Disclaimer: JAG belongs to DPB, Paramount, CBS et al. This is for fun, no copyright infringement is intended.
August 2007, Monday
- JAG headquarters, Fall Church, Virginia
"Ma'am? Colonel?"
Mac paused and turned giving Tiner a chance to step up to her. The young lieutenant she had first met as a sometimes weird acting petty officer took a deep breath.
"Ma'am, I'm so sorry this happened in the courtroom. I - I..."
"Tiner. It wasn't your fault."
"But - but I should have stopped him before he insulted you. I never thought he would do such a thing."
Mac smiled gently. "Strange or misbehaving clients are part of the job although they are the exception rather than the rule, thank God. You are not responsible. This was a tough case for you from the start but you handled yourself very well."
"You - you really think that, ma'am?"
"Of course I do. Admiral Chegwidden would have been proud of you."
Tiner looked slightly happier but still frowned. "Nevertheless, I should have..."
"Afterwards it's always easier, Tiner." Mac wanted to add something else but instead swayed as a wave of dizziness washed over her again.
"Ma'am? Are you all right? You look a bit pale."
"I'm fine ... fine. It's nothing." Mac shook her head and hurried down the corridor, leaving a worried looking Tiner behind.
Harm's office
"Well... I guess that's all for the moment." Captain Rockwell glanced down at his notes then over at the phone on Harm's desk. "Too bad this ... acquaintance of yours in not available."
Harm gritted his teeth and bit back a sharp answer. Instead he faked another smile. "As you have seen no one is answering the phone. I assume Johnson will not be allowed to enter the building, right?"
"I'll be informed as soon as he gets his visitor's pass; the guards are looking out for him. As things are we don't have any legal reason to keep him out..."
"You must be kidding!"
"... but he won't go anywhere without a guard at his side," Rockwell finished with an icy glare. He pulled out a pager and checked it. "Up to now it looks like he's smart enough to stay away."
Harm wasn't satisfied. "I still think... What, Ellis?"
"S-sir, excuse me, sir, but Admiral Chegwidden on line two."
Harm sat upright. "Chegwidden? I'll take him."
Ellis hastily backed out and Captain Rockwell got to his feet, nodding a goodbye. "Commander..."
But Harm was already on the phone. "Good morning, Admiral, what... What?" He paled then turned red the next second. "What?" His facial color changed quickly back and forth until it settled in an angry blush. "WHAT?"
The receiver tumbled onto the table top and he was up and through the door, pushing a stunned Captain Rockwell out of the way. Ellis saw him coming and his eyes widened in fear but he was way to slow to dodge his enraged superior who grabbed him by the front of the shirt and slammed him backwards against the next desk.
"WHERE IS HE?" Harm shook the smaller man violently. "Darn little traitor, where is he?"
Ellis only gasped totally terrified. "I don't - I don't-"
"Stop lying to me! You told him! You never went to Langley! Where is Johnson?"
"Commander!"
"Harm! Harm!"
Harm was dully aware of hands on his arms but he didn't release his grip. Grimly he shoved his chin into the younger man's face.
"This is attempted murder, Ellis! And you are in on it too!"
"No. No!" Ellis voice wasn't more than a squeak. "He wouldn't ... he promised ... he would never..."
"He would! Oh, believe me, he would! And it's just because of a miracle that Webb is still alive! So, tell - me - where - he - is!" He pronounced each word with a hard shake. Ellis just stared at him and something in his round eyes made Harm stop. His body went rigid.
"He's here." It was barely a whisper. "You got him into the building!"
Ellis started sobbing. "He's my cousin. He's my cousin! He's the only family I have left!"
Harm opened his hands and stepped back. "Guard! Take him away or I don't know what I'll do!" Turning he found himself face to face with Sturgis Turner. He paled again. "Why are you not in court?"
"The sentencing is over. Harm, what on earth is going on here? Harm!"
But Harm was already running towards the doors calling back over his shoulder. "Send security to Mac's office! Quick! Johnson is in the building! He's after her!"
Turner cursed exceptionally dirty and reached for the next phone while Rockwell took off in the same direction as Harm.
The corridor to Mac's interim office
"Any calls while I have been in court?" Mac walked briskly past her assistant. "Or did you hear something from Commander Rabb?"
