A 'Notorious' JAG

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the JAG characters. I don't own any product or label mentioned for the purposes of telling this story. I do not own any of the rights to the story and movie 'Notorious'. Any similarities to situations or persons living or dead are purely coincidental.

Spoilers: Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Notorious' made in 1946. It starred Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. Any JAG episode through Season 9.

A/N: The JAG story takes place in Season 9 right after the episode, 'The One That Got Away.' Keep in mind the state of mind our DD were in at that time.

A/N: Please also keep in mind that the original movie was made in 1946 so some of the details have been changed or they happen in a different order to fit the social mores of our society today. It is AU, so be warned.

A/N: Iska if you're out there this is all your fault. This is my least favorite part of the whole 10 years of JAG and I have to write about it. It just won't leave me alone…damn it.

As always many thanks to Aerogirl and Karen for their beta reading and excellent input.

Rating AO for language

2015

Saturday

October, 18 2003

Blair House

Washington

District of Columbia

The former Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. stood outside the building and lit his cigar. He leaned against his Corvette for a moment and tried to get his head around just what it was he had to do tonight.

He was to attend a reception given by the State Department and the Paraguayan government for 'services rendered' last spring. The honored guests were anonymous to the general public, though most of the guests knew each other very well.

There was one person in attendance whom Harm had thought he would never see again. He'd hoped he could avoid it, indefinitely if he were lucky. But if the last year was any indication, his luck had run out. When Blaisdell gave him this assignment he nearly turned him down and walked away.

No amount of money would have made him walk back into her life again. In the end it hadn't been the money, it was about doing what needed to be done. Mac was the best person for this assignment. Her knowledge of the details of the events in Paraguay, and her command of several languages was also an asset for this particular mission. Why the Company felt he was the best person to convince Mac to help in this matter was beyond him. Blaisdell had said they had a reputation for being a good team, but that had been a long time ago, or so it seemed to him. Whatever…it was time to get to it.

Harm pushed off of the 'vette' and began to walk toward the entrance to the old building. He tossed out his cigar in the designated ash can outside the main walkway and steeled himself for his meeting with his old partner. It still felt strange to attend an official function and not be in uniform. This was a formal affair and he dressed accordingly. Black tie and tux…a regular James Bond, he thought, and smiled without humor. Though he appeared to most to be perfectly happy in his new role, he would have given anything to be back at JAG and in uniform. With Mac just down the hall…before everything went to hell.

He paused looking at the front of the old historical building and willed the thoughts away. That was over and he had an assignment. It would be done soon enough and he would move on, period. End of story. He entered the building and made his way to the main reception hall. It was a gathering of nearly 100 people involved in the State Department and the diplomatic corps at many levels.

Slipping in as discreetly as a man who stood six feet four could, Harm positioned himself so that he could observe for a time before making himself known to one of the guests of honor. She stood speaking to an older, distinguished gentleman, possibly someone from the Paraguayan Embassy. As Harm watched her smile and offer her hand to the gentleman, he wished again that she weren't so beautiful. He wished again that he hadn't fallen in love with her, and waited too late to tell her. But who knew if it would have mattered anyway. Who knew why Mac did anything?

Mac was in civilian attire for this affair, in a burgundy red gown that draped over her strong but decidedly feminine body in a way that nearly took his breath away. It had been a very good idea to wait a while before he made himself known. He needed to get used to seeing her this way, so that he would not reveal anything that he felt for her. To his mind, it didn't matter how he felt anymore; she had made her choice.

He watched as Webb walked into the room, still looking slightly frail, but seemingly recovering well from his 'acquaintance' with Sadiq in Paraguay. Harm watched as he walked up to Mac and placed his hand at the small of her back. Mac turned to him and then did something that surprised Harm. She smiled at Webb but very discreetly stepped away from his touch at her back. What had that meant? She continued to speak with the older gentleman while including Webb in the conversation. The look of disappointment on Webb's face had not been lost on him.

The evening began to wind down; many of the guests had already left. Harm kept his distance from Mac and Webb, still observing them. Webb took Mac's elbow and began to guide her away from a group of people. Mac had pressed her lips together in a thin line, and it was obvious to Harm that she didn't like that he was guiding her away. He was almost hoping Webb would keep pushing so he'd get to see her deck him, but that would have been asking too much. He saw them take a sudden turn toward him and he stepped into the hallway, stopping just out of their sight but close enough to hear their conversation.

