Title : Where The Sea Meets The Sky
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV - and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you. (Here's the disclaimer for NCIS, as above...I'll leave it in for the rest of the story; makes life easier when I need to 'borrow' Gibbs and his team!)
Rating : G to PG-13
Thanks go to cbw, jtbwriter, beegirl, katydid13, ninjaturtle, capriceann, starryeyes10, kirsten, soonerfan, another tracy, tomcat-all, lori4, carol, eliv.thade, alicia5, fragmentpieces, kesh, claysmvl, chicmns, skyefire, tammy-jet, abigaile, kjflygirl87, anna7, nikki, jbird7986, angelab, pineapplehead, rosa, manda, rinkrat, bard2003, laura carr, tj, sahc, kstorm, arian04, deb, lisa brown, smithknk, cmaf, cj, manda may, dd2, firedevil, youngest knight, soleil2, guitarvixen and anaika skywalker for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
Replies to previous chapter reviews :
alicia5 :0) I like to keep people guessing! Thanks for your support, and please keep reading!
abigaile 'Pretty pleases' mean a lot! You'll have to keep reading to find out, though. Thanks for your support!
jtbwriter Hiya! ;0) (I hope that's the right way to post a 'wink'!) You never know! I'm glad I caught up with Sue and Jack again, I still have things to write about them in this story. Glad to hear the wishes are working - sort of - and that you'd be able to keep reading and reviewing. I just 'can't' lose one of my favorites! Hang in there! Thanks as always!
anaika skywalker Hello and welcome to the story! I'm pleased to see you're enjoying reading, and as for the twins, I'm keeping that one (or those two!) close for a while longer. Well, maybe a hint...remember the scene when they made the 'baby deal'? Thanks for the support, and please keep reading!
starryeyes10 Thanks for the support, and please keep reading!
manda may Yeah, I know, Webb's still around (at least in this story!) but don't worry, he can't mess with H & M. Thanks for your review, and please keep reading!
jbird7986 No problem; real life gets to us all! Thanks for your support, and please keep reading!
ninjaturtle Webb is turning into the 'dweeb' of this story, he had the girl, he lost the girl, he ain't gettin' her back!!! No way, no how! Now, enough of him. On with the story! Thanks for your support, and please keep reading!
nikki I could just picture Webb landing at one end of the carrier as Harm took off from the other - it seemed so real! Pity it doesn't happen on screen, but I can dream, can't I? :o) Harm's reaction to Mac's news will be coming soon - so please keep reading, and thanks for your support!
anna7 Hi! Sorry I missed your notes, but I got the roundup! Thanks for your support, and please keep reading!
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JACK'S APARTMENT
SOMEWHERE IN WASHINGTON DC
WEDNESDAY EVENING
Sue followed Levi to the door of Jack's apartment and welcomed Mac inside. After a warm hug and a pat for Levi, Mac walked into the lounge and dropped her coat on a nearby chair.
"You want something to drink, Sarah?" asked Sue, showing concern when Mac shook her head.
"Not right now, thanks. I'm sorry I didn't give you much notice about coming over. I tried your place first but Lucy said you were having dinner here."
"Is everything all right, with Harm, and the babies?"
"I don't actually know where Harm is right now, but I'm keeping positive. No news is good news, and all that...as for the babies, they're making me want to use the bathroom more. I have to plan my days around the nearest facilities!"
Sue grinned and put an arm around Mac's shoulders.
"So, what is it we can do for you?"
"I was hoping I could talk to you both about the witness protection program." Mac looked at Sue. "It's about the meeting over Lieutenant Commander Carson. Admiral Chegwidden is prepared to forego the court martial but feels some punishment is due. Carson feels that his life is still in danger, even though he is presently in the brig. I spoke to Gibbs, and he was happy with the intel Carson was able to give him, so all round it would be possible to tie up the loose ends and give the man a new identity."
"Would he still want to be in the Navy?"
"Ideally, yes, but I appreciate that isn't really feasible. He's wavering. If he does stay in the Navy, he's convinced his family, and their associates, will find him and kill him."
"Jack's in the shower right now. If you can wait, you can ask him yourself. I haven't dealt with a witness protection case yet, so I can't really advise you."
