THanks for the wonderful reviews - sorry you have wait so long in between but I'm typing as fast as my pointed little head will allow.

Part 26

Michelle Elbert's Residence Beaufort, NC 1640 Local

Harm pushed himself off the fender of the car he was leaning against and followed Gibbs over to where several dark sedans had pulled up. Life in the military had made 'hurry up and wait' a familiar theme but he was about to the point where commandeering a rowboat was beginning to sound like a good idea. It would be better than glaring at the various and sundry Beaufort police officers. Dubby was sitting in the backseat of their car, his head in his hands. He wouldn't go back to the hotel to rest and Harm knew not to push it. At least Officer Dodson had proved capable of putting two thoughts together and made himself scarce. It was one less thing to worry about. There was a suppressed anger radiating off the Gunnery Sergeant that didn't bode well for anyone who came into his line of fire. Gibbs had been the only one with something constructive to do. He'd been wearing out his cell phone calling the NCIS offices in both Jacksonville and Washington.

Harm caught up with Gibbs as a tall, lanky man with salt and pepper hair unfolded himself from the government issue car. He gave Gibbs a nod and then looked over at Harm.

Gibbs jerked a thumb at the aviator, "Commander Rabb of the Navy JAG."

The agent offered his hand, "Tom Nevers. Sorry about the Colonel."

Harm stiffened at that but Gibbs spoke first, "We don't know if there's anything to be sorry about just yet. That's why you're here." His tone was acerbic.

Nevers shrugged, "Yeah, sure." He turned back towards the cars to see if his team was ready to go. Getting an affirmative, he looked over at Gibbs, "Let's go take a look."

As they started down the driveway, Gibbs pointed to the side of the house, "Start around back." He glanced over at Harm for a moment, "Walters said they went there first. He thought that perhaps they had entered the house from the back patio." Nevers nodded thoughtfully. When they reached the back, he called his people together and spoke quietly to them. A few minutes later, he sent them out like he was casting a net. Gibbs watched and then looked at Harm, "If there's anything to find here, they will."

Harm eyed the NCIS agent, "That's what I'm afraid of." He watched as the agents began combing the area and sighed. There wasn't anything for him to do and so this would be more 'hurry up and wait.' Frustrated, he skirted the group and walked down to the water's edge. Folding his arms, he stared out at the broad expanse. Technically, this was the Newport River although the locals referred to it as a 'creek'. Either way, this close to the ocean, it was still saltwater. Dolphin pods came upstream to use it as a nursery. Beaufort capitalized on the fact and offered 'Dolphin Tours' to eager tourists. Mac would probably get a kick out of it... Dammit! Harm shot a quick look over his shoulder and then returned his gaze to the water. He knew that the forensic team would be thorough but this was like watching glaciers move. He felt like screaming obscenities, railing against universe. It wasn't fair, damn it all. What had Elbert done and what was she going to do? Surely the woman was smart enough to know that she would be the prime suspect in Mac and Kate's disappearance.

Where were they? He shifted his gaze downriver, wishing for some sign, some wisp of knowledge. How had Mac done it? She'd found him in the middle of the damn Atlantic and had never been able to explain. He glared harder. So she had some psychic abilities, didn't he as well? Hadn't he seen the ghost of Lt. Tate aboard the USS Hornet all those years ago? Hadn't his being able to follow the Lieutenant saved their lives that day? Wasn't that worth something? Where were they? Dammit, how did Mac do it?

Harm took a deep breath, calming himself. Anger wasn't going to help. Maybe in all the mumbo-jumbo about psychic 'powers', there was a kernel of truth. Maybe what he needed to do was empty himself of all emotions. Isn't that what they all said? He stood silently for a few moments and then shook his head... first, he would have to get past the feeling that this was stupidest thing he'd ever considered. Sighing, he focused on the water again while he thought about Mac and everything they'd been through together. They had managed to cause each other inordinate amounts of pain over the years. That had been offset by the extraordinary lengths they'd gone to for each other. They were stronger together than they were apart. He closed his eyes briefly, "You'd better hang on 'til I get there, Sundance, or they'll have to add another verse to the Marines Hymn because when I finally reach Heaven's scene, I will personally kick your ass all over those streets."

