Disclaimer: JAG belongs to DPB, Paramount, CBS et al. This is for fun, no copyright infringement is intended.
THE PRESENT
"You didn't feel comfortable in Mr. Webb's presence."
"Well..."
"Mr. Roberts, I don't have to remind you that I've got high level clearance from the government. And that we've got permission to talk about any issue you might have with Mr. Webb. Without exception."
"No, of course not."
"So?"
"No. I didn't. I mean ... we never got along well. I don't know why. Well, maybe I do. He snubbed me from the beginning and I was so annoyed by anything he did..."
"You were 'pushing each other's buttons' so to say."
"Exactly. It just happened to be that way. He was so - annoying. I never really liked him. Or understood him. He did things - offhandedly and in cold calculation - which hurt people. He put National Security above anything else. Including ... us. JAG. Our principles. On the other hand he could be almost nice. He brought me a pizza once. I mean in the end he wanted something in return nevertheless but ... he could have brought anything instead of making the effort and finding out what's my favorite. But he did. He was so terribly ... unpredictable. You never knew what you'd get."
"You don't like uncertainties."
"No. We talked about trust and about how important it is to have someone trustworthy and he was ... not. But the problem was he WAS ... somehow. Until..."
"Until?"
"This mission in Paraguay. Everything changed afterwards. Commander Rabb didn't return to JAG and Colonel Mackenzie seemed to be glad about it. And when he finally CAME back it was somewhat like living in a war zone because they didn't get along with each other and the admiral. It was a really uncomfortable year. And I guess somehow I ... blamed Mister Webb for that. It's kind of ridiculous considering it now."
"Why would you say that?"
"Well, it wasn't Mister Webb who didn't bother to keep in touch after Paraguay, it was Commander Rabb. I was so worried about him, missed him but he never called. And it wasn't Mister Webb who kept his involvement with Colonel Mackenzie a secret, it was her. Almost up to a point where she lied directly into my face. He - he wasn't even around when they kept fighting and telling each other ugly things. He might have been the reason somehow but how can he be held responsible for the actions of two grown-up people who have eyes and brains of their own? Don't get me wrong, they are my friends, my mentors, godparents of my children and the people I trust most in this world besides my wife - but sometimes they can be so terribly ... oblivious to anything around them."
"For example how you felt seeing them fight."
"Yes. I felt so ... caught in the middle. Between a rock and a hard place. As if I had to choose between them and that was impossible. It was worse than the time Colonel Mackenzie had been engaged to Commander Brumby or those months after they had canceled the wedding. I mean I had LIKED him - Mister Brumby - in a way. He could be good company. He even asked me to be his best man and that was a nice gesture."
"What was your opinion on Mr. Webb's involvement with the colonel?"
"Uhm - that it was ... strange? I suppose? I mean it was Mister Webb. But she knew it was Mister Webb too and if that was what she wanted how could I judge her? Besides I didn't hear much of it until it was over and even then it was forbidden territory so to speak. I ... didn't like it but I respected Colonel Mackenzie's wish for privacy."
"Hmm... Mr. Roberts, you agree that the fact that those two people who meant the most to you were no longer on speaking terms with Mr. Webb ... was a major factor why you felt uncomfortable in his presence?"
"Oh yes. I mean I didn't know how I was supposed to act around him..."
"Which behavior Colonel Mackenzie and Commander Rabb would approve of?"
"Yes and... I guess I felt a bit ... guilty. More than a bit actually."
"Guilty?"
"Well, Mister Webb had been reported dead and I... There had been so many things: Harriet's pregnancy, my promotion, Admiral Chegwidden's retirement and the workload that came with it... I - I somehow ... didn't pay that much attention. I mean you are supposed to pay attention when somebody you know dies, don't you? And I ... didn't."
"I see."
"And then ... THIS. I mean: I was there. WE were there. And he had just sort of rescued me from a potentially dangerous situation. But still ... we - didn't get along very well."
THE PAST: January 2005
- Somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains
"Wow, it's snowing really heavy now." Bud rubbed his palms over his thighs. "The wind has increased too."