"Fair enough. Look, I'm really sorry about interrupting your dinner plans. Tell Jack what I've told you, and then ask him to get back to me tomorrow."
"It's okay, Sarah...in fact, why don't you stay and eat with us?"
"I'm pretty tired, actually. It's been a long day, and these future flyboys in here..." Mac stroked her stomach gently, bringing a smile to Sue's face as she watched her friend's maternal gesture as Mac continued to talk, "...are practicing loops!"
"Flyboys? What if they are girls? I thought you would want future marines!" Sue spoke, laughing at Mac.
"When they're creating like this, they're definitely Harm's babies. When they're quiet, they're mine! I believe at least one of them is a flyboy anyway. I'm not sure about the other one."
"I'm sure Harm's okay, Sarah." Sue tried to reassure Mac, and at that moment Jack stepped through the doorway into the lounge, a robe covering him as he used a towel to dry his hair.
"What's that about Harm? Hi, Mac. I heard you talking."
"Hello, Jack..." Mac grinned at Sue. "It's a good job Jack isn't deaf, Sue. He might have come out here with little more than a towel, to dry his hair!"
"Hey, no talking about me like I'm not here!" Jack protested good-naturedly, coming across the room to hug Mac and then move to stand beside Sue. Sniffing the air, he turned to Sue, "Dinner ready?"
"Almost. I've been trying to convince Sarah to stay and eat with us."
"Absolutely!" Jack smiled at Mac, and raised an eyebrow in question, but Mac shook her head.
"Thank you, really, but I need my bed tonight. I think all the travelling the last couple of days has worn me out, and then finding out I'm in for double trouble, it's more than this marine can take. What I came over for was to ask about getting Carson into the witness protection program. Given what we know about him now, and the intel he's been able to give us, I don't think he's a threat to anyone. He just got caught up in his own heritage." Mac looked at the pair of them, and Jack nodded.
"I'll put it through to Ted Garrett and see what he has to say."
"That's all I can ask," Mac accepted, and having hugged them both she left the apartment. When the door closed, Sue turned round to face Jack and he put his arms around her, the towel he had used on his hair now slung around his neck. Sue pulled it away and dropped it on the back of a nearby chair.
"You shouldn't put damp towels around your neck, Jack, it's bad for you, and makes your clothes damp too."
"I wasn't planning on keeping this thing on anyway," Jack murmured as he looked at Sue, and then dropped his gaze to her mouth, his intention quite obvious. Sue leaned in for his kiss, and it was only the aroma of the cooking food that was beginning to have a hint of 'smoked' to it that brought her attention back.
"Jack, the dinner, it's burning..."
"Mmmn, so'm I..." Jack had turned his attention to nibbling on Sue's neck as her mouth was busy talking.
"Jack!" Sue made an effort to push at Jack, but it was a feeble effort really, and he was quick to return his mouth to hers. As she gave herself up to the kissing once more, Sue was suddenly aware that she was moving, albeit slowly, back towards the kitchen. Jack was still kissing her, but he was also intent on reaching the kitchen to turn off the hob.
"Won't burn now...warm up...later..." Jack turned them both again, so that they were heading for the bedroom.
"It will taste foul later..." Sue managed to retort with a muffled laugh.
"S'okay...I like chicken..." Jack's response had Sue giggling, but the giggles soon turned to sighs, and then all thoughts of dinner - chicken or not - went out of her head.
MAC'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN
WASHINGTON DC
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Mac batted the alarm clock on her bedside table with her hand, but the noise kept going. Opening one eye blearily, she realized it wasn't the clock that was making the noise. It was the telephone.
"This had better be good," she muttered into the mouthpiece, and the sound of an unknown male voice had her pulling the sheet on the bed up to her neck to provide a hint of modesty to a man she couldn't even see! Mac dropped the sheet.
"Colonel Mackenzie, ma'am?"
"Speaking. Who is this?"
"Duty Sergeant at the brig, ma'am. Sergeant Ramirez. I was asked to let you know that Lieutenant Commander Carson attempted to kill himself tonight. He's been taken to the ICU at Bethesda, under guard."
"I'll be right there. No one gets in to talk to him without me present."
"Understood, ma'am, but I don't think that will be a problem anyway; he's unconscious, ma'am."
"Oh, hell!" Mac muttered, dragging herself out of the bed, then realizing she still held the handset with an open line. "Sergeant, you didn't hear that."
