Chapter 24
(Harriet's POV)
(Back at JAG headquarters a day later)
"Ma'am? Lieutenant Sims?" Tiner poked his head into Bud's office where I'd been discussing a case with him.
"Yes Tiner. What is it?" I respond.
"The Admiral would like to see you now it's urgent."
Tiner doesn't look too happy, and he's usually pretty cheerful. This does not bode well. "Tell him I'll be right there Tiner."
I sigh and look at my husband, "Do you know anything about this?" I ask.
"No Harriet. But, I do know that the SECNAV was in here earlier. He could have something to do with it."
"Do you think they want me to transfer back to the Inspector General's office?"
"No sweetie, but I think you'd better go. The Admiral was not in a good mood at this morning's briefing and a meeting with the Secretary of the Navy has hardly improved that." He replied.
"Alright, I'll see you later." I say as I walk out.
"Lieutenant Sims reporting as ordered Sir." I say as I snap to attention in front of my C.O.
"At ease Harriet. Please shut the door and have a seat."
I do so and sit down, he has not looked up which does not help my doubts.
"I suppose you're wondering why I called you in." he says looking up. "I have received word about the Colonel and the Commander on their assignment." He pauses again.
"They're.. not in trouble sir?" I ask worried.
"That's just the thing. We don't know at the moment. What I'm telling you must not be repeated to anyone else." He looks at me seriously, I swallow hard.
"Yes Sir, under no circumstances."
"Harm and Mac were sent on a mission to Europe and it involves one of our bases. The CIA who came up with this mission seem to have miscalculated the depth and danger of it. There was an attempt on the Colonel's life a few days past. As of yet they are alright, but that may not last long. Every hour they spend there lessens their chances of returning safely. For security reasons they cannot be pulled at the moment...." he trails off. "What I'm trying to say is that it doesn't look good. They may end up sacrificing themselves for this country. Either way they will have done their duty and done it well. You may have to explain to your son what happened to his godparents. I'm sorry." His voice breaks, and I cannot hold back my tears anymore they fall freely.
"Sir, what about the rest of JAG?" I mumble.
"I will tell them something along these lines.... I can't believe it, they have survived the CIA, murderous poachers, being hostage, Palmer, various court-martials, Russia, Australia and Brumby, the Atlantic ocean, Afghanistan and Singer's murder only to be brought down in Europe during peacetime no less!" I realized at this point he was no longer talking to me, but to himself.
"Permission to be dismissed sir?" I ask.
"Yes Harriet. I'll keep everyone as updated as possible." He walks over to the window as I stand up and make towards the door, but not quick enough. He's crying silently. I suspected it and now I know it. These two officers whom we both count as our friends he thinks of as his children. Harm is the son he never had, and Mac the daughter he never knew. The sight makes me burst into sobs, I can't control it. I run from the Admiral's office taking the quickest route to the ladies' room.
I never reach it, because my husband has chased me out of the bullpen. "Harriet what's the matter?" he asks putting his hand on my shoulder. "Do you have to go back?"
I sit on a nearby bench, slowly shaking my head. "No Bud. It has nothing to do with us, but everything to do with us." I cry into his uniform.
"Well then what is it?" he asks concerned.
"It has to do with little AJ's godparents." I say softly, slowly looking up at him. His face immediately drains of all color.
"What happened?"
"It hasn't happened yet, and I can't say much more, the Admiral is going to brief everyone soon."
Just then we heard Gunny call out, "ATTENTION ON DECK!" Bud and I scramble into the bullpen.
"At ease people. I have some disturbing news to tell you. The SECNAV and the CIA have just given me an update on the mission Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie have gone on. It seems that the mission was miscalculated and it has become far more dangerous than originally thought, and there are serious security issues involved. I have been informed that they cannot be pulled at the moment for that very reason. All I can say is that the longer they stay there the less likely it is they will come out alive. I'm sorry people." He looks absolutely devastated and retreats to his office as quickly as possible.
The Bullpen stares at the space the Admiral has just vacated as if they cannot believe what they just heard. Commander Turner recovers first, the mask of duty covering his grief-stricken face. "Alright, back to work people." He says with a sigh, and he strides to his office and slams his door with a decisive swing. Rattling the nearby office doors of my husband as well as the Commander's and Colonel's. *The offices they may never set foot in again.* I think.
I swallow my tears and turn back to my desk, I am a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, I can handle this..
A/N: Tragedy and Angst.. Don't you guys just love me?
e-dog: Yes, suspense is a wonderful tool..
Angela B.: Oh he's a bad guy, you can count on that.
Lisa: Well, here it is..
