A/N: And this concludes the fic, with an epilogue type thing on the way.
1000 ZULU
Kareena's HQ
March 20th 2003
Mac and AJ came to the door of the building. Webb had found that, thankfully, Kareena had put up no exterior cameras. They edged to the door and AJ put his ear to it. He heard nothing. He sighed inwardly. They never made it easy. He opened one of the c-4 packets. He fingered the blob of clay like material thoughtfully. He shook his head, the stuff looked harmless. He stuck the blob into the key hole and stood back a foot. He got ready to push the trigger button.
"Wait," Mac said suddenly.
AJ stopped himself from pushing the button.
"What?" he asked, his annoyance showing in his tone.
"Maybe I should set it off. You're the one that has to use the gun." Mac said.
"Good idea, colonel. I think we'll do just that," said the admiral.
He handed over the detonator to Mac. He backed up against the side of the building, and held his gun to the door. Mac backed up against the wall as well, and held the detonator outwards. She held up her left hand and counted 3…2…1… on her fingers, and she pressed the detonator button. The lock blew off, spraying the street with miniscule pieces of metal.
A guard burst through the door. AJ immediately spun around and shot the guard. Another guard rushed through the door. Mac whirled and made a solid kick to his solar plexus. Then she hit him above the head with the butt of her pistol.
Without speaking, Mac and AJ entered the building. AJ immediately went to the second sealed doorway and set up the C-4. He then stepped back, allowing Mac to blow the lock off.
They rushed through the doorways of the rooms beyond the two sealed doors. Each room was dusty and sparsely furnished, if at all. The building was made out of solid concrete. It was no doubt a dreary place. They followed the map painstakingly. The blueprints were accurate, but the many doorways were confusing. They raced through one corridor after another.
They were both on edge, just waiting for either Kareena or her uncle to jump out at them. They finally reached the sealed doorway that marked Harm's cell.
"I'll set up the escape charge first, you can get the one on Harm's door ready in the meantime. Then we'll switch detonators after they're ready," said AJ.
"I'll blow the door open and get Harm. At the same time, you'll blow the first escape charge. Don't wait for me, go directly through the hole and set up and detonate the second charge. Go to the car and wait. I'll be there directly after."
Mac nodded. AJ was a SEAL; he knew what he was doing.
AJ didn't waste time. He went to the wall and set up the charge. Mac set up the charge on the door. AJ beat her in arming the C-4 by mere seconds. By the time he had walked back to her she had finished.
Their gazes met in silent communication. They switched detonators in one fluid moment. Then simultaneously, without a second's hesitation they both pressed the buttons.
Mac ran towards the newly made hole in the wall, it went against her better judgment to go to the car, but she knew that AJ knew what he was doing, and that he had a reason for his orders.
AJ scanned the room as he ran in, trying to find where Harm was in the least time possible. As he burst in, he saw a short, stocky figure whirl around, a branding iron in his hand. AJ immediately identified him as Kareena's uncle.
Without a second's hesitation, the SEAL's arm came up and aimed at the figure's head. He had squeezed the trigger before his brain had even processed the fact that he had aimed the gun. He scanned the room for another person.
A sharp pain lanced down his back and he was lifted off his feet and smashed into the concrete wall on the far side of the room. He got up groggily. This time a small brown fist came out of thin air and him in the solar plexus.
Thankfully, his SEAL training had kicked in and he had breathed out as the hit came, effectively emptying his lungs before they could be forcefully emptied.
His hand still held the gun, but he was too groggy to aim it. He raised his hands in a defensive pose to ward off any blows that may come out of nowhere as had the last few.
He fought to clear his head. His torso throbbed and sharp pains lanced down his back. His recent wound was on fire, having been hit inadvertently when the fist had made contact with his torso.
His thoughts cleared a bit and the first feeling he experienced was rage, a rage so intense that it sent all thoughts of pain and grogginess out of his mind. There was only one thing that he would like to do, get the girl who had hurt the man that he had come to think of as a son; the man that would one day take his place as JAG.