"No, ma'am." Ramirez grinned to himself, though, as he replaced the receiver at his end of the conversation.
As Mac started dressing she dialled Jack's number, and hoped that she wasn't interrupting anything.
"Jack? I need a favor."
NAVAL HOSPITAL
BETHESDA
MARYLAND
EARLY THURSDAY MORNING
Jack exited the elevator on the ICU floor and found Mac talking to a doctor. As he walked up, Mac turned and smiled.
"Hi. Thanks for coming out. I hope Sue's not too mad at me?"
"Nope. Actually, she's back at her place." Mac's face showed her concern, but Jack reassured her. "It's okay, Mac. Just something we agreed on. This is the first week that Lucy has been back, so Sue feels she should spend some time there."
"Oh...okay."
"So, what am I doing here?"
"I got a call earlier that Carson had tried to commit suicide. I'm not buying it, not for a second, but until I can talk to him I have no idea what really happened."
"How did he...did it happen?"
"Some kind of ligature, tried to hang himself. I know he doesn't want to leave the Navy, but I don't believe he would do this either. The witness protection program was my idea, and he knows it may still not work out. Failing that, he was going to go to ground himself, he just knew he'd always be looking over his shoulder that way."
"I still think it's possible to use the program, but I do need to ask Garrett about it. Providing this is what you think, that someone's gotten to him, then it makes the case a little more urgent, and in his favor. How long ago did they find him?"
"He was okay at lights out, and when the duty sergeant did his rounds a couple of hours later, he found Carson hanging. He was alive, but they don't know exactly how long he was suspended."
"He's not brain dead?"
"No, there's wave activity. They'll do another EEG in an hour. They don't know if there is any brain damage though. The result of the first EEG indicates that he wasn't up long enough to be totally starved of oxygen, but there's a fine line between long enough, and too long."
"Yeah, I know." Jack leaned back against the wall of the corridor as Mac sank into one of the nearby chairs. "Hey, Mac, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, really. I'm just tired. I got a couple of hours sleep in when I left your place, but the ringing of the telephone woke me up. I thought it was the alarm clock!" Both of them laughed at that.
"Did anyone else see Carson after lights out?"
Mac shook her head. "I spoke to Ramirez again, after I called you. He said that the lights out is automatic, but they can see the cells from the office. The last person out of the block was the janitor."
"A janitor? At night?"
"I know, I queried it, but the guy has been working there for over a year, and he's had the full security clearance for nine months of that time. Up to the end of his probation period he was under supervision from a night guard. He's clean, Jack."
"For a janitor, I guess it's part of the job," Jack attempted a joke, and Mac managed a laugh. They sat in silence again until Mac suddenly shot up off her seat.
"Ramirez said the janitor was the last one out. It doesn't mean to say that it was 'the' janitor! The one meant to be on duty!"
"There could have been a switch!"
Mac practically ran down the hallway to the nurses' station. As the nurse went to protest at the use of the telephone on her desk Mac glared at her, and Jack flashed his ID badge. Between the two of them the nurse backed down, intrigued at the interaction between the two strangers in front of her. The relationship between the two was unclear, but there was obvious affection there, and the woman was definitely pregnant. No rings in evidence, but that meant nothing in this day and age.
"Ramirez? It's Colonel Mackenzie. Do you have the name of the janitor on duty tonight?"
"Yes, ma'am. Tony Bosa. Like I said, he's been with the unit for a year now."
"I understand that, Sergeant, but I need to ask. Did you actually 'see' him tonight, or did you just see a man in a janitor's uniform walking down the corridor?"
"Dios mio!" Ramirez's response sent a shiver down Mac's spine, and Jack pulled out his cellphone.
"Sir!" the nurse protested at his action, but he ignored her and pressed speed dial.
"Bobby? It's Jack. I need you to do me a favor, right now! Yeah, I know...I'm sorry, tell Jen you'll make it up to her..." Mac turned to look at Jack as he mentioned Jennifer Coates' name, her eyebrow raised. He grinned and put his thumb and forefinger together in the 'ok' signal, then continued talking. "I'm going to give you a name and an address. I want you to check the address, and see if the guy who lives there is who he says he is."
Mac relayed the information given to her by Ramirez, and Jack passed it on.