(Harriet's POV)
(Back at JAG headquarters a day later)
"Ma'am? Lieutenant Sims?" Tiner poked his head into Bud's office where I'd been discussing a case with him.
"Yes Tiner. What is it?" I respond.
"The Admiral would like to see you now it's urgent."
Tiner doesn't look too happy, and he's usually pretty cheerful. This does not bode well. "Tell him I'll be right there Tiner."
I sigh and look at my husband, "Do you know anything about this?" I ask.
"No Harriet. But, I do know that the SECNAV was in here earlier. He could have something to do with it."
"Do you think they want me to transfer back to the Inspector General's office?"
"No sweetie, but I think you'd better go. The Admiral was not in a good mood at this morning's briefing and a meeting with the Secretary of the Navy has hardly improved that." He replied.
"Alright, I'll see you later." I say as I walk out.
"Lieutenant Sims reporting as ordered Sir." I say as I snap to attention in front of my C.O.
"At ease Harriet. Please shut the door and have a seat."
I do so and sit down, he has not looked up which does not help my doubts.
"I suppose you're wondering why I called you in." he says looking up. "I have received word about the Colonel and the Commander on their assignment." He pauses again.
"They're.. not in trouble sir?" I ask worried.
"That's just the thing. We don't know at the moment. What I'm telling you must not be repeated to anyone else." He looks at me seriously, I swallow hard.
"Yes Sir, under no circumstances."
"Harm and Mac were sent on a mission to Europe and it involves one of our bases. The CIA who came up with this mission seem to have miscalculated the depth and danger of it. There was an attempt on the Colonel's life a few days past. As of yet they are alright, but that may not last long. Every hour they spend there lessens their chances of returning safely. For security reasons they cannot be pulled at the moment...." he trails off. "What I'm trying to say is that it doesn't look good. They may end up sacrificing themselves for this country. Either way they will have done their duty and done it well. You may have to explain to your son what happened to his godparents. I'm sorry." His voice breaks, and I cannot hold back my tears anymore they fall freely.
"Sir, what about the rest of JAG?" I mumble.
"I will tell them something along these lines.... I can't believe it, they have survived the CIA, murderous poachers, being hostage, Palmer, various court-martials, Russia, Australia and Brumby, the Atlantic ocean, Afghanistan and Singer's murder only to be brought down in Europe during peacetime no less!" I realized at this point he was no longer talking to me, but to himself.
"Permission to be dismissed sir?" I ask.
"Yes Harriet. I'll keep everyone as updated as possible." He walks over to the window as I stand up and make towards the door, but not quick enough. He's crying silently. I suspected it and now I know it. These two officers whom we both count as our friends he thinks of as his children. Harm is the son he never had, and Mac the daughter he never knew. The sight makes me burst into sobs, I can't control it. I run from the Admiral's office taking the quickest route to the ladies' room.
I never reach it, because my husband has chased me out of the bullpen. "Harriet what's the matter?" he asks putting his hand on my shoulder. "Do you have to go back?"
I sit on a nearby bench, slowly shaking my head. "No Bud. It has nothing to do with us, but everything to do with us." I cry into his uniform.
"Well then what is it?" he asks concerned.
"It has to do with little AJ's godparents." I say softly, slowly looking up at him. His face immediately drains of all color.
"What happened?"
"It hasn't happened yet, and I can't say much more, the Admiral is going to brief everyone soon."
Just then we heard Gunny call out, "ATTENTION ON DECK!" Bud and I scramble into the bullpen.
"At ease people. I have some disturbing news to tell you. The SECNAV and the CIA have just given me an update on the mission Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie have gone on. It seems that the mission was miscalculated and it has become far more dangerous than originally thought, and there are serious security issues involved. I have been informed that they cannot be pulled at the moment for that very reason. All I can say is that the longer they stay there the less likely it is they will come out alive. I'm sorry people." He looks absolutely devastated and retreats to his office as quickly as possible.
The Bullpen stares at the space the Admiral has just vacated as if they cannot believe what they just heard. Commander Turner recovers first, the mask of duty covering his grief-stricken face. "Alright, back to work people." He says with a sigh, and he strides to his office and slams his door with a decisive swing. Rattling the nearby office doors of my husband as well as the Commander's and Colonel's. *The offices they may never set foot in again.* I think.
I swallow my tears and turn back to my desk, I am a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, I can handle this..
A/N: Tragedy and Angst.. Don't you guys just love me?
e-dog: Yes, suspense is a wonderful tool..
Angela B.: Oh he's a bad guy, you can count on that.
Lisa: Well, here it is..