He continued to stare out across the water, lost in thought and tormented by worry. After a while, he sensed a presence and glanced over to see Dubby standing nearby, also staring out at the river. If there was one person who could possibly feel worse about Mac, it would be Walters. He cleared his throat and waited until the older man looked in his direction. "She's still alive, Dubby, and we're going to find her." Although he'd said it to reassure both the Gunny and himself, Harm was surprised at the quiet feeling of surety that flowed through him. Was this what Mac did?

"Rabb!"

Startled, Harm turned to see Gibbs gesturing to him from beside the boathouse. Both he and Walters hurried over. Gibbs turned as they caught up with him and headed into the building, "Nothing in the house but down here we've got a crime scene." He stopped just inside the door and nodded to Agent Nevers and one of his people, "Show them."

Nevers glanced at his tech, who pulled out a portable blacklight and walked over to a bench. Switching it on, there suddenly appeared glowing drips and spatters. From the bench, the tech traced a trail to a odd looking larger shape on the dock and then another trail of drips that led to the ladder of the boatslip. Harm felt a numbness creep over him. He looked at Gibbs, "Blood, right?"

Gibbs nodded, looking grim. "Someone hosed down the dock and then splashed bleach over it, trying to get rid of the evidence. They had a pretty good idea of what they were doing but they didn't realize how porous the wood would be."

"Y'all don't know anything," one of the Beaufort officers spoke up belligerently. "This is a boathouse. That's probably jus' fishguts."

Harm clamped a hand on Gunny's arm while Gibbs leveled a glare at the policeman, "Really?" He looked down at the dock, "The Congresswoman decided to clean fish in here instead of on the table outside next to the hose? So where's the rest of it? The bits of gut and fish scales?"

The policeman started to look uncomfortable, "They got rinsed off."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, "What kind of fish do you have around here? Where I come from, those damn little scales stick to everything." He looked over at Nevers, effectively dismissing the officer, "You'll let us know?"

The Jacksonville agent nodded, "As fast as possible."

Gibbs turned around and walked out. Harm and Walters looked at each other and then followed.

Catching up with the agent as he walked back up the lawn, Harm spoke first, "Now we can get the Coast Guard involved?" This inactivity while who knew what was happening with Mac was driving him crazy.

Gibbs sighed, his frustration obvious, "Not yet. That damn idiot had a point. The blood has to be tested to verify that it is human. No one down here wants to ruffle the Congresswoman's feathers without a helluva good reason." He pointed towards the chunk of tin and wood lying close to the trailer, "They found blood on that, too, but it doesn't necessarily mean a crime's been committed. Anybody could have cut a hand on it. It's a bit big to be considered a weapon." He glanced over at Harm, "You wouldn't happen to know the Colonel's blood type?"

"Type B."

Gibbs nodded, "Kate is Type O." He fell silent for a moment. It was clear that someone was hurt but who and how badly? Waiting for the results would be like waiting for some macabre lottery. He reached the car and looked back at Rabb, "We'll need to find out what Elbert's blood type is, too." Gibbs opened the passenger side door and raised his eyebrows, "What are you two waiting for? The Second Coming?"

Rolling his eyes, Harm climbed in behind the wheel while Dubby got in the back. He looked over at Gibbs, "Where are we going?"

"To the Coast Guard station over on Bogue. It won't hurt to give them a heads-up."

Atlantic Ocean Off the coast of North Carolina 1942 Local

"Kate? Kate, can you hear me?"

Consciousness was returning slowly. Kate turned her head and grimaced when water splashed her face. The darkness reared up to claim her again and she moved gratefully towards it. Anything was better than the pain she was in.

"Kate! Dammit Kate, don't you leave me here by myself. Wake up!"

