carry a man that way, they carried an animal carcass.

Frank's heartbeat begins the bass drum thumping again. Get help. Harm's hurt. Get help. Harm's hurt.

"Check your vest, Frank."

Frank hears the voice again. He reaches into the first pocket he could think of. Matches. No, I don't need matches unless I start a forest fire. He checks an inside pocket and feels a rectangular flat object. He pulls it out. A mirror, he thinks, I ought to check my eye. He looks in the mirror, pulls back the gauze, and sees that his eye is swollen to a slit. He recovers it. He begins to put the mirror back in his vest pocket, when the thought occurs to him.

Harm had told him that they had to stay on the east side of the road. He could see the road snaking through the valley. The men that had Harm were on the west side of the road. He lines himself up facing north. He holds out this right hand. That meant that the rest of the group has to be to his right unless they are right down on the edge of the road. He thinks that of eight guys, only a couple of them could be down along the road, or to his west, but still on the east side of the road. If he can somehow signal with his mirror, someone could come and help. Someone who knows more could help. He begins to stand up and then realizes that he should camouflage himself so that those men can't see him. He looks around and only sees pine branches. He reaches into another pocket, pulls out a knife, and extends the longest serrated blade. He cuts several small branches. In another pocket he finds string and ties the boughs together. He slips off his vest and ties the string to the back of the vest into a metal ring that Frank doesn't have the slightest idea of its purpose. Then he slips the vest back on and fastens it in the front. He knows that he probably looks ridiculous but the overall effect is that he was wearing a cape of pine boughs. With his back to the west, Frank picks up the mirror and tries to catch the morning sunlight. He glances at his watch. Eight o'clock. He begins to signal. He will signal for ten minutes, then stop for five minutes and watch the resting kidnappers across the way. Then he'd begin signaling again.

Meanwhile, the game continues on. Bud and Sturgis have the misfortune to encounter Gunny hiding behind a tree, which causes them to lose their second flags. Bud decides that he ought to just go guard the cooler and let Sturgis run around.

Admiral Chegwidden has used his Seal tactics and has twice shot Sergei. The elusive Clayton Webb has dodged the bullet both times, so the Admiral is determined to find Webb. Webb has hidden the cooler in an outcropping of rocks, marked the location with his GPS, and is off hunting for Alex. Webb is sitting up in a hunter's tree stand, trying to remember everything the agency had taught him about the KGB as if that could help him to get into the mind of the Russian. Alex has found his team's cooler, has chugged some vodka, and is sleeping off his hangover under a grove of pine trees. First, he had covered himself so that he could not be found. Tiner is pursuing Gunny, trying his best to sneak up behind him. Once, Tiner had Gunny in his sights, but Gunny has seemed to disappear. Once again, Tiner thinks he has seen Gunny running down a hill, so he is following him. All of the sudden, splat! Tiner is hit in the back. He hears Gunny laughing.

Gunn: Face it, Tiner, you squids never learn to hide. Drop your flag!

From where Bud sits, he occasionally hears the laughter and the hollering. He wishes he could play as physically as the other guys can and is feeling a little sorry for himself when something flashes in his eyes. Bud squints and about thirty seconds later, he sees the flash again. Something's out there trying to signal someone, Bud thinks. If it's my team, I need to help them. If it's the other team, maybe I can pull a capture. He is standing there thinking about how to proceed when the Admiral shows up.

Admiral: Bud I need some of that vodka in the cooler. I slipped on a rock and cut my knee.

Bud: Admiral: Someone is out there signaling.

Admiral: Signaling what?

Bud: No, it's not Morse code. It's more of a flash of something. Wait a few minutes, see if you see it.

The Admiral pulls out his field glasses and scans the horizon.

Admiral: Bud, I don't see anything.

FLASH!

Bud: Sir -

Admiral: I saw it.

He picks up the field glasses again and pivots slowly in a ninety-degree arc.

Admiral: I still don't see what it is.

FLASH!

Bud: Turn to the north more, sir.

Admiral: It's someone flashing a mirror. I can't make out who the person is. It looks like a mountain man. We're too close to civilization to have an injured hiker, I would think.

