A JAG '24'
Chapter 5
Disclaimers: I don't own any of the JAG or NCIS characters. I don't own any product or label mentioned for the purposes of telling this story. Any similarities to situations or persons living or dead are purely coincidental.
Spoilers: This particular 24 hours of JAG is based on the Season 9 episodes 'Persian Gulf' with some of the events of 'Take it Like a Man.' The episode "A Girls Best Friend" will also be referred to. Also a reminder that events will not necessarily happen in the same sequence or have the same result as the original episodes.
A/N: NSWC White Oak—Naval Surface Warfare Center, White Oak, Maryland.
MTAC: Multiple Threat Assessment Center.
A/N: This is still not meant to be a cross over fic, but the story does call for NCIS to be involved, so... as a very wise Admiral once said…..make of it what you will.
Rating K+
The following takes place between the hours of
1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Special Agent Jethro Gibbs had been summoned to MTAC by Director Morrow. After he passed through the retinal scan, he walked into the darkened room with its large screens showing surveillance of a number of different sites. One site that caught Gibbs eye immediately as he stepped into the room was that of Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie driving through the main gate into CIA headquarters at Langley.
As Gibbs approached the Director he turned to him. "Gibbs…have you included anyone other than your team in this investigation?"
"No."
"The Colonel stated this morning that she was not assisting the CIA in the Fahd case, isn't that right?" The Directors gaze returned to the screens before him.
"She did, and Admiral Chegwidden also assured me that she was not. However, he did inform me that their investigation of the Marvalis case would include trying to locate CIA Agent Van Duyn. She was already suspicious of their association prior to the incident at JAG yesterday. "
"I think its time we brought Colonel Mackenzie and the Admiral in on this operation. We are too close to resolving this matter to allow anyone from JAG to walk into it uninformed."
At that same moment…
Mrs. Ames walked quietly back and forth in the living room of her small apartment. Her thoughts warring between admonishing herself for worrying and thinking she might have made a terrible mistake. She had looked out of her window just a little while ago and had seen Mr. Khani walking out of the building. He had gotten into his car and before he did he had looked up at the building, appearing to pinpoint his gaze at the windows of Sarah Mackenzie's apartment. Why hadn't he waited? Ms. Mackenzie usually came home around 5 p.m. surely if he was a relative of hers, he would know that.
Distractedly she happened to glance at her television set. She usually kept the news channel on but the volume down. She saw the red flash at the bottom of the screen indicating a news alert. She walked up to the set and increased the volume in time to hear the news commentator speak.
"We have just received word from the Department of Homeland Security that a credible threat to the Washington Metropolitan area has been detected. The public is urged to be vigilant, to report any suspicious behaviors or anything out of the ordinary to your local authorities."
Mrs. Ames covered her mouth with her hand, 'what had she done?' She felt the panic rise in her chest and felt her heartbeat increase with every passing second. What would she do? What if she were wrong? She sat down heavily in the chair nearest to her, her knees feeling suddenly too weak to support her. She would call Ms Mackenzie; surely she would assure her that she did, in fact, have an uncle named Parviz Khani and then Mrs. Ames could put her fears to rest.
Walking into her small office, she found the place where she recorded the emergency contact numbers of the tenants of the building. They were to be used only in the occasion of extreme emergency, but she felt she couldn't take a chance. Dialing the main number at JAG headquarters, her mind was still reeling. She still feared that she would insult her tenant, but the thought that she might have put her life in danger by allowing this man in her apartment made Mrs. Ames more determined to call her.
The irritating tone of the busy signal buzzed in her ear. She replaced the handset on the receiver and tried to calm herself. She walked back into her living room and stood in front of the television, looking at the icon in the corner of her screen that indicated the increased threat level. Maybe she should call the police, but what if she was wrong and she had accused Mr. Khani of something he wasn't guilty of? Ms. Mackenzie would think she was a bigoted old fool. Mr. Khani had seemed nice, she shook her head, no she wouldn't call them yet. She would wait till she spoke with her tenant. She would try again in a little while….
At that same moment at District Cigar Store and Tobacconists….
Sadiq Fahd had sat comfortably in the club chair, smoking his cigar and giving the appearance of a man at peace with the world. Peace was the last thing on his mind. He rose from his chair and walked back to the locker room at the cigar store. He used a combination to open another locker. A locker that was registered to Parviz Khani, one in which he had hidden enough C4 to level the nightclub, Shiraz.