"Give me a call back, no, not my cell. Take this number," Jack leaned over the desk and gave the number on the line Mac was using. "Yeah, I'm here with Mac. Don't worry, I'll tell her." Jack closed his cellphone, and Mac was in front of him immediately.
"Where the hell is Jennifer? It's a school night, she's meant to be..."
"Watching Mattie. She is, Mac. Mattie asked if she could invite her friend Susan over. They're asleep in Mattie's room right now. Apparently Mattie was concerned that her father might call, and she was upset. Mattie asked for Bobby to come over for added security."
"Mattie did?"
"It seemed the most logical choice. Jen has way too much integrity to ruin her relationship with you and Harm by bringing a boyfriend home when Mattie's there. As for Bobby, he's serious about Jen, Mac. If he says he's there to look after the girls, that's exactly what he's doing, and nothing more."
"I'm sorry, Jack, you're right...I'm just so tired, and screwed up right now..."
"Hey, you're entitled. You've got Harm on the loose, double - or even triple! - the hormones now, and an unconscious officer that you're trying to do right by."
The telephone on the desk rang and the nurse answered it. Jack put his hand out, believing it was from Bobby, but the woman handed the receiver to Mac.
"It's for you, ma'am. Sergeant Ramirez?"
"Thank you." Mac took the receiver and spoke. "Colonel Mackenzie here."
"Colonel, I just remembered something. I'm sorry I didn't think about it earlier. There was a call early this evening, when I first came on duty. The guy said he was from JAG, needed to check that Carson was okay, said it was on your behalf. I know Carson was at JAG for a meeting, so I thought nothing of it. Just presumed you were checking to make sure he got back here in one piece."
"Did he identify himself?"
"No, ma'am. But there was something odd about the call. When he put his telephone down there was a definite 'click' on the line, like it was an extension call, or something."
"Possibly an overseas call?"
"Could have been, ma'am."
"Thank you, Sergeant Ramirez."
"Has Carson come round yet, ma'am?"
"No, not yet. I'll let you know, when he does."
"I appreciate that, ma'am."
Mac replaced the receiver and looked at Jack. Before she could say anything, Jack's cellphone rang.
"It's Bobby. The number you gave me was busy. Listen, mate, that address was correct, but the tenant is no longer paying rent."
"Dead?"
"Yeah, I'd say so. The police were already here when I arrived. I'm not getting involved, just said that I was a tourist passing by. The accent gets 'em every time!"
"Okay, thanks. Yeah. Listen, are you going back to Jen's?"
"Wasn't planning to. It's almost sun-up."
"Go back there and stay with them, Bobby. Take the girls to school, and Jen to work. Come in later. I'll clear it with Garrett."
"Is Mattie's father...?"
"No, not that I know of. This could be something else."
"Okay. I'm on it. See you later." Bobby ended the call and Jack spoke to Mac.
"What's on your mind, Mac?"
"I think it may have been a ship to shore call. My guess would be Glennan. I need to call Captain Johnson and confirm it. All calls are listed, even the personal ones. No one knows the content of the conversation, but the ship's communication officer would know who called who."
"Who is Glennan?"
"The replacement for Carson. I traveled out to the Sea Hawk with him and Mattie. He was asking a lot of questions about Carson up to us leaving the ship, and I asked the captain to keep an eye on him, discreetly."
"It's a big ship, Mac, couldn't he 'lose' himself on board?"
"Possibly, but this is Glennan's first deployment, and he's still a little bit wet behind the ears. I don't think he's got the grasp of the situation, and he probably thinks he's safe from detection because he's thousands of miles away from Carson."
"Could work in our favor, I guess." Jack nodded, and Mac turned back to use the telephone again. Even out of uniform Mac was an imposing presence, and now that the nurse knew her rank, she handed over the handset without protest. Jack bit back a grin, and watched as Mac dialled a well-known number.
"This is Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie, JAG Corps. I need a shore to ship call, to Captain Johnson on board the USS Sea Hawk. This is a priority call."
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To be continued
A/N:
I made a slight faux pas, about a joint meeting between JAG/FBI/NCIS over Carson occurring on a 'Tuesday'. To cover this, the 'meeting' has happened, everyone is satisfied with Carson's statement, and he is back in the brig pending decisions.