I'll go check it out, but if it's one of Webb's tricks I'm going in firing and I'll get him with three shots before he can hit the ground.

Bud: Admiral, take the signal gun, just in case. You might need it.

The Admiral takes off in the direction that the signal was coming from.

MEANWHILE Sturgis is hiding and listening. He begins to think that it is strange that he hasn't caught any glimpses of Harm. Then he hears what he thinks is snoring. He immediately thinks, "Harm!" He's probably sleeping off last night somewhere. He knew the Navy trained its pilots in survival training and that included hiding in the woods. They were trained to sleep by day and move by night. Suddenly he hears the snore again, turns around and looks at a grove of pine trees. He scans the ground, looking for an irregularity. Nothing. Then he looks more closely and sees that one tree has a slightly mounded crown of dirt around it. Sturgis savors the moment. Should he startle the sleeping baby, or just shoot it? Then he sees the boulder. If he can crouch behind the boulder, he could shoot and then watch the surprise. He creeps over to the boulder and lowers himself behind it. He checks his gun, smiles to himself, and fires twice.

The mounded ground disappears as Alex jumps up and begins yelling in Russian. Sturges stands up, puts his hands in the air, and says, "Alex!" I thought you were Rabb!" Sturgis doubles over in laughter. The commotion causes such an uproar that Sergei pops out from behind a tree and shoots both Alex and Sturgis.

Alex: Sturgis, that's your third hit!

Sturgis (laughing hysterically): I know, but seeing your face was worth it! I'm going back to the cooler with Bud. This is too funny.

Alex calls out: Sergei, you worthless helicopter pilot, I'm going to hunt you down!

MEANWHILE, Admiral Chegwidden makes his way to where Frank is signaling.

Admiral: Frank, what are you doing?

Frank: Oh, AJ, am I glad to see you! Wait, they're on the move again.

Admiral: Frank have you been dipping in the whiskey?

Frank quickly tells him the story about how he had been shot in the cheek, and how Harm had gotten Bud and Sturgis.

Frank: The men are over there. They'd been resting but they are moving him again.

Admiral: I have the emergency flare.

Frank: Won't that alert them?

Admiral: Good thinking, Frank. I need to get help though. Hand me that mirror.

The admiral picks up the mirror and begins signaling in the direction where Bud is.

Bud notices the first flash as Sturgis enters the camp.

Sturgis: I'm out of the game, but wait until you hear what I did to Alex.

Bud: Wait, sir. I think we might have a problem.

Sturgis: What's that flash?

Bud: It was signaling me before. The Admiral went to check on it. I think that might be the Admiral signaling now.

Sturgis: Check for code?

Bud: What code?

Sturgis: Morse code.

Bud: Oh.

Bud and Sturgis watch intently. They are watching so intently that they don't see Webb and Gunny enter their camp and sit down on the cooler.

Webb: We win.

Bud: Quiet, Mr. Webb. We're getting a signal from the Admiral.

Webb: Well, signal him back that we won! We probably have time for a second game so we can beat you again.

Sturgis: Knock it off. We're trying to read the Admiral's message.

Gunny: Is there something wrong?

Bud: Oh no! Not again.

Webb: What again? Is it Rabb? Tell me it's not Rabb.

Sturgis: Okay, we need to round everybody up. Game's over.

Webb: Shoot the flare.

Bud: NO! We have to do this quietly.

Webb: What's going on?

Sturgis: The Admiral is with Frank. Harm has been kidnapped by someone and the Admiral and Frank are tracking them. We can't send off flares or make noise for fear of alerting the people who have Harm.

Webb: Whom are we missing?

Bud: Tiner, Sergei, and Alex.

Webb: Do we really need them?

Bud: Mr. Webb, we don't know who these people are. I don't think we should leave anyone behind.

Sturgis: Gunny, go after Tiner and the Russians. Bud, stay here and when Gunny gets back, you five move out and follow us.

Webb: I'm going back to the base camp for my phone.

Bud: Are you calling for help?

