CHAPTER SEVEN
Disclaimers – Most characters don't belong to me, they belong to the production people in Hollywood, – but writing definitely doesn't pay the bills or my tuition – All of the sudden the NAVY recruiters are beginning to make sense in my head.
0300 EST
A couple days
later
North of Union Station
Harm woke up with a start. Another nightmare. He felt Mac's pain. A nagging sixth sense told him to go turn on ZNN. He could see her so clearly. She was being held up, suspended by the ceiling being hit by a belt. He could see her lose consciousness, the men cutting her down, the thud to the floor. He saw her captures put a rope around her neck, and try to make her crawl on all fours. He heard Mackenzie wake up. Her little body obviously jet-lagged from the time difference in Germany. Well if he could hold the big Mac, he would definitely hold the little Mac.
He picked up his daughter, sang softly to her, and warmed up her bottle and made himself some coffee. This was going to be a long night.
"Hi Mackenzie, are you saving Daddy from a nightmare? Or is Daddy chasing away yours?" He sat down on the sofa, and tried to figure out how he would handle this newest dream.
He turned on ZNN and warmed up a bottle for Mackenzie. He starred at the screen. He saw Mac being forced into a compound, she was limping. God-she was hurt, but at least he knew she was alive.
"This footage was taken from a couple of hours ago. There was a prison uprising here at the US ran prison. Several prisoners are shouting for reform and say that they will kill one hostage at a time. We were able to make contact with a Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, a marine lawyer, who is fluent in Farsi and was here interrogating some prisoners. They have already killed on hostage, and will kill more. For latest on this story, you can visit our website "
Harm picked up the phone and tried everyone he knew, but no-one knew anything. He started packing his sea bag to go after her, but then he saw her name sake trying to prop herself on all fours, and then he thought of Mattie. He had given everything up for her once, and it almost killed him. He couldn't leave his children fatherless for a woman who didn't love him.
Same Place
0630
Harm must have dozed off, because Mattie came trudging in and woke him up.
"Dad, come on, get up."
"Mattie?"
"Dad, I will take care of Mackenzie if you jump in the shower."
"Mattie, what are you doing up so early?"
"Dad, I knew you would need help this morning, you haven't been getting any sleep again, so I set my alarm. I would stay and baby-sit, but I start my job as a camp counselor today. Remember, Gina's mom is picking me up at 0800, and you have to get to work. Go!"
"Aye ma'am." He saluted Mattie, and gave her a quick peck on the head. He was so worried about Mac and figured the quicker he got to work, the sooner he would find out about Mac. Mattie popped some toast in the toaster, jammed it up for her and Harm, feed and changed Mackenzie, and even remembered to put together the diaper bag for him. At 0715, Harm was running out the door with a piece of toast in his mouth, a diaper bag hung over his shoulder, a baby carrier in one hand, and a briefcase in the other. Mattie smile, and took a picture of him. She was going to frame that one.
"Bye Dad, love you." With that, Mattie locked up Harm's place and ran down the hall to start her day. She decided that tomorrow she was going to set her alarm for 0600 instead.
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
0815
The admiral stood looking out his window and noticed Rabb running late. "I will cut him some slack this morning."
"What did you say sir?" PO Coates asked.
"Sorry Coates, I must have been talking to myself. You are Rabb's daughter's roommate correct?"
"Yes sir."
"How old is the oldest Rabb daughter?"
"Mattie, the Commander's ward, is 15 sir. A great kid. She actually set her alarm this morning to help the Commander out before she went to work herself. I only beat him hear because I left 15 minutes early, sir."
"Well Coates, it sounds like Mattie has her work cut out for her. I only hope she can handle all these new adjustments. Tell the Commander to see me as soon as he can get in here. It's okay for him to bring in the baby. Dismissed Coates."
"Aye, aye sir." Coates turned in left. Maybe working for this CO wouldn't be as bad as she thought. She entered the bull pen to see Commander Rabb watching ZNN while juggling a bubbling baby.
"Commander Rabb, the Admiral would like to see you. He said it was alright for you to bring Mackenzie in with you."
"Thank you Coates."