This would be a night of nights. He would allow Sarah to see an example of the destruction he was capable of inflicting on this small corner of America, just blocks from the White House. The degenerates who frequented that club would be sent to hell where they belonged, all of them.
As he approached the door, the young man at the counter spoke to him.
"Be careful sir, we have an increased threat level in the Washington Metropolitan area."
"Thank you, young man, I will"
Sadiq had turned to look at the young man without a moment's hesitation. His demeanor was of a man with no apprehension. Though now he knew the authorities must be aware of his presence here in their capital. He would return to the largely Middle Eastern neighborhood in the heart of the city, where he would blend seamlessly with many of his fellow countrymen who had gladly made America their home.
He would need to return to Fardad's apartment, so that he would have time to assemble the explosive device. His host had always been very mindful of his guest's privacy. He would have plenty of time to have the device in place just prior to meeting with him at 5 p.m.
Then he would call Sarah, to see if she had seen the 'gifts' he had left in her apartment.
At JAG headquarters…
Admiral Chegwidden sat at his desk still pondering the Marvalis case. It had all begun with the diamonds with no serial number; they had been the catalyst, signaling the beginning of the end of his relationship with Meredith. The voice of Petty Officer Coates pulled him from his thoughts.
"Sir, I have a call from NCIS Headquarter, an Agent Tim McGee."
"Thank you Petty Officer, put it through."
The Admiral answered the phone. "Chegwidden"
"Admiral Chegwidden, sir, I'm calling on behalf of Special Agent Gibbs and Director Morrow, sir. They would like to meet with you and Colonel Mackenzie as soon as possible."
The Admiral frowned, "In regards to…?"
McGee swallowed hard. "I was instructed by Special Agent Gibbs to ask you to meet with him and the director regarding the Marvalis case. He said you would know what it was about…sir." McGee was still intimidated by his rank, though he was not in the Navy. He was after all speaking with the Judge Advocate General of the Navy.
"I see. Tell your boss that I will talk with him later this afternoon, and that if he has any problem with that, he should call me himself."
"Yes…I will, sir"
The Admiral ended the call and smiled, he had met this young man before, he seemed like a nice kid. He chuckled as he thought, that wouldn't last long…if Gibbs had anything to do with it. Gibbs was good at his job, but he didn't appear to be an easy man to work for.
He buzzed Coates at her desk and told her to contact Mac and tell her to meet him at NCIS headquarters. She also cleared his schedule for the afternoon.
The following takes place between the hours of
2 p.m. and 3p.m.
Harm stood at the window of his apartment drinking yet another cup of coffee, and looking south toward the heart of the District. He had never felt so helpless in all of his life. When they lost Sadiq in Paraguay, he had known it would come to this. Now, not to be able to help Mac was nearly driving him crazy.
He wanted to talk to the Admiral, to know for himself that Mac would have someone watching her back. He didn't trust the Company, he never would. He understood their purpose and that you had to deal with some nasty people in their line of work. This was just not the way either he, or Mac did things.
He had a strong feeling of foreboding; maybe Mac's premonitions were rubbing off on him. Her involvement in this case left him feeling as he had when she told him she was going to Paraguay with Webb. He understood now that Paraguay had deeply affected Mac and it sure as hell had changed his life. She had been more closed off than ever when they returned, but then again, he had too.
Having Mattie in his life had helped ground him, when it seemed everything he had always been able to count on had disintegrated before his eyes. Thinking about what was best for her, the feeling that he could make a difference in the life of a child helped him refocus on what was most important to him now. He wanted a family, he wanted to put them first in his life and, one way or the other, he intended to have one. He hoped to finish his career in the Navy. Harm knew he was still a 30 year man, but he wanted a family too and now more than ever, he believed he could do it…very well…with the right woman.
Harm walked back into his kitchen and put his coffee cup in the sink. He wondered if Mac remembered the deal they had made almost 5 years ago. She had mentioned it when he spoke with her at Christmastime; it had been when he had needed her to testify on his behalf at Mattie's custody hearing. They both talked around the issue, between the jabs and barbs. He had gotten the parting shot that time, but he hadn't walked away unscathed. What she said had hurt him in a way he never expected, having Mattie meant so much to him. It was true that he hadn't told Mac about her, but he truly didn't believe she was interested. She had moved on and he was trying to do the same.
She had come through though, like a miracle. Even when the courts hadn't allowed him guardianship, Mac didn't give up. The renewed connection he felt with her last night gave him hope; they might have the chance of a future together, after all.