"Sarah, what is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about…"

Harm listened from the other side of the wall and grinned knowingly; this was Mac keeping everyone at arm's length. 'That's right, Mac,' he thought, 'keep 'em guessing – it's what you do best.'

Webb's expression changed from concern to an infuriatingly indulgent one.

"Never mind. I know the problem. He's not coming back, Mac. Harm's doing what he loves best, he's flying. I doubt if we'll ever see him again."

"You don't know anything about him. Leave him out of this." Mac's response was sharp.

"Fine. I thought – I just thought there was something…between us, after what happened at Paraguay…"

"Don't" she lowered her voice but still sounded angry. "Don't say another word about Paraguay."

"Look, Sarah…I'm sorry. Maybe you just need more time."

"Yeah, maybe." She didn't seem to want to talk about this anymore.

"I'm getting away for a while, and I want you to consider coming with me. I think we both need the rest and to get away from everything. I'm leaving in the morning; I'll e-mail directions to our vacation home in Maryland. It's called 'Manderly.' The house has been in our family for generations. You'd love it there, Sarah."

"I don't know, Clay…I'll have to get back to you." He was making her uncomfortable.

"Do that," he said as he reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips. "I'll look forward to it."

Harm walked further down the hallway and stepped into another of the reception rooms not in use. Maybe she and Webb weren't together after all. It didn't change the fact that she had said 'never,' but it at least made this assignment easier to take. He didn't think he could stand another scene like he'd witnessed while Webb was in the hospital.

After Webb left, he stepped back into the hall and went in search of Mac. Hearing their conversation did not help him focus on the purpose of this 'visit.' He had to convince her to assist the Company with a mission, many of the details of which even he had not been given access to. He figured the plan had to be well thought out. Webb wasn't in the middle of it, so the chances were that much better for success.

Mac walked further into the room, thinking that it was time for her to take her leave as well. She'd come alone; she hadn't wanted to accompany anyone. Webb had brought his mother and had asked Mac to come along with them, but she had thought it awkward. She didn't know how she felt about him, and she was still too emotionally confused to know how she felt about anything. The whole ordeal in Paraguay, and the huge void left in her life by Harm's absence, left her at loose ends. Life as she knew it was vastly different than it had been for nearly seven years. Why hadn't he answered any of her messages? All her seeming indifference to Harm's absence at JAG had been a lie. She missed him terribly.

Just as she began to clear her thoughts, she felt rather than saw a familiar presence. Harm. She turned to look at him and hoped that her face didn't betray her feelings. He had startled her, and for a half second she wanted to throw herself into his arms, but the look in his eyes stopped her and reminded her of where they were now. She reined in her emotions and greeted him.

"Harm." She kept her tone of voice even.

He matched her tone and answered her. "Mac."

"What brings you here?" She had almost said 'sailor,' but caught herself. It still pained her to think he wasn't in the Navy anymore. "Strange place to crash a party."

"I'm not party crashing, Mac. I was in Paraguay too, remember." He couldn't believe she wouldn't remember that.

Mac's face flamed with shame but she delivered a shot anyway. "Don't tell me you've become another special assistant to the Secretary of State. I thought your job was much more 'covert'."

"Did you learn all that spy doublespeak from your boyfriend, Mac?" Damn it! This was already getting out of hand and he had a long way to go before he convinced her that he needed her help.

"He's not my boyfriend, Harm, and it's none of your business anyway." Mac's defenses were already in high gear.

Harm knew he'd better backpedal fast, or this would be over before it started. "Sorry, you're right. It's none of my business, but we are friends…right?"

"No it's not, and yes, I thought we were, but after I left the 17th message I was beginning to wonder."

"I've been out of the country… a lot, Mac." What the hell did she expect? He was fighting the urge to just walk away; she hadn't really looked directly at him since he started speaking to her.

Mac did look at him then and considered what he said. She didn't want to fight with him; she had missed him so much. Looking down, and then turning toward him fully, she looked at his face, really looked for the first time in a long while. He looked tired and the mischievous light that seemed to always be in his eyes when they spoke was gone. This fighting had to stop; it was killing both of them.

"I know." She tried to smile and let him see just a fraction of what she felt for him. Maybe he was really trying to reach out to her.

Harm offered her his hand. "Truce?" He turned on his most charming grin.

She placed her hand in his. "Okay, truce."