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV - and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you. (Here's the disclaimer for NCIS, as above...I'll leave it in for the rest of the story; makes life easier when I need to 'borrow' Gibbs and his team!)
Rating : G to PG-13
Thanks go to cbw, jtbwriter, beegirl, katydid13, ninjaturtle, capriceann, starryeyes10, kirsten, soonerfan, another tracy, tomcat-all, lori4, carol, eliv.thade, alicia5, fragmentpieces, kesh, claysmvl, chicmns, skyefire, tammy-jet, abigaile, kjflygirl87, anna7, nikki, jbird7986, angelab, pineapplehead, rosa, manda, rinkrat, bard2003, laura carr, tj, sahc, kstorm, arian04, deb, lisa brown, smithknk, cmaf, cj, manda may, dd2, firedevil, youngest knight, soleil2, guitarvixen and anaika skywalker for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
Replies to previous chapter reviews :
alicia5 :0) I like to keep people guessing! Thanks for your support, and please keep reading!
abigaile 'Pretty pleases' mean a lot! You'll have to keep reading to find out, though. Thanks for your support!
jtbwriter Hiya! ;0) (I hope that's the right way to post a 'wink'!) You never know! I'm glad I caught up with Sue and Jack again, I still have things to write about them in this story. Glad to hear the wishes are working - sort of - and that you'd be able to keep reading and reviewing. I just 'can't' lose one of my favorites! Hang in there! Thanks as always!
anaika skywalker Hello and welcome to the story! I'm pleased to see you're enjoying reading, and as for the twins, I'm keeping that one (or those two!) close for a while longer. Well, maybe a hint...remember the scene when they made the 'baby deal'? Thanks for the support, and please keep reading!
starryeyes10 Thanks for the support, and please keep reading!
manda may Yeah, I know, Webb's still around (at least in this story!) but don't worry, he can't mess with H & M. Thanks for your review, and please keep reading!
jbird7986 No problem; real life gets to us all! Thanks for your support, and please keep reading!
ninjaturtle Webb is turning into the 'dweeb' of this story, he had the girl, he lost the girl, he ain't gettin' her back!!! No way, no how! Now, enough of him. On with the story! Thanks for your support, and please keep reading!
nikki I could just picture Webb landing at one end of the carrier as Harm took off from the other - it seemed so real! Pity it doesn't happen on screen, but I can dream, can't I? :o) Harm's reaction to Mac's news will be coming soon - so please keep reading, and thanks for your support!
anna7 Hi! Sorry I missed your notes, but I got the roundup! Thanks for your support, and please keep reading!
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JACK'S APARTMENT
SOMEWHERE IN WASHINGTON DC
WEDNESDAY EVENING
Sue followed Levi to the door of Jack's apartment and welcomed Mac inside. After a warm hug and a pat for Levi, Mac walked into the lounge and dropped her coat on a nearby chair.
"You want something to drink, Sarah?" asked Sue, showing concern when Mac shook her head.
"Not right now, thanks. I'm sorry I didn't give you much notice about coming over. I tried your place first but Lucy said you were having dinner here."
"Is everything all right, with Harm, and the babies?"
"I don't actually know where Harm is right now, but I'm keeping positive. No news is good news, and all that...as for the babies, they're making me want to use the bathroom more. I have to plan my days around the nearest facilities!"
Sue grinned and put an arm around Mac's shoulders.
"So, what is it we can do for you?"
"I was hoping I could talk to you both about the witness protection program." Mac looked at Sue. "It's about the meeting over Lieutenant Commander Carson. Admiral Chegwidden is prepared to forego the court martial but feels some punishment is due. Carson feels that his life is still in danger, even though he is presently in the brig. I spoke to Gibbs, and he was happy with the intel Carson was able to give him, so all round it would be possible to tie up the loose ends and give the man a new identity."
"Would he still want to be in the Navy?"
"Ideally, yes, but I appreciate that isn't really feasible. He's wavering. If he does stay in the Navy, he's convinced his family, and their associates, will find him and kill him."
"Jack's in the shower right now. If you can wait, you can ask him yourself. I haven't dealt with a witness protection case yet, so I can't really advise you."
"Fair enough. Look, I'm really sorry about interrupting your dinner plans. Tell Jack what I've told you, and then ask him to get back to me tomorrow."