Though Mac hadn't said anything about a change in hers and Webb's relationship, for reasons he couldn't explain, he didn't feel threatened by it anymore. After last night, he felt as though their connection was stronger than the one she had with Webb.
The only thing that Harm felt threatened by now was what could happen to Mac while Sadiq was still at large. All he needed was another 24 hours, and then he felt he would be as able as Mac to seek him out, before anyone else was hurt. In the back of his mind, he had always known Sadiq would come for them, he just thought they would face him together.
At that same moment…
Mac was pulling out of the parking lot at Langley when Petty Officer Coates was finally able to reach her.
"Colonel Mackenzie"
"Petty Officer Coates ma'am"
"Yes Petty Officer?"
"The Admiral asked that I call and tell you that he wants you to meet him at NCIS headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard, ma'am."
"Tell the Admiral that I'm on my way."
"Will do ma'am"
Mac ended the call. The trip out here had been pointless, as had trying to speak with Clayton's secretary. She had merely said what she always did. He is on an assignment and she had no idea where he was. Mac shook her head in disgust, thinking that the Company trained even their secretaries to lie well.
As she drove toward the Navy Yard the question occurred to her, 'what secrets did Van Duyn's secretary keep?'
The following takes place between the hours of
3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Mrs. Ames dialed the phone number for Headquarters JAG again. She was able to get through this time to the main switchboard.
The young man who answered spoke so quickly that she wasn't sure she had the right place.
"Hello? Is this the Judge Advocate General's headquarters?" Mrs. Ames didn't feel sure of herself, she hoped she had the phone number right.
"Yes, it is." The young seaman apprentice was new to his job at JAG's main switchboard.
"May I speak with…" what was her title? She remembered that she was in the Marines.
"Yes?" The young man frowned, wondering; didn't this old lady know who she wanted to talk to?
"I'm sorry young man; I need to speak with Sarah Mackenzie. I know she's in the Marines, I don't know her title…"
The young man at the switchboard suddenly felt very superior. "Do you mean rank? Sarah Mackenzie?" He'd only been there a week, but he's never heard of Sarah Mackenzie.
The petty officer third class seated next to him had been smiling along with the seaman apprentice until he heard the name, Sarah Mackenzie. His expression turned serious. He nearly ripped the head piece off of the seaman's head.
"Hello…ma'am? This is Petty Officer Smith, may I help you?"
"Yes, I'm trying to reach Sarah Mackenzie, she's in the Marines."
"Do you mean Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie?"
"Yes, that's it" Mrs. Ames was so relieved.
Petty Officer Smith carefully explained that she would be talking with another person who would locate Colonel Mackenzie for her. The petty officer prayed this wasn't her grandmother or something; then they'd both be in trouble.
"Oh thank you, young man." She smiled sweetly, thinking, who said there were no nice young people anymore?
Mrs. Ames was put promptly through to Petty Officer Jennifer Coates.
"May I speak with Sarah Mackenzie? No, I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie?"
"I'm sorry ma'am; she's not in the office right now. Can I take a message?"
"No…well, I really should speak with her. You see, I manage her apartment building."
"Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?"
"Well, I don't know if I should discuss it with anyone, I should talk to her." She didn't want anyone to think she had suspected that Ms Mackenzie's uncle might be a terrorist.
"Is it an emergency, ma'am?"
"Well, I don't know…I'm sorry young woman. I don't mean to be difficult."
Coates was silent for a moment unsure of what the caller wanted her to do.
Mrs. Ames suddenly thought of what she could say so that she wouldn't sound unreasonably suspicious.
"Well, it's just this, Ms Mackenzie, I'm sorry; Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie had a visitor, a distant cousin from Iran. He said he name was Mr. Parviz Khani. He waited for her for awhile but left before she got home. I just wanted to let her know he was here, he may have returned to the airport. She might be able to catch him; he said he would only be in the area for a few hours."
"I can contact her and let her know, ma'am."
"Oh thank you, I just didn't want her to miss her cousin's visit." Mrs. Ames was so relieved. She had let Ms. Mackenzie know about her visitor, and hadn't unnecessarily alarmed anyone. She would leave those concerns to people who could handle them better. She replaced the phone in the handset; sure she had done the right thing.
At that same moment on the Beltway…
Mac had just exited onto the Beltway a few moments before. She hoped she would at least get more cooperation from NCIS than she did with the people at Langley. She felt as though she had been chasing her tail all morning.
