A/N: Since we're entering Season Three, it makes sense to list off the cast that we've added to the universe just as a reminder.
Eric Bana as Secretary Nathan Ross
Carla Gugino as Undersecretary Nicole DiPiccio
Ed Burns as Special Agent Mike Bradley
Marcia Cross as Reverend Beverly Ross
Tom Skerritt as General Jack Ross
Ed Harris as Uncle Moshe
Alan Alda as President Andrew Russell (role was recast)
"Wake up, sir; we're making our approach to Pontianak." Gunny shook Nate who was asleep in his seat. Nate slowly roused out of his sleep, shaking his head as he regained consciousness.
"That's not how you do it, Gunny. You have to really let him have it." Mac elbowed Nate in the gut which practically launched Nate out of his seat. "See, you ever tried to get a male Marine officer awake before Gunny? You really have to let them have it. Especially if they've been a civilian as long as he has."
"Right, ma'am." Gunny nodded.
"Remind me again why I took you two with me on this trip?" Nate rolled his head around looking at Gunny and Mac.
"Because you enjoy our company. And because there was no way in hell you were doing this without us." Mac rebuffed.
"She's got you there, sir." Gunny affirmed as he gave Nate a pat on the shoulder. "By the way, sir, the local temperature is 108 degrees Fahrenheit."
"What does that convert into Celsius as, Gunny?" Nate asked as he finally seemed to be actively participating in the conversation.
"Damn hot, sir." Gunny joked. "Should make this whole thing rather interesting."
"Yeah, because the terrorists, jungle, guns and hostages were a total snooze without the added heat." Mac deadpanned.
"See, Mac gets it." Nate supportively put his hand on Mac's shoulder. "You do know that we'll get him out, right?"
"You do know that we'll get her out, right." Mac reminded him.
"God, I hope so." Nate dropped his chin down into his hand and looked out the window. "It would be a lot different if it was one of us or someone that I knew has a resolve of spun steel but Peach, she's delicate almost innocent." Nate huffed. "Something like this shouldn't happen to someone like that."
"Something like this shouldn't happen to anyone." Mac corrected.
"But if it's going to happen, it should happen to someone like me, someone who knows how to handle themselves in a situation like this." Nate was rambling and clenching his fists in an attempt to hold off the rising emotion. He grit his teeth and gripped the armrests.
"We're taxing down the runway now, sir." The flight attendant told Gunny who thanked her for her information. A few minutes later, the plane had safely landed on the tarmac and the passengers were getting off the plane. It was hard for three Marines, even though they were in civvies, to look inconspicuous in the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. There were things that worked in their favour but a few things here and there were hardly going to win them the favour of anyone in Indonesia.
The three of them walked through the terminal looking for something or someway that they might find information on the whereabouts of Harm and/or Peach. "You mean to tell me that you could make a call to your girlfriend and the President but you couldn't call some source in Indonesia that might know something?" Mac used Russian in case someone might be listening in on their conversation.
"We're Marines, if we can't do a little recon, then we should hang up our BDUs and call it a day." Nate retorted.
"Recon is one thing, it's a complete other thing to try and find a needle in a haystack. What do we do now that we're here?" Mac pressed.
"We aren't up shit creek yet, I have a feeling." Nate waved his hand like a wand receiving a signal.
"We're riding our whole search on the fact that you have a feeling?" Mac practically screeched finally breaking the Russian dialogue in favour of English.
"I'm going to have to agree with the Secretary, ma'am. I just have this weird vibe that something important is going to happen." Gunny chimed in and pointed over to a guy in a blue and orange patterned Hawaiian shirt and holding a sign that read 'MacKenzie, Galindez and Ross'. A smile grew wide on Nate's face as they all walked over to the man.
"Did my father send you?" Nate asked in Hebrew.
"No, I had to call the Commandant and make him aware of this mission. It was an old SEAL friend of mine that gave me a call to come and help you. I take it that you are pleased to see me?" The man was laughing lightly.
"Shall we say a little less then pleased and a little more then curious? You do tend to show up when I land in sticky situations." Finally Nate and the other man hugged. Nate flipped back to English in order to make introductions. "Mac, Gunny, this is my godfather Moshe. Moshe, this is Mac and Gunny."
