A/N: The basic idea for this chapter came from the news but just the basic idea. The details and facts come from my own overused and often abused imagination. On a language note Yel-la means hurry (I wanted something that sounded right for the region but wasn't real). The other words are Russian and you can probably figure out their meanings from the context!

Also, I had need of a Machiavellian spy character for this chapter. Now I could either create one or use the spy I love to hate. Guess which route I took? ;-)

I should probably mention this wasn't where I was headed when I started this chapter.

Mac's office
1000 hours
08/17/2004

"Ma'am?"

"Yes, Coates." I look up from the file I'm reading.

"The Admiral would like to see you and Commander Rabb in his office right away."

"Okay, let me get the Commander and we'll be right there." I sigh. This can't be good.

"Actually ma'am, the Admiral sent Gunny Morris to get the Commander. You're supposed to go right in."

"Okay." I tell her as I head for the Admiral's office. This really can't be good.

I knock on the office door and hear the Admiral shout enter.

"Colonel Mackenzie reporting as ordered." I stand at attention in front of the Admiral's desk. Fifteen seconds later Harm is standing next to me.

"At ease. Have a seat, Colonel. You too, Commander."

The admiral takes his glasses off and looks at both of us.

"Commander, how much notice would your mother need to come out here to stay with the kids?"

"I'm not sure, sir. How much is she getting?" Harm asks.

"24 hours. You are on a transport out of Andrews at 1100 hours tomorrow."

"Both of us?" I ask.

"Yes, Colonel both of you. I assume you've seen the reports about conditions at the prison in Basra."
"Yes, sir. I assume we're being sent to investigate." I offer.

"You would be correct in that assumption."

"Why us sir? I mean the prison is run by the Army, right?" Harm asks.

It's nice to know that some things never change but it's kind of sad that Harm's ability to question a superior officer is one of those things.

"Because we lost the coin toss. Look I realize going to Basra is not your idea of a fun assignment. The truth is the president doesn't want this investigated by the Army and the top investigators for the Air Force are currently working that friendly fire incident in Najaf, so you two are it." The admiral looks as thrilled about this as I feel.

He continues. "I was able to buy you two twenty four hours to get things in order at home but that's the best I can do. The SECNAV doesn't feel it's appropriate to send Turner because of the bias allegations that were leveled against him last year. I think both of you would agree with me that Tiner doesn't have the experience or the rank necessary for an investigation like this."

"Yes, sir." Harm and I both respond.

"Give your current case files to Turner for redistribution and then get out of here so you can get ready to leave tomorrow. Dismissed." The admiral goes back to the file he's reading.

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Harm and I both leave and head for my office.

"So what do we need to get done?" I ask as we sit.

"Well as I see it we need to giveour files to Sturgis, find someone to stay with the kids, explain things to the kids, pack and . . ." At this Harm's voice trails off.

"And what Harm?" I know there's something he doesn't want to say.

"We need to make sure our wills are up to date."

As much as I hate to admit it, he's got a point. We are both about to head into a combat zone. While we may not want to think about dying, it is a possibility and we do have the kids to think about.

"Well, mine is almost up to date. How about yours?" I ask Harm.

"Mine is except for what happens to the boys if something happens to both of us.''

"That's the same thing that's missing on mine. Great minds think alike don't they?" I tell him.

"So how about we take our case files to Sturgis and see if he or Jason can update the wills really quickly?" Harm suggests.

"Sounds good. Let's go." I gather up my files and follow Harm out of the office.

Harm and Mac's house
2200 Hours
08/17/2004

"Thanks for bringing these by, Jason." Harm tells him.

"No problem, sir. I'll make sure they get in your files tomorrow morning. Do you have everything taken care of with the kids?"

"Actually, yeah we do. My mom can't fly out until late tomorrow, Tom's going to pick Mattie up at camp and Jen's going to get the boys from the sitter and help Tom get everyone in for the night. My mom should be in by the time the boys get up the next morning but Tom's going to stay overnight just in case." Harm explains.

"Sounds good. I'm surprised Harriet's parents aren't coming in to help." Jason remarks.

"Roland just finished a round of chemo, so he's too tired to be much use, and Lydia has a DAR meeting coming up." I supply.

"Well I can understand Roland not coming but you'd think with as much as Lydia complained about you two having custody she'd have dropped everything to be here." Jason comments wryly.

"I'm not even going to touch that." Harm responds and I can't help but shake my head in agreement.

"Well, have a good trip and I hope the investigation isn't too bad." Jason says as he steps out the door.

"Thanks. See you soon." We tell him. Then Harm closes and locks the door.

"Shall we go to bed?" Harm asks me.

"We?" I still have my own room in the house and do actually spend some time there. We're trying very hard to take this relationship slow and make it solid.