As she came near the exit to Georgetown, she thought of the dossier, of sorts, that she had compiled about Van Duyn. She had begun work on it around the time he had come up missing. Did she have the name of his secretary recorded there? She remembered their conversation now when they were talking about what a 'good' Company secretary did.
She decided to make a quick detour to her apartment and pick up that file before she went to NCIS headquarters. As she exited off she decided to make a quick call to Harm's apartment. He wouldn't have to know, she could talk to Mattie, just to be sure that he was alright. She punched #1 on her speed dial and to her surprise Harm answered.
"Rabb." Still one octave too loud.
"Harm?" At least he had heard the phone ring.
"Mac!" God, it was great to hear her voice.
"Hey, just called to see if you're still behaving yourself." Oddly enough, Mac was the one who was shouting this time.
"You don't have to scream Mac, I can hear you." Harm chuckled deep in his chest.
Mac blushed though no one could see her. "Smartass."
"Hey… good to talk to you too." He teased. "What's up?"
At that same moment at JAG…
Coates replaced the handset of her phone in the receiver; she had gotten Mac's voice mail. Frowning, she stood and walked over to the Admiral's office door. Something wasn't right about this. She had only known Mac for a little over a year but she didn't remember Mac saying anything about distant cousins still in Iran. She knocked and heard the Admiral call, 'enter.'
Coates stepped in the door and closed it behind her. The Admiral looked up, assessing the expression on her face. She looked a bit confused and slightly apprehensive. 'Oh God,' he thought, 'She's not going to start 20 questions about Meredith again, is she?'
"What is it Coates?" The Admiral's tone was sharp as he glanced up; thinking very little eye contact would let the petty officer know she'd better keep this short.
"Sir, does the Colonel have a distant cousin from Iran?"
"What?"
"I'm sorry sir; I just received a call from the Colonel's building manger. She said that her cousin, Mr. Parviz Khani, came by today and had waited a short time for her at her apartment, but then he left saying he would only be in the country for a few hours. He said he was visiting the States, traveling from Iran. I've tried to reach the Colonel, but all I'm getting is her voice mail."
"Were you able to reach her about the meeting at NCIS?"
"Yes, it couldn't have been more than 10 minutes before."
"Get me Agent Gibbs at NCIS and keep trying to get the Colonel, put her through to me right away." The Admiral wasn't sure whether Mac had a distant cousin in Iran, but given the events of the past 24 hours, he wasn't going to take a chance. Parviz Khani, he was sure he'd never heard the name before. He would notify Gibbs, maybe it was an alias for Sadiq that NCIS was aware of.
The following takes place between the hours of
4p.m. and 5 p.m.
Coates was able to reach Special Agent Gibbs right away. She buzzed the Admirals office and told him she had him on the line.
The Admiral pushed the lighted button and picked up the phone. "Gibbs?"
"What can I do for you Admiral?"
"Something has come up that you should be aware of. It may or may not be of importance."
Gibbs waited silently, wanting the Admiral to get on with it.
"Colonel Mackenzie was paid a visit this morning, a distant relative from Iran, that in the 9 years I've known her, she has never mentioned. His name is Parviz Khani "
"What?" Gibbs, who had been seated at his desk, stood pushing his chair backward as he did.
"Do you recognize the name, Gibbs?"
"Yes, it is another of Sadiq Fahd's aliases that we were just recently made aware of. Did the relative come to JAG headquarters?"
"No, he went to her apartment building."
Just then Coates knocked and opened the door of his office. "Excuse me sir, I was able to reach the Colonel on her cell phone, she's just now stopping at by her apartment for a moment."
"Keep her on the line, Coates."
Gibbs heard the petty officer and spoke before the Admiral had a chance to answer Coates. "Do NOT let her go inside, Admiral."
He looked at Coates. "Tell her not to go inside the building, tell her NOW!" The Admiral was rising from his seat.
He spoke again to Gibbs. "Maybe you better tell me what's going on."
"We were just made aware of the name Parviz Khani this morning, he is suspected in the disappearance of C4 from NSWC at White Oak. Given the calling card Sadiq left Rabb yesterday, I wouldn't let the Colonel enter the building until the Bomb Squad has had a chance to get a look at it and we've had a chance to get inside."
Coates returned at that moment and said she had the Colonel still on the line, outside her apartment.
"Tell her to stay outside the building and we'll get in touch with the local law enforcement to clear the rest of the building. I'm on my way."