No response. He wished he could turn on the radio to ease the chilly silence in the car. It was making him nervous. He risked another glance at Webb but the agent's eyes were glued to the road as he maneuvered the car carefully through the howling storm. Snowdrifts had started piling up. Sometimes the wheels almost got stuck but the next second the snow chains could rumble on pure ice. View was reduced to a few feet.
"Uhm ... what have you been doing up here?"
Webb's only answer was to exhale exaggeratedly.
"A private appointment or does - does the Agency have safe houses up here?"
If it was possible to FEEL somebody roll his eyes Bud did now.
"Of course it's none of my business if you do..." he added quickly.
Another wall of moving snow twirled over the windshield and when it lifted a signpost suddenly appeared straight ahead in the light of the headlights. Involuntarily Bud stepped on a not existing brake just as Webb did the same. The barely creeping car came to a halt. For a moment they peered up at the sign. Then Webb moved the car a few feet back, turned the steering wheel to the left and accelerated carefully. Almost reluctantly the vehicle made the sharp turn and dug through another pile of snow. The engine roared up.
Bud frowned, looked over his shoulder and finally cleared his throat. "Ah - Mister Webb?"
"What?" Webb's voice was a low growl.
"To Washington would have been the ... other direction."
"I know that, Roberts."
"But then why...?"
Webb sighed desperately. "Look, we'll never make it in this storm and I have no intention of spending the night stuck in a snowdrift. We'll be lucky if we survive those six miles to the next village."
Bud shut his mouth. There was little to argue with that and the next hour proved that Webb could not have been more right. The car crawled and slipped, got stuck twice but somehow the spy was always able to free them for a new try. While the world was now entirely reduced to a sight of four feet the storm seemed adamant to push them off the road, making it difficult to keep the car under control. Bud wasn't surprised that Webb turned down the heating at one point. Heck, HE felt sweat on his face and he wasn't even driving.
On top of that they almost missed the village or better would have driven right through it without noticing. But at the last moment Bud saw light through the snow and probably both of them prayed silently that there wasn't a road ditch anymore as Webb pulled the car to the side. The storm softened as they finally parked in the shelter of a building of unknown size where Webb turned the ignition off and his collar up.
"Move it, Roberts."
Shelter or not, the wind was strong enough to take Bud's breath away the moment he stumbled out of the car. Bracing himself against the wind he waded carefully through the snow towards the illuminated big window and the door beside it. A bell rang as he swung it open and Webb - hard on his heels - almost shoved him inside, leaning against the door to close it again. The second ring of the bell faded into wonderful silence now that the storm was shut out. Brushing snow off their clothes they looked around.
"Oh, wow." Involuntarily Bud smiled delightedly as he tucked his cover under his arm. "I didn't know something like this still exists."
They stood in one of those old little village stores where anybody could find anything and children would get some sweets for free. Shelves - stuffed with cookies, washing powder, soap, shoes, bottles with mineral water and kerosene - filled the right side of the room. A fridge hummed softly. To the left a counter ran along the wall where more shelves held smaller goods and formed something like a little bar at the back. A surprisingly fancy espresso-machine caught the eye. One of the high stools on the customers' side of the bar was occupied by a burly man with sandy hair, a short red and black checked coat, jeans and heavy boots who looked like he had just jumped out of some advertisement. If one ignored the traces of mud on his clothes.
"Hello." Bud offered a smile.
The man just gave them a rather unfriendly once-over. Luckily a door rattled before the situation could become embarrassing.
"Oh, gosh. So I really did hear the bell." A tall old man entered the back of the room. He fumbled in his breast pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses which he placed carefully on his nose. "Don't tell me you've been driving up here in this weather?"
Webb stepped past Bud. "Unfortunately we got caught in the storm, yes, Mister...?"
"Parker, Jack Parker. This is my store, has it been for nearly forty years now, yes. Oh, but that was very dangerous, driving in this weather I mean, really it was. You are from down at the coast, aren't you?"
"Yes," Webb acknowledged while Bud answered at the same time: "Washington."
He saw Webb's mouth tighten shortly and felt suddenly stupid and somewhat scolded.
The old man hadn't noticed. "Oh, Washington, I see. No, no, you would have never made it down there in this snow. There's a tricky turn some miles ahead..."
