Chapter Seven
The first couple of days had brought nothing that could be considered of use, and Mac was getting tired of having to make this drive down, the state guys assigned to this case refused to let Mac in to see the prisoner. On the third day, Mac walked through the brig and found Clayton Webb standing off to the side waiting for her.
"Mac, you shouldn't have to go through this."
"I need to see the man who is responsible for the death of my fiancé Clay. Do you know why he is asking to speak to me only?"
"We haven't been able to figure that out yet. We haven't even been able to find out his real name."
"Okay Clay. Are you coming in with me?"
"He wants only you in the room. We will be right outside the cell watching through the two way mirror. Mac, try to get his real name and people in the terrorist cell."
"I know Clay, I know."
She walked into the room. "Seaman Ben Ladir-Famino, why don't you just tell us your real name that way we can drop the false pretenses?"
"Colonel Mackenzie, such a pleasure to meet you. Commander Rabb was always talking about his beautiful fiancé."
"I wish I could tell you the same. You are reason that my fiancé is gone."
"Are you so sure about that Colonel?"
"That you are the reason . . . yes! You gave away troop positions."
"That was only one part in the grand scheme of things. Commander Rabb knew some information that we need to know. We brought down his plane, killed the RIO, and interrogated him."
"What information could you possibly need from a pilot?" A thousand different questions ran in Mac's mind. Harm wasn't killed when the plane crashed! What if Harm was still alive? Oh God, what if Harm was still alive in country! She pushed the thoughts back.
"He was working to catch the people who were smuggling weapons out of Iraq. We needed troop positions that would tell us where the troops would be and where to effectively carry out or missions. He was sticking his nose in where it didn't need to be."
"Who else is in this group?"
"I'm not going to tell you."
"Well at least tell me your real name that way when we charge you it is underneath your real name."
"Anwar Umawi, born in England raised in Iraq."
"Anwar Umawi, you are being charged with acts of terrorism against the United State along with at least two counts of murder and war crimes in accordance to the Geneva convention."
"Says who?
"Says the United States government."
"That is exactly your fiancé said when I left him in the Iraqi desert last week." Harm was killed on Thanksgiving Day.
"You are lying!"
"Why do you say such things Colonel?"
"Commander Rabb was killed on Thanksgiving day. There is no way you could have seen him in the desert last week."
"If that is what you have to tell yourself."
"DNA confirmed his remains. Guard!" She screamed. The guard walked in, "Take the prisoner away."
"I will see you again Colonel. The Commander is right, his fiancée is a very beautiful woman."
Mac took a seat in the room and when Clay and Bud came walking in. "Mac, are you alright?" Clay asked her.
"Well, as alright as I can be. We have to exhume Harm's grave."
"Ma'am, I placed a call to get that process started, but unfortunately with the holidays here, there is no one to exhume the grave until after Christmas." Bud told her.
"It is only December 20! Christmas isn't for another five days! In five days, who knows what could happen!"
"The person who exhumes the body is at a funeral, and then he is on vacation for one week." Bud explained to her. "Is there anyway we can get a search team out for the Commander?"
"Where would they begin to look Bud? Chances are that they killed him anyway and he is rotting in the desert." Clay told him, "But I am going to see what I can do. I owe him that much." Clay spun on his heel and started making calls into his cell phone.
"Ma'am?" Bud looked at her.
"Bud, I felt in my heart that he was still alive, but when Theresa Coulter told me that it was his remains, that the DNA had been confirmed, the logical part of me kicked in and I began to believe that he was dead."
"What does your heart tell you now?"
"That the love of my life, the father of my children is alive. I just can't pinpoint where." Mac started shaking. "Bud, what if he is alive? What if he is hurt? What if . . ."
"Ma'am, don't go borrowing trouble, and we will get through this. Are you going to tell Mattie?"
"No, I am going to wait until we know for sure. Right now there is no point behind getting her hopes up until we know something concrete."
"Why don't we head back to DC now." Bud suggested. "Where would you like to stop for supper? Beltway Burgers?"
"Oh God, I can't eat hamburgers right now, they don't agree with the baby. Can we go someplace that would serve good noodles and veggies?"
"Sure." Bud smiled at her.
"What are you smiling at Bud?"
"Nothing, just that I was thinking . . . the baby is taking after Commander Rabb already."
"Great, that is the last thing I need, another sailor in my family."
Bud escorted Mac out to the car and noticed that she was turning a shade of green. He braced himself for what was to come. Mac turned around and began to throw up in the closest trashcan. Bud walked up behind and her rubbed her lower back. "It always worked for Harriet."
"Thank you Bud, that feels really good."
"No problem ma'am."
"Bud, you are rubbing my back, I think it is about time you call me Mac."
"Yes ma'am." Bud answered her helping her to her feet. "Do you think you can handle a car ride to the local Japanese place?"
"Sure Bud."
Bud and Mac stopped to have dinner and went over options about trying to get Harm exhumed. It was going to be a rough process. Deeply depressed by the prospect of Harm being left in country, Mac started going deep in thought. Her thoughts were interrupted by her cell phone ringing.
"Mackenzie."
"Mac, it is Clay."
"Clay please tell me you have some good news."
"I just got off the phone with a contact of mine over there. There was an American being held, a man. They left the site though three days ago. The group mentioned something about heading west."
"So this means we have no clue where Harm is, or even if it is Harm." She sighed.
"Sarah, we are doing the best that we can right now. The trail is cold. We all thought he was dead. Who was the medical examiner that performed the DNA tests on the bodies?"
"I don't know. All I know is that Theresa Coulter called me with the news. I will get in contact with her and find out who exactly ran the test."
"It will have to wait until tomorrow Mac. Terry is on a transport right now."
"Clay, thanks for everything that you are trying to do."
"Mac, he was my friend too, no matter what happened with us in the past. I always respected Rabb and he never deserved to be captured. Go home Mac, get some rest, for you and the baby's sake."
"I'll try." She hung up and looked at Bud who had just gotten off the phone with Admiral Jonas who was shocked to hear that Harm may be alive. Admiral Jonas was going to get on the phone and see if he could get the ball rolling on getting the remains exhumed.
Bud pulled up to JAG headquarters. "Are you going to be alright ma'am?"
"Yeah Bud, I will be fine. Thank you for everything today."
"I will pray that everything turns out okay ma'am."
"Thank you Bud."
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me or Harriet."
"Thank you Bud."
She made her way to the Pacifica and went to throw her briefcase in the back. She climbed into the car and went to the house. The only person who would be greeting her today would be Sergei.