"Maaaccc! Who knows how long we're going to be gone?" Harm whines.

"Harm, I was just yanking your chain! Let's go to bed." I laugh at him.

Harm pulls me close and turns out the light as we head upstairs to his room. His back just can't handle my bed. I must admit his bed is very comfortable, as well it should be he spent 600 dollars on it.

Yel-la Prison Basra Iraq
0920 Hours
8/21/2004

The worst thing about traveling to this part of the world is the amount of time required on a plane to get here. For one thing Harm is a lousy passenger. The longer the flight the worse he is. I half expected Harm to try and commandeer a Tomcat, a Hornet, or even the Wright Brothers' plane for the last part of this journey just so he'd have something to do besides read or sleep.

We're being shown into the office of the commander of the prison. Army General Michael Moor has been in charge of Yel-la since it was taken over by the Allies shortly after the war began. By all reports everything was just how it should be. This is still believed to be the case in all but one section of the prison.

Reports have recently surfaced of prisoners being abused, humiliated, and tortured in one section of the prison. The thing that strikes both Harm and I as strange is the fact that according to all the preliminary reports the abuse is only occurring in that one section.

We knock on the door and hear the order to enter. Harm and I enter and stand at attention in front of a desk that is much like Admiral Cheggwidden's. The desk, however, is the only part of the office that reminds me of JAG.

"At ease. Rabb and MacKenzie I presume."

"Yes, sir." "Aye, sir."

"While I understand the reasons for sending in the Navy, I can't say that I agree with them. However, my staff has been ordered to cooperate with your investigation. I will tell you right now, my people aren't responsible for this mess."

I look at Harm out of the corner of my eye and see that his eyebrows are in his hairline. I imagine mine are too.

"Are you saying that those photos were faked?" My voice has a tone of incredulity that I can't hide.

"No, the photos are real but my people aren't in control of that part of the prison and I'm hoping the government isn't about to hang a bunch of good men out to dry. Dismissed." The General goes back to his paperwork.

Once we're out of the office, Harm and I just look at each other.

"I wonder what he meant by that?" Harm looks as confused as I feel.

"Hello Sarah. Rabb." a voice says. I don't believe it. I turn around hoping my eyes are not going to see Clayton. No such luck. Ebat'-kopat'! "Webb, what are you doing in this part of Iraq?" Harm actually sounds friendly. I guess he can afford to be generous, after all he did get the girl.

"Classified. " Webb replies with his usual smirk.

"Everything is classified with you, Webb. What you had for breakfast is probably classified."
Harm replies.

"Actually it's not but I can't remember what it was at the moment. What are you doing here?" Clay asks.

"We're here to investigate the abuse allegations." I tell him.

"Why you two? You're not Army."

"No kidding. The president felt having us investigate would be the best way to avoid any appearance of impropriety and guarantee an impartial investigation." Harm tells him.

"Oh, well nice to see you two. Good luck." Clayton turns and hurries down the hall.

"Is it just me, or could he not get away fast enough once he knew what we were doing here?" Harm asks me.

"It's not just you. Makes me wonder what he's up to."

"Yeah, and the answer to that would be classified." Harm remarks. I can't help but chuckle.

"Good point. Shall we head to our office and get started on this investigation?" I start to lead the way and can feel Harm's hand at the small of my back. The only other man that could ever do that without it annoying me was John Farrow, with Mic it felt like he was trying to control me and with Clay I just felt slimy.

"So where do you think we should begin?" I ask Harm once we're in the office assigned us for the duration of the investigation. It's about the size of Harm's closet at JAG but since it's centrally located it should facilitate conducting most of the grunt work of the investigation ourselves.

"You're asking me? I thought you were in charge." Harm laughs

"Me?" I can't help but squeak. He never gives me the lead in an investigation. Well, at least not without a direct order from the Admiral or SECNAV.
"Well, it is your turn to be on top this week." Harm says with mock seriousness.

"Oh, okay if you say so. f I'm in charge, I'll come up with a list of whom to interview while you go round up some coffee?"

"Aye-aye ma'am!" Harm executes a dismissal turn and heads off for coffee.

"Smart ass!" I mutter with a chuckle.

Yel-la Prison Basra Iraq
1624 Hours
8/22/2004

"What do you mean we can't speak to the prisoners Corporal? I gave you an order." Harm stands in front of Corporal Jones doing his best to intimidate the poor kid.

"They're not here, sir." Jones squeaks

"What do you mean they're not here? Where are they?" Harm bellows. I'd forgotten how marine like Harm can be at times.

"That's classified, sir." Well, that answers that question.

"Excuse me?" Harm's voice is low and deathly calm.