He turned and placed her hand in the crook of his arm. "What do you say we get out of here?"

Mac smiled. He was flirting but this was no seduction. She would settle for that. In fact, she couldn't think of anything she'd like more. "Lead the way."

Harm helped her with her wrap after they left the building. They had stepped out the door and the chill in the night air was apparent. "Here, let me help you."

He placed the cashmere shawl around her shoulders, and as he closed it around her his gaze dropped to the neckline of her gown. His eyes lingered there for a second and then he looked up into her eyes. The attraction he felt for her was as strong as it had ever been but this was no time to act upon it. No matter what the status of her and Webb's relationship.

"Ready?" He turned the smile on high beam.

Mac had seen the look in his eyes and also his quick recovery. He was the master; she had to hand it to him. He never revealed anything he didn't want to.

"Yeah, where to?" She was willing to play, just for the chance to talk with him for a while.

Harm chuckled at bit. "To tell you the truth, I hadn't thought about that yet."

Mac laughed at him. "A Company man without a plan?"

Harm ignored the barb and looked in the direction of Mac's 'vette. "How about a drive?"

Mac followed his gaze. "In my car? Are you serious?"

"Sure, why not?" Harm figured if she drove it might just distract her enough for him to pitch this plan and convince her to help them.

"You're letting me drive?" She couldn't keep the surprised look from her face.

"Sure. You can bring me back to my car later."

They got in Mac's 'vette and were soon on the Beltway. "Where to?"

"Anywhere is okay with me." He leaned back in his seat, seemingly content to literally let her be in the driver's seat.

Mac decided to get off the beaten path and drive southwest toward MacLean. They had been driving in companionable silence for about ten minutes, with Mac's mind working all the while trying to figure out just how this came about.

"Going to see the admiral, Mac?" He gave her a sidelong glance.

"No, just driving. You said anywhere."

"That I did."

"Tell me how you've been, Harm. It's been such a long time."

Harm steeled himself immediately. He didn't know what was worse, Mac when she was cuttingly sarcastic or Mac she spoke to him in that tone of voice, with genuine concern.

"It has."

"I know you can't talk about a lot of it, but are you okay? Are you happy?"

Harm smiled but the last question made him angry. Was he happy? What did she think?

"I'm okay." His voice had an edge he couldn't soften.

"I never thanked you for all you gave up – for me, for us. I want you to know I'll never forget what you did, Harm."

'Great, just great,' he thought. He couldn't deceive her like this. He would ask her straight out: no charm, no sales pitch. If she didn't do it, the hell with it, they could get someone else.

"Mac…pull over as soon as you can. I need to talk to you about something."

Mac looked at him quickly. Something in the tone of his voice made her blood run cold. She agreed and then returned her eyes to the road. They had been off of the interstate for some time, so when she came to a small town another mile or so down the road she pulled over. She stopped in the parking lot of an old gas station, closed for day.

She kept the engine running but she placed the vehicle in park and turned to look at Harm.

"Harm what is it?" Her eyes filled with concern.

"Mac, I came to the reception specifically to talk to you." He knew this would hurt her, but he could not lie to her, no matter what it cost him.

Mac's heart fluttered in her chest. Maybe she had overreacted, and maybe there was still hope for them. "I'm listening."

Harm saw the open and sincere look on her face. Why did this always happen? Hell, the Fates wouldn't even allow them to be friends. He didn't know what else to do but blurt it out.

"We need your help, Mac…on a mission."

She felt as though he had slapped her. He hadn't just wanted to be with her after the reception – it had been about 'the job…the mission.' She swallowed hard, determined not to allow him to see how much this had hurt her.

"So…your bosses sent you to talk to me, is that it?" Her tone of voice was quiet and even.

Harm tried to harden his heart for what he knew was coming. Mac was hurt and she knew all his vulnerabilities, as he knew hers. He braced himself and kept his expression unreadable. "Yes."

"You didn't have to waste your time riding all over Northern Virginia with me, Harm. You could have just asked."

"What would you have said if I had, Mac?" He smirked, his voice sounding more sarcastic than he had intended.

The sharp talk between them had become habit. It had been easy to fall into; kindness at this point seemed to take more effort than they were willing to give.

How she hated that look, the above-it-all smirk. "It's time to go home." She wanted to get as far and as fast away as she could. He could not have hurt her more if he had plunged a knife into her heart.

