A/N Right then. Hope you're not all falling over with coronaries, but here's the next chapter. Its sort of a good news/bad news thing. The good news will be self evident. The bad news...there's one chapter to go. The last few loose threads will be tied up in the Epilogue.
A/N
2: I just want to take a moment to thank two special people who've
really helped with getting this story out. You both know who you are,
and you both know you're incredibly special I hope.
A Man Called Ghost
The harsh ringing of the phone ripped Harm from the womb of sleep. Groggily he stretched over and fumbled it off the night table.
"Wassit?" he mumbled into the mouthpiece after finally stabbing the talk button.
"Please verify" a crisp voice answered his unintelligible mumbling.
"Rabb, Charlie Charlie One Seven Niner" Harm answered, immediately awake. It wasn't often that he received calls from the office at home before he was fully awake.
"Agent Rabb, the time is oh-seven-fifteen. Please report in one hour" the cool voice commanded and then there was a click.
As he replaced the phone on his night table Harm noticed he was alone in bed. Slowly curling the hand that had held the phone into a fist Harm flopped back down onto the sheets. Staring blankly up at the ceiling he choked back the bitter laugh he felt rising inside him. It had been a dream; a godforsaken, hopeless dream. He should have known better.
"Breakfast's almost ready sleepy head." Mac said cheerfully as she climbed the short steps to the bedroom area. "Who was on the phone?"
It was almost a full minute before Harm remembered he needed to answer her question. For the life of him all he could do was look at her standing there in one of his overly large t-shirts and a pair of his boxers. All of the hopelessness that had flooded into him when he found himself alone was washed away at the sight of her.
"Harm? Who was on the phone?" Mac prompted as she sat down on the bed next to him and reached out to brush his hair away from his forehead.
"I've got to go into work." Harm reveled in the feel of her fingers caressing his skin. Which brought back memories of the night before. Which then prompted a noticeable reaction.
With a little laugh Mac kissed Harm lightly on the lips. "Not right now sailor. You've got to get in to work. And so do I" she nodded towards where her freshly ironed uniform was hanging next to his closet. "Grab a shower and I'll have breakfast ready for you when you're done."
"Isn't it my job to make you breakfast?" Harm asked with a wicked grin.
"You can make it tomorrow" Mac tossed over her shoulder walking back to the kitchen.
Fifteen minutes later Harm walked down to the kitchen toweling his hair dry clad only in a pair of jeans. Dropping a quick kiss on Mac's lips he sat down to the toast and coffee she'd set out for him. Two hard boiled eggs soon joined the quick breakfast.
"So, what's on your plate tonight?" Mac asked as he tore into his toast and eggs.
"Not sure. I'll know more when I find out what they want to see me about at the office." Harm answered after swallowing a mouthful. "What did you have in mind?"
"Oh I don't know." Mac said airily. "I was thinking you could cook me dinner, and I could provide the...dessert" she added with a sexy little smile.
Harm tried not to choke on the food he'd just put into his mouth. He had to admit that he liked it when she made plans. "I'll call you at the office and let you know what they want at work. Speaking of which, I'm going to be late" Harm realized. Hastily standing up he rushed up to his room to grab a button up shirt and a jacket. When he came back down doing up the buttons of his shirt, he saw Mac cleaning away the remains of breakfast. Pulling on his jacket he grabbed his keys from the counter and stopped to stare at her.
"What?" she asked with a smile when she felt his eyes on her.
"You."
"What about me?"
"Just...you. I'll talk to you tonight?"
"We've got plans, don't we?" Mac asked lowly as she stepped up and pulled his head down for a deep kiss.
"Yes, yes we do." Harm agreed, reluctantly stepping away from her to slip on a pair of shoes. "I'll see you tonight then. Just lock up when you leave."
"Harm?" Mac called as he opened the door to leave.
"Yeah?"
"I...I'll see you tonight" Mac cursed herself as she hesitated. Forcing a smile, she watched Harm smile back and close the door with a little wave.
"Damn it Mackenzie, can't you just say it?" she muttered to herself as she left the kitchen to finish getting ready for the day.
"Agent Rabb, thank you for coming in with little notice." Director Kershaw said politely "Please, be seated. The others who are joining us for this meeting will be here shortly."
Anytime Kershaw was "polite" Harm's survival instinct fired up. Of course that was usually before an op, and it usually involved Webb. This time Webb wasn't anywhere in sight. Settling himself into one of the seats around the conference table, the door opened to admit the Secretary of the Navy and two other men Harm didn't recognize.
"Ah. Secretary Sheffield, gentlemen. Welcome."
"Sorry we're late Harrison" one of the two men Harm didn't recognize said lightly as he took a seat at the table.
"Director Kershaw. Commander...I mean Agent Rabb. It's good to see you again son." Secretary Sheffield said with a nod in Harm's direction.