Webb: No, I'm looking for a way for us to communicate.

Bud: How are we going to communicate with one cell phone?

Webb: We're not. I'll leave the cell phone from the camp with you.

Bud: So how do we stay in touch?

Webb: You call me on this one. (Webb reaches into his pocket and pulls out another cellphone).

Within ten minutes, Sturgis and Webb begin following the Admiral and Frank as Bud signals the Admiral using the blade from his pocketknife.
After a half-hour, Sturgis and Webb catch up with Frank and the Admiral.

Webb: Frank, what in the world happened to your face?

Frank: I was shot with a paintball when I didn't have my mask on.

Webb: AJ, what have you got?

Admiral, handing Webb the field glasses: We're following three Middle Eastern looking gentlemen who seem to be carrying an unconscious Rabb.

Webb: Unconscious or (seeing Frank looking at him, he stops mid-sentence). Okay then. Do we have any clues who these guys are? Can you think of any cases the Commander has had that would make someone track him and kidnap him?

Admiral: He's handled all kinds of nuts, but I can't think of anyone off hand.

Webb reaches into his pocket, unflips his cellphone, and speaks: Yes. We're aware of the problem. I am handling it. What do they want? What are their conditions? Okay. I'll get back to you.

Admiral: Why is it that I am fearful that this involves you, Webb?

Webb: The Commander is a hostage. He is not wanted by anyone. These guys have bigger fish to fry.

Admiral: Who's the tuna?

Webb: I am.

At this point, the other five members of the team arrive.

Sergei: What's happened to Harm?

Admiral: Sergei, he appears to be okay. We need to sit down and think this thing through, plan our strategy. Webb, can you call for a helo?

Webb: We'll get Rabb killed if they hear a helo.

Admiral: Good point. Now, what do they want with you?

Webb: That's classified.

Admiral: Well, we all seem to be on a "need to know" basis right now.

Webb: They believe that I was responsible for the death of three of their agents in Syria.

Admiral: Were you?

Webb: Let's say that they had served their purpose.

Alex: And you people thought the KGB were evil?

Admiral: What happens if we arrange an exchange?

Webb: What?

Admiral: You for Rabb.

Webb: The US government does not negotiate with terrorists.

Admiral: We won't actually make the exchange, just make them think we're going to. Arrange a meeting place and we'll come in, surround them, and rescue you both.

Webb picks up the field glasses and watches the men through them.

Webb: Admiral: They are carrying three AK-47's. I am carrying a .9mm pistol. I suggest you think through this again.

Admiral: We can do this without a gun battle, which we'd lose. We know where they are. They don't know where we are. First, we need a diversion. Bud, I'll need you to go back about a mile from here, take several paint ball guns, and go around firing them, so that it sounds as if our game is going on. Sturgis, you need to take Alex, Tiner, and Gunny and get across the road to the west side where they are but you need to be ahead of them. Sergei, you, and Webb, and I are going to circle back and cross the road behind them.

Frank: What about me, AJ?

Admiral: You need to go back with Bud.

Frank: Can't you let me go with you? He's my son. I can't face Trish if anything- Please let me go.

Admiral: Bud, do you think you can handle the diversion?

Bud: No problem, sir.

Admiral: If we're not back by 1400, call for help.

Bud: Whom should I call?

Admiral: Webb's office.

Admiral: Webb, call your office and have them contact these guys to make the swap.

The men move out to their respective assigned positions. The Admiral, Webb, Frank, and Sergei stay on the east side of the road until Webb's office calls him back.

Webb: Yes. Okay. Give me the GPS. One more thing, tell them that the Commander's stepfather will be with me in order to help the Commander get back to safety. Just tell, them, Betsy! Okay. I will. Me too.

Admiral: Me too? What are you doing, Webb? You aren't courting; you're planning a mission. I can't believe it. "I love, you, Clayton." "Me, too."

Webb: That's not what happened. She said, "I hope you pull this off." Then I said, "Me too."

Admiral: Right. What time are we doing this?

Webb: 1500.

Admiral: Call Bud. He'll have the area stormed with FBI by then.

