SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
United States Navy Captain Harmon Rabb, Jr. finally makes it out of the Boeing 757, disembarking at San Diego International Airport. It had been a long flight for him and his legal ward Mattie.
Harm had received a call in his office in London, England just yesterday. He immediately informed the staff of the Force Judge Advocate of the United States Naval Forces Europe that he was going back to America to take care of family business. After telling Mattie the news, he and Mattie booked the next available flight to San Diego, California.
While not as busy as Los Angeles International Airport or John F. Kennedy International Airport, San Diego International Airport is still crowded. Harm makes his way through the sea of people, pushing Mattie in her wheelchair. Quite a few of them notice Harm's Navy dress uniform.
Harm makes it way through the baggage claim area for American Airlines, as people stand by the conveyer waiting for their luggage. Harm looks around.
He then sees a woman standing by the desk for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The woman is dressed in the uniform of the United States Marine Corps. The rank insignia on her shoulders, silver oak leaves, identify her as a lieutenant colonel.
"Harm," calls out the woman in the Marine uniform. "Good to see you again."
"I wish it were under better circumstances, Mac," replies Harm, referring to his fiance, Sarah Mackenzie.
"How are you doing, Mattie?" asks Mac.
"A little tired," says Mattie. "Good to see you, Sarah."
"Can we just go to your place now?" asks Harm.
"Sure."
ooooooooooo
1827 ZULU
MAC'S APARTMENT
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
The drive from the airport to Mac's apartment in San Diego takes quite a while, giving Harm time to think about a lot of things since receiving that phone call. Everything happened just like that.
"We;'re here," says Mac, shutting off the engine of the specially-equipped rental van.
Mac's apartment is in a Spanish-style duplex set a few yards from the street. Mattie looks and she can see San Diego Bay.
Harm and Mac help her into the apartment. The living room is small, big enough for a woman living alone, although one who will be married in eight months. Furniture is simple, a coffee table and a couch. A huge Toshiba color television stands against one of the white plaster walls.
"Nice place you got," says Mattie.
"Make yourselves at home," says Mac. "Is there anything you want?"
"I've had a long flight," Harm says to his fiance. "I just want to sleep for now."
"Sure."
Harm walks into the guest bedroom, which is just a few feet down the hall from the master bedroom, and sparsely decorated. He unpacks his clothes and exchanges his Navy uniform for a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. He lies down on the guest bed. He drifts to sleep, still dealing with the concept that his mother had just died.