"It's okay, Sarah...in fact, why don't you stay and eat with us?"
"I'm pretty tired, actually. It's been a long day, and these future flyboys in here..." Mac stroked her stomach gently, bringing a smile to Sue's face as she watched her friend's maternal gesture as Mac continued to talk, "...are practicing loops!"
"Flyboys? What if they are girls? I thought you would want future marines!" Sue spoke, laughing at Mac.
"When they're creating like this, they're definitely Harm's babies. When they're quiet, they're mine! I believe at least one of them is a flyboy anyway. I'm not sure about the other one."
"I'm sure Harm's okay, Sarah." Sue tried to reassure Mac, and at that moment Jack stepped through the doorway into the lounge, a robe covering him as he used a towel to dry his hair.
"What's that about Harm? Hi, Mac. I heard you talking."
"Hello, Jack..." Mac grinned at Sue. "It's a good job Jack isn't deaf, Sue. He might have come out here with little more than a towel, to dry his hair!"
"Hey, no talking about me like I'm not here!" Jack protested good-naturedly, coming across the room to hug Mac and then move to stand beside Sue. Sniffing the air, he turned to Sue, "Dinner ready?"
"Almost. I've been trying to convince Sarah to stay and eat with us."
"Absolutely!" Jack smiled at Mac, and raised an eyebrow in question, but Mac shook her head.
"Thank you, really, but I need my bed tonight. I think all the travelling the last couple of days has worn me out, and then finding out I'm in for double trouble, it's more than this marine can take. What I came over for was to ask about getting Carson into the witness protection program. Given what we know about him now, and the intel he's been able to give us, I don't think he's a threat to anyone. He just got caught up in his own heritage." Mac looked at the pair of them, and Jack nodded.
"I'll put it through to Ted Garrett and see what he has to say."
"That's all I can ask," Mac accepted, and having hugged them both she left the apartment. When the door closed, Sue turned round to face Jack and he put his arms around her, the towel he had used on his hair now slung around his neck. Sue pulled it away and dropped it on the back of a nearby chair.
"You shouldn't put damp towels around your neck, Jack, it's bad for you, and makes your clothes damp too."
"I wasn't planning on keeping this thing on anyway," Jack murmured as he looked at Sue, and then dropped his gaze to her mouth, his intention quite obvious. Sue leaned in for his kiss, and it was only the aroma of the cooking food that was beginning to have a hint of 'smoked' to it that brought her attention back.
"Jack, the dinner, it's burning..."
"Mmmn, so'm I..." Jack had turned his attention to nibbling on Sue's neck as her mouth was busy talking.
"Jack!" Sue made an effort to push at Jack, but it was a feeble effort really, and he was quick to return his mouth to hers. As she gave herself up to the kissing once more, Sue was suddenly aware that she was moving, albeit slowly, back towards the kitchen. Jack was still kissing her, but he was also intent on reaching the kitchen to turn off the hob.
"Won't burn now...warm up...later..." Jack turned them both again, so that they were heading for the bedroom.
"It will taste foul later..." Sue managed to retort with a muffled laugh.
"S'okay...I like chicken..." Jack's response had Sue giggling, but the giggles soon turned to sighs, and then all thoughts of dinner - chicken or not - went out of her head.
MAC'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN
WASHINGTON DC
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Mac batted the alarm clock on her bedside table with her hand, but the noise kept going. Opening one eye blearily, she realized it wasn't the clock that was making the noise. It was the telephone.
"This had better be good," she muttered into the mouthpiece, and the sound of an unknown male voice had her pulling the sheet on the bed up to her neck to provide a hint of modesty to a man she couldn't even see! Mac dropped the sheet.
"Colonel Mackenzie, ma'am?"
"Speaking. Who is this?"
"Duty Sergeant at the brig, ma'am. Sergeant Ramirez. I was asked to let you know that Lieutenant Commander Carson attempted to kill himself tonight. He's been taken to the ICU at Bethesda, under guard."
"I'll be right there. No one gets in to talk to him without me present."
"Understood, ma'am, but I don't think that will be a problem anyway; he's unconscious, ma'am."
"Oh, hell!" Mac muttered, dragging herself out of the bed, then realizing she still held the handset with an open line. "Sergeant, you didn't hear that."