Overbearing, loudmouthed Marines. Why did they always have to yell? Did they come out of boot camp with hearing impairments? Gibbs was a prime example. He heard what he wanted to hear and yelled with the best of them. What the hell had he been thinking, confronting that bastard like that? He could have died right then while she was only one room away and unable to help. It had been so close. The damn 'what ifs' were what kept her up at nights. Gibbs and Gerald weren't the only casualties of that terrorist. Her self-confidence had taken a huge hit, making her question her abilities. This case was going to be her redemption. Fat chance now... Gibbs had been right to doubt her.

"Kate!"

Stubborn, She would add stubborn to the list of Marine attributes that she found annoying. She dragged up a hand to wipe her eyes, somewhat surprised at the effort it took.

"Kate?"

She finally pried open her eyes and blinked. It was dark. "Mac?" Her voice came out in a croak.

"Right here."

Kate could hear the relief in Mac's voice. She pushed more firmly against the darkness that was still trying to drag her down. "Gone?"

"Yeah. It's just you and me, kid. How're you doing?"

Confusion almost won out over the pain. Mac sounded... relaxed? A growing awareness told her she was floating on her back, her left arm draped across her chest. She could feel Mac's hand on the back of her collar. She swallowed carefully, her throat raw, "Hurts."

"Yeah, I know." Mac sounded sympathetic.

Well duh, Todd, the woman probably felt like she had a bullseye permanently tattooed on her. Of course she knew how much it hurt. Quit whining and pull yourself together. She closed her eyes for a long moment and then turned her head slightly, trying to look at the Marine, "You okay?"

"I've had better days," was the dry response.

"Me too," Kate managed a small smile. She looked down at herself, the dark stain just above her elbow told her where the bullet had gone in. Had it gone out again? The pain encompassed her entire arm and it was hard to isolate details. It was still bleeding though, of that she was sure. She felt a sudden chill - blood in the water... oh god. Kate tensed and immediately began to sink. Panicked, she started to flail with her good arm.

A few seconds later, her wrist was captured in a strong grip and she realized that Mac was yelling in her ear. "Kate! Stop it!" She quit fighting and Mac's voice returned to a more normal level although she didn't relinquish her hold, "Relax, you'll float if you relax. Do you hear me? Try to relax. I've got you, you're not going to drown."

Kate nodded and attempted to control her breathing. Her heart was thundering in her ears, echoed by the throbbing pain in her arm. "S-Sorry," she managed to get out.

"It's okay," Mac kept her voice calm, grateful that Kate was coherent enough to listen to her. She'd been terrified when she dove in after the NCIS agent that Elbert had given her a fatal wound. Of course, in a way she had. The bullet had torn through Kate's upper arm. It was too dark to tell if it had hit bone or not. Mac had puzzled over whether it had been deliberate or just a lousy shot and decided that the most chilling answer was also the most likely. Mike was angry with Kate, blaming her for Mac's involvement. This was revenge. Elbert wanted Kate dead but not quickly and not easily. As of yet, Mac hadn't been able to do much about the bleeding, which was no doubt what was intended. It was pretty obvious that the Congresswoman was counting on sharks to destroy any evidence of foul play. If Mike's scenario came true, there wouldn't be that much left of either of them.

"Mac?"

"Yeah?"

Kate hesitated, what she was about to ask filled her with a deep-seated terror. "Promise me something?"

Not liking the tone she was hearing, Mac hastened to reassure, "Kate... we're going to get out of this. Mike doesn't know the guys are down here. They're probably already searching for us." It was easy enough to sound confident, Mac knew how to present a closing argument. In truth, she also knew with the utmost certainty that Harm would move heaven and earth to find her. She was equally sure that Gibbs would be just as determined. The only question was would the rescue arrive in time?

One small point in their favor - the sea was calm tonight. Mac was doing the bare minimum to keep them afloat, trying to conserve her strength for the long haul. On the downside, her head was hurting enough that she thought she might have a concussion. Kate was her lifeline. Someone else to concentrate on and talk to, someone who would help keep her going and keep the demons at bay.

"Mac, please." Kate took a moment to fortify herself, "I want you to promise to leave me when the sharks come."