Webb dials the phone: Bud, hold all calls until 1600. We've had a change of plans. No, we can hear your shots. It sounds good. Do a few more yells. That'll be fine. Don't you dare call Mac!

Admiral: Frank, you're going to cross the road in plain view with Webb. Sergei, you and I are crossing the road using that storm sewer pipe that runs under it. Webb, I'll signal Sturgis with the GPS coordinates. Frank, give me the mirror. Webb, give me your gun.

Webb: They'll expect me to be armed.

Frank: Take your paintball gun. Throw that down.

Admiral: Frank, you are thinking clearly under pressure. Do you have secret military background? Webb, I want the real gun from you and any others you might have squirreled away.

Webb hands the Admiral his .9mm pistol. Then he reaches into a side pocket and pulls out a small handgun.

Admiral: These aren't even legal, Webb.

Webb: So make a citizen's arrest.

Frank: Admiral, take this knife. You may need it.

Admiral: What else do you have in those pockets?

Frank: I have some rope and some wire.

Admiral: Did you say wire?

Webb: AJ -

Admiral: If I need it, I'll use it.

Frank: Somewhere there's another knife, but I can't find it. I mean I can't find the pocket that holds it.

Admiral: Frank, when you go in with Webb, you need to keep your head down and your mouth shut, do you understand? Webb, give us fifteen minutes to get across then you cross the road in plain sight. Let's go.

Admiral Chegwidden and Sergei crawl through a storm drain that crosses under the county highway. They are seen for a brief moment and then disappear into the woods. Frank strains to see where they have gone.

Frank: I can't see them. Can you see them, Clayton?

Webb: Frank, the Admiral is an ex-Seal. Covert is his middle name.

Frank (mumbling): I thought it was Jethro.

Webb: We'll wait ten more minutes. When we cross the road, I want you to keep your eyes straight ahead. If you're looking into the woods, you might tip them off that the Admiral and Sergei are coming. Do you understand, Frank?

Frank: Look, I know I don't have the training or the experience that the rest of you have. You have to know that I would NEVER risk Harm's life.

Webb: I know you would never do it intentionally, but it's the unintentional that concerns me.
MEANWHILE, Sturgis and his gang cross the road ahead of the moving terrorists. They split into a forward group of Sturgis and Alex, and a rear group of Gunny and Tiner. Sturgis' rationale was that if they were captured, Gunny and Tiner could get help or ambush them as they moved ahead. Sturgis has just spotted the terrorists holding Harm. Through the field glasses, he can see that Harm is alive and awake, resting on his hands and knees and heaving. Without speaking, he motions to Alex to look through the glasses. Alex looks and hands the binoculars back to Sturgis. Alex points at his head indicating the possibility that Harm has a head wound, probably a concussion. Sturgis nods.

Sturgis begins to scan the road for Webb and Frank. He sees them begin to cross the road and walk at a cautious pace toward them.

A shout from the terrorist camp rings out. Sturgis watches Webb stop dead in his tracks. Sturgis realizes that the terrorist is speaking in another language. He looks at Alex. Alex mouths "Arabic". Another voice calls out: "Mr. Webb, throw down your weapon."

Webb throws his paintball gun down on the road. Frank does the same.

"Mr. Webb, throw down your pistol as well."

Webb: I don't have it. It was against the rules of the game.

"Mr. Webb, keep walking down this road until you are told to stop. Your friend can stay with you until he's no longer needed."

Webb hears the sound of Rabb throwing up.

Webb: Is your hostage okay?

"Mr. Webb, you let us worry about the hostage."

Sturgis and Alex watch as the terrorists grab Harm and begin to move toward them. They see an almost imperceptible movement in the trees behind them. Sturgis looks at Alex, who winks at him. They slowly move apart to wait to ambush the group.

Admiral Chegwidden has a three-foot length of wire in his hands. Sergei looks at him as he realizes what the Admiral is about to do. The Admiral motions to Sergei to move into the trees away from him and to await his signal. Sergei moves as directed. The Admiral waits for Sergei to get behind a large white pine when he signals. Sergei then jumps on a branch, snapping it, and sending a crackling noise to pierce the silence.