"Colonel MacKenzie and Gunnery Sergeant Galindez, yes Nathan, I know who they are. Since it is bad policy for either the CIA or my people to have open operations in Borneo, we keep a small halfway house on the edge of the city." Moshe led them out of the airport to a waiting car. Everyone piled inside along with what little luggage that they had brought with them.
"Who are Moshe's people?" Mac inquired in a low whisper.
"He's a former member of the Sayeret Matkal. After he got out of the Army, he joined the Mossad. That was how he met my father. Israeli intelligence officers working with MEUs on the ground in the gulf region." Nate explained quickly.
"As Nathan should point out, I am no longer with the Mossad officially. I freelance, of course if you should ask the Mossad, I was never with them officially. And I also feel I should point out to Nathan that his mother taught him that it was most rude to talk of others behind their back." Moshe interjected which brought Mac and Nate to silence.
"Sorry, Uncle Moshe." Nate hung his head.
"Honestly, Nathan, I don't know how the Americans expect you to lead the country some day." Moshe shook his head. The car pulled away from the airport. "Yesterday, my people found Agent Bradley lying at the side of the road well into the rainforest. He was badly injured but I have heard that he is on the mend today and may even be able to guide us in the general direction of the camp."
"Well, that's good isn't it?" Gunny questioned, looking over at the ex Mossad agent.
"Not entirely. We've had an abnormal amount of traffic passing through here recently. Visitors with Saudi, Yemeni and Algerian passports. We suspect that Ali Al-Bashram is coming to Borneo. Likely to the same camp where your friends are being held." Moshe pointed out.
"So, you're here hunting terrorists, Moshe? Aren't you getting a little old for that game?" Nate goaded.
"No matter how old the fox is, no matter how slow, it's once fast reflexes, it may still outsmart the hound. Nathan, it would be a great thing for your President's war on terror to catch someone so high up in the Al Qaeda framework." Moshe advised.
"It would also appease your bosses in Tel-Aviv to someone aiding and abetting Palestinian terrorists like Hamas." Nate reminded Moshe.
"That it would, that it would." Moshe nodded as the car drove on.
SAME TIME
SOMEWHERE IN THE RAINFOREST
BORNEO, INDONESIA
Harm was dragged, beaten and bloody back into the hut and hurled back down on to the floor. Peach rushed over to his side quickly and used a torn damp piece of her shirt sleeve to wipe the blood away from the cuts on his arms and face. "They found the blades." Harm coughed as he rolled on to his back. "I'm not sure how much more of this I can take."
"Let me go the next round, then." Peach gently cradled him in an effort to stabilize his breathing and heart-rate.
"No!" Harm protested loud enough to cause him to cough once again. "I'm trained to go through this. Three days and all they've gotten out of me is name, rank and serial number. If they're really good, I'll give them my suit measurements next time around." Harm's attempt at levity failed to crack Peach's demeanour. "Besides, if I let anything happen to you, Nate will kick my ass and I'd rather not have a pissed off Marine ready to beat on me."
"I don't mean enough to him that he would pick a fight with you." Peach was noticeably quiet.
"Yeah, you're only the woman he's in love with. He wouldn't tear me limb from limb if I even so much as let you get scratched." Harm was sarcastic.
"Harm, you're exaggerating. Besides, what about Mac? I'm sure that Mac's not going to be very happy with me for letting them cut up that ugly mug of yours." Peach joked as she gave him a pat on the cheek.
"If Mac came through that hut door today, I'd give her a kiss that she'd never forget. Of course, the massive head trauma that she would give me in return would probably kill me in my current condition; but I'm sure it would be worth it." Harm and Peach shared a laugh over that which led to Harm coughing some more. "Note to self: laughing causes excruciating pain."
"Harm, you really should let me take the next round, it's not fair that you have to go through all of this just to keep me from going through it." Peach was starting to gain a little bit of fire to her voice.
"Nate took two bullets for Mac that almost killed him because he saw it as taking bullets for me and giving me a chance at what I wanted in life. I'm repaying the favour. I know for a fact that Nate wants you, I also know that if I can give him the same chance for happiness that he was willing to risk his life to give me, then I'm willing to do that." Harm gulped and leaned back against the wall of the hut.
"So you and Nate are trying to out-sacrifice each other?" Peach questioned, sounding incredibly confused.
"You wouldn't understand." Harm resigned and rolled on to his side.
"Try me." Peach challenged, not letting him escape so easily.
