Chapter 4

1024
The Next Day
Outside Janice's House

By the time Harm and Mac were through at the office the day before it had been late and all they wanted to do was get home and spend some time with each other and their daughter. It had been hard, but Harm had managed to push the case aside for the evening and focus on his family. Today was another matter. If Janice had in fact been engaged, someone ought to know to whom. The house where she had lived was his first stop this morning, then he would talk to the neighbours.

Walking into the building he could sense the familliar presence of his friend. It was in the way the curtains were hung, the way the house was furnished and mostly in the way everything just seemed right. It had been a long time since he had talked to her, and an even longer time since he had seen her in person, but still everything just reminded him of her and the way she was.Walking around in the house he soon reached the bedroom. Her clothes on the chair by the bed and the smell of perfume made his thoughts drift back to the time where they had spent hours together talking. He continued into the bathroom. All the time looking for some kind of clue as to who and where this man could be, but finding nothing. Everything belonged to Janice.

After finishing his tour of the house, Harm walked around the neighbourhood knocking on doors and talking to the people living there. They at least gave him some hope. One woman was epecially helpful. Apparently, she had spoken to Janice and knew she was seeing someone, but they rarely spent the night at her place, prefering the closeness of his apartment to the city. It didn't give him much to go on, but at least he knew this fiancé was for real. Now all he had to do was find him.

At the same time
Same location

After his call to Rabb's cell the day before, Michael had waited for him outside JAG and followed him home, hoping it meant he was going to leave it alone. He had been mistaken. As his boss had suspected this man would not be put off by a simple threat, something more drastic would have to be done and he knew exactly what that would be.

A few hours later
Hope's Day Care

"Hey Jennie, it's time for lunch. Lets get these kids inside." One of the women called.

"Ok." Jennie answered and started getting them all together, counting them as they walked inside. When the numbers didn't add up, she didn't have to think long to realize who was missing; Three-year-old Hope Mackenzie Rabb.

1407
Mac's Office
JAG HQ

Mac had gotten the call a few minutes earlier. She was numb. She just sat at her desk and stared at the phone. How could this be? She had said to Harm the day before that they could handle it. That their little girl would be OK. Was this even related to the case? Could she just have wondered off by herself. At that moment Harm walked into the bullpen.

He stopped and talked to people along the way, but eventually made his way towards his wife's office. She was still sitting in her chair staring at the phone trying to understand what had happened.

"Honey..." He tried but recieved no response. "Colonel!" He said louder and managed to get her attention. From the look of panic in her eyes it was obvious something had upset her. "Honey, what's wrong?" He said as he walked around the desk and crouched down so he could look her in the eyes.

She just stared at him as tears began to roll down her cheeks. "She's gone..." was all she managed to get out before falling into his arms. "Our baby girl is missing."

1449
Harm and Mac's House

It was a waiting game and there was nothing he hated more. After talking to Mac, Harm had told the Admiral who had sent them home at once. He even contacted the daycare for them again seeing that none of his senior attorneys was up to the task. He had then found out that the police was there and would be joining them at the Rabb residence. Bud and Harriet had driven them home and now they were all gathering in Harm and Mac's living room, no one saying a word, waiting for the phone to ring.

AJ arrived at the same time as the police, only minutes after the others had gotten there. Detective Steve Adams was the one who informed them that it most likely was a case of kidnapping, considdering all the gates were closed and there was no way a three-year-old would be able to open them by herself.

Harm felt everbody's concerned looks on him and felt like the walls were closing in on him. Standing up, he quietly left his silent collegues and friends and instead went into his daughter's room, where Mac found him a few minutes later looking at a picture of their little girl, wearing a navy blue dress. It was his favourite picture. She had been about one year old and had just learnt how to walk. She was wobbling across the living room floor and was just about to fall when Mac had taken the pictiure, leaving her with a very funny look on her face. Harm often admired that picture because it was so much her. A very active little girl, who always managed to surprise her parents.

Mac sat down beside him and put her arms around his neck. He was crying.

"It's my fault. I should have backed off, but I didn't I had to be ther hero once again."

"Then I'm as much to blame as you. I'm the one who convinced you to keep trying. We still don't know that this has anything sto do with Janice's death. It might be completely unrelated."

"Mac, do you really believe that's even a possibility." He snapped at her. "What are the odds of our daughter being kidnapped the day after I get a threat saying to watch my family, because one never knows when something bad is going to happen. It's the same guy, there's no doubt in my mind."

Mac held her husband tighter. As he continued.

"I just want her back..."

She didn't respond, there was no need to. She felt the same way he did. A man suspected of murdering a woman had their daughter, and God knew what he would do to her.

They sat silent for a few minutes, and were woken from their reverie by the phone ringing, making them both jump and run into the living room where the police had set up a trace on the line. Harm managed to wait until detective Adams gave the okay to pick up the phone.

"Hello!" He answered.

"I told you to back away or there would be consequenses. I have your daughter and ou will get her back only if yuo stop poking around where you're not wanted."

"I'll do anything you ask, just give me my little girl back."

"Meet me at the Vietnam Memorial in thirty minutes. I believe you know the place Commander."

With that the line went dead and Harm looked at the Detective for confirmation that they had a location on the trace.

" I'm sorry Commander, Colonel. He didn't stay on the line long enough for us to get a location.

"Then I guess we're going to the wall then." Harm said as he looked at his wife.

1532
Vietnam Memorial

Harm stood by the wall he had visited so many times, only now he didn't have the usual feeling of welcome that he usually got when he went to see his dad, now he only felt dread and anticipation at what was happening to his life. He needed that little girl back or he wouldn't be able to go on.

Mac was with him, refusing to be left behind. He didn't blame her, and he was glad she had come. He needed her there to keep him calm.

Same time
Not far from there

Michael Patterson looked at the girl sleeping in the back seat. She really was a sweet girl and he couldn't help but think what his own life with Janice would have been like if it had been given a chance. It hadn't been easy taking this girl, and he had every intention of giving her back. He just wanted the Commander scared enough to back off. He had seen Harm and Mac arrive at the Wall a few minute earlier. But he had also seen the cops that came with them and now he couldn't do what he came there for without getting caught.

30 minutes later
Vietnam Memorial

They had waited. And waited, and there was no sign of Hope or her kidnapper anywhere. It was becomming apparent that he had been spooked and wouldn't show. Harm had protested the cops being there, but had been voted down by the people around him, saying it would be safer to have them there. Now he was regretting ever listening to them. Suddenly he felt a rage inside of him. This was his daughter. Someone had taken Hope and he was just standing there waiting for something to happen.

Mac felt the change in Harm at the same time he did, but was still surprised when he pulled away from her and ran towards the SUV, leaving her standing by the wall, crying.