"No, ma'am." Ramirez grinned to himself, though, as he replaced the receiver at his end of the conversation.
As Mac started dressing she dialled Jack's number, and hoped that she wasn't interrupting anything.
"Jack? I need a favor."
NAVAL HOSPITAL
BETHESDA
MARYLAND
EARLY THURSDAY MORNING
Jack exited the elevator on the ICU floor and found Mac talking to a doctor. As he walked up, Mac turned and smiled.
"Hi. Thanks for coming out. I hope Sue's not too mad at me?"
"Nope. Actually, she's back at her place." Mac's face showed her concern, but Jack reassured her. "It's okay, Mac. Just something we agreed on. This is the first week that Lucy has been back, so Sue feels she should spend some time there."
"Oh...okay."
"So, what am I doing here?"
"I got a call earlier that Carson had tried to commit suicide. I'm not buying it, not for a second, but until I can talk to him I have no idea what really happened."
"How did he...did it happen?"
"Some kind of ligature, tried to hang himself. I know he doesn't want to leave the Navy, but I don't believe he would do this either. The witness protection program was my idea, and he knows it may still not work out. Failing that, he was going to go to ground himself, he just knew he'd always be looking over his shoulder that way."
"I still think it's possible to use the program, but I do need to ask Garrett about it. Providing this is what you think, that someone's gotten to him, then it makes the case a little more urgent, and in his favor. How long ago did they find him?"
"He was okay at lights out, and when the duty sergeant did his rounds a couple of hours later, he found Carson hanging. He was alive, but they don't know exactly how long he was suspended."
"He's not brain dead?"
"No, there's wave activity. They'll do another EEG in an hour. They don't know if there is any brain damage though. The result of the first EEG indicates that he wasn't up long enough to be totally starved of oxygen, but there's a fine line between long enough, and too long."
"Yeah, I know." Jack leaned back against the wall of the corridor as Mac sank into one of the nearby chairs. "Hey, Mac, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, really. I'm just tired. I got a couple of hours sleep in when I left your place, but the ringing of the telephone woke me up. I thought it was the alarm clock!" Both of them laughed at that.
"Did anyone else see Carson after lights out?"
Mac shook her head. "I spoke to Ramirez again, after I called you. He said that the lights out is automatic, but they can see the cells from the office. The last person out of the block was the janitor."
"A janitor? At night?"
"I know, I queried it, but the guy has been working there for over a year, and he's had the full security clearance for nine months of that time. Up to the end of his probation period he was under supervision from a night guard. He's clean, Jack."
"For a janitor, I guess it's part of the job," Jack attempted a joke, and Mac managed a laugh. They sat in silence again until Mac suddenly shot up off her seat.
"Ramirez said the janitor was the last one out. It doesn't mean to say that it was 'the' janitor! The one meant to be on duty!"
"There could have been a switch!"
Mac practically ran down the hallway to the nurses' station. As the nurse went to protest at the use of the telephone on her desk Mac glared at her, and Jack flashed his ID badge. Between the two of them the nurse backed down, intrigued at the interaction between the two strangers in front of her. The relationship between the two was unclear, but there was obvious affection there, and the woman was definitely pregnant. No rings in evidence, but that meant nothing in this day and age.
"Ramirez? It's Colonel Mackenzie. Do you have the name of the janitor on duty tonight?"
"Yes, ma'am. Tony Bosa. Like I said, he's been with the unit for a year now."
"I understand that, Sergeant, but I need to ask. Did you actually 'see' him tonight, or did you just see a man in a janitor's uniform walking down the corridor?"
"Dios mio!" Ramirez's response sent a shiver down Mac's spine, and Jack pulled out his cellphone.
"Sir!" the nurse protested at his action, but he ignored her and pressed speed dial.
"Bobby? It's Jack. I need you to do me a favor, right now! Yeah, I know...I'm sorry, tell Jen you'll make it up to her..." Mac turned to look at Jack as he mentioned Jennifer Coates' name, her eyebrow raised. He grinned and put his thumb and forefinger together in the 'ok' signal, then continued talking. "I'm going to give you a name and an address. I want you to check the address, and see if the guy who lives there is who he says he is."
Mac relayed the information given to her by Ramirez, and Jack passed it on.