The lead terrorist holds his finger to his lips. He motions the rear terrorist to take his gun and see who is following them. The terrorist begins to walk toward Sergei, out of sight of Rabb and his captors. The lead terrorist calls out to Webb:

"Mr. Webb, stop right where you are. I have the scope of an AK-47 trained on your head. If someone is following us, one of my men is going to blow our hostage's head off and then I'm going to blow yours off."

Webb: I don't know what you're talking about.

The Syrian creeps slowly toward Sergei's hiding spot. He opens his mouth in recognition to call for help when, from behind, the Admiral snaps his neck with the wire. Sergei quickly drags the body under the tree, picks up the man's weapon, and begins following the Admiral.

When the guard does not return, the lead terrorist motions to the other guard.

"Mr. Webb, your friend must leave you now."

Webb: But he's the hostage's father. The hostage will need help finding his way back.

"Mr. Webb, you will do as I say, or you and your friend will both die in the next thirty seconds."

Webb: Go, Frank, and keep going.

Frank: But, I-

Webb: Go!

Frank begins to walk away from Webb. He crosses back over the road to the east side and disappears.

The remaining guard walks down to the road and grabs Webb. He holds a gun to Webb's head and forces him to walk up the hill and into the woods. They come to the place where the lead terrorist is holding Rabb.

Webb: Harm, are you okay?

Lead Terrorist: We're moving. You don't speak.

The terrorists force each Harm and Webb to walk in front of them, each with a weapon planted squarely in a hostage's back. The movement is slow because Harm is having a difficult time remaining upright. Webb keeps catching Harm when he becomes unsteady. The Admiral and Sergei follow at a safe distance. Sturgis and Alex, realizing that there's no way to free either hostage safely, begin to drop back in order to find a better place to ambush. The group of four moves along toward a stream. Suddenly, a man carrying a Swiss army knife flies out from behind a rock rushing at them. Harm and Webb each dive in opposite directions. The terrorists fire on the man, one wounding him in the shoulder and the other in the groin. Admiral Chegwidden dives on the lead terrorist, knocking his gun out of his hands. Alex rushes the other gunmen, rolling him down the hill toward the road. Sergei grabs one gun, and Sturgis grabs the other. Gunny and Tiner sprint to the scene to find Frank wounded and bleeding heavily. Harm staggers to get up and passes out. Sturgis runs to Harm and sits next to him, trying to rouse him.

Gunny begins to apply first aid to Frank. Tiner grabs the bandanas each one is still carrying from the paintball game and tries to stop Frank's bleeding.

Webb asks for a cell phone, calls Bud and orders a medivac helicopter for Frank and for Harm.

The Admiral takes the length of rope that Frank had given him, places each terrorist on the ground and hog-ties them, binding their hands and feet together behind their backs.

Webb: There's still one more.

Sergei: No there's not.

Webb: I am sure I saw three.

Admiral: You did. He won't bother anyone.

Webb: You mean you

Admiral: I subdued the enemy, Mr. Webb. Now let's look after our casualties.

Frank (in obvious pain): Harm, where's Harm?

Admiral: Frank, Harm's okay. You need to hang on. We're trying to get you to a hospital.

Frank: It hurts, and I'm so tired.

Admiral: Hang on, Frank. Trish needs you. Frank, can you hear me?

The whopping noise from the descending helicopters cuts off Frank's reply. The helicopter lands on the road below. Webb and Admiral Chegwidden carry Frank to the stretcher and load him on the helicopter. The paramedics immediately begin working on Frank. Sergei and Sturgis wrap Rabb's head wound and await the stretcher and paramedics to move him.

Webb walks with Harm's stretcher to the helicopter, leans down, and whispers something to an unconscious Harm.

The helicopter lifts off, leaving seven men staring into the sky after it.

From Bud's position, he watches the helicopter fly toward the southeast and thinks: Not again. He looks at his watch, realizes that the ladies are just about to leave the spa, and dreads the call he know must make.

End of Chapter 5