"Yes, we've noticed that on the drive up," Webb interrupted impatiently. "Clayton Webb and this is Lieutenant Roberts. We-"
"Lieutenant Commander," Bud corrected quickly.
Webb turned and stared at him with raised brows. His voice was like acid. "You've been promoted?"
Bud glared at him. But he swallowed his sharp reply because the old man had finally got behind the counter and nodded gently.
"Ah, so you are in the Navy, young man?"
"Judge Advocate General Corps, yes, sir."
"A damned lawyer," the man at the bar muttered with a sneer. He got up, pushed roughly past them and disappeared through the door. The bell jingled wildly.
Parker sighed. "Don't mind Stan's behavior. He's a stubborn, stubborn man, has always been. Got that from his father, yes, he did. Lives further up in the mountains normally but got caught in the snow too." He nodded at Bud. "So the Navy it is for you, young man, I see. My son joined the marines."
Bud smiled. "Really? Where is he stationed?"
"He died in Iraq." After this rather short statement the old man sighed again deeply. "Life goes where life goes. Only He knows his ways."
"Oh." Bud's smile had dropped from his face. "I - I'm really sorry, sir."
Webb broke the short uncomfortable silence that suddenly stretched in the room. "Can you recommend us any place to stay for the night?"
Once more Bud glared at the agent but the old man didn't seem to take umbrage at the abrupt change of subject. He pursed his lips.
"Well, normally I'd send you over to Tom and Jane because they have a little hotel just across the street. A lot of anglers and hunters stay with them in the season. But they are visiting their daughter at the moment. Vicky has just given birth to her second son and her husband must travel a lot. He's a sales representative."
Webb listened with a blank face although Bud sensed that he was inwardly stepping from one foot to the other. Parker continued as if he had all the time in the world. Maybe he had.
"Then there is Mary-Ann, she's got two rooms for tourists but she's living uphill and the road is steep I wouldn't send you up there in this snow. And her rooms tend to be very untidy - very untidy..." He scratched his chin and looked them up and down. "I don't know, I don't know, I must ask my wife but ... we've got a room upstairs. Our son and our daughter used to live there until they moved out. It might be a little bit cold because we don't turn up the heating for the upper floor to save some money..."
"I'm sure we can manage for one night, thank you," Webb interrupted hastily, clearly trying to stop the old man from going on and on.
"Yes, sir," Bud added quickly although not overly thrilled at the prospect of spending a night in the same room as Webb. "Thank you, sir."
"Not at all, not at all. You look like decent men and it's nice to have some guests every now and then. I'll go tell Beth then, yes, I will."
Webb turned to the door. "I've got a small bag outside in the car. Will be back in a minute."
That reminded Bud of something important. "I don't have anything with me. I really didn't expect to stay somewhere overnight..."
The old man smiled widely, showing bad teeth. "Oh, young man, that's no problem. Look, toothpaste is over there and pajamas should be right behind it."
Bud smiled back. "Thank you that will be helpful. But would you mind if I use your phone first? I've got to call my wife and tell her that I won't make it home tonight."
"Oh, I'm sorry, son. But the phone isn't working at the moment, no, it isn't. Beth was talking with her cousin this afternoon when the line went dead. The storm must have taken the cables down; it happens every now and then when the snow is as wet and heavy as this. The branches give way and the wind pushes them into the cables. It happens, yes, it does."
"Oh." Bud bit his lower lip. Harriet would be worried sick if he didn't call. If he had only taken his charger with him so he could load his battery... "Well, I guess there's nothing we can do..."
Webb had listened to the short exchange from the door with his hand already on the handle. Now he turned fully towards it - and paused again. For a second he seemed to stare grimly at his reflection in the dark glass. Then he suddenly rolled his eyes with an exasperated shake of his head and reached inside his jacket. Pulling out his cell phone he made two long strides back in the room, flipped it open, checked something, pushed some keys and thrust it none too gently into Bud's startled hands.
"You are NOT supposed to answer any calls. Got me?"
With that he spun on his heels, jerked the door open and stormed out into the snowstorm, not waiting for an answer.