Mac threw the 'vette into reverse and stepped hard onto the gas pedal. 'Damn him...' she thought as threw gravel and dust behind them. She continued to accelerate down the two-lane state road. It was late and mostly deserted, but as her speed continued to climb, Harm began to wonder what the hell she was trying to do.

Mac saw Harm watching her speed in her peripheral vision. A sly grin spread slowly across her face. She pressed down further as her speed passed 80 miles an hour.

Harm watched, keeping his expression calm, he turned slightly toward her resting his hand on the back of her seat as though he were calmly observing or listening to an amusing story.

She glanced toward him and her 'vette veered toward the shoulder of the road. Harm reached for and steadied the wheel, his expression remaining the same. If she was going to play chicken, she would lose; suddenly he just didn't give a damn tonight.

Mac looked at him. "I'd like to wipe that smug smile off you face, you liar."

"I'm not a liar, Mac. I told you what I came here to do tonight."

"That's right, Harm, the hero, the big sacrifice boy….that's you." She pressed the accelerator harder, topping 90 miles an hour.

In the distance they both heard a siren and Harm glanced in the rearview mirror. 'Thank God,' he thought. At this point he was beginning to think he was going to have to overpower her to get control of the car, and knowing Mac that would be no easy task.

Mac saw it too and began to back off of the accelerator. "Damn."

She didn't look at Harm but she continued to slow her vehicle down and then pulled over on the shoulder of the road. She reached for her purse and her license and then into her glove compartment for her registration, never looking at Harm at all. She didn't trust herself. She pushed the button to roll the window down as the trooper approached her side of the vehicle.

"Ma'am, do you know how fast you were going?" He had gotten a good look at the vehicle and the woman behind the wheel already. The 'vette and the evening gown spoke of too much money and way too much idle time as far as the trooper was concerned.

"I'm sorry, officer." Mac had no idea what else she was going to say. She was still boiling mad at Harm and was having a difficult time sounding contrite.

Harm had reached for his ID and reached across Mac, handing it to the officer. It was a State Department ID and it held a code that identified him as more than a State Department staffer.

"Officer, we're in a bit of hurry here – sorry about the speed."

The officer understood, and as he returned his ID he asked, "Do you need an escort, sir?"

"No, that won't be necessary, thanks."

Mac sat silently as the officer nearly fell all over himself trying to help Harm in any way he could. He finally stopped asking and 'sir'-ing him and went back to his squad car.

After the trooper pulled away Mac continued to sit behind the wheel, shaking her head in amazement. "How do you do it?"

"What are you talking about now?" 'Here it comes,' he thought.

"Harm to the rescue…you can barely stand me but you're saving my ass again. How do you do it? Why do you do it?" There was no kindness in her voice; she was furious.

"Did you want the ticket, Mac?" He had been right – she hated everything he did.

"That's not what I'm talking about. You could walk through the gates of hell and nothing touches you. Nothing. I hate it!" With that Mac threw her door open and jumped out of the car.

"Mac what in the hell are you doing?"

He had long since given up on trying to get her help with the upcoming mission. Now he just wanted to get home without forgetting he was a gentleman and telling her just what he thought of her. Nothing touched him? He had lost his career…any chance of a future that included her.

"Leave me alone. I don't want any more help from you."

She walked briskly down the dark road, trying to get away from him before she lost it completely. If she bought herself a couple of minutes maybe she could tame this anger she felt. It was searing and very nearly all-consuming; she could barely contain it.

"Get back here." He'd had enough of this; she was acting like a child.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that." His condescension infuriated her further.

"Get back in the car, Mac." He made no effort to control the anger in his voice.

"Drive yourself home, Superman. I'll walk." Her tone was dismissive; as though she fully intended to walk the over 20 miles back to the city.

Harm's temper flared, and he got out of the vehicle and came up on her faster than he intended to.

"Get back in the car, Mac." His voice took on a tone that he had never used with her before.

"No – get the hell away from me."

She felt as though all she needed was a little push and she would lose all semblance of control. She was angrier with him than she had ever been in her life.

He reached for her arm and that was all Mac needed to lose control completely. Everything came crashing down on her head at once. Harm shutting her out last spring during the incident with Singer. The seemingly futile wait beforehand for some sign that they had a future. Paraguay, her fear of dying there, of Webb's torture and her perceived role in it. All the missed signals, Harm's apparent concern and desire for her, and then his nearly pushing her at Webb, when all she wanted was to fall into his arms. All of his and all of her emotions seemed to be running hot and cold, without reason and without warning.