Harm dropped his briefcase, cover, and Mackenzie's diaper bag in his office. He looked at the picture of him and Mac at some state function and whispered, "I could sure use your help around now." Mackenzie started laughing and gurgling. "Come on, and lets go meet the admiral." He grabbed her and walked through the bullpen. He noticed that Bud wasn't back from the investigation in Norfolk yet. Harm made a mental note to stop by and thank him for the camera.
"Commander Rabb reporting as ordered sir."
"Well, you better get at ease as soon as possible Rabb."
"Commander, since Colonel Mackenzie is gone, I am going to ask your advice, take it as temporary Chief of Staff. Ah, I take it you decided to keep the baby?"
Harm wanted to explode and ask him about Mac, but he waited and figured it would come with time. "Yes sir. Her name is Mackenzie Nicole Rabb. Sorry I brought her in today. Mattie had to go to work. With your permission sir, I would like to take a long lunch to go to Bethesda to get the necessary blood work done, and to get her health checked out."
"That's fine. Rabb. Commander, would you be interested in a daycare in the building? I understand that many of our JAG staff have children, along with the Judges, and other personal in the building. I believe there is a 2000 square foot office on the second floor that is vacant. It has been something that Admiral Chegwidden had proposed about a year ago, however it just got approved about a month ago. Staff has been hired, but it could use a new coat of paint and other things. I was thinking since the JAG staff will reap the benefits, maybe after lunch, whoever is free can start painting?"
"That is an excellent suggestion sir. I am sure the staff will oblige, bring it up during the staff meeting. My mother and stepfather are arriving in tomorrow. If it isn't done, I am sure we can enlist their help."
"Excellent Commander. I take it you want me to add Mackenzie to the list of children enrolled," Harm nodded, "Also, I take it you have seen what is going on in Iraq. There is another reason I called you in here. Your daughter's name sake was taken hostage yesterday afternoon when some prisoners started an uprising." Harm sank to a chair. "Commander, its okay. She has already been rescued and is on her way to the states as we speak. She has a concussion, and was beaten, but other than that she was in good health."
"Thank you sir for the briefing."
"Bethesda will call as soon as she gets there, but she won't be allowed visitors until tomorrow because she still has to be debriefed by Langley. That's all. Dismissed." Just as Harm headed for the door, the admiral stopped him. "Harm, I know I haven't been here but just a month, but if you need help handling anything, please, let someone know."
"Thank you sir."
The rest of the morning went on without a hitch. Harm wanted to go into hero mode go get his marine, but he was satisfied that she was on a transport home. He had two women in his life now that made him think about running off anyway. Harm was just finishing some boring paperwork when a knock came on his door.
"Enter."
"Good morning sir."
"Bud, your wife was a valuable asset to me at the beginning of the week. I wanted to say thanks to you and her personally for the digital camera."
"Harriet is something else isn't she sir. So is everything she said true?"
"Yes. Jordan stole some sperm I donated because of being a pilot, and stole another woman's eggs. Now I have little Mackenzie here." Harm gestured to the baby who was napping in her carrier. "The Admiral wanted to start a nursery here, can you believe that?"
"I sure can sir. Admiral Chegwidden had talked about that, and had Harriet write up a proposal. Most military bases have daycares, and we should be no different. Since it has been quiet lately, I am going to help paint today."
"Well, the Admiral had me working on some cases that I will be plea bargained, so he and I came up with a color scheme." He showed Bud the sketches that he was working on. "And now I believe it is time for me and little Mackenzie here to see if she is really mine."
Bud looked down at the sketches. His mentor was certainly surprise. Harm had drawn an aircraft carrier with F-14s taking off with marines standing by. On the other walls, Harm had done color blocks of blues and greens intermingling the Navy and the Marines.
"Sir, let me help you with that. I am heading down for lunch anyway."
"Thank you Bud."
"Sir, she really is beautiful. Did you know that while you are having the DNA test ran on you, you can have it ran through the military system and see if you can find her biological mom?"
"That will be something to look into. Thanks Bud." Harm said when he got down to the car.
AN – I know that they probably don't keep DNA profiles for the purposes of my intentions on military people, but hey, it fits my story.