"It's a code of the brotherhood. A set of unspoken rules that most decent guys believe in. Things like you don't think about a friend's wife in a sexual way or you don't try and pick up waitresses in skimpy clothing or how if a buddy is willing to risk his life to save the love of your life, you are bound to find some way to repay him." Harm turned back to face her.
"You really think that Nate and I are in love with each other and we just haven't acknowledged it, or something like that?" Peach asked with a glimmer of hopefulness.
"I believe in it so much that I'm lying on the floor of a hut, spitting up blood because of it." Harm wiped more blood from his lip.
"Harm, for what it's worth, you and Mac are just as meant to be as you seem to think Nate and I are. Don't wait nine years, it's not worth it. Take the chance, leave no doubt." Peach lightly closed her eyes.
"It's afternoon, why are you trying to sleep?" Harm asked.
"The nights are peaceful and beautiful here. The days are full of your screams. Of the two, I prefer the night." Peach answered as he curled up on the floor.
"If Nate hurts you, I promise, I will break every bone in his body." Harm vowed aloud once he was sure Peach had fallen asleep.
1521 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
The Admiral breezed into JAG Ops and through the bullpen on the way to his office. He should probably tell Commander Turner and Lieutenant Sims the truth about why Mac wouldn't be in this morning or any mornings in the immediate future. He also figured that it would be wise to enlist Lieutenant Sims' help in finding a ring for Beverly. "Tiner, would you have Lieutenant Sims and Commander Turner see me in my office as soon as they're available?" The Admiral instructed his yeoman as he moved through the outer office.
"Aye, sir." Tiner replied with a nod. The Admiral entered the sanctum of his office and threw himself down in the chair. He had felt bad about how things went with Mac the day before, so, before he left the office, he had made a call to an old friend who just happened to be a chief of station in the South Pacific who could give Mac a helping hand. An old friend who had been fighting this brand of terrorism for a very long time.
A few seconds later, Harriet and Sturgis came walking into the office and came to attention in front of their commanding officer. The Admiral studied them for a second before deciding to continue with his idea of bringing them up to speed on the situation. "It is my understanding, that a few days ago, a diplomatic convoy carrying Captain Rabb among others was ambushed in the Indonesian countryside outside of Jakarta. Latest intelligence indicates that they're being held somewhere on the island of Borneo. How they got there is anyone's guess. What we know is that that is where he is and the Colonel MacKenzie and Gunny have gone TAD to another office to participate in the rescue. Any questions?" The Admiral looked at the two stunned officers who stood before him.
"Is…there…anything that we can do, sir?" Sturgis piped up after a few seconds of silence.
"No, Commander, the Colonel and the Gunny are being well taken care of by the State Department and the Colonel's cases have been transferred to Lieutenant Singer and Commander Manetti with the lion's share going to Manetti. I just believed that you two should be made aware considering your respective relationships with the persons involved." The Admiral was doing his best to quell the torrent of personal emotions inside of him.
"Thank you, sir. If it's not too much to ask, sir, considering everything, would you keep us updated if you find anything out?" Harriet was a ghastly white as she asked the question.
"Lieutenant, the Colonel is with a team of Marines and an old Israeli Commando friend of mine. I'm sure that she will be kept as safe as possible where she is right now." The Admiral seemed to anticipate Harriet's next question. "That having been said, no part of the world is exactly safe right now, least of all, countries such as Indonesia where groups such as Al Qaeda have popular sympathies."
"So, she chased him all the way to Indonesia. She can do that, but she can't just tell him that she loves him, hell, she told me!" Sturgis flopped down in the chair before he realized what he'd said. The stunned faces of his coworkers were pretty good tip-offs. "I just said that out loud, didn't I?"
"You sure did, son. How long ago did she tell you?" The Admiral was rapt in the new revelation as he bent over his desk.
"It was the last case we worked together before Harm was transferred out." Sturgis ran his hand over his head. "She made me promise not to tell anyone under the threat that she would kick my ass."
"So, naturally you waited several months before airing it in front of two of her closest friends who already had their suspicions? At least you picked the right audience, son. Better us then the bullpen." The Admiral shook his head before falling back into his chair. "This is gonna be one hell of a week."