She couldn't stand anymore.

Mac slapped his hand away and Harm saw her eyes go dark with rage. She swung at his face.

"Knock it off, Mac."

"What's the matter, Harm…you scared?" She would wipe that smug smile off of his face, literally.

She swung again and grazed his chin, knocking his head slightly to the side. Harm quickly took her by the arms and turned her around, facing away from him. He held her fast to him and held her arms so that she could not move. In a voice filled with barely concealed rage he told her, "I said stop it, Mac…now!"

Mac wanted to scream, to fight him until she was so tired that she couldn't raise her arms….anything to make the pain she felt go away. The hurt and helplessness rushed up inside her and the tears started to spill from her eyes. "No!" She drew in a deep breath trying to regain control. "Let go!" She was nearly screaming, still trying to keep the rage from turning to despair.

"I don't want to hurt you, Mac…I'm not going to… no matter what you do, but I'm not going to stand here and let you hit me. What do you think I am?" He wasn't sure how much more he could take of this.

Now his breath was coming in short gasps and he could hear the tears and rage in her voice. This was hurting him too, damn it. What the hell had Blaisdell been thinking? He had never seen her this much out of control before; she'd have never done this before Paraguay. He should never have agreed to this and damn Clayton Webb for ever involving her in his cluster fuck in South America. Neither of them would ever be the same again.

"Calm down," he said firmly and evenly.

Mac drew deep breaths, trying to get herself under control. The rage was fading but the tears were still flowing, though they weren't choking her now. She had given up on hiding them. 'The hell with it,' she thought. The only way to get away from him was to go home, and as much as she'd like to leave him standing by the side of the road, she wouldn't.

"Let go." Her tone of voice was still sharp and had the sound of being barely under control.

"Not till you calm down." He turned his head toward her and looked down so he could see her face. What he saw pained him to his heart. Her face was stained with her tears, her eyes huge and full of pain.

"All right… let go." Her voice was angry, but Harm could hear that she was in fact calming down. He guessed this was the one thing about her he did understand, or at least recognized when he saw or heard it: her anger.

Harm loosened his grip, and as he did Mac pushed her way out of his arms. She turned and looked at him. "I want to go home."

"Fine," he answered. He read the resignation on her face and heard it in her voice. Damn it, how did they get here?

Mac walked back toward the car, wiping her tears. Deciding that she was in no shape to drive, she walked to the passenger's side of the car. She didn't trust herself just now, though she would never have admitted that to anyone, much less Harm. This was a part of her that she barely recognized… this uncontrolled rage. It frightened her. She could always channel her pain, she had learned to do it years ago, but since they had returned from Paraguay, she hadn't been able to at all.

Harm stood and watched her get in on the passenger's side. He raised his brows. 'Guess I'm driving.' He walked to the car, got in and started the ignition.

They had driven for about ten miles in dead silence. Mac was sitting nearly ramrod straight in the seat, her eyes forward, never looking at Harm. She could see him look at her in her peripheral vision, but she could not bear to look at him at all.

"Do you mind if I turn this on?" Harm reached for the controls of the radio. He was ready for anything that would end this terrible silence.

She nodded her acquiescence, still keeping her eyes forward. As the soft and heartbreakingly sweet jazz began to fill the interior of the car, Mac felt herself begin to relax. They were over halfway home; she had only to hang on for a bit longer. She sat back in her seat and rested her arm on the door of the car. She looked out of the window until her eyes came into focus and she saw hers and Harm's reflection in the window glass. The interior lights had cast just enough like to illuminate their features.

She barely recognized herself or Harm. Her expression was filled with such sadness and Harm's expression was completely closed to her now. The eyes and expression of the man she could read without effort were nowhere to be seen. What had they become? The loss hit her full force, and it broke her heart all over again. She felt the tears begin again and the pain sharp in her chest. She covered her mouth. "Oh…damn it." She said it aloud. Her control was gone again, in a matter of seconds

Harm looked at her and saw her begin to shake. He reached across the car to touch her arm and she turned quickly, moving out of his reach.

"Don't." Her look was almost pleading.

Harm opened his palm and held his hand up. "Okay."

"Just get me home." She continued to try and calm herself, turning her face away, trying not to see what had hurt her so much just minutes before.