"No." She might have been refusing an extra piece of cake for dessert.

"Yes! ...Mac, be reasonable."

"I am. Forget it."

Kate began to feel exasperated. Stubborn woman. "One of us needs to survive this. You've got the best chance. Don't go throwing it away out of some sense of loyalty." She wished she could see Mac's face but the Marine was behind her, keeping her afloat. Damn stupid way of having an argument, she felt like she was trying to persuade the vastness of sea and sky.

"We'll both survive." Mac said it with a quiet conviction. She would see to it or die trying. Mac gave Kate points for courage even if her reasoning was faulty. Apparently, the NCIS agent hadn't considered that if... not when, if... the sharks came, it would be damn near impossible for Mac to get far enough away. That was assuming she could force herself to abandon Kate in the first place. It was more than likely that they would get her too. Either way, living or dying, it would not be with the weight of cowardice upon her.

"Mac... "

"Stop it, Kate." Mac cut her off, "Look, reverse our positions. Would you leave me?"

There was a silence and then an almost rebellious muttered reply, "No." That was followed by an even quieter, "Damn lawyer."

Mac grinned, "Damn straight, so don't make me sue you." She grew serious again, "Kate? Do you think you could hang on to me for a couple of minutes?"

Kate shifted her head slightly, "Yeah, I think so. Why? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's your arm I'm worried about. I need to try and stop the bleeding and I'm going to need both hands." Mac changed her grip and came around to the agent's side, "You ready? I know this is going to hurt."

"I'll try not to be surprised", Kate answered with grim humor. "Let's do this," She grabbed hold of Mac's shoulder and gritted her teeth, "Go ahead."

Mac nodded and unbuttoned her shirt, sliding it off one shoulder and giving Kate a moment to reacquire her grip after sliding it off the other. She started yanking at the sleeves and in short order, managed to tear them off. Gripping them in her teeth, she slipped what was left of her shirt back on and then unbuckled the thin belt she was wearing. Making a loop, she slid it up Kate's injured arm, wincing in sympathy at the agent's suppressed groan. Taking the sleeves, she rolled them up, tucked them into place and then tightened the belt, tying it off as best she could. Kate's fingers, which had dug painfully into her shoulder during the process, suddenly went limp. Mac made a hurried grab as the now unconscious woman started to sink deeper into the water.

Moving back to her original position, she reassured herself by checking Kate's pulse. It was still thumping steadily. She'd done what she could, time would tell if it was enough. Kate's main fear was sharks. Mac had been more worried that the brunette would simply bleed to death. Despite the popular Hollywood perception that man-eating Great White sharks inhabited every square foot of the ocean, she knew it wasn't quite that bad. Not that the reality wasn't bad enough, Mac thought she'd read somewhere that sharks could sense blood in the water from a mile away. She was gambling that there weren't any sharks in the area big enough or aggressive enough to attack them. Unfortunately, the longer they were in the water, the worse the odds grew.

Mac closed her eyes and turned her face skyward, letting her head sink a little further into the sea. Her headache had increased with the exertion and she was trying hard not to throw up. It wasn't only that she hated being sick, there was a survival aspect to consider as well. Dehydration would be a problem soon enough, she didn't need to accelerate the process. If there was an upside about being dumped in the ocean at night, it was that they only had to worry about predators for the moment. Having to worry about predators while having their brains baked by the sun wasn't something to which she was looking forward.

She cracked an eye for a moment, checking their position against the rising moon. By her calculations, they were still heading west northwest. She wasn't particularly concerned about their progress. There was no way in hell they were going to swim ashore on their own. It just seemed logical to head in that general direction and hope to run into someone. As far as she could tell, Mike hadn't gone so far out that they were caught in the Gulf Stream. It was one small blessing. Mac had no idea how fast the current moved but she did know that it met up with the Labrador Current at Cape Hatteras. They would have never survived the seas around the Diamond Shoals - assuming they made it that far in the first place. She closed her eyes again, trying to relax, and sent up another silent prayer that Harm and Gibbs would find them soon.