"Mr. Secretary." Harm returned a little coolly. While the man hadn't had anything to do directly with his "retirement" from the Navy, Harm was still wary around Navy personnel, especially after the latest CIA-Navy fiasco. "Congratulations on not being named a war criminal."
"Secretary Sheffield you obviously already know. These other two gentlemen are Directors Granger and Newton from the FBI and the NSA" Kershaw introduced. "Gentlemen, Agent Rabb."
"A pleasure to meet you Harm. May I call you Harm? We've enjoyed hearing of some of your more colorful exploits." Director Granger said with a tight little smile. "You are a man of singular talents."
"Thank you Director, but the truth is I got lucky" Harm responded to the praise with his survival instincts now at full alert. Something was up, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that it wasn't good with the Directors of the three intelligence agencies and an Armed Forces Secretary in the same room.
"Don't be modest Harm. You are a man of singular talents" Director Kershaw gushed.
"Sir, if I may be direct, what's going on here?" Harm asked tersely. "Is this about Webb?" Something about this whole situation didn't sit right.
"Clayton? No, not at all" Kershaw answered with a tight little laugh. "This is all about you my boy."
"Me?" Harm tried to mask his unease.
"Indeed. You see Harm, as you more than anyone else is aware, terrorism is on the rise. And we are at war with the terrorists. But we're not doing very well on the ground in this war. Every day we lose more and more young men and women in places like Iraq, and this is becoming more and more unacceptable to the administration" Kershaw stood as he began his speech. "It has been decided that we are in need of a special type of....warrior if you will. A group of men and women who can operate as both soldier and intelligence agent."
"Excuse me?" Harm wasn't sure he understood what Kershaw was saying.
"We've been trying to fight this war on the ground and in the shadows, but we've been doing each part separately. And let's be honest gentlemen. We've been failing and failing miserably." Secretary Sheffield spoke up. "Something new is needed Harm. And that's where you come in."
"Me?" warning bells were now ringing loud and clearly in Harm's head.
"Yes you, Harm." Kershaw came around the table to stand beside Harm. "I'm sorry Harm, but I'm going to have to let you go. Turn in your keycard when you leave the building."
"What?" Harm asked flabbergasted.
"It's alright Harm. He's doing that at my request. It allows me to offer you this." Secretary Sheffield said sliding a folded piece of paper across the table.
Picking up the paper warily Harm opened it and scanned the contents. "I don't suppose I have time to think about this?"
"We need to know your answer by 2200 tonight at the latest." Sheffield answered.
Mac paused when she reached the door to Harm's apartment. It was slightly ajar and there were no lights coming from inside. She hadn't heard from him all day, only a hurried message on her voicemail asking her to come over right after work. "Harm?" she called warily as she pushed on the door opening it slightly.
"In here" came the response.
"What's wrong Harm? What happened?" Mac asked as she turned on the lights and found Harm sitting on the couch staring out at nothing.
"I got turfed." Harm answered absently as Mac sat down beside him and started rubbing his shoulders with one hand.
"What?" Mac asked incredulously.
"The CIA. I got fired. But then I got a job offer." Harm nodded at a piece of a paper sitting on the coffee table.
Picking up the paper Mac opened it up and scanned over the contents. "But this means..."
"I'd be back in the Navy." Harm whispered. As much as he'd hid it, as much as he'd denied it, it was where he always wanted to be.
"And a Captain!" Mac added with shock still evident in her voice. "But how?"
"They want me to lead a multi-agency task force. Soldier-spies to fight the battles in the war against terrorism. FBI, CIA, NSA, all branches of the military. Even people drawn from police forces around the country who fit the profile."
Mac hesitated for a moment and then asked "Are you going to do it?"
Reaching up Harm rubbed a hand through his hair. He'd need to get a hair cut in the morning. "I think I am. But there's one thing I need to consider before I call."
"What's that?"
"Do you want me to take it?" Harm struggled for a moment before he asked her this question. It had been so long since he'd thought about anyone else other than himself. But now there was no turning back.
Mac saw instantly how much it cost him to ask her opinion. With a small smile she laid her head on his shoulder. "If it's what you want to do Harm, then I'm behind you all the way."
Reaching out Harm picked up the cordless. Thumbing the talk button he quickly dialed a number he never thought he'd have to call again. "Secretary Sheffield, please. It's Harmon Rabb."
"Good evening Mr. Secretary. I'm sorry to leave the call for so late. Yes, sir. I'm your man, sir. Very good, sir. I'll be there." Harm silently placed the phone back on the table and leaned back in the couch wondering where his life was going to lead him now.
After a couple minutes of sitting quietly Mac raised her head and looked up at the man next to her. "Does this mean I can call you Captain in bed?"