20 minutes later…

Harm pulled into Mac's parking space in front of her apartment. He got out and went to open Mac's car door. She was already getting out of the car so he waited at the curb for her. He was going to see her to her door whether she spoke to him or not. He kept the keys in his hand, picking out the familiar key and unlocking the door. When he placed her keys in her hand, she remembered that his car was still at Blair House.

"Your car." She spoke in almost a monotone.

"I'll call a cab."

"Come in, I promise I won't embarrass myself or you anymore." She had turned away from him and walked further into her apartment, turning on a light as she went.

"You didn't embarrass me, Mac. I…" He didn't really want to begin this conversation again, but he couldn't keep himself from trying to explain.

Mac raised her hand. "Harm, I really can't do this. Come in and call a cab. I'm going to bed." The tears and the rage had left her completely drained; she was exhausted.

She dropped her wrap and her purse on her couch and walked straight back to her bedroom.

Harm called his cab and let himself out, waiting outside for his ride. It was too painful to be in the same apartment with her just now.

0830

Sunday

October 19

Mac's Apartment

Georgetown

Mac had just poured herself a cup of coffee when she heard a knock at her door. She knew before she answered it that it was Harm. She looked through the security lens and then opened the door.

"Can I speak with you for a moment?" Harm had been looking down the hallway behind him. He turned forward as she opened the door.

"Yes…come in." Mac backed up and allowing him to pass.

As Harm walked through the door the phone rang. She answered it. It was Webb. Harm could only hear her side of the conversation. She was standing with her back to him.

"No, I don't think so…I appreciate the invitation. Yeah…maybe some other time. No…. I may be out of the country for a while, I don't know."

Harm looked up at her when she said she might be out of the country. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had come to apologize for even asking her to participate in this mission.

"Yeah, okay…Goodbye, Clay." She hung up and turned to look at him.

"That was Webb."

"So I gathered."

"You said you wanted to speak with me?" They were not going to discuss Webb today.

He thought he'd better speak his piece before they found something else to fight about. Harm didn't think either of them could take another episode like last night.

"I wanted to say that I'm going to tell Blaisdell to forget it, and I wanted to apologize for the way I went about asking you. I should have been more up front about it. Obviously you've been through a lot more than I even considered and I shouldn't have even agreed to ask you. We're friends, or at least we used to be, and I should have known."

"Don't worry about it." Her expression was closed and guarded.

Silence reigned once again.

"Well…that's it. That's all I had to say." Harm turned and started to leave.

"Tell him I'm in."

"What?"

"Tell your boss I'll do it."

"Mac, you're in no shape to take something like this on now."

"I'm as fit as you are. Tell him… or I will." The walls were up and Harm couldn't read a thing in her expression.

"Fine."

Mac walked toward him, her eyes down, signaling that it was time to go. Harm turned and opened the door. She came up behind him and closed it as he turned to look at her.

Harm stood outside the door, for a moment thinking that he had a bad feeling about this, but he decided too that his instincts weren't worth a damn anymore anyway. He turned back around and walked back out of the building.

1636

Wednesday

October 22, 2003

United Airlines flight 843

Somewhere over the Southern Atlantic

Harm and Mac were seated together as they were approaching Rio de Janeiro. The admiral had cleared Mac for the assignment – with great misgivings – under pressure from the SecNav. He had been given two attorneys TAD from NLSO North Island to compensate for his loss of Mac and the continued loss of Commander Rabb.

Harm had been told that they were to be given their assignment after they arrived. They would report to Paul Prescott, the Chief of Station in Rio. This appeared to be a sting operation to 'clean up' a remnant Al Qaeda connection that had scattered as a result of their efforts last spring. Edward Hardy had been evidence of the kind of corruption that is possible in this part of the world.

Harm assumed Rio had been chosen because more of the terrorists or their support system had moved there. Webb had been right about that, at least.

As the wide bodied aircraft banked to begin its descent, Mac leaned across Harm to look at the beautiful land and sparkling sea below. Her cheek was just inches from Harm's face, her scent permeating his senses, her nearness intoxicating. This wasn't going to be an easy assignment… at all.

On the one hand they were notorious for their ability to work as a team and their success in that regard, but they were also well known, by those who knew them best, as people who knew how to hurt each other, badly.

What they would succeed at doing more of on this trip was anyone's guess.

TBC