He roared his fury, but it was drowned out by the explosion that marked Mac's success in breaking through the wall.
His gun came up and he spotted Kareena directly in front of him. A wicked smirk was on her lips and her eyes were empty of remorse or any human feeling. They were filled only with a deep, burning hate that had reduced her to nothing better than an animal. His finger tightened on the trigger and a shot rang out, loud and clear. AJ's eyes were glued to Kareena's. They softened as she fell in a graceful arc to the floor, blood flowing from a perfectly round hole in the center of her forehead. Her lips formed a smile as she took her last breath. A deep rattle sounded through the room as her lungs emptied for the last time.
AJ was deeply moved by the change that took place on her face as her muscles relaxed. She looked so young, so very young. He felt the animalistic rage leave him.
He looked at her corpse for a second before he bent down and shut her eyes, murmuring a prayer.
He got up slowly and made his way to the chair that was set in the middle of the cell. It was a cruel chair, made of steel and without cushions, a fitting piece for a fitting environment. On the chair sat Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. His chin rested on his bare chest, blood was splattered everywhere and stained the jeans that he had been wearing the day he had been kidnapped. The burn from the brand, in the shape of the letter 'K' was on his side. AJ walked swiftly to him, great strides covering the distance in seconds. He knelt down by the chair.
"Harm?" he asked, not daring to touch him. He couldn't tell where one cut ended and the other began. He could see bone sticking out from a broken wrist. The Commander gave no response.
"Harm," He said, louder than before. In answer was a groan.
The Commander's mouth opened, beginning to say something.
"Don't try to talk, son, I'm here. We're gonna get out of here, just you watch." AJ said softly. He pulled out his knife from his belt and cut the ropes that held Harm to the chair.
The Admiral carefully picked Harm up and with some difficulty walked out of the cell, leaving behind the side of him that had been born in the jungles of Vietnam. It had taken over for a while but now he was back in control. He ran lightly through the building. A breeze was coming in through the hole in the outside wall. He was careful not to jostle Harm too much. The man looked in bad enough shape.
He made it through the hole and into the car that was waiting at the curb. Mac sat shotgun, AJ carefully got into the back with Harm.
The driver turned around. He was undoubtedly a CIA agent. They seemed to have a certain air about them. AJ could usually tell when he was dealing with one.
AJ nodded to the driver and the driver turned back around and drove down the road at breakneck speed.
"What is the status of the occupants of the building?" The driver asked. His voice was a light baritone. His hair was light brown and short.
"One guard dead, one knocked out. Kareena and her uncle are both dead."
A sharp gasp came from beside him. Mac had been paying close attention to Harm ever since AJ had come into the car. She hadn't asked what had happened in the building. Now she knew.
AJ looked over at her. She was looking at him expectantly. She had a soft expression in her eyes to set off the expression on her face.
"What happened in there sir?" she asked softly.
"Kareena and her uncle were in the room when I came in. I had to… take them out." AJ replied.
He didn't add that he would probably need to see whatever doctors there were in the CIA's 'hospital that didn't exist,' because of the inflammation of his wound. It still sent lances of pain through him when they went over an uneven section of the road.
Mac simply nodded in understanding and turned her attention back to her partner.
It was then that AJ noticed the lack of covering on his eyes.
"Harm?" he asked softly.
He got a groan in response.
"Harm, your eyes. Can you see?" AJ asked.
Mac watched as the Admiral's expression turned to rapt concern.
"No," came Harm's weak answer. "I noticed… before…" the Commander took another breath. "…don't know… when Kareena… took the… coverings off."
AJ's expression hardened.
"Harm, listen to me, you will get your sight back, or I will have something to say about it. Don't worry about it now son, just concentrate on staying conscious, we don't want you in a coma."
Harm nodded, and shifted slightly to get more comfortable, a soft groan escaping from his lips.
A/N: Maybe a short epilogue scene to tie it off, eh? So see you next chapter. Hope you liked it, it was longer than usual. What will happen with Harm's sight…
Find out next time.