"No, ma'am, but Admiral Morris called to cancel the meeting this afternoon. And ma'am... Ma'am! Sorry, but the window cleaner is in your office."
"Window cleaner? I can't remember an announcement."
"He said they forgot some windows the last time. He promised he'd be only a minute."
Mac sighed and rolled her eyes. She waved her assistant off and continued toward the office door. She only wanted to be alone for a second to clear her head and figure out what was wrong with today. Her head was throbbing, her arm ached and on top of all that the skin of her hands had started burning as if she had waxed them. Darn it. The window cleaner would simply have to leave. Pushing the door open she stepped inside.
"Hello?"
She felt the presence behind her a split second before a strong arm encircled her waist, pinning her left arm to her body. But her right hand flew upwards already, slapped away whatever touched her throat and bringing the arm down again she elbowed her attacker fiercely just below the ribcage. He stumbled and she broke away, jumped forward, grabbed one of the visitor chairs and whirled around, swinging it wildly in a circle. The impact wrenched it out of her hands but the door was suddenly free and she didn't hesitate, grabbed the handle, jerked it open and ran out, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Guard! GUARD!"
Heavy boots thundered on the floor and she just stumbled to the side, pointed at her office.
"In there! Arrest the man!"
A hand grabbed her from behind and she cried out.
"Mac. Mac! It's me!" Harm pulled her into a tight embrace. And for a second she gave in and pressed herself against his body. His chest was heaving. "Mac, are you OK?"
She nodded against his shirt then lifted her head and stepped back. Hesitantly he released her. Two security guards were pulling a stunned Johnson roughly out of the door and down the corridor.
"He - he waited in my office." Mac noticed the tremor in her voice and stepped further back as if distance would help her regain control. She lifted an unsteady hand and brushed across a stinging pain at her jaw. A trace of red appeared on her fingers.
Harm's eyes widened. "Mac, you're bleeding!"
Mac stared at the blood and touched the tiny wound along her right jawbone again. She shivered.
"He - he had a knife." Now she remembered with strange clarity the blade flying through the air, remembered the sound as it hit first the wall then the floor on the other side of her desk. Involuntarily tears filled her eyes. "I - I didn't notice. I - I just slapped his arm away from my throat ... I slapped it upwards... Heck, I almost cut my own throat as I fought him off!"
"Mac..." Harm reached for her but she pushed him away and started pacing up and down. He knew better than to stop her. It was her way of getting it out of her system, of dealing with the danger and so he shook his head warningly as Captain Rockwell stepped up to them through the gathering crowd.
"And they always complain that women can not defend themselves if an office is taken over." Shaking violently Mac brushed tears away and wiped more blood from the tiny cut at her jaw. She huffed, replacing fear with anger. "Ha! How should we if they insist that we wear these darn tight skirts in which you can't even place an effective kick? Not without a slit up to ... well, too high up anyway! By God, this time I'll hand in a petition and..."
"And I'll sign it as soon as it's on my desk," General Cresswell's stern voice cut in.
Everybody jumped and someone called guiltily "General on deck!" Cresswell waved them off impatiently. His clear eyes never left Mac's face.
"Colonel, are you all right? How bad is that cut?"
"Sir, yes, sir. It's just a scratch, sir." Mac lifted her chin. "I'm all right."
Cresswell turned his piercing gaze towards Rockwell. "Captain, I found Captain Sebring's memo about the destruction of Colonel Mackenzie's office on my desk this morning. Am I mistaken if I conclude that this incident is related to it?"
"No, sir, that is correct, sir." Rockwell snapped to attention. "We started a thorough investigation right away and Commander Rabb was able to provide additional information this morning." His gaze flickered over to Harm. "In fact his informant called just before the attack on Colonel Mackenzie."
Now Harm found himself in the focus of his superior's attention and almost shifted uncomfortably. "Well, not exactly, sir. Unfortunately Mister Webb was attacked too and is in hospital now-"
"CLAY?" shrieked Mac, causing Harm to take a step back and probably any head on this floor turn their direction.
General Cresswell heaved a sigh and suddenly reminded very much of his predecessor Chegwidden despite the fact that they could really be not more different in every way.
"Colonel, Captain, Commander... My office!"