"Give me a call back, no, not my cell. Take this number," Jack leaned over the desk and gave the number on the line Mac was using. "Yeah, I'm here with Mac. Don't worry, I'll tell her." Jack closed his cellphone, and Mac was in front of him immediately.
"Where the hell is Jennifer? It's a school night, she's meant to be..."
"Watching Mattie. She is, Mac. Mattie asked if she could invite her friend Susan over. They're asleep in Mattie's room right now. Apparently Mattie was concerned that her father might call, and she was upset. Mattie asked for Bobby to come over for added security."
"Mattie did?"
"It seemed the most logical choice. Jen has way too much integrity to ruin her relationship with you and Harm by bringing a boyfriend home when Mattie's there. As for Bobby, he's serious about Jen, Mac. If he says he's there to look after the girls, that's exactly what he's doing, and nothing more."
"I'm sorry, Jack, you're right...I'm just so tired, and screwed up right now..."
"Hey, you're entitled. You've got Harm on the loose, double - or even triple! - the hormones now, and an unconscious officer that you're trying to do right by."
The telephone on the desk rang and the nurse answered it. Jack put his hand out, believing it was from Bobby, but the woman handed the receiver to Mac.
"It's for you, ma'am. Sergeant Ramirez?"
"Thank you." Mac took the receiver and spoke. "Colonel Mackenzie here."
"Colonel, I just remembered something. I'm sorry I didn't think about it earlier. There was a call early this evening, when I first came on duty. The guy said he was from JAG, needed to check that Carson was okay, said it was on your behalf. I know Carson was at JAG for a meeting, so I thought nothing of it. Just presumed you were checking to make sure he got back here in one piece."
"Did he identify himself?"
"No, ma'am. But there was something odd about the call. When he put his telephone down there was a definite 'click' on the line, like it was an extension call, or something."
"Possibly an overseas call?"
"Could have been, ma'am."
"Thank you, Sergeant Ramirez."
"Has Carson come round yet, ma'am?"
"No, not yet. I'll let you know, when he does."
"I appreciate that, ma'am."
Mac replaced the receiver and looked at Jack. Before she could say anything, Jack's cellphone rang.
"It's Bobby. The number you gave me was busy. Listen, mate, that address was correct, but the tenant is no longer paying rent."
"Dead?"
"Yeah, I'd say so. The police were already here when I arrived. I'm not getting involved, just said that I was a tourist passing by. The accent gets 'em every time!"
"Okay, thanks. Yeah. Listen, are you going back to Jen's?"
"Wasn't planning to. It's almost sun-up."
"Go back there and stay with them, Bobby. Take the girls to school, and Jen to work. Come in later. I'll clear it with Garrett."
"Is Mattie's father...?"
"No, not that I know of. This could be something else."
"Okay. I'm on it. See you later." Bobby ended the call and Jack spoke to Mac.
"What's on your mind, Mac?"
"I think it may have been a ship to shore call. My guess would be Glennan. I need to call Captain Johnson and confirm it. All calls are listed, even the personal ones. No one knows the content of the conversation, but the ship's communication officer would know who called who."
"Who is Glennan?"
"The replacement for Carson. I traveled out to the Sea Hawk with him and Mattie. He was asking a lot of questions about Carson up to us leaving the ship, and I asked the captain to keep an eye on him, discreetly."
"It's a big ship, Mac, couldn't he 'lose' himself on board?"
"Possibly, but this is Glennan's first deployment, and he's still a little bit wet behind the ears. I don't think he's got the grasp of the situation, and he probably thinks he's safe from detection because he's thousands of miles away from Carson."
"Could work in our favor, I guess." Jack nodded, and Mac turned back to use the telephone again. Even out of uniform Mac was an imposing presence, and now that the nurse knew her rank, she handed over the handset without protest. Jack bit back a grin, and watched as Mac dialled a well-known number.
"This is Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie, JAG Corps. I need a shore to ship call, to Captain Johnson on board the USS Sea Hawk. This is a priority call."
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To be continued
A/N:
I made a slight faux pas, about a joint meeting between JAG/FBI/NCIS over Carson occurring on a 'Tuesday'. To cover this, the 'meeting' has happened, everyone is satisfied with Carson's statement, and he is back in the brig pending decisions.