The Admiral replaced the handset on the receiver. From where he stood he pushed his chair back from his desk and thought aloud. "I am too." He walked around his desk, picked up his cover and headed out of his office. He stopped at Coates desk and picked up the phone. "Colonel, stay where you are, NCIS will be there with you shortly. I'm on my way as well. I'll tell you what's going on when I get there. " He handed the phone to Coates and left the room.
At that same moment in Georgetown…
Mac stood in front of her apartment building. She looked up at the windows of her apartment. As she put her cell phone back in her purse, she heard sirens in the distance getting louder and louder.
A few moments later she turned to see a number of police vehicles, including some that looked like the bomb squad, heading toward her building.
In the District, just north of Union Station…
Harm sat in his living room trying to focus on the paragraph he had been trying to read for the last 10 minutes. Closing the book, he pushed up from the couch and unsteadily walked toward the kitchen. It had been great to talk with Mac a few moments ago, but it only made her and the situation with Sadiq more pervasive in his thoughts. She said she had to stop by her apartment and then she was going to NCIS headquarters. He was relieved that she was including NCIS in this but no one watched her back like he did. No one knew Mac like he did, estranged though they had been.
He walked to the window and looked out again, toward the city. Just then he heard Mattie call him from the doorway.
"Harm, I think you should see this." She motioned for him to follow her.
He followed her to her apartment and as Mattie pointed toward her television screen. Harm saw what looked to be an aerial view of an apartment building, with numerous law enforcement vehicles surrounding it. A bright red vehicle caught his eye and he knew immediately that he was looking at Mac's apartment building. He walked closer, looking for Mac; he had just spoken with her, just minutes ago. Everything around the building looked intact. He squatted down in front of the screen trying to find her in the many people in uniform scurrying around the building like ants. He saw a figure near her red corvette, moving back and forth, pacing. He squinted and almost at the moment he knew it was Mac, the picture changed to a close up of the news commentator.
Harm straightened to stand and nearly lost his balance. Damn, this was driving him crazy. Righting himself, he turned to walk back to his apartment. He was getting to Georgetown if he had to walk all the way. Mattie called to him and he had heard her, but he didn't acknowledge her. He didn't want to hear her ask him where he was going. Deep down, he knew couldn't do anything to help now. Saying it aloud would just make it more obvious to him.
Harm went back to his apartment and Mattie followed behind him. Harm walked into his bedroom and put his shoes on. Mattie stayed in the living room, watching and saying nothing. She wasn't going to argue with him, but she wasn't going to let him leave either. She had been given a cell phone by Agent Todd as well, and she had reached into her pocket to signal the NCIS agents outside.
She knew it was just a matter of minutes, if that, until there would be here.
Harm stood, carefully and walked back out of his bedroom. Walking to the door, he took his jacket from the peg on the wall. He turned to look at Mattie. "Stay here."
"I will." She said, thinking all the while, that he would too.
Harm opened the door only to come face to face with Special Agent Caitlyn Todd.
"Going somewhere, commander?"
Harm looked over his shoulder at Mattie.
Agent Todd spoke up again. "She is not the only one who thought that you might be trying to leave after you heard what was happening at your partners apartment building."
Harm looked at her. "We received a call from Admiral Chegwidden just prior to your ward's call. He knew you might see this on television. He is enroute to Colonel Mackenzie's apartment as we speak."
Harm started to walk around her toward the elevators. Both the Special Agent and Mattie moved to stop him when Special Agent Tony DiNozzo stepped off of the elevator.
"You know Commander, you just might be able to take them, but I don't think you could take all three of us, so why don't you cooperate and go back in your apartment." DiNozzo folded his arms in front of his chest and casually leaned against the wall, creating an obstacle in Harm's path to the elevator.
Mattie and Agent Todd gave DiNozzo a sharp look at his backhanded comment. He gave them a mock innocent, look raising his hands in surrender.
Harm knew he was outnumbered, so he turned and went back inside. Mattie followed him in and closed the door, leaving the two Special Agents to hash out their differences alone.
Mattie walked up beside Harm where he stood at the window. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't just stand here and do nothing."
Harm looked over at her, "I know, I shouldn't have tried to go. I just…" Harm couldn't finish his sentence. He felt foolish enough already. "Never mind, let's get something started for dinner." Maybe Mac would call, or better yet come over here after things were settled at her building.
Mattie followed him back into the kitchen and asked. "You love her, don't you?"
Harm looked over at her and for reasons he could never explain, finally admitted aloud what he should have long ago. "Yes, I do."
TBC