1706 LOCAL
MOSSAD/CIA SAFEHOUSE
OUTSIDE PONTIANAK, INDONESIA
"Come in and eat, we have much to discuss as I am sure that you do not intend to merely run off into the Indonesian rainforest in search of your friends, not without some reliable intelligence in any case." Moshe motioned for everyone to sit as they entered the house.
"It would be nice to know where we're going for once. I think all Nate had planned was that there would be shooting so he brought his gun." Mac pointed to the M40A1 that Nate had slung over his shoulder.
"It is his weapon of war. No man wields it as he does and he wishes to do the most harm possible to the most people possible without being shot at. We should all be so lucky as to have a part in violence that leaves us so unsusceptible." Moshe sat at the table and pushed a glass across the table. "This is the south pacific, there is little wine here. I have some Manischewitz and Nathan, knowing your preference for lower tannins; I have for you, some Pinot Noir from New Zealand. Please share with our guests." Moshe pushed a green bottle across the table to Nate.
"I don't drink." Mac pointed out.
"Most admirable, Colonel MacKenzie. In any case, what we do know is that their camp is in the rainforest, many miles north and east of the main road; up toward the mountains. When your spy friend come to, he'll be able to give us some better directions as to where the three of you are headed." Moshe fired up a cigarette.
"Why are the Company and the Mossad sharing a safehouse on Borneo?" Mac questioned as she finally took a seat at the table.
"When the Provos started aiding Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, the Director of the CIA called Tel-Aviv and enlisted our help. Really the two plans work on the same premise. Al Qaeda uses the Provos because the IRA invented modern urban terrorism. The CIA uses the Mossad for the same purpose. No one in the world, even MI-6, has been fighting Islamic Fundamentalist Terrorism as long as the Mossad has. The CIA is getting into the game late and they need a veteran to get them up to speed." Moshe exhaled a heavy amount of smoke through his mouth and nostrils.
"Which is why we're here." Mike Bradley came straggling into the main room. He looked like hell, there were bruises visible and black on his chest, neck and face. He hand one arm in a sling and he was nursing one ankle. "Oh God," he moaned as he took a seat, "Becky would be freaking out if she saw me right now."
"Can you tell us about how far the terrorists are from the main road and what direction?" Nate jumped right in, not willing to waste time.
"From what I remember about my time in the Boy Scouts, the camp is where he told you it is; north and east of the main road. I'd say that it's a good seven or ten mile hike through some pretty heavy jungle territory. There's small path of tire tracks that runs through the jungle, it's the only visible light brown dirt on the jungle floor." Mike rolled his neck and winced.
"What does this place look like?" Mac asked, keenly interested in what Mike was saying.
"It's a small little camp, a few buildings, nothing more. They've got one vehicle that they use to get supplies now." Mike answered as he gently rubbed his wounded arm.
"How did you get away, sir?" Gunny questioned, sitting across the table from the wounded spy.
"One of the guards was a dolt. I grabbed his gun as we were getting out of the car and shot him. I made a run for it. The others, they just started firing. They blew up a fuel tank and the explosion threw me thirty feet into the air. I came down on my arm and shattered it but I kept going. I passed out in a ditch on the side of the road." Mike finished talking and reached for a glass of wine.
"That was how we found him yesterday." Moshe pursed his lips after taking another drink of wine.
"So, we have to travel through several miles of jungle, north and east of the point on the road where they picked you up yesterday?" Nate was double-checking, his trigger finger was twitching as if it was itchy.
"That's the basic gist. You guys are going to have to come up with something though, there's no way only the three of you can take down that entire compound; not with Al-Bashram in town, they will have tripled their security, especially if they haven't found me. If you're going to be successful you'll have to be well prepared and well armed or you'll die before you can do any damage." Mike was practically on top of the table in protest.
"I hate you." Nate spat at him sarcastically.
"Why? He's right." Mac turned to face Nate.
"That's why I said it. Moshe, I'm going to need a Ghillie suit, some grenades and quite a few rounds of M40A1 ammunition. Think you can help me out?" Nate turned to face his godfather.
"I believed that you would be requesting such items, Nathan. I had them prepared for you today. For the Colonel and the Gunnery Sergeant I open my arms closet to their discretion. Agent Bradley is right, you three will need a plan, but I suspect that Nathan is already formulating one if he is requesting grenades." Moshe spoke with an arrogant air as he got up out of his chair.