"It's okay, Commander Rabb. I know what's going on. Walk with me." I tell him.

We head back to the office in silence. I don't want anyone hearing what I have to say and I need Harm calm enough to listen so that I don't have to spell it out.

Once we're in the office and the door is closed Harm turns to me. "What did you mean by you know what's going on?"

"Think about it Harm, who is always claiming something is classified." I can almost see the light bulb go on over his head.

"Webb. Guess that answers most of the questions about what's going on here, huh?"

"Yeah, you want to call the Admiral or should I?" I ask even though I know what he's going to say.

"You can."

"Chicken!" I laugh.

"Nope, just a man in need of some coffee." Harm responds as he heads out of the office. I just laugh and pick up the phone. Five minutes later my conversation is over but Harm's still not back.

"Hey did you call the admiral?" I hear Harm asks as he comes back to the office carrying two cups of coffee.

"Yeah, He's got to make some phone calls and then he's going to call us right back. Thanks for the coffee."

"Anytime."

Ring, Ring

Harm snatches up the phone before I can get to it.

"Rabb!"

"Yes, sir!"

"No brig time, sir?" I wish we had a speaker phone so I could hear more than half a conversation.

"Yes, sir!"

"Will do sir!" With that comment Harm hangs up the phone and just looks at me for a minute.

"Harm?"

"Yeah."

"What did the Admiral say?" What does he think I want?

"Oh, we're to track down the prisoners and we've been authorized to make deals to do it."

"What kind of deals and authorized by whom?"

"Forfeiture of pay and reduction in rank for those involved but no brig, er stockade time, deal authorized by the chairman of the joint chiefs."

"Wow!" Is the only response I can utter.

"My thoughts exactly. Apparently the Joint Chiefs are up in arms about the possibility of the military being used to do the CIA's dirty work and then being hung out to dry." Harm says with more than a trace of anger and cynicism.

"Well, then shall we go play let's make a deal? I'll be the bad cop, okay?" I tell him.

"Fine." Harm chuckles without any real humor.

Flight to Baghdad.
1901 hours
8/22/2004

It took all of an hour to get someone to tell us what they knew. Which was thirty minutes more than Harm thought it would take, and thirty minutes less than what I thought it would take.

Once the deal was cut and in writing, Specialist DuCane told us that Clayton Webb and an officer from Army Intelligence were in charge of interrogating the prisoners and that he pressured the staff to do whatever it took to get results. Most of the staff are young reservists and didn't really have the background or military training to stand up to Webb and his associates.

We were able to find out that the prisoners were being transferred to a prison in Baghdad so I'm now on my way on my way to intercept the prisoners and get their statements.. Harm stayed to get statements from the guards working in that section of the prison.

At this point we're just gathering the information, what will happen is out of our hands. The best Harm and I can hope for is that we don't become collateral damage.

Baghdad Hilton
2145 Hours
8/22/2004

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hopefully Webb is smart enough to open the door. Here we go.

click

He just barely gets the door open when I kick it. Unfortunately for Webb I'm currently wearing BDU's and combat boots so the door flies back and smacks into him with a thud and a crack. He stumbles backwards and before he knows what's happening I'm in the room with the door closed and locked.

"Sarah, what are you doing here?" Webb asks. At least that's what I think he said. He's holding both of his hands to his face and his voice is very nasal sounding.

"What do you think I'm doing here, you slimy bzdenok! I push Clay down on the bed and hand him a towel from the bathroom. "Where are the prisoners you brought from Basra?"

"That's classified."

"Govno! You idiot! There are pictures all over the news back home. Congress is wanting prosecution for war crimes. Do you really think the military is going to be the scapegoat for this? What were you thinking?" I can't believe he'd stoop this low.

"I was thinking that I could get some valuable information about planned attacks against our interests." Clay growls.

"By stooping to their level?" I shout.

"I was not stooping to their level!"

"Right, I've seen the pictures. You treated those prisoners no better than Sadik treated us. When were you going to break out the jumper cables?" I yell, hoping to get through to Clay. I truly think the line just got blurred for him but if he's not careful his bosses will sink his career in an attempt to save their own hides.

"Get out!"

"Clay. . . " Okay maybe my marine temper built a wall instead of tearing it down.

"Don't Clay me, Colonel Mackenzie. Get out of my room."

"Fine, I was trying to get you to see reason and maybe save your career but if you don't want help."

"Why would I need your help? I tried that once and Rabb had to come rescue us." Clay snidely informs me.

"I'll leave." I unlock the door and step into the hallway letting the door slam behind me.

That went well. I guess I better go call in and let the admiral know how poorly that went. I really was hoping to shock Clay into realizing he'd crossed the line. Unfortunately all I did was alienate the man and make things even worse.