"Once we get within range of the compound, I'll take up a position that allows me a panoramic view of the area. We can use the grenades to set off a distraction at one end of the camp while you two sneak around the opposite end. I'll cover you with my rifle. The distraction caused by the explosions should grant you enough time to enter the camp and work toward the place where Harm and Peach are being held. I should be able to keep them busy long enough to draw a considerable amount of heat away from you two." Nate fiddled with the stem of his wine glass.
"It's flimsy and there are about forty ways that they could poke holes in that plan. You're basing the whole thing on their psychology." Mac pointed out.
"But……" Nate alluded to the inevitable completion of her thought.
"But, considering the circumstances, that's about all we can muster. It's not as if we can just run in. We better use some smoke grenades as well, it should give us a fair cloak to work under when we're in the camp." Mac and Moshe locked eyes as the older Israeli man's smile signified his approval of her amendment to Nate's plan.
"You should go in a few hours before dawn. It will give you time to set and work through the jungle without sentries. You should reach the camp around dawn, they're Muslim so they should be praying around that time, and it's perfect to begin the assault. Are you going with them Moshe?" Mike turned toward the older man.
"No, no, my battles were won and lost many years ago. I will but assist them in their escape. So, we have established a long range radio contact. Radio me when you need me to be waiting with the car on the road and be prepared to get out of here. I'm already making arrangements to smuggle you out of the country and get you to some place which would be more accommodating to your national interests." Moshe reclaimed his seat at the table.
"We should get some sleep. It is going to be a very long day tomorrow and we are going to need every last microcosm of strength in order to get through it and save Harm and Peach." Mac put a conciliatory hand on both Gunny and Nate's backs.
"Of course, there are rooms made up for you in the cellar. I pray that those powers which protect us in our most trying times go with the three of you tomorrow." Moshe opened the door to the cellar downstairs. Gunny sprinted down the stairs leaving Mac and Nate to lag behind.
"Mac, why have you been so hard on me this trip?" Nate asked quietly as they descended the staircase.
"Because you seemed so uninspired back in Washington. You seemed so content to just sit there and let this happen that I felt I needed to light a fire under you in order to get you to do the right thing." Mac explained with a softened tone.
"I'm here now, I just hate that we live in a world where a supposedly retired trained killer has to dust off his rifle to kill more human beings because of how highly he values the life of a special woman." Nate reflected with a heavy breath.
"Why are you here?" Mac questioned, looking caringly into Nate's eyes.
"Because I care." Nate answered simply.
"About her?" Mac and Nate reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Yes." Nate was sounding tired.
"How much do you care?" Mac pushed the big question.
"Well now, that's the question, isn't it?" Nate replied with a wise smile.
2224 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE IN THE RAINFOREST
BORNEO, INDONESIA
"You're right, it is serene and almost beautiful here at night." Harm and Peach gazed out of a small hole that they had dug in the wall of the hut.
"And it's not hotter then hell, which is a plus." Peach smiled sweetly.
"Do you think they're out there, looking for us? Coming for us?" Harm asked as he put a hand on her shoulder.
"I have no doubt. I just hope that they get here in time." Peach chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Ironic, isn't it? We've had all this time with the two of them and now all we want is just a little more because we think we'll get it right this time."
"I would give anything to be able to go back to a ferry in Sydney a few years ago. Or hell, any other time before or since then. When I look back, the last six and a half years just seem all so empty." Harm hung his head. "Did you know that Mac and I made a promise to have a baby together if we weren't dating anyone in five years?"
"How long ago was that?" Peach asked with a wide smile.
"Two and a half years ago. I don't care if I need to wait two and a half more years, it will be worth it." Harm was devout in his statement.
"Why don't you do the adult thing and have a conversation with her about moving up the timeline? Or better yet, just tell her that you're madly in love with her and want to take her on a date." Peach suggested.
"I'm not so sure about the date thing. Moving up the timeline on the other hand, that might be easier." Harm thought aloud.
"Let me get this straight. It's easier for you to tell a woman that you want her to have your baby then it is for you to tell her that you just want to take her on a date? What kind of screwed up planet are you from?" Peach was now laughing heartily out of disbelief.
"Southern California." Harm quipped and the two of them laughed.
"That would explain it, yeah." Peach affirmed. "They're coming, I can just feel it." Peach said. They were the last words